Help! Can't keep up

[4paws]

I could use some advice from those more experienced, please! After a lot of difficultly breastfeeding (postpartum hemmorage, lots of swelling, inverted and flat nipples, possible tongue tie and tight upper frenulum) we switched our LO to breast milk from the bottle. He is now 3 weeks and 4 days and while feeding this way is working better for us, I can't seem to keep up with what he needs- let alone get ahead!

He is eating 3 ounces every 2-3 hours. I am pumping every 2-3 hours for 20 min (at least), including overnight when he wakes up. In the mornings I get about 4 ounces but then it dwindles pretty rapidly. He is gaining weight but I can't keep up with his demand.

Im eating oatmeal, taking fenugreek, drinking water and using the Medea freestyle double electric pump. I am also ordering blessed thistle and the pumpin pals flanges. 

We've had to give formula about once a day, which I really, don't want to do. I just don't know what else to do to increase my supply... And not having any extra for back up is stressing me out. Plus, I think they want him up to 4 oz per feeding soon. Any help?

Thanks in advance!

[stinybean]

Sometimes it's just a matter of finding what supplements work with your body. As far as fenugreek goes the right dosage I was told is when you start snelling like maple syrup. I used that and more milk plus and alfalfa. You might also want to look into renting a hospital grade pump. I rented one for $75/month which I thought was pretty reasonable. Good luck! Oh and if you haven't already try to speak with a lactation consultant.

[stinybean]

Also 4paws this question would be good to ask the whole breastfeeding board. There are plenty of women that could give you advice from their experiences. @amyg is a wonderful resource.

[Deleted]

4paws,
unfortunately the exclusively pumping board is slow. you can probably search eping and get some hits on some boards here with lots of suggestions. And also like said try the general bfing board.

Exclusively pumping is hard, many women can't keep up because the pump doesn't stimulate supply as well as baby nursing does. AT this point a key thing missing when eping is that the skin to skin contact with baby while nursing raises your prolactin hormone level, which increases your supply. So be sure whenever you are giving a bottle that you hold baby skin to skin at least partly nakey up against you to get this added benefit.

Also key is for you to keep in mind that a breastfed baby at the breast takes in on average 25 oz a day by the time they are about 3 weeks of age, and that amount DOESN"T increase as they get older, like it does with formula. The range is 19-30 oz a day. The composition of your milk gradually changes over time so that the nutrition baby needs comes in the same amt of oz, but the calories and fat of the milk changes to meet their needs.

BUT when you are pumping and giving bottles it is easier for baby to eat from a bottle, they don't get the sucking satisfaction the same as they do when nursing, they hit growth spurts where instinct tells them to nurse all.the.time to increase your supply but they don't need to do that with the bottle. And as a society we are used to babies needing more and more oz because formula is stuck at 22 calories per oz, so as baby gets older and bigger they need more and more oz. Breastmilk varies from 15-60+ calories per oz, so baby doesn't need to eat such large amounts.

so be sure you are looking at baby's cues carefully, rather than the oz amount on the side of the bottle. To keep amounts in the right range, use paced bottle feeding, stop every 1/2 oz to burp, sit baby more upright, and tilt bottle downward so baby has to work to get the milk.

use the slowest flow bottle nipple --often standard size that comes with your pump is too fast of flow so they chug the bottle and then don't realize they are full. A bottle should take about 20 minutes to finish. If you hold the bottle upside down, no milk should come out unless you squeeze on the nipple.

If you follow the hints above, it is likely that your little tiny baby does NOT need 4 oz per bottle at this point. At 25 oz a day average, that would mean they would only need to eat 6 times a day, and that is not normal until baby is much much much older. At about a month old, I would expect baby to be eating 8-10 times a day, and serving size should be about 2.5-3 oz a feed, expecting that they'd eat on the higher side first thing in the am and going a bit lower as you go thru the day to mimic your supply changing naturally during the day.

[4paws]

Thanks all! Especially @amyg! We are managing for now and slowly my supply is increasing with all your tips and blessed thistle and fenugreek.

[motownthrowdown]

4paws, I've been EPing for my daughter since she was born. She's now almost 8 months old (5 adjusted) and she eats 4 ounce bottles maybe 6 times a day. We've added in solids, which has helped me to keep up. I pump about 20-25 ounces a day. Some tips for the actual pumping: don't watch yourself pump. Don't look at the bottles. Get a pumping bra, or make one. And you can never drink enough water.

You are doing a great thing by pumping. Keep it up, mama!

[jessijean]

4paws These no bake lactation cookies have increased my supply tremendously. And just not stressing out about how much I pump. It is difficult...not gonna lie. I've been EPing for almost 6 months and luckily he has only had a handful of formula bottles but there were many times I about threw in the towel because I wasn't producing enough. Keep it up, it will likely get better!