Needing Words of Encourangement - Breastfeeding

I had a friend who didn't produce any milk at first and she found some herbal pills that helped it come in. Gaia Herbs Lactate Support. You can find them on Amazon. I took a couple doses when my supply was lacking a little at 6 months and they worked great!

Go see a lactation consultant. The hospital you delivered at should have one. They are so worth speaking to! Mine has helped me so much. I had to give both of my girls formula for a small period of time but then got them to be all breastmilk. Good luck!

Hang in there don't give up E.. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding bool and La Leche League really helped me. Fenugreek helped to increase my milk supply. Good luck...

Don't give up. DON"T SUPPLEMENT!!!! It's Counterproductive!! That's the quickest way to defeat yourself and dry up. Your body is built to repsond to your babys need. If you supplement, your body will respond by making less milk. You know right in the beginning, you don't make the fatty thick stuff. It's the super concentrated, liquid gold, colostrum. It's not unusual for baby to lose a few ounces and be really frustrated and hungry. 6 days- you are right on track. It's normal. Right now, if he stays on the breast longer and more often your body will make more milk to keep up. If you think it's a problem, add more fat to your diet. Lots of lean protein, but add peanut butter, ice cream, cereal with whole milk. Even 1 can of beer a day is good for lactation. Limit leafy green and brocoli if baby is gassy. It's all in the math - add more fat to your diet = more fat to babys. Let baby get all nourishment from the breast and your body will repsond. If this doesn't increase your milk production, you can go see a lactation coach that can give you a specialized diet. Don't give up.

Don't do the formula...at this age, their eating is random anyway, so if you need to just lay in bed with gallons of water and nurse and nurse and nurse, do it. Also, sent hubby out to GNC and get Fenugreek tablets. Start with 3, three times a day. You can go to 4 or 5, three times a day, and should notice a difference within a day or two. You can also do a feeding weight at the doc to see how much he is getting. Go in, weigh, feed, weigh - don't change diapers or anything in between weighing. That will give you an idea of what you are getting now, and what you get in a week or so, trying all the advice.

No one wants your baby to starve, and we aren't suggesting that, but give your body a chance to feed the baby first. If it isn't working and the baby NEEDS food, by all means, do what you have to do.

Feel free to PM me if you need further support or advice. It takes many people a number of days to fully get their milk in. You may also want to look for a local breastfeeding bunch that is run by a lactation consultant (contact your hospital or la leche) to find one. They can sometimes be a bit gung ho on the nursing, but that will be your best bet to continued support and success.

Let your son nurse even if you don't think he's getting milk. His sucking will increase your supply much quicker than anything else you could try. Also make sure you drink plenty water. It makes me sad everytime I hear about a doctor telling a woman to supplement her newborn with formula. It's usually not necessary. Does your son seem like he's still hungry after he nurses? If not, then don't try to force formula on him. My first pedi suggested I stop breastfeeding and give formula because my son was slightly jaundiced at four days old. I refused to do either of those things and after about 3 days he was perfectly fine. I contacted my mid-wife, LLL leader, and a lactation consultant and they all assured me my son was MUCH better off with breastmilk to help with his jaundice. It's hard to go against your doctors advice, but please contact a La Lech League leader or a lactation consultant for some other ideas. You are doing a wonderful thing for your sweet baby, keep it up!!

Well why did the doc say you needed to supplement? Why not just nurse your baby a ton more? I had a friend with a similar situation...she took her baby for the fist well visit and her doc said her baby wasn't at the ideal weight so he said feed him more (still just with breast milk) and then they wanted to see him again in two weeks. If he was gaining more then everything would be fine but if not THEN start to give formula too. At the two week check up her baby had gained and she never ended up having to give him any formula. I just wounder if your babies doc was a little quick to have you give formula. You could ask to be seen again in a couple weeks to check his weight and just breast fed more. Like my friend did on demand during the day and let her baby nurse as long as he wanted (she was pretty much nursing every 2 hours) and at night she wouldn't let him sleep longer than 3 hours so he was still eating all through the night. And she only had to do the extra night feeding for a while. Then he went back to only waking a few times a night but his weight was good. So talk to your doc again and just nurse that baby like crazy.

Hi E.,

While I know this doesn't really answer your question, that is probably my one regret as a mommy. I know we can't second guess our decisions, we do our best with what we have to work with. But to this day (my kids are 20 and 16) I wish I would have tried harder and not given up so soon.

Take the thoughts and ideas from the other new mommies on the list and do the best you can. You are doing a GREAT job!!

hhhmmmmm ....My baby lost weight after the first week and my Dr. said it was completely normal. He advised that I feed him longer and more often. That was hard because I felt like he was on me all the time! The Dr. wanted to see him 2 weeks later and sure enough, my baby gained the weight back and a bit more.

Also, It turned out that my baby just wasn't sucking hard enough so the milk was coming out slllloooooowwwww. I've also heard of the milk ducts getting clogged and baby not getting enough that way.
Just wanted to mention that =-)

Congrats on your new baby!!!

This happens so much! Both my sister and I were told our babies were "failing to thrive" and they weren't! By six weeks, both our daughters had evened out their weight so the doctors relaxed, and without supplementing.

In my case, it all started when I waited TWO HOURS for my daughter's appointment--she had two large, messy diapers and was too distracted by the lights and noise to nurse. Of course she was a few ounces "underweight" after that! Not to mention that, even now at age six, she is 95% height and 45% weight. That's just who she is. I changed pediatricians after that "failure to thrive" diagnosis. My current pediatrician says she's healthy for her.

First of all, most doctors use a height/weight chart based on formula fed babies. The NEW World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts are much more accurate for breastfed babies. They only came out 2-3 years ago and most docs don't even know.

Secondly, I agree with the PP--I would make sure he is alert when awake and content when finished eating, make sure he has plenty of wet diapers and soft stool, and his eyes aren't sunken and his skin bounces back. Those are more accurate indicators than weight.

Thirdly, nursing will bring more milk if it's needed. Believe me, once you've been through it a few times you will see the night and day difference between a baby nursing to build up supply (it seems like 24/7!) for a few days, and the normal "schedule" they fall into when the supply is just right. At six days, he's probably still building it up.

Babies don't mind nursing to build up the supply--it's what babies do! I tried to enjoy it--it's a good excuse to sit and cuddle the baby :-)

If I could give you any advice, I'd say see a lactation consultant if YOU feel something is wrong, but try not to listen to "should"--everyone has opinions on parenting, including doctors, and sometimes they don't know your child as well as you do. You really are the expert!

Pump, pump, pump and pump. Also, suckle your son all the time until he wants no more of it. And keep pumping. Also drink lots of water and eat properly. I tried fenugreek when my supply was drying up, but the real culprit was me not being able to pump on my normal schedule due to work responsibilities. Just know, a woman who is not nursing and not pregnant can generate breastmilk by pumping her breasts. So pump away! And don't give up. It's discouraging yes, but persevere. Good luck.

Congrats on your new baby. Keep pumping (the more you pump, the more you produce), keep drinking lots of liquid, keep eating protein rich foods. I know when I eat carbs I got more milk flow. You can do it, it might be slow coming, but it will come. Remember too that your baby is still young and tummy not big, so the little you think he is not getting is probably already making him full. (The breastmilk curdles into solids when in the tummy) They do lose some pounds after birth weight but continue to feed on demand. All the best

The baby needs to be back to birth weight by 2 weeks. I would have the baby weighed again within 2-3 days. You should see a 1/2 or 1 ounce gain per gain. Try to have the baby weighed on the same scale naked each time. Yes, pumping is VERY VERY important, if there is a problem! The idea is to not have to use formula. Feeding formula will reduce your milk supply. Unless your body is being told to make ALL of the milk, it won't. So if you have enough mom's milk you won't need formula.

But first has your milk come in? Did you feel some fullness or engorgement around day 3, 4, 5? Now, if your milk has never come in, your baby is still losing weight or not gaining at least a 1/2 ounce per day now then there could be a couple of things going on. Either the baby is not organizing and sucking properly (this creates a low supply and a baby who isn't gaining well) or there could be an issue with your supply. Did your milk come in with your other children? Have you had breast surgery or weight loss surgery? Do you have a history of PCOS? Do you have a thyroid problem? Having your thyroid tested is an easy blood test, thyroid problems can cause milk supply issues, and medication can fix that. Did your breasts grow a little during the pregnancy?

Keep baby close, skin to skin (baby's belly next to your belly), let baby eat any time. If the weight is not coming and baby is losing then you must pump. If you do not get milk out then you would need to use a little formula until you are assessed by a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). But you must pump to try to eventually replace that formula. (Rental pumps are the best for this situation, not all pumps are appropriate) Go to ILCA.org and see if there is a Lactation Consultant in your area. Is there an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant at your hospital?

Number one rule when there is a problem: Feed the baby and preserve mom's milk supply (pumping). See a Lactation Consultant!

I hope this helps!
P. Hendrix RN, IBCLC, RLC

Reading your post brought back painful memories of my breastfeeding experience with baby #3 as well. All babies DO lose their birth weight, as I'm sure you remember from your first two children but by their 2nd week, they should have regained their birth weight, and perhaps extra (my baby never re-gained his birth weight by the second week, in fact he lost more weight so you understand why I had no choice to go to formula...and I nursed him like crazy, sometimes for an hour long. He loved the breast but he wasn't sucking hard enough, that was his problem). I know what it feels like to fantasize about this breastfeeding relationship you want so badly only to be told that you may have to supplement with formula. I've been there so I know the emotions you are experiencing. Your baby is 6 days old so it's unlikely you have lost your supply just yet but you really need to get yourself a double electric hospital grade pump before you do begin losing it entirely. I rented one for about $50 a month. The FIRST thing I would ask you to do before you get a pump is to contact Le Leche League in your area...or better yet, a lactation specialist. A specialist can help you identify any problem your baby may have like improper latch, weak suck, tongue tied. It sounds to me that your ped is encouraging formula. My ped did the same thing and it angered me very much because she lacked the understanding that breastfeeding my baby was so important to me. If you don't know of Le Leche League (LLL) in your area, call your OB/GYN and/ or your hospital, preferably the labor and delivery floor would be ideal to get this info to you. I found my lactation specialist through my local LLL and she was able to properly identify the problem which my son had: he had a weak suck. His suck at let down was aggressive but as my let down subsided, so did his suck. He basically got lazy in his sucking efforts and there is no cure for this, unfortunately. This could be the case with your infant. IF you do have to begin supplementing with formula, nurse your baby before a bottle feeding and after....and pump after each feeding. Unfortunately, this is not a guarantee that your milk will increase as was the case with me. My lactation specialist put me on a schedule to pump every 2 hours around the clock for 20 minutes. I did this for 2 months straight and it was utterly exhausting. Like you, this was my third child and knowing he was my last, this ordeal devastated me and crushed my "dream" of nursing my baby. Despite my pumping efforts, my milk supply never increased. The lactation specialist was dumbfounded. I took Blessed Thistle, Fenugreek, and Mother's Milk tea, all per her recommendation. Even after 2 months of round the clock pumping, my breasts would only produce, if I was lucky, 2-4 oz in a 24 hour period. No, this was not per session~ only 2-4 oz per 24 hours. Some sessions I only pumped less than an ounce from both breasts. It was bewildering. I was at my wits end. Since I never was able to produce enough to sustain my baby at any given time during the day, I refrigerated my small portions and froze it when I got enough to make it worth freezing. One day after 2 months of pumping, I defrosted enough to feed my baby for one feeding. Don't ask me why I smelled it, but something told me to smell it and so I did. It didn't smell right so I opened several more bags only to find that they all smelled funny. So I did what any mom would do, I tasted the frozen milk. It tasted like vomit and I was absolutely crushed. Upon this discovery, I contacted my lactation specialist who told me that our breast milk contains an enzyme called Lipase. We all have it in our milk and it is tasteless fresh out of the breast but when some of us have too much, as I obviously did, it tends to sour the breast milk when it is chilled and/or frozen. This was the case with me. After this discovery, I abandoned pumping and resolved that I would continue to nurse my baby between formula feedings but because his suck was weak, he eventually gave up the breast all together. I really do wish you all the best. But should you have to supplement with formula eventually, know in your heart that you did all the best you could and the most important issue is your baby's health and if formula will sustain him and help him grow, then find it in your heart to make peace with it. I had to and I can tell you it wasn't easy at first but you get through it and it does get easier. Just be hopeful that you can increase your milk but you need to get some assistance first. Find a lactation specialist right away.

Don't feel frustrated. If you have to use formula now and then that is fine. My baby is nine months, I am still breast feeding but give her formula along the way when I get tired. It is very tiresome and me too wanted to breast feed exclusively but had to do want i have to do. Your baby will be fine with the breast and formula. Good luck.. it can be done...by the way my baby about a month ago decided she wants only breast milk..no formula. I give her baby food and breast..she is fine and healthy.

The same thing happened with my first. I had to decide that his health was more important than what I may have had planned. I would breast feed and than top him off with formula. It actually turned out to be a nice thing because dad could help with night feedings. For me, my milk never really came in despite efforts, and at 3 months my son decided he would rather just take bottles, but I never felt bad. I did what was best for my family, and my son is so super healthy, and just as bonded as any breast fed baby!

Babies usually loose almost a pound before they go home this is normal. This should be regained by the 2 week appt. or close. It is not uncommon for a Pediatrician not really familiar with breastfeeding to freak out a bit and say to supplement. Most moms understand and ignore the Dr. a little. Pumping will help with supply, easier to feed every 2 hrs during the day to boost your supply (demand=supply), make sure you are getting plenty of water (1/2 your body weight in oz.), rest, and eating well balanced diet. You really shouldn't need to supplement unless your baby is not gaining or continues to loose. Mothers Milk tea is available at Vitamin Shoppe or most health food stores, you can drink it hot or cold 2-3 times a day and it will boost production. Block feeding will also boost production and increase baby weight better(baby gets more of fatty(hind) milk less of sugar (fore) milk--on demand only feed off one breast for 3 hr time, do not switch until 3 hours pass--all snacking and feeding on Right say starts at 8am then at 11am you switch to Left--do this on demand nursing if you are schedule oriented this is not the best option-look online they should have more on this-- Hope this helps. Your baby may have latch issues which effect production--you usually know because you are getting sore--consult lactation professional.

You may not need to supplement. I'm currently exclusively BFing my 6 month old and I've done this with all 5 of mine. Every time, the doc has wanted me to supplement for one reason or another, but I didn't. There wasn't a medical reason to supplement but it just seemed like the docs were worried that BFing "might" not be enough. Strange! If your baby is sickly, fussy constantly, losing weight rapidly and not wetting, then I'd say that you need to supplement. If your baby is hungry right after you finish nursing, then continue to feed your baby longer and it will let your body know that it needs to make more milk. Sometimes our babies will go through growing spurts and need more milk suddenly but they won't starve. Your body will adjust to the demand. If you supplement, then your body won't know to make more milk. Sometimes a baby will act hungry when he is actually tired. It seems from my experience, that doctors make us mom's fearful of starving our babies. This won't happen. If there is a problem, the symptoms will be clear without question. Good luck to you!!

Go to GNC or another health store and get a bottle of Fenugreek.
Fenugreek is for breast feeding mothers who need more of a milk supply.

Look it up online to read all about it.

I wish you and your little one the best.

i had a similar situation. we didnt have a good latch, check out the videos at the bottom of this page, dr jack newman, the asymmetric latch is what saved us, it was just the slightest adjustment in how i was holding him did the trick. i was so thankful that my doc stuck with me. he had me in there weighing the baby every 2 days, it was awful, and he wanted me to supplement. i said no, and he said ok and worked with me. we did great once we got a good latch and got into the rhythm of it, and he has been an amazing eater ever since. you can do it! nurse him as often as you can, drink lots of water, eat some oatmeal with cheap maple syrup every day, finish the first breast first. and if you want to pump to increase your supply, i would probably just do it once a day or so for now, after your biggest feeding when you feel empty. even pumping for 5 min after a feeding will stimulate your breasts to make more, but dont go crazy because if you end up engorged then the baby wont be able to latch on and you will be creating new problems. check out this site, watch the videos on the bottom of the page...http://breastfeedingonline.com/newman.shtml
good luck, you can do it!!

Not giving you ANY medical advice just want to say both of mine were around 8lbs when they were born, 7lbs when we left the hospital (both c-sections) and with both I was advised to supplement. I did not. Not because I was being defiant. My gut just told me everything was fine and everything WAS fine! My 1st dr. I fired after he mentioned during a follow up appt., "see what supplementing has done" I was too "scared" to admit that I didn't supplement and that my daughters weight gain was from breastmilk. With my second, they told me as I was leaving the hospital that I HAD to supplement (not the hospital but the local dr. that checked in on me - not OUR dr.) good gawd, am I glad I tuned him out too. Both kids were fed on demand - I won't lie - they were on the boobies A LOT! 45min - 1.0hr - 1.0 1/2, then sleep a little then nurse some more. I let them dictate the schedule and they thrived. As a side note - I rented a hospital grade pump with my second because I wanted to make sure I had milk in the freezer in case of an emergency. Well, I was lucky if I could get an ounce during a good 30min of pumping - some people think that means they don't make enough milk - not always true. Some can make a lot with a pump, some not so much (me). Babies are the best "suckers" when it comes to getting the milk out - so during this early time - let your newborn nurse, nurse nurse - and make sure you are getting sleep, eating and staying hydrated - you aren't a new mom so you know this already but sometimes we forget. :-) Congrats!!

Congrats on your new baby!
I like many of the responses but Janet's the best. Keep nursing ONLY and don't give your baby artificial breast milk. Nature provides for a reason. Contact La Leche League for some help if you want. In the meantime drink lots of water, stay calm, eat fresh green leafy veggies (think, what do cows eat? GRASS only!) don't eat dairy products b/c they will not help but clog you up, if you're having problems. Drink raspberry leaf tea too. Eat lots of fresh whole grains, beans but lots and lots of green leafy veggies and water.

Your milk supply will go up and down naturally. What your child needs, your body will provide, if you let it.

When my daughter was born I took her to the dr at 8 days old for some test the midwife insisted I get and then 2 weeks later for results and the dr had the nerve to tell me my daughter was gaining too much weight and to stop nursing her on demand. We took my daughter, walked out and never came back. My beautiful daughter is now 8 and thriving, never sick, very happy and healthy. I nursed till her 4th birthday!

Hi E.,
Congrats on the birth of your baby. I haven't read through all of your responses yet so I apologize if I'm repeating something that has already been posted but from what I've read, you've received some awesome recommendations.

First off, I'd like to congratulate you for choosing to breastfeed your little one. I've found that women who have support and access to accurate breastfeeding information are the ones that can and do exclusively breastfeed their babies. You can do it too!

I encourage you to go to http://www.kellymom.com and read the articles there on boosting your supply and how to know baby is getting enough. Mother's milk tea, fenugreek, oatmeal, making sure you are staying hydrated, nursing on demand, and draining the breast at each feeding is a great way to help boost your supply. Allowing your baby to drain your breast at each feeding also insures that your little one is receiving the high calorie hind milk and gaining weight. If he still seems hungry after draining one breast, offer the other side.

I've exclusively breastfed 4 babies this way, and I'm still nursing our 13m/o. I've never had any need to supplement & switched pediatricians if supplementing was even recommended. I wanted to be certain to surround myself with breastfeeding friendly providers and friends so that I had the support I was seeking.

I encourage you to look into your local La Leche League and attend a meeting. The leaders will be able to offer you support and resources to help you overcome these issues. Here is a link for the Florida La Leche League. Hopefully you can find a meeting this week and attend. You won't regret attending and you'll leave there feeling empowered and confident in your body's ability to nourish your son. http://www.lllflorida.com/groups/sw/index.html

If I were in your situation, I would take the following measures to insure that I boosted my supply. Remember, this is what I would do in your situation. I'm not telling you to do this but I know if you do these things, you'll find the success you are looking for. Your son needs and deserves this...you want this too and just need to know that YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

* Nurse my baby on demand for as long as baby wants to nurse.
* Let baby drain the first breast offered before switching to the other breast.
* Get rid of all artificial nipples, to include pacifiers. (A 6 day old baby can suffer from nipple confusion...this can cause problems for breastfeeding!)
* Seek help through the Local La Leche League, ASAP!
* Visit with a Lactation Consultant, ASAP!.
* Visit the kellymom site and read all you can on breastfeeding, ASAP!.
* Stop supplementing and have faith in your body.
* Stay hydrated.
* Drink Mother's Milk Tea, take fenugreek, eat oatmeal.
*** Switch pediatricians and find a breastfeeding friendly provider!!!! Sadly, many of today's health care professionals do not receive adequate training or in-service training in breastfeeding. I can't help but wonder if they get kick backs from formula companies for "recommending" their products to new moms. You deserve to have a provider that supports your decision to want to exclusively breastfeed your son. It saddens me to know that you weren't given the resources to have a successful relationship but simply told to supplement. ***

Best of luck to you. Please feel free to email me if you have questions. Be gentle with yourself, momma! Enjoy your babymoon!

Peace,
J.

Pumping will def help, or just nursing more often and your body will supply more- Also make sure to eliminate stress and drink plenty of fluids (milk if possible) I also went to the heath food store and bought brewers yeast. Mix a bit in milk along with blackstrap molassas. Go easy on the yeast-it is potent until you get used to it, and then increase amount each time. I was able to increase my milk supply using this recipe! Good luck and remember that everybit you can breastfeed is helping your son and better to have to supplement then to have an undernourished child. Just remember that if all other methods do not increase your milk supply. But I think some or all of these suggestions you receive should help!

Why do you feel then need to supplement? The baby isn't even a week old yet! Babies will loose some original body weight because they lost the water weight they had at birth... If the Dr didn't tell you that then they are being very irresponsible for making you feel something was wrong when it is normal.

The signs if baby isn't getting enough nutrition are these:
1) few to no wet diapers a day
2) hard stool
3) sunken eyes
4) lack of alert behavior (age appropriate)
5) skin tenting - when you pinch skin together and it takes a long time to return to original placement. For a newborn, this isn't accurate since their skin it a bit loose still.

Keep nursing, but you rest when the baby rests. Drink lots of water, milk and some juice. Also drink a bottle of beer a day if you can get the imported type do it as it will contain brewer's yeast. Continue to take your prenatal vitamins. Don't worry about going on a diet right now as you have to take in calories to make the milk. Try your best to eliminate stress in your life and RELAX. If you relax and take a bath your milk with leak and you will know you plenty to feed baby. Also how many wet and soiled diapers are you changing a day? This will be an indicator as to how well you are caring and feeding baby.

You can do this. Women all over the world do it and so can you. Think of the little engine that could. Let him nurse as long as he wants from both sides and let him drain the breast to get the hind milk.

Good luck and keep us posted.

The other S.

Some doctors push for supplementing a lot faster than they need to. How much weight has the baby gained? Just keep nursing every 2-3 hours. The milk will come in more just from the baby nursing. Make sure you are drinking enough water and eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, be sure to get as much rest as you can. And relax! I know it's hard, but stressing over not having enough milk can affect your milk supply. I'm not a doctor, but i would wait to supplement unless the baby seems like he's starving. Introducing formula to such a young baby can cause problems in itself. Don't give up on your dream yet - a lot of moms and babies just need time to adjust.

I do hope that you're still breastfeeding. When I had my son, I was so new to breastfeeding and talked with our pediatrician and lactation consultants at the hospital. The hospital was the best source. The pediatrician wanted me to supplement but I stopped as my son just loved breast milk. It did take some time as he was very jaundice and jaundice babies like to sleep.

I was at the hospital every day because I was deteremined to exclusively breastfeed. Remember do what's best for you. Also, remember that boys feed more than girls. My daughter is a year and is a pleasure as I'm not as drained. I breastfed my son for 3 years; I would have kept going but my milk dried up when I was pregnant with my daughter. I was quite sad. My son was not ready to wean but my body had other plans.

Is your LO getting enough hind milk? Hind milk contains more fat and come after the foremilk and if you don't nurse long enough from one breast, the baby won't get enough hind milk. With my first child, and this was 16 years ago, I was told to nurse 15 minutes each side. I didn't listen with my second child and didn't worry about "time." Let them nurse on one breast until they are done. Burp them, then offer the other side. They may or may not take it (more often than not, my kids didn't as they were full). Feed from that breast next time. I've done that with my second, and now with my third.

I would just stuff your little one, feed them every time they cry. Buy a baby scale, I think they have them at the drug store, perhaps call and ask them, or Babies R Us.

Hi E. -

Congratulations on the birth of your precious baby boy!

I had a similar situation with my daughter. I know you are in Miami, but there is an awesome doctor in Port St. Lucie that is 1) A medical doctor 2) an international board certified lactation consultant and 3) the author of a great book called Permission to Mother. She is an absolute expert in BF and helped us out tremendously. Here's a link to her website: http://www.permissiontomother.com.

I have read through a few of the responses these terrific moms have offered up and they've pretty much covered everything. What I did not see (but I didn't read through them all, so I apologize if I'm repeating) is a recommendation or link for the Lact-Aid supplemental nursing system. This is what I used to continue nursing and supplement at the same time. It is a pain in the you-know-what, but it was well worth it for us as I did not want to give my daughter supplement through a bottle. When you use the Lact-Aid, you actually feed the supplement through a tiny tube that is attached to your breast. It's takes a bit of time to get the hang of it, but it absolutely works. Though your baby is receiving supplement, he or she is still suckling on the breast so is getting breast milk WITH the supplement and is also stimulating the breast to make more milk. With the help of La Leche League, Dr. Punger and the Lact-Aid we only had to use the Lact-Aid for a short period of time and then we went to exclusive BF. Personally, I think it is still too early to determine whether or not you need to supplement, as many of these moms have already mentioned, your baby is only 6 days old and it is not time to panic yet! But if you do feel you need to supplement, at least look into Lact-aid. With it, at least you can still have the BF relationship and build up your supply at the same time. Here's the link: http://www.lact-aid.com/

Good luck to you.

See a lactation consultant. The hospital you delivered at can assist you or ask your pediatrician. Our pedi recommended one for us - my son was 5 weeks premie and had a hard time latching on. We saw the lactation specialist and she gave me a breast sheild - BAM - our son was nursing like a champ and started to gain weight immediatley. Good luck to you!! Happy breastfeeding.

Babies ALWAYS lose weight right after birth. Give him till he's 2 weeks old. If he's not back up to his birth weight by then, you could try supplementing. But KEEP NURSING!!! I nursed my girls every 2 hours, round the clock. Yes, it was exhausting, but SO worth it. Having your baby nurse often is the best way to keep/increase your milk supply.

Lots of people have given the answer I was going to give so I will just add one thing. A post-partum doula I worked with when I was having a terrible time with nursing pointed out to me that a lot of the information we have on "normal" comes from studies done with bottle-fed babies. And "normal" is a pretty wide range.

Congratulations and enjoy this beautiful time with your son!

I just want to repeat the encouragement to see a lactation consultant and check out kellymom.com. I saw a great lactation consultant nearly twice a week for 6 weeks until my baby learned to nurse adequately. I couldn't have done it without her! And, kellymom.com seems to be a very reliable source of information about breastfeeding and will have info regarding increasing your milk supply.
Congratulations and good luck,
J.

If you're having trouble, see a lactation consultant. There is a particular tool, kind of like a formula IV that you can supplement with AND breastfeed at the same time. A lactation consultant can help you figure out how much breastmilk the baby is getting, help you with your latch, etc. Breastfeeding is NATURAL, but not necessarily easy. Don't be afraid to get help.

I got shingles 3 days after giving birth and had to switch to formula. It took months to get back on track, but I was able to breastfeed till my son was 2.5 years old.

Congratulations! I breast fed 4 babies. Baby #1 I was young. I didnt realize the importance of drinking water!! drink drink drink! I also started pumping milk. My milk supply didnt last long after I began pumping. I wouldnt pump if you dont have to, especially until your supply is great!
Baby 2, 3, 4... I breast fed every two hours day and night. I pumped enough for two bottles with each baby, in the event of an emergency. I froze the milk. Other than that, I never pumped for fear my supply would dwindle. Just drink lots of water, make sure you are eating a really good diet. Keep telling yourself you can do it!! My 3rd baby also lost weight. She lost nearly a pound and the dr. asked me to come back so they could verify she was gaining. I was encouraged to see a lactation specialist at the hospital as well. It all worked out in the end. Baby 3 is now my best eater! Good luck! All the worries are worth it.

Updated

Congratulations! I breast fed 4 babies. Baby #1 I was young. I didnt realize the importance of drinking water!! drink drink drink! I also started pumping milk. My milk supply didnt last long after I began pumping. I wouldnt pump if you dont have to, especially until your supply is great!
Baby 2, 3, 4... I breast fed every two hours day and night. I pumped enough for two bottles with each baby, in the event of an emergency. I froze the milk. Other than that, I never pumped for fear my supply would dwindle. Just drink lots of water, make sure you are eating a really good diet. Keep telling yourself you can do it!! My 3rd baby also lost weight. She lost nearly a pound and the dr. asked me to come back so they could verify she was gaining. I was encouraged to see a lactation specialist at the hospital as well. It all worked out in the end. Baby 3 is now my best eater! Good luck! All the worries are worth it.

Nurse every 2 hours!! It will pay off!! My baby was born on the 11th and I nursed him every 2 hours for the first 6 days (even if he would just latch for 10 or 15 minutes each time) and now I am nursing him every 3 hours and I have plenty. GOOD LUCK!!!

Ignore the scale and continue to breastfeed!! This is normal. It can take two weeks for a baby to regain to their birthweight. He will not starve and he will be fine. Believe in your instincts. Don't pump, just breastfeed. Bottles do not allow formation of binocular vision. He will get hungier on his own it's human nature. Make sure he gets plenty of tummy time between feedings so he can develop properly and exercise so he will be hungrier as well!

Congratulations on your new arrival! From what I remember it is completely normal for babies to lose weight after birth, just how much I don't recall though. It sounds like you could use some support through either nursing mothers council, L. leche league or a local lactation consultant. I suspect that this is a question that comes up many times. I encourage you to contact one or more of these resources and get the support you need to make your decision, up your milk supply and feel heard. Nursing is a very personal, intimate and miraculous thing but even if you have to supplement with formula your son will still receive all of the benefits of nursing too. Good luck and take care!

Definitely contact a lactation consultant or your local La Leche League for information and help. If you want to make this a successful breastfeeding endeavor, which obviously you do, I wouldn't resort to supplementing with formula until you speak to a lactation specialist. And DEFINITELY start pumping. If your daughter is not getting enough from the breast, you can at least supplement with pumped milk instead of formula. But I am no expert, so I urge you to contact one right away for some assistance!

Best wishes to you!!!

Before you start supplementing, I recommend waiting a few more days and seeing a different doctor. At 6 days old you should not be worried about your supply not being enough, it will come in time. Feed whenever your baby is hungry and you can even pump in between/after feedings to help your supply also.

I have two daughters both of who I've exclusively breastfed. My first was average weight at birth (7 lb, 7 oz) but didn't gain fast and was less than 5th percentile for her weight and over 95 for her height most of her first year and her doctor never worried about since she was meeting all her milestones. My second daughter was born 7 lb, 12 oz and too lost a lot of weight the first few days (8 oz by day 4, still down 7 oz at day 6) but by a month she was 10 lbs. I just nursed her whenever she showed hunger cues (every 1-2 hours). Do what you think is right for you and your baby. If you really want to nurse exclusively, do it!

They always lose weight in the very beginning and then it quickly turns around and the next thing ya know you have this little "chunk" in your lap. Just keep nursing constantly.... . I use to wake mine up to feed when my boobs started to ache.

KEEP NURSING. When my kids were that little, they were literally attached at the boob during the time they were awake. It's hard, but it pays off. I never had supply issues. Nurse even more than every two hours now, and in 6 weeks, you'll be set for supply.

Don't pump. Just latch and go.

You are doing great, keep it up Mama!