Breastfeeding and Formula - Ledbetter,KY

You have gotten good advice on previous posts...I saw that one mama said to drink Mother's Milk Tea. I could not drink this b/c it tasted so bad, but you can take the herb that is in it in capsule form. It is called Fenugreek. You can get it at GMC or other supplement store. Good luck.

I think you can but I wouldn't feel guilty if you can't. I did breastfeed my daughter for 13 months and I am very proud of that but I was a basket case while I was doing it. I also pumped and worked a full time job. Looking back I was making way too big a deal about the breast feeding.

My phone number is ###-###-#### Please call me and we can call my friend who is a breast feeding consultant so she can explain to you what you need to do.....

hi C.,
Yes I went through the exact same thing. I absolutely feel that breastfeeding is best for the baby, BUT I have inverted nipples also and it is so hard for them to latch on. Not to mention my milk supply was low also. I breastfed and pumped for 3 months and also supplemented with organic formula because she needed more to eat. You can still get your milk back. Drink lots of water and take some alfalfa tablets(I think these help with milk supply). The nurse at your peds office can tell you for sure. Keep in mind you have to do what is best for you too also. A happy mom makes a happy baby:) When she gets older and starts eating you can make sure she gets good healthy food.

you should be able to continue nursing her... one of the good things about nursing is that your 'supply' goes with the 'demand'. my milk supply always changes with how much my daughter is wanting/needing. if its only been a couple of days you shouldn't have any problem going back to nursing her! give it a try! :)
have you spoken with a lactation consultant? they may be able to help your daughter latch on in a more pain free way.
I hope that it gets easier for you. nursing can be very rewarding. it can also be very difficult to continue when it is painful. it hurt SO bad for about a month with my son because my nipples were not used to it... take heart, it can get better! at least for me, i just had to stick it out through the worst of it.
however, i DO NOT think that you should feel guilt ridden if you start to feel that you just cant do it anymore.... its more important to do what will keep both of you happy. good luck! i'm sure you will make the decision that will be best for you and your baby... don't let anyone make you feel like you made the wrong choice no matter what you choose to do. YOU know what is best for you and your daughter!

Hi C.,
First of all, you will probably 'mourn' the weaning of your baby, whether you do it now or a year from now. That's pretty normal, even to having sad dreams about it. In other words, the 'mourning feeling' doesn't necessarily indicate that you've done anything wrong.. it's just a big transition, and you're hormonal to boot. Concerning the milk supply..in my experience, my milk supply was diminished if I started working out in some way (hormonal), when I took ibuprofin, when I didn't get enough sleep or was stressed out, and when I wasn't drinking enough fluids. Your discomfort could be interfering with your relaxing. For your sore nipples, you can try balms specifically for nursing moms which will really help. My second son tore me up.. to the point of open sores, and the balm healed and took away the discomfort. I don't remember what it was called, but I got it from a LaLeche league rep, which I looked up that was nearby at the time. And if you're OK with it, having a glass of wine (once a day.. not every 3 hours!) before your evening nursing might help. New moms tend to be most stressed then, after a long day. Pumping can also cause discomfort and interfere with you 'letting down'. Supplementing will also decrease your own supply (because your baby's demand (from you as the source) is lessened. And YES, it's possible for you to build your supply up again after 3-4 days of no nursing. It will steadily return if you relax, rest, and eat/drink well. I know, because I did the same thing when my first child was 5 months old ; ). He bit me with his first tooth, and I wanted to play softball anyway, so I weaned him. And then regretted it, and started nursing again. Playing softball diminished my supply, so I had to drop it for that season. It took about a week to get back my full supply. I was glad I did! Later, I found that he was allergic to any other milk, and he would have had a lot of problems as a baby if I hadn't nursed him. Hope this helps!

It takes a long time (weeks?) to totally dry up. Maybe you could ease yourself into formula only with breastfeeding in the morning or at night until you really don't have any milk left. I really surprised myself with the GUILT I felt when I decided after 8 weeks of painfully, exclusively breastfeeding my daughter to wean her. With a little time the guilt started to go away and it helped that I still fed her twice a day for a couple of more months. Try to remind yourself that any breastmilk is better than none and you've done a great job giving her a GREAT start to life!

I agree with the person that says, no matter when you stop, there will be a guilt feeling. It's so 'final' when you decide 'I'm done'. I had three kids and had a realistic goal for myself of 12 weeks each time. And based on all factors for myself, after the initial guilt of stopping, I felt great about making it 12 weeks. I guess the tiny newborn phases struck me as much different than when they take off and get stronger. I admire those that can go for 12 mos +. But it was just difficult for me from day 1 with each child. This may be a different perspective than most on here, but you decided to stop based on what you thought was best at the time. You can go on with loving, bonding with and feeding your baby! If changing to formula makes you less stressed and therefore a happier mom, that is worth a ton. All of my kids thrived on formula, and of course at 4 mos I started introducing cereal, baby food, etc. Your baby will be healthy and happy. Look at the total picture and decide what's best based on all factors. I know when I stopped I was much less stressed (although again, never without a mom's guilt). Good luck with your decision!

you don't need to feel guilty. You are doing what is best for you and her. An upset mommy can't produce milk and isn't doing any good. mommy's have to take care of themselves before they can take care of others. Formula is fine no matter what the Breast-Nazi's say. There is enough nutrients in formula and most of us Mommy's were brought up on formula and we are all healthy successful people with no twitches :)

I pumped exclusively because i just plain wasn't comfortable with breastfeeding. so my son had a bottle. I was a heffer however and ended up donating my excess milk to the milk bank (OVer 1400 oz!!!!) :) so dont feel guilty about using formula. The bonding comes from looking at your baby and talking to her and smiling at her, not from skin to skin contact. That makes her sweaty :)

You're a great mommy and don't let anyone tell YOU what is best for YOU and YOUR daughter.

If you really want to go back to nursing, Milkthistle and Fenugreek will stimulate milk production. I took these when I had mastitis (OUCH) and got my production back. But for real, you do what makes YOU happy and as long as you are loving that little girl and talking/reading/smiling/singing with her, that is all you need.

If you really want to try again, I think you should be able to build your supply back up. Herbal supplemnents will definitely help (fenugreek or one called More Milk Plus by mother love, available at gnc or whole foods-type stores). If you aren't able to make enough milk there is nothing wrong with supplementing. It isn't an all or nothing decision. I had 2 periods where my milk supply dropped enough that I had to supplement for a few weeks, and then it came back up and I didn't need to do formula anymore. Any amount of breastfeeding is better than none, even if you only do one feeding a day if your body is able to do that. That is what I am at right now- once a day first thing in the morning.

That being said, don't let anyone make you feel guilty for not breastfeeding. And unless you are not meeting your child's needs by not feeding her properly or not being a good mom, you should not make yourself feel guilty. I totally understand the feeling of failing her. But you aren't letting her starve. Breastfeeding is hard work. I think it is worth it, but every case is different, and if it is causing more stress than bonding, it might not be worth it to you.

You might benefit from calling a Lactation Cosultant. My hospital gave me some phone numbers when I delivered, and I called one at one point. She gave me lots of advice over the phone (free), and never pressured me or wanted to make an appointment. She really helped and I was glad I called. I had been nervous to call since some people can be almost fanatical about breastfeeding. Just do what is right for you.

Dear C.,
There are so many factors that are not in your posting that it would probably be best for you to talk to someone in person about this. You can contact a La Leche League group leader for free if you look up the La Leche League meeting that is nearest you. You can find them on the internet and they meet EVERYWHERE -- or you can just call a leader and she will talk with you about your situation. La Leche League has helped me SO MUCH with my questions and issues with breastfeeding. I, too, wanted to give up in the first month, but other experienced mothers said "you'll turn a corner somewhere around 6 to 8 weeks," and it was true. I am very happy to say that for the first 6 months my son exclusively breastfed (in spite of the fact that our misguided pediatrician tried to tell me I did not have enough milk!), and now at 13 months, breastmilk is still a major part of his food. The benefits of breastmilk simply cannot be compared to formula. I am not saying this to make you feel guilty, but to say that there is probably a way to work it out for you so that your baby gets the best AND you feel comfortable with it, too.

I think La Leche League can help you get your milk back up. (Or if you can afford it, get La Leche league to refer you to a Certified Lactation Consultant who can work with you individually in your home.)

ALSO: why try to dry up your milk? Even if you do decide to supplement, why take the nursing away completely? Why not do both? I think that exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months is the accepted recommendation now, but even if you can't do that, it's OK, but why does it have to be all or nothing? At least let her get the benefits of SOME breastmilk, which is better than none.

A little about me: I was 43 when my son was born, but probably more clueless about breastfeeding than you are at 20. I also had inverted nipples but after a few weeks they changed and right now they are no longer inverted at all. I also had not one but TWO thrush infections (at 2 weeks and again at 4 weeks), which believe me were PAINFUL, but I got through them with good support from my husband and La Leche League. I also felt tied down to the baby, in a totally unexpected way, because of breastfeeding, especially when he went into a growth spurt and nursed EVERY HOUR for 15 or 20 minutes. Other breastfeeding moms told me the growth spurt would last a day or 2 but it lasted more than a week! I started writing down how often and how long he nursed because I thought it was so unusual and I was worried! But long afterwards I realized that part of it might have been that I wasn't latching him on perfectly each time, and so he might have been asking for more frequent nursing because he wasn't getting very much each time. Or he just liked nursing, and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

Part of the problem was that my mom did not know much about breastfeeding. She weaned us early and started solid foods very early for us (and thus we were "colicky" babies because our little digestive systems couldn't digest the food she was giving us). She led me to expect that I would breastfeed the baby once every 3 hours, for about 10 minutes. When that expectation didn't turn out that way, I thought something was wrong and I was a wreck about it -- there's something wrong with me, there's something wrong with my baby -- I can never have a moment to myself, he's always touching me, I can't stand it! etc. Ultimately I changed my expectations, realizing that I did not have anything "more important" to do than feed my baby, whenever and wherever he was hungry. Period.

I am also curious about two things in your posting: you are a stay-at-home mom but you pump. Why not forget the pump and just nurse your baby directly every time? The baby is much more efficient at getting milk from your body than the pump is, and you can dispense with the discomfort of the pump. Early in my motherhood I thought it would be "nice" to let my husband or my mom give the baby a bottle; it was kind of fun for them, but it wasn't best for the baby nor for me. I quickly stopped and did not return to pumping until I had to go back to work full time, and then of course there is no choice because I am separated from him for 8 hours and someone else HAS TO feed him. But if you have a choice, why pump?

My other question is about supplementing and not having enough milk. How do you know you don't have enough milk? It turns out that most of the factors women use to judge that are erroneous. It seems like there is a really serious fear among women in the United States about not having enough milk, and our pediatricians and the formula companies do nothing to help this! According to everything I've read, the condition of actually not having enough milk is very rare, something under 5%, and usually has to do with the mother having a serious health problem. Mothers in other countries, even women in poverty situations who eat less than we do, don't have trouble with "not enough milk." It made me wonder why do American women (like you and me), the healthiest and best fed women on the planet, worry so much about not having enough milk? Is it the doctors and formula companies making us feel insecure? Is it that in our culture we are used to seeing and measuring everything and with a baby nursing we cannot see or measure how much was eaten?

Anyway, these questions and more can be discussed with a La Leche League person -- but I urge you in the strongest possible terms -- DO NOT GIVE UP breastfeeding your baby so soon! The benefits to both of you are enormous! I will not list them here as you can google lots of information about the benefits of breastfeeding. But I will mention this one benefit: once you go back to school in the fall, if your baby is in a childcare situation with other children, prepare for her catching a cold or cough every week. Breastmilk does a lot to protect babies from being ill all the time, and your milk is actually made specifically for what your baby needs -- her saliva in contact with your body tells your body what her needs are and what to put into the milk. I see the babies in my son's childcare center who are on formula getting sick ALL THE TIME. My son catches it, too, but has an easy time of it and gets over it fast, while the other babies need ear tubes, etc.

Hope this helps. I feel for you, all the confusion and inconvenience and wanting to do what's best for your little girl! You can do it!

You can definitely get your milk back. Eat right, drink LOTS of water, avoid caffiene, and rest when the baby does. Also, Medela makes a nipple guard/shield that is designed for moms with inverted nipples. It's a little silicon sheild shaped like a nipple with holes on the end. You place it over your nipple when you nurse. It helps the baby get a good latch, and pulls your nipple out without being so painful to you. I used one that came with my pump when I needed a break from the soreness in the beginning, and I don't have inverted nipples. Also, another plus is I noticed that when I used it I produced a lot more milk. I think it creates more stimulation. That may also help you get some milk back. It really helped me through the first couple weeks, and the baby didn't mind it at all. I think they are pretty easy to find. I've been told that Target carries them. Also, you might want to make sure that you and the baby don't have thrush (yeast infection in the mouth/nipple) That can make nursing really painful. My son was born in February also, and I'm still having soreness because we had thrush and I didn't know. Best wishes to you on continuing to breastfeed. I remember with my first (4 years ago), finally getting "over the hump" when breastfeeding was a joy, and not a pain. It was worth it, and I appreciated not having to fix/wash bottles for the next 12 monthes.

You can go back. I have a friend who has inverted nipples, and she nursed both of her sons until each was nearly 2. My mom started out with inverted nipples, but after nursing the first that was no longer ther situation and she nursed all 10 (yes, 10) of us.

Relax and just let her suckle. Drink plenty of water. Eat a healthy diet. The health food store has tea and supplements if you still feel your supply is not enough. Drink a beer with dinner (something about the yeast is supposed to increase the milk). As long as your child is eating, peeing, pooping and growing, you are producing enough. Just relax and know that mother nature has been doing this for a long time.

Do not try to lose weight while you are nursing, you need the extra calories. Weight Watchers even has added calories if you breast feed. Breastfeeding does burn calories! Good luck!!!!

I had a similar problem when my daughter was born. I wanted to breastfeed exclusively, but after her birth she was in the NICU for a week and it was very difficult to pump enough because I was always there visiting her. She wasn't able to try to breastfeed until she was over a week old and by then the feeding tube had made it impossible to get her to latch on. I tried pumping for a while but it was so loud that I couldn't be in the same room with her while I did it, and it took so long, that I felt it wasn't worth it by that point. I also had feelings of guilt, but you shouldn't feel bad because you are doing your best. Your daughter will be fine, plus, the first few days of breastfeeding are the most important and you were able to give her that. There are probably moms out there who will try to make you feel bad about it, but it is your decision and you should feel good about it. I don't know if you can rebuild your milk supply, but if you can't, just know you gave your daughter a month of breastfeeding and that is great! Plenty of babies are formula fed and they are just fine. Good luck. Trust yourself. : )

And don't feel guilty....at least you were able to get a good month of it in. I had some of the same issues with my son. Other than his attitude i think he has turned out to be a pretty good young man.
Jen

YES YOU CAN C.!!!

First though, it sounds like you should see a Lactation Consultant (ask your doctor or local Health Dept. who/where to call) and/or call a La Leche League leader in your area and/or attend an LLL meeting. They will help you solve the latching problem you must be experiencing (sore nipples = poor latch). Inverted nipples DOES NOT = sore nipples.

In the meantime to build your milk supply up again: 1) pump and/or offer your baby (when baby's awake/hungry) the breast every 2 hours round the clock. it should only take a couple of days to undo the weaning you started. 2) Drink Mother's Milk Tea all day, everyday - available at grocery stores, drugstores and natural food stores. 3) eat lots of oatmeal!!

Your baby will ALWAYS get enough to eat so long as you put her to the breast on demand. It's a supply & demand system. However many times she seeks to nurse your body will respond accordingly and produce the milk she needs.

I know how frustrating it can be to breastfeed when you are experiencing pain. Get some help, you can eliminate the pain. In the meantime, hang in there!!!!! It is the BEST food for your baby. Continue to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, that's the best gift you can give your baby.

All the best of luck and courage.

NO NO NO its not to late! even tho you probably felt you didn't have enough milk, most likely you did. It is extremely rare to not have enough. Babies who also take a bottle no matter whats in it can gulp it down so fast it can give anyone doubts when breastfeeding. the best way to keep your production up is supply and demand. To do this you need to have nothing artificial, bottles, pacifiers, ect... If you want hope I weaned my son in Novemeber and still have milk... Contact your local La Leche League Leader. (email me back if you need more info) She will be able to instruct you on which herbs to take or teas to drink, fenugreek is one of them. Adoptive mothers who have never been pregnant are able to nurse. You could totally do so after not nursing for a few days. I had a girlfriend wean at a year to take medication. She took a drug to relactate a few weeks later. If you really want to do this you have to commit to it. It is recommended for a breastfeeding mother to not introduce pacifiers or bottles until the baby is at least 6 weeks old, to avoid nipple confusion, AND to make sure the mothers milk supply is established. Best of Luck!

Hi there,
I have the same problem with my nipples. It was very difficult with my first 2 children and other problems caused me to stop breastfeeding (i.e. emergency surgery). To rebuild your milk supply try to nurse as often as possible and you can take fenugreek tablets or mothers milk tea. You can get both at your local grocery store. I'm pregnant with my 3rd right now and am really wanting to breastfeed the first 7 months. I wanted to with my other girls too but it just didn't work out so I know how frustrated you are. Good luck and if you need any more help or just someone to talk to you can contact me or the local le leche league.

I just finished breastfeeding my 15 month old son and I know how hard it can be. My first piece of advice is that YES you can start back. I have been finished breastfeeding for a month now and I can still express milk from my breasts if I try. If you are serious about starting back then just start, but I would also call your lactation nurse from the hospital. One thing that I did when he was 1 month was to go in and see the nurse. She helped me so much I can't tell you. The biggest thing that helped was that she would make sure that it had been 2 hours since I fed him and then weigh him naked. Then I would nurse him in her office and then she would weigh him. That way, I could see exactly how much he is getting with each feeding. It helped calm me and let me know that he was getting enough. Just know that although breastfeeding is best, it is OK if you can't do it.

Yes, yes, yes, you can rebuild your milk supply. I've heard of women being able to successfully *start* breastfeeding when their babies were 3-4 months old. (After that, you can still nurse somewhat, but your body gets that extra hormone boost with birth which diminishes somewhere around 3-4 months after birth, so it's harder to relactate at that time.) Check out La Leche League (their website has loads of information to help you increase your milk supply), and try to find a local group, which can give you some moral support as well as hands-on guidance. There should be information on the LLL leader, so just call her and explain what is going on, ask when and where the next meeting is, and also see if she has any tips or information she can give you over the phone.

Also, I would strongly recommend the book "Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy" by Laura Keegan, available at www.TheBreastfeedingBook.com. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner who has been able to help lots of women in private practice be able to breastfeed, and she wrote a book to be able to reach more women. I have a copy, and think it is just wonderful.

B4 I begin, congrats on the baby... yes there is a way to go back, there is a herbal remedy that actually increases breast milk supply, it has a funny name something like jafryky something odd like that, it works. I had my daughter a year ago and went through the same thing. Honey, even if you dont go back to breast feeding, you are still an awesome mommy and she loves you the same... Let me know if it helps. Call your local herbal or all natural health store and they should know the exact name.. good luck..

Yes, it is possible to reverse your milk supply. It works, as God intended, on suply and demand. The more you nurse, the more you will make. Pumping may help, but your body knows the difference and responds to prolonged sucking time better than pumping time. There is a few days delay from the time the demand increases to the time the supply increases. Those few days can be frustrating for both of you, but will be so worth it in the long run! There are herbs and drinks that help milk supply, and ones that decrease milk supply. Ginger & cinnamon tend to decrease milk supply, while fenugreek, hops, & blessed thistle tend to increase it, as does drinking plenty of water and just about any non-alchoholic, non-caffeine beverage. If you have trouble with let down, it helps to have a large cup of some relaxing herbal tea (like camomile or peppermint) every time you sit down to nurse.
When I was a young, nursing mom, I had to be away from my one yr old for a whole week, during which time dh gave her bottles of juice, water and milk. She never seemed to mind the change. I wondered if she would have forgotten how to nurse by the time I got back, but when I did return, she was back to nursing as if I had never been gone. Another time, I had a job which necesitated me being gone from home, 12 hrs a day, 5 d a wk. I never pumped while at work, but by the end of the first week my breasts were used to the 12h on 12h off schedule.
Relax, and you'll find nursing comes naturally to both of you. Relaxing and having faith in the natural design is the key, the more you fret about milk supply, the harder it becomes.
I am a homebirth midwife. All my babies are put to breast immediately, even before placenta is out or cord is cut. baBy is never taken away from mama, and virtually all my clients successfully breastfeed for the first year, some wean a little sooner, some later. I think the secret to so many breastfeeding successes is that baby is never taken from mom, never fed bottles or given pacifiers, and no one is looking over their shoulders as they nurse (which is kinda like having someone look at you while you're having sex, to make sure you're doing it right!) sometimes it takes a few trial and error attempts, but left alone usually works better than being observed!
M., mom of 7, grandma of 11 and counting!

Hi C.
I think you can go back to nursing. Try calling your pediatrician or OB office and talk to the nurses or call a lactation consultant at the hospital you delivered, they should be able to help you.

Good luck
P.

Go to your local vitamin store and get Fenugreek. That stuff is amazing and certainly increases your milk supply. When my daughter was born I started taking 3 pills 3 times a day and my milk was abundant. I didn't have any of the side effects (on the bottle it says a couple of things) and as my milk was established I would take less and less until I didn't need it anymore (maybe a couple months). It was recommended by my lactation consultant. I pumped 9 months for my daughter (sore, inverted nipples like you) and thanks to fenugreek I had enough frozen milk to get her to the one year mark. It was great! Good luck!!!

C.,

I had a problem with enough breast milk for my daughter too. The nurse suggested that I take Fenugreek. It is a natural suppliment that you can get at any health food store. You will definitely have enough supply of milk! I used to wake up to feed her and had to hold a towel to my other breast so I wouldn't leak all over the place.

It can't hurt to try. Good luck.

E.

First it is not too late if you really want to breastfeed your daughter. Make sure it is your choice to do so and you dont feel pressured by everybody else. I was 20 when I had my daughter and was treated like I was stupid and needed to be told what to do. I was forced pretty much by the nurses to try to breastfeed when I had no desire. I was told what a horrible mother I was for not wanting to breastfeed. Finally I got angry and told the nurse I wanted bottles because I did not feel comfortable breastfeeding. That being said...There are things called nipple shields that you can buy. I got them with my second child because I was older and wiser and also had the inverted nipple problem. These look like a bottle nipple but are much thinner. You place them over your nipple for protection of sore nipples and also for the inverted nipples. It makes it easier for the baby to latch on and more comfortable if you are sore. I pumped and fed for a while and it felt as if that was all I was doing. Once I got the nipple shields I only had to pump 2 times a day to relieve pressure while I was at work. There are things you can do and if you feel that formula is for you do not feel guilty. Tons of babies have been strictly formula fed for years and are fine.

You can go back but it is not easy, I used a Medela system. It's a bottle that hangs from your neck and has two tubes that you tape in place on your breast. You put formula in the bottle and when the baby suckles the breast they receive the instant gratification from the formula while building up your milk supply. Do you have a support system? I attended La Leche League meetings and made a lot of friends, as well as increasing my support system with other Moms who were going through the same thing or had previous experience going through things. The leaders go through training and are truly a blessing. If you look it up on line I believe you can get meeting locations and names with contact information for the leaders, who you can call now regardless of the meeting times. Good Luck and God Bless!

Absolutely YES! Good job for wanting to try again. I completely agree with the great tips Niki suggested. Also, just totally devote yourself to nursing and resting. Nurse as often as you can , or as she wants. Definitely see a La Leche leader. More than likely, you have plenty of milk. A lot of mommies think they don't have enough milk because baby wants to nurse a lot. When my babies were newborns, they wanted to nurse every hour, sometimes for 40 minutes at a time. And guess what... it's OK! It will be harder going back after your little girl has learned that it's easier to get milk from the bottle. She will have to work hard to get milk from the breast. But if you stick with it and don't give up, it will get easier! Also check out kellymom.com . Or email me for more support!

I was just like you. I had the hardest time breastfeeding and when I decided to call it quits, I felt so guilty. DON'T FEEL BAD IF BREAST FEEDING IS NOT WORKING!

I lasted for about 6 weeks and was physically miserable. Emotionally, I was torn. I loved the thought of breast feeding, the thought of being the 'perfect mom', but the physical aspects prohibited that "connection" that I thought I should feel with my son.

I finally realized that I wasn't happy and I actually feared feeding time and I didn't connect with my son because of that. After he started on the bottle, I was a lot happier, I enjoyed feeding time and my husband got to participate which made both of us more connected.

Bottom line, you've got to do what's best for you.

Don't give up! Breastfeeding is SO much better for both you and your daughter and has so many rewards. If you let her feed on demand (anytime she wants to) you should be able to restore your milk supply. Drinking Mother's Milk tea can also help, and mostly make sure you are drinking a LOT of water and eating well. You need water in order to maintain your supply. If you get frustrated again, try supplementing with formula 1-2x/day and breastfeed the rest of the time. Maybe someone else can give her a bottle of formula or breastmilk occasionally, too, so you get a break!

Hope this helps.

L.

first I want to say thank you for even trying to bf your dear baby. I bf my 1st until 2yo & my 2nd until 18mts.
if your nipples were sore you were probably not latched on correctly, if there is not a seal around the nipple where the baby only has some of your nipple in the mouth. this will make it very painful when feeding, it makes your nipple raw and even crack and bleed. there is bf products that you can use after bf that is perfectly safe for your baby and doesn't need washed off prior to feeding. it soothes the nipple and kinda keeps it moist. if you were strictly bf and the baby was gaining weight then he/she was getting enough nutritions. I always wondered and felt when I first started bf if I was going to starve my baby, just because I didn't know HOW MUCH milk he was getting, but trust me my babies were getting enough. with my second child I had a period of trouble where I had sore and bleeding nipples and crusty yellow stuff around my nipples. it truned out that I had a yeast infection on my nipples and just simply rubbed some medicated cream (nystatin) on them and it was a miracle in only a few days it was soo much better and much less painful. I was in tears when feeding because it hurt so bad, but I refused to quit. even if you are giving formula right now you can still bf your baby. there is fenugeek ?sp I don't know how to spell the word. it is sold at rite aid or and GNC it is in a green bottle and will help you to build back up your supply. When you are taking it your milk will kinda smell like maple syrup, this is normal. you could just start letting he/she start nursing again on demand and your milk supply will start again. this is the wonderful thing about hormones and being a woman. on the sore nipples you could even put a warm wash cloth on you to help soothe the soreness. don't feel guilty about trying other methods for your baby you must do what is best for both of you. it doesn't mean you love your child any less. I know that you miss the bonding experience, but if you choose to try again it is not too late. you can have success in bf with the right information.
here is some tips: Nipple stimulation before feedings
If the nipple can be grasped, roll the nipple between the thumb and index finger for a minute or two. Afterwards, quickly touch it with a moist, cold cloth or with ice that has been wrapped in a cloth. This method can help the nipple become erect. Avoid prolonged use of ice, as numbing the nipple and areola could inhibit the let-down reflex.
Getting breastfeeding off to a good start

Get help with positioning and latch-on
Getting skilled help is critical for a mother with inverted or flat nipples. It is important for the baby to learn how to open his mouth wide and bypass the nipple, allowing his gums to close further back on the breast. Experimenting with different positions is a good way to find what is most comfortable for the mother and helps baby latch most effectively. Some mothers find that the football (clutch) hold or cross-cradle hold gives them the most control, which also makes it easier for baby to latch on well.

Breastfeed early and often
Plan to breastfeed as soon after birth as possible, and at least every 2-3 hours thereafter. This will help you avoid engorgement, and will allow baby to practice at breastfeeding before the milk becomes more plentiful or "comes in". Lots of practice at breastfeeding while mother's breasts are still soft often helps baby to continue to nurse well, even as the breasts become more firm (which can make a flat nipple more difficult to grasp).

Achieve a deep latch
When latching your baby on, hold him in close against your body, with his ear, shoulder, and hip in a straight line. Align baby's nose with your nipple. Pull back on your breast tissue to make it easier for him to latch on. Tickle baby's lips with nipple and wait for baby to open wide (like a yawn). Then latch him on, assuring that baby has bypassed the nipple and is far back on the areola. The resulting latch should be off-center -- deeper on the bottom (more breast taken in on the chin side than the nose side). Baby's nose should be touching (but not buried in) the breast, and his lips should be flared out like "fish lips".

Use calming techniques if baby becomes upset
Baby should not associate breastfeeding with unpleasantness. If baby becomes upset, immediately take a break and calm him. Offer a finger for him to suck on, walk, swaddle, rock, or sing to him. Wait until he is calm before trying again.

If nipple soreness occurs

Discomfort as adhesions stretch
Some mothers experience nipple soreness for about the first two weeks of nursing as their flat or inverted nipple(s) are gradually drawn out by baby's suckling. If the soreness is severe, or continues past the initial two weeks, call your local LLL Leader or IBCLC for assistance. You may also find relief by using these treatments for sore nipples.

Moisture becoming trapped as nipple inverts after feeding
If the nipple retracts after feedings, that skin may remain moist, leading to chapping of the skin. After feeding, pat your nipples dry and apply Lansinoh™ brand lanolin (or other 100% lanolin preparation for nursing mothers). You may also wish to use a Velcro Dimple Ring, which is a device designed to hold the nipple out between feedings so that the skin can dry. Call your local LLL Leader or IBCLC for information on the use of this product, and where to obtain it.

When nipple soreness is prolonged

Rarely, a mother may experience persistent sore nipples for a longer period of time because instead of stretching, the adhesions remain tight. This can create a stress point which may lead to cracks or blisters.

When a mother has deeply-embedded nipple, rather than compressing the mother's milk sinuses (milk storage area) under her areola, the baby compresses the buried nipple instead. Because baby is unable to get the nipple correctly positioned in his mouth, he will not receive much milk for his efforts, and nursing will be painful for the mother. In this case an automatic double electric breast pump can help because, rather than compressing the mother's areola, it uses uniform suction from the center of the nipple to draw the nipple out. Over time, this usually works to break the adhesions that are holding the nipple in.

If one breast is easier for baby to grasp and he nurses well from that breast, the mother can continue to feed on that side. The mother can pump the breast with the deeply inverted nipple until the adhesions loosen and the nipple is drawn out. The baby will get all the milk he needs from one breast as long as he is allowed unlimited and unrestricted time at the breast.

If both nipples are deeply inverted, the mother can pump both breasts simultaneously for 15-20 minutes every 2 hours. The mother can feed her baby with an alternative feeding device until her baby is able to latch on effectively and comfortably.

How long a mother will need to pump in order to draw out her nipples depends upon the strength of the adhesions and the degree of inversion. For some mothers, one pumping is enough to completely draw out the nipple. If the nipple continues to deeply invert, the mother may need to continue pumping. When the nipple stays out after pumping, the mother can resume breastfeeding immediately.

Once the mother's nipple can be drawn into the baby's mouth correctly and the baby can breastfeed effectively, the mother should be able to discontinue pumping and breastfeed without discomfort.

On rare occasions, a mother may continue to feel some discomfort even after the nipple has been drawn out. This could be due to the radical correction to the nipple.

After a nipple correction, rarely, the nipple may invert again as the baby pauses during a feeding. In this case, the mother may need to stop and pump again for a few minutes before putting baby back to the breast. As a temporary transition to exclusive breastfeeding, breast compressions or the use of a nursing supplementer might help to encourage continuous sucking and swallowing so that the nipple won't be as likely to invert during feedings.

here is an web address that is wonderful for information and there are are local groups. http://www.llli.org/resources.html
just look up one in your area. I am a member of a yahoo group for my local here in Hurricane, WV. I don't know where you are located but if there is anything that I can help you with questions or anything please let me know.

please keep trying if this is what you wish for,
D.
____@____.com

I don't really know about the diminishing part, but if it isn't too late maybe you could try what I had to do. I wasn't producing enough either with the constant feeding and pumping. So after many trials and errors I chose to use Similac Advanced and add it to my breast milk. I did almost half and half. It is the only formula that did not sour my breastmilk. Supplementing in this way allowed me to continue giving my little one what he needed and continue our bonding through nursing. Plus, I didn't feel like a slave to the pump and that alone helped me relax enough to produce more. It is definitely a double edged sword, breastfeeding. But, if it isn't too late for you to go back then I say go for it because it is such a wonderful experience for the both of you... not to mention the health issue. If it is not possible for you to reproduce please do not beat yourself up! There are plenty of other ways for you to ensure his good health and bonding with you. He just wants your love which it sounds like he has tons of. Good luck to you.

Nurse your baby. Stop supplementing with formula. Eat a healthy diet. No empty calories, no junk food, only healthy food. Get plenty of rest. Sleep when the baby sleeps. Drink lots of fluids. Drink fluids every time the baby nurses. Do not drink any alcohol or any drinks with caffeine in them. Your milk supply will come back. After a week, if your milk does not come back call your pediatrician and get a referral to a lactation consultant. Good luck! Let us all know if your milk comes back.

Your baby is young enough that you might have a chance. Go out and buy some fenugreek capsules. The dose is 12-14 tablets a day. Take them four times daily. Start with 3 four times a day and increase to four two of those times if you don't notice a difference in two days. Your urine should start to smell like maple syrup. You should also nurse her as often as possible. Throw out any pacifiers and let her use you for all her sucking needs. You should pump about 30 minutes after every time she feeds. Good luck but don't feel guilty if it doesn't work any breastmilk you give her is better than nothing.

I don't know so much about if you can get your milk supply back, but I did want to tell you that I breastfed for a little over a month and had moved and there was so much stress and having to unpack that I ended up drying up. I felt extremly guilty! I talked to a really good friend of mine that has 5 kids she breastfed each at different lengths. She told me "Doesn't matter if you did it a year, a month, a week, or a day, you feel guilty when you stop breastfeeding." I think it has something to do with the hormones! My DS is now 10mo and I still miss it now and then. If you feel this is what is good for your child you are doing the right thing! I hope you get this all worked out! GL and follow your gut... mothers instinct knows best!

If you want to get back into breastfeeding again, you should try calling your gyn doctors and ask about Reglan. It helps produce more milk. Having inverted nipples may be hard for baby to latch on. Being sore means the baby is suckling your nipple instead of your areola area which is the pink part up from your nipple. Breastfeeding does tie you down, but that is the price you pay if you want to do it. Don't give up if you don't want to. Since you are going to be a stay home mom, breastfeeding is perfect for you...If you so happen are able to get your milk back up, try to relax with music or go somewhere quit so you can focus on feeding the baby. It will do better for you and your let down when the baby first starts to nurse. I breast fed my daughter til she was 7 mo. and my son til he was 3.5 mo. I had to go back to work 12 hours a day and could hardly get the time to pump 1 a day. I felt bad I couldn't keep doing it, but I did it longer than 6 wks so I felt he got more that what others do. I will say if you have to go to formula don't feel bad because it has a lot of nutrients for a baby 0-24months than whole milk. Breastmilk is number one in my book because it's real. So if your able then do it. If not it's ok. Formula is better than whole milk if that makes you feel any better. Hope this helps:)

I haven't been thru this myself but when my milk supply started to severely diminish my pediatrician suggested I take fenugreek. I think it's 2 capsules three times a day. My OB also prescribed Reglan which I only took for a week. I also drank Mother's Milk (brand name) tea which I think has fenugreek and blessed thistle.

I also pumped for twenty minutes every three hours. I know it sounds like a lot of work but you only have to do that until you get your milk production back up then you can cut back on it. It's hard being a new mother but try to relax. The more calm you are the easier it will be to produce milk. Try to drink a bottle of water every time you nurse or pump because it's impossible to produce milk when you are dehydrated.

If you are concerned that she isn't getting enough milk, you can pump and bottle feed that way you can see exactly how much she's getting and eventually as you both become more comfortable, you can go back to nursing and eventually stop bottle feeding. You can also add formula to your breastmilk if you don't have enough breastmilk. Some breastmilk is better than none. There is no rule that says you have to do only formula or only breastmilk. You can always nurse when you want to and supplement when you want or need to. If you're not painfully engorged, it shouldn't be a problem. If you are painfully engorged then you have more than enough milk for her. :)

Good luck and whatever you decide to do, don't feel guilty about it. You love your daughter and that's all that matters.

Your daughter is probably still young enough that you can rebuild your supply with some work.

My first suggestion is to contact a lactation consultant. I know our pediatrician's office has one on staff as did my OB's office. They can be an invaluable resource to you!

Also check out kellymom.com it is a wonderful online resource for breastfeeding mom's. In fact, here is a specific link to relactation. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

Good luck and no matter what ends up happen your daughter needs a HAPPY mom more than anything else!

.

C.,
I never breastfed my son, youngest son when he was born, due to awkwardness(I guess that is what you can call it) but, if you don't mind taken some advice from me, then here it is...
You cannot help what your body does. Your daughter is still too young yet, to feel anything like the fact that you let her down somehow. And the way I see it, you haven't. If you want you can try to put her on formula, but if you want to try to breastfeed her again, then just try it, because I don't think your milk has dried up again. When the doctor's gave me a shot to dry up mine, it took longer than 3 or 4 days, and a lot of bras. Because every time my son cried or I heard a child crying, my milk would "flare up". Anyways, I wish I could go back and breastfeed my son, because it's a bond between a mother and her child, and no one can take that bond away from you and your daughter. So, bond with your daughter, and breastfeed, because when she gets older, you will never forget all the times you spent just with her. I am 28, and I haven't forgotten all the special times me and my mother spent out on a girl's day, or just watching movies and eating popcorn.
God Bless!

Put her back to your breast and you will have to give some formula at first, or get a system called S&S from a lactation person.[If you live in Greensboro, call Woman's Hospital and get to the lactation dept] It has a little tube you tape to your nipple and it connects to a bottle. She sucks on your breast to stimulate and and gets both breast milk and formula.
Good luck, this should work. Grandmothers that have breast fed can relactate if they need to breast feed a baby
P. V Seay, RN

I last BF my son over 2 weeks ago, and I can still express some milk with my fingers. It will not hurt to give it a try.

Just relax, and listen to your instincts.

Good luck!

J.

I would call your OB for sure but I do know that when I got on a certain birth control it dried up my milk, about 4 days into it I realized what was happening. After about 2 weeks of REALLY trying by pumping a lot, nursing every chance I got, etc..it all was well again. Do not feel guilty if it is not something you want to do but maybe you could just supplement. Maybe you can do both. You can use formula mixed with your breast milk instead of water or you can breat feed 2 x's a day and bottle feed with formula another time. I think having both options is a good thing. I breast fed exclusively for a year with both of my children. I do not regret it at all but at times it would have been nice to have them fed by a bottle and by someone else and they would not do it. Get them used to both and then you wo'nt feel so tied down. I am not a doctor but I do believe that nursing has some significant benefits....my kids have only had ONE ear infection in their life and it was due to teething. Also, my children are healthier than most of their friends, slimmer, etc Not sure it all matters, don't want anyone to think I am judging those that don't nurse b/c as I said, "I think both is a good thing to do"...I just know from my experience that nursing was great. I also LOVED the closeness we shared. I did not start feeling the closeness until they were about 3 mos old, it was amazing having that bond. I loved to watch them nurse! I was actually feeding them with my body! :o) Give it a shot and try again, if it does not work, that is what was meant to be.

First congratulations on your daughter and on sticking in there despite the obstables to give her a great start with one month of breastmilk. Don't feel bad at all about having to supplement or get away from breastfeeding if you need to do so.

You should be able to easily rebuild your milk supply - you just need to nurse or pump every couple hours, and pump immediately after your daughter nurses. You'll still need to supplement at first until your supply matches your daughters needs. I'd encourage you to talk to a lactation consultant in your area (in Louisville you can call the Nursing Station for advice).

No one understands the mama guilt that is caused by brestfeeding better than other moms.
I don't have any input on building up your supply but I would like to share my experience with you. I had trouble brestfeeding also. I battled pumping, supplementing, using fenugreek, the stress and the tears for 5 months. When I finally decided to give up I felt terrible. But after a month of stress free feeding I wish that I had done it sooner. The stress that I was putting myself and my child through was not worth the benefits. I believe in the benefits of breastfeeding, but I also want you to know that that is not what makes you a good mother. Sometimes the best thing is just to be able to enjoy your time with your child and remove the unneccesary stress. This is just my take on it. Whatever your decision, just know that you are not alone.
Steph

I have been trough this 4 times and all 4 time were frushtrating for me. I think alot of people have this same problem. I don't know if you can get your milk back now or not. I do know that if you are frustrated and discoraged that your baby will since it so keep that in mind. Good luck to you.

I honestly think you should not feel guilty for stopping breastfeeding. I understand the feeling of wanting the closeness, I went through that when my kids were babies and worried just like you are, but I quickly learned that everything would be just fine. You will always have that closeness with your baby whether you breastfeed them for the long haul or not. After all you did carry them for 9 months...therefore that bond will never be taken from you. You should not worry one bit. You can still snuggle them just as close with a bottle of formula. Good Luck to you and don't worry!!! And by the way you have not let her down either...trust me!!

Yes, you CAN restart the breastfeeding, and I would encourage you to do so, for many, many reasons. A great website that can give you detailed information is kellymom.com. You could also see a lactation consultant at a local hospital. Its free and they could help you with the sorness issue too. They will talk with you over the phone or in person.

Best of luck!