breastfeeding part 2

Ellana - posted on 12/02/2008

My son didn't breast feed until he was 6 weeks old as he was so small and i'm an E cup..I expressed every 21/2 - 3 hours for those 6 weeks. If i couldn't get enough, i topped up with formula to make sure he had enough.I used to use nipple sheilds and try to get him to breastfeed everyday and thankfully he finally got the hang of it. I had a similar problem with supply shortage and my clinic nurse suggested fenugreek tablets. She put me on a special dose (regardless of what the bottle says) ...4 tablets, 4 times a day for 3 days and then 2 tablets, three times a day for three days. Within 3 days I noticed an increase with my supply. Take them for the whole 6 days and it should help. You should not do this no more than once a month otherwise you can get engorgment/mastitis issues..

Fiona - posted on 12/02/2008

I can only tell you what made ME dry up, with all three of my babies, and that was stress, not drinking enough(drink HEAPS!), not getting enough rest, and not feeding regularly. My eldest and I spent a week in hospital doing forced 3 hourly (wake and feed and pump and sleep) cycles and it didnt work because I had left it too late and was stressed and exhausted. BOTTOM LINE IS... drink heaps, lie down all the time and feed all the time- and use a pump on the side that the baby is not feeding on at every second feed time- doing all of this helped me to feed my youngest baby for longer and with better results. And keep in touch if it all works out or if it doesnt we are here to support you!!

Glynis - posted on 12/01/2008

You could try hand expressing (or pumping) one breast while the baby is nursing on the other side (can be tricky to get the hang of, but a class in juggling chainsaws should help. )

Clare-maree - posted on 12/01/2008

I was really lucky with breast feeding. I had heaps of milk, but expressing was dificult at first. Have you tried expressing in the shower? i found that the heat and stimulation from the water triggered let down and it was a lot easier. Good luck!

User - posted on 11/29/2008

well,maybe trying different pumps will help...hand expressing may seem exuahstin but once you get the hang of it it becomes easy.(you can look up how to easily),bf sites are realy helpful also...bf in general is hard keep on trying,pumpin is a little more difficult i look up to you for not giving up.how old is your child?i just dont neccisarly buy into th t big of nipples.although im not a doc nor hae i seen.but i hd th preoblem of choking mine b/c made to much so placin baby on top helped,seems lik the lactition cnsultant should give you tips on feeding with large nipples(im sure its possiable)

anyways i hope you find the help you need.i know how stressful it canbe..

Tanya - posted on 11/29/2008

-Pumping both breasts at the same time.



-Plenty of non-caffeinated drinks throughout the day (at least 10-12, 8 oz. glasses).



-Rest, rest, rest.



-Good, hospital quality pump (medela is the best).



-Fenugreek can help increase your supply (an herbal supplement)...sorry I'm not sure how much to use or how to utilize, but a good lactation consultant should know.



-Pumping every 2-3 hours, religiously (this includes during the night). The more stimulation there is, the more supply there will be.



-Mother's Milk Tea.



-Increase protein and calcium in your diet.



-Reglan (prescription) can also help increase milk supply for some.





Those are my suggestions. Hope some of them will work for you.



Tanya in NY

Tiffany - posted on 11/29/2008

my the one in the blue bag that has the cooler on top i'm not sure what style it looks like a purse and no i have not tried it

User - posted on 11/29/2008

what style?medela is one of the best,but i had a friend wh pumped best with one of the worst brands out there(the 60$ pump at walmart).have you tried hand expressing?

Tiffany - posted on 11/29/2008

the pump i have is the medela

User - posted on 11/29/2008

oat meal realy increased my supply.keep trying him on your nipple.it may be difficult but he could learn(like they do with inverted).its hard to pump.pumping doesnt work as well as nursing but keep trying and pump alot!alot alot!keep up your supply the more you nurse the more you will make.what pump are you using?(you may not be dried up pumping is never exact)

Veronica - posted on 11/29/2008

After my son was born my body went through some severe trauma and forgot it had been pregnant. When my milk supply didn't really come in, I was prescribed mottiliam [a drug used in small doses for kidney issues, but in larger doses increases milk supply]. It worked very well. For some women it helps them to jump start production and then you can wean yourself off it. I took it at full does for the year I nursed my son and had no side effects. This was 4 years ago.

Sarah - posted on 11/29/2008

I had the same problem when I had my son. He's almost 6 weeks old now. I pump every 2-3 hours and I should get bigger pump shields. I am taking herbal supplements called more milk plus and brewer's yeast. I also do compression/massage to have stimulation on my breast and take long warm showers and let the warm water go over my breasts to help stimulate. I wear sports bras occassionally which also help with stimulation. I pump after my son nurses which helps to drain my breast fully. The lacation consultant told me that milk supply is increased through nipple and breast stimulation and breast drainage. It's already been helping. When I first started pumping I could get an oz on one side and a 1/2 oz on the other side. Now I can get up to 3 1/2 oz. I'm also devoting the next few days to constant pumping and nursing to continue to increase my supply. Relaxation, good nutrition and fluids are vital but you already know that! Best wishes. I know it's so hard and it's so frustrating!

Helen - posted on 11/29/2008

I would suggest you contact La Leche League (www.llli.org). There may be a group nearby or you can ask someone online (on the resource page). Good luck

Andrada - posted on 11/29/2008

How much rest are you getting? Sometimes if you are really really exhausted or stressed out it can make it harder on your body. There are also herbs that you can take to increase milk production.

Tiffany - posted on 11/29/2008

i drink alot of water thats all i drink i drink so much i probaly could float and i do have a hospital pump but its like 2 years old and the pumping power is starting to suck

Sara - posted on 11/29/2008

My mother is a lactation specialist and a pediatric RN for over 30 years. The biggest thing to keep your supply going is how frequently you nurse. My son was born very prematurely, 24 weeks. I had to use a breast pump for 6 weeks and I pumped every 2-3 hours religiously. I was able to get 3-4 ounces after my milk came in. Even after he was able to nurse, I had to keep pumping because nursing tired him out and I wasn't emptied. You may want to try a hospital-grade pump. They are rugged and more powerful but remember...more suction DOES NOT mean more milk. You will get bruised with too much suction. Don't nurse on a schedule, nurse when your baby cries. I needed the larger shield too and it helped a lot. Not all consultants agree, especially the older generations. Listen to your child. Even if your only getting a small amount of milk, letting your child nurse will stimulate production and gradually your supply will increase. You also need to keep yourself hydrated and well nurished. Your body will become stressed and production will slow if your body doesn't have the fuel to produce. I don't know if this helped. I didn't see the first part. I've always believed that nursing is a great gift. Listen to our child and our instint and don't take advise from someone who has never done it or who thinks its weird/wrong/gross/abnormal/etc. I nursed my kids while they were resting on a table in Friendly's and I was eating. We were born to do this...keep looking for answers.

Emie - posted on 11/29/2008

Do you drink alot of water?