Author Topic: Can't make enough  (Read 1614 times)

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Offline albers30

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Can't make enough
« on: September 11, 2015, 06:06:10 am »
My baby was born big at 9 lbs 8 oz and was a slow weight gainer so they had me start supplementing.  Initially at just 4-6 oz of supplement a day baby got on track and was gaining well.  I suffered a horrible case of mastitis in which baby refused to BF for several days and while I pumped to keep up during this time baby crept up to needing about 8 oz of supplement a day.  Now I feel like she is never full after breastfeeding alone.  Unless she receives 1-2 ounces after each feed she's irritable, doesn't sleep well and wants to eat again within an hour and even worse by later afternoon evening she even refuses to nurse now and just wants a bottle.  I've been pumping every chance I get, have tried all the supplements and power pumping and nothing seems to improve my supply or babies willingness to bf.  Any other suggestions?

Offline jessmum46

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Re: Can't make enough
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2015, 06:57:26 am »
((Hugs)) it's so hard when you feel worried about your supply and whether LO is getting enough, I'm sorry you had mastitis to contend with too.  Is LO now growing well?  What are nappies like, plenty of wet and soiled nappies?  Is poop normal yellow/seedy? 

As you probably know stress and worry can impact upon your supply so although I appreciate it's not an easy thing to do, trying to make sure you relax as much as possible, drink plenty of water, get a good diet and take some time for yourself will be really important.  Supplementing, though it has its place, will impact negatively upon your supply and the best way to make more breast milk is to let LO have pretty much unrestricted access to the breast whenever they demand.  I'm not sure how old your LO is but I'd try spending a good bit of time skin to skin, maybe taking a bath together, anything to encourage that feeding instinct and encourage LO back to the breast.  Babies are much more efficient than pumps :)  Do you offer both sides per feed?  You can also switch back and forth between sides more than once and offer the breast again 30 mins or so after a feed when the milk will be higher in the dense calorie fats.  What about trying some breast compressions while LO is feeding too?  LOs can develop a preference for the bottle as they don't have to work so hard to get the milk if flow is too fast, are you using the very lowest flow rate teats?

Hope some of those suggestions are helpful and I'm sure others will be along with some more thoughts before too long x


Offline *Ali*

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Re: Can't make enough
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2015, 10:16:46 am »
Also check out our FAQ for ideas on upping supply I'm worried I may have low milk supply
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline ENMS

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Re: Can't make enough
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2015, 11:14:22 am »
Hi. I don't have a lot of Time buy I struggled with supply and what worked for me was pumping right after feeds. I would spend a lot of time pumping at other Times but I still always needed to supplement. At tje advice of my LC I started pumping as soon as she was done feeding doe a few days and it really helped me get rid of the supplements quite quickly.
Elise



Offline albers30

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Re: Can't make enough
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2015, 16:08:31 pm »
I keep her skin to skin with me at night and allow free access throughout the night, during the day with the other kiddos this just isn't possible.  I nurse her whenever she wants but she often just half heartedly nurses for a few minutes and then quits or just refuses and doesn't nurse at all. I've tried pumping right after but generally it doesn't happen right after because there are kiddos needing something or she's fussing so it takes 20 minutes or more to get to the pump which is maybe why this hasn't helped.  Thanks for the advice though.  I'm not all that stressed about it just looking for ideas.

Offline jessmum46

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Re: Can't make enough
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2015, 18:54:41 pm »
How old is she?

Is there any chance her fussing so soon after feeds could be that she still wants to suck or is looking for comfort or is tired rather than hungry?  If she has unrestricted access to the breast all night and nurses on demand during the day I would have thought supply should be pretty good barring any issues with milk transfer/latch etc?  How often does she feed typically in the daytime?