BF 14 w.o. still hungry after feed

[rayasunshine]

I am in need of some help...ds is 14 weeks old and was exclusively breast fed up until last week. The pediatrician is concerned with ds weight gain so now I have to top up. My milk supply dipped due to stress and I am now on natural supplements to increase it. However, what's happening is ds will BF for about 7-10mins and then comfort suck. I try to get him to take more but he doesn't. Then when I top him up he's taking anywhere from 2oz and up. I don't want him to stop breast feeding but I feel like he's getting lazy at the breast and goes to town on the bottle. What can I do to preserve breast feeding? He got lazy when he was first born when my milk didn't come in fast enough for him. Then I had an over supply of milk and over active let down which he didn't appreciate,  went off the domperidone and became more and more stressed with my fussy little baby and bye bye milk...any suggestions? TIA!

[ENMS]

I would try to do some breast compressions when you get to the point where he comfort sucks. This kept my little guy going for a little bit more. 

Could you start the Domperidone again?

[rayasunshine]

Hi Elise,

I try breast compressions and I don't see him him actually swallowing or sucking more. Maybe I'm not doing it right    Maybe I'll check the FAQs to see if there is anything there.

My dr won't put me back on domperidone because there was a Health Canada alert on its use...apparently it was found to cause heart problems but that was specific to those using it for digestive issues who already had pre-existing conditions not women using it to increase milk supply. Regardless it's not an option.

If it's not one thing it's another...

[ENMS]

Wow, I just looked that up on the net.... I was taking 80mg until last month. That is scary.

This might help for the compressions.
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-BC

[rayasunshine]

Hi Elise,

I honestly think you should be fine at least my dr said the same to me...I will check out the link you gave- thanks for that. There was a link in the FAQs and that was helpful so I will try with him at the next feed.

I'm curious about whether I should be concerned that he is taking 2oz and up as a top up consistently? Is that too much? He probably could take more...thoughts anyone?

[ENMS]

DS used to always take a top up of 2 oz or more after BF...  in was (is) in the 85th percentile and always needed to feed quite a lot. Although when his reflux got controlled he dropped significantly the number of oz he was taking in per day (from 35 to 25).

I've posted the Domperidone warning as I think it's info anyone else taking it right now should be aware of!

[atlantamomofthree]

Hi.

Will he take a pacifier at all? I think I would've had a bigtime nurser on my hands if my ds hadn't taken one (like you said, comfort nursing).

What about trying a little bit of cereal with EBM or formula from a spoon so that he doesn't become too accustomed to the ease of a bottle's nipple? Just enough cereal to thicken it? Wdyt?

[Fiver]

If it were me, I would avoid adding any solids at 14wo.  Are you taking blessed thistle/fenugreek now rather than the domperidone?  Did you come off the domperidone suddenly?

The suggestion of compressions is great, totally agree with that.  If you're needing to up supply, make sure you're feeding frequently (or at least doing some pumping after you've finished nursing), make sure you're getting adequate fluids, nutrition and rest and keep going with the supplements for now (and, easier said than done, try not to stress).

FWIW, LOs will often take more from a bottle top up at 1) it's easier to get out and 2) they don't get the "full" signal as soon as they would if they were feeding directly from the breast.

Sounds like you've had a bit of an interesting journey so far, but you are doing a GREAT job.

[rayasunshine]

Hi Elise, Valerie and Fiver:

Thanks for posting the domperidone alert...I hope it doesn't scare mommies out there.

At the end of the day I just don't know if he's actually BFing enough...how long (if at all) do I wait before topping him up? He very well might need more and that's fine but not at the risk of BFing.

Valerie, given his tummy issues I'm a bit reluctant to introduce cereal just yet. He will now take the paci since he started the bottle but the sleep consultant I hired has asked us to not bring a paci into the picture. I would love for him totake it but I can imagine the havoc it will play in my life when he requires re-plugging!

Fiver I am taking fenugreek/blessed thistle and drinking mothers milk tea and fennel tea to up my supply and I do see a bit of a difference in 48hrs. Oh and I didn't come off it suddenly I weaned over a course of a few weeks.  He was always a fast nurser so that hasn't changed but maybe his needs have. Plus I have to destress so that I don't mess up my supply further-stress is probably my biggest issue...the journey has been quite challenging and loys of tears have been shed along the way but what can you do...

Anyways the 30min naps are still happening, which drive me insane,  even when he is topped up prior to each nap so that's a whole other issue that I hope sleep training can help with...thanks for all the help and suggestions thus far!

[Fiver]

What do you think would happen if you took him out in the buggy/sling when he woke after 30 minutes rather than trying to resettle?  Would that make it easier to be less stressed about sleep?  He might drop off again, he might not, but at least you're not trapped indoors?

Are you able to add some pumping in after feeds to help up supply also along with those supplements?  I know it's a PITA, but it does help.

[rayasunshine]

HI Everyone,

So my milk supply is not really building up and I know partly that is my fault in that I  don't have it in me to  pump...I really just want to go back on the domperidone as the natural supplements aren't really cutting it. I know domperidone works for me as I had an over supply over a month ago, I just don't know if my doctor will prescribe it given the health canada alert.

I'm in the process of sleep training and the sleep consultant is concerned that my milk supply issue could be playing a part in some of the issues I'm facing with his ability to sleep longer periods. I don't want to stop breast feeding but I also don't have the same amount of energy to dedicate to getting my supply up...the sleep issues are enough to deal with right now. I find that my letdown is barely noticeable and given the sleep training he's so tired and doesn't want to work super hard to get milk.

At the end of the day I don't think my body can produce milk without the aid of domperidone because even with dd I was on dom for almost 8 months...I want to enjoy this time and tbh I feel like if I just formula feed that would be one less thing to stress about...I feel bad about that but I'm just so done    At the same time I feel like a failure because if I stop BFing then I'm giving up...what do I do?

[Fiver]

It's quite normal towards 16w to stop feeling the letdown reflex as strongly as you did before and this doesn't necessarily mean supply has dipped.

At the end of the day, it's your decision to make with LO's dad about how you feed your baby.  Just know that we'll support whatever decision you choose to make.

[rayasunshine]

So I just went to feed him before his nap and he barely sucked at the breast to get milk. I didn't want to miss his sleep window so I had 3oz bottle ready as top up and gave him that and he drank it all no problem. I get that it's much easier for ds to get milk from the bottle but when he's already not gaining enough weight I just want him to have milk in whatever way he gets it...so FRUSTRATING 

[Fiver]

hugs

[rayasunshine]

Hi Amanda,

I appreciate the support...I feel a bit better following a chat with a friend and a lactation consultant. There's just so much pressure on me right now with the sleep consultant and sleep training and the pediatrician worried about his weight gain. Not to mention my milk supply. I just want to focus on one thing at a time but it's hard to do that given what the consultant wants me to do (and I've paid for her service so I can't really put it on hold) and the milk supply will take time and effort as well.

The lactation consultant was helpful and heard me when I said I really didn't want to pump and offered other suggestions. He did take, what seemed like, a good feed before his nap and that felt promising! One step at a time I gues...I just want to enjoy my baby without having to watch the clock or calculate how many ounces he's having or not having at a feed...is that too much to ask for?