Has Anyone Supplemented at 1 Month?

You highly recommend you read the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization before supplementing a baby younger than 3 months.

My 1st was not gaining weight as fast as his doctor wanted so he recommended supplementation. I could not get much milk at all pumping, so it was wonderful for me to not have to struggle with that anymore and my son went back and forth from breast to bottle like a dream!
My second however, I waited much longer to try supplementing (he had a harder time with breast feeding in the beginning, so I was afraid if I offered the bottle he wouldn't want the breast any longer) so when I eventually tried to supplement he would NOT take a bottle-even with breast milk! So I guess the trick is getting them established well on the breast, but not waiting TOO long to introdudce the bottle :)

When my daughter was two weeks old I put her on rice cereal. My pediatrcian was not happy about it but she was very hungry. The only thing he asked me to do was feed it to her off a spoon and it really solved a lot of problems. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi C.

The first few weeks can be pretty rough, huh? :-)

I'm sure you've gotten this advice on other posts, but I'd strongly encourage you to work with a lactation consultant (check with your OB and/or Ped.) to have her observe some feedings, and most importantly, weigh your baby every week so you have an idea of how much he's gaining. If he's growing well, then just keep up with the pumping and frequent feedings. If he isn't gaining enough weight, it's time for formula.

My son started getting fussy at about 3 weeks of age. I figured we were in for a colicky baby, but it turns out I wasn't making anywhere near enough milk for him. He just wasn't growing, until I started supplementing. So get some support and see what changes you can make to get him on the breast a little better. If you can get the breastfeeding going well, that is the best thing for him.

However, if your baby needs supplemental feedings, that will not be the worst thing that happens to your child. I worried my self sick that I was dooming my son to ill health and tons of other problems because I couldn't exclusively BF. My body just didn't work that way and my son is one of the healthiest kids I know, and at 3.5 years, has passed most developmental milestones really early.

Bottom line is get some great support, do your best and make sure your child is getting enough food to eat. Breast milk is best, but he needs to eat, whether its breast milk or formula.

Best of luck to you and your child!
C.

Hi, C.,

Here's my view: we live in a day, an age and a place where there are many good options for nourishing a baby. So why let a baby stay hungry?

Here's my experience:
Baby #1, my elder son, never wanted to nurse. I tried everything (lactation consulting, pumping, not pumping, drinking much more liquid than usual, etc.) My elder son felt hungry most of the time until I started supplementing with formula. Then he was a happy baby who slept well. I gave up breastfeeding at six months. If I had it to do over again, I would not have tried so hard to breastfeed my elder son.

Baby #2, my younger son, practically crawled to my breast as soon as he was handed to me. At 20 months, he's still attached! He eats some solid food and drinks other liquids out of bottles, sippy cups, etc. but he still loves to breastfeed.

How much I have supplemented or not has not noticeably seemed to affect my milk supply.

Good luck,
Lynne E

I would strongly reccomend against supplumenting unless you know for sure that you have a supply issue. How are his wet/dirty diaper counts? How is his weight gain? As long as that is good, you shouldn't have a problem. He may be in a growth spurt and simply eating more, or he may just need to eat more often. This is all normal.

If you are truly concerned about your supply, you should rent a baby scale and do weighs before/after he feeds to see how much milk he's taking in. This is the ONLY reliable way to know. And in order to know, you need to weigh through a 24 hr period. Just like us, babies' meal sizes vary throughout the day. Remember, pumping is NOT a reliable indicator of supply AT ALL. So don't get caught in that trap.

Here's more info on frequent nursing:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/frequent-nursing.html

Has your doctor expressed concern about weight loss/dehydration? If not, you are probably doing fine. If you're still concerned, try taking fenugreek/blessed thistle (3 of each/3x a day).

I think your answer is to continue to feed on demand.
The reasons are many. Baby may be going through a growth spurt, he may be preparing your body for his growth in the future and nursing stimulates your production, you may not be eating or drinking enough...etc.
You also may think he's eating a bunch, but really it's normal.
Some things to think about; is he actually gulping/swallowing or just pacifying? I thought my baby was nursing and he was just gumming my breast (I didn't know:( ). Does your breast empty? Your milk may not be dropping. I would make sure he's latched on correctly (have your nipple pointed at his NOSE when you enter his mouth, like an airplane landing, to get the most contact and empty breast.) You can also, by using your hand, physically push on your breast,massaging downward, to extract all the milk.
FYI- this is usually when mom realizes that breast feeding is lots of work, tiring, and the breasts show 'wear and tear'. The best advice I can give is eat to keep your energy up! Sleep when baby does! Take off your shirt and bra and get lots of AIR to your breast!! It will heal them and reduce soreness. Also, if you have soreness, you have an improper latch. I learned that also by doing it wrong in the beginning :) LOL.
If you just supplement, your body won't keep up with the demands of a growing baby. Do make sure to see that baby is growing 1/2oz-1oz daily. Reach out to your local La Leche group or Pediatrician as well. Congratulations!

We are supplementing our son with formula. It works well for us.

Hi C.,
I supplemented from day 1 in the hospital. My son ate a lot! I also hated breast feeding so I completely went to formula at about 1 month. My son is 6 1/2 years old now and he is smart, happy, healthy and is really tall for his age. He was perfectly fine with formula.

My girlfriend also supplemented from day one because the baby had trouble latching. She figured that problem out now so she is able to exclusively breastfeed and her son won't even go near formula.

Do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If the baby is hungry there is nothing wrong with supplementing. Whichever method you choose your baby will grow up fine.

Hi C. - if it's hurting and he's still hungry, he might not be latching on right and therefore not getting enough. If you want to pump that is good - it will increase your supply by making your body think you need to make more. I advise against giving formula because that will send a different message to your body - that you don't need to make more.

My daughter and I had a rough time nursing at first but with the help of a wonderful lactation consultant we got it and never looked back.

Good Luck and message me if I can be of any more help!

I would try Mammary PMG before supplementing. There's an awful lot of sugar in formula and it often casues lots of bowel issues that BF babies usually don't have.

I felt the same way around this time so I saw a nutritionist who helped me do some super smoothies. I really needed to increase my calorie intake. I would do rice milk, rice protien powder, 2 Tablespoons of Udos Oil, Hemp Oil, slice of tofu, mixed berries, 1 Tablespoon of Almond Butter and some Agave necter to sweeten. It really helped and I had 2 or 3 a day along plus my 3 regular meals a day. Also, juicing helped increase my milk supply, I would juice and still do, carrots, apples, spinach, collards and oranges. A fresh juice every morning would leave me full of milk. Also, after the second month baby and I got a good routine going, but those 2 first months are really challenging. My daughter was nursing all the time too but it really had to do with my calorie intake and her growth spurts, it is called marathon nursing and it happens at every growth spurt.
Best of luck. follow your intuition.

Hi there,

Breast milk - supply and demand. If there is demand, your supply will go up. But pumping never produces the same amount, because your brain sends a signal basically when you are feeding your son to produce more. I have 2 girls and both were that way at one month, a little growth spurt. Also pumping in the morning help produce more. Anyway, if you need to supplement, do so! Dont drive yourself crazy trying to keep up! I mixed both breast milk and formula together. It helps keep their system with poops going.

Good luck!

My son nursed often like that as well... however, he wasn't the least bit interested. Do you hear gulping sounds when he is nursing? or is there simply a sucking motion/sound? If you hear sucking only then he's not doing it because he's hungry, but because he is in need of comforting. If you hear gulping sounds then he is hungry and needs to be fed. I don't like formula, I have read the ingredient lists and am appalled by the things that they put in there. I am almost done with a masters degree in nutrition, in case you're wondering why I feel that way.

C., I feel for you! Breast feeding for me was shear torture for the first month or so. It hurt so bad I had to hold into something to brace myself for the hurt. I would talk to a lacation specailist (the hospital that you delivered at should have one free of charge) and in the mean time yes, supplementing is fine. I did it with my son even in his first few days as I had a lot of trouble getting the hang of breast feeding and he had to eat (I gave him the soy based formula and he had it up unti lhe was a year old - my body stopped producing milk after 3 mmonths). :) That is what the lacation speacilist at the hospital told me - that supplementing is fine, just make sure that your baby eats. Some people just don't produce enough milk and stressing about it only makes it worse. Make sure you drink LOTS of water (I drank a gallon a day) which should help you produce more milk. I used to always get myself a glass of water and drink it while nursing. Also, if you don't have nipple cream, get some!! Also if your nipples are really sore put some ice on them after you are done nursing. I hope that you can nurse for a few months as it is so good for your baby and it is a great bonding experience, even if it does hurt. Good luck and know that you are a GREAT mom!!!

Hi C.! I supplemented from the beginnning. My little girl was very hungry as soon as she came out! But, I only supplemented one feeding. Usually we would supplement the evening feeding about 8-9pm, so I could go sleep for about 3 hours and my husband could feed the baby, but I did the other feedings. What I had to do was cluster feed. She ate every hour on the hour usually for the first few weeks. While you will be sore, if you are extremely sore you might check with a lactation consultant to make sure you have a proper latch. A little soreness is ok, but if it is really bad pain I would just check. But, I admit I had to slather that lanolin stuff on my nipples quite a bit. It was not my plan, but the hospital actually fed her the first formula feeding because I had to have some surgery after she was born and she was just so hungry. I was really scared of nipple confusion, etc. and I never had a problem at all. She took pacifiers, she took bottles, she took my breast (I guess because she was just very hungry). And I was kind of glad she did have a bottle early on because some kids won't take bottle the older they get, but that is every one's personal choice, I am just telling you my story. I did fine with supplementing, and no nipple confusion. I ended up having to go to bottles only at 4 months of age because I could not keep up with her demands. But, I am having a baby in two days, and I have already tried to arm myself with things to help me produce more milk so I can try and breastfeed a little longer such as Mothers Milk tea, and steel cut oatmeal. I will see if it works. Good luck to you, I know this is such a hard time to figure out what your son needs and to give him enough of what he needs and to make sure he is ok. So, my thoughts will be with you.

I supplemented with my first at around 2 mos because I couldn't pump what she needed while I was away at work. She ended up liking the formula bottles more than nursing or breastmilk bottles, and weaned herself at 3 mos.

My second started off on the bottle in the hospital, because with my first my milk didn't come in until 7 days! When my milk came in on day 6 with my second, I started BF her. I am a SAHM so I don't pump, but when I am out she takes a bottle of formula. And sometimes she is just not satified after nursing so I give her a couple ounces. I started her on Enfamil Lipil since it's just the basic and my oldest had no problems. She doesn't have any problems either. It may be hard to get him to take a bottle at first (or he may be easy like my chow hounds were!) I don't see anything wrong with supplementing if your little guy is hungrier for more than you can produce. Goodluck!

Hang in there!!! I was really sore when I first breastfed too but it'll get better and you'll be happy you stuck with it. I don't recommend supplementing with formula because it is so inferior to breastmilk. You cannot replace breastmilk and it's perfect for him. Breastfeeding also is good for you- there is a lower incidence of breast cancer in women who nursed for six months or longer. When you breastfeed, it stimulates oxytocin (love hormone) to flow, helping you create a deeper bond with your baby. Breastmilk is free (imagine all the post pregnancy clothes you can buy if you're not paying for formula and bottles) Supplementing while breastfeeding will lower or diminish your milk supply. If he seems still hungry after emptying both breats, let him suck a little longer because this will stimulate your breasts to make more milk.(supply and demand) Keep well hydrated and eat good. Remember you need more calories while you're breastfeeding than you did while you were pregnant. Breastfeeding will also help you get back into shape by stimulating your uterus to contract and shrink and breastmilk production taps your fat resources. It's up to you whether or not to deal with the pain for a little while and recieve these irreplaceable benefits or give up because it's hard. I'll tell you this- I breastfed both my boys for nine months each and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Good luck!

Its hard to know what to do when its your first baby, isn't it? I know it can be overwhelming sometimes. Ask me how I know that...

Here's what happened to me with my 3 boys, all of whom I breastfed. #1 nursed for a year with no real challenges. I overfed him a few times, and he exploded...like a projectile milk volcano...and, learned that I had to burp a baby a FEW times, not just once. I weaned him at a year because I thought that "deadline" seemed reasonable. He didn't even NOTICE when I stopped...man, that kinda hurt my feelings a little.

#2 wouldn't ever STOP nursing. He was an eating machine. I finally had to wean him at 2-3/4 years old, and only because I was barely pregnant with #3 and it was already painful. That was a hard, hard week.

And, finally, #3...same challenge YOU are now having. I nursed this little guy for about 5-6 weeks. He wasn't a strong nurser...and, he sortof looked up at me like, "Are ya KIDDIN' me here, lady? Those guys are getting REAL FOOD, I want real food too." It was like he didn't really care for the breastmilk, whereas the other two were crazy for it. It was a BIG contrast. I think that I wasn't able to get enough rest, which resulted in low milk production...my milk just wasn't overflowing like with the other two. I worried that I'd used up my boobs on the other two and they weren't up for the job with #3...guilt...guilt... He just seemed like he wasn't into it like the other two were...he WAS pretty into the bottle though...OMG...and my other guys and daddy were very enthusiasic about being able to feed 'the baby'. That was fun.

So, despite my wanting to nurse #3 just like the others, I put this one on the bottle, somewhat assured that at least he nursed for a while and got some antibodies from me... I used the Playtex Nurser's with the little drop-in bags, so I could squeeze out all the air. And, I went with the soy formula straight away, because we'd had ear infection issues with #2, and a friend of mine told me her daughter-in-law put her's on soy and eliminated ear infections. Worked like a charm for me!

If you want to keep trouble-shooting the nursing, here's a few suggestions:
Drink more water. Seriously, like have a glass or water bottle with you all the time...
Rest (nap when baby naps...I know this can be challenging...there's so much to DO!).
Nurse for longer sessions...don't let him fall asleep during.
Make sure he's latched on well...its usually only uncomfortable during the initial latch-on, then it kindof fades and then you settle in for the next 30-45 minutes. I did 15, 15, 15 with a burp in between. If its painful during the whole nursing session, he may not be latched on well. Pull the breast back and really create a torpedo, then shove it in his little mouth FAR (don't worry, you probably won't gag him.....), making sure he gets a lot of boob in the mouth...he'll latch, then back off a bit.
If you can, take a couple of breaks during the nursing session to burp him and work out any air that is taking up space...often they aren't happy with this, and yet, he'll get used to the fact that a burp doesn't mean you're DONE...you'll get the rhythm down... 15, 15, 15... (and don't forget to slide your finger into his mouth to 'break the seal' when its time to take the burp-break!).
Eat more protein - I used to make up a whole package of frozen/boneless/skinless chicken breasts in my crockpot with water and a little poultry seasoning (NO ONION OR GARLIC!...too gassy for baby...), then slice them and have in the fridge, ready for snacks (great with some non-fat Ranch dip!), or a whole can of drained tuna or a peanut-butter sandwich...the point is, eat some protein every couple of hours and make it easy on yourself to have something fast and ready, so you won't be tempted to skip it because you'll have to 'make something'.

Babies go through stages where it seems like all they want to DO is nurse...growth spurts. Its normal. And, you feel like its all you've done all day! Days like that really make you wish for laundry that would fold itself and dinner that would cook on it's own...Just give into it and know that this too shall pass.

I wish someone had told me that babies need to be burped several times, not just once. I had no idea with my first. My best guess is, your's may have air taking up valuable space, so he's still rightfully hungry once that air is burped out...so it seems like he's always hungry...

Rome wasn't built in a day, ya know. Getting this nursing thing down may take longer than a month...cut yourself some slack and give it time. After all, what's a 'reasonable expectation' when you've never done this before? If you DO go to the bottle, don't feel guilty! You may just have a "Starvin' Marvin" on your hands.

I didn't have a chance to read the other posts, so excuse me if I repeat. I had a big, hungry boy too...a couple of things: if I recall, they go through a growth spurt around 4 weeks...when they hit these spurts, it's not unusual for them to feed that often. It's crazy. It's exhausting. Thankfully, they only last for a few days. Second, you mentioned that you pump because it doesn't hurt as much...maybe your son isn't latching on well. While you may be sore, the nursing itself shouldn't really hurt. If he's not latching on well, then this could affect his ability to nurse and get sufficient milk. You might want to talk with your Pedi or a lactation nurse/consultant. There are some great resources around, both paid and free. If you're in the South Bay, check out Torrance Memorial Hospital. They've got a breastfeeding group/workshop for new mother's. There's also La Leche League, New Beginings in Redondo Beach, and The Pump Station in Santa Monica. Finally, congratulations on your new son. Mine is now 18-months old and it is a wonderful adventure!

Great job breastfeeding, KEEP IT UP! It is THE BEST thing you can do for your child. The MANY benefits go on for YEARS. He gets everything he needs from your milk. He doesn't need formula and chemicals. Also, your milk supply is based on supply & demand. SO, if you give him formula, your milk supply will begin to decrease. Find a Le Leche League group near you or look on their web sit, LOADS of info. He may not actually be hungry the 20min... later, it could be other things. Just be sure you offer both breasts at each feeding, alternating which one you start with. He should empty both. Some babies stop feeding as the milk comes out slower or they fall asleep. Find a lactation nurse through your hospital or LLL. Good luck!

DO NOT SUPPLIMENT!! Your right, it is a terrible idea!! This is your first big growth spurt and it will stop!! Breasts are SUPPLY & DEMAND. Stop the pumping and just feed him. It will be over in 5-10 days. This happens every 2-3 months during the first year. If you just nurse thru it (without pumping or supplimentation) it gets over MUCH faster. It will be the beginning of the end if you suppliment during a growth spurt. Most breasts never recover. Read the posts from the suppliment encouragers...They almost ALL lost their milk supply and had to use formula!! Remember!! SUPPLY & DEMAND!! I'm a midwife, mother of 4 exclusively breastfed babies and a lactation specialist. I PROMISE...you CAN do this!! Contact your local La Leche League for help and support! Hang in there!! DO NOT SUPPLIMENT!!!!!!
R.

You will be encouraged to supplement by loads of people but you don't need to. Just keep feeding as often as needed and your pain will go away as your milk supply will increase. Make sure you are drinking lots of water and eating healthy. Do not try to lose weight when you are nursing but you can eat a healthy diet. Adding formula to breast milk actually defeats or negates some of the benefits of the breastmilk. Of course, some people really do need to supplement but people told me to and I didn't end up needing to. Check out www.kellymom.com for breastfeeding advice. Another good resource is "The Nursing Mother's Companion" - a book you can get on Amazon. Good luck!!! Breastfeeding is very difficult at the start but then it gets easy - I PROMISE!!! Make sure you have support around you. I am on month 8 and we just went camping with the baby and it was much easier nursing than having to clean bottles constantly. (Though I am not knocking anyone who prefers using bottles/formula or who has to through necessity...) I am just writing this advice to you since you seem to want to nurse. All the best to you & your family!!!!!!!!

I would DEF. contact a lactation consultant. I had issues with breastfeeding and they helped me so much and it was free. Call your doctor or hospital you delivered at for names. Seriously they are a godsend!

They can nurse quite a bit at the beginning and make you feel like that is how it is always going to be or make you feel like you aren't making enough. Both of mine, well, especially my first was stuck on my boob 24/7. I guess one could confuse that with being hungry all the time. I never really thought that, I just assumed that was what babies did. Anyway, it is still very early. With both of mine, we were still working all the quirks out until about 9 weeks or so. Still figuring out the supply and demand. I would recommend not pumping and not supplementing, but probably a good idea to talk to a certified LC first to make sure your latch is correct and baby is gaining sufficient weight and what not.
Congrats on your new baby boy,
M.

i dont know what the "people-in-the-know" say about the appropriateness of this but i was adding rice cereal to my sons bottle at one month. he is 25 now, very healthy and slim.

Hi C.!

I say supplement if you feel that is what your son needs. My youngest was a horrible nurser (and, like you, it was painful). After severl sessions with several lactation consultants, I switched to pumping and formula in bottles. Both of us were much happier after that. I pumped for just under 3 months and then switched exclusively to formula.

Go with your the advice of your pediatrician and your gut instinct. And don't let anyone guilt trip you into a course of action that feels uncomfortable to you. You know what's best for your child, no one else.

Good luck.

Babies nurse and/or "cluster feed" which means they feed even every hour. You MUST nurse on demand... he is just a newborn.

Next, you should right away ask a Lactation Consultant... and you must make sure he is latching on properly AND getting enough intake. It should not "hurt" when a baby is nursing... the entire areola should be in his mouth... if he is just sucking at the tip of the nipple, then this is NOT proper latching on, and it will hurt, and he will NOT be getting enough intake.

The bottom line is.... a baby MUST get enough intake... or they will constantly be hungry, and not be getting enough nutrients nor enough calories to sustain themselves or their development, nor sleep well.

You MUST also make sure you are producing enough milk. If not, baby will be undernourished.

Each baby has their own appetites as well.... but, the bottom line is, you MUST feed on-demand... he is only a newborn.

Next, you MUST ask your Pediatrician about supplementing. Don't feel bad if you must supplement... each Mom is different... some babies will not get enough from just breastmilk alone... and if the Mom is not producing enough...that will result in a baby who is not getting enough intake... this is NOT good, and it can also lead to dehydration and other problems.

So, 1) check with a Lactation Consultant about his latch AND your milk production.
2) Ask your Pediatrician about supplementing with Formula... ...and don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it if you must use Formula.
The bottom line is, the survival of your baby, and his nutritional intake... because this DIRECTLY affects their development, their weight gain and growth, and their disposition. Do NOT add cereal to a newborns bottle. Their digestive system is still developing and is still immature... adding cereal too soon can cause other problems.

I know a friend who was not producing enough milk and her baby just did not grow or gain weight... and she refused to use Formula to supplement... well, FINALLY, her Pediatrician said she has to supplement because her baby was failing to gain weight or grow properly... and he was constantly hungry and crying. Once she started to give him PROPER intake levels... her baby was much more happy and started to gain weight properly and develop more on par. That is just one example.

Each situation is different. But when you have a newborn especially, you MUST find out, don't delay, and see what you must do for the proper feeding of your baby so he gets adequate intake.

But keep in mind, you cannot feed a baby according to a "schedule." You MUST feed on demand... and a baby has hunger cues too... so you need to know this. Your baby is obviously "needing" to feed often..... so do so. This is also normal, per cluster-feeding, and because a baby grows so rapidly, and breastmilk is digested quickly in a baby.

Its not easy... I nursed both my kids... and this is how it is. BUT, you should really ask a Lactation Specialist and your Pediatrician.... some babies, once they go on Formula, MAY reject breast... because a bottle is much easier to drink from than a breast, and it fills the tummy more. BUT, even with Formula, you must feed on demand.

Milk production is supply and demand... if you are ONLY pumping and giving him milk this way, your breasts will not produce enough... direct nursing is always the best to increase your milk production and make sure your body is producing milk according to your baby's needs. Do not "replace" direct nursing with pumping... you should nurse first, THEN pump after. Direct nurse whenever you can, no matter how often. And yes, breastfeeding IS arduous and demanding... that is how it is, and we Moms have to feed on demand. A baby, must also nurse long enough to get to the "hind milk" and this takes at least 15 minutes, THEN the baby should continue to nurse after that... breastfeeding sessions can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes.
I would ALSO recommend using BOTH breasts, for EACH breastfeeding session, each time.

BOTH my kids were big babies too, born at over 8 pounds each, 21-22" each. and they both had big appetites. I nursed on demand, always... because this helps your milk production. Also drink LOTS of water... this helps milk production also.

Again, which is more important? A baby's nutritional intake & well being, or ONLY using breastmilk despite not having enough milk? Next, IF the problem is your not producing enough breastmilk... then the next question is: how long should a Mommy "wait" to try and produce more milk... before providing the baby with enough intake, even if that means supplementing with Formula?
I just say this because I have seen SO many times, in my personal life, friends/acquaintances who ONLY will use breastmilk despite their low milk production & numerous attempts to increase production ....but then that means their baby is NOT getting enough intake in the meantime, nor enough calories, and it really affects the baby. And then they wondered WHY their baby was never satisfied, and was fussy all the time, and did not sleep well, and wanted to nurse all the time. And I'm like "Well your baby is not getting enough to eat and not enough intake..." Sure, I breastfed my 2 kids too...and let them self-wean. But, the bottom line is that a baby get fed, and fed enough... whether by breastmilk OR Formula.

All the best, Sorry for rambling... :)
Susan

Hi C., I have had several of my daycare mommies do both, and they as well as I did, start them on rice cereal at 6 weeks. I had big baby's as well, my smallest was my daughter she was 8 pounds and 21 inches long. I felt mine needed more than just formula, and plus at night it helped them sleep through the night at 6 weeks old. J. L

If you are not sure and you need peace of mine take to your baby's ped, but let me share with you what my mom told me when I had my first baby, she said listen to the doctor with a grain of salt, and listen to your baby, she had all 5 of us on rice cereal at 6 weeks. J.

My milk supply wasn't the best either and I was not the best nurser. I pumped as well because of less pain and my second son was hungery all the time too. I started supplementing him at two weeks with formula and rice cereal shortly after that and he did fine. He would still take my milk just fine as well as taking formula afterwards. Sometimes I would mix them. You're not a bad mother if you have to or choose to give your baby formula. If you really want to nurse, then do what you can to do that, but don't let anyone tell you that it's bad to give your baby formula. I have four children. All of them got breast milk and formula and all are happy and healthy.

I had to supplement early on too. I never pumped a lot of milk and it seemed like my baby was always hungry. After I supplemented, everything was sooooo much better!! (time was longer between feedings, they slept better, etc...) Keep breastfeeding and supplement if you feel you need to. There are always suggestions of increasing your milk supply but it seemed like I tried them all and still didn't produce enough. Everyone is different and you need to do what feels best 'to you!' Good luck! :)

My son ate non-stop. He is 22 months old and still eats non-stop. I did supplement in the beginning. Sometimes he would be stuck on me for 3 hours. My MIL said she has never seen a baby eat so much and she gave birth to 2 girls and 1 boy (my husband is her 4th, he was adopted). Anyway, it really depends on what you want. If you want him exclusively breastfed you have to stick it out or just have him on a schedule and supplement formula if he is hungry in between. I started trying to give my son solids like rice cereal at about 4 months. He spit most if not all of it out, then when it came time he ate tons of baby food. I called a friend that just had a baby and she said hang in there that he would slow down on breast feeding at 3 months. It is great you are breastfeeding at all and if you need to supplement then that is fine too. What works for you and makes you and your baby happy. So hard having a newborn sometimes. We are having another one in November. BTW, if you do supplement I think Infamil is better than Similac. My mom had a daycare for 20 years and Similac seemed to make all the babies tummys hurt. I had gotten a sample of the Similac and when I mixed it up it smelled and looked horrible. It was basically all bubbles. The last thing you want is a baby with painful gas. Anyway, if you decide to constantly breastfeed your body will finally get the hint and start making enough milk, but if your baby is like mine he may never be full. He still eats everything. I just stopped breastfeeding him last month. I know 2 moms that had their babies on breastfeeding schedules with no supplementing and they both dried up with out realizing it and their babies basically starved and are very, very small. My son is a year younger than one and weighs more than him. They both feel super guilty and it is like pulling teeth to get the kids to eat now. So point is, feed the baby no matter what even if it is formula and listen to your body. Hope this all makes sense. This has been my experience, I'm sure others have great advice too. In addition, to increase my milk supply I took the herb Fenugreek everyday. It helped sooo much.

It's not a good idea if you want to be successful with breast feeding. Doing it this early will make your milk production go down.

It sounds to me like he might just want to suck. Have you tried a pacifier? My little ones wanted to suck away even when they weren't hungry and cried for boob, got the milk and spit it up because their bellies couldn't hold so much. All changed when I got a pacifier. They sucked to their hearts content, got nice feedings, and were happy.

He should be nursing about every 2-3 hours for 15-20 minutes on each breast. I know that you can't see how much he's getting, but trust your body to give him exactly what he needs. You body took great care of him while he was in the womb and will naturally continue to do the same now that he's out. Trust your milk and your body.

That being said, you both still need to learn to nurse. It's a skill. It also sounds like your having latching problems. Breast feeding shouldn't hurt. Pumping doesn't do the same job that your baby does and can cause nipple confusion...especially at this age.

Please contact a laction consultant. Your baby needs to have a big open wide mouth when you put him onto your breast. He should take most of the nipple into his mouth and his lips should be flanged.

Contact your midwife or hospital where you gave birth. They often have free lactation consultations.

Here's a great place that can help you with nursing.

http://www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/

The Pump Station Santa Monica
2415 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
###-###-####

Toll Free (877)842-7867

Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:00am-6:00pm
Sat 10:00am-5:00pm
Sun 11:00am-5:00pm

The Pump Station Hollywood
1248 Vine St.
Hollywood, CA 90038
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Good luck!

Hi. I didn't read the responses you've already received but I would strongly encourage you to seek out a certified lactation consultant for some help. Sounds like your little one may be having problems latching on properly (breastfeeding shouldn't hurt if done properly) and by 1 month you should have a pretty good supply. Don't forget that they will increase their feedings while going through a growth spurt and that can happen any time but usually around 3-5 weeks.

Hang in there! You are doing the best thing for your baby.

Personally, I would not supplement as it will only make your milk supply go down. Newborns are hungry all the time, esp. those that are breastfed. Milk from mother is the most natural to baby's body, so they process it very quickly and efficiently. I know how you feel; sometimes it feels like they are at the breast 24/7!! Growth is quick at this point and they power-nurse often to support that growth.

One way to find out if baby is getting enough milk is to check in with a lactation consultant, if you have not already. What they will do is weigh baby before you nurse, then right after. That will tell them how many ounces of milk baby was able to drink and will tell them if he is getting enough. I can't stress how much lactation consultants helped me when my daughter was born. Also, you mentioned pain when nursing. Baby may not be latching correctly (my daughter wasn't, either at first) and this could be the source of pain, and also a reason why you feel he is hungry all the time. He just may not be doing it properly to draw enough milk out. If I were you, I would look into a lactation consultant immediately. Check w/ your insurance, it may be covered. We had Kaiser at the time and it was all free for us. Best of luck to you and keep it up -- you and baby can do it!!

Yes. Absolutely, and your child may have allergies. You may want to log onto NAET.com and find out more about their allergy eliminations. Also, Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Balch can assist you in finding what your child needs on a daily basis to be healthy.

Be well.

N.

Here's my advice...if you want to breastfeed for any period of time, don't supplement. If you start to supplement, your supply will likely decrease.

I know it hurts...but it will pass! I promise!!!

I know they also seem like they are hungry all the time, but just because they want to suck, doesn't mean they are eating...babies like to suck, it's comforting. Have you tried a pacifier...I use those as well and it's kept me from becoming the human pacifier.

My advice is really to drink as much water as possible so you make enough milk...no fluid in, no fluid out and to just nurse. Don't supplement...unless you decide that breastfeeding just isn't for you.

Once you get over the hump, it gets soooo much easier...if you can, just try and stick it out a little longer!

-M

You mentioned that you started pumping because "it doesn't hurt as bad," which makes me think that perhaps he is not sucking correctly and, therefore, not taking in enough milk when nursing. You may want to get some help from a lactation consulatant. I had a lot of trouble nursing my first child and was in a lot of pain. I finally saw a lactation consultant and learned that I was doing it wrong. When done correctly, nursing should not be painful. But even when I learned the correct way, my son was still not getting enough milk because I was not producing enough. I supplemented him with formula starting at just a few weeks old, and I was still able to continue nursing him until I decided to stop at 6 months. So in my opinion, you do what you can to nurse your child, but if necessary, supplementing with formula is just fine. My first child is now a healthy, intelligent, athletic and constantly energized 6 year old! Hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi C., I had the same issue with my son, your son should feed for at least 30-45 mins, b/c thats when he'll get the hine milk. Anyway, in between breast feeding i'd pump and that seemed to help my milk come in more. As for supplementing I did but only at night. And even though my lactation specialist wasn't to fond of it, she recommended Similac Advance Early Shield, b/c it's the closet formula to breast milk. And that helped a lot. He is now 5 months I solely breast feed now and is doing great. If you have more questions I'd contact lani at a mothers haven she's a great lac specialist ###-###-####

I agree with Rachel S and that was going to be my comment. I am not a midwife, but I had one when I had my home birth in the birthing pool. In addition to what she said you may have a slow eater. Mine does that sometimes in addition to the growth spurts. Be patient and nurse, it is one of the best gifts to give your baby!