Can't believe this is happening again! (Barb?)

[Barb Glare]

Hi,
20 mins is just a guideline. Your baby is a bit older now - 7 weeks or so? he is probably a pretty efficient feeder and can empty a breast in no time. If he falls asleep a bit earlier than 20 mins take him off (put your little finger in the corner of his mouth and gently break the suction - his eyes will spring open and he'll suck like crazy - as though to say "please don't take me off" but do anyway. Burp him and change his nappy to wake him up a bit and then give him the other side - same - no more than 20 mins. It's probably more important that he gets more feeds, rather than longer feeds - most babies need at least 8 (even 12 or more is normal) If he still seems unsettled you could give him both sides again - often babies stay a bit more "interested" that way.
If you pump after the baby has fed it will stand to reason that he's finished most of it - so you won't get much then. If your baby is keen to feed it's usually not necessary to pump.
Glad you're feeling better - you've had a very hard week. Look after yourself.

[Jennifer13]

Not really, but you can always try putting him back on that side if he wakes within the three hours.

It doesn't sound like you need to be alarmed yet, hun, just monitor and put in place some ways of ensuring he's feeding adequately.

[Antheia]

Yeh i tickle his chin which makes him suck a bit but he still keeps his eyes closed lol.

[maz]

Honey I am so proud of you you are doing such a fantastic job!
Im so glad that the breast pump has arrived.
When I was at the RCH the lacto there told me to express an hour after a feed to help get my supply up and it worked a treat for me. I didnt have a great deal from expressing..maybe 30ml's at the most but after doing it 4 -5 times the day I had enough for a good night time feed were I could rest and let the nurse feed him.
He was 6 weeks old at this stage.
Please remember that in the morning your always going to have 'more' milk then later at night due to the feeding demands through the day.

Please start believing in yourself babe...you are doing such an awesome job

[Antheia]

My supply is deminishing rapidly because im so sick. I can barely function today so he's only had 3 BF, the rest formula.

I'm having a problem expressing from the right side. My nipple is a weird shape. Sort of half flat half not and its half the size of the left one which looks normal. So i can't express anything from it for some reason. Jackson also doesn't like that side as much as the other. But today from the left (normal) side i got 100mls in one sitting. Woo!

Now tell me, what colour is BM suppose to be? Is there any chance that i just do not have enough of the fatty milk? Because it honestly looked pretty much murky clear. Not really white at all. So could he maybe be getting enough but not putting on the weight because there isn't much fatty content?

I dunno. I think i'm clutching at starws here to continue to BF...

[onthefly]

Half flat nipple sounds like bad attachment maybe? It may be that that side's got a slower flow/lower volume on it, which would explain why your DS doesn't like it so much.
100ml is great!
Colour.... um, you know I can't remember exactly but it is watery looking and shouldn't be white.
I hope you can shake this bug off soon to you for working so hard

[Pretty Butterfly]

Babe, you can feed from one side if need be.. it can compensate for both!

Milk can all look different.. the best way to look at is after its been in the fridge.... once cold, does it seperate? Like a creamy on top, watery underneath? To mix again never shake, just gently swirl....
My milk has looked like water, lumpy and off, yellow and a touch greeny too!! Your milk changes as bub grows too.... but it is still perfect.

If you like, there is a medication you can take for your supply... after 36 hrs from having it I was back to like when my milk came in!! And it stayed for almost a year too... just a thought if it a path you would like... xoxoxo

[maz]

100ml's you go babe!!!!!!!
that is awesome stuff honey!!! bloody awesome!!!!

Ive still got some EBM in the freezer I cant part wiht and yep its murky looking. Take into consideration your on medication and not well either.

You are doing SO SO WELL!!! Look how far yourve come this last week!!

[Antheia]

Half flat nipple sounds like bad attachment maybe? It may be that that side's got a slower flow/lower volume on it, which would explain why your DS doesn't like it so much.
100ml is great!
Colour.... um, you know I can't remember exactly but it is watery looking and shouldn't be white.
I hope you can shake this bug off soon to you for working so hard

Marcellus, my nipple has always looked like that, so it's not bad attachment. He can attach pretty well to it considering. Its just harder to get a let down from that side. Sometimes he's ok with it sometimes it frustrates him.

Jodie, Do you mean motilium? I tried taking that with Orson but it never made a difference. I would give it another go but the only GP who is willing to give it to me is 45 minutes away from me now since ive moved. Everyone else just thinks im a crack head for suggesting it, saying theyve never heard of it increasing milk before and don't believe me.

Thanks Maz for the encouragement. *hugs*

[Pretty Butterfly]

What a shame babe.... Some say you can only take 40-60ml per day.. but the mothercare nurse line said 90ml per day was fine for Motilium, and thats the amount I needed....but like all things, it doesnt work for everyone...xoxox
You are doing a great job sweets, and have treid so so hard!! I hope things ease up sweets... xoxoxo

[onthefly]

Ok, maybe it's your slower side. My left is the same. Sounds like your lefty is doing well anyway.

motilium will only work if your problem is low prolactin levels, so perhaps that wasn't the issue before?

[Wonky]

Your doing a great job

Hope u feel better soon.

[MantaRay]

Hun, I would say that your supply is still ok. 100mls is a great amount to express. Also a full breast will have a lot of foremilk which is one reason why frequent feeding helps a baby gets lots of hind milk. Your milk sounds perfect hun and you are doing a great job. Illness doesn't affect supply in itself, but it can slow down let down, and also mums sometimes feed less often when they are not feeling well and that is what affects supply.

Be kind to yourself hun. You are feeding a newborn, with 3 older siblings and you are sick. That is a pretty huge deal hun and you are doing a fantastic job. Once you are feeling better it will hopefully get easier for you. Hang in there

[maz]

I wonder.....

have you got a nipple sheild babe? My SIL used them for the first 3 months due to inverted, large flat nipples.
It was a bit of a pain having to have them clean ect BUT she successfully BF him that was for 3 months until his mouth was big enough and now no more nipple sheild...normal nipple in mouth

[Antheia]

This just keeps getting worse. I'm getting sicker and just having a real hard time breastfeeding at all. I'm so tired (no sleep because i have a really bad cough) and run down. I have a massive migraine from the constant coughing. I cant concentrate on anything. I've tired expressing to keep my milk up but im only getting like 50mls a day now even though my boobs are busting. Jackson has 1 maybe 2 breastfeeds at the most a day at the moment. It's all i can manage. I don't want to give up! But i don't know what to do? I can see an end in sight. An end to my breastfeeding

Jackson on the otherhand is going well. Looks chubbier and is pooing more at least.

[Barb Glare]

Antheia,

You are making milk just fine. Just feed him, and feed him often. Take to your bed and breastfeed him. You are sick, but this won't impact on your milk supply. Not breastfeeding him will impact on your milk supply. Stop expressing and breastfeed him. Everything is hard when you are sick. You are having a really hard time at the moment, but thankfully it won't always be like this

[Antheia]

I can't go to bed. Laying down makes me cough worse and coughing upsets him so he wont feed anyway and my fevers are making him really hot and uncomfortable. Im not sure how to remedy that.

[Kmn]

can you take panadol or ibuprofen to help with the fever?? Both are safe for breastfeeding.
Stress really screws with your ability to express - much more than it does with your actual supply. So the more jackson sucks the better things will be. Put a towel between you and him to avoid overheating him if you have to - or try the patented minimal contact bf, where you find a lowish chair, put bub on a table, sit down and plonk the nipple in.

If you are having trouble breathing, some of the nasal sprays are also safe to use while feeding, as are some cough suppressants. See here: Breastfeeding and medications
for more info.