on the verge of giving up

[kellylou]

breastfeeding that is!
I am so fed up of everyone telling me my baby needs feeding when he doesn't its getting on my nerves and people saying he needs a little bit more to send him to sleep no he doesnt!!

I cant express anything apart from a tiny dribble and its really getting me down hv came and we had a talk about my worries and she said i should be reassured as he put on 9ozs in just under a week but why cant I express grrrr driving me mad and am thinking it would be easier to start with formula and i really dont want to is getting me down so much and everyday I just cry.........

 

[xxbeckyxx]

Aww hun *hugs* just remember all the great things your milk is doing for your LO's health, and he is obviously getting enough to put on all that weight!
If it's any consolation my mum breastfed all 5 of us and she says she was never able to express anything herself! But we all got enough
Have you tried sitting in a hot bath to express? My boobs leak by themselves in the bath!

 

[kellylou]

Aww hun *hugs* just remember all the great things your milk is doing for your LO's health, and he is obviously getting enough to put on all that weight!
If it's any consolation my mum breastfed all 5 of us and she says she was never able to express anything herself! But we all got enough
Have you tried sitting in a hot bath to express? My boobs leak by themselves in the bath!

I tried last week when I first had the problem and nothing so have not tried only once more over the weekend and tonight and got a dribble. I really want to do this but feel like my body is giving up on him and me just like it did in labour. sorry for the moan feel so down at the mo

 

[frankie707]

Have you tried any of the methods to increase you milk supply so that maybe you would have extra for expressing. George was draining both sides and I wanted to express (even just a little bit) so I've been taking fenugreek, eating lots of oats and drinking loads of water - seems to have increased my supply and I have been able to express a little bit the last two days (about 2oz each time).
Might be worth a go

 

[kellylou]

Have you tried any of the methods to increase you milk supply so that maybe you would have extra for expressing. George was draining both sides and I wanted to express (even just a little bit) so I've been taking fenugreek, eating lots of oats and drinking loads of water - seems to have increased my supply and I have been able to express a little bit the last two days (about 2oz each time).
Might be worth a go

have had more water but not oats and fenugreek so might order some tomorrow x

 

[xxbeckyxx]

Ooh definitely water drinking - if I don't have 3-4 pints a day I feel like I have nothing in my boobs at all!

My midwife was telling me the other day that if you kiss/smell your baby then your body knows what germs are on them and your breastmilk can make the antibodies they need within half an hour! Just knowing that is what keeps me going when I'm feeling a bit fed up of being a milk machine lol

 

[frankie707]

Its worth a try - my boobs felt fuller within 24hrs of taking the fenugreek, he still sometimes drains both sides but not every time like before so expressing at the end of those feeds.

 

[kellylou]

how long does it take for you to fill up again roughly? alex is feeding every 2-3 hours at the mo

 

[frankie707]

Ooh definitely water drinking - if I don't have 3-4 pints a day I feel like I have nothing in my boobs at all!

My midwife was telling me the other day that if you kiss/smell your baby then your body knows what germs are on them and your breastmilk can make the antibodies they need within half an hour! Just knowing that is what keeps me going when I'm feeling a bit fed up of being a milk machine lol

Yeah I'm feeling quite sorry for dairy cows at the moment - at least we only have to do it for a few months each child!!!

 

[isobel84]

dont give up! your doin great! i know wht u mean tho, as soon as we r somewhere if he cries "is hungry?" no "u sure? hes suckin his hands" IM SURE if my baby is hungry i feed him, im not stupid

 

[kellylou]

dont give up! your doin great! i know wht u mean tho, as soon as we r somewhere if he cries "is hungry?" no "u sure? hes suckin his hands" IM SURE if my baby is hungry i feed him, im not stupid

iasked hv about the sucking hands and she said its not a sign anymorejust feel like I dont know anything as people question me.

 

[frankie707]

how long does it take for you to fill up again roughly? alex is feeding every 2-3 hours at the mo

Same as George, really I need 3 hrs to fully fill up again, he's got a habit of grizzling about midway between feeds but I stick him in the sling and he usually falls back to sleep for a bit - gives me a chance to make more milk.

 

[xxbeckyxx]

how long does it take for you to fill up again roughly? alex is feeding every 2-3 hours at the mo

I think Lizzie was having a bit of a growth spurt the other night as she was wanting to feed every 45 minutes I was worried my boobs wouldn't fill up again quick enough but they seemed to cope!

 

[frankie707]

iasked hv about the sucking hands and she said its not a sign anymorejust feel like I dont know anything as people question me.

I'm still using sucking hands as a feeding cue - he cries once he realises there's no milk coming out (which you think he would realise by now that his hands have never given milk ) so hes defo after food.

 

[xxbeckyxx]

iasked hv about the sucking hands and she said its not a sign anymorejust feel like I dont know anything as people question me.

I'm still using sucking hands as a feeding cue - he cries once he realises there's no milk coming out (which you think he would realise by now that his hands have never given milk ) so hes defo after food.

Lol Lizzie tried to get OHs nipples going the other day and got sooo angry when she wasn't getting any milk! Bless

 

[megsmeadow]

Is there any chance you could freeze the little bits you are expressing then put them all together. By expressing you'll increase the demand for production too. My midwife also said to express at night as that's when the 'order' is put in telling your body how much to make. Ross wouldn't latch so I ended up expressing for as long as I could. Don't give up though. If bubs was on formula people would have an opinion. As long as you and bubs are happy and putting on weight that's all that matters!!

 

[kellylou]

it literally is dribbles might try to express during the night see if that helps x

 

[Tasha89]

Hey sweetie.
I've never been able to express much either so don't worry.
I thought my levels were low so have been eating porridge for a few weeks and have been taking fenugreek for the past 2 days and already i've noticed an increase.
As long as baby is putting on weight then you've not to worry.
When you're expressing, I find it best to be feeding Evelyn on the other side, quite fiddly but seems to work. The more you worry about how much you'll get, the harder it is too.
Wishing you all the best, x

 

[Tasha89]

Oh, and if you google voucher codes for holland and barrat there's one floating about. Makes buying fenugreek a little cheaper x

 

[kellylou]

Am ordering now went out today and fed him fine whilst out but tonight just couldnt satisfy him so gave him 4 oz of aptamil he drunk theot so he is hungry so think my supply runs out at night hopefully i can get it boosted am going to try and breastfeed him still as much as i can i just feel reassured he has been topped up and hes not hungry.