Breastfeeding Questions ...

I had the same problem and I worked closely with a lactation consultant. When I wasn't feeding, I had to pump, took Mother's milk, etc. I had to supplement because even after all of that my normally unfussy baby was not getting enough milk from me! Definitely be in touch with a lactation consultant they are so helpful. I just had to realize with myself that I was doing everything possible to get the full milk supply which i don't think ever fully happened for one reason or another, but I don't believe it was b/c I supplemented.
I also used Nestle Good Start Formula, my baby boy never got sick in his first year of life and is healthy and happy at 15 months.

Just wondering... why do you feel the need to supplement with formula? I dont see any need for it??

Hi M.,

I had the same problem, but I wasn't supplementing with formula. Is there a reason that you are supplementing? My problem started when I went back on a low dosage of birth control. Once I stopped taking the pill my milk supply re-established itself. I also took an herbal supplement - More Milk Plus. You can find this at motherlove.com or your local health food store may have it or something similar. I also pumped every morning. My son would usually eat on one side and go back to sleep, so I'd pump the other. My husband would usually give this milk to him in a bottle in the evening so I could get some rest or I would freeze it for future use. Good luck!!

it is all supply and demand. pumping after nursing is a good way to increase your supply. also fenugrek is a good supplement to take. good luck! oh, and the feeling of guilt is normal. you want to provied for your baby the best you can. you are doing your best and if you have to supplement with formula so be it. it is not the end of the world and your baby is still getting your milk too. good job!

M., I think everyone lost sight of your original question, which is "is this feeling normal." And, yes, the feeling is normal. At about 8 weeks postpartum, your body will have adjusted to lactation and you will no longer feel the fullness you used to when it comes time to nurse. You also won't feel the tingly rush that accompanies let-down as strongly. You'll still get it once in a while, especially if you're away from the baby for a while and miss a few nursing sessions, but it'll be more subtle. Your body is adjusting to your baby's needs and now has a pretty good idea of what it needs to make and is used to the amount it needs to make, so therefore no more over-full feeling. As your baby gets bigger and increases her demand by sucking for longer periods, you're body will adjust by making more. Your body replaces whatever she nurses out, so the more she nurses, the more your body makes. But you won't feel any difference now that your body has adjusted to lactation. You'll know you are making enough milk simply by if your daughter still nurses. She won't suck unless something is coming out, so as long as she is sucking, she is getting milk. Other posters are right, though, you need to drink plenty of water (or any non-caffeinated, non-carbonated clear liquid, like juice, too). Otherwise, your body won't be able to keep up as quickly with demand and your daughter will turn to the formala more and more to feel satisfied, and instead of supplementing, you'll find the formula is becoming her main source of food and your milk is simply supplementing (and I know women who did that, too. Nothin' wrong with it.). As for whether to supplement or not, that's up to you and your family and there's nothing wrong with it. I worked with a lactation center as part of my nursing school and they were so hard core about that. Sounds to me like you are an excellent mom doing an excellent job. Take care and congrats! S.

Easy fix...just let your daughter nurse whenever she is hungry and don't give her any formula from a bottle. Your breasts are responding to the amount of time she spends nursing. If you can't let her do the extra nursing, buy a breast pump and pump the milk. In the begining it can be hard work, hard to "let down", but it is another way to increase your milk production. You can freeze the milk to use when you aren't home to nurse your daughter. A lacatation nurse could be helpful to you to provide more individual guidance.

Congratulations on your daughters birth and Good Luck!

Your breast milk is not gone!!!! It is normal to not "feel" your milk come in. I have never felt my milk come in. You must understand that breast milk is produced because of demand. The fact that you are supplementing most likely has something to do with a low supply. So the question is why are you supplementing? And can you stop? Your milk supply will increase if you continue to nurse. I recomend you contact your local La Leche League for help. The La Leche League was formed to help women who WANT to breastfeed their babies. The second question is do you want to continue? I think you should think long and hard about that before you quit. And please if you choose to stop breastfeeding your baby, don't tell peolpe your milk dried up. This is just misinformation it is very rare that milk just goes away. There is lots of breastfeeding support out there if you just look for it and a lot of good information on how nursing works. Some great resources include: kellymom.com,lalecheleague.org, drsears.com. However, if nursing just isn't for you this does not make you a poor mother I am sure you love your baby just as much as any breastfeeding mom. You don't need to make up excuses. You will be doing an injustice to yourself and all other women that want to breastfeed if you tell people you weren't able to nurse or couldn't make enough milk. This is just not the case...unless you have a medical condition that does effect your milk supply.
I hope you choose to continue to nurse your baby it is so important and I hope you stop feeding your baby the formula, so your milk supply can increase. Good luck to you.

S.
Fisrt time mom to a still nursing 15 mos old.

Pump and nurse as much as you can. your boobs will get the message.

it is because you are supplementing,your body will produce as much milk as the baby needs so if your not nursing the whole time you wont be producing as much...you have to either nurse regularly or pump when your not nusring.

Just because you don't feel the milk coming down doesn't mean it isn't there. I have never felt the milk letting down, and many women never do, but my son has gained almost 6lbs in 3 months, so he's obviously getting enough to eat. Also you can tell by the number of wet diapers the baby has in a dsy.

A sure-fire way to get your supply to decrease, though, is to supplement. Breastfeeding is a demand and supply system, meaning that if your baby eats at 2pm today, your body will be ready with milk at 2pm tomorrow, in anticipation of that feeding. If you decrease the time at the breast, the milk supply will decrease too. Also, many babies will readily suck down a bottle after being fed at the breast, even if they're full, because of the strong sucking reflex/urge.

I would urge you to get in touch with a lactation consultant to get help with this! Breastmilk is the best thing you can give your baby, and you probably don't need the added expense of formula - who does in these times?!

Good luck to you!

Another way to increase milk production is to make sure you are getting enough fluids, and add oatmeal to your diet, in any form (instant oatmeal, oatmeal cookies, etc.).

When my son was a baby, I ended up having to pump up to 32 oz at work during the day in order to feed him strictly breastmilk, and when we were first establishing breastfeeding, he was nursing every hour. I'm one of those who is very anti-formula, so for me, adding formula wasn't an option and I just worked on increasing my supply. Drinking water throughout the day and adding oatmeal really did the trick. Plus with him constantly nursing, he worked up my supply. I successfully nursed both kids exclusively - my son up to 20 months, and my daughter 13 months.

Is there a reason you're giving 2 ounces of formula at every feeding as opposed to letting your body give those extra 2 ounces? If you want to increase your supply you must have the demand for it. By giving your baby formula you are basically sabotaging your efforts.
Also, I'd skip Nestle since they have some underhanded practices in other countries. But that's just a personal preference of mine.
Oh by the way, I don't always feel the let down effect at each feeding. But I know my son eats enough because he is rarely fussy.

Breastmilk is a supply and demand thing. You are giving her formula so she isn't really nursing, so your body is stopping milk production. If she is drinking 2 oz of formula, she really isn't getting much breast milk... 2 oz is about all 7 week old takes at any one feeding. If you want your milk to stay... stop supplementing with formula!!! Baring a medical concern there is no reason a 7 week old needs anything other than breast milk. If you want to give her a bottle for convenience fill it with breastmilk that you have pumped.

My suggestion is to transition her back to breast milk if you plan to continue nursing. To get your supply up you will probably need to start pumpuing between feedings to teach your body to start producing again.

Call a lactation consultant to get some help with this. They have them at Kaiser and Sutter for patients. If you don't go either place, call and get a referal to somewhere else.

HTH
T.

If you supplement the breastmilk, this will affect your supply because your baby is signaling to your body that she doesn't need as much because she's also getting the formula. Try taking lots of capsules of More Milk Plus, which worked really well for me. You could also try pumping for a few minutes after some feedings and/or in between feedings to signal to your body that it needs to produce more.

I don't think you would need to put in this extra effort for more than a few days, and it will be worth it in the end!

I don't know if there is a reason you are giving formula too, but as long as you feed on demand and not supplement your supply should be fine. Best of luck!

Please do NOT listen to the people who are telling you not to supplement without knowing your situation. When my twins were 1 month old, we were all sick and having a hard time with breastfeeding. We called a helpline who shrieked at us for even thinking about feeding them formula (we hadn't done it, we'd only thought about it!) We made the mistake of listening to them, and fortunately had a regular check up scheduled for a few days later. At that check up, the doctor considered hospitalizing both babies because they were so severely dehydrated! Talk about feeling guilty! We started supplementing with formula, and I was able to keep breastfeeding for some time.

M.,
My suggestions to help produce more milk would be to pump 1 hour after every feeding. This will make your body think you are using more therefore you will produce more. It is all about supply and demand. Feed off of both breast for each feeding also.

Their is an all natural herb for supplementing breastmilk production that you can buy at a health food storr. I never had to use it but do know 3 people who have and have sworn by it. It is called Fenugreek and you can also purchase and read up on it online. If you start smelling like maple syrup then your taking enough(usually 5 tablets a day). If your not smelling sweet yet, then up your dosage. It is safe and it totally works. Use this though with the extra pumping and extra feedings. It will take your body a good 4-5 days to catch up and realize your needing more, so don't give up and stick with it. It is sooo rewarding at the end.
Need anymore nursing advice, please let me know. Trish

I can imagine that you are feeling anxious about losing your milk. If it isn't totally gone, there are some things you can do. I would suggest stopping the supplement of formula unless there is a medical reason to supplement. That may be why your milk is slowing down. Your baby is getting the formula and is not having to try to get more milk, therefore your body is adjusting to that by slowing or stopping. You have to nurse a certain amount of time to make a certain amount of milk. Nature is brilliant at the supply and demand process and supply and demand is exactly how your body knows how much milk to produce. Your baby doesn't need formula if you feed her breastmilk only, especially if she's young. I suggest you read "So That's What They're For" a great book about breastfeeding. It's funny but wise, and it might help you gain some new perspective. Good luck feeding your little one!
By the way, don't feel guilty, we all have to figure it out!
B.

I had a similar situation. This is what I did but I would definately call a lactation nurse and meet with her immediately for support and advice. They lmow way more than doctors do about this topic! My son's pediatrician had a Lactation nurse who is awesome and the hospital where i delivered did as well. I made up my mind that I wanted to breast feed and my milk hadn't been in great supply so they had me supplement. I stopped the supplement one weekend and every time he cried I put him to the breast. By the end of the weekend we were on track. In addition to that drink lots of water and of course don't forget to eat and get some sleep when your baby sleeps. Get in a comfortable chair when nursing. You can also try Fenugreek as an herbal supplement but consult the lactation nurse. Most of all know that you CAN do this!!!! :-)

When my milk production slowed/stopped, I was told to drink a lot of water and pump. I did both and it came back. Then I just drank a lot of water and it kept coming. Some doctors tell their patients to drink a large glass of water when they nurse as a way to remember. Your body needs water to make milk. And, your body makes the amount of milk demanded by your baby. Pumping will simulate your baby drinking more and should tell your body to make more. Also avoid decongestants if you have a cold. That caused me big problems too. FYI, it took less than a day for my milk to come back with the water/pumping. Good Luck!

N.

Why are you supplimenting after you nurse her? Your milk supply will go down if the demand is not there, and if the baby is putting a demand on the bottle instead of your breast that is why your milk supply is going down. I would encourage her to nurse more frequently and to not suppliment with the formula. Your breast milk is complete and everything she needs, if she's still hungry put her back to the breast and your body will signal to make more milk. Your body is an awesome machine and knows the needs of the baby by how often she is being brought to the breast. I hope that helps. Good luck.

I had the same problem and the nurse in the delivery unit in the hospital recommended an herbal supplement called Fenugreek. You can get it at GNC Vitamin Store. I immediately had an increase in milk production, to the point that I didn't need the supplemental formula anymore. There were no adverse side affects. Would recommend this to everyone!

The more you nurse the more milk your body will make. Nurse as often as you can. I don't know why you startes formula, but it will hinder your nursing. Drink plenty of fluids!

Start pumping right away. It should bring your milk back. Then just freeze the breast milk and feed to her in a bottle. It is a perfect solution.

It is definitely fine to feed formula and breast milk at the same time. Don't worry about that - you are doing great.

Blessings,
B.

Hello! Eat something you can hold with one hand (crackers, nutrition bar) while you nurse your baby. According to the lactation consultant from my breastfeeding class, the body works to supply and demand. Therefore, the more you your baby breastfeeds, the more milk you will produce. The lactation consultant also said you should frequently snack and drink fluids.

Breastpumps are helpful with milk production. Lactation consultants say pump twice a day--once in the morning and another time before you go to bed. This will help stimulate the production of milk. You can rent or purchase breastpumps at DayOne in Palo Alto or at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View.

Your feelings of guilt are normal. I felt the same way when I could not latch on my baby or felt like I didn't have enough milk.

May I ask why you're supplementing? If you are supplementing your body is fooled into thinking that baby doesn't need as much milk. I had to supplement for a while, but also pumped regularly to keep up supply, but my daughter was a preemie and really couldn't suck or latch effectively for several weeks.

If you can pump after feedings it will remind your body to produce more milk. Try to cut back on the supplements and increase the frequency of nursings. I was able to stop supplementing completly by around 12 weeks.

It is also NORMAL for you to stop feeling engorged after a few weeks. It means your body is adapting to breastfeeding by making as much as baby needs and not too much. It does NOT mean you are drying up. After the first month or so your body will increase or decrease supply to meet demand, so nursing or pumping more frequently will increase your supply.

Hi M.-
It's normal, once BF is established to not feel so full, or feel the let down. It doesn't mean that your supply is dwindling. However if you supplement forula, it will decrease. A couple things you can do to increase supply- feed on both sides, feed on demand & make sure you are drinking enough fluids yourself. Please check out http://www.llli.org/ it's the La Leche League site. Don't give up- breast milk is the best thing for your baby.

I would definitely talk to a good lactation consultant. For many people, the feeling of your milk coming in just stops even though the milk is still coming. The lack of the feeling doesn't necessarily mean its not there. Talk to someone who can help you figure out what is really happening.

best,
E. Bender

try pumping them from what i understand your body will make what is needed so if you ask you body to make more (by pumping or feeding) it should start making more not that same sec but shouldnt take to long... good luck

Hi there,

Congratulations on your bundle of joy! And for breastfeeding, too. I agree with what the other mother's have written. Stop supplementing with formula and breastfeed as much as you can. Your body will produce enough milk for your baby. It's amazing how the body adjusts to the needs of the baby. As she needs more the body will produce more. As your body and your baby get into a rhythm your breasts won't always feel full but there will be milk there. I exclusively breastfed our daughter until 6 months and she's still getting most of her nutrition from breast milk (she's not interested in food for some reason), and she's thriving.

Check out the La Leche League site for more information and support.
www.llli.org

Good luck and enjoy your new baby!

H.

M.,
Talk with your OB to get a prescription for Reglan to increase your milk supply. It works well. I had to take it myself to increase my milk supply along with pumping with a hospital grade pump to help stimulate the milk supply. I worked closely with a lactation consultant who was amazing. I strongly recommend getting in touch wth one. My daughter is now almost 6 weeks old and has been exclusively breast fed for the last 3 weeks. I now have a good milk supply but it was a bit of work to get it going. Good luck and stick with it, it's worth it.
C. N.

I had to supplement my daughter for the first few weeks while my milk was coming in. I also had to do it because she was jaundiced and not getting enough from me. But my pediatrician is a big breast feeding advocate and she gave me a make shift supplemental nursing system. All it was was a big 60ml suringe (2oz) and a feeding tube. The tube would attach to the suringe and then once I had my daughter latched on and nursing properly I would slide the feeding tube into the corner of her mouth about 1 inch. That way she was being supplemented while she nursed so she was stimulating my hormones to make more breast milk at the same time. I only had to do it for two weeks. I also took Mother's milk supplement as well. It is a liquid supplement you can buy at a health food store. Good luck.

M., I also have to supplement my breastmilk with formula for my son. Some times, no matter what you do, breast feeding has issues. I have tried the herbs, the fenugreek, the reglan, the domperidone, drinking water, etc and just cant make enough milk. To top things off my son will not breastfeed during the day so I pump. Don't feel guilty, don't let others let you feel guilty. If nursing worked so well for everyone then their would not be so many kinds of formula on the market. Just do your best, look into the options and make the decision best for you and the baby. There will be many other oppertunities to feel guilty about so many other things as your daughter gets older. Good luck.

M.:
I'm reading all of these mother's responses which are telling you to try harder, pump more, give up the supplement. It just started sounding so exhausting and overwhelming for you. If your milk isn't coming in...please don't beat yourself up. Mine NEVER did w/ my first (with my second it came in beautifully) and I tried EVERYTHING. I pumped after every single feeding and did everything I was suppose to do. I ended up being an emotional basketcase AND got mastitis. I stopped breast feeding at eight weeks and was finally able to enjoy my son and enjoy being a first time Mom. My son is now 4 yrs old, healthy as a horse and not an allergy in sight. Good luck to you. T.

Hi M., I think that your concern about breast feeding is a normal response. You could use a little support though, and here is my best. First, the way it feels from week to week may change, especially over the first few months. If your milk is dwindling it is most likely because of the supplement of formula that you are giving. Set it aside the next week and take a week to increase the flow of milk and everything should be just fine. I encourage you to drink more fluids and make nursing a time period in which you have a nice cup of tea and relax with your baby. A state of grace. As you are nursing, you should always have a big glass or cup of something good for you and soothing to you going in! Of course you have been told that breast feeding is the best thing for both you and your baby because of all the immunity and protection from disease that you both enjoy because you breast feed your child. Please don't listen to any horror stories. Milk doesn't just dry up for no reason or go sour or any of that. Get a good breast pump and use it to increase your milk volume. The more you pump and nurse, the more milk your body will make IF you are taking in enough liquids. The quality of the milk will be fine as long as you are eating well and are well hydrated. Get yourself and the baby on a reasonable schedule and all will be well. You can express extra milk and use that milk, properly stored, as a bottle that can be given by dad or someone else. Soon you may have more than enough. There is a group called The Le Letche' League. They are in every state. If you have any problems breast feeding after this please call them. They are wonderful, kind, and gentle mom's who know all about this stuff. Good luck and remember ... calm and relaxed ... make it a break for you too! A great time to sing to your baby and tell him or her how much you love them. I already know you are a great mom because you care enough about your baby to want the best.
(Mom and Gramma) S.

You should quit the formula as soon as possible. It will only do more harm than good. The more you nurse, the more milk will be produced. You have to be patient and realize the baby will be ok if you just breast feed and the more you nurse the more milk will come. Also, the best organization to call about breast feeding is Leleche League - not sure about the spelling. They can give you the best advise. I don't know who told you to supplement with formula but that is the last thing you should be doing if you want to continue to nurse. The more formula you give the baby = less milk you produce.

hi M.--the one issues w/ fenungreek is that you should consult someone. it is not advisable to start taking it and then stop cold turkey; you need to wean yourself.

all in all i would recommend talking to a lactation consultant. sooo helpful. i went through a lot of b/f'ing problems cuz i had a tongue-tied child.

however, unless you have an unusual circumstance (which also makes it advisable to contact a professional), breastmilk is a supply and demand thing, so the formula will only lessen your supply. you may want to slowly wean your baby from fomula as you increasse your milk via demand so you don't worry about her being hungr. then, schedule for yourself an extra pumping session and then you'll build up a milk supply to have on hand (frozen) for those days y ou need a bottle or more milk. a lovely book is the nursing mother's companion or the womanly art of breastfeeding. also, as another post-er wrote, it is not unusual to stop feeling your milk come down, but that does most often happen a little later. my guess is that your supply went down as you started formula. also, if/when you get your period, take extra calcium during your cycle to keep your supply up.

best of luck. and you know with all these new challenges--breastfeeding, introducing solids, pottty training, learning how to help your baby with sleep,etc.--it's an opportunity for us new moms to let go and transform our guilt. as a brilliant child psychiatrist said, it's about "good enough" mothering--the ordinary devoted mother is good enough. and without "failures"/challenges there is no growth in either you or your baby, no true contact between you and your child, and no opportunity to repair. let the guilt teach you that we all have limitations, but don't let it overpower your obvious good will and concern and love. take care.

Hi M., You should seek the advice of a lactation consultant. There is lots of things you can do. But it is important to narrow down what the issue may be. John Muir womens health center in walnut creek has amazing resources. They have consultants , gear to purchase or rent and even a free breast feeding support group. If you live outside the area contact your ob for a referral. My consultant diagnosed my son as being tongue tied then helped me get my production up. There are some herbs you can take; Blessed thistle and fenugreek. you can purchase them at health food stores. the research I read said that it is important to take both. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of water. Pumping after you breast feed the baby also helps increase supply.And then there is the 24 hour cure. where you stay in bed for a full 24 hours keeping the baby close for lots of skin to skin contact. Have your man or someone treat you to healthy meals in bed and only get up to use the bathroom. Good luck, D.

get a pump, and pump between feedings. i did this when my son was in the nicu 4 months ago and i've had tons of milk ever since. it stimulates your milk. then at feedings nurse her, and give her was you just pumped. give it a week or two, it's a hassle but worth it. Good Luck!!

Although you may not be feeling a letdown with your milk, it doesn't mean that it's not coming out. As long as your baby is growing and isn't indicating hunger at the breast then she's getting enough. Your milk ducts are a supply/demand area of your body and as long as she demands milk from you, you'll continue to supply it. The more you nurse and the longer you nurse, the less you tend to feel a letdown because your body has more receptors in a certain area that multiply in response to nursing (this is what a lactation consultant explained to me). For example, I'm nursing my third baby and have truly never felt a letdown at all (whereas with my first I felt one consistently), but I know that I'm producing a ton on milk, since I am basically an upright cow and he's gaining 1 lb./week on breastmilk! Keep on nursing, it's the best gift you can give your baby!

Engorement (the feeling of fullness) passes after the first couple of weeks. If you have been nursing regularly you should still have a good supply. So don't worry if you don't feel really full. That usually happens as your body adjusts to producing on demand. You can still help increase your supply by adding an extra feeding oe pumping. I think a minimum of 8 feeds or pumps a day will help increase your supply.

There is a tea at Whole Foods called "Mothers Milk" it worked for me when I was breastfeeding.

You can get help from the La Leche League in your area. They are amazing!

The saved my second child from 'drowning'. I made SOOOOO much milk that I let down like a fire hydrant and the poor kid was overwhelmed. They suggested that I nurse reclining, with my son on top of me, pulling the milk uphill (so to speak).

It worked. And I've heard amazing tales like that from so many folks about La Leche. They're free too -- just look in the phone book.

You are most likely still producing milk. I am breastfeeding my 11 month old, I rarely feel let down anymore and haven't for months. I know my son is getting enough by his weight gain and temperment. Sometimes he gets frustrated because it isn't as fast as he wants it, but the milk is still flowing. Drink plenty of fluids. Oddly enough I find my best milk production is when I drink enough fluid and eat my veggies, esp leafy greans. How you feed you baby is up to you, but supplementing can start a cycle of less and less breast milk production. Usually, the more they nurse, the more you make. I have been fortunate enough to nurse all five of my children. There are definatly times when I worried about making enough milk but experience taught me that the body adjusts and that feeling of let down diminishes over time. Best wishes for you and your darling little girl!

Hi M.,
I used Fenugreek, a natural herb supplement. You can find it at GNC. I would take about 6 a day and I noticed a differenct. You smell like maple syrup though. As a nurse/doct or lacation consultant but I was told very safe and just a natural herb. Also eating a good diet and lots of water can help.
Good luck
M.

Hi- Tina is completely right. If you feed your baby formula on a regular basis your body will produce less milk. The usual outcome with this is the Mom feels the baby isn't getting enough to eat so she ups the amount of formula and her body continues to make less milk and eventually it leads to early weaning. You've made such a great choice to breastfeed, if you just pump for that one feeding a day it will eliminate the need for the formula and increase your supply to exactly what your baby needs. I know we always hear about women who can't produce enough milk but this is very unusual. That's the great thing about breastfeeding is you're body takes care of the details. There is also the possibility that you are producing plenty but the let down does feel different after a few weeks. Here's the key, how is your daughter? Happy, gaining weight, healthy? Believe me, she will let you know if she's not getting enough, if there are no signs of trouble from her then things are probably fine. A lactation specialist can help if you think it's necessary but listen to your baby and you're intuition and you'll probably know. Good luck and enjoy that sweet girl!

Mothers milk tea, fenugreek, pump after you breast feed. Good luck

Pump and nurse... Try to pump first thing in the morning and maybe late afternoon that will increase your supply... The more you supplement the less milk you will make.

Drink more and eat better foods - get lots of rest.

When my milk supply when down, the lactation consultant told me to to try taking Fenugreek capsules. You can get them OTC, and they helped my production tremendously.

Also, it's not unusual to not feel your milk drop.

Yes, you are normal. Every mommy worries if her baby is eating enough - breastfed or formula fed! Your body isn't producing the same sensation because you don't need it too anymore. You know when to feed your baby and when she's ready to eat. If you think your milk supply is diminishing try some Mother's Tea. It's a tea you drink. I supplemented with that and Fenugreek (talk to your doctor/lactation consulant about the right amount for you) when I felt the need. Basically it was when my son hit the growth spurts - 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, etc. My son is 15 months and nursing as I type! If you feel more comfortable nursing and then supplementing do that. You need to do what is best for you and your baby! Congrats on your little girl and just try to enjoy her! Also, don't use pumping as a measure of your ablility to nurse - I never could get more than 3 or 4 oz per pumping session!

AT seven weeks your milk has stretched out the milk ducts so that you don't feel the milk anymore, also it will take longer to feel the engorgement which is nice. There is no problem with supplementing the feeding if that is what you want to do. If your milk has completely dried up and you want to breastfed I would definetly look into a lactation consultant or La Leche League. They can help you relactate if you are interested. There are pumps that can be used to stimulate the supply or you can use other aids that Lactation consultants have access to. The prices might be a little high but when you compare them to the price of formula,and the mental anguish that you mention it will be well worth the price. I had problems with my first child and they helped me.

First off, feeling bad about not having enough milk it normal. My son is around the same age and I had to stop breastfeeding at 3 weeks. He's been on formula only since then. I had breast reduction surgery and just never made enough milk. It tore me up that I couldn't feed my own child. I wanted what was best for him. Some people just don't produce enough milk. I'm not sure if there's anything you can do now to increase your supply, I would consult a lactation specialist about that. The john muir womens health center in walnut creek has some really nice ones. But don't ever let someone make you feel bad about having to give your child formula or not being able to breastfeed. Some people I have run into think I choose to feed my son formula over breastmilk, which is not the case, I just didn't make enough. So please do NOT feel guilty (I know its easier said then done). As long as you love your child and do the best you can, that's all they can ask for. Oh, by the way, someone below said all a 7 week old needs is 2oz per feeding.....uh no that is not the case, my son has been eating a good 5-6 oz per feeding. No he's not really chubby, he's normal, I just feed him what he "asks" for. And this herb they are talking about, I would ask your pediatrician about it first...just because people say its safe, doesn't mean it is. Good luck. I hope you are able to increase your supply, but if your not, don't feel guilty or let anyone else make you feel guilty. Breastfeeding is a VERY personal decision.

Most hospitals have a lactation specialist that you can meet with. Some, Good Samaritan in San Jose, even has a "drop in" style meeting once a week where their lactation team is on hand to assist and answer questions.

There is also a group called La Leche League that has meetings in almost every neighborhood. You can find them online.

Most of all, no matter what happens, breastfeeding or formula feeding doesn't mean you love your child any less and doesn't mean they wont bond to you. Don't beat yourself up with guilt, it's not healthy for you. Good luck.

there are definately herbs you can take to help increase breast milk, but to be honest the best thing I found was a prescription that my dr. called in for me when I was having trouble. The other thing is that at around 7 weeks is when the milk starts evening out. I have no issue personally with formula, but if you are not using it to give yourself a break you might also find that two days or so of having her nurse whenever she wants and for as long as she wants will bring your milk supply up. SOmetimes supplementing I found was actually cutting my milk supply since our incredible bodies make as much milk as the baby needs for as long as we want. Hope that helps

Drink lots of water and try breast feeding more often. Do you have a breast pump? You could try pumping. The more water your drink and the more often you feed or pump, it should increase your milk supply.

Hi M.

I have to agree with Michelle B. It is totally understandable that you feel guilty, but don't let others make you feel more guilty because you are having trouble producing milk.

Try drinking lots of water and pumping more frequently. More stimulation usually produces more milk. Consulting a lacatation consultant is also helpful. I know that when I went back to work my milk supply went way down. It was a struggle to pump at work and to keep my milk flow up.

I know that many of us want to breastfeed as it is considered best for our children. What is more natural than a mother feeding her child. But, seriously, if you are unable to continue breastfeeding or you have to use more formula than breastmilk, your baby will still thrive.

I know MANY people who were never breastfed and they turned out intelligent and healthy!

M.,

Pump after every feeding if you can. Also get Mother's Milk tea by Traditional Medicinals. It helped increase my milk supply and is totally safe. Drink lots of water and try not to stress. Your body will get the message.

Molly

Don't suppliment. Feed her more frequently. Go to your vitamine store and ask them for the Fenugeek & Blessed Thistle (can't remember how to spell them) They can talk to you about the dosage. If you have a whole food store, you can actually get a Lactation pill.

Pump between feedings for about 10 minutes.

When my daughter was about 2 months, my milk slowed down. I did all this and it came right back. It's a lot of work and you will feel like the only thing you are getting done all day is nursing & pumping, but it's worth it.

The best thing to do is get some milk enrichment herbs from a healh food store. They come in the form of liquid tincture or capsules. Take them 3-4x a day. drink lots of water, let your baby nurse alot, and rest. Your milk should return in a few days. The formula kinda confuses their systems especially when using in conjunction with your milk. If your milk comes back- I would discontinue the formula and pump too to increase your milk.
Good luck

Dear M.,
My daughter only weighed 5 pounds, full term. She was perfectly healthy, but she was so little. I was afraid I couldn't feed her enough, so I began supplementing with formula. It was a huge mistake for me. The less you nurse, the less milk you will produce and I certainly did things differently when I had my son 10 years later.
I guess you could try pumping your breasts...anything to stimulate lactation. I know that once I gave my daughter formula, she was happy with it and for a few days I was begging her to nurse as I became engorged. But then, nothing. There was really no turning back.
You have to stimulate your glands to produce one way or the other or your milk supply will be gone. Hook your baby up to your breast as often as possible. Even if she doesn't seem hungry. I know that everytime my babies cried, my breasts would start leaking. I suggest letting her try to nurse as often as you can.