Hi, I am having a problem, and I'm scared I won't be able to nurse my baby anymore. It's sad and surprising, because I nursed my daughter for the whole first year. My son is just four months old, but I've all but stopped making milk. Last weekend, my husband took the kids to my mother's house for four days so that I could get caught up for a test and a project in a class I am taking. I pumped regularly, getting 2-6 ounces per pump, depending on the time of day. But, each day, I was able to pump less and less, until on the last day, it was almost nothing coming out at any pumping. I thought when he came home, we'd be able to get back on track. After a week, I hardly have anything first thing in the morning, and less than that all day. I'm afraid he's starving, but I'm reluctant to give him bottles, because I'm trying to nurse constantly in efforts to increase milk production. Each day is getting worse. He now just gets mad and bites and pulls VERY hard when I try to nurse him, he's grumpy, and I seem to be the last person he wants to see. I feel like a four day trip has ruined everything. Is there anything I can do to remedy this? Is anyone out there a lactation consultant? Is there prescription medication? I've done everything - from constant nursing, to lots of water, even a Guinness -- I can't believe this is happening. I wanted to nurse him exclusively until 6mo.s, and for at least the first year. I don't want to give up, but I don't know what more I can do. He has to start eating, or he'll start losing weight. Please help.
Thanks to all of you who responded. I just read over everything again and it's making me sad... I failed. We noticed that Soren's little arms and legs were quite skinny, when they had previously been plump. I knew I had to feed him something, so we started giving him bottles and continued trying to nurse, but he flat-out refused. I guess he knew there were bottles available, and nothing was coming out for him anyways, so he just wouldn't do it. I continued trying every possible remedy, even went to the doctor about a prescription, but he said no. I talked to his ped. and my OB, but noone had anything new to say. So, he is a formula-fed baby now. I hate it - I never EVER thought it would happen to me, but I guess anything can happen to anyone. I'm okay with it now, so long as I don't dwell on it. He's healthy, happy, and that's the most important thing. But, thank you all for your support. I have learned not to be judgmental of moms who don't breastfeed (I am not proud to admit that I did that). Now I'm trying not be ashamed of giving him bottles in public. I'm afraid I'm being judged! But, everyone has their own story - I know that now.
I'm late getting this to you, A.. If you have not received help yet, please feel free to call me. I'm a lactation educator and retired La Leche League leader. I'd be happy to help, if I can.
P.
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Hi A.!
I have twin two year olds and I ran into the same problem as you seem to be having. The lactation specialist at the hospital suggesting an OTC supplement called Fenugreek. It is supposed to aid in increasing milk production. I tried it and it worked. The only problem was that it took a while. I had to supplement the small amount of breast milk I was getting with soy formula because my twins couldn't digest the cow milk based formula. Hope this helps!
You need to get a hold of the LaLeche League. They will come out to your house and help you and give you all sorts of great advice. I know there are a few vitamins that help the production of milk too but they know more. C.
Hi A.!
I'm sorry to hear about your stressful situation. Have you tried drinking MOther's Milk Tea or taking Fenugreek? You can get both at the local GNC or health food store. They really help with milk production/supply. YOu are doing the best thing by continuing to nurse him as much as possible. YOu can also try pumping in between nursing to help boost supply.
You can contact the Lactation Consultants at Northside Hospital to make an appt to go in and see them. THey are great. They also do phone consultations during which you cna just talk to them on the phone and they will help. Our pediatrician, East Cobb Pediatrics, has a lactation consultant on staff, Barbara Cossman, but if you are not a patient of the practice, it might be difficlt to get an appt. I would try Northside or look for a local La Leche League.
Good Luck!
C.
I think you need to give ur doctor a call and go from there. Since you seem to adiment about continuing then the sooner the better. I personally wanted to breast feed both as well but both my children had to do a week stay after birth for different reasons and after the nurses were bottle feeding my first without my knowledge he didnt want the nip, with my second I didnt get to hold him without wires for a week after birth and with needing to go home to take care of my oldest,I quickly gave up.
My daughter's pediatrician put me on Reglan to increase my milk supply and that was able to help alot. Before she did that, she wanted to know about my stress levels. With you taking classes, that may be adding stress that could effect milk supply. Hope this helps. Good luck!
First of all, relax! Stress won't help anything. Also, don't feel guilty if you can't breastfeed as long as expected. 4 months of breastfeeding gives your baby a wonderful start. It sounds like you are doing all you can; eating well, drinking plenty of water, and resting. I agree with an earlier post that suggested visiting a lactation consultant. They are very helpful. I also have a couple of suggestions: 1. Don't hold back bottles, it's more important for your child to be well nourished that to receive breast milk only. Also, if he is too hungry he won't have the patience it takes to latch on right, and then he will get frustrated and you will get frustrated and it will never work. Give your baby supplemental bottles after nursing if necessary. 2. Make sure you have a really good pump. Purchased pumps are not the same quality as the ones you can rent at the hospital. See a lactation consultant about getting a good pump. 3. Pump after nursing to stimulate more milk production. There's no reason to make your son nurse for long periods of time when a good pump could do all the work. 4. Hang in there! I know it's hard when things don't go as planned. I had a lot of problems breastfeeding my daughter and eventually had to face that fact that I would have to give her some formula. I nursed her until she was 9 months old, but I had to mix my breast milk with formula in order to have enough to send to daycare with her. That DOES NOT make you a failure. The most important thing for your child to get nutrition-wise is colostrum, which is the thick stuff excreted the first couple days after birth before your milk came in. That provides him with most of the immunities he needs. Breast milk is best, but many happy healthy babies were raised on formula. I hope this helps, and good luck :)
Nurse constantly! Call the dr and ask about a temp rx for REGLAN. It is an antinausea med that has the side effect of increaseing milk production. If you take it watch for signs of depression. I used it with my second child and it was great. Also try brewers yeast avail at GNC and health food stores. Good luck and do not give up. you know you have to get enough rest and DO NOT STRESS or you will continue to have less milk. Email me if you want to talk.
L.
First, calm down. Everything will be ok. There are things you can do. Eating enough to make the milk is one. Second is to stop stressing. It won't help. You will produce more milk if you are calmer. Get exercise and take care of your body. And realize this: Try everything you can to keep your milk, but if at the end of it all you have to feed him a bottle, it will be ok- you didn't fail. I was put into the hospital for PPD 3 mo after my daughter was born. I got no support from the staff with regards to pumping (I had people constantly putting me off when I needed to go do so)and I could not see my daughter for over a week, so by the end of that period, I too all but dried up. I ended up having to stop and feed her a bottle. She is now in the top 1 % in language skills at 1 year (she says 6 words) and she has developed better than I could have dreamed. You baby will too be ok and so will you. good luck, and remember you are loved.
Hi -I'm J.. I'm a firm believer in breastfeeding;I'm so sorry to hear you're having trouble at this time. It's such a natural thing and yet such a mystery sometimes. I've certainly had my own problems with it. I have found the website www.breastfeeding.com to be helpful. Try this page: http://www.breastfeeding.com/helpme/helpme_tips_supply.html
One of the most important factors is stress. If you're stressed for any reason, milk supply can be reduced. It's a vicious cycle. Your milk is reduced, you're stressed reducing the milk supply more, baby is frustrated, causing you more stress, etc. Your baby may have just really missed you for those four days and had a hard time adjusting to your absence and then being back with you. As a Christian, I would pray about the situation and keep offering the breast. Maybe go back to the way you nursed him when he was a newborn. Dark, quiet room, singing quietly to him, or lying down in bed? I also found that smiling at my baby helped a lot. I know that sounds weird, but it works. Smile even when you don't feel like it. Babies LOVE a smiling face, especially mommy's. It helps them believe they are safe and that everything is alright.
It's good that you're drinking plenty of water. Keep doing that.
You should speak with a lactation consultant from the hospital where you gave birth. They should have services available for you even months later. (I had my daughter at Memorial in Savannah and was told to ask for help anytime.)
I hope the situation improves for you and your baby. I'm rooting for you!
first of all dont stress about it. there is a whole generation (thirty somethings like me) that were raised on formula and that is before all the super cool formulas of today. i had to stop breast feeding to take a super cool antibotic with my second child after producing a pretty good flow and did all the pumping, etc. but i pretty much just stopped producing. i just gave in to formula. i know that with my first child when i was not producing that much my nurse wrote me a prescrip. for reglen? not sure of spelling but it is actually a upset tummy medicine that they have found that has a side effect of milk production. i also have read to drink beer. i have tried this one. i just know that i was told that if i drank to pump and dump but ask a breastfeeding coach. most hospitals have them and they will still help months after a birth.
LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of water! I am talking like several quarts a day. Also there are some great herbs out their- the two I recomend the most are alphalfa and dandelion root. althought there are many others as well- you can get them loose leaf and make your own tea, buy in capsul form or for the quickest results get or make a tincture. The herbs combined with the water will DO WONDERS!!!!
And baby on breats action- not the pump
Hi A. - I had the same problem. I had lofty goals of 6 months exlcusive too. My little guy started sleeping through the night pretty early on so we dropped the middle of the night feeding and as a result my milk production plummeted. I tried everything including getting up in the middle of the night just to pump (my husband thought I had lost it at that point). I finally came to the realization that it just wasn't going to happen. Any amount of time you can breastfeed is such a benefit and you've done him such a great service with 4 months - it's fantastic! The most important thing is that he's getting all the food he needs. It is what it is and I'd hate to see you stress and miss enjoying this time with your son.
have you tried any Fenugreek (seed) or Fennel (seed)? I believe theres a remedy called mothers milk that you can get at the health food store or places like GNC.
