Author Topic: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(  (Read 6853 times)

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Offline deb

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #15 on: April 23, 2017, 13:33:34 pm »
Formula is not bad, no, not AT ALL!  When I had such a hard time with Josie's bad latch that I needed time to heal, for her evening feeds she got formula (mixed w/BM when I had some) while I pumped and all overnight feeds were bottles so my nipples could heal. Formula is literally what kept us BFing, since once I was healed, I went back to it 24/7 with more success. FWIW, we BF'ed until almost 16 months. Natalie went cold-turkey off the breast one bedtime at around 8 months, so SHE was the one who upended my plans! LOL I kept pumping for a while after that but after a few days my breasts weren't being fooled and they packed it in, and Nat got formula mixed w/what was in the fridge/freezer until it ran out, then she got formula while we finished transitioning to solids.

THE MOST important things are, in no particular order, to Feed Your Baby and to Take Care Of Yourself. Do those, and the rest have a habit of falling into place.  :-*

Offline cath~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #16 on: April 23, 2017, 15:35:09 pm »
(((Hugs))) Marta

You are not failing your DS at all! Formula is absolutely fine. You have done a wonderful job BFing for this long :-*
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

Offline Martini~

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Something is wrong as it's another morning with problems with let down. I start to think and thought about my thyroid problems, I had Graves Basedow so hyperthyrenosis years ago but it has been inactive in recent years. But my doctor told me that it can activate after the labour. It didn't with Frank but I was told it was extremly rare as it's very common for this disease to raise after birth.

My DH yesterday told me that I awfuly sweat LOL, and that made me think - that yes, I feel it. I am wet, my whole body, when I start feeding. And that was one of the symptoms for me previously. I thought this excessive sweating was because of disease or temperature but maybe it's just a correlation. I am heading towards clinic for hormones to be checked (tsh,  ft3, ft4) and will check if I am right. I read that reserach on rats shows that with HyperT the symptom is ... no let down and problems with milk ejection. If hormes are hugh I will probably will have to take metamizol which means stop BF (if the doses are high), but still it would give me a peace of mind somehow. As I would stop blaming myself for what's happeneing. Stop saying myself that I am weak. It would somehow mine that just the Graves Basedow activated...
~Marta

Offline dache

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #18 on: April 24, 2017, 07:35:54 am »
(((Hugs))) Marta. You`ve done great so far and you will continue to do your best, formula or bfing! There is no way that it is your fault!!!

I was wondering, do you have boza there? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boza  Lots of women swear by it for the milk supply.



Offline deb

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #19 on: April 24, 2017, 10:34:43 am »
Definitely a good idea to get your thyroid checked in any case. Pregnancy seems to have activated my own hypothyroid, and I've been reading that it's not at all unusual for pregnancy & delivery to be "triggering events" for thyroid issues. It would certainly explain why women are FAR FAR more likely than men to deal with thyroid problems.

~~~~~Vibes~~~~~ for a resolution for you.

Offline cath~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #20 on: April 24, 2017, 11:57:20 am »
more ((hugs)) Marta.  Hope you get some answers at the clinic.  Whatever the results though, please don't feel that you are in any way weak. xx
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #21 on: April 24, 2017, 18:54:36 pm »
Hormones are fine, I feel like a failure.
~Marta

Offline deb

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #22 on: April 24, 2017, 18:57:12 pm »
You absolutely are not, Sweetie. Sometimes our bodies let us down when we need them most.  :-* :-* :-*

That said, have you had a look at the Edinburgh lately? I'm worried that you're putting yourself down a LOT over this...  :'(

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #23 on: April 24, 2017, 19:16:35 pm »
Thank you Deb :* :* :*

I haven't recently done it but I know I am struggling in first months. It's just who I am and how I cope (or not LOL) with newborn and so little control over such a little baby. I had that with DS1 and somehow survived so I am pretty sure the sun will shine again soon also this time. Being honest I was feeling already much better 2-3 weeks ago. Just last 1,5 week was so tough. DS1 got sick on Easter and moaned for mummy from Sun till Thu non stop, not sleeping well and not eating well, crying half of a day, DH got sick on Wed morning - high fever and awful mood as he hates being sick, I got sick on Thu morning - shivers, temperature.

This problem with breastfeeding is devastating for me as I am somehow still without decision what next. Mixed feeding or maybe better said combined feeding (breast+bottle afterwards) is not working as DS is not a kid who loves bottles so I have a feeling that me trying to feed and failing makes him hungry as he will still not accept a bottle. Every feed is really difficult - it starts with a hope that our problems are over and ends with great satisfaction or a big disappointment. No matter which way we will go - I presume we will have to go either on bottles or breast 100%, as he prefers breast and is refusing bottles if not starving. And I will be fine with final decision - but right now I am just processing that. This way how it works now with this combined feeding is emotionally difficult and makes me ambiguous if he ate enough.

But I told myself 2 more days. If it's not going to improve, I will just go fully on bottles. And express or not. Will see what is going to work best for me.
~Marta

Offline dache

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #24 on: April 25, 2017, 07:05:28 am »
Hugs Marta. I`m sorry you are feeling that way.

I just remembered that around that age, I think maybe around 4,5-5 months I experienced the same. My milk supply was getting lower and lower. I vividly remember pumping at night and that was when I had most milk. I`d get 180-250ml (from one breast, the other one was always low supply and I could get maybe 20 ml) after a good dream feed.  I stopped bf soon after that but managed to give that one bottle for a little bit longer.
Whatever you decide, you know you and your baby best and I`m sure that it will be the right decision for you.

xx



Offline *Ali*

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #25 on: April 26, 2017, 10:37:59 am »
Hi Marta,

Sorry to hear you're having such a tough time. Are you recovering from your illness at all?

Firstly, I wonder whether the issue with letdown may have started with illness but is being prolonged due to anxiety over waiting and timing LD perhaps? It can be hard to get a LD if you are stressed about it. Perhaps employing some relaxation and visualisation techniques might help? The same could be true of pumping.  Your LO is more efficient.

Also,  try not to worry too much as it is very normal to not notice a LD as baby gets older. I can't remember what age it stopped with my three but I'd guess it was before 6mo each time.  They were still getting enough milk though. 

Perhaps have a read through our Low Supply FAQ and see if you think you really have a supply problem and what you can do about it.  https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=263550.0

Your LO is still going a decent time between feeds so he doesn't sound hungry.  I'd probably persevere with offering both breasts at frequent intervals.

Hugs x

ETA: I also meant to ask if you'd considered a supplemental nursing system if you want to him to continue getting the benefits of breast milk and he's not keen on the bottle?
« Last Edit: April 26, 2017, 15:25:50 pm by *Ali* »
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #26 on: April 28, 2017, 07:01:42 am »
It got much better now, I met with a LC and she said that I should let my head off that and just feed, not counting any time etc. feeds during day are much more pleasant now. I am waiting for the LD definitely longer than a week ago - but I stopped counting minutes, just listen to some music and feeding and relaxing. However I have a problem with evening let down and not the time is a problem but LO being nervous. We are at 4mo now - exactly today! Probably wonder week. And two days ago evening was fine. We waited 10minutee maybe but it all came down, he got his milk. But yesterday firstly he didn't want to latch! I mean he was hungry, tried, after 10-15sec no let down so he got nervous and I fighted 10min for him to calm down and suck. Than another 10-15min for let down. It came when DH started to prepare milk for him ...
We did have problems with let down in the evening before that crisis but it usually meant 2/3minutes of us walking around the room and it went for him and he drank and it was fine. Do you have ideas how to tackle it?

We feed now 7:30, 11/11:15, 14:30/14:45, 18:30. There is a break between 3rd and 4th feed but for last 3 days he just refused feed around 5pm which we were doing until recently. So I moved evening feed earlier but not quite sure if I shouldn't move it even more. Like 6/6:15 and do bath afterwards. Maybe if he is less hungry, there will be less problems with him waiting for a feed? He has a DF at 11pm and than he goes till morning. Doesn't seem hungry, gaining weight, having wet diapers and poos. Feeds are big and all of them are both sided and at 22:30 I pump for DF and even with a pump I get 5oz every day. What's interesting I have a normal let down with a pump right now at 10:30pm but it is not working at 6/7pm LOL...

I also thought about a bottle at 6:30pm and pumping at 7pm when the kids are all down in their beds. Or using a pump before 6:30 feed. Wwyd?
~Marta

Offline becj86

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #27 on: April 28, 2017, 09:22:39 am »
Can you jump in the bath with LO and feed there? That helped us through a tough spot with feeds at one stage, both of us being more relaxed, planning a long soak in the bath and just letting him latch when he was ready really took the pressure off.

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #28 on: April 28, 2017, 09:35:21 am »
Not really as evenings are hectic here, I am trying to give some of my time to DS1. I am making myself shower at 6:15 now when DH starts to bath the baby but when I start to feed DS1 has a bath.
~Marta

Offline -Maya-

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #29 on: April 28, 2017, 10:22:33 am »
Marta I think you must not worry. I had issue with ds not bf enough and I ensure you that he needed to feed every 2 hours because of that. I think you are very far from that  :)