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What's wrong with my milk supply?

Amal El - posted on 07/26/2012 ( 3 moms have responded )

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I've been breastfeeding my baby for the first two months and i had oversupply i was always engorged but then I got a breast infection - and ever since I noticed a lowered milk supply - i didnt know my supply was low but my baby started fussing and crying after a min or less on the breast but would drink a bottle so i just concluded that she wasnt getting enough so i tried pumping but nothing came out ! less then 10 mls ... although before tht if i wd pump id get up tp 4 oz (between feedings)
I had to supplement with formula .. even up tp 4 times aday! but I really really really wana go back to bf !! I'm taking fenugreek supplements tht contain 400mg fenugreek oil, 15 mg fennel oil, 15 mg caraway oil .. i take 5 tab 3 x daily ... for almost a week now... the supply increase is loww but i'm trying my best to feed her every 2 hrs but even if she does feed .. the max is 5 mins on the breast and always comes off crying and fussing ... after i feed her nothing wd come on the pump too...why is she fussy? no milk? is thefenugreek dose too low? could there be a problem with my pump? are there like sizes? is there anything else i cd take or do? is it possible for me to exclusively bf again?
sorry for such a long post but ur site is really helpful and i wish to find some solutions aswell ... THANK YOU

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3 Comments

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Celeste - posted on 07/26/2012

2,589

30

"i forgot to mention tht she wasnt gaining weight! thts why even my doc advised to supplement but not more thn twice a day



How old was baby when you started supplementing? Weight gain history? Have you seen an IBCLC to get hands on help?



and im trying to get her to nurse .. sometimes she wd for 20 mins sometimes for 5 mins but mostly she;d suck once or twice and start crying its so frustrating! how can i get stimulation whn she wouldnt nurse more thn 5 mins



It sounds like she may have developed nipple preference. She doesn't have to work at the bottle to get milk like she does at the breast. A few things that you can try:

-Pump to get letdown going and then try to latch her. That way, the milk will be right there, "instant gratification", if you will

-Breast compressions: http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_...

-Make sure to nurse her at the first signs of hunger, before she cries.



I'd also continue to pump to keep up supply. More tips found here: http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/ba...

Amal El - posted on 07/26/2012

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thx for the reply!
i forgot to mention tht she wasnt gaining weight! thts why even my doc advised to supplement but not more thn twice a day .. and im trying to get her to nurse .. sometimes she wd for 20 mins sometimes for 5 mins but mostly she;d suck once or twice and start crying its so frustrating! how can i get stimulation whn she wouldnt nurse more thn 5 mins?

Celeste - posted on 07/26/2012

2,589

30

I've been breastfeeding my baby for the first two months and i had oversupply i was always engorged but then I got a breast infection

Ouch! I'm sorry!

i didnt know my supply was low but my baby started fussing and crying after a min or less on the breast but would drink a bottle so i just concluded that she wasnt getting enough

This doesn't mean you had a lowered supply. Did you continue to nurse through the breast infection? It could've been a growth spurt.

Drinking from a bottle doesn't mean that she wasn't getting enough either. This article explains why:
http://www.mother-2-mother.com/cc-baby-B...

i tried pumping but nothing came out ! less then 10 mls ... although before tht if i wd pump id get up tp 4 oz (between feedings)

Pump output has nothing to do with supply. It's normal for output to decrease over time. I didn't respond to the pump very well but I was able to nurse twins.

I had to supplement with formula .. even up tp 4 times aday! but I really really really wana go back to bf !!

THAT can lower supply. When you supplement with formula, you are taking away the stimulation for your breasts to produce milk.

Diaper count is the best way to judge supply. Never judge supply on baby behavior, pump output, feel of breasts, etc.

Here's a great article about low supply. IF you do have supply, it will explain how to get supply back up and I do believe you can get back to exclusively nursing:
http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-w...

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