Breastfeeding Question

[MeaganS]

I'm 21 weeks pregnant with number two and am beginning to think about how I want to feed this baby. With my daughter, I breastfed her for 2 months, and then switched to high-concentrated formula because she had only gained 2 ounces in that time. I never produced very much at all. When I'd pump, I'd get maybe 2 ounces out, and that was after a while. It took me one un-painful day to completely wean my daughter.

 

My mother was the same way. I only gained 1 ounce in my first 2 months and my mom always supplemented and eventually switched to formula with the rest of my siblings. She claims that my grandmother had the same issue as well.

 

I've seen in several places when I've read about breastfeeding that all women produce "enough" milk for their babies. and that it's just latch issues or something else. This seems like an ignorant assumption to me, because everyone is different, but what do I know? I don't claim to be a lactation expert.

 

So I guess my question is two-fold. Is it possible that I just don't produce enough milk for my children? And second, should I even bother breastfeeding with this next baby? Breastfeeding with my daughter was very stressful, because I was grew up with the stories of me not gaining any weight. I was terrified I was going to do that to my daughter and I did. Part of me would love to not have to stress about it and just feed formula from day one, but part of me knows that breastmilk is better for the baby. What would you do in my situation?

[HayesW]

Yes, it is possible that you don't make enough milk for your babies. NEarly all mothers do, but there is a percentage of moms who just don't make enough milk.

 

I would keep a close eye on wet diapers. Four to six wet diapers a day is a good indicator that baby is getting enough milk.

 

Second, ANY breastmilk you can give your baby will be good for her and for you. You might want to consider an SNS or supplemental lactation system, also called a LactAid. You can supplement at the breast.

 

I suggest trying to get in touch with an LC or an LLL leader BEFORE you have your baby. Every baby is different.

 

Also, I have a Lydia who is now 9, and we still love the name! Congrats on girl #2 for you!

[MomLovesClassics]

We have a relative with a small baby right now. The DR told her to give formula after the breast milk. I can't say as I agreed with that, but I try not to give advice where it is not asked so I kept my trap shut. I would talk to a lactation consultant. Also, I would get some tea that helps with milk production and drink it after the baby is born. I would give breastfeeding a try, you never know. If it does not work out do not feel bad as you gave it your best shot. It is normal for babies to lose a little weight at first, but then to start gaining again.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Yes, it is possible that you don't make enough milk for your babies. NEarly all mothers do, but there is a percentage of moms who just don't make enough milk.

 

I would keep a close eye on wet diapers. Four to six wet diapers a day is a good indicator that baby is getting enough milk.

 

Second, ANY breastmilk you can give your baby will be good for her and for you. You might want to consider an SNS or supplemental lactation system, also called a LactAid. You can supplement at the breast.

 

I suggest trying to get in touch with an LC or an LLL leader BEFORE you have your baby. Every baby is different.

 

Also, I have a Lydia who is now 9, and we still love the name! Congrats on girl #2 for you!

 

:iagree:

While it is possible that some women are physically unable to produce enough milk, a majority of milk supply problems are due to other factors (mismanagement by doctors, bad advice, social factors that interfere.) Also, the mind/body connection is important.

 

I would work with an IBCLC certified lactation consultant before having the baby to set yourself up for success. Interview a couple and find one that feels right.

[Carrie12345]

What would you do in my situation?

 

I can only tell you what I've done.

 

Older ds was only bottle fed, but I "tried" bfing both of my dds. Both times, their pediatricians were on my butt about slow weight gain and failure to thrive (without any bfing tips) and convinced me to switch to formula early on.

 

With younger ds, I was determined and committed. I'd say I totally bf'ed on demand, but it was more like I just bf'ed constantly, whether he was demanding or not, lol.

I'm a terrible, terrible pumper, rarely ever filling a 4oz bottle, so I just stopped pumping.

Ds turned out to be a slow-grower, just like his sisters. The ped was on my case about FTT. I pretty much ignored him. At 5 months, he hit a growth spurt, just like his sisters. At 8 months, he hit another growth spurt. He became a solid little tank, even though he was exclusively bf'ed until 10 months.

 

Not that I'm telling you to ignore your dr. I'm simply reporting that I have slow-growing babies and have discovered that it had nothing to do with breastfeeding. Although I did see that ds was much more content, which was probably because I gave up on stressing.

[NanceXToo]

You should really check out kellymom.com, that is a fantastic resource for breastfeeding issues.

 

Start here:

 

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/index.html

 

You should know that what you can pump is NOT an indication of what your baby can get by nursing. A baby nurses much more efficiently than a pump does.

 

I breastfed my son for well past a year and in all that time if I ever tried to pump, I'd be lucky if I could get an ounce.

 

Anyway, I think you might find a lot of useful and helpful info on that site :) Good luck!

[weddell]

Most women produce enough milk, but not all. Many people claim they don't produce enough milk when in fact they would with help (and there are some who can't even with help). There is no way to know what category you fall into without getting some help from a lactation consultant and possibly other breastfeeding support. It is definitely worth it to try and breastfeed this baby! Seek out help now. Find the la leche league closest to you and start attending meetings before your baby is born. Tell the leaders your story and get help/ideas/support before the baby is here. Once you have a baby to take care of, trying to find help will be more frustrating, if you already have people to advise you, things will go more smoothly. People also forget that breastfeeding isn't all or nothing! If you find that you truly don't make enough milk even with their ideas/suggestions/medication AND help from a lactation consultant (your hospital or dr office should have some names or even your insurance company--mine paid for a lacatation consultant visit) then you can supplement with formula. You don't have to give up breastfeeding entirely even if you have to add formula. Just breastfeed first so that the baby gets all they can from you and then give some formula from a bottle. Don't give the bottle first or the baby will fill up and not want to nurse. Breastfeeding is about more than just food for your baby. The skin to skin contact, the smells of the mother, etc all help bonding and attachment. Babies nurse for comfort and to be near their mother. Breastmilk is healthier than formula and even just getting a few ounces a day is better than nothing. Your baby would still get lots of the benefits of breastmilk even if you are supplementing.

Edited April 23, 2010 by weddell

[LisaKinVA]

The number of wet diapers is so much more important than the rate of growth (in my case, my oldest son WAS starving...he was crying, he had a significant decline in wet diapers, no "really wet" diapers at all.)

 

However, I always still BF too. I f igured if he ate from me 2-3x, and then had a bottle the other 2-3x (he was NEVER a middle of the night eater, no matter what I did), it was better than nothing. I did attempt to pump in the evenings but never got more than 2oz. I drank the teas, took the tinctures (all of which I gagged to get down), took supplements, drank water... none of it helped. I did what was best for me and my son.

 

Sometimes it is physiology. Trust your instincts -- and watch those wet diapers. Some babies just don't "follow the curve." My youngest started in the 30th percentile, shot up to the 80th percentile and then nose-dived back to the 30th.... except for her head, which is still in the 95th percentile (my children have BIG heads, apparently:tongue_smilie:).

 

I had problems with my first three, and zero issues with my last two -- and my body finally "figured it out." Although, I still don't have any "engorgement" issues when weaning. Not that Abby shows any interest in weaning, either (some moms would be happy, I am not one of those moms...lol)

 

So if you are like me in any way... keep bf, and if she shows signs of real hunger (crying, trying to nurse, then unlatching and crying, trying to nurse some more, then unlatching and crying), there is a decline in the number of wet diapers, supplement without fear. If she is NOT showing any of these signs, she's probably just a slow-growth baby.

[hornblower]

You really need a specialist to look at your breasts & rule out glandular problems. It's possible that you have breasts which don't have the 'working gear' inside. It's very rare, but it does happen.

 

Others common sources of problems with milk suppy (apart from management & latch issues) are hormonal imbalances &/or retained placental fragments.

 

I'm a little concerned about the family hx because while I can see that glandular insufficiency or even hormonal instabilities might have some hereditary component, I'm convinced that many women's 'ability' to breastfeed is directly related to the stories they have heard about it from the leadership women in their lives. The more stories women hear about how it was impossible etc, the more likely they too will have problems.

 

I'd recommend you seek out an IBCLC - International Board Certified Lactation Consultant way before your baby is born.

 

And absolutely some is better than none, & if you end up using a lact-aid or other supplementer that would be a wonderful way to provide adequate nutrition while still getting some of the benefits of breastfeeding. Colostrum is especially critical.

 

But it is also possible that this time around you'll be able to bring in a full milk supply.

 

Also - I'm concerned about the 2oz gain in 2 months. It's possible this baby was too weak right from the beginning to adequately stimulate an adequate supply, and then it becomes a spiral - too weak to nurse effectively, becomes weaker and is too weak to nurse effectively & so on.

 

The baby needs to be closely monitored right from the beginning. Remember too that birthing interventions (suctioning the baby at birth, or use of certain drugs in labour) can interfere with establishing breastfeeding. It's a big complicated puzzle.

 

best wishes

[anabelneri]

That sounds like a very stressful experience! Kudos for even considering trying to breastfeed again.

 

Every ounce of breastmilk your baby receives is beneficial, both for the baby and for you. If you decide to try nursing again with this baby, focus on that, rather than on the idea that you may be supplementing/switching to formula. Every latch, every ounce is a win.

 

It is possible that you could be one of the rare women who can't make enough milk to feed your babies. But I've known several women who had low supply with their first babies, but had plenty of milk for subsequent babies. You never know what's really going on -- your mother likely didn't nurse in a pro-breastfeeding culture, and even your grandmother may have had negative external pressure about it. I know both my grandmother and mother did.

 

I'd also suggest you find a Lactation Consultant or La Leche League leader ahead of the birth. Find someone you like, if you live in an area with any choice at all. Talk to them ahead of time about your fears and hopes. Check with them about what times are Ok to call -- when you're in the hospital after the birth, when it's 10pm and the nurse says "supplement" you'll want to call them, so it's good to know if it'd be Ok.

 

Hospitals are great for getting babies eating (which is good) but they're not always great for getting babies nursing. One of the biggest things we see here is that the nurses will push formula far sooner than necessary, or they'll give a baby a bottle of water (or formula!) without checking with the parents. That messes the whole breastfeeding cycle up, sadly. When I have a baby in the hospital, one of us (my husband or I) is with the baby the whole time. We have headed off several attempts to give a bottle, even though we've been clear about wanting to breastfeed. Sometimes supplementing IS necessary, which is why it's good to know if you can call a LLL leader or LC right then. I always tell my friends who are having babies to call me the instant a nurse or doctor says "supplement", so we can talk about what's going on and the breastfeeding-friendly options that are out there. Just tell the nurse/doctor that you need to think about it; they have to respect your decision, even if they don't seem happy about it.

 

Something else you can do while you're at the hospital is ask for a pump right away. Pump after each nursing session. If you don't get any milk when you pump, only pump for about five minutes. If you do get some milk, pump for 5 minutes after you stop having milk. That will help your body know to make more milk; you're signalling greater demand. Don't feel bad if you don't get any. It doesn't mean that your baby didn't get any either; babies are much more efficient at removing milk than pumps, and since you nursed first you won't have seen it.

 

Ok, I've probably carried on too long. But one last thing -- you know yourself best. Stick up for yourself and what you know you need to be doing. Don't let people like me :tongue_smilie: push you into feeling like you have to nurse if you know it's not right for you. But also don't give up on nursing if you know in your heart that want to breastfeed. Our culture and our medical system are not built to support breastfeeding (which is why I wrote what I did up above), and I feel strongly that women should have the information and resources that they need to breastfeed if that's their choice. But what is MOST important is that you make the right choice for YOU.

 

(stepping off that soapbox)

Best wishes!

[Crimson Wife]

You should know that what you can pump is NOT an indication of what your baby can get by nursing. A baby nurses much more efficiently than a pump does.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

My oldest was physically unable to latch on and I was never able to pump enough to meet her needs. My milk never really came in and by 6 weeks PP it had totally dried up.

 

My 2nd and 3rd were able to latch on and I had plenty of milk to BF. I decided to wean at a year but it had nothing to do with supply.

 

If you experience a poor latch, have an ENT doctor check your baby for being tongue-tied (ankyloglossia). It's surprisingly common- about 3-5% of all babies are born with it. And often it can be misdiagnosed. All 3 of my kids had it and with both of my younger 2 I was told by a health practitioner that they didn't (my DS by a nurse and my younger DD by a pediatrician). But I could tell they did and the ENT confirmed it.

[MeaganS]

Thank you all for the encouraging words. You are really great!

 

A few things, I had the doctor check for tongue-tiedness when Lydia was first born because I'm tongue-tied (still am) and wanted to go ahead and get it fixed if she was. It caused lots of speech issues for me as a kid, and I didn't want her to have to deal with that, so I do know that's not the issue.

 

It may have been my fear from the stories I heard. I was very aware of how much she ate and very concerned about her weight gain. When I look back at her pictures from a few weeks after she was born until about 3 months old, she just looks sickly skinny. It makes me sad. She was off the charts low for weight gain. She's never been a great eater, and eventually we did figure out that she had acid reflux. She would cry all day every day before we gave her medicine, but the second day after she had it, she was a different child. It's highly probable that she had other factors involved in why she wasn't eating enough. Even when we did formula, she never ate as much as she was supposed to (even half), so we had to make it extra concentrated just to keep her growing.

 

I think that I'm going to try again with this baby. It could be a different experience all together. Also, thanks for the suggestion of seeing someone before hand. That's a great idea, and I hadn't thought of that. I had a lactation lady at the hospital, but I didn't like her very much and mostly wanted her to go away. If I had someone I already felt comfortable with, it could be different.

 

Again, thanks for all your encouraging words. I appreciate it!

[kamom]

I'm right in the middle of this right now...and it can be very discouraging. Ds is 7 wks and I'm still supplementing. The good news is that I am supplementing less then I was at the beginning and he is gaining an ounce a day now. I always nurse him first and he loves to nurse! I though by now the bottles would have totally confused his sucking, but he does good, loves to nurse and then if he is still sucking his fists after 15 minutes on each side, I offer him 2 oz of goats milk ( he has a dairy allergy).

 

I am thrilled to know that he is getting at least half from me and I would hate to give up the precious times of nursing that he loves so much!

 

So give it try againa nd don't be scared of doing both if you have to. Good Luck and May God bless you and help you.

[Mergath]

I don't have anything about low supply to add that hasn't already been stated. I just wanted to say that, whatever you decide, don't let the militant mommies out there make you feel guilty about it. Having a mommy that is sane is highly important for a child. The ability or not to breastfeed does not determine whether you are a good mother, regardless of what some people would have you think. (No one here, just to be clear, but some other forums are really bad.)

[Ellie]

The stress you were feeling might have caused enough tension to keep you from producing milk.

 

Using a breast pump is never a good way to tell how much milk you are producing.

 

Two months of breastfeeding is better than no breastfeeding at all.

 

If there's a La Leche League in your community, you might try to attend a few meetings. You could also read the book "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding."

[littlebug42]

Before my oldest daughter was born, my husband and I sought out female pediatricians. We went to interview one and was sold because she had actually breastfed her babies. I was always stressed out because I got different info from the nurses, different from the lactation consultant, different from the doula and I just didn't know which way was up. We decided to go with the pediatrician's advice since she had been there. It helped. My mother and MIL did not breastfeed their children so they were no help (although very supportive thankfully).

[tatertotschool]

I had a difficult time feeding after my 1st pregnancy, but they were 10 weeks early and had extended stays in the NICU. I started supplementing my healthy twin at 3 months and switched her to formula at 6 months old when her sister came home from the hospital.

 

With my 3rd I struggled the first two months with supply, but I kept at it as long as she had wet diapers. I have a supportive ped who doesn't go by weight gain. She had wet diapers and rolls so he was happy. She was EBP until 9 months old and weaned at 13.

 

I had my son 12 weeks ago and it's been a cinch. I wanted to clarify- I did have issues with his latch but none with supply. But, I learned from my previous time. My issues were related to not drinking enough water and not eating enough. Also- I am anemic and that's been an issue for me. You might want to consider having your iron level checked after delivery.

 

I agree that breastmilk is the bestmilk, but having had struggled with the stress of not producing enough, and the social pressure to keep going, I felt utterly (no pun intended) relieved when I gave myself permission to stop- but it took 6 months for me to do it. I was pumping several times a day for one twin, and nursing the other. Consider your motivations. When I started 2nd time around, I'd already given myself permission to stop if I felt the need, and just taking that stress off myself was enough to boost my success.

Edited April 24, 2010 by tatertotschool

[cougarmom4]

You've gotten some great advice here. I'd just like to pipe in to add that I was only able to nurse my first for 6 weeks, but with the other three I was able to continue much longer. Don't assume your first experience is how this one will go, too.

 

I think part of the reason was that I had relaxed quite a bit. And I asked for help more directly--going to LLL meetings before baby, seeing a lactation consultant before & during hospital stay, having a LLL friend help me after. I'd highly recommend you find someone NOW who will be able to help you through it.

 

Another thing that helped me was changing my expectations a little. I think with the first I just assumed breastfeeding was going to work perfectly. But with the other three, I was prepared emotionally that it was going to be hard work...be painful...be challenging...but that it would be worth it for my baby...for however long I could do it. And so I just had it in my mind to expect the first two months to be tough...and that it would take about that long for the breastfeeding to be well established. For some reason, this changed my whole attitude and outlook on the whole process.

 

Using a hospital pump for a few weeks made a huge difference to me--not that I always got tons of milk, but it really helped establish my milk supply.

 

Anyway...just wanted to share a little encouragement, put a plug in for positive vibes, but also say that if it doesn't work out again, it's okay.

[s0nicfreak]

Yes, see a lactation consultant. Don't let anyone else tell you you're not producing enough, should formula feed or supplement - most nurses and etc. know little or nothing about breastfeeding. Breastfed babies usually gain weight slower. Pumping doesn't show how much you're making, and the amount you make isn't as important as the amount of formula a baby is fed; with formula, a set amount has a set amount of vitamins, but breastmilk adjusts itself according to how much your baby drinks. If the baby drinks more, it will be more watery, if the baby drinks less, it will be more vitamin rich. That way, the baby always gets the amount of vitamins he/she needs. But your body needs your baby telling it how much to make and how watery to make it, so don't pump!

[Homeschool4us]

I'm 21 weeks pregnant with number two and am beginning to think about how I want to feed this baby. With my daughter, I breastfed her for 2 months, and then switched to high-concentrated formula because she had only gained 2 ounces in that time. I never produced very much at all. When I'd pump, I'd get maybe 2 ounces out, and that was after a while. It took me one un-painful day to completely wean my daughter.

 

My mother was the same way. I only gained 1 ounce in my first 2 months and my mom always supplemented and eventually switched to formula with the rest of my siblings. She claims that my grandmother had the same issue as well.

 

I've seen in several places when I've read about breastfeeding that all women produce "enough" milk for their babies. and that it's just latch issues or something else. This seems like an ignorant assumption to me, because everyone is different, but what do I know? I don't claim to be a lactation expert.

 

So I guess my question is two-fold. Is it possible that I just don't produce enough milk for my children? And second, should I even bother breastfeeding with this next baby? Breastfeeding with my daughter was very stressful, because I was grew up with the stories of me not gaining any weight. I was terrified I was going to do that to my daughter and I did. Part of me would love to not have to stress about it and just feed formula from day one, but part of me knows that breastmilk is better for the baby. What would you do in my situation?

With my second child I made decision to breastfeed and at first had issues with supply. However, I am a RN and consulted Lactation Consultant at the hospital, she had me start taking Fenugreek(and no she has no allergies to peanuts as I read in one article) and Alfalfa that I bought at health food store. I will have to pull the copy of the info she gave me in order to let you anyone who is interested know how many of each to take per day. I honestly can't remember off the top of my head. At any rate, I did use the supplements and before long I was pumping approx. 13oz every morning and at least 7-8 oz every four hours. I breastfeed for 2 weeks as suggested, but would pump after she finished eating anyway. After the 2 weeks, I pumped completely. She had no issues with the bottles I used and the plastic bags that held milk fit right into the disposable bottles. I went back to work so I had no other option if I wanted to continue using breast milk. I used the Medela Back pack type pump, my sister and I both used this brand and then multiple people used mine at work after I had finished using it. It worked well for me and it was a double pump so I could pump in 10-15 minutes max and I was done.

 

I would pump before I left in the morning then for first 3-4 months after going back to work I would try to pump 3 times while at work(working 12 hour shift) then when I got home and tried really hard to keep on the every 4 hour schedule. Then was able to start going longer and only pumped 3 times at work and so forth. By the time she was 7 months old I had been able to freeze enough to last her well past her 1 year birthday and started cutting back the amount that I would pump. When I did have to gradually start adding formula, after a year, I would mix it half and half, did not have a single problem. I also used Carnation Good Start Formula and have seen really good results with others that have used it.

 

I didn't want to just all of a sudden switch her so that is why I gradually started adding it to the breast milk and had enough to mix up until she was about 18months old. (My first had colic until for it seemed like forever, I didn't breastfeed and they didn't have Carnation at that time. I never want to go thru colic again.)

 

It worked wonders for me but I did take the dosage that she prescribed.

 

I will post it as soon as I pull the information. I copied it to external hard drive after having multiple request for the handouts.

 

Good luck.

Emily

[alpidarkomama]

With DD#1 I tried everything - many hours with lactation consultants, pumping (and pumping and pumping; the high-power electric kind!), supplemental nursing, herbal supplements, domperidone, etc., etc., etc. After 12 weeks I just gave up; it was getting too stressful. It was such a relief to just switch to formula!!! Early on my daughter got very dehydrated (no wet diapers), and looked a bit listless. Not good. With the next one I gave it my best shot for 4 weeks before just giving up. I was so thrilled to get rid of the supplemental nursing system and the pump. It was so much more peaceful pulling out the bottle and just snuggling down.

[SonshineLearner]

So, I would ask about some herbs to take after or even maybe from now till after... from a naturopath. I would also drink a beer or wine or something to help me kinda "relax". Rumors have it that some hospitals... give a mug of beer to help their moms relax. I think the darker and purer the better. Of course, you'll want some help making sure you don't get too relaxed... but sometimes just getting it flowing will get you off to the right start.

If you haven't drunk anything... and are not to tired, I found that warm baths were great for nursing. (no, you don't want to go in if there's any chance you're too tired.) Also, at night... you can sometimes nurse easier.

I guess that I'm one of the ones that would say... always try, try, again :)

 

Good Luck!!

[EthiopianFood]

You've gotten good advice already. I didn't make enough milk with dd due to stress. I noticed a decrease in urine output, but didn't get good advice on whether or not it was normal, so I didn't do anything about it. Long story short, after what ended up being several months before we realized she wasn't gaining enough, I tried fenugreek capsules. She went from gaining half a ounce a week to two ounces IN THE FIRST WEEK! I'm so glad I knew of this resource.

 

I hope it works out for you. I definitely would NOT give up before you even begin.