Breastfeeding SupportGOT MILK? The Breastfeeding relationship is so important... if you need support, or are a boobie juice pro, come on in! This is the breast (uh, um best) discussion board on the web.
I just tried to nurse my 2 month old, and I don't have enough milk to fill him up. I'm not sure what happened, I've been feeding him only breastmilk, he eats every 2 - 3 hours round the clock, just this time there wasn't enough, if any milk there. They felt empty when he started, and there just wasn't any let down. So now I have a hungry and frustrated baby. Should I give him water? Juice? Baby cereal? He doesn't want the breast anymore, nothing coming out so it's just making him mad
My babies did right around this time. Just keep nursing him.....as often as you can! Every half hour if need be. Your milk supply should increase within 24-48 hours. Use a pump if you have one AFTER baby has nursed. This will aid in increasing milk supply.
Eating oatmeal helps me, also Malt (like the kind you mix in milk) Drink LOTS of water.
Don't feed baby anything else. Just nurse. Keep me updated. Pm me if you want to talk!
__________________ Jennifer, Mamma to Gill, Henry,Charlie, James and Maximilian!!!
Well, I've had some oatmeal and some mother's milk tea... we've nursed every hour and now he's snoozing, so if he's not up in 2 hours I'm going to try pumping (although mostly for stimulation, I never get much milk from pumping). I teased DH that he jinxed me, he was just saying how well the baby was doing on my milk; he asked if there was Miracle Grow in it. At our 2 month appointment, little Adam is 14 lbs, 13 oz, and 24 3/4 inches long.
Seems to be coming back slowly; he's still acting a little frustrated when its all gone, but at least he's getting some. Thanks for the support, mamas, I was really worried. I'm still not sure why my supply dropped like that, but at least now I know what to do about it.
On another note, poor baby scratched his face last night when he was screeching in frustration It's so horrible looking, I feel like the worst mommy ever.
Seems to be coming back slowly; he's still acting a little frustrated when its all gone, but at least he's getting some. Thanks for the support, mamas, I was really worried. I'm still not sure why my supply dropped like that, but at least now I know what to do about it.
On another note, poor baby scratched his face last night when he was screeching in frustration It's so horrible looking, I feel like the worst mommy ever.
I am glad things are going better for both of you! Dont feel bad about the scratches. It happens to all babies I use an emory board (sandpapered tongue depresser thing) to file baby's nails instead of using scissors. you can put socks on baby's hands too.
It is probably a growth spurt. He is nursing more to build your supply so he has enough. Just let him nurse, even every 30 or 45 minutes if he wants. You are doing great!
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Hayes, mama to Celeste, Lydia, William, Samuel, Isaac, and Joseph
This is Joseph at 1 month old. He is next to his newest friend, Mary Frances, just minutes after she was born. She weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 18.5 inches long!
now that baby is over 6 weeks, you probably wont feel very fulkl anymore, and sometimes you stop feeling letdowns once your milk supply adjusts down to olnly make what the baby needs. growth spurts happen every few weeks though, and he'll build up your supply if allowed to nurse frequently enough. have you recently started taking ANY meds? (bc pills, cols meds, etc)
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~l~ Breastfeeding is food, vitamins, minerals, immunities, eye hand coordination, oral development, maternal weight loss, disease protection, free, antibacterial, anti-infective, living tissue, mother-baby bonding, comforting, pacifying, sleep-inducing, thirst quenching, hypoallergenic, brain food, anovulatory, a gift of love from mother to child.
You're right. My boobs went back to thier "normal" size I was rather enjoying them bigger. So, my next question is, if I want to pump and give him bottles, when do I pump? He eats all the time! I don't want to pump and then have to feed him the bottle right away...
I always try to pump in the morning that is when you are usually the fullest.
Sometimes I start a pumped bottle, put it in the fridge then add throughout the day. When it is full enough I put it in the freezer in on of those special freezer bags.
You're right. My boobs went back to thier "normal" size I was rather enjoying them bigger. So, my next question is, if I want to pump and give him bottles, when do I pump? He eats all the time! I don't want to pump and then have to feed him the bottle right away...
i wouldnt worry about trying to pump specifically for feeds right this minute while heis nursing nonstop to increase your supply for you. if you are going to pump right now, it would be better to try to store it imo.
Hi, I'm new to Amity's! BFing is such a passionate topic for me that I felt compelled to jump on in!
ITA that it's the 2mo growth spurt time. When mine would hit this trying time, I'd put 'em in a sling and just let them stay latched constantly if they wanted. Or I'd just lay a mattress on the floor in our livingroom and let it all hang out while the world went on around me (I have 3 that are 4 and younger).
The only things that seemed to help me would be to get LOTS of rest (resign yourself to focusing on Baby right now and just let the rest of it go), drink LOTS of fluids, and let your body create more mommy juice for him. You'll wake up one of these mornings and wonder if you've turned into Mae West!
This is a crucial time because it's when a lot of moms start to doubt their ability to produce. Thus, I also think it's the time when a lot start to supplement w/ formula or pacifiers. I had a really great support system through my local La Leche League and thank goodness the moms there took the time to educate me on how to truly meet my baby's needs all with just my milk alone.
Like your supporters here, the leader also informed me that pumping to increase milk supply may backfire causing more anxiety through a viscious circle that ensues:
Anxious about milk supply-Start pumping when anxious-Can see every drop that comes out-Anxiety causes no letdown hormones to be released-"Why can't I make milk?"-become even more anxious-either stop pumping/BFing and move on to supplement w/ artificial nipples and/or formula OR pump causing sore nipples/mastitis-back to anxious about milk supply, etc.
Pumping also, as my LLL shared w/ me, is like comparing apples and oranges. You just don't seem to get the same letdown ability when you're just starting to nurse as you would putting him/her to breast, looking at them, getting those warm fuzzy mommy feelings. I went back to work part-time when my 2nd child was about 10mos old and I would have letdown just setting my pump up, LOL! But after trying to pump right away w/ my first child before feeding patterns were truly established (which personally I think happens after Babe is about 6 mos or older), I knew I had such a success w/ my pump because my baby led the timings, not the pump - if that makes any sense.
I wish you all the best and I'm so glad to see there's so many knowledgeable mamas here! Hang in there - growth spurts are tough. But if you just let everyone know the world virtually stops until your nursling is over this hump you'll find you'll get through it much easier.