| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| tatersgirl913 |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 09:20:36 AM
I have a 2-week old son and I'm having difficulties breastfeeding. He is taking 2-3 ozs a feeding and even when I pump I'm getting 1-1.5oz max. I was researching some formula options and MJF's recent magazine said that nature's one is a great organic formula with no DHA and ARA added.
I am just sickened by the fact that I cannot exclusively breast feed but I also don't want my little guy to not be well nurished. This really upsets me (I barely go 2 hours without crying).
Anyone use Nature's One and have comments?
Also - a side question on pumping - how long should I pump? I pump 10 minutes and get a steady flow of milk and then nothing. I try to pump 20 minutes but the second half it seems that nothing comes out.
thanks! |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Alee |
Posted - Nov 02 2010 : 6:45:16 PM
Good to hear that things are going well for you, Danielle! It sounds like he is doing great on you other thread- aren't they so sweet at this age! I just love babies!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| tatersgirl913 |
Posted - Nov 02 2010 : 1:13:53 PM
Thanks everyone. I am continuing with breastfeeding and am getting 2 1/2 oz roughly when I feed/pump. I'm supplimenting but now with goats milk instead of the Nature's One. Nothing wrong with the formula just that not matter what brand/type we used he was very, very gassy and constipated.
Blessings! |
| applesaucemom |
Posted - Oct 19 2010 : 8:13:18 PM
I have a 4 month old and a 2 year old. With my 2 year old I had the most difficult time nursing, I really could not nurse him at all. I would pump like an ounce at a time and mix it with formula it was heartbreaking and nerve racking. I worked with lactation specialists but nothing helped. Now for my 4 month old, I really researched and prepared but still had a hard time the first few weeks he was born. I had to take him weekly because he was not gaining enough wait, and of course I was supplementing too. His pediatrician and the lactation nurses at the hospital suggested that I take Fenugreek, the herb and that it may help produce milk. So I did four things...first, I made sure he was latching on correctly, if you are sore, he is not latching on right. Second, I started taking Fenugreek with doctor AND pediatrician approval then I drank a lot of water. Thirdly, I prayed...a lot... And fourth, I stayed home for a few weeks and kept him latched on every chance that he fussed or cried...and now my little boy is exclusively breastfed and weighs 18.11 lbs at just 4 1/2 months old! Sometimes I still can't believe it. Hang in there. The one thing to remember that I learned this time around is don't be afraid to supplement until you get your supply up....I know they say you won't have a good supply if you supplement but the first priority is getting your baby fed. Then don't stress and I hope it works out for you!
my blog: www.applesaucemom.blogspot.com |
| Alee |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 8:02:48 PM
Mary- We used Domperidone on a horse at the farm where I worked and it was AMAZING! It really really worked. We couldn't even get her to hand milk and after administering the domperidone she was DRIPPING with milk- Thank God! Her poor baby was so hungry.
Oh and another thing to consider is a bottle bag where basically you wear a harness that has the milk/formula and a smallish tube that you run down and sort of align with your nipple. Baby latches on and sucks both the nipple and the tube. So he is stimulating milk production for you and also getting more nutrition through the prepared milk/formula.
I know a woman that did that with a baby and even though she had adopted him- she started full out lactating!
I found drinking my hot tea while Nora was nursing was very helpful. I went through several boxes of Mother's Milk and I think it really did help. I am not a huge fennel fan so I had to doctor mine with sugar and milk!
All this talk of nursing makes me miss having one that was that age. I wonder if I will ever have another baby. It wouldn't be good right now financially but I loved having a little one. They are so wonderful, especially at the newborn stage!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| MaryLD |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 6:01:24 PM
Hi There,
Alee has given a lot of great advice, too.
Esp that when I was writing about herbs, I truly meant to tell you about the Rx medicine domperidone, which can help with low milk supply. Perhaps it would be helpful. There are also oxytocin spray for let down.
The lactation consultant to whom I used to refer when things were beyond my scope, was Lisa Marasco. She now has a website, www.lowmilksupply.org. She is a huge proponent of Goat's Rue, and it is really ideal for what you have told me about breast issues / hypoplastic breast. I have seen her clients thrive on fenugreek and goat's rue plus other efforts to improve feeding. I saw it work with another midwife's client several yrs ago, with both her babies. This was when I was a student and working as a birth and also office medical assistant with another midwife north of me. Lisa also write a book, which you can find on her website, I'm sure.
I know it's overwhelming, so much info, so many decisions. Just take it one day at a time.
I know 3 oz make a baby really full, but the stomach is not meant to hold that much milk at this stage. The baby is trying to meet his suck quota, and tryiong to get you to make more milk- even at the bottle, that's the instinct. Trust the milk you are making. Eventually, you will not need the nipple shield any more. Any time spent at the breast has value for milk production and baby's development.
www.lowmilksupply.org
search for fenugreek and also goat's rue on that site.
Mary LD
Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!) |
| Alee |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 5:18:27 PM
Danielle- Sounds like you are doing a great job. Have you noticed any increase in your output since you started pumping? Like going from an ounce to an ounce and a half? And is that per each side or one side only?
I think you are doing all the right things for your baby. I would keep working at the breastfeeding, but if you are worried you could temporarily (or permanently) supplement with formula. While breast milk is best, many children have been raised on formula and thrived.
Personally I would do as much either breastfeeding/pumping as possible and then "top off" with a bottle. That way he is getting you first, and the bottle last. Also I am not sure if your lactation consultant has mentioned it, but sometimes a pump doesn't stimulate as much as a baby sucking does so it might be beneficial to keep him still breastfeeding too.
One thing I did with Nora, especially when she was in growth spurts and my body wasn't keeping up was I would carry her in one of those front carrier and just adjust the length of the straps so she was more infront of one breast or the other. Then as I was around the house doing my thing, it was easy for her to just latch on and feed as often as she wanted which kept triggering more milk. Also I have heard the crawling/kicking motions that you feel when you carry your baby like this can help stimulate oxytocin which helps trigger the production of breast milk.
I also know there are some prescription medicines that can help your body make more milk as well.
*hugs* Let me know if there is anything I can do!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| tatersgirl913 |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 4:16:47 PM
Thank you ladies -I appreciate the information.
I did speak with the hospital lactation consultant today and she too recommended Mother's Milk tea. I'm trying a 24-hour pump session pumping every two hours to see if I can produce more milk. After talking to her it may be a case that I don't have enough milk producing tissue - my breast have not grown even a half cup-size and i have wide spacing between my breast. (both things she said my be reasons why i'm not producing). I had about 30 minutes of alone time today and had a chance to pray and really come to terms with the idea that I might not be able to exclusively breast feed.
I was dead set on breastfeeding from the moment I found out I was preganant and never really entertained the idea of not being able to.
I started pumping at the suggestion of the lactation conultant to see exactly how much milk I was getting because I'd feed Wyatt and he'd be hungry and crying 15-30 minutes later. Alee - I do notice that since I've been pumping and feeding him with a bottle he's taking about 3 oz a feeding - that he does fall asleep with his hands open and relaxed.
Mary - I have tried several positions with him and the traditional or football positions seem to work the best. I am using a nipple shield as my nipples do not protrude (one barely at all). after feeding or pumping they protrude quite nicely but by the time the next feeding rolls around they're down again. Wyatt does do well with the nipple shield, though. I can tell he's getting milk as it's pooling at the corners of his mounth and there will be some in the nipple shield after he comes off. The problem is that when he's on the breast he's only getting an ounce to ann ounce and half and as previously mentioned he's taking about 3 oz to get full.
thanks again for the advice - must run - baby stirring from him nap! :-)
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| Alee |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 1:01:51 PM
Mary has some great advice!
Another thing that helped me when I was pumping was to do that C hold on the breast being pumped and when the milk flow tapered off I would exert a gentle but continous pressure from top of my brest to the bottom which helped get out more milk than I imagined! Don't worry if you are only getting a little milk right now. Stimulation will encourage your body to produce more.
In addition to protien, try taking a B Complex vitamin. This can really help fight the stress of the situation.
Is there a reason you are pumping? I pumped because I returned to work for a while after Nora was born and for times when I was sick. But I learned to time my pumping to right after Nora ate so she got her fill and I emptied both breasts. This had a two fold benefit.
(1) It tricked my body into thinking that Nora was eating WAY more than she was so I was always content knowing she was getting enough
(2) I had enough time to "recharge" before the next feeding session
And I won't joke- sometimes I pumped for 30 minutes! But at the height of my pumping (and it took a long time to build up to this) I was pumping more than 5 ounces at a time and would have to stop to put a new pumping bottle on!
Another thing that was helpful to me- a nurse told me to look for the "Milk Coma". It's when the baby is so satified with the meal they just ate that they fall asleep very deepy and their little hands relax and they sleep with their hands open instead of a fist. If the baby is sleeping with his hands in a fist after being fed "full" meal, then his tummy isn't full and he needs more. If he is deep asleep and hands open, then he is in the "Milk Coma" and perfectly content and fulfilled by the milk.
It sounds like you are being a great Mama. I sincerely hope breastfeeding works out for you. It was scary and I worried all the time when I was breastfeeding too- it's natural. But I really do believe in it and feel it made Nora as strong and healthy as she is today.
I hope that helps too!
*hugs*
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| MaryLD |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 11:03:49 AM
Hi Danielle,
I have not used formula, but I am a Lactation Educator and a midwife. I hope you can get some help locally to overcome these breastfeeding difficulties.
Meanwhile, here are some ideas:
Maybe the pump you have is the wrong one for you. Not all pumps work for all moms, and none can really match a baby's suck. Some pump rental places will let you try out different pumps until you find the right one, which you then rent or buy.
Sometimes, there are nipple isses that can be overcome with a nipple shield,or a simple manual product from Lansinoh that helps draw out the nipple. Often, there are serious isses with baby's latch that can be corrected quickly with skilled help from a lactation consultant or La Leche League (LLL)Leader. LLL is free, and you can call your local leader or a 1-800 number for help.
Time needed to pump varies a lot by each woman. Every woman's breast milk varies in fat content, too, so some babies just need to nurse longer or more often than others, calorie wise.
Herbs that can help with milk production are Mother's Milk Tea, fenugreek ( freeze dried capsules) and Goat's Rue. Goat's Rue acutally helps the breast produce more milk making tissue, so if that is the problem, it may well help. Stress is the anti- let down, the anti- milk. It becomes a vicious cycle when feeding is hard- prayer, meditation, family support, household help, are all needed.
If you are crying often, consider post partum depression. Sometimes events or medications in birth are a set up for feeding problems and PPD- though feeding problems alone can worsen Baby Blues into PPD. Please talk to a professional about PPD. It is serious, common and exhauting.
Soups and stews, esp made with barley- can help increase milk production. Look online for a list of foods that can boost your milk supply. There are porriges, drinks, soups, and traditional foods you can find. If blood loss or C section were part of your birth, you really need to eat protien, red and green fruits/ veggies, and salt to taste. Take your iron and get PLENTY of help so you can rest. Some women have slow milk production after a C section, but it catches up.
I hope this is helpful. Try nursing in different postions, like football hold and lying down. Try holding baby's head at the base of the skull/ on the occiput. Bring baby to the breast with one hand while you make a " nipple sandwich" with the other. That means, use your thumb and forefinger to compress / wrinkle the areola above and below the nipple. This will allow baby to take in more breast tissue and stimulate better production/ let down. Once baby is latched deeply on the breast, move your hand back and use the "C" hold to support your breast at the ribcage while letting baby's nose rest on your breast, " nose to nipple" Baby will not nurse if baby can't breathe. Make sure baby is as close to you as possible, right up against your ribcage. Swaddle any loose, wandering arms, lol! Look for sucking action baby's temple, not the jaw. If no temple motion wth sucking, break suction and start over.
Babies have a natural motion to crawl to the breast. Let your baby get low on your bare belly, put your hands under baby's feet, and see if he will crawl towards the breast. Doing so will trigger breastfeeding behaviors and help baby latch better later. It's ok if he does not reach the breast, but he should try, try, try throughout the day. You can also have someone hold against baby's feet while nursing. Or try taking a bath together- that helps the hormones a lot too, if you can do it.
My Best to You!
You can call my cell phone 805 245 1551
Mary LD
Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!) |
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