Ordered onto bottle cos of weight loss... fenugreek advice?

[heles7]

James lost weight then gained and I had managed to stick with breast feeding but he's lost more and the dr is insisting that the only thing left to do is switch to bottles. I'm giving it a go just to try and see if it does help get his weight up in the next couple of days but the dr seems to think there will be no going back to breast whilst the health visitor can't see why not. I'm expressing at the moment to keep the milk going with a view to going back but im not hopefull James will take well to having the bottles taken off him as it was a struggle after I'd been in hospital to do it before.

I asked the dr if there was nothing I could do to help improve my milk if James clearly wasn't getting enough nutrients from and he said no; but I've heard fenugreek can help. Anybody experienced similar or can tell me more about best way to take fenugreek? Health visitor said to get tea but I know you can get capsules too.

 

[Bloom]

Im not sure about the fenugreek but i just wanted to say that if you dont want to give up bf then dont be pushed into by the docs i agree that there is a problem if hes losing weight but could you not maybe top him up after his breast feeds with formula instead of dropping feeds. Oats are good for your milk supply. How much is he losing, has he been ill or had a stomach bug or could there be another reason why hes lost weight? How often does he feed?

I had a similar problem in that dd weight gain was really slow and as she is already on the bottom of the growth chart i was quite worried about her. I think my problem was i wasnt looking after myself as much as i should of done i wasnt eating and drinking enough and i was rushing around all the time and dd feeds every 2 1/2 hours (except through the night). She has always gained weight although it was only 1oz a week roughly. I was getting quite depressed about it and nearly gave up but as you saw from my other post i had her weighed on Tue and shes back on track.

I have since decided this week after her weigh in that I feel its one hell of a pressure bf and im now giving her one bottle of formula a day as i cant seem to express very much and this allows me a little break and it means i can leave her with oh at times. I have only just started this but im doing it because i want to not because she needs it but she seems happy with this arrangment.

 

[Jen23]

I don't know about fenugreek but domperidone, an antisickness tablet definately works. I took it when my baby was in hospital and it doubled my supply and has no side effects. Ask your GP, he might not like it at first, I had to get mine to ring my consultant but tell him to do some research it is well documented and researched just no GPs know about it.

 

[muppetmummy]

I would give fenugreek a try first, or maybe see a different doc and ask for domperidone. some health bods seem too quick to suggest formula. you could always try mixed feeding before stopping bf-ing completely

 

[purple13]

i agree that many health professionals are too quick to push mums to use formula. fenugreek capsules definitely helped me; black thorn juice is supposed to be v good too. or try and get domperidone.

if you do end up using formula why not try just giving top ups or, like bloom, just give 1 bottle of formula a day and bf the rest of the time?

trust your instincts and seek other advice if you feel that your doc/HV isn't being helpful.

 

[heles7]

thanks for advice ladies, im doing mixed feeding at the moment but am going to try and just doing top ups now with formular. I've got some fenugreek which I'm going to try. I know it doens't correlate but I'm not getting much milk when I express.

If the problem is quality of milk rather than quantity, is there something in particular I should try in terms of my diet? I've been trying to keep to a low fat diet because of the problems with my gall bladder. What a nightmare!

I've also stocked up on oats too and his weight is up today so not all bad.

 

[heles7]

Big thanks to you all for being so supportive, i probably would have given up completely without you ladies!

I contacted the infant feeding co-ordinator about the problems who promptly came to the house and went through everything with me and helped me come up with an action plan to go back to exclusive breast feeding, she was really wonderful

We bit the bullet last night to get rid of the dummy and the last few feeds have been brilliant. The IFC also calculated how much extra ebm to give James each day in addition to bf. So far no luck giving it to him via cup or bottle but she recommend a breast feeding supplementer - a bag hangs around your neck which holds ebm and two fine straws slip into babys mouth whilst they're breast feeding. I've ordered one online and have been told I'll be reimbursed if I give her the receipt next week

Fingers crossed we will soon be back on track

Thanks everyone

 

[laracomps]

Big thanks to you all for being so supportive, i probably would have given up completely without you ladies!

I contacted the infant feeding co-ordinator about the problems who promptly came to the house and went through everything with me and helped me come up with an action plan to go back to exclusive breast feeding, she was really wonderful

We bit the bullet last night to get rid of the dummy and the last few feeds have been brilliant. The IFC also calculated how much extra ebm to give James each day in addition to bf. So far no luck giving it to him via cup or bottle but she recommend a breast feeding supplementer - a bag hangs around your neck which holds ebm and two fine straws slip into babys mouth whilst they're breast feeding. I've ordered one online and have been told I'll be reimbursed if I give her the receipt next week

Fingers crossed we will soon be back on track

Thanks everyone

WOW - I wish I had had this kind of support! I was offered nothing like that - was this through your hosp?

I really hope you can get back to exclusive feeding I have mixed fed for 3 months, but will now pretty much be bottle feeding. Hang on in there - it sounds like you have the right support to keep on going and get back on track

 

[Happybunny]

You are doing so well Helen! It is shame your doctor was fording bottles on you before trying other things.

My baby was gaining very slowly (1-2oz a week) and the doctor threatened bottles.
I went to see the BF counsellor and a combination of several things seemed to help - firstly, she asked if I was anaemic or had underactive thyroid. Apparently these can affect your supply and quality. Doc did tests and I was severely anaemic!! Taking iron religiously since then has helped enormously!! (weight gain about 4-5oz a week)

Also, I took fenugreek. 2 capsules, three times a day. I have stopped now as I am sure the improvement in production came from upping my iron intake.

I do switch feeding too - meaning that baby has 10 mins on one side, then swaps for 10 on the other and I do that several times during a session so that she gets several letdowns.

But because my baby is so small for her age, I also do what Bloom does. I give April one bottle of formula a day. I REALLY REALLY don't want to, but I have to admit, it has made a big difference (11oz weight gain last week). I have to console myself with the fact that she is still 90% BF which is a brilliant achievement considering the tough times we have had.

You are doing so so well to still be BF after three months consdering the pressure you have been under!!

 

[lisa&alex]

i had same problem with teds.. and regreted listening to the doctor coz he weaned himself at 5 monhts off my breast..

anyway get yourself some fenugreek capsules from holland and barrent health shop they cost about 8 quid.. they are well worth it. i also used domperidom which was perscribed by paeds.. you can ask your health visitor about this.. but get the fenugreek and keep up the good work xx