Problem Breastfeeding.

I have a friend whose daughter was and still is very much underweight. She continued to exclusively breastfeed on demand around the clock despite her doctors plea to intervene. Rowan is a healthy and active 3 year old now...still small...but healthy. Some babies are small...some people are small.
If you want to continue to breastfeed don't give up. Continue to offer, one day she'll take it.

You know, those weight scales are for FORMULA fed infants. Formula fed infants are usually a little heavier because the body can't break down and use everything in it like it can with breastmilk. Unfortunately, it seems like the medical field is very ill-informed on breastfeeding issues.

I would recommend checking out this site: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/index.html
I have always heard www.kellymom.com to be a very reliable and trustworthy site. I have a feeling your child's weight is just fine (if it is just a little below what a formula fed child would weigh).

Is your child eating solids yet? If she is that will probably help to put a little weight on her too. My daughter was in the 15%ile for weight for a LONG time. She didn't take to solids until probably about a year but after that her weight went up to about 30%ile.

I wish you the best of luck! And trust your instincts and do whatever you feel is best!!!!

Edited to add:
Many women simply can't get much milk pumping. It doesn't necessarily mean you don't have much milk in you but that your body doesn't respond to something artificial trying to get it out. I never could pump much (no more than a couple ounces) and I had enough milk for my child. This really isn't all that uncommon. And I DID use a hospital grade pump at one point because I needed to pump in the early months a couple times a day so I could put her reflux medicine in it. I never had much luck.

The amazing thing about women's bodies is that their bodies produce whatever amount of milk your child is needing. because she is getting formula right now she isn't nursing as much which is why your supply is going down. But the more she nurses your supply will fill whatever her demands are. Frequent nursing is the BEST way to increase milk production. I personally, and again everyone should do what they feel most comfortable with, would be VERY leery about using Reglan or any other prescription medication. There are more natural methods if you are desperate (kellymom in my opinion would be a good resource here as well). I have also heard eating oatmeal helps with supply.

I also go to www.justmommies.com and they have a breastfeeding board where there are a ton of VERY informed women who would be more than willing to help out in any way possible. It is a pretty well traveled board so you should get pretty quick responses.

And lastly I just wanted to say that the benefits of breastfeeding continue for as long as you breastfeed. I know alot of people would stop at this point but since you said you had planned on extended breastfeeding I would certainly encourage continuing because you and your daughter are both still getting so much out of it (it is amazing all the benefits of extended breastfeeding - it is truly a shame that so many pediatricians aren't up on all the nutrional and medical benefits).

Hang in there! You are doing great!

Did YOU feel like she was getting enough breastmilk? Did she nurse both sides and stop when full or did she seem still hungry? It wouldnt be the first time I'd heard of a pediatrician pushing formula, and i have no answer for why they do that, but i would go with my gut on this. Try stopping the formula for a few days and urge her to nurse, Im assuming shes also on some cereal and jar foods so she wont be starving. There is a different sucking technique in bottle feeding, so it can be confusing for the baby. It may take a few days, but your milk should start coming back in soon. Obviously, if she seems to be very hungry, then you may have to go to the formula, but try to avoid it. Also, what type of pump are you using? Electric ones never worked for me, the one I had with my youngest had a trigger like handle, and a let down button, it was great, i believe it was made by medela, it was yellow, white and clear, i will try to remember the name. Also, when she wakes at night only offer her a breast, she will be sleepy and desperate for comfort and that may jog her memory on the good 'ol boob technique! Good luck!

Hey A., Don't give up! One of the reasons the baby might be rejecting you or get frustrated is because often it requires less effort to get milk from the bottle- they learn that fast! Also the best way you can get your milk back is to nurse or pump and empty completely. I had to feed and then pump for ten minutes after to "tell" my body the baby needed more so I would supply more. It usually takes about a week. There is also a great tea you can get in nature food stores that is called "Mother's Milk" That helps too. Also- unless your baby is in a lot of trouble with weight you can certainly get through this by nursing! I used my pumped milk in the baby's cereal to add calories throughout the day. Also, breast fed babies are always a little smaller. God Bless!

I nursed my son until he was 9 months old before adding formula to the mix. I just had to accept that he was no longer interested in breastfeeding and that was weaning himself. Trust me, it's better to let them be sometimes and accept that it's life. Besides, I continued to nurse him first thing in the morning and at bedtime until he was a year old, even though I was almost forcing him to. Good luck

call a lactation expert and pump or just give it up all together. you've bf for 8 months and this is about the time a lot of kids wean anyway. You bf a lot longer than I could so be proud of yourself!

A.,
Sorry to hear that you're having so much trouble! I had to supplement with formula after I went back to work, and the thing that worked was using a nipple that was difficult to get milk through. When you turn the bottle upside down, no milk should drip through the nipple, or it'll be too easy for the baby and then she won't want to work for it from the breast. We used the bottles with the liners and the variable flow nipples, but I know a friend that used the ventaire ones, she said even she had a hard time sucking through those.
Hope this helps, and good luck!

DEFINITELY ask your doctor about reglan. it saved me and I was able to continue breastfeeding for an additional 8 months after my supply would have been over. plus after you start for a bit you can cut down the dose - i was only taking one pill about every 4 days and it was enough to keep my supply intact - without though I wouldn't have made it. Good luck!

I had this same problem with my son at 5 months. I made it to 7 months before I decided to stop. Remember, it's what in the best interest of your child. I know breast is best, but if she is under weight and not getting enough from mom, she is going to need the formula. No matter how much I nursed or how much I pumped, my son was always hungry. At 7 months, I figured he will be on whole milk soon, eating more solids and needing what I could provide less. Just something to think about.
Also, if you REALLY want to continue, call your lactation consultant at your hospital or the local Le Leche league. They should be of great value to you.
Good luck in your decisions.

Get rid of the formula, and get rid of the pediatrician. Seriously.

Telling a mother to supplement with formula is probably the worst (and most frequent) bad advice pediatricians make. You will destroy your supply and she will stop nursing all together.

Drink mother's milk tea, get enough water, and nurse around the clock for a week. Your supply will respond. DO NOT GIVE ANY MORE FORMULA!

I would recommend going back to exclusive breast feeding. Everything that I have ever seen or read says that except in extreme cases breast feeding is best for her growth. If your daughter has been gaining weight consistently since birth she should be fine, it is only a problem if she stops gaining weight or looses weight. I would get a second opinion from another pediatrician. By 8 months you should be supplementing with solid foods as well. If you really feel that there is a need for formula on top of everything else try using a sippie cup instead of a bottle. You will have to help her drink from it while she is sitting up like in her high chair and this can work well for weaning also or giving her other things as she get older like introducing whole milk when she hit one year. Then there is no nipple confusion but you and your daughter can still have those close times of nursing that are good for her on so many levels. My suggestion is to take her off the bottle "cold turkey" it might take a couple of days for her to readjust and for your milk supply to come back but it will happen, our bodies are amazing like that. Also, I would find a new pediatrician, but that's just me.

I think you should stop feeding formula through a bottle. If the Ped says she needs formula (although, I doubt it, seriously.) then feed it to her in a cup instead of a bottle. Your milk supply will build back up pretty quickly.

Good luck!

I think you are right that she is having nipple confusion. If you start breastfeeding exclusivly again, your milk supply will quickly increase. Just let her hang out near the breast for a while, maybe just snuggling under the covers together, and she will remember how it works. The problem is that a bottle pours out milk with no effort, and she is probably nervous that she'll get too much if she nurses like she used to. I have nursed both my children through problems like this, and my son is now 2 and still nursing. I really believe that breastmilk is by far the best food for your baby, a million times better than formula. Good luck - you sound like a great mom!

Dear A.,
As the others have requested...stop the formula. Pumping is very difficult but it will keep your milk supply plentiful. I think relaxation is very important...the more calm and at peace you are when you nurse the happier your baby will feel. This means doing kind things for yourself and the first should be forgive your self....no more guilt about your efforts to do as the doctor recommended...Please tell the doctor how discouraging such advice can be to nursing mothers...do you have connections to La Leche league? I may have spelled that wrong but they have volunteers who could come meet with you.
Many blessings and wishes for success to you dear one.
D.

It sounds like she's hungry when you put her to the breast and she wants to nurse but she's not getting food fast enough. I would recommend asking your doctor for Reglan which helps increase your milk supply (usually within a day or two). If you don't want meds try Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle capsules which you can get on Amazon or GNC. Once your milk supply is re-established I'm sure your daughter will happily nurse.

You can't stop formula unless you can pump enough breast milk. You might want to rent a hospital grade pump from a medical supply place if you're having trouble pumping. Nipple confusion is a myth for most babes don't worry about it.

Good luck!