How long is too long??

[PineMom]

Tannon my seven week old son really like to nurse. He would do it all day long if he could. Which of course makes looking after my two year old difficult.  I didn't have any trouble feeding the two year old when I nursed him. But thanks to the infection I got soon after giving birth and the two very strong antibotics that I had to take I couldn't establish a good feeding routine until Tannon was three weeks old. I was pumping and dumping during that time and I know that it is not the same as nursing. But now that I have been nursing how long should I be nursing for on each breast and How do I tell if he is emptying the breast,(I don't think that he is) Dr has ordered supplemental feeding and I am trying to wean them out but baby seems to be so hungry after hours of nursing that I break down and give him a bottle and then it is an instant change happy content baby no crying . However he is only getting two 4oz bottles per 24hour day. He is having about 2 bowel movements a day and about 8 wet diapers. What should I be doing that I am not already doing? HELP Please!!!

[Samuel's mum]

Sorry about your tough start this time round. It's great you're still determined to breastfeed.
 
I feel I should start by telling you that you can actually have antibiotics that are able to be taken while nursing. It is important because plenty of women do have post-partum infection and need to be able to breastfeed. I hope you don't mind me telling you this
 
Antibiotics safe to take during lactation are listed and discussed in detail on this link (I'm sorry if it's too late to change what happened to you but someone else can benefit or you'll know in the future).

http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/supporterline/antibiotics.php

A doctor called Thomas Hale is one of the world's experts on breastfeeding and medication and if you ever find yourself in the same situation check out his website forum and discuss it with your doctor (who perhaps could do with a little education, dare I say?).

http://66.230.33.248/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi?pg=topics&access=guest


http://neonatal.ama.ttuhsc.edu/lact/

It sounds to me as though you really need to talk to a lactation consultant. Talking to an expert need not mean big money (although in fact a fee for an LC visit is a small proportion of the cost of a year's worth of formula). There are free helplines and the La Leche League is available in almost every country worldwide. A LLL leader could check your baby's latch and talk to you about building up your supply perhaps by using a pumping regime while breastfeeding on demand or taking a supplement. Canada has some pretty good resources - Dr Jack Newman is based there and he is the breastfeeding guru (but if you're called Pinemom am I'm right to guess you're not exactly in Toronto?).

Wet nappies sound good so obviously he is getting something but you may need more advice about further developing your supply after your rocky start. Good Luck.