Losing Milk?? - Kenosha,WI

although i have not breastfed successfully, i do know of many moms who just weren't able to pump milk as efficiently as their babies could. perhaps when you were getting 6 oz it was just that you were engorged?

i also suggest a visit with a lactation consultant. they can evaluate the whole scenario and find out what's not going right, and then you can stop guessing.

Congratulations Mommy KM!

I remember being at the same point you are right now with my daughter last year. I know breastfeeding is hard at first, but please believe me it does get easier! Here are a few things that helped me get through those first months:

1. Make sure you are not dehydrated, which can happen really fast because you are so focused on the baby. I had to tell my husband to bring me things to drink even if I did not ask for something or felt thirsty because I would forget and I was literally chained to the couch at times with the baby. The same goes for eating!

2. I learned that I needed to relax while pumping or nothing would come out. What helped me was deep breathing and having a quiet space to pump. I also had the pump on too high of suction at first, which made it very painful. Once I turned it down a level it was much more comfortable, which made me more relaxed, which allowed the milk to let down.

3. I almost gave up on breastfeeding after the first week or so, but decided to go to the lactation consultants at the hospital as a last ditch effort. They were wonderful and gave me a lot of great tips and more confidence that I could succeed. Does the hospital you delivered at have lactation consultants? My hospital gave a discount for the first visit since I delivered there (Northwest Community).

Please remember breastfeeding will get easier as you get the hang of it. You should be proud of yourself that you are trying. Take care of yourself and good luck!

Annie

mommy km:

you need to talk to a lactation consultant... there are many possibilities.....

pumping- can be the pump/ the flanges/

soreness_ where, when , what does it feel like?

P., RLC, IBCLC, CST
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions
www.breastfeedingandparentingsolutions.com

Seriously, get in touch with a lactation specialist. They have them at the hospitals (at least mine did). I've breastfed both of my sons via pump/bottle feeding. I think I was "successful" as I went about 7 months with my first and I'm on 8 months with my second now.

Also, is your chest sore or your nipples? Chest - maybe you have some clogged ducts (just a thought). Nipples, I used Lansinoh after every session. Is your baby still nursing? If so, how is it when he feeds?

What kind of pump do you have? I invested in the Medela Pump in Style and it was great. I actually bought a second one for this time around so I would have one at home and one at the office.

Good luck, get some help from a specialist (even just a phone call!), and hang in there!

Your best bet is to call/contact a lactation consultant pronto, especially if you are wanting to continue to breastfeed.

The pump is not as efficient as the baby at getting the milk out. You don't say if you are pumping/bottlefeeding but I am assuming that if you are pumping this soon.

If you are not opposed to it, it is not too late to get the baby to the breast to feed. It may take a little extra work but he is not too old to learn. That alone will probably increase your supply.

If you want to continue exclusive pumping you will have to be diligent with it. Make sure you are pumping about every 2-3 hours, that's how often baby would be feeding and you will have to pump as much as baby would eat. You may also have to try something to increase supply. Oatmeal, fenugreek (an herb), drinking plenty of water, eating plenty of protein, getting enough rest, etc are all good ways to increase supply. Check out the website www.kellymom.com for more info and look into seeing a lactation consultant.

Mommy K M-

I don't know how far you live from Palos Community Hospital, but they have a great Nursing Mom's Network that meets every tuesday at 11:30am. It's run by the lactation consultants from the hospital and the other mom's in the group are just as helpful. Its so nice to have people to talk to that will understand what you're going through. Each meeting starts with a weigh in, so that you can see that if your son is getting enough to eat. I've been breastfeeding for almost 5 months and I don't think I'd still be doing it without the support. You probably can check the hospital web site or call to get more information.