Problems in breastfeeding

Brittney - posted on 02/01/2010

I had this same issue and had to work with a lactation consultant. She put mean on a herbal supplement to try and help boost my supply but your baby is the best way to boost your supply. It would take me a week to get an ounce and since I started supplmenting to feed her what she needed she grew to like the bottle more. So she decided when to stop. You have to go with your maternal instincts. So I just started pumping as much as I could get out and mixing with formula. My pedi told me as long as she was getting a little it was better than nothing.

Dessah - posted on 01/28/2010

Just a thought...maybe he's getting enough milk from you, but there are other issues that are upsetting him. Maybe your milk sprays very fast and he fills up quickly or is choking. Maybe he inhales a big air bubble from all that gasping. My lactation adviser suggested something about bottle feeding and why most moms think their baby is better off with the bottle because they gobble it down. She put it this way, If you're laying on your back and someone sticks a bottle in your throat, you'll suck it down as fast as you can because you don't know how else to get away from the flow of liquid that's squirting down your throat. (another reason why bottle fed babies over eat)

As far as feeding goes, try to feed BEFORE your baby gets upset or too excited. If it's been about 2-3 hours since he last ate, go ahead and try to see if he's interested. Pinch high above your nipple to flatten it out so that your nipple points upwards. If you pinch higher, he'll be able to latch on better than if your fingers are in the way, or if he had to flatten it out himself. (also, massage your boobs! It helps the milk to come down)

Also, try a lactation expert. Our hospital offered free classes. I learned so much that while at the hospital, when I had to pump for the nurses, they were amazed at how much colostrum I produced. When I nursed for the first time it only took him a few minutes to latch on and he's never had a problem. Good luck!

Susan - posted on 01/27/2010

I was struging with breast feeding my little girl she is 7weeks old. the midwives and doctors kept telling me to keep breast feeding but like I say I was strugging with it and charlotte was happy taking from the bottle. think you have answer your own question really your son like the bottle maybe just do it that way and try not to stress about it I know it's hard caurse I wanted to feed charlotte as much breast milk as I could but now I am all dry up. good luck.

Cheryl - posted on 01/25/2010

Is your baby gaining? Having lots of wet diapers? If so, then you should be fine, but the more often and effectively your baby nurses, the more milk you will make. If you're having troubles getting a good latch, try a different position or talk to someone from a la leche league in your area. I realize some women can't breastfeed, but I feel that if you CAN, you should. It can be difficult at times, but there is lots of help out there if you're willing to stick with it. It's so rewarding!

Christina - posted on 01/24/2010

i have the same exact problem!

Rosalind - posted on 01/24/2010

Your doctor can't force you to breastfeed. You can do whatever you like. Don't feel bad just because you are dissatisfying your doctor. If you aren't producing enough milk, try pumping but otherwise you can supplement with formula. My friend has problems with her thyroid gland so had to take meds which in turn, she has to exclusively bottle feed. Also, if your doctor is treating you like that, i would advice another doctor!

Sara - posted on 01/23/2010

I went through the same thing with both of my children. I always wanted that "special bonding time".I breast fed my son for about a month and it never seemed to fill him up so I was supplementing as well. Then we switched to only formula b/c my iron was so low. Then when I had my daughter I was able to get her to feed better than I could get my so too. When she started gaining her weight back I couldn't get her to eat enough from me so I supplemented with her too. I even pumped and realized I was getting very little to none at times. My breasts didn't hurt or become engorged like they did with my son b/c of the pumping. I would suggest a pump I just did a 20 dollar pump from wal mart and it's a manual one but it worked great.

Amanda - posted on 01/23/2010

Your pediatrician can't "make" you do anything, you need to do what you feel is best as a mother. I wanted to breastfeed exclusively but my boy is just big and I can't keep up. Graham crackers, oatmeal and water have been the biggest help, as well as pumping to stimulate the milk flow, you can get a hand pump for under $35 at Target and it's worth it. Also I find that my production slows when I consume fast foods and caffienated drinks. Another mom mentioned stress, if you're not getting rest your body will slow down too.

I hope it gets better for you!

Drea - posted on 01/23/2010

Sorry to hear you're having problems with breastfeeding. I can totally empathize. I have inverted nipples which has made nursing very difficult. I tried for the first 3-4 weeks but was getting too stressed/upset as was my baby girl and I too had to supplement sometimes. I'm now purely expressing and feeding my daughter my milk from a bottle. It's not the most convenient situation but you have to do what works for you. I would rather her get my milk somehow before giving her formula. 2-3 oz per breast is pretty decent as I've read most babies up to 2 months only really take about 2-4 oz at a time. I express about 4oz per breast now & my daughter is almost 6 weeks. I've heard all the opinions but it's an individuals choice what they do and no DR should be forcing you to do anything. I definitely suggest investing in a good breast pump and try expressing a bit before offering the breast. It might help get the milk going as maybe there's an issue with let down? Hang in there girl :)

Jessica - posted on 01/23/2010

i've breastfeed all 3 of my children and one thing that i learned from my last child was if i was stressed out or upset i couldn't produce as much as i did when i was calm. when you know it's getting close to nursing time i would take some time for yourself to relax. i would also invest in a breast pump. if your baby isn't eating every 2 hours then i would pump in between feedings, that will also speed up you milk production. i also totally agree with jessica (the post above me) try the nipple shield, i had too use it with my first child and it really does help babies learn to latch on. you could also try different positions for nursing. try holding the baby a different way to see if it's his comfort that is causing him not to nurse as well. my baby now loves when i lay down next to her when i breastfeed.
i know it's hard and frustrating but it's worth it. just hang in there.

Jessica - posted on 01/22/2010

2-3oz of milk is heaps! My baby is 7 weeks and only eats 3oz per feed, sometimes a little more if its hot or something. One thing to try, is express as much as you can between a feed and feed him that, so you can get a good idea how much he actually eats! if he finishes the bottle and is still hungry, then you may need to express between feeds to boost your supply. if not, then you know your making enough and the attatchment is the problem. Have you tried a nipple shield? With the formula, hes not actually preferring the formula to breast milk (have u tasted formula???) but the teat of the bottle is probably easier for him to suck on, so a nipple shield may be the key in teaching him to latch on properly as its similar to a bottle, try beginning the feed with the sheild, and then when you take him off to burp him, take it off and try to latch him on normally. The beauty about babies under 3 months is their short memories, you can keep trying new things until you find one that works, and it shouldnt cause any grief long term! Something you eat on a regular basis may also be making your milk smell or taste funny to him, so try and figure out what you eat regularly and cut them out one at a time to see if that has any effect! But most importantly, you need to be happy! so if formula seems easier for you, then do it, breast IS best, but that doesnt mean formula is going to hurt your child! good luck with it all!

Helen - posted on 01/22/2010

I've been feeding my bub wrapped up for the first 3 weeks and sometimes still do. He couldn't latch on because his hands were always in the way. After he latched on,I carefully unwrap him and he has good feed. Just something you could try....

Nicole - posted on 01/22/2010

See a lactation consultant pronto if you can. Also I would look into renting a breastfeeding pump or buying one. My son had latching problems and the pump saved us for that first month.

Ashley - posted on 01/22/2010

I had the same problem. My daughter wouldn't latch on and only preferred the bottle. I unfortunately got so depressed that I stopped breastfeeding all together and am only formula feeding her. She is a much happier baby now and putting on weight better than she was with breastmilk. Thankfully, my pediatrician didn't force me to do anything one way or another. She just let me know that the baby needed to be fed one way or another and mixing formula and breastmilk could lead to gas issues.

Kristy - posted on 01/21/2010

I had the same challenge and my pediatrician and lactation consultants were telling me the same thing until my baby lost more than 10% body weight which is too much. Now we supplement with formula. Now my LO only wants a bottle nipple b/c he gets his milk faster that way so I give him expressed breast milk from a bottle and it is working out well. He is gaining weight and is eating very well. If his weight is increasing on breast milk alone then you're doing great. However, if he is not gaining and still fussy after nursing, you may want to do formula supplements. Good Luck! You're doing great!

Barbara - posted on 01/21/2010

The problem is that if your wanting to breast feed really you need to compleatly breast feed for the first 4/6 weeks to build your milk supply, if you try introducing formula to soon your milk supply will drop which is why your little one seems fussy. Also I know it's hard with a newborn but make sure your eating enough and drinking enough water, as this can be a major factor if you feel your not supplying enough milk. My 6 week old daughter is totaly breast fed and she will go 5/6 hours at night then another 3/4 hours between fed but in the day it can be as little as 90min between feeds but is normally at least 2 hours. I just feed her whenever she wants. But remember that you need to look after yourself and it's more importent for your son to have a happy well rested mommy and if breast feeding is not for you then you need to give yourself a brake and you'll get people ramming 'breast is best' down your neck but it's only best if Mommy and Baby are enjoying it. Good luck hun with whatever you do take care x x x

Janis - posted on 01/20/2010

I agree with the mom's above. I had a hard time with breastfeeding for the first 4 weeks. If you want to breastfeed don't give up yet. I don't think there is anything wrong with toping up with formula. One thing that helped me increase my milk was feeding every 2 hours during the day (and on demand at night) .. it increased my milk supply. But I still top him up every once and a while. As for your doc.. I don't know where he gets off... I would really suggest you go to a lactation consultant (they were SO helpful) and do what you have do to make sure your little guy is getting fed.

Darlene - posted on 01/20/2010

I think you have a couple of issues going on. Remember that if a child is latching properly, they work better than a pump, so he is probably getting more than 2-3 ounces. However, it sounds like he's having problems latching. If you (not the doctor) really want him to breastfeed you can look for a lactation consultant in your area to help with the latching. If that is not something you feel comfortable with and you simply feel that breastfeeding isn't working for you or your son, then that should be your decision. It won't help either of you to push something that isn't working.
As for your pediatrician, it may not be a good fit. Yes, they should be giving you advice, but if the aren't listening to you, then they are not doing anyone any good.
Good luck!

Jessica - posted on 01/20/2010

I'm actually going through the same thing. I'm not producing enough milk for my son and formula seems to be the only thing that keeps him full. I spoke with my lactation consultant and they told me to continue to feed him by breast and then a bottle afterwards to fill him up. After a couple hours try to pump and continue for a week or so until my milk comes in better. It's all about supply and demand. If you stop feeding on your breast the milk stops coming in. So don't stop on your breast and it should come in better. I also heard there is a tea you can drink that produces milk. It's actually called breast milk tea. Good luck!!

Haylee - posted on 01/20/2010

For something so natural it's so difficult. With my daughter she would never latch on properly. I tried fully breastfeeding but she would just cry all night and after a few days I was a mess, I then tried topping up with formula but mainly found even though I had a good supply she just wouldn't latch on and mainly drank formula after about 6 weeks she was fully formula fed. With my newborn son I am mainly breast feeding with a little formula, I'm expressing between feeds but finding I'm not producing alot of milk.



Breast is best but u also have to do what is right for you and your sanity you can only survive for so long with a baby that cries contantly and also whats good for your baby. I had to give my son formula cause he wasn't weeing much and when he did it was a dark yellow so I could tell he wasn't drinking enough.



Do what's best for you and your family. It's really no body elses business...

Helen - posted on 01/20/2010

Hmmm, have you tried expressing milk to boost your supply? Oats and brewers yeast do wonders too for your supply. My supply was nothing when he as born, as it was an elective c-section and we both weren't ready yet. My milk still hasn't come in properly after almost 5 weeks. But eating oatmeal every day and expressing between feeds is definitely helping with my supply. I also give him "snack'feeds when he's awake. My bub is premmie and has had big problems on the breast. His not latching on I fixed with a dummy and also he gets impatient and puts his hands in front of his mouth just when he wants to latch on. So I swaddle him when I put him and unwrap him when he's on.

Just stay patient and keep trying. Feed him off the breast when you can and top him up with formula if he's not settled after a feed. Sometimes bubs just need a bit of time to get the hang of latching on....

Maybe also get a second opinion if your doctor keeps being pushy and your bub isn't improving weight wise?