Great thanks Laranna, I'll speak with my GP tomorrow about it I'm going to get my Whooping cough shot. Yes I've spent quite a few nights already in tears about it. If I can just double my supply she can go on boob full time and I think that would be enough to get my supply done. Not so simple haha
MadB yes she is, RM IBCLC GradDipCHN so many letters after her name LOL. Yes my husband is home with me till feb and is very supportive. So long as I dont loose my mind. He just tells me not to worry we will deal with the cards we are delt... bless. I think I would have given up already if he hadn't been supporting me and encouraging me to continue.
Yeah I aim for 8 feeds a day, shes waking about every 3 hours or so at the moment and sometimes does 4 and a half over night, so it varies. I just feed her whenever she wants it pretty much.
I'll send her an email now about the supply line and medication. She wanted me to call next week for an update as well so we can keep working on it
Last edited by Lolpigs; November 16th, 2011 at 04:47 PM.
lolpigs- congrats on your baby! I had supply issues with my first two babies. I saw an LC also. She suggested switch feeding, ie, 10mins on one side of the breast then 10mins on the other, then 10mins on the other then another 10 on the other, so both sides of the breast twice. This did up my supply a bit but not enough for them to gain weight so we comped with formula also. If you want to chat (or meet up) pm me, happy to chat over a cuppa!
I demand feed this time also, she feeds roughly every 2 1/2 hours, was going to suggest to you, try feeding her like the others say give her a top up before she goes to sleep again, I do this with Miss A at night especially and it really settles her. Also I would wake her after 3 hours to feed her dont let her go longer than that as she needs more feeds my LC says 8-12 feeds for newborn is recommended.
My supply dipped at about 9 weeks but my circumstances were a bit different to yours. I went to the GP and asked for motilium. The first GP I saw hadn't heard of this as medication to increase BM supply so she had to consult with another. Then when she wrote out the script she wrote it out for 3 tablets a day. This was not enough for me and from my internet research was a lot less than recommended for BM supply. When my supply didn't increase I saw another GP and he increased my dose to 8 tablets a day, which is more like the recommended dose for BM supply. I then got perhaps about 200mls more milk a day. I've been on motilium for about 6 months now. so, just be aware that not all GPs understand the issues with BM supply and medication dosing. If you do some internet research there is a clinical practice guideline for the Royal Womens Hospital in Melbourne which talks about motilium and dosing. I used this when approaching the second GP...but I think he was more up with it than the first one. From what I read motilium is most successful with women who at one point had a good supply, but it certainly is worth a try and made a significant difference for me.
Hi there hun. Firstly well done for getting as far as you have its not an easy job doing feeding top ups and then expressing. Your story sounds quite a bit like mine didn't have the high BP but did have Cholestasis and had to have section at 38 weeks as bub wasn't engaged. We had desperate trouble getting my little man to suckle and this along with issues with pump when I came home meant that, to cut a long story short, my milk supply basically all but disappeared.
Both my LC and my doctor (who is also a LC) got me on the motillium which definitely helped boost my supply. I am pretty sure I started off on 6 tablets a day and gradully if you'll pardon the pun "weaned" down to 1 a day over time. TBH I probably could have stopped taking it way way earlier than I did but it was psychological at that stage lol! My LC also recommended switch feeding 10 mins on one side followed by 10 on the other as a means of stimulation. I was using nipple shields to help DS latch so the supply line wasn't an option for us but have certainly read quite a lot on here at the time that it works.
DS was quite a lazy feeder so we comped a combination of EBM and formula with me expressing like you after each feed. He was quite difficult to read as he would finish on the boob and give no indication that he was still hungry but would then drink the bottle when it was offered. Even the LC couldn't read him! I probably kept that up for 3 months and then decided that I was only going to offer him two top ups a day - one at the later afternoon feed and the other at the dream feed. And guess what - shortly after that he stopped taking any top up at night and would only take a small amt of top up if any in the afternoon. We went on to BF for just over 18 months.
You are doing a great job and you will get there really soon.
Last edited by Now we're 3; November 16th, 2011 at 09:04 PM.
Appreciate the support guys, makes it alot easier. Had a rough night
Has anyone had soreness around the nipple in the areola? I find it quite painful here when DD latches, my nipple is fine that isn't what is hurting though they are still sensitive from bad attachment in the first few days and having blisters (ouch!) and after a few sucks it stops hurting. I had the LC check my attachement which was good she said.. I've also noticed it gets swollen before a feed.
Now We're 3, sounds exactally like my DD. We have to put her on her tummy, change nappies the works to figure out if she is still hungry, otherwise she will just nap next to me after 10 mins on the boob but actually still be starving! At the moment the most she is doing is 15mins on a side before the flow stops, as does her sucking and she goes to sleep. I do compressions the whole time to help the flow now I know that it is slow. I do worry about nipple confusion but she needs to eat. If I don't hear from my LC from the email I will call and discuss a supply line.
I have hope that I can increase my supply. I will talk to my GP today about the medications.
Lolpigs it could be an attachment issue, or perhaps ducts not being emptied properly. Really hard to say over the internet. I know I get a bit lumpy and swollen around the areola if it's been longer between feeds. Another possibility is thrush - not uncommon if either of you have been on antibiotics.
If you press her palm gently and release (repeat movement) with your thumb, this aparently helps them with sucking. Keeping her awake will help her to get a good feed. Try rubbing her feet, her cheek, taking a sock off and on- movement of some sort usually helps them to keep awake enough to feed. Its a common problem- milk drunk
Hope you can sort out the pain. Suction is normally the best waY to increase supply- increased demand Its a nerve racking time, sound like you are doing well hun
Well, spoke with my GP who gave me the Motilium 3 tablets a day.
However now she is refusing the breast She was fussing and crying each time we went to feed, but first morning feed today she flat out refused. I tried everything I could think of to get her to latch and she just would not. I'm going to give it a break till this afternoon and pump in the meantime and try again after some skin to skin.
I have to wait until monday to talk to my LC, however I am thinking I might ask about Nipple shields. Now you mention it MadB she seems to slip alot on the breast even if I hold her perfectly still, and this might be causing my nipple issues. It might also be causing her frustration about not being able to feed, and possibly even my low supply but who knows. I also have really large breasts and she is quite small. Perhaps her mouth isn't big enough yet?
Has anyone had any success with these? I've heard so many conflicting things about them how bad they are but if it gets us going again I'll be happier. The pead did mention she didn't appear to be tounge tied at the inital check up in hospital but I do know she just does not want to open her mouth wide enough. 85% of the time she wont and we have to wait, and then she gets frustraed and cries but won't open her mouth still even with teasing. She does the same thing with the bottle. Could she just be lazy or have an issue? I have tried BLA however she gets to my nipple and the same thing happens tries to attach cries and gets frustrated
Thanks guys, rough night too with gas pains and being unsettled.
Last edited by Lolpigs; November 19th, 2011 at 09:29 AM.
Remember you can always call the ABA for support & advice also - 1800-686-2-686
You can try a shield, sometimes it helps to get help with sizing & getting them on. Also different mums find different shields work better for them (I tried avent & medela, and the medela ones were much better for me, for eg). There are also certain tricks that mums with large breasts find helpful - maybe ask here specifically, also the ABA can probably give you some tips to try.
Do you wear your baby at all? A sling or carrier can be extremely handy with a little baby. Also lying down in bed together to feed & rest - it's convenient multitasking. Just having some nice snuggle time without the pressure of trying to feed can help to overcome refusal sometimes.
At this stage it's most important to get milk in baby (even with intermediaries like bottles & nipple shields). Even if she's refusing and fussing now, doesn't mean you can't fix that later.
Thanks Madb, I did get her back on the breast for 5mins just now which was good. Used the C hold recommended by ABA which was alot easier seemed to help her get way more into her mouth. Small win!. Skin to skin time seems to trigger her to try to latch so I try to do that every feed.
She got a wet nappy every feed and did 2 dirty ones today so far, she seems to go a few days in between those atm but they are the right color and consitancy so I am happy. The LC weight her on wednesday and she has put on 125g so at least that is going well.
I dont have a carrier, but I try to spend alot of my time resting on the couch with her on me anyway, thanks to the C/S I just had I can't due huge amounts so that is nice time. She slept a few hours on me yesturday
I did send ABA an email and have been talking with one of the counsellors there about it. We will get there, just as well I have 12mths off
Thanks for the help guys.
Last edited by Lolpigs; November 19th, 2011 at 11:51 AM.
Oh good, she's doing well. Of course, with the c/s carrying will be tricky at first! They were very handy though, so you might want to consider investing in one for a little later. Very important that you're getting lots of rest too.
Skin-to-skin is definitely a trigger, you're right on the money there.
We just had a feed and no bottle! She just went to sleep afterwards after I popped her off becuase she was asleep and she just stayed asleep and has been asleep for awhile now.
Perhaps a corner turned? We are still having attachment issues, she is definatley slipping off the left side, I dont really know how to stop it. I might use under the arm that side and foot ball the other side and hopefully I will get some reprieve from these sore nipples >.<
Thanks for the support guys, even if we can cut down the comp feeding with the hops of weaning off it entirely I will be happy.
Edit: lol shes awake again little pest
Last edited by Lolpigs; November 19th, 2011 at 01:26 PM.
Have you tried feeding with you and her both lying on your sides - I found it far and away the easiest with a little floppy baby and boobs that were bigger than he was!
Glad you have sorted a few things. Try relax and just take it a feed at a time. Baby doesnt think- it didnt work last time so this time will be bad too- baby just goes YUM mummys milk Good on you for persisting you are doing so well
Wew we had a second feed and no bottle Shes sleeping again now. Took both sides and latching was better /dances
No I will try lying down next feed. Thanks for the suggestion
I will keep taking the medication and nursing tea just to make sure its not a fluke, perhaps my boobs are finally getting the Idea? I really can't believe it never thought it would happen. I haven't had to pump all afternoon becuase shes waking every 2 hours for a feed. I don't think I would need to keep pumping in between that do I? It is the first time in almost 2 weeks of not being chained to a pump and it has been really relaxing!
Last edited by Lolpigs; November 19th, 2011 at 04:09 PM.
Reply With Quote
Shes sleeping again now. Took both sides and latching was better /dances 
Bookmarks