Increasing supply?

[jse107]

Hi! I'm a new mom of a two week old and we've had issues with me not producing enough breastmilk. My milk didn't come in for several days after delivery and we've had to supplement so he didn't continue to be dehydrated (doctors orders). I am trying to increase my supply by nursing and pumping, but my son is still very fussy after a good 45 minutes of nursing and when I pump I'm only getting about 1 and 1/2 ozs. Any thoughts? I'm increasing how much water I'm drinking, but I'm not sure what else to do. He feeds about every two hours.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[stillplayswithbarbies]

There is a lot of information here:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html

It's normal for milk to not come in for a few days and babies are well equipped to handle that (assuming a full term infant with no health issues). Unfortunately not all doctors are aware of this. Fortunately you should be able to correct any supply issues since you are starting so early. Are you still supplementing with formula? That can cause supply issues because every bottle of formula that baby gets is that much less milk that your breasts are signalled to make.

Getting 1 and 1/2 ounces when you pump at only two weeks is phenomenal! From that alone I would say that you may not have supply issues at all. That's a lot of milk to pump at this point, and baby is getting more than that when he nurses since babies are much more efficient at the breast than a pump.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/bo...breastfed2.gif

[lizajane]

i know it is hard, but nurse him all day. as much as he will nurse. schuyler nursed for 1.5 hours (45 minutes per side) every 2 hours. so i got 1/2 hour off at a time. he did it at night, too. it was pretty horrific for me, but WELL worth it in the end. nurse nurse nurse nurse nurse. your body will adjust. (and drop the formula as soon as you medically can.)

[mudder17]

Ditto. That's what happened with me. I think that's why I ended up with an oversupply of milk by week 4. Nurse, nurse, nurse, nurse. I think that's all I did. I was so grateful for my mom being with me for the first 2.5 weeks because she cooked and cleaned and made sure I ate and drank. The rest of the time I nursed and stayed off my feet (lots of tearing, ouch!).


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya
born 22 February 2004

http://lilypie.com/baby1/050222/2/16/0/+10/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo..._garnet_6m.gif Breastfed 6 months and counting

http://www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya

[chlobo]

If I were you I would contact a Lactation Consultant and set up an appointment. She will be able to weight the baby before and after a feed to determine how much the baby is taking in. She'll also be able to examine your position, in case there is a problem there.

If there is a problem, she will be able to recommend a bunch of possible solutions.

The sooner you do this the better. Its always best to nip these things in the bud to ensure that you have a good supply throughout your nursing career.

[Rachels]

I agree with everybody-- it sounds like you're doing a good job with your baby. If you want to nurse, you need the support of a good LC. Your doctor is giving you advice that will compromise your supply. The best possible thing you can do at this point is nurse. I switched peds at three weeks because mine was so poorly informed about breastfeeding. It was incredibly stressful at the time, but I made the decision to do it for my daughter's health. It turned out to be pretty wonderful. Don't let your doc tell you that you're abnormal or inadequate. Get help from someone who knows better. Thumbs up, mama!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

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"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...pphire_24m.gif Two years and counting!

[nitaghei]

If you can pump an ounce and a half at two weeks, I seriously doubt that you have a low supply. Also, remember, the pump is not as efficient as your baby - so chances are that your baby actually gets more than that. Also, it's likely your body doesn't respond to the pump the way it does to your baby - and your output will reflect that.

Nursing for 45 minutes at this age is not unusual. It will get better - especially at the 3 month mark or so, when babies generally get very efficient at nursing, and can be done in 10 minutes or less. Right now, the extended nursing sessions act as a signal to your body to increase supply, which is exactly right. And nursing every two hours at this age is also right on track. The frequency of nursing sessions will also drop over time.

Otherwise, I can just echo the advice you've already received. Go to a LC, and have your baby weighed before and after you nurse, and have them assess your for latching and other issues - just for your peace of mind. Also, as long as your baby has enough wet and dirty diapers, you have nothing to worry about.

You're doing great!! BF'g is a leap of faith in some ways, and a head game, too - so don't let anyone undermine your confidence.

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD