Feeding Problems

[tabbi]

Hi, I have been feeding my son since he was born on the breast. Around 4 weeks old i added a bottle of formula at night to help as i wasn't producing enough milk for his wants/needs at that time. He'd been putting on weight brilliantly Until at 9-10 weeks he was weighted and it turns out he had only put on a small amount of weight. i wasn't really worried because they go through stages with weight.

I had him weighted the other day and he had only put on 1lb 1oz in 5 weeks. I'm really worried now i have noticed he isn't staying on long and he screams, i thought it might be something about me so i tried express yesterday to see if that would help but nothing came out all day. So today i have put him on formula all day and tried to express again....and nothing is coming out.

Should i take this as my milk had dried up as there is no leakage or soreness to my breast. its as if it just stopped working. No wonder he was screaming when i tried to feed him. He isn't crying during/after a bottle.

Have i done the right thing?
Has my milk dried up?
Has anyone had this happen to them?
Why is it making me feel like a failure?

thanks in advance ladies x x x

 

[Nurse 26]

What kind of pump are you using? do you feel let down of milk when you expess?some ladies find it hard to get milk to let down thats maybe why u are not getting any milk? Remember though how much milk you can express is not an indicator of poor supply as baby is very effient at sucking.

 

[Princess81]

Have you tried had expressing?
You could try the usual skin to skin contact (like a duvet day of it) loads to drink and oaty foods to eat. Also fenugreek tablets (can be bought from holland and barrett) work for some to boost the supply. Xx

 

[tabbi]

What kind of pump are you using? do you feel let down of milk when you expess?some ladies find it hard to get milk to let down thats maybe why u are not getting any milk? Remember though how much milk you can express is not an indicator of poor supply as baby is very effient at sucking.

i am using advent manual pump, same one that i used with my daughter, i brought same one with this one i was getting milk off fine. Now its no doing anything even with a warm towel or anything.

Princess81 Have you tried had expressing?
You could try the usual skin to skin contact (like a duvet day of it) loads to drink and oaty foods to eat. Also fenugreek tablets (can be bought from holland and barrett) work for some to boost the supply. Xx

I have tried every avenue of expressing. I have tried then hun and they havent done anything for me, nothing does. I never had this problem when i fed my daughter, Hense me been very confused with it now. The only difference is i am under alott of stress. I'm still eatting a balanced diet of 3 meals plus snacks. I have even rang 6 breastfeeding helplines and done everything but it hasnt helped.

 

[BevG]

it seems really odd for it to dry up so suddenly after 12 weeks. have you tried squeezing the nipple after lo has been suckling? i find that after baby has been on the breast its easy to squeeze a bit of milk out by hand as its been pulled down to the nipple by baby. stress is a really bad thing and wont help you express anything but id hesitate to say your supply has dried up. maybe find a local bf group with a lactation consultant and ask her? easier face to face to try things. if you havent expressed for ages it may not work easily, i might have a go later lol i just got my pump back and havent used it for aaaages and see how much i get as im pretty much exclusively feeding now along side weaning as she wont take the formula anymore

 

[tabbi]

it seems really odd for it to dry up so suddenly after 12 weeks. have you tried squeezing the nipple after lo has been suckling? i find that after baby has been on the breast its easy to squeeze a bit of milk out by hand as its been pulled down to the nipple by baby. stress is a really bad thing and wont help you express anything but id hesitate to say your supply has dried up. maybe find a local bf group with a lactation consultant and ask her? easier face to face to try things. if you havent expressed for ages it may not work easily, i might have a go later lol i just got my pump back and havent used it for aaaages and see how much i get as im pretty much exclusively feeding now along side weaning as she wont take the formula anymore

i tried earlier with a pump and when i was in the bath tried with my nipple nothing again, although during the night Henry woke up and went onto the breast for a feed then fell asleep on me lol was cute but he was on for a good half hour. that was at 2am this morning. so i think its only in the day i am not getting any milk out but during the night i seem to be able.

my breasts don't seem to get engourged sore or anything, so i don't know what has happened just glad now i can feed him myself even if its only during the night now x x x

 

[BevG]

tbh its been a long time since i got engorged or anything lol, i dont leak ever and havent since about 12 weeks or so. there does come a point where your body gets used to its supply and dosent get sore or overfull anymore, that dosent mean your producing less tho. at night your milk production is at its highest peak but its still working in the day, maybe your body just dosent want to give any up during the day lol. if you feel the need to supplement then by all means do but be aware that it could be a growth spurt that means lo wants feeding lots rather than you not making enough/any. i combi feed and so supplemented all the way thru to weaning but she was lazy rather than me not making enough

 

[tabbi]

tbh its been a long time since i got engorged or anything lol, i dont leak ever and havent since about 12 weeks or so. there does come a point where your body gets used to its supply and dosent get sore or overfull anymore, that dosent mean your producing less tho. at night your milk production is at its highest peak but its still working in the day, maybe your body just dosent want to give any up during the day lol. if you feel the need to supplement then by all means do but be aware that it could be a growth spurt that means lo wants feeding lots rather than you not making enough/any. i combi feed and so supplemented all the way thru to weaning but she was lazy rather than me not making enough

i combi fed before this happened. it turns out the tablets i had werent what you suggested so i have picked some up today and started taking them, still trying express while he has a bottle just to help a little. thank you x x x

 

[BevG]

the fenugreek are pretty good, u have to take a fair amount of them at first tho, i took like 3 tablets 3 or 4 times a day at first. the only thing i found to really increase my supply was baby, i always put her to the breast first before offering a topup feed, if you skip the opportunity to have baby stimulate milk production too often then supply can be affected and will drop. my lo prefers bf tho so its easy to offer boob first and more often than not she would only take a bottle when really hungry

 

[tabbi]

Henry is the same he prefers the breast and when i feed him a bottle he still tries get from myself. i am pumping and taking 2 tablets today 3 times, was advised tomorrow to increase to 3 three times a day then the next day up it to 4 times a day and carry on until i smell like maple syrup the problem is i dont know what that smells like?

 

[BevG]

its a weird smell, a bit sweet and a bit like curry powder, i think you will notice when you start smelling it lol. i tried expressing yesterday and got less than 1oz lol, good job i know my lg is happy with what i produce and her meals as thats what shes been having for a while now. i hope the fenugreek works for you, increasing supply is a good excuse to eat lots of yummy flapjacks too

 

[tabbi]

i'm eatting loads of cream cheese and cracker bread lol

 

[BevG]

well you need the calcium obviously lol