Nursing Trouble

If the nipple shield works, use it!! I used one with my daughter for about 4 months. I was scared to stop using it because she had latch on problems also. I probably could have stopped sooner. Go with what works!!

Hi R.,
Here's an herbal product that helps with milk production. If you don't know anything about the company, there's lots of research info on the web site - not hype. I also have a compilation of "healthy kids" testimonials that I'd be glad to look into to see if there's more advice for your situation.
http://www.shaklee.net/changinglives/product/Alfalfa

I had successfully breastfed my first six children, so I fully expected to be able to breastfeed my seventh. However, like your son, he didn't gain weight, and was actually one pound less at one month than he weighed at birth. I tried supplemental feeding for three months, but it simply didn't work and I had to completely switch him to formula. I then was able to successfully breastfeed my eighth child, so I know it wasn't just me. There are just some babies that don't breastfeed well. (I used to have a pretty judgmental attitude about moms who said "I tried to breastfeed, but it just didn't work." I thought they simply didn't try hard enough -- but now I can be a little more understanding. I think that's why God gave me this experience with my seventh.) So, keep trying, but if it doesn't work in the next month or two, please don't beat yourself up about it. Your baby getting his proper nutrition is far more important than whether you're able to nurse him yourself. If you have another baby, you can try again with that one. May God bless you and your family.

I would say to look closely at your diet. Make sure that you are taking in the proper amount of calories for both you and baby. Continue pumping as often as you can just to get your milk supply up. I don't think you should be overly worried at this point but it might be worth a mention to the doc soon. Good luck and I applaud you for the breast feeding! Keep it up, don't get discouraged. Shannon

If you want to nurse and he will latch on with the shield then you could always continue to use a SNS so that he continues to gain weight. Then he's still healthy and you both get all the benifits of nursing. He's still very young I would think that as longa s you can find a way to nurse taht works and he gains weight, which you had found, that it would be fine to continue awhile longer and maybe he'll get the hang of it in a coupld of months. best of luck.

Don't give up! Hang in there. I had all sorts of trouble with my daughter and they kept telling me I would have to supplement, but I didn't want her to get "hooked" on the bottle and not want to nurse. I consulted the lactation consultant and La Leche League and was finally able to get her to gain weight. When she got a little older we would supplement with formula just when I was at work because I couldn't pump enough, but we made it through just fine. She just stopped nursing at 14 months. You should contact your local sponser of Leche league (http://www.lllusa.org/groups.php) and call them for advice any time of day. You could also attend a meeting. The hospital where I delivered my daughter (Dupont) had a breastfeeding support group and I was able to meet with the consultant and attend groups and finally able to get the breastfeeding thing under control. On the other hand, don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out. Just give it your best try and do what YOU feel is right. Just don't let the doctors scare you into doing something that you will regret in the long run.
email me if you want more info.
Thanks,
A.

R.,

My son now close to 8 months had the same issue of latching, although he didn't have his tongue tied. I pumped for every 3 hours, and fed him every 1 1/2-2 hours, I used to pump for about 30 minutes just to increase my milk supply and by the time I knew it I pumped about 10 ounces in every single pump, which continues to be the same till date. I thik eating a lot of greens helps in milk production. Good luck!

My son had problems with jaundice at birth and I suppplemented but a slightly different way than you. I wanted that breastfeeding time also. So I would breastfeed him for 15-30 minutes depending on how he did and then give him a bottle. I also pumped after either while someone else gave him the bottle or once he was done so that he was always getting breastmilk and my milk supply was as high as he needed it to be. He never got nipple confusion or anything like that. It worked for us, he gained weight like a formula fed baby :)

Hi R. - my son went through exactly the same thing as yours - he wasn't gaining fast enough and we had to use the SNS system (weren't you SHOCKED by how much a little plastic bottle and tubes were?). It also wasn't until he was about four weeks that he regained his birth weight. I pumped and nursed on a two hour schedule, and for a few weeks, I did it all night long, too (at night I went evrey three hours). By six weeks we was gaining more or less normally...I never supplemented because I trusted that my body would eventually regulate itself, and it did. The good news is that he will be one next week, and is still nursing like a champ, and it is no problem at all. He is a little chunk.
You might try some nursing w/o the shield, I am curious as to why they thought the shield would help him if his latching was difficult? It seems a bit counterintuitive to me, like it might be easier for him to get the hang of it if he could actually feel your nipple? At any rate, hang in there, your body will eventually respond to his demand! You can do it, I did! Don't let naysayers convince you that you "can't breastfeed." Because remember, yuor baby IS gaining weight, just a little slower than the schedules say he should. If he seems healthy and responsive and has wet/poopy diapers, he is really just FINE, you just both need to establish a rythym, which can be hard when there are a lot of people telling you something is 'wrong with him.' But good for you for trying so hard! Let me know if you have any other questions...
Cheers
P.

Contact your local La Leche Leaugue Group right away!! They will know what to do!

R., been there done that. First of all, I would eat oatmeal to increase your milk supply. Avoid oregano, sage and peppermint for now. I would pump after you breastfeed not instead of. Pumping increases the stimulation. Give the baby a bottle after you breastfeed. Fenugreek is also an option. So is Reglan. Reglan is a prescription that really works but has side effects. Fenugreek is an herb that works for a lot of people. Try to relax. That helps too. J. (Mom of 3) (breast feeding peer counselor for 3 years)

if you want to soley nurse you may not want to supplement with a bottle this young. Talk to another breast feeding consultant, I was told that a slow weight gainer is not failure to thrive. It took my baby a while to pick up weight but he did. Look up Penny Lane, she is a lactation consultant/midwife in Thorntown, she helped me so much.
Good luck.

Hi R.,

I certainly can identify w/the frustration of breastfeeding. My now 2yr old had a tough time w/proper latch as well (although he seemd to compensate by feeding for 45 minutes on each breast and then taking a 20 minute break and feeding again). Needless to say he gained weight but my poor breasts were pooped.

I think it's good advice to pump and feed the new baby until he's gaining weight properly. As long as you're pumping and keeping your supplies up there's no reason you can't go back to traditional nursing at a later date.

I was bombarded by people who warned me against "nipple confusion" and while that is a concern I found it wasn't a big deal at all and my baby was happy to have the real thing again. I started supplementing him with formula at about 5 months (I was working and wasn't able to keep a large enough reserve of pumped breast milk). I was worried that I wouldn't be able to nurse him in the morning before work and in the evenings when I got home if I used a bottle while he was at daycare.

It worked out just fine until his appetite and my supply didn't match anymore...there was no nipple confusion...

In short I'd say go w/the pumped/bottled breast milk until his weight is good and he's growing nicely (it doesn't take long as I'm sure you know from your first child).

good luck!!

R.,
I have lots of experiance with pumping and the shield. Nursing with the shield is a bit inconvienient however it is affective, if its the only way, then thats what you gotta do. Pumping is time consuming but it keeps your milk supply stronger. Nurse first then pump. I had problems with my supply so eventualy I had to jump ahead and pump all of it and give it with the bottle. Not my favorit but breast milk IS best:) Don't be suprised if your pediatrician gets on you about his weight. It is important that they gain kinda fast... Good luck, this process is a tough one but we do what we gotta do:)
A. B

I am no professional but am nursing my third child(6 wks). My first was so premature,she weighed only 2lbs, and it took me more than three months for her to learn how to latch and be strong enough to feed. There were many days of tears and frustration and people thought I was nuts. I promise it paid off. Already being a mother you know in your heart what is best and you need to be confident and go for what you want. That little baby will learn it just might take more time. I promise , I feel your frustration.stick with it!!!!!

I had the same problem with my son (now 3 months) but unfortunately he never learned to latch on without the shield..i ended up pumping and feeding it to him in a bottle and i pump every 2 hours and feed every two to three hours

I had major trouble nursing, and ended up just pumping. The baby was spoiled on the bottle when I took her home from the hospital. Anyhow, when I was pumping every two hours, my milk supply was good, at about 2 to 4 oz per breast. This went on for about a week, and after that it started to get less and less milk. I think you have to have the baby on you to keep making milk. But anyway, I dried up after about 6 weeks. So make sure you pump often, to keep your milk. Right after you feed you should pump. We eventually went to alimentum after I dried up. It was the right choice for us.

R. it sounds like a supply issue and latch issue. You need to see an LC again. Ask about pre and post feeding weights with the shield but without SNS. See how much milk he is actually getting from the breast. Then you can get a better plan as far as feeding him. It may be at the breast with the SNS, you may find the bottle is easier for you. I would pump when he eats for simplicity. If supply is low, you can try some herbal stuff. I see you are in Danville, we have 2 support groups at Community North and 1 at South in Indy. you can pm me if you have more questions. C., Lactation Consultant

R.,
Well, have you tried him in different feeding positions? I would try to nurse first-see how it goes, pump after he nurses and freeze it. If he's still not eating well move to pumping and bottle feeding. Try puming out the breast he nurses on (both if uses both at once)after he's had his fill. You may only get a few ounces but this will stimulate you to make a little more. When you get your "full" sensation he'll be ready to eat soon, so hurry and pump. You may also have to add a little formula(20%) to your breast milk(80%) to give it bulk. Keep trying different things until you have a system.
Good Luck!
R.

Hi, R. -
I was determined to breast feed my daughter, but we hit every kind of obstacle... She seemed to HATE breastfeeding, then she got thrush, I got mastitis, I overpumped and was horribly sore, AND I had low milk production. Anyway, I refused to give up. I did seek help via a lactation counsellor, etc., but, as a new mom, I felt very...?? judged?? by the "professionals" because of my troubles. Whether that judgement was real or perceived, I don't know, but coupled with my daughter's own seeming aversion to breastfeeding, I felt very discouraged.

The first hope for me came in the form of the breast shield that the lactation counsellor provided to me. She told me to use it only for 48 hours and then I was supposed to call them back and update them on my progress. It was the FIRST real success my daughter and I had had at good breastfeeding, and though it was working great for us, I actually felt ASHAMED to call back because I was not intending to discontinue using it.

So, anyway, we used that shield for MONTHS, and it worked just great. I kept it very clean, and it created a workable method for us to manage our breastfeeding. I also pumped somewhat, though I generally didn't need to because I work from home. In any case, I also felt discouraged from using any kind of supplementation because of all the pressure from the lactation community that it will diminish the overall milk production by reducing the child's need.

If I had it to do over again, I would have supplemented my child as much as she needed, and I would have had NO shame in using that breast shield as long as I wanted to. When something works and is beneficial for you and your baby, I see NO need to interfere with it due to some fully arbitrary designation of time on the part of a "professional."

So, my advice is the advice I finally settled on for myself: Give your baby everything you've got, in terms of your own milk. If you have to supplement, fine. You will be proud of yourself to know you've given your very best AND you've had the good Mommy sense to ensure your baby is full and satisfied. And if there is a device that helps you to do your Mommy best, USE it and don't let anyone tell you when, how, or how long to make use of it. You will know when it's no longer needed, and you will be aware of any problems it might be causing.

My daughter NEVER had a problem transitioning to a bottle or a sippy cup or a straw, and she became a voracious eater. She's still a wonderful "2-fisted drinker," always with a water sports bottle in one hand and some milk in the other. I deeply, deeeply wish I'd been attuned to my own instinct rather than what I was told because we already had an extremely difficult time with her, and feeling like I had to do something "against" what I was told in order for us to make progress only made me feel like a failure rather than feeling successful as I should have.

Go with YOUR instinct, Mama!
H.

Every 3 hours does not sound often enough for a 4 week old baby. My ds was nursing every hour or 2 at that age! If it were me, I would focus on nursing more often, allowing dc to comfort nurse whenever he wanted.

I just looked this up recently for a friend of mine who's child was having trouble nursing. There is a lot of good information here:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html
The most interesting thing I read was that even babies who aren't nursing very well, most of them WILL begin to nurse when they get a tad older. Basically it says, feed them plenty, keep your milk supply up, and keep trying to nurse but don't stress about it.

Oh, and if he's wetting plenty of diapers, he may be getting enough breastmilk as it is.

First of all R.... KUDOS to you for taking a VERY tough situation and giving it your absolute best to nurse your little one. Lots of Mom's would have jumped right to formula, and you stuck to your guns.

That being said, I've had two children and two different experiences. My first child I was able to nurse for 2 months. He came down with a nasty case of thresh and no matter how hard I tried to get him to latch on, it wasn't happening successfully and he too was loosing weight. After much self deprecation, I buckled as he self weaned himself from me and went to formula. It was nothing I ever pictured happening. I was going to give my child the best nutrition nature could provide.... But that's not what was supposed to happen.
My next baby is very different. He nurses like a champ at 7 months. In fact, with his temperament, I foresee him being quite the opposite. I may have trouble weaning him.

Children are all different. Don't beat yourself up over it if you need to supplement. I did, and it was silly. My little boy is almost 3 and very healthy. Know you are doing the best job that you possibly can. That being said, my nursing 2 cents would be encourage him to nurse every couple of hours and if he's not interested, pump every 2 hours to keep your supply up. Make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids, as that will help your supply. The other HUGE thing I've found is to keep yourself calm. When you are panicked about keeping your supply up (BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, BOUGHT THE T-SHIRT) you actually are hindering your supply. It is amazing how your emotions control your body functions. Especially when you are so freshly postpartum. Relax and know that you are going to give this the best go you can. Take care! My most sincere best wishes to you!!

Are you only nursing every 3 hours? If so, try nursing on demand. You will probably see a huge difference. Babies that young usually eat every 2 hours, but shouldn't be put on a schedule. Watch for cues and follow his lead. My son is tongue-tied (but wasn't diagnosed until 14 months so was not clipped) and we had a very hard time. But he is 23 months now and still nursing. We used the nipple shield for 5 months (that is a LONG time, likely due to his not being clipped). And I had to use the SNS in the first weeks with formula because my milk was delayed. You CAN make it through this. Nurse on demand, offer often, pump after he nurses each time for a few days to get a small supply built up for the SNS. Hang in there. Feel free to message me if you need more info!!!

Hi R., When I returned to work with my third child at 7 weeks old, I chose to continue pumping and give him breastmilk in a bottle. I pumped about every 2-2 1/2 hours. When you start to pump regularly, around the same time each day, your body will automatically start producing more milk around that time. If it's more convenient for you to pump 3 times a day, you can, just be consistent with your time, 9 am, 2 p.m. etc. I would nurse my child first thing in the morning and pump throughout the day, I would also make sure I stayed awake a couple hours after my child went to bed and pumped again. I would feed my child a bottle of about 4 oz. every 2 1/2 - 3 hours, opposite of my pumping. Good Luck and don't give up. If this is really what you want to do, stick with it. It's easy to get frustrated and when you get frustrated, your milk won't let down. When you are pumping try to relax as much as you can, it will help. :)

I have gone through exactly what you are going through now. Both of my babies were born tongue-tied. I struggled for months with my daughter before having her frenulum clipped. She reached the point of failure to thrive according to the doctors because at one point she actually stopped growing. My son, on the other hand, had his frenulum clipped at only a few weeks old. His growth has been slow, but it's there.

Please understand that these are simply my experiences and how I feel about it. I'm sure that there are several people out there who will totally disagree with me here, but here goes...

I just nursed when my daughter wanted and watched for signs of developmental delays. I also watched her hydration very closely. To check this, you watch for tears when the baby cries and you can press on the heel of their foot and see how the pink/red coloring on the foot reacts. If it turns white when you press but back to pink/red within only a couple seconds, they are hydrated. Also, you can pinch the skin on their legs or arms and see what it does. If the skin stays in that pinched form when you let go, dehydration is a possibility. But, if the skin bounces back to normal, they most likely are not dehydrated.

Babies who are breastfed grow at different rates than babies who are fed by formula. So, a good place to check for growth in breastfed babies is www.kellymom.com and look for the growth charts.

The big concern with lack of growth/weight gain is developmental. So, I watch very carefully what my babies are doing and when. Neither of them have had any problems and have, in fact, have hit milestones a bit on the early side. So, watch your little one very closely to see what is going on in their little world.

Now, for breastfeeding suggestions. If you live in Indianapolis, I would HIGHLY recommend going to Community Hospital South for their breastfeeding support group. It is free and you do not have to be a patient of the Community Health Network. One of the Lactation Consultants who works there is named Terri. She is AWESOME. She has worked with me on breastfeeding issues with both of my kids. They do a pre- and post-feeding weight check to see how much Baby is eating at any given feeding. So, you could go one week and try just breastfeeding with the shield, go another week and try with the SNS and yet another week with just the breast itself. :) If you're interested in going sometime, let me know and I'll try to make it there too to offer some help/moral support.

Pumping is OK, but you need to keep in mind that nothing works as well as a baby to keep your supply up. I am glad to hear that you are using breastmilk to supplement. That's the best thing for your little one. I am also thrilled that you are using a SNS instead of a bottle. It makes it a more positive experience to have Baby at the breast while being supplemented. As for the shield, you should really only be using it for the first few minutes of a feeding and then taking it away. I would definitely give this a try if your baby is only taking the shield and not your breast. It could be a case of nipple confusion. I know it might sound bad, but sometimes I would wait a bit until I knew my baby was good and hungry and then getting them to latch was sometimes easier (because they're hungry enough to try to latch onto about anything they can get their mouths on, lol). That's not to say I make them starve by any means, please believe me, lol.

I know this is a lot of information all at once and can be overwhelming. So, please give yourself some time to adjust. Don't work yourself up into a frenzy. If you are worrying excessively, that can definitely affect your breastfeeding relationship with your baby. It can make your milk supply go down as well as make your baby frustrated because they can sense your feelings and react on them.

If you need any more help or just someone to talk to who has gone through all this more than once, please feel free to PM me and I'd be happy to give you my number or email address (whichever is more comfortable for you).

God bless,
A.

P.S. La Leche League is also another wonderful resource. There are people who can give you hands-on assistance if you need it as well as other resources such as books and phone consultation.

I had similar problems because my son was a preemie and the nicu teaches them to bottle feed. So I pumped for the first 8 months. I pumped every 2-3 hours. There is an herbal supplement you can take to help with milk production it's called Fenugreek and you can get it at GNC. That helped me make more milk for a while and then my ob gave me reglan. I was told long term pumping decreases your milk supply because there is contact with the baby. I felt that any breast milk that my son got for however long I was able to do it was worth my frustration. Good Luck!

I'm sure at this point you nerves are over worked, so maybe this option can help. When my daughter would go on her "strikes" as I called them the first thing I would do is wait about 5 minutes, then I would lie down with her beside me so that I was facing her, but she was on her back. I would let her give me cues that she was ready to eat. Because we were both so relaxed and calm she would take right too it. Give this option a try and see if your little one is willing to experience nursing without the shield. If he refuses, don't give up right away. He may refuse repeatedly, but finally give in seeing that you are all he has! If he takes too this, and he may, continue this routine in your usual "pumping session" slot. That way you have your normal routine for when he eats, and then this special "snuggle" time instead a pump-time. Everyone else will tell you the "frustrations" and lack of weight gain scream "bottle feed" but with a little determination and a few tears you'll get there.

Hi R.,

I am glad to hear that you are trying to make it work. I too had trouble with my son nursing. My daughter nursed like a champ from day one. I knew I it might not be the same with my son when he was born but it was bad. It took him until 3 weeks to regain his birth weight. I nursed and pumped and bottle fed to help him gain weight. It wasn't until he was 2 weeks old that I was told to try a shield and it worked. Keep it up and don't feel guilty about giving him a bottle. If he needs to have it to gain weight then that is okay. He is still little and I did not have any trouble stopping my son from the bottle. My boy is a healthy 18lbs at almost 6 months and still nurses with a shield. I figure it is a little hassle, but so worth it knowing he is getting the best there is for him. I know it is exausting doing all the work, but you will make it and so will he.

Good luck,
K.

I just wanted you to know that using the shield is not a bad thing. I used it for a year with my son, because I could not get him to latch on. I would check with you doctor on how to pump more, because I am unsure of how to do that. I hope it starts working out for you, because it is such a great thing for you and your baby.

Hello! Sorry to hear you are having trouble nursing. I have a 7 week old son and I nurse with the sheild everytime. I would try pumping every 2 hours or so because as I'm sure you know the more you pump the more milk you get. Plus since his mouth is your best pump you dont want your supply to go down even more. There is an organic tea you can buy at the health food store called Mothers Milk to help produce more milk. I bought it and my sister tried it too. It doesnt taste good so mix it with another tea. I tried a playtex pump but medela pumps are the best and worth the money! Good luck!

I totally understand what you are going through with nursing. I had the same prob. with my daughter not gaining wait. I had to use the SNS thing, too. I would recommend going back and using it again. That way he will be nursing and your body will respond by making more milk and you can make sure he is getting nutrition through the SNS tube. If you don't have enough pumped milk you could put formula in it. I had a strong commitment to not use formula, but we did have to use some for my baby's sake. My lactation nurse told me to pump right after my daughter nursed, while my body was already producing. I don't know if your baby is sleeping through the night, but that is a good time to pump. I always felt like I had a lot of milk first thing in the morning. When I was trying to build up my supply of pumped milk, I'd wake up a few hours before the baby and pump. By the time she'd wake up, I'd be ready to nurse. All of this is very time consuming, but I want to encourage you to hang in there. If you feel strongly about it like I did, then stick with it. Non-nursers will not understand and might try to talk you out of it. The trouble is worth it. I have no regrets!

I nursed my daughter with a nipple shield as well. She never would nurse without it, I think it is better to nurse with it, than to not nurse at all.

The more you nurse and pump, the more milk you will make. I would suggest pumping first thing in the morning before he wakes up, then breastfeed this will help trick your body into making more. Truly, I have had more luck producing milk breastfeeding than pumping. You should not pump alone or your supply is more likely to dwindle.

The trick is to still breastfeed even if you just pumped. Try giving him the bottle as an extra feeding during the day or at night when your body is producing less milk anyway, but always still breastfeed or pump also.

Good luck! I am sure that you are producing plenty of milk and he will start gaining soon!

I'm a true believer in Fenugreek. Just google it and read about it. I have used it with all four of my kids. It works great for increasing milk production. It's natural and has no side effects other than making your sweat smell like maple syrup (and, of course, upping milk production). It'll kick in the first day you start taking it. You can get it at any health foods store for about $9.

Eat 2 packets of oatmeal for breakfast every day and take Fenugreek capsules (2 capsules with each meal for 3-5 days). If these don't work, there is a prescription you can get to help. The problem with shields is that, unless you are pumping frequently and continuously, your milk supply will decrease because the breast can't be sufficiently stimulated.

Which support group did you go to? Community? Clarion? Have you gone to a La Leche meeting? PM me for more info! :)

My first son would not latch on till he was 4 months. I pumped and used a bottle exclusively for about 2 and then supplemented with formula and went straight formula at almost 6 months. Some babies are not made to latch on. Im sure you've heard skin on skin tons. When my son latched on it was at night, with both of us laying down. Of course we were really used to the bottle by this time and probably (4 years ago) did not try all day long either.... BUT keep trying. He should take your breast sometimes and eventually hopefully all the time.... It is TONS of patience and acceptance of the alternatives that will get you there.

Hi R.,
Like most nursing mothers, I feel your pain. I have had to pump and bottle feed before, and it is major work (although worth it). I pumped religiously every 3 hours during the day, and then just pumped when the baby got up at night. I did this for 3 months, and then we went to formula due to the amount of time pumping and feeding takes (I had another child to tend to as well). You don't want to mess around with a newborn not gaining adequate weight, so I would start the pumping and feeding like advised by the lactation consultant. Good luck, and if you eventually go to formula like I did, do not let anyone give you a hard time about it. All 3 of my children were eventually formula fed after a few months, and they have turned out just as bright and beautiful as any other child.

There are two really great websites with forums. www.kellymom.com and www.breastfeeding.com If you post this there, there are many moms who have been in your shoes and could offer great advice. www.breastfeeding.com also has free lacatation consultants on tuesdays and thursdays.

I hope things get better!

Hi R.,

Congrats on your baby and on wanting to keep nursing him! A few thoughts, hope they are not too repetitive...

If the SNS works, with your breast milk in it, great! Keep using it, maybe oftener than before--whenever he wants! that way he is stimulating your supply. Giving him a bottle won't stimulate your supply because he's not sucking at the breast.

Try pumping one breast while he is nursing at the other. A bit tricky, but he's still small enough you may be able to use the football hold on him at one breast while you pump one-handed on the other. Maybe your dh can help?

Go to a La Laeche League meeting and/or call a leader. 1-800-LA LECHE should get you the national office, and they can refer you to a leader near you. They are wonderful!

MAke sure you have a good pump, and if it uses batteries, that they are fresh. Not all pumps are created equal, and somtimes the vaccuum is not strong enough to efficiently pump, if something like a O-ring or another part is old. (Remember the baby is usually the best pump of all! ;-} Try to pump whenever you can.

Also when he is weighed, make sure you always have him wieghed on the same scale at the doctor's, and under the same conditions--clothed in same kind of outfit, dry diaper, shoes or not (just be consistent)--because you could have variables that could cause his weight to fluctuate by half a pound or more. If his weight went a galf pound in one direction one weigh-in, and half pound the other direction on the second weigh-in, that could give you a whole pound difference, that really isn't weight, just variables.

Katherine Dettweiler talked about that in a talk I heard, and she might discuss it in one of her books. Email me if it's confusing and I will try to explain further.

Good luck, keep nursing, it is worth it!

K. Z.

I can see that you got a lot of great advice, you are probably feeling a little overwealmed. I just wondered what brand of breast pump you have, because in addition to everything you are doing, it also helps to have a good quality breastpump, especially if you decide to pump and feed him from a bottle. I recommend the Medela Pump in Style, you may already have it, but if you don't, it is worth the money, I went back to work full time when my son was 8 weeks old, I had to pump at work to make sure I had a reserve supply for my husband to give him a bottle in the evening, and to keep my supply up, my Medela Pump in Style was a lifesaver for me, it helped me let down great, and I always got a lot of milk out. Another tip, pumping should never be painful, if it is, it's not you, it's the pump. I hope you have a good pump, and I admire you for hanging in there, especially with the extra difficulty of your son being tongue tied, keep up the good work! It is true what the other mothers are saying, it is not the worst thing if you have to suppliment in between sometimes, your baby is still getting some of your milk, which is great, and it will still be beneficial to him, good luck! Let me know how it turns out.

Hi R.,

In a similar situation, here's what my lactation consultant suggested:

1. Start with breastfeeding and a "teaser bottle" of pumped milk. Use the bottle when baby starts to have trouble with latch for about 5-10 sucks, then switch to the breast. When baby's latch starts slipping again, switch back to the bottle for more sucks, then return to the breast again. Continue this cycle for about 10 minutes or until baby starts acting tired.

2. Top baby off with remaining pumped milk. For us, that meant 1/2 to 1 ounce.

3. Pump for 10 minutes.

4. Don't allow baby to go longer than 3 hours from the beginning of one feeding to the beginning of the next. I had to wake mine for the majority of the feedings.

We did this for the first 2-3 weeks home from the hospital. Eventually, my little one's latch improved, and I stopped the teaser bottle. After a few more weeks, she was gaining weight and eating better, so I switched to on-demand feeding and eventually stopped pumping. By two months, she was consistently eating well, and by three months, she had a latch of steel :).

The lactation consultant also suggested only feeding her from one side at a time. Since I was pumping anyway, it didn't affect my supply.

Good luck! I know how frustrating and exhausting it is, especially when you have to wake a baby in the middle of the night to eat. Take care of yourself and sleep as much as possible to keep your spirits up.

Hi R.! I'm sorry to hear the trouble you are having. I nursed my three babies as well, and it's a little sad when you have nursing troubles or when they decide to wean themselves. If you are going to pump, I would certainly pump every three hours (or the same schedule he normally nurses), and use a hot wash cloth wrapped around your breast as your pump to help with the let down reflex. It helped me tremendously using the super hot washcloth while I was pumping. I got so much more milk, and you are more likely to get more of the hind milk from the heat of the washcloth opening up the mammary ducts. Maybe you could even nurse with the shield every other feeding so he is working your breast better to reach the hind milk, and to keep him used to nursing and keeping your supply as full as possible. But I highly recommend the washcloth as hot as you can tolerate it. I wish you all the luck!

Have you had your milk tested? Talk to your dr. About it. My
daughter could not breast feed her children. Her children lost
weight. She had to quit and give them formula.
CHILDREN ARE JUST AS HEALTHY ON FORMULA. MAKE SURE TO HOLD
YOUR BABY WHILE FEEDING THE BOTTLE - JUST LIKE NURSING. YOU
GET THE SAME CLOSENESS. BABIES ARE JUST AS HEALTHY ON FORMULA.

Don't know if I really have much advice. I just wanted to tell you I know what you are going through. My son will be 1 year this coming Wednesday. When he was born, he would not latch on. I too had to use a nipple shield the entire time I breastfed. I was so frustrated and miserable. I also had to use those patches that they use on burn victims. After every feeding, I would place the cool patches in my bra just to try to relieve the pain. Pumping was not a picnic either.

I wanted to nurse for a good while myself. Ultimately, I did not make it. My goal went from 3 months, to 6 weeks, finally down to 4 weeks. I just decided that it wasn't worth my being unhappy and ultimately the rest of my family being unhappy too. Once I made the decision to stop breastfeeding and switch to formula, it was wonderful. I was happy, the baby was happy, and he started giving me 8 hours at night! I was just proud to make it to 4 weeks. Luckily, they have come a long way with formula now, and it is very close to breast-milk.

I understand the benefits of breastfeeding, and I feel I gave my son all that I could. I am not saying you should give up. I just wanted to empathize with you. Good luck!

Hi R. :)

I would definitely pump and feed your little man from the bottle. I pumped for my daughter and gave her the bottle also. I rented a hospital grade electric pump (I went to "Discount Drug Mart" in Garfield Hts., Ohio). They rent out pumps for $50.00 a month. I would pump every 2 hours for 15-20 minutes. YOU HAVE TO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. I would then put it in the fridge or freezer if I had enough for the next day.

Best of luck to you! And congratulations on your baby boy!!!

This might help to increase your milk yield:

http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/?id=30&pid=79

You can get it at many health food stores.

Good luck!

Hi R.,
I'm not an expert with the SNS, but due to low milk supply and the strong desire to nurse my babies, I used a SNS with my first baby for 10 months, and with my second we're going 8 months strong. I have to fill the SNS with formula, but I know my babies still get my milk when nursing with it -- and it stimulates supply. My situation is different from yours, but I can speak to using the SNS. It allowed me to nurse both my babies. I worked with a super lactation consultant and we tried EVERYTHING but nothing brought my milk up to a full supply. It sounds like you've been given sound advice about pumping. I think the general rule is every 3 hrs. to keep up a full supply. To me, the bottom line seems like if you really want to nurse your baby, pumping your milk and putting it into the SNS and then nursing is your best option. Maybe as your baby gets older he'll get better at latching on. My second won't take a bottle, so I've had little choice other than to use the SNS with him -- and I'm glad he's so stubborn (most of the time) -- I love nursing him. Nursing with the SNS is now second nature. I know he's getting what he needs and he's growing well.