Having BF issues!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I've been thinking about you!!!

You are making enough!! He's growing and happy, right? Your milk is doing that!

BF babies nurse like this because your milk is absorbed so well that they need to eat more often. It is NOT that you're not making enough. If he's nursing start time to start time 2 hours or less, he's right on track. He won't always nurse so frequently.

I implore you to trust that he's getting enough. Weigh him weekly if it helps you feel better. I did that with DD. Try skipping a day of supplementing (or two) and just nurse more.

He might also be having a growth spurt which takes a couple of days of non-stop nursing to bring your supply up. If he demands it, your body will supply it. You're doing great.

ITA! You can exclusively bf Parker, I believe, if you just ride this out without doing more than following his lead. I remember 2 times when this little one has had a growth spurt where I felt like there was just no way I had anything more to give and that he could not possibly be hungry still. But, I kept him on or offered again a mere hour after he last ate (sometimes sooner- and this is after weeks of going 3 hours btw eating). Bbs would feel limp and empty. But, I let him keep at it. These 2 times that stand out in my mind were when he was nursing and nursing and I didn't really even hear swallowing going on when all of a sudden, 20 minutes after he last got milk (or at lest that's how it felt) there would be another let down. He did know what he was doing. One of those times he stayed on and there was a 3rd let down after a big pause. In the next few days my bbs were back to feeling really full and the growth spurt was done. It was hard and tiring to make it through but I just knew that formula, pumping and all of that stuff weren't the thing that would get my supply where it needed to be.

It may feel like an eternity of these unproductive marathon sessions but it does get easier in the blink of an eye. The first 6 weeks are just a time to go into survival mode and you will make it through. Ride out the rough patches. I promise that it will be worth it in the end. You will look back on this time and barely be able to remember what it actually felt like. This is your window of opprotunity to really make a go of this. It's hard to make a long term decision when you are so sleep deprived, your nips hurt, recovering from birth, dealing with the emotions of the birth and all that stuff. Just don't give up because it feels like the only option now because while you can relactate later it is much easier to hang in there. (now, I know that not everyone cares that much about bf'ing but in case you do that was my little pep talk. I know that I was so grateful to have my SIL to support and encourage me to take it one day at a time with ds1. She had only bf her ds for 9 days due to lack of knowledge and support so she didn't want that to happen to me.)

Beth

[egoldber]

Just wanting to agree with everyone else. Wanting to nurse all the time in the early days IS normal. It does not mean you have low supply, neither does his taking an ounce after you've finished breastfeeding. His nursing all the time is how he tells your body how much milk he needs.

How much total in supplementation is he getting of formula in a day?

It sounds like he has a huge need to suck. Have you introduced a pacifier? I could eventually tell when Amy went from deep sucking to sort of flutter sucking and that was when I'd pop in the paci.

I also hesitate to say this, but not all kids are good sleepers. Sarah was a great sleeper from very early on. Amy has never been a good sleeper. You breastfeeding or not may have very little to do with how much sleep Parker lets you get. Just food for thought.

[TraciG]

Just wanted to wish you luck, it's so hard at the beginning but worth it.

You are doing great and doing the best that you can do !!!

[tnrnchick74]

Another quick update - I've spent HOURS at the LC's office working with Parker. I truly DO have a supply issue despite doing fenugreek early on, cluster feeding, pumping, etc. I stopped all supplements (with my peds approval) for 2 days and he lost weight had very few wet/poopy diapers. He also seems to be lactose intolerant with a possible milk allergy. We've restarted the formula supplements and had to switched him to a low lactose/hypoallergenic formula. If this doesn't help, then we will start the allergy diagnosis route.

I was/am pumping exclusively (another LC recommendation for temporary help with diagnosis) and if I pump every 2 hours with a hospital grade pump, I only get 1/2 an ounce. Parker can take up to 3 ounces a bottle. There is no way for my body to keep up! I'm assuming the stress of my social/financial situation is a big part of what's taking its toll.

I've been giving him the EBM with the formula, but he's still in major GI distress, so we were told today to stop the EBM and just do straight formula. Within hours he's MUCH better. I feel almost as if my breast milk is poisoning my child!

I'm still going to pump until this weekend, just to see if the formula change makes such a big difference that lasts, but I'm about to the point to just switch to formula. If he's happier on formula, then I'm happier.

thanks for all of your suggestions and support. I'm sorry to say that I see myself joining the ranks for the failed breastfeeders despite everything I've done.

[Wife_and_mommy]

thanks for all of your suggestions and support. I'm sorry to say that I see myself joining the ranks for the failed breastfeeders despite everything I've done.

I'm sorry it didn't work out. Pat yourself on the back for the BM he did get and move on.

[tnrnchick74]

I'm sorry it didn't work out. Pat yourself on the back for the BM he did get and move on.

Thanks - its so hard though!

[egoldber]

I'm sorry you are still struggling and having such a hard time.

If he seems to have milk protein allergy, then I'm surprised no one has suggested doing a dairy elimination diet. This can cause poor weight gain and and also reflux symptoms.

[DrSally]

I'm sorry you are still struggling and having such a hard time.

If he seems to have milk protein allergy, then I'm surprised no one has suggested doing a dairy elimination diet. This can cause poor weight gain and and also reflux symptoms.

I'm sorry too, sounds so difficult. I'm surprised too that no one suggested a milk elimination diet. Is it also possible he was getting to much foremilk and not enough hindmilk and that was causing gastro problems. Are you on a soy formula, or a true hypoallergenic formula, like allimentum?

[tnrnchick74]

I'm already on a non-dairy diet as I have true milk allergies. I don't eat/drink any dairy and only use soy products.

Right this second he's on the Gentlease formula but we have the Nutramagin formula here as well with orders to start that if there isn't great improvement with the Gentlease.

As far as hindmilk/formilk goes - he was nursing long enough to get both...while pumping the LC did the analysis and there was a high fat content indicating that the hindmilk was pumped.

[egoldber]

You know that about half the people that are allergic to dairy are also allergic to soy right?