Mom Needs Help Feeding New Baby

This site has great tips for increasing milk supply:

http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/bf/galact.asp

I don't think there is anything wrong with formula. I pumped for a two weeks with my daughter so I could give her a bottle a day. But for the most part, she was on formula. She's a perfectly happy, healthy, and smart 8 year old. Then with my son, he was strictly on formula and he too is a happy, healthy, and smart 6 year old!

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with formula!!

Good luck!

K.

You've gotten good advice, I just want to add that a pump is not as efficient as a baby sucking. Some Mom's pump a lot, some do not. My babies were breastfed only and anytime I tried to pump just to try to store some, I never got more than 1oz in a 30minte period - from both sides - when my boobs were full!! So, basically, don't assume you aren't making enough. However, you are supplementing so your milk is decreasing. If making more milk is what you want to do, breastfeed only and let him nurse on demand. Of course take care of yourself too.. eat well, drink plenty of water and sleep!
Congrats on your new baby!

By the way, I'm by no means a BF natzi, however, unless absolutely needed, I would never give formula. We make the best thing for our babies, plus our milk is never recalled! **Disclaimer** The above is just my opinion, I by no means think any less of those of you who formula feed, I love all Momma's equally!!
M.

You need to nurse! Let the baby nurse from you...there's no better way to stimulate your milk supply. The pump is great, but your baby is better. Also, don't supplement. That's only dwindling your supply. Talk to you hospital lactation consultants for more help.

Nursing is all supply and demand...if there's no demand, there's no supply...

Good luck!
-M

Alcohol dehydrates the body and is not good for the baby. Stop pumping... for me I was only able to get an ounce or two when I would pump and it would take me over an hour to get it. My son is coming up on 15 months and still nursing, but it comes straight from the tap.

Two things to add, that I didn't see mentioned:
1. Your baby is more efficient than ANY pump- so even though you are only pumping 2 oz. there is a good chance when your baby breastfeeds he is getting more.
2. Don't worry if he is only getting 2oz. when you bottlefeed him breastmilk. Think of breastmilk as concentrated...like the detergent where you only ad half as much to the wash.
Finally, it is soo important (ESPECIALLY) in the begining to breastfeed the baby as much as possible (on demand). It will help establish a healthy milk supply and the pump can't do it the same way. Keep up the breastfeeding, it is soooooo important for the baby! My son didn't even get as much as the sniffles until he was 15 months old!

drink lots of water and offer the breast often. your supply will increase the more the baby nurses. :)

contact your local la leche league group for one on one help.

I agree with everyone who says breastfeed as much as you can, and you can try pumping, although he will probably need to eat a lot straight from the breast to help you get your supply up more, so you won't have much time or energy to pump. You can also try a nursing supplementer (one of the most wonderful things ever, helped me relactate), either the Medela SNS or Lactaid. The supplementer allows your baby to still breastfeed and stimulate your milk (which is what you really need), but you are also providing him with formula or pumped milk through little tubes you attach to yourself, so he doesn't need the bottle. The bottle will just hinder your milk supply, you must have that stimulation to make more milk. If you just try to breastfeed a lot, you may burn out. That is the reason I originally gave up breastfeeding (for over a month) and had to relactate later. My son was breastfeeding every 2 hours, for at least an hour each time, I was going on no sleep, and couldn't handle it. Don't let that happen to you. Using a bottle a little is ok, but I really think you should try the supplementer, so you know your baby is getting food and helping your milk supply at the same time, and he won't be nursing all of the time.

A few other ways to help with your supply (sorry if these are repeats from other people):
Eat and drink a lot
Rest as much as you can
Try to avoid stress, get as much help as you can with your other child
Eat oatmeal, real, not instant, try to do it every morning
Take fenugreek and/or blessed thistle, or try something like Mother's Milk tea
Nurse as much as you can

Don't give up!! If you really want to do breastfeed, it's a lot harder to restart your milk supply then it is to build it up from what you have now, you can do it!

Ok, STOP the formula and don't pump unneccessarily. Breastfeed breastfeed, and breastfeed some more... and drink A LOT of water, as in 10 glasses a day. Put him to the breast everytime he squirms - up to every hour. I promise, your milk will build up, he will get all he needs, and once you have a good pattern going and a good supply built back up you can drop feedings to every 2-3 hours. The key is to drink a lot, and let the baby do the work - pumps do not produce milk as well as babies do, and if he's getting formula he's not going to be as hungry (it's very filling) and won't nurse as well or as often as he otherwise could. Good luck!

There are lots of good solutions, so don't get too frustrated.

1) If you intend to continue breastfeeding, you probably need to allow him to nurse more frequently. It is good to give him one bottle a day so that he learns how to take one, but breastfeeding only at night is not enough to keep your milk going with a new baby. You just won't make enough milk. (The more he nurses, the more and better your milk). Look for the signs that he is interested in nursing (nuzzling, touching his mouth, turning toward anything that brushes his face) and go ahead and settle in until he is done. Do this as often as he wants, and you'll have better luck.

2) Your diet could be affecting your milk and making the baby gassy. Try eliminating tomatoes (sauce, ketchup...), cabbage, broccoli, kale, and dairy products. Some of them may be okay, but these are the usual suspects, just experiment.

3) Formula may not be agreeing with his tummy. Try a different brand. Make sure you aren't mixing air into the formula. If there are bubbles on it, bump it against the counter a few times (like you are setting it down hard) until the bubbles rise to the surface.

4) There are different positions to hold your baby to help pass gas. A) Laying down on his back (or tilted at an angle), bicycle his legs. B) Hold him with the palm of your hand underneath his tummy and gently massage. (For more see the Sears baby book, it has diagrams and everything).

I read the other responses so go ahead and try some of thier suggestions to increase milk production -- except the beer, it's a myth that it helps and the alcohol does get in the breast milk. However, be prepared if your milk never really comes in. My mom was never able to breast feed and neither was I. For the first month I would go ahead and let the baby breast feed for about 15 min per side (I wanted to pass on at least a little of the "good stuff") and then I had to follow up with a 4 ounce bottle. After a month I went strictly with a bottle. My kids are now 25 and 21, and are healthy and happy. And you are no less a woman/good mother if you can't breastfeed. so don't feel guilty if it just doesn't work out -- formula is healthy!!!

I had issues with milk supply too so I know how heart breaking it can be. Try different things, most swear by 10-15 min more often but I did better waiting 4 hours and pumping for 1/2 an hour. Rest, eat alot, increase your fluids and I used mother's milk tea and beer- amber ale. I agree to go ahead and supplement with formula I had to. I was advised by a dietitian to mix Breast milk with formula even if all I had was an ounce, that way you give them some consistency. And rent a hospital grade pump if you can-about $60 a month. I wish you the Best of luck and in the end whatever you end up needing to do it will be the best thing for your baby.

Do the obvious and feed him formula, some women do not produce much milk and your baby is hungry. The alternative is to starve him???? Come on, why make him cry if he is hungry feed him formula and have a happy full baby! Poor child needs his formula!! Yes breast milk is the best but sometimes it just does not work out. My daugher was formula feed from the get go because I had pneumonia and could not breast feed and she is a bright, and way ahead of other 3 years olds, formula will be fine.
Good Luck

Drink huge amounts of liquid -- not just a beer once in a while. I drank a lot of milk, ate yogurt, drank juice. I had to pump all the time since my first baby had a cleft lip. I pumped every chance I had to add to the bottle. In the end, I was feeding about 3 babies from the preemie ward! My supply just kept on increasing the more I pumped and drank liquids. And believe me, I had no reason to be happy and contented and relaxed!

I had the same issues. Here's what helped:

*fenugreek. It's an herb that helps with production. (Be prepared for it to make your uring smell, um, odd. Not bad, but kinda like, um, maple syrup? :) )

*pump first thing in the morning -- the let down is better.

*pump on one breast while nursing on the other. This was REALLY helpful, as I kinda tricked the breasts into a better let down.

*Make sure you have a good pump. Medela (sp?) was good for us.

*Lots of water

I found two books to be especially helpful: "So That's What They're For" and "Working Mother, Nursing Mother." The first one has the benefit of being really funny, too :).

Measure how much your child is getting by the number of wet diapers produced rather than the amount he drinks. As long as the diapers are there, you're fine, even if it looks like he's not getting enough.

Also, if you can get to a lactation consultant, please do so as quickly as you can. I thought I was "old hat" at breastfeeding after my first son, but I had to go to the ER with my second. He fooled me, my Doula, AND the hospital lactation consultant. We all thought he had a good latch, but he didn't. If you think your child isn't getting enough, get help. The lactation consultants are a Godsend.

Good luck!

P.S. About gas: anything with the active ingredient "symethicone" (sp?). Mylecon is a good OTC that has this, but there are good generics, too. It is very gentle, and passes through the digestive tract without being absorbed, but really takes care of the gas.

I had a similar issue - my lactation guide suggested Fenugreek. You can get it from Whole Foods and you slightly smell like maple syrup but it does increase your milk production.
As far a the gassy baby goes - we found success with mixing two formulas Good Start Natural Cultures & Simulac's Sensitive.
Finally a warm bath w/lavendar & chamomile really worked to calm our son. Found that the best wash& lotion is from www.coastalcutiesgear.com

Watch what you eat. I have heard that certain foods will give your baby gas through your milk. I agree with the other posts. You need to breastfeed more. That is what got my milk supply up. I take fenugreek and drink mothers milk too. A beer is nice but drink lots of water! I give my baby 1 bottle of formula a day so that daddy can feed her and because I couldn't get her to go to sleep- she would breastfeed for hours on end. Don't worry about what you pump. Your baby will get what she needs if you breastfeed as much as possible. I would just pump once a day when I could. This is what worked for me. Good luck! If your baby is still crying and hungry do formula or see a lactation consultant.

according to the lactation consultant i contacted while having problems with my milk supply pumps are unable to get the same amount as a baby if you are having problems you should breastfeed and pump when you are done feeding to help stimulate your breasts to create more but not to just pump at feeding times. good luck. i recommend you contact the la leche league

Hi M., Keep giving him the formula, I know many moms today don't think it is a healthy as breast milk, but I disagree. All 3 of my kids were on formula, all healthy with no issues, most of my daycare baby's that have come through my daycare over the past 12 years have been on formula, so if that is what satisfy's your little guy, and it keeps his tummy full,then give him the formula, and nurse when you can, this will also make it easier for you to wean him later on. Enjoy your family. J. L.

I saw this note and I know it's over a week ago, however I wanted to check in with you and see how you were doing? I'm a Postpartum Doula and I have had so many clients in your position. You were given such great advice here and I wondered how it's going?

Call me if you need any help.

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K.

There's 2-3 issues here: (1) he is gassy (2) he is hungry
(3) He's crying until you give him formula, because he is hungry, and perhaps your milk production is not keeping pace with his needs and growing needs, or he his latching on may not be efficient.

Gas problems are common for newborns. Don't feel bad.
We used infant gas drops with our children.
Their digestive system is still immature and developing.

Try to direct nurse whenever you can, not only at night... this will elevate your milk production. Versus pumping will not stimulate the milk production as effectively as direct nursing. If you really want to increase your milk production... you must direct nurse, and feed ON DEMAND all day.

My son, had a GINORMOUS appetite... he constantly nursed. Then he started to wean himself on his own, and just wanted bottles. He would literally slap my breasts away, and 'grumble' for a bottle. By 12 months old, he weaned himself from breast and only wanted bottles, with which was Formula. He did fine and grew like a weed and is VERY healthy.

My friends who had boys, also had the same thing... their boys just wanting a bottle Formula.

Sometimes, a baby will just 'decide' that they only want a bottle... because it is easier to drink from and quicker. Versus, breast takes more work and mouth coordination to drink from. Or they get nipple confusion.
So, it could be that your son is just preferring the bottle now... since he gets that all day. AND he gets more from it and drinks more from it. Some babies do this.

If your baby is hungry... then try nursing first, then finish up with a chaser of a bottle/formula. That is what I did. I had tons of milk and my production was fine, but my son would completely drain BOTH my breasts, and still be hungry and would 'tell' me he wanted a bottle/Formula.
Mind you, my Pediatrician was full aware of this, and said it's fine.

I nursed both my kids until they self-weaned. I am pro-brestfeeding but am no hard-core purist about it.
The MAIN thing, is that they get fed and are getting enough intake and nutrition. If a baby is hungry, they will cry, not sleep and not be satisfied. It affects them. A baby needs a certain amount of intake, daily. IF they do not get this... they will cry.

MAYBE your milk production is not enough? If you are pumping and giving bottles more than you are direct-nursing, this can happen.

Next, is your son latching on properly? Can you actually see him and hear him swallowing? Is he satisfied after nursing? If not, he may not be latching on properly... thus still being hungry afterwards.
Is his mouth encircling the entire areola?

I would try and direct nurse whenever possible, to help your output and his intake. Its about supply and demand. If you are replacing direct nursing with bottles.... then this will affect your milk production.
Try and offer a bottle AFTER you direct nurse, instead.
Don't worry about letting others feed him with a bottle... your priority (if you want to continue to breastfeed) should be to breastfeed him directly...otherwise, your milk output will decrease if you keep pumping/using bottles in lieu of breastfeeding).

Next, ask your Pediatrician about his gassiness.

Next, keep in mind, that what you eat can increase gas problems in a baby too. So keep an eye on what you eat. Or ask the Pediatrician for tips.

The bottles may also be the culprit and the thing that is giving him gas. I used the "MAM" brand bottles, which you can get from www.amazon.com It has NO air bubbles in it when the baby drinks and created no gas problems for my son. He LOVED this bottle.

Good luck,
Susan