Thanki You and an Update

If you need to use bottles, use BPA-free ones like Born Free, which you can get at BabiesRUs. Good luck!

You're wanting to supplement (with breastmilk) so that she will get more milk at any given feeding, right? I just want to make sure I'm clear on the reasoning.

Personally, I would avoid using a bottle and consider using a Supplemental Nursing System (SNS). They can be a bit expensive, but well worth it. I believe they are around $50. It is a bag that you wear around your neck that has a tube coming off of it that you tape to your nipple. This way, she will still be at the breast even though she is getting the supplement as well.

It sounds like her weight is doing well though, so it may not even be necessary to do this either. I would talk to your lactation consultant about it. She can also help you locate a SNS if you think you might like to use one.

God bless,
A.

If she has about 4-6 dirty diapers and 6-8 wet ones per day and is gaining weight well (looks like she is - dr is pleased), then she is getting plenty to eat and doesn't need to have more. Be cautious of overfeeding - it can cause more tummy problems and has been linked to long term obesity problems as adults. It is not possible to overfeed a nursing baby, so that is a plus! What goes in must come out, so if the diapers are ok and weight is ok - she is getting plenty! Congrats on breastfeeding - you are doing the best thing for her!

If she has problems latching, I wouldn't worry or push yourself to breastfeed. Just keep pumping and give her the breastmilk in bottles. It's a lot less time consuming and it gives you more time to spend with baby or catching up on household items.

If I were you, I would not give her bottles unless your doctor instructs you to do so. It is so hard to tell when a baby is nursing how much their getting and if it is enough. The good news...She is probably getting more than you think. Many babies have a hard time going back and forth from breast to bottle feeding. If you give her a bottle she will probably like it alot because it is easier to suck and the milk comes out faster. This in turn will only create more issues with her latching on to you. Also, many moms see a decrease in milk supply when pumping. I nurse my 6 month old daughter but have pumped since returning to work and my milk has slowly decreased. Same happened with my oldest. I would just continue to work with the lactation consultant and maybe seek support from your local La Leche league. God bless and good luck!

I have bee nto numerous lactation consultants, baby #5 due in 2 weeks. What my personal experience has been and what I have been told that if you introduce a bottle right now you'll confuse baby and baby will go with the easier, lazier method to feed. Baby may no longer desire to nurse. Pumping could increase your supply, just know baby is getting more than you pump. The more baby feeds even if you try to put baby on breast between feedings instead a pacifier the more milk your baby demands the more milk your body will supply. If baby is gainning weight don't stress yourself or worry!
Goodluck!

Hi K.! I'm glad to hear that she's not tongue tied, but then on the other hand, you're still wondering what the problem is. I would pump if she's not emptying your breast effeciently and put it in a bottle for her, that way you know she's getting what she needs. My recommendation from lots of experience with nursing is to wrap a hot (hot as you can stand) washcloth around your breast before you pump or even during pumping if you can do it. That will help tremendously with the let-down reflex and opening the mammary ducts. The other thing I did that helped me get much more milk when pumping is to pump simultaneously while the baby is nursing. You could get an extra ounce or two doing it that way. I used to do it that way all the time. Once she starts taking the bottle, it will be a lot easier for her to eat, because she won't have to work so hard for the milk. Pumping is no fun, but at least you'll be able to keep your milk supply up. It seems to diminish so quickly when they aren't nursing well. Good luck!!

If your daugter is gaining weight, and the doctor is not concerned, you should remain calm. I don't think a bottle will necessarily help her get more. Seems like she is getting enough.

However, LOVE Playtex Nurser bottles. Have tried many different kinds. These are by far the best. I even know people who had luck with others but later got an entire set of nursers because they realized how great they were. This was the only bottle both of my breastfed kids would take. Also, the bag in it allows the child to give themselves a bottle earlier since you don't have to tip it back to get the milk. They can sit up to drink. This was great with my second child because he always wanted to look around especially at big brother. He wouldn't nurse or anything at a point because he was too distracted by too much fun. The Nurser bottles allowed him to sit in my lap and drink while looking around. Another bonus is that the bags are BPA free (not the outside structural part, but that never touches the milk). Also, for packing for travel you just need one bottom part and several nipple and ring parts as the bottom part never actually gets dirty.

Good luck.

You could pump in between feedings to store the milk for the future, but given that she has trouble latching on, I would hold off on bottles for a couple of weeks to avoid nipple confusion. Your body will make as much milk as she needs as long as you nurse her on demand.

oops gotta run, hope this is enough info
Laura

It sounds like you're doing just fine with the breastfeeding alone. When my son was first born, he had major latching issues. He chewed my nipples raw, and at the end of the first week, my supply was beginning to dry up because he wasn't actually getting anything out of me. We went to a lactation consultant, who was surprised I was actually trying to nurse him with my terrible looking nipples (which were actually bleeding, by the way). She had me rent an electric pump. I pumped for a few days to allow my milk supply to come back up, and my mother-in-law and husband fed our son from an Advent bottle with the pumped breast milk. Then, I started to latch him on again. It took about a month or two before I was completely healed and we got the hang of breastfeeding, and I still pumped with the electric pump after feedings for about a month after he started latching to keep my supply going. However, after a while, he seemed to do fine with it, and I only used a manual pump when I knew I would be away from him or when I was really engorged. I never seemed to produce much milk to me, at least, and my son was always on the low end of the charts weight-wise. However, his pediatrician never seemed concerned about it, and he's doing just fine now at the age of 2 (he was weaned around 15 months or so). Congrats on conquering the latching issue, and good luck with the remainder of your breastfeeding experience!

I think 9 pounds at 7 weeks is great. Have they looked to see if she has a high arch pallet?
My little guy is 3 months and weighs 10 pounds 5 ounces. Since my little guy doesn't nurse well, I have to pump after every feeding to keep my supply up. I then feed him with a bottle so that he gets enough. I also have to add formula to boost the calorie intake for him.

As far as bottles go it all depends. I used playtex nursers and she did great. My son can't suck on them or the Avent very well at all so I have to use regular nipples that are longer with out the larger neck at the bottom. I like the Medela bottles bc/ you can pump into them and then feed from them. Hope this helps a little. You are doing great!

I would suggest not supplementing with bottles at all. Nursing requires the child to use more muscles in order to feed (a positive thing for muscle development), so a baby who is having latching problems would probably give up breastfeeding all together if you introduce a bottle. Bottles are much easier to get milk from than the breast. Many children who are introduced to the bottle don't want to mess with the breast anymore, as it is more work. Pumping your breasts all the time without nursing gets old very quickly and is not very comfortable at all. So unless directed otherwise by your physician, I would suggest staying with breastfeeding and trying to avoid the bottle as much as possible.

K.,

I have never tried the supplemental nursing system but that is the way I would go if I were you. Pumping will not make you dry up, if you pump and nurse it should increase your supply. If you use the supplemental, put your milk in it. I don't have a good feel for her weight/height for her age; if it ok I wouldn't worry especially if other signs indicate she is healthy--bright eyes, not dehydrated, alert, taking an interest in things. Talk to La Leche League too, they can probably put you in touch with someone who uses the supplemental. It's great that you are hanging in there! Give yourself a BIG pat on the back!

K. Z.

Pumping can help increase your supply. But instead of giving it in bottles, I would suggest using a supplemental nursing system that provides more milk while at the breast. IF you do have to use bottles, I recommend Advent with a newborn nipple. The slower flow nipple means that they have to work at it and won't be as likely to prefer it to the breast. I think you are doing great and should just hang in there!!! COngrats!

I have to say that giving bottles is only going to decrease your milk supply and possibly cause more problems with proper latch at the breast. The baby is more efficient at getting the milk out than any breast pump. If you want to increase what she is getting, simply nurse her more often or at least as often as she will take it. It sounds like she is doing great if she is gaining weight well. Is there a La Leche League group in your area? You might want to get into a good breastfeeding support group.

K., I feel your pain! My little guy was 11 lbs. 5 oz. at 4 months. Finally, I went to a lactacton consultant and we tried everything. I even took him to a chiropractor that specializes in infants. Since my milk supply was so low after 4 months of a bad latch, the consultant suggested pumping regularly to try and increase it. Not wanting to waste the milk, and wanting to feed my baby more, I definitely wanted to bottle feed. She suggested the good "old fashioned" bottles -- Evenflow and Gerber both make them --- and the slow flow nipple so that the baby isn't getting used to a faster flow of milk.

K.,

Pump after she nurses(to empty you out),in between if she takes awhile. If you pump til empty it shouldn't stop maybe fall behind because pumping is different than sucking, but keeping the milk glands stimulated(massage) should help too.
I used Playtex and Advent although my kids loved Playtex better-not the brown rubber nipples though the clear silicone ones fit their mouth better. I think they are softer and feel most like your breast.

Good luck and keep up the hard work-it's worth it!
R.

I agree with those saying not to offer a bottle as it has the potential to cause more latching on problems. If you were a baby what would you want A) something that you don't have to work at to get the milk, it basically just drips into your mouth (bottle) or B)something that you have to actively suck on to get your meal (breast)?? Trying to bottle feed and nurse when you are already having trouble with her latching on can make her a 'lazy nurser' and not want to suck at the breast and 'work' for her meal.
Do consider putting the money into the supplemental nursing system. It will help calm your fears about her getting enough to eat and she won't have the nipple confusion that comes (can come) with being switched from bottle to breast.