I give up!

Kathy - posted on 03/27/2011

I think it would be great, for both you and your baby, to join a breastfeeding support group, such as la leche league. AS well as the experience and support of other mothers, you can get access to the leader's expertise.

Angela - posted on 03/27/2011

After the frenulum clipping did you do tongue exercises with her? She already learned to hold her tongue a certain way in nursing, now she needs to know how it should be.

Get a better lactation consultant! If it wasn't recommended already, this will help. LLL leaders are usually awesome, check them out if you haven't already.

Best of luck to you, you don't want to give your baby alternative mommy milk unless you really have to!

If it comes down to it, check into Eats On Feets, a milk sharing organization. Someone else's milk is better than formula, any day.

Emily - posted on 03/26/2011

As many have said, see a lactation consultant. And don't worry about the state of your house. Not every chore is a necessity, especially when you have a 5 week old. Give yourself a break from that stress at least.

Nicole - posted on 03/25/2011

I have found that pumping in tandom while I nurse my baby helps with let down for my slow eater and increases the amount of milk I pump.....

Kristin - posted on 03/25/2011

Breast feed first and follow up with the formula. You may have to work with her more to get her latch correct. She's had 4 weeks of not quite right tongue position versus one week of probably tender tongue position feedings. Offer often, don't really let the feeds get going until it correct, and kind of wiggle her chin a little with your knuckle to encourage her to continue. Anytime she seems hungry, hook her up. She will get her latch right.

Also, your husband and the five yr old can help out around the house. Heck, the two year old can too. It's called straightening their beds, picking up their toys, and getting their clothes to the hamper. Your husband can make dinner or breakfast from time to time or stir the pot while you are feeding. I've got three also (6, 3.5, and 9 months) so I have been where you are. I dictated to my husband how things needed to be done and in what order for some meals and others he stood there holding baby boy while I got things going. My 6yo LOVES to push the vacuum around and the 3 yo likes to dust. NO, they do NOT do it as thoroughly as I do or want them to, but it does get done and they are learning a skill that will serve them in adulthood. It's okay for the first few months to let some of the housekeeping slide or to ask for help with it. There are probably lots of family and friends who would be more than happy to pitch in.

Relax, you are doing a great job.

Brittany - posted on 03/25/2011

Thank you ladies for all of the suggestions... I am still bfing but also offering a supplement a few times a day... I don't know how long I will bf for but i do appreciate all the advice and encouragement! THANK YOU!!!!

Caroline - posted on 03/25/2011

I agree you should try a sling... I used one while doing around te house chores by also you need to ask your husband for help and your lactation consultant will prob tell you that stress can stop or slow your milk, also you need to stay extra hydrated yes it is difficult but believe me it helPs I had similar problems and my little one would sometimes take 3 to 4 hours per feeding so I took uP the sling and then he started becoming interested in things other than bfing.... For formula you can double the dose sometimes my pediatrician said to use 3 oz of water and and 2 scoops of formula.... It really helped during his growthspurts.... And try asking your kids to help with little things like vacuuming and dusting...

Amanda - posted on 03/25/2011

Keep in mind that most babies go through a growth spurt around 5-6 weeks and will start cluster feeding again. Sounds like you could benefit from taking a supplement like fenegrek or mothers milk tea to boost your supply. If you are only producing 1 oz of milk from both breasts thats not going to fill your little ones tummy for long. Agree with the slow flow nipple if you do supplement. So your milk supply doesnt decrease any more I would let the little one nurse for 15 min on each side then offer a supplement if she is not satisfied. Most hospitals have a lactation consultant to assist mothers that delivered at the hospital for free. Call the maternity department and see if something like that is available. Good luck!! Remember you have to do what will work for your family and you are still a great mom breastfeeding or not.

Stacee - posted on 03/25/2011

hi mommy relax:) I know it's hard. But remember the 1st 6 weeks of bfing are hell. The amount you pump doesnot reflic the amout ur dd is getting. Rememer ur babys tummy is tge size of her fist. Bm doesnot have yucky fillers in it so it digests faster. Hang in there it will get better

Melanie - posted on 03/25/2011

at times when you have the times to sit and breast feed do it at other times go formula, not all babies can be breastfeed so dont feel bad my neice couldnt suckle properly so stopped being breastfeed very early on, she is still healthy, make the right decision that suits you all!!!!

Margaret - posted on 03/24/2011

Breatfeeding is without question the most natural way to feed one's baby! There is no hard and fast rule that says you have to bf baby into toddlerhood either! You also say that she was toungue tied, well that could be one of the reasons that she is taking longer to feed from you right there! Her mouth is still a little swollen and tender from the procedure only a week ago!
You are also quite obviously stressed because you want to do the best for your baby! This too is not helping your milk yeild!
You see it is not the amount of time it takes to feed the bairn, but the quality of the milk within the breast that matters.
Also babies, particulary at the age that yours currently is, picks up on stress , she is still new, and you are giving it out in heaps! So, the first thing you have to do is to relax! This should allow the milk in your breast to let down properly, and allow the milk to flow properly!
Your baby has been through a great upheaval by having surgery, and so he/she will not go back into the routine that you had before the procedure, and that will need to be re-established. Whether you continue to breastfeed or put her to the bottle!
My suggestion is that you get the baby test-wieghed at the baby clinic the next time you go, and time your visit so that you get there before you need to feed her, so that the nurse can weigh her Do not change him/her before you weigh her. feed her at the clinic so that the cliinic nurse can observe both the baby feeding from you andto check the way that you sit!
Then after you have fed her for about five minutes, allow the nurse to weigh her again! This will give thenurse/midwife a better idea if her weight is 'on target' for where she should be in her deveolpment!
It will also help to alleviate any anxiety that you may have about not having enough milk! There is a limit to how much milk a baby needs at one feeding- hence the name demand feeding! Then follow the advice given by the nurse!
Both of my children now 30 and 25 respectively now, only took 3 minutes each side from me at each feed! And like you, I too had a house to run as well as a job to hold down too!
I fed the both of mine until nine months and by then they were being weaned onto proper food.
I found that both my children were more contented after there early morning feed because I had been rested myself, so my milk was at it's best then. and during the day, I would sit out and take the time to enjoy a cup of coffee while feeding, so as i was feeding, i was also taking in a drink too! I would also spend time with the children or my husband at the same time! How? By placing a shawl around my shoulders while I was breastfeeding. This was how I arranged the day time feeds ,and then at night just before I went to bed, I would lift him/her and feed him/her again! Then,as I was weaning them, I would offer them the breast after they had had their food! That was messy!
Try my advice, it may work on the other hand, it may not! But the first thing you need to do is to relax!!

Adre - posted on 03/23/2011

Try getting fenugreek, it's a herbal supplement that improves milk supply.

Katie - posted on 03/23/2011

When i had my baby i felt like a cow... literally udder and all. All she would do is want to nurse. I finally figured out, two months down the line, that babies like to suck. it doesn't matter on what. well i mean it does but you get my point. So if you feel comfortable giving her a pascifier then i would consider doing so. It definately helped me but now my little one is almost two and is still on the pascifier. :( lol

Natalie - posted on 03/22/2011

Have you thought about getting a wrap? The one I had I bought at Toys R Us, it was called Mama Kangaroo. I was able to position my daughter in it so that she could breastfeed and I could do house work and move around at the same time, it worked great, good luck!

Diane - posted on 03/21/2011

What if you put her in a sling so that she can nurse while you are doing other things. I know it's frustrating but it's important to remember that this is a temporary situation, in a few weeks she'll be so much better at nursing and it hasn't been that long since she was born so take some extra time to rest and see if you can get a friend or 2 to come over and help with kids/meals/laundry or something. The other thing is that if you really do need to supplement it may only be a temporary situation, find a good lactation consultant who has experience working with tounge ties and maybe you'll only have to supplement for a few weeks and then it will get better. Good luck.

Cheryl Dawn - posted on 03/21/2011

The comments just keep getting better and better. First eating for hours and not gaining or gaining well is a red flag for not getting enough to eat. Hire a good International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, IBCLC credential (Not termed a lactation nurse, IBCLC's can also have a nursing degree but that is definitely not necessary, the IBCLC is a specialized stand alone healthcare profession, taking many courses, hours and a tough exam to achieve.) She needs to have a Baby Weigh Scale (specifically made for measuring milk intake and accurate to within 1-2 grams, depending upon model.) She can then see what amount your baby has actually eaten and then adjust the supplementing of your pumped milk, donor milk or formula, accordingly. She will take a history and find out if there are other causes for a low supply (besides the tongue-tie which caused low stimulation and possibly the only reason for your low supply.) I hope you are using a rental hospital grade pump like an Ameda Platinum or Elite or a Medela Symphony or Lactina Select.) The store bought pumps are not as good at boosting the supply of someone in trouble for many women. (Yes, I am talking Pump in Style or Purely Yours, they're good but not good enough right now and definitely not an Evenflo or First years these are not made at all for your purpose.)
A Supplemental Nursing System (home-made, Medela or Lact-Aid) should be used to keep her at breast, and probably galactogogues (Fenugreek, unless you have hypo-thyroid condition, blessed thistle, goat's rue, nettles, alfalfa, or others might be used and even something like Domperidone might be suggested.) Nurse, nurse, nurse is not always the best advice when your baby is not gaining. She should be eating 8-12 or 10-14 times a day, and definitely not going over 6 hours once in a 24 hour period since your trying to build your supply and she is not gaining well.
Online help is good but you are a case that needs to be seen, if you are not already, for assessment. And if who you are seeing is not helping there is no law against getting another opinion. Good luck.

LaLasha - posted on 03/20/2011

I think the length of time she spends at the breast has more to do with supply them anything else try fenugreek to boost lactation

Elena - posted on 03/20/2011

She is staying on your breast for hours because she is not getting enough breastmilk. I have gone through that and it is really difficult. My daughter was on me 24/7. At that time I did not know that she did not have enough. I started supplementing her with some formula through SNS (Supplemental nursing system) not to have her get used to the bottle cause once you give her the bottle, she might refuse the breast completely. In addition, bottle feeding will minimize your breast-milk supply since their tongue position will differ with the bottle. I would not recommend to give up. While you are supplementing, please try to increase your milk supply by taking 3 pills of domperidone 3 times a day plus some fenugreek together with blessed thistle. As soon as your supply increases, and it definitely will, she will have enough milk at the breast and you will stop supplementing. I had close to no milk during the first three months and my child now is 13 months old and still breastfeeding. Don't give up! This is the best start off you can give to your child and her health.

Amanda - posted on 03/20/2011

before giving up should try talking to your dr and see if there is anything you can take to help your production.. my bff had a simular prblm with producing and she had to get help with it..

Savona - posted on 03/20/2011

What might help with her toung with latching is using your finger. You put it in her mouth and you push down slightly, I said it on a baby story, and that helped with her daughter latching properly.
Some ideas for increasing your milk supply would be "Mothers tea" you can get it from a nutritional store, Fenugreek tablets, Drinking more water, less caffeine, and taking your prenatal vitamins.
With some conversations Ive seen on Circle of Moms, Formula feeding and breast feeding may not be the best idea, you could possibly dry up the rest of the supply you have in your breasts if you try and do both,
hmmm perhaps try some of the suggestions to increase your supply that I suggested, continue pumping and try your best =) Im sure things will work out the way theyre supposed to *HUG* chin up fellow mommy! Im sure youre doing great with your children and household!

Ursula - posted on 03/20/2011

Glad things geting better for you. What also helped for me back then, drink lots of water (but not to much, especially when you feel dirsty that gave me the sign to drink) and eat lots of fruit and milk and milk products if you like during your dinners. That helps as well for the milkproduction. I was worring as much too in the beginning and had to give formula as my doc told me too. which is wrong, they always think you don't produce enough milk but as often the baby wants to drink the breasts are reproducing more milk. And it takes about 3 days to adjust to the needs..Good luck!

Kristina - posted on 03/20/2011

I breastfed and formula fed my son at the end. He took to both extremely well. My family advocate that came and monitered my son said that if it doesnt bug the baby to go ahead and do it.

Kristy - posted on 03/20/2011

My boy was on the breast for an hour every feed then 20mins later wanted to be I thought to myself there is no way I can do this much nursing and look after my other child, I was lucky to have my partner at home with me for 4weeks so I said to myself I'll breastfeed for the 4weeks then go onto formula, well after the 4weeks he started to feed every 2hrs for 40mins which was still alot but ment i could still look after my daughter and make sure she had things to keep her busy while i was feeding, I also had to supplement at the begining because my milk didnt come in till day 6, but I have now go a good system going where i pump on one side while i feed on the other first feed in the morning when im most full,and he is already getting a let down to happen so i get more milk out with the pump :) then I can now use that milk to supplement if i need to at all in the day( he mainly needs a top up at night when im most empty) I also pump after I top up to help increase my supply, he's now 7weeks and feeding every 3hrs and feeds for 30mins which isnt any different to formula feeding except its always ready and no need for heating and sertilizing :)

Betty H - posted on 03/20/2011

Hi, You need to contact a Lactation Consultant. If you live in the Houston,Texas area, I will be happy to help you. I am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. You should not have to breastfeed for hours. My website is http://www.breastfeedingwithlove.com Please contact someone in your area if you don't live in mine.

Melissa - posted on 03/20/2011

I would try getting a sling and nursing in that, that way you could do a little bit of the easier tasks while bf. And although it feels much better when things are done around the house, your children, yourself and your baby is what is most important right now, 5 weeks is still so early. Give yourself and the baby some time, things will get easier. Perhaps try a Hug A Bub sling or Moby wrap and see if that helps to feed hands free. Goodluck, this time will pass xox

Melody - posted on 03/20/2011

another thing to build up milk supply besides liquid intake: there is a tea by Traditional Medicinals called Organic Mothers Milk, its a blend of BF safe herbs that increase milk supply. Tastes like black licorice but really does help!

Sebrina - posted on 03/20/2011

Also there are pills your doctor can give you to help increase milk production. Consider pumping more and drinking allot more fluids it will slightly increase the supply. I have had issues like this. With my first son for a long time he would nurse non stop for hours. Especially at 3 and 6 and 9 weeks when he went on growth spurts. Then I did as I suggested ( Not the pills) and it increased so much that he would drain each side in 5-10 min and be full and content. It is just the kinds of thing that takes time and learing on both you and the baby, A lactation consultinte is a wonderful option they can really help. Try to hold your breast in a way that you make the nipple almost fall back all the way like rolling it into place kinda. You have to really get them rooting with a BIG open mouth then shove it back there and hold her in place almost like your trying to gag her with it, lol then she will start to suck and get a better latch. Sorry if I didn't expaline it well that was kinda how it was told to me by a LC and it really helped. My second son am me were pros at nursing the day he was born. But with my first it took a few weeks. He also would talk in too much milk and get allot of air and gassy, which sucked. Good luck!

Meaghan - posted on 03/20/2011

I have not read all the responses, so I apologize if I duplicate a lot of information. Kellymom, lli.org and http://www.drjacknewman.com/video-clips.... are all great resources. Jack Newman is a respected doctor that runs a breastfeeding clinic in Canada. He has videos that are worth a thousand words! Really helpful to watch about latch and supply. He also has clips of active nursing and hanging out on the breast. This can help you determine when the baby is actually done and just hanging on for comfort. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but tough when you have other kids to take care of. That might be a good time to use a sling :-)
The root of a lot of "lazy" nursing problems is actually latch. There are lots of tricks to help the baby through it. LLL can probably help you there. One trick is breast compressions to stimulate nursing. You can also supplement nursing sessions with a supplemental nursing system. It is a little tube that you tape to your breast and the baby gets extra breast milk or formula while they nurse. It can help stimulate a slow nurser (Newman has a video clip, I believe).
LLL will also have tips to help you pump more efficiently. As other moms mentioned, pumping output does not equal supply. A baby is much more effective than a pump.
You might be amazed how much help and support you can get from LLL league over the phone. The leaders are trained to do phone support. If you are able to make it to a group meeting it is even better! But don't hesitate to reach out and ask for help - it is what they are there for.
Also, if one person (be it doctor, LC or LLL Leader) isn't able to help you or if you don't click, don't hesitate to call someone else. Answers are out there, you just need to find the person that has them.
Also, nursing will get easier with time, once you get over this issue (if you choose to stick with it). I speak from experience - my preemie had a tough first 3 months, then it got easier and easier. My formula feeding friends were shocked how easy it was for me to get out and about with the baby because I never had to worry about bottles and bringing enough formula :-)
Good luck, whatever you choose to do. Hope you find something that works for you.

Stephanie - posted on 03/20/2011

Instead of supplementing with a bottle, you can try an suppplemental nursing system. (SNS) It will keep her at the breast to help her learn using her tongue. It will also give her a way to get easy supplement. To make it easier you can use a starter kit and it is less bulky than the larger one. I would seek an LC to help you with this. It will get easier very soon. Try some mom and baby soothing techniques. Both of you in the bath tub. Use a cup to keep her warm with water, but let her come to your breast and don't force it. Try not to stress so much on the house because it will be there later I promise. Plus let your 2 year old help you! Put snacks down low where she can get her own snacks. ALways make juice or water for 2yo before sitting down. Keep diapers where she can help you get them. Let 2yo help pick up toys, laundry. After having 3 myself believe me they can definately help you at this age. Also write down 2-3 chores for you DH that he can do at any part of the day. Having a definate list helps them and you can get things done a lot easier. (stuff like vacuum, take trash out, gather laundry in a gib pile and sort) You work all day even though at home (which is a LOT harder) everyone needs to help.
Sometimes when you look at the small picture it makes it harder to see beyond the hard part. But it will actually go by faster than you will be ready for so just take time for yourself and you can do it!

Christine - posted on 03/20/2011

If she is nursing for hours maybe she is like you said not latching properly and just pacifying instead of actually getting milk.. Make sure you check for the gulping. (although I'm sure you know that having two other children)
Try taking fenugreek or you can get the doctor to prescribe you domperadome to help with milk production.. My advice is to keep trying!!! I had to introduce formula and it screwed up my breastfeeding. Now I only get 3 somtimes 4 if I'm lucky of breastmilk when I pump and my daughter drinks about 6oz each feeding multiple times a day.. It's hard to re establish your supply. Maybe talk to your local La Leche League and they can give you educated advice!
You can do it!

Gwen - posted on 03/20/2011

its a shame that you are giving up, i used to feed my daughter for half an hr every side so an hr all up. i know it seems like alot but it gives you the chance to bond and dont worry bout everything else as you are doin the best thing for you and your daughter. if ur worried about her putting on weight try a formula bottle in the morning and before bed but keep trying in between and just adjust as you go if you normally feed 5 to 6 times feed half formula and half breast milk she still has to adjust to everything but you will both get there hopefully this help to get you breastfeeding again goodluck

Shannon - posted on 03/20/2011

The more you stress the harder it is. I found when I stressed, I didn't make as much milk as when I was relaxed.

Suplementing with formula is completely up you, but if it were me, I wouldn't. Breasfeeding is all about nursing on demand. The more she nurses, the more you make. Also make sure to drink tons of fluids. I was able to build my supply back up just by drinking lots and lots of water. You could also try mothers milk tea or fenugreek.

At the beginning is the hardest and like other moms said, it only get easier the older they get. My daughter is almost 13 months and only nurses in the morning now. I couldn't get my daughter to latch at the beginning at all and ended up using a nipple Sheild for about two months and then weanded her off it. Also I pumped a ton too. After she nursed I pumped and also pumped every two hours. I ended up having a big supply of milk the freezer and occasionally would top her off with more breastmilk.

I recommend calling a lactation consultant or a Breasfeeding helpline. I did, and it was really great to be able to talk to someone. Good luck

Rachael - posted on 03/20/2011

agree, ignore the quantity of milk you pump out. You may only be emptying your breast and not having a 'let down' i.e. when the milk starts to move, that filling aching feeling. I could never get a let down while pumping so gave up. Speak to a lactation consultant.

Mia - posted on 03/20/2011

Have you a good lactation nurse you can go and see for support and advice?? It is poss to do both and can so understand where you are coming from. Don't feel bad for saying you are stressed and give up, it is stressful! You're doing the best you can, try to get some advice and support before totally giving up then at least you can say you've tried everything possible for her and you. At the end of the day you've got to decide what is best for you, your baby and really the family unit as a whole!

Adriana - posted on 03/19/2011

a warm compress when you pump can deff. help since it stimulates the flow- helping more come out

A - posted on 03/19/2011

Okay- calm down first off. The first time you BF it can be overwhelming.

Second- a 5 week old nursing for "like hours" is completely NORMAL. Exhausting, yes, but normal. It seems like that's all you're doing. My best advice for that is to buy a ring style sling and wear your baby as you're BFing. It will give you you're arms free- instead of you just sitting around not being able to do anything, you'll be able to move, arms free, while baby is nursing. I didn't use a sling until my baby was older (9+ months old) and I'm so disappointed I didn't use one earlier. I'm pregnant with number two and things are going to be much easier with a newborn.

Third- Don't look at pumping as a good gauge as to how much you are producing. Breasts weren't designed for pumps- babies are! When I pumped after my son was born, I only pumped a few drops. Then, it stopped working altogether when my son was a few months old. But my son was gaining and eating fine. Pumps do NOT empty your breasts like a baby does. If you want to increase your supply, keep feeding baby around the clock on demand. Baby will empty more and increase your supply.

Fourth- your baby may have to play a little catch up with your supply since she was tongue tied and still having latch issues. Try and work on fixing the latch with a Le Leche League member or Lactation Consultant. Your supply may not be what it would have been had your baby not been TT. So now that the tongue is fixed it may take a little while to get your supply to where it needs to be. But if you're supplementing with formula- thats only going to HURT your supply, not help. And further encourage bad latching because she is using a bottle which requires a different suck. Don't be discouraged. It is supply and demand- and your baby will tell your body to start making more soon. My son has been sick a few times and gone days without letting my milk down. I would get worried...but a few days later my milk would be back in full supply when he needed it. Trust your baby and your body. This is also probably why your baby is nursing so much- trying to tell your body to make more! Give it some time. I'd say two-three weeks. If baby still isn't gaining and problems are still happening, then consider supplementing part/full time with formula. But your efforts to help with the formula may actually be hurting you right now.

Fifth- Your family is going to have understand you can't do everything right now. There are times my house is a disaster, and dinner isn't ready when my husband comes home if we've had a bad day. But my husband is okay with that. He says my first responsibility is our children- and if that means he has to come home and help out so be it. Obviously you have two other kids but don't try to be superwoman right now- just be a mommy. That's all your kids need. Ask for help if you can get it.

BFing is hard...I went through all sorts of things when I BF my son. I wanted to give up everyday. I thought formula would make everything better. Fortunately I stuck with it, and I'm so glad I did. Now my son is 21 months, and I'm still nursing, even through my pregnancy and plan to tandem nurse. Don't think you're alone...BFing takes time to get comfortable with and start feeling like you know what you're doing...things will get better. Take it day by day.

Virginia - posted on 03/19/2011

It gets better! around 6-8 weeks old they get more on a system and it isn't 24/7. She's probably having a growth spurt. Nurse her until you feel "empty" then top off with formula if you have to. Then pump right after until you are truly empty. That should get your supply going. Also try taking fenugreek vitamins, that can pump up your supply. The more you nurse the more you get. I've supplemented with small amounts with both babies (still nursing my 1 year old) and found I did ok as long as it wasn't too much. It gets them used to taking a bottle and being flexible about what the "milk" tastes like. Check out kellymom.com for advice about the constant nursing right now-- it's normal!! http://www.kellymom.com/bf/index.html Good luck!

Anne-Marie - posted on 03/19/2011

you can pump & supplement with the formula to fill her up & free up your time. good luck! don't stress!!

Lise - posted on 03/18/2011

Haha... Permanently nursing. :) There was one day she was literally attached to me for 6 full hours in a 10 hour period. That's a lot of nursing! I swear it does get better though!

Dora - posted on 03/18/2011

I you can try and breast feed on demand give it a shot. It sounds like you are quite busy but see if it will work for a couple of weeks. Once she gets the hang of it, her nursing will be much more efficient and your supply should go up to keep up with her feedings. If you don't have the time them keep nursing her and offer her the formula after each feeding. That is a tip I got from my pediatrician because I wanted to continue nursing while my son was learning to latch better. He didn't have a choice but to do both because he lost too much weight and to be honest with you his health and safety are my utmost concerns. After approx. 2wks of doing this he became a pro at nursing. My pediatrician was impressed on how well he put the weight back on and how well he was doing with the nursing. Both mommy and baby were very happy after that. Also I was lucky because he never had nipple confusion, he just learned to do both.

Celeste - posted on 03/18/2011

To be honest, I would stop all bottles. The more she nurses (yes, even if she just nursed) the more you will make. Especially right now. She is and will be going through many growth spurts where she will be fussy, frustrated and want to nurse more. This is GOOD for supply. I promise, it gets better. You're in the thick of it right now!

Brittany - posted on 03/18/2011

lisa what do you mean by perma-nursing??... Thank you ladies for the advise... I am pumping during the day to help keep my supply up and I am taking an alfalfa based supplement to help my production. Its weird there are times that she will be fine with just bfing but other times i have to top her off with formula b/c she just get frustrated after awhile... So are definitly still trying!

Jody - posted on 03/18/2011

Don't worry about her being tiny unless she is not gaining weight properly, you can try kellymom.com, they have average growth and growth charts for breastfeed babies. Remember that having a baby on the 20th percentile isn't necessarily bad, some girls are tiny dainty little things and others aren't, neither is bad as long as they are healthy and gaining at a healthy rate. If she is on teh 20th percentile and stays there then that is where she was ment to be, everyone is different :)

Lise - posted on 03/18/2011

My daughter was tongue tied, too, and got clipped. She still nursed a lot and frequently, but it slowly got better. She probably learning how to transfer milk better. It took a month of perma-nursing, but she started really gaining and we made it to 6 months on my milk only. She hasn't had any formula.

Can you try giving it 3 weeks to see if it gets better? You definitely can combo feed, but I think you might find nursing easier with a little time.

Rachael - posted on 03/18/2011

also, when looking at the weight charts make sure you are looking at charts for BREASTFED babies.

Celeste - posted on 03/18/2011

I'm glad that things are going better! Be careful with the supplementing. This is such a slippery slope, because it can mess with your supply. In fact, you may not even need to supplement at all. If you can post *LOWEST* birth weight and current weights, we can help you to see if she's gaining what she needs.

Jody - posted on 03/18/2011

I agree you need to see an lactation consultant again, as she gets older she will get quicker at feeding. My little guy was a healthy boy and he used to take 45 minutes to feed and now taked 10 maybe 15 if he is distracted :) Also some babies are just leasurely eaters unfornately for us :)

If you want to suppliment with formula try this, feed all day, then at a night feeding pump before the feeding and mix it half and half with formula (slow flow nipple preferably one made to mimic breastfeeding). Or offer her formula after she breastfeeds to ensure she is full.

Don't think that since you are only getting an ounce or so from pumping that thatis all you are making, a pump is way less efficient at getting milk out than a baby is :) also try massaging the breast, up to the collar bone and under the arm pit stroking towards the nipple before feedings and pumping it helps get things flowing. It also helps to immaging feeding you baby while you pump ( a really good electric pump does hurt either)

Brittany - posted on 03/17/2011

thanks rachael... today bfing was a alot better! i think i will still supplement her bc she is so small still (she still looks like she was just born) but i am still working on it!

Rachael - posted on 03/17/2011

now that her tongue tie has been fixed you should meet with a lactation consultant. She will be able to give you some tips. Your daughter needs to re-learn how to latch now that she can now use her tongue more efficiently. after she learns how to suck efficiently your nursing time should be cut down drastically. Good luck!

Elizabeth - posted on 03/17/2011

I BF and formula fed my girls alternating feedings because I felt so anxious when sitting down for long periods to BF..but I wanted them to benefit from BF too. The one biggest piece of advice I would give to you is make sure that whatever bottle you give her make sure it is the slowest possible nipple ..if you want to BF past 3 months of age. Right around that time my daughters got wise to the fact that bottles were less work and wanted nothing to do with BF.