I'm going to get straight to the point.
I have never been a good nursing mother. There, I said it...not sure if it feels good to admit that or not...
At first (with Bryant) it killed me that I couldn't nurse him, I would even steal away to the mother's lounge and pretend...I hated feeling like everyone was looking down on me for "choosing" to bottle feed my child and therefore, ruin his growth and development. Every child since has lasted longer than him, but still not as long as I've ever wanted to nurse.
With Emily I feel like I want to enjoy this as long as possible. With her, it was the longest first 6-weeks (in a different way than it was with Bryant) because she ate all.the.time! (and still does) and it hurt like nothing else, she just didn't know how to latch properly. We finally made it past that, but ever since she's started sleeping 8-hour nights, which has about a month, I have noticed that she has been eating a LOT more often during the day. I am totally okay with that since I have an eat-on-demand philosophy, but after eating every 2 hours, by 4pm she is HUNGRY!! and I just can't seem to get my milk to stay up with the demand...even though I thought it was a supply and demand sort of issue.
So here's the question, does anyone have any tried and true methods for increasing milk supply and keeping a full child? She's almost 3 months old and she still eats as often as a newborn and for just as long. sheesh. Again, I'm not so good at this, so I don't really know or remember what's normal.
Any suggestions, theories, etc are welcome.
5 years ago
16 comments:
I'm coming up with nothing. I've always had too much milk. I know when my mom was trying to increase her milk while nursing my sister the doctor told her to just feed more often, but it sounds like you're already doing that. Wow, she's a hungry little girl. Have you tried supplementing with a bottle after you've nursed her? I don't know if that's something you'd want to try or not. I think so far you've had way more patience with me. I put my foot down when it comes to nursing and won't do it more than every 3 hours. It just hurts so much in the beginning that I dread each latch on. Sounds like you're doing a good job, she's growing and gaining weight. Good luck, I hope someone has better advice than I do!
I meant way more patience than me, not with me. Sorry! :)
have you tried any herbal supplements? Are you drinking enough/getting good nutrition for yourself? I never had this problem, but I've heard those two things are very important. Good luck!
Hey girl. when I get mastitis with my kids my milk supply always goes way down. Im usually a serious cow too. I went to nature's nook and they gave me Blessed Thistle and Fenugreek. I took both of those when I had mastitis. It seemed to really help. Good Luck!
I was never the best at nursing even though I wanted to. After 5 months my milk production just dropped and we went to the bottle. I tried supply and demand, tried drinking lots of water and eating right, pumped to try and get more and nothing happened. I usually supplemented with a bottle. Maybe that is happening with you...she isn't getting as much as you think. It should be interesting to see what happens with this next baby.
dont know if you can really take what i have to say and use it because we all know i didnt breast feed jamison. and i totally know how you feel about everyone looking at you weird and you feel like everyone looks down on you because you are bottlefeeding. but when i was trying to get my milk to come in and jamison to eat and everything i used fenugreek and milk thistle and they got my milk to come in alot it is just jamison was tongue tied and premature and by the time i got the milk in he wouldnt take me because he was so use to the bottle and formula. but those two worked, the only bad thing about the fenugreek is you smell like maple syrup like you body secreats it.... so if that doesnt bother you then GREAT!
My sister and i both struggle with milk supply and she tried Fennel and Fenugreek with her last and she nursed her for a year which is unheard of for us. It does get pricey though and you have to take a lot of it. good luck!
p.s. I hate nursing
I used Fenugreek to increase my milk supply with Abby. I was only producing 1/4oz every couple of hours so it increased it to 1/2oz. I'm not much help but it did increase mine. I only nursed Olivia for the first two days.
You have to nurse often and drink even when you're not thirsty - and then even MORE after you drink. It was hard for me to get all the liquids down but I somehow forced it and we got past 9 months with it. Grace was pretty much over it after that. I have heard of the fenugreek and such so you can try that. All I know is liquid liquid liquids and nurse as often as you can. Good luck girl. Way to go!!
It didn't goes so well with my first and I had start supplementing like the first week, and this time I've really had to work at it, and we've made it 7 months. Either way, you're still a great mommy! I notice if I'm stressed or super busy - which hello - how can you not be with five kids, my supply goes down. Hydration really is a huge thing - You really have to drink way more than you think. Someone told me, eat oatmeal - and really I think if your watching your nutrition in general that probably helps some. I have never tried the supplements, but I do pump a lot sometimes even after each feeding and then adding an extra "feeding" after he's gone to bed If I'm worried about it. It kind of helps me to know how much he is getting and I freeze what I can so that if my supply is up/down one day I have some on hand. If I know about what I usually pump and he takes from a bottle - then I know he' getting enough. As far as length between feedings - what has worked for me is feeding when he first wakes up, he's up 1-2 hours and then sleeps 1-2 hours (so about 4+ hours in between). I find if I feed him to get to sleep - which I do when we're on the road or whatever, he'll wants to eat more often cause he snacks a little and sleeps and wakes up still hungry so more like 2-ish hours . Anywho - that was long and I'm still a beginner at this anyway, but I hope it's helpful.
Sorry, but I can't help at all, but I can offer support and say that some of us just don't produce enough. All I can say is that I don't breastfeed anymore and I don't feel bad about it because my children are healthy and fed. I tried it with my first two and I just got to the point where I figure it was more important for me to feed my kids, even if it is formula, than to stress about how I'm not producing enough.
Good luck and I do hope it works out for you :)
Take this from the most liberal person you probably know...
GIVE IT UP!
(these people before me are trying to say it, they just dont have the where-with-all to say it straight up)
Enough INSANITY. It only comes worse and it other ways later in life. TRUST ME.
I understand the eating and not getting full, baby #2 was just like Emily in so many ways.
His metabolism was/is crazy fast b/c he ate and still does eat a ton without packing on baby rolls.
I don't have any great words of wisdom, but what worked for me.
I have nursed twice and have had positive experiences.
For baby #2 figuring out that when he fussed he wasn't always hungry was the most helpful. For him, he wanted to be close to mom and be held. Good luck finding the right balance!
will she take a bottle? at all? The only reason I say this is maybe add some rice cereal to one feeding...
Tabitha seemed the same way and it SUCKED!! Seriously, getting through the pain and then the long/frequent nursings... I just held out til 4 months...once that hit, we started MEGA rice cereal... and now her feedings have cut back tremendously! Good luck... I hope it all works out. It's a pain in the butt sometimes...
FENUGREEK! It's the best and has never failed me. When I have used it, each time it's increased my milk supply dramatically and made it a lot thicker and creamier too. Fenugreek and lots of water has been the trick here.
Best of luck with nursing. Just remember that you don't have to nurse to be a good mommy! Brenna was my formula baby. It bothered me that I couldn't nurse her, but I know that it was part of Heavenly Father's plan for us. :)
Melissa :)
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