My daughter is 7mo, my third. To give you a bit of background I have never previously bf past 3 months die to loss of supply. This time I've made it to 7 months!!
I'm proud of myself....but I feel like my milk is **** I have struggled with my left boob supply with all the kids, righty is the champion. Now my left boob has completely dried up it got to the point where dd just refused to take it.
And I'm worried about dd's weight gain. She was 2.98kg born, she's now 6.33. In an entire month she only gained 180g. She's dropping in her weight chart- no consistent steady growth line.
So i started her on solids at 5 months hoping that would help- it hasn't. Unless that's the only thing making her gain weight. She has refused bottles and dummies from day dot (I tried to supplement her from 4 months) and she deadset wont. I feel like I'm failing...and I don't know where to go from here except back to the doctor
You're doing a great job feeding your bub so please go easy on yourself.
Remember solids can make a baby feed less at the breast so make sure you offer breast first then solids. You need to keep bub feeding as often as possible.
Do you feed through the night? My supply is always best when I feed regularly including through the night.
Your left side prob has a slow let down rather than no milk so why don't you try doing the 'swap start' by starting on left, then switching to right when bub gets antsy, then switch back to left when you get a let down. I had to do that with my left side and ds because he was so impatient!
Remember to drink lots of water and just keep feeding. Milk doesn't just dry up, but babies do get impatient or start replacing feeds or start sleeping longer at night. You're doing a great job.
Oh Yas I hear ya!
My DD is 3 months and it had been HARD work getting to here.
I see why it can be given up.
I have learnt that during growth spurts DD is fussier. I too have a great left side and weaker right.
I'm currently recovering from gastro, which I thought for sure will effect my supply. DD is also going through a leap (wonder week) so it a clash at the mo.
BUT never doubt your supply.
The stress decreased it. Lots of water and I have found when I nap its better.
I haven't started solids yet, but have had to formula top up say once a fortnight.
My afternoon supply seems to drop and depending on lil miss, she will refuse to feed.
It's hard, but never doubt it.
it’s strange what our “inner talk” can do to us. When I saw your post my first thought was “Thank god she’s breastfeeding” Oddly in this society where every day brings a new news story about the epidemic of obesity and diabetes - we spend all our time pressuring mothers to overfeed their babies and then spend the rest of their lives trying to slim them down. You are learning what generations of mothers have learnt before you - you can’t force a child to eat! (but thankfully, no healthy child starved themselves in the presence of food!)
Have you spoken to your doctor or health nurse - what do they say? On the face of it things don’t seem too far off track - you would normally expect babies to double their birthweight by 6 mnths and she looks to have done that. How often does she feed in 24 hours? Keep offering both boobs at a feed - you can spark that old girl back into action!) What kind of solids does she have? And how many meals per day? By this age they can have anything that the family eats - and should be having meat, cereals (not baby cereals, real cereals) vegies etc. And lastly, any history of allergies in the family? Asthma? Eczema? Does she have cradle cap? Does she have eczema? What about your other kids?
It's always a worry when babies don't do what we expect them to
She's dropping on the charts, have you checked her against the WHO charts at all? She is still gaining weight, right? And how is she otherwise? No medical/health issues? Hitting milestones and otherwise ok?
There's a great book on feeding called "My child won't eat" by Carlos Gonzales. If you can get your hands on a copy of it I highly recommend it and you may find it rings some bells for you.
Breast milk offers way more calories and better source of nutrition than anything else at this age, so if she's gaining it's because of that, not the solids You're doing great, your baby most likely is just slowing down her growth - which is totally normal - and following her own curve.
If you're worried, you can talk to a doctor about how she's going or to look for other issues if you have concerns.
I second the WHO charts. Both my kids have declined on the conventional charts. First didn't double her birthweight til 7 months, second has just gone 9 months and still hasn't. But on the WHO charts, designed for normal breastfed babies, they're both pretty much okay. If you're worried about supply, then feed feed feed. Keep offering it, especially through the night, if she asks.
It's worth noting that around this time your supply may go through a "settling down" phase, where it's so perfectly attuned to your baby's needs that you breasts feel softer and it's hard to express. Fear not, the milk is still there. But your production has become much more efficient.
Thanks girls, I will definitely check out the WHO charts. And thanks for the xx
Barb- thanks I am proud of myself for breast feeding, it's been hard but we've done it! She has 2-3 solid meals a day- anything and everything. She's not having cereals yet, but she hates it so she probably won't anytime soon. I'm trying to shove protein in her as much as possible.
She does have a bit of cradle cap but that's it. No family allergies apart from my latex allergy, and her brother's suspected allergy to amoxil.
On a good note I managed to squeeze a few drops of milk out of lefty this morning!!! She's sick ATM (blocked nose and cough) so trying to get her onto the left side is even more challenging than it normally is.
Ill just keep persevering...or as dory says 'just keep swimming. Just keep swimming'
By this age she can have 3 meals and 2 snacks. protein in good - and she can have a good dollop of fat or oil with that - butter, olive oil etc. If no cow milk allergy, she can have yogurt, cheese, custard etc. And if no egg allergy in the family she can have egg. By cereal I mean things like rice, barley, oats, lentils (well, not too many lentils - could be a bit too much fibre) There are often good in stews and casseroles. The slow cooker is often a boon. Babies want food that tastes good too!
You are doing great - as you say keep at it.
Is it my milk? Supply? Help!!!
I have struggled with my left boob supply with all the kids, righty is the champion. Now my left boob has completely dried up 
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You're doing great, your baby most likely is just slowing down her growth - which is totally normal - and following her own curve.
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