Hi Girls, just wanted to know if there is anyone else having problems with the ammount of milk they are making? After 2 weeks of almost constant (ie 9/10 hour constant breastfeeding) my little boy had lost 11% of his birth weight

Feeling pretty gutted we were both admitted to hospital to see what they problem was...thankfully the problem is not with him or his latch, but with the amount of milk i was making - not for the want of trying after all that feeding. I have never "engorged" or leaked any milk

At hospital they got me to feed him, 20 minutes on each side then to pump each breast with a pump for 10 mins...then for the following feed to give him the breast, top him up with the epressed milk then if he's still hungry to give him a formula top up.

I hoped to never have to give him formula, but as the paediatrician said - sometimes we have to move outside of our ideals and do whats best for baby

My question is, anyone else been told they have this problem...i dont seem to be getting anywhere. They told me as my milk supply increases that he will take less and less formula and gradually just go back to breast (this is what i want.) It is exhausting having to pump after every feed, plus make up bottles ect too - just after a bit of friendly support or help or tips i guess?

Xxx

Did you have a c section? My SIL has experienced the same as you - her little one lost 14% of his body weight and she had to express. Unfortuantely she is now FF because he wasn't thriving because she was struggling to produce enough milk...The hospital said it was because she had had a C section and a cocktail of drugs (she had a very difficult labour and had an epidural, anti biotics and anti sickness tablets)

No advice really, but just wanted to send you hugs. It sounds like really hard work and as you say so disappointing after putting in so much effort with the marathon feeding sessions. I hope it gets easier for you soon, at least it sounds like the hospital think you should be able to overcome this rocky start in the end.

It sounds like you are really determined and are doing everything you can for your LO.

Hi

Noah lost about that amount but we think it was due to the section and the morphine I was on at the begining. How often are you feeding? I find I produce more the more often I feed, I also found that after feeding Noah (I only feed off one breast) I sometimes express the other and freeze it.
Big big I cant imagine how hard it is trying to up your supply but we are all here to offer support.

Hope it gets better for you. Let us know!

Have you tried fenugreek, milk thistle etc? Sounds exhausting just now, hope things improve soon

Not been in the same situation but wanted to give you a hug.

I had exactly the same experiene as you following a 36 hour labour and emergency c section - my baby is now 5 weeks. I t is hard work and i admit that i found the whole regime soul destroying. Because of this i gave up the expressing element and just breast fed as much as poss. This comes with a warnimg though as i am till having to top up with formula and i have issues with low mlk suply - although se has put the weight back on and more!

In short i was discussing this with my husband th other day and if i could do it again i would stick with the proramme - hard as it is, it may prove more diffcult to build supply later!

Good luck x x

I was there hun. C-section and the milk didn't come in soon enough for the doctors comfort. I had two weeks of feeding, pumping, top ups and than I slowly weaned off the formula and fed her all from the breast. I did marathon feeds after that for weeks. Just stuck to the couch constantly feeding. Her weight gain has been slow but is finally starting to pick up. But I can proudly say she has been 100% breastfed after the two weeks of topups and weeks of exhausting marathon feeds. It's definately not the end for you hun. The milk supply can definately be brought up. Have you tried fenugreek yet? It makes you smell like syrup but it seems to do the trick. Good luck!

BTW Noah didnt regain his full birth weight and a bit more until nearly 4 weeks.