Breastfeeding /Formula

Hi there first time mom. I breastfed my only son and also pumped. Depending on the babys weight she may need more. My son was 11 pounds so we actually started him on cereal at 4 months because the 24-40 oz I was leaving for the day was not enough. We eventually incorporated formula too. Soemthing that I loathed doing but later accepted. If after she breastfeeds she seems relaxed and doesn't cry then she is probably getting enough. I also drank a product called Mothers milk found at health food stores. It was recommended my pediatrician. Hope this helped you out.

trust the breast. She might be getting frustrated because she is still learning how to suck. It took my little guy about 5 weeks to really get it down. I did a bottle with breast milk once or twice a day also because that was what he did in the NICU. If you are pumping, you will get more and more each time you pump, sometimes it will be an ounce, sometimes two. I am now pumping 3-4 from each breast and he is 6 months. Trust that she is getting what she needs from you and you both will get the hang of it. Just relax, have someone massage your shoulders while you try to feed her. It will help the milk flow.

Try talking to a lactation consultant, they can see if the baby is latching on, etc. Also, don't doubt yourself if your baby is healthy--she is getting everything she needs from your breast milk! You just have to trust that. If she still seems hungry, then you probably just need to breastfeed her longer. If you are committed to breastfeeding, then don't give her a supplement (bottle) unless your doctor deems it necessary. I breastfed both of my sons for almost two years each, and did not ever supplement with formula. You just have to get used to it and *try* not to worry!

I don't know how old your baby is, but giving her a bottle too early could create nipple confusion also. And, I would just breastfeed her at night as well instead of a bottle...

It's hard! But it is worth it! Ask your doctor or call the hospital, I'm sure they both know of a good person you can talk to.

there should be a resource at your hospital you delevered they will weigh her before you feed and after you feed to see just how mmuch she is getting. they are a graeat resource when you need them if your hospital doesnt provide a breastfeeding clinic you could also try la leche league they can help give you some great advice

Breastfeeding isnt as easy as it seems! In the begining I did the same because I wasnt sure He was getting enough to eat! By the time my son was 3 months old I was pumping 4 oz every 3-4 hours and nursing in between times. My son is fine, 50% for height and weight. He is know 8 months old and nurses like an old pro!I dont even pump anymore! It just takes time and patients for both of you! Good luck!

It's best that you see a lactation consultant as soon as you can. I was in a similar situation, and Terena with Healthy Beginnings at North Suburban helped me through it. She was able to weigh my daughter before, during and after feeding to determine exactly how much milk she was able to get from sucking. She even provided me with information on how much my daughter should be getting and helped me to learn how to get my daughter to learn to suck a bit harder. I believe a session at Healthy Beginnings is about $25 or $35, but I feel that it could be well worth the money with the peace of mind that it can bring to know exactly how you're doing with the breastfeeding. Also, I switched to using the Breastflow bottle by The First Years which also helped my daughter to improve her sucking. The bottle is not BPA free, so I use the Avent Tempo Liners in the bottle which fits and doesn't cause any leakage. The reviews about this bottle are mixed, but I found that if you have your baby latch onto the bottle just like she does your breast she will have no problem getting milk from the bottle. The bottle forces the baby to suckle similar to breastfeeding. Again, try the lactation consultant. It'll be worth it. Good luck.

Breastfeeding can be very frustrating. It is the #1 choice for baby because of how good it is for them. It's what is natural and what was created to give them nutrition. Although, formula is a good substitute if breastfeeding does not work. In order for you to make breastmilk, your breasts need to be stimulated through sucking, so if you're not pumping or she is not eating during the night, your breasts aren't getting that stimulation and don't think milk is needed, so that might be why you're producing a small amount of milk. Also, babies are better equipped to get the milk out rather than a pump, so baby might be getting more milk when she nurses than you are able to get out when you pump. I don't know how old your babe is, but I don't think it's too late to build up your milk supply or get help. You could call a lactation consultant (they normally have one available through the hospital or you can contact the la leche league) and get some help with her latching on. It does take time and patience for both of you to get the hang of this new skill. Oh and there really isn't any way to know how much breastmilk baby is getting. There is no way to measure, but if she is latching on, sucking, swallowing, and then having wet and poopy diapers, then you know she is getting breastmilk. They say just to feed "on demand" every few hours. Good luck and let me know if I can help any more! Being a new mom can be overwhelming.

It takes a little while to get the hang of breastfeeding. Not sure how old your little one is but with my 1st, the first 6 weeks were AWFUL. I was determined to not give up, but that was a loooong 6 weeks. Once we got sorted out everything was fine and my son nursed for 2 years.

With 2nd son, it still took a while to get comfortable with it, but it was never as bad as it was the first time.

One thing I didn't see mentioned in any of the other responses is that it's also possible to produce too much milk... and the way your baby will act is very much like what they'll do if there's not enough. Frustration and all. Fast let-down will also cause your baby to act frustrated or agitated. A good lactation consultant should be able to help you figure out what's going on. And here are a couple of links that helped me:
http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.php?option=com_content&...
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/oversupply.html

Good luck!

First I would like to say congratulations on your new baby and for deciding to breastfeed. It can be hard at first, especially when you are doing it for the first time. I would strongly recommend seeing a lactation consultant. You should be able to find one through the hospital where you gave birth or maybe through you OB/GYN. If you can't find anything there, try this directory: http://www.breastfeeding.com/directory/lcdirectory.html
LCs can help you with breastfeeding basics and make sure that you are getting a good latch. I would also strongly recommend ditching the formula. Every time you give formula instead of the breast it tells your body to make less milk. The more you nurse the more milk you make. I think that for most moms (including myself) the hardest part is being uncertain if your baby is getting enough milk. I think that we all tend to doubt ourselves and I believe that is why many moms quit breastfeeding and switch to formula. Here is a chart that I copied from kellymom.com:

IS BABY GETTING ENOUGH? -- QUICK REFERENCE CARD
~~~ BIRTH to 6 WEEKS ~~~

WEIGHT GAIN:
If baby is gaining well on mom’s milk alone, then baby is getting enough. A 5-7% weight loss during the first 3-4 days after birth is normal. Baby should regain birth weight by 2 weeks. Once mom’s milk comes in, average weight gain is 6 oz/week. If these goals are not met, call your lactation consultant. More on weight gain.

WET DIAPERS: 5 - 6+ sopping wet diapers per day (after 1st week).
Expect one wet diaper on day one, increasing to 5-6 by one week. To feel what a sufficiently wet diaper is like, pour 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of water into a clean diaper (if baby wets more often, then the amount of urine per diaper may be less). Urine should be pale and mild smelling.

DIRTY DIAPERS: 3 – 4+ dirty diapers per day (after day 4).
Stools should be yellow (no meconium) by day 5 and the size of a US quarter (2.5 cm) or larger. The normal stool of a breastfed baby is usually yellow and is loose (soft to watery, may be seedy or curdy). More on infant stooling.

OTHER POSITIVE SIGNS: After a feeding, mom’s breast feels softer and baby seems reasonably content. Baby is alert, active and meeting developmental milestones.
____________________________________________________________

I would also check out La Leche League's website (http://www.llli.org). They have tons of information including a great forum and info about local meetings. Local meetings are a great resource for meeting other breastfeeding moms and getting breastfeeding help.
Keep up the good work. Breastfeeding can be challenging sometimes but you are doing what is best for your baby!

See a lactation specialist. Your body will make milk for what is being taken. So if you are supplementing with formula, then your body won't make as much breast milk. How old is your baby? Breastfeeding does not come naturally for neither mom nor baby. You both need to learn how to do it. A lactation specialist can help you with different positions and helping your baby latch on. I supplemented with formula at night when my sons were older. But not right after breastfeeding. It was at the end of the day when my supply was tapped out. If you're concerned about how much your baby is getting and/or how much you are producing --- weigh your baby before and after you breastfeed. Good luck.

You have already gotten a lot of good advice from the other posts. I agree that you should see a lactation consultant. I am on my third child and thought that I didnt need any help from a consultant but was pushed into a breastfeeding class by one of the nurses during my hospital stay- and am soo glad I went! I learned quite a few things I never knew before, and it made breasfeeding this new little one a lot easier.

Also just remember that practice makes perfect. My baby is just 2 months old and it honestly took about 1 1/2 months before I felt that I completely had it down. You will probably find that it gets easier with each week.

You can check with your doc to make sure your baby is gaining enough weightand whether you really need to supplement. I know there are a lot of people out there who cant produce enough milk, however your body is amazing in its capabilities to adjust milk production according to your baby's needs, so my bet is that if you stick with only breasfeeding for the next few weeks, and feed your baby whenever she seems hungry (not according to the clock) that pretty soon your body will be making enough milk to keep her happy and healthy, if it isnt already.

Maybe she is not latching on correctly. Work with her on that. Breast milk is demand and supple so the more she nurses the better your milk supply will be and more milk she will get when she nurses. If she is having regular wet diapers then she is getting enough. I am a grandmother but I did breast feed and my daughters also and we had great success with it.

i'm no expert, but if you're able to pump more during the day, than i think it's a problem of her not opening wide enough to drink what she needs. make sure you're using the bottles with the wide nipples. it helps teach them to open wider. you can gently push the bottle farther into her mouth to force it open. i found it easier than trying to open their mouths wider while nursing. that just made them frustrated.

With breastfeeding issues I always recommend going to see a lactation consultant. They are wonderful, knowledgeable women who can give you the right answers and the best support. Any cost you incur by going is still definitely cheaper than formula and you and your baby will be better for it. Good luck and best wishes!

Hi there,

I have an 18 month old and breast feeding did not go well for us. The biggest problem was I stressed my self out over it. Do not beat yourself up or let anyone tell you that you are less of a mother. We had a breast feeding clinic at the hospital where I live. They would weigh my son before feeding and after feeding on each breast. He was getting enough by their calculations but still acting hungary. I was so frustrated and down on myself. Once my wonderful husband convinced me to supplement more, especially at night, the pressure began to be relieved. We both started sleeping better and breast feeding actually got easier. We eventually went to full formula for other reasons. He has one small cold in his 18 months... so, go figure. Formula did not hurt my son. Good luck and hang in there. Trust yoru instincts and remember to sleep!!!!!!!!

I breastfed both of my children and gave them supplement formula after about 2 months. Each child is different and has different growing stages and needs. A Baby doesn´t know what bulging is so let the baby drink until you feel it´s satisfied. As long as the baby is not losing wait and growing it´s getting enough! If you´re still unsure buy a babyscale and weigh the baby before and after you breastfeed then you´ll know how much the baby drank, they´re pretty accurate! My son got kranky after a while and the doctors didnt help at all, he wasn´t sleeping through like he use to so i just went to the next stage of suppliment milk, it worked! Sometimes you just have to go with your instinct!!

If you would like more info about what I went through, feel free to message me.

First however, if you have a dr you like and trust, I would direct you to him/her. They would probably want you to bring your child in to weigh her...if she is gaining weight, chances are she is eating enough.

One other thing: sometimes females can't breastfeed for what ever reasons, that's ok. I tried very hard for 3-mo while having to supplement with formula and visit the dr every 1-2 wk for my daughters weight...it was a rollercoaster. I had other parents telling me I wasn't caring enough about my child or that I wasn't trying hard enough. As a first time mom I felt horrible and finally told the dr how guilty I felt.

Much to my surprise, the dr told me not to worry and listed the reasons why it wasn't able to work, but commended me for my trying.

I would always just make sure to breastfeed first, then top her off with formula if you feel like she needs it.

Good god that is a loaded question! There is soo much advice. Have you seen a lactation consultant? They could really help you out! Also Mother's guide to Nursing is great too! Try those!

Try nursing then keeping her upright and burping her for 20 min. then offer her the same side again. It'll let the milk settle in her tiny tummy so she can get more, and get any air out that is making her pull off.

I did breastfeeding and supplemented with formula. During the day I would only breastfeed every three hours, 15 min on each breast. Then at night I would give her 1-3 oz of formula (she liked the enfamil the best) every 3-4 hrs, depending on how hungry she was. I loved doing both but eventually she stopped wanted the breast because she got to lazy. See the bottle just drips food into their mouth and the breast they have to work for every drop of food, so she got lazy and only wanted the bottle. That is the only con about doing both that I had because I didn't get to breast feed as long as I wanted to. As far as a certain amount of breastmilk you really can't measure how much they get from the breast. That's why I would feed her total of about 30 min. and every three hours sometimes sooner but your baby will tell you if they need more time on your breast by how fast they need food again. Just trust your instincts if you feel your baby is still hungry your probably right. Good luck!

Sweetie, first of all, don't be discouraged. The first time around is always the toughest. The more bottles you give baby the less they will be inclined to nurse. Nursing is hard work compared to a bottle. If you have a baby scale, to find out how much breastmilk baby is getting at a feeding all you need to do is weigh baby before you start nursing and then again after you are done. This will give you a fairly accurate idea of how much baby is getting in each feeding. You will produce milk in direct relation to how much baby nurses. Nature set it up that way to ensure baby would have a plentiful supply. Generally after the first few weeks you can figure baby should be getting around six ounces. The other aspect of nursing vs. bottle feeding is that breastfed babies usually want to nurse about every 3 hours but it is really important that you let the baby set the schedule. Trying to put a breastfed baby on a schedule can really screw up the milk production. So my best advise to you is to relax with baby, curl up in your favorite chair, and let baby nurse. Enjoy this time of bonding and loving! Good luck to you!

She could be getting nipple confusion. It is easier to suck out of a bottle than a human breast (I have heard), so maybe just stick to nursing. My son sleeps with me so when he's hungry I just roll over and nurse him on my side.

If she's still sucking on your breast either she's getting something or she's not hungry and just using you as a pacifier.

Also, the healthier you eat, the less preservatives, sugar, etc. the easier it will be to maintain your milk supply.

I was very unsure with my first son, right out of the womb I nursed him for 45 minutes straight. I am still not sure what he got, lol, but I was nervous about my supply because I am skinny and small chested, but I found if I ate and drank enough that I always had plenty.

Your baby will let your body know how much milk to produce, from how much she nursed the day before. Sometimes it will be more, such as just before and during a growth spurt.

Well, I hope that helps!

I breast feed my baby for the full year and have many friends who have done the same, did both (formula & breastfeed) and some who chose to do formula and here is what i have found. Breast feed babies can be more or less hungry depending on the day so it's best to just feed on demand. Many books say don't even look at the clock just feed when baby seems hungry. Most days my daughter would eat every 2 to 3 hours but i remember somedays just nursing her around the clock like every hour to hour and a half. I reason you should nurse on demand is because you don't know how much your baby is getting but as long as you offer it she will eat if she is hungry and remember that as she gets older she won't always need to eat so much. She will be able to go longer. The only problem with doing both (breast and formula is that most babies (not all) but most will end up choosing the formula over the breast because sucking on a bottle is easier than sucking on the breast. So if you want to breast feed for a long time you might want to stop giving the formula and just nurse more often. But it's up to you and your doc. to decide whats best for you and your little one.

Congrats on you new daughter. Call the hospital where you delivered, they should have a lactation specialist. If not call the La Leche League. I would stop giving her a bottle until your milk and latching are well established. She might be getting confused, especially if you are using a smaller nipple with the bottle. She really needs to open her mouth much wider with your breast. Since you have been pumping, you know you have milk. But, this could also be taking away the milk supply that she need now to get started in the beginning. I don't know how old your daughter is, so I am assuming she is a new born. She should be eating more often then a formula feed baby, around 10-12 times around the clock. If you are eating well and drinking frequently, your milk supply will be fine. Also rest! Put your feet up or lie down to nurse, you'll get a little rest while you nurse. Good luck and keep trust your breasts!

I was unable to pump for my daughter. I did not have a problem producing enough breastmilk even without pumping. However, once I started back to work we began supplementing with formula at least once a night and during the day when she was with anyone other than me. My daughter is 5 now and she has never had a major illness and she has always been in the 100% range in height and weight. Definitely trust in your body to be able to provide what your child needs but do not be afraid to supplement with formula as well (I think we have seen a backlash against formula now that breast feeding is more acceptible to society but using formula does not make you a bad Mom). While formula cannot provide some of the antibodies that breast milk can, it is available to us so that we can provide the nutrition that our children need in order to grow healthy and strong. What the other women have said in their responses is good advice-the more you use your breasts to produce milk then the more milk your breasts will produce. It seems frustrating and overwhelming when your new to it but it really does get easier with time. Whatever your choice you are doing a great job at being a Mom. Don't forget that!

This is a hard one! I finally feel like I have breastfeeding down, and I am on my third baby.
I was always told that the baby on the breast is far more effective than the pump, so don't be too alarmed if when you pump there are only 1-3 ounces. I was also told that a breastfed baby doesn't drink as much per ounce as a formula-fed baby, thus you are nursing more often that you would be giving a bottle. My little one goes on "snacking" spurts...she'll nurse for five minutes, then again in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Time consuming, yes, but I've finally felt that it's worth it, and I enjoy it!
My best advice is to not give up. If you feel like you're supply isn't sufficient, try Fenugreek. I take 2 tablets in the morning and 2 at night, but you can take it three times a day. Nurse frequently, and if the baby becomes frustrated, maybe take a little break and try again in 15-30 minutes. Drink lots of water. Most of all, try hard not to become frustrated! It is hard, but so well worth it and good for baby!
Good luck!!!

Hi! How much milk you should be getting depends a bit on how old your daughter is: your milk supply increases according to demand, so the more she eats the more milk your body will know to make; if your daughter is very young and only eating a little bit, your milk supply won't be huge, but will increase as she gets older and eats more. If your daughter is thriving (gaining weight and eating regularly), then I wouldn't worry too much. I would strongly encourage you to contact La Leche League or your local hospital and talk to a lactation consultant; I used them with my daughter and they were such a HUGE help.
Good luck, and don't give up--you can do it!! :)