Seeking Helpful Hints at How to Make My Second Try at Breastfeeding Work

Hi S. A.

I had no problem with breastfeeding because I used to allow my husband or even myself massage by breast nipples and I would clean them every week (I meant I would get cotton puff with methyalated and clean my nipples). I used a lot of steam beans and greens, fish and liver, a lots of fresh cow milk. I wore firm bra along with maternity clothes.

D. L

This is the same thing that happened to me with my first. I didn't produce enough and tried pumping but gave up after two months. With my second one I just told myself I was going to try but not sress if I couldn't do. I have now been successfully breast feeding for 6 1/2 months. My big thing I think with the first was the stress I put on myself to breast feed. When you are stressed out you don't produce enough. Just relax and it hopefully will work better the second time. I didn't grow much either, not to worry.

Hi S.,

I have 3 children, the first 2 I had trouble breastfeeding and the third (who will be 2 in August) is still going strong! I had the same concerns as you with low milk production and feeling like I had tried the traditional things (I thought I was pumping like I should, fenugreek, tea) without much success. My breasts also did not change size at all. My first 2 babies - we supplemented with formula early becaue I was not keeping up. I sought help from LaLeche League and an outpatient lactation consultant, but it was not super helpful. For my last child, I insisted on meeting with a lactation consultant in the hospital before I was discharged. I explained my situation to her and asked her advice. She told me that the first few weeks of breastfeeding determine your production potential throughout breastfeeding. That is not to say that it won't increase and dcecrease some, but just that maximizing the first few weeks are essential to establishing the supply - especially if you have had issues in the past. She recommended that I start taking More Milk Plus by Motherlove - its and herbal available at WholeFoods and online (use the capsules, not the liquid - the liquid is beyond horrible). She also recommended that I pump for 10 minutes on each side each time after I nursed my baby. I did this for 3 weeks, not pumping at night because she said sleep was more important. Even when nothing came out, she said that the sucking action of the pump created the need for more supply and that I might not see an increase right away. I was leary at first, but figured I had nothing to lose. Boy, was I surprised! My milk supply increased and my daughter was exclusively breastfed (breastmilk via bottle), even when I returned to work 3 days/week.

To make a long story short, I recommend you consult with a lactation consultant while you are still in the hospital. Explain your situation to her and let her guide you. Ask questions - persist until you are satisfied!

If you end up still needing to supplement, you will know that you did everything you could and you have nothing to feel bad about! I do believe that women are made different from each other and that while we are designed to feed our children, our bodies do not always work like they should. People who say everyone can do it have never had challenges with it. Congratulate yourself for seeking out help! Good luck!

Hi S., congrats on your family.. The advice that I can give you is what I did.. read read read. and get to the nearest LaLeche League meetings...If it wasn't for those women I would have not been successful..I tried to breastfeed my older children and followed the advice of my doctors..what a horror story I could tell....with my 5th (very slow learner) I read and went to the LaLeche League for help..I was successful with the rest if my blessings...in fact...I was able to help with the milk bank to produce enough milk for a premie and my baby...I also was told that I couldn't produce...if they could have seen me then.. I mooed.. good luck and don't give up...I can close my eyes and still see my little ones with a smile on their faces and milk dripping down they chins... loved every second of it.... D.

Breastfeeding is so unsupported by a lot of people! You need lots of support! First of all your milk supply comes in like it should. It increases more and more. The fact that you only pumped an ounce was ok. You just didn't have anyone to tell you that it was ok. The other fact that you breastfed your baby for three months is terrific! That baby got the best medicine he'll ever receive in his whole life!
Another thing...you did try and you did great! Your breasts don't have to grow. A lot of womens don't! So give yourself a break! Don't let anyone,including the nurses, feed the baby formula! They will tell you she needs to in the first couple of days, but she will get everything she needs from you! It causes nipple confusion and if you're feeding her formula she will not need as much milk from you, therefore your body thinks that she only needs what she needs making less milk). Phew! Sorry if that got a little confusing. Now on to Colustrum(sorry not sure if it's spelled right)has everything in it. You know the stuff that the baby will be getting when you first start nursing. It's mostly medicine like and that's all she will need! Your milk supply will come in more ,the more you feed her. I promise you will do fine! Take it from someone who had the same results as you the first time and with my second child I nursed him for 2.5 years! Like a pro!
Eat right and drink lots of water!

Just a few thoughts-- some women's milk is just coming in at one week (some are earlier and some are later) and if you supplement with formula you're not going to get the demand from the baby which is really what stimulates you to make the milk. Try to hold off, breastfed babies lose their birthweight. Its pretty much guaranteed, they're going to lose weight and you're going to get nervous. But try to hold off on pumping or supplementing with formula until at least 3 weeks (obviously if the baby is still losing weight at a week and a half you'll have to supplement a little but odds are they'll have plateaued by then). Pumping isn't the same as your baby nursing as far as stimulating your supply. One other thing-- no one knows how much breastmilk is "normal" for a baby to get, its not something that doctors can measure-- that's why some prefer formula, they've calculated exactly how much each baby should be getting and when they're getting it. The easiest way to know if you're making enough milk is if your baby is gaining weight. And I agree with another poster, you'll be feeding a lot in those first few months--sometimes it will feel like that is all you do, but that's okay. Best of luck with this second one, determination is key!

Oh--and your doctor is right, size has absolutely nothing to do with it--I was a DD when I started nursing my first and had a really hard time getting the latch down and my Mom is an almost A who nursed both me and my two siblings no problem.

I am wondering the same thing as you (though I'm not actually pregnant a second time yet) but just want to say you aren't alone. My milk never did come in with our first child and she got so dehydrated she was readmitted to the hospital on her 5th day of life for an IV overnight. I tried pumping and didn't even get an ounce every 3 hours. After going through that for a few days, I just couldn't put myself or my baby through the frustration anymore and switched to complete bottle fed. I never had engorgement, and I really didn't leak any milk ever, so it really didn't ever come in. I was a D before getting pregnant and still was after.

I think I'll give it a try with a second one, but I'm going to be even more aware of the signs of dehydration this time and am willing to do formula again, even with all the criticism of breast-feeding only advocates that say I didn't try hard enough. If you haven't lived through it, don't judge! I was lucky to have a lactacian specialist helping me at the hospital that was very supportive with whichever option I chose.

I'd love to know how it works out for you the second time around, so please post an update!

S.-
i'm pumping while typing this :)
with my first, i didn't seem to be producing much milk- but then again, i'd pump/nurse when i could and i wasn't getting much sleep (my daughter wasn't a great sleeper until 6 mons!) by 9 weeks we were using the little amount of frozen milk i had stored, and by 10 weeks she was getting formula.... i stopped nursing at 8 mons, but the last 2 mons were probably more for comfort than nourisment for her! only in the morning and at night.

this time around it's completely different! i was taking fenugreek 4xs a day- 2 each time, and adhering to a regular pumping schedule when back to work. i think this helped greatly! i made it a priority and scheduled it on my calendar- that way i wouldn't miss (like i often did with my daughter)
my son is now 8.5 mons old and i've never had to supplement!
oh- and i'm getting more sleep!! i think that's essential!
(ps- i also heard your second pregnancy - you tend to get 30% more milk that in your first!)

S.,
My best advice to you would be to avoid pumping right at first! I'm a huge advocate of pumping to supplement (and to prepare for the eventual babysitter), but I have seen WAY too many moms get freaked out about their milk supply because of pumping. The truth is, some women aren't able to pump very effectively. Sometimes, with pumping, the letdown reflex does not occur, so you never get the milk out the way you would if your baby was suckling. I would certainly recommend pumping to help increase your supply, but you have to give yourself a pep talk about not looking at the amount and thinking it's less than it should be!!! Just nurse your baby as often as s/he wants to nurse (it will literally feel like they are attached to your boob) and your boobs will do the rest of the work. Another reason many moms think they don't make enough milk is that their babies seem hungry right after nursing. The deal is, the baby will eat CONSTANTLY for the first few weeks. I remember they said that he would nurse every hour, and to start timing that hour from the beginning of the nursing session. Well, since each nursing session lasted one hour, he'd be ready to eat again about 5 minutes after the session ended. So, be prepared for that. Just because they want to eat again sooner than you think they should does NOT mean you're not making enough. Just feed them! Park your butt on the couch with a glass of water and the remote and plan on being there most of the day!

The last thing is to make sure you're getting enough calories and water. You really do need a LOT more of both to be able to keep up an adequate supply. Do the mother's milk tea, too, as that will certainly help.

Best of luck to you in your endeavor! It's hard, but you can DO IT!!! :)
Amy K

(p.s. I nursed my son for a full year, and went through many milk supply "scares," but I always just powered through and made it the year!)
(p.p.s. I'm also due in September with my second! Good luck!)

Hi S.! I saw that you already have a bunch of responses, but I just wanted to let you know that I went to see the lactation consultant at Methodist hospital and they were fantastic! This was my third baby and I did a little nursing before, but wanted this time to go better and I'm so glad I went!

I was a little skeptical to begin with, but the woman that I saw was so kind and had some great tips. They are open to anyone that is nursing, not just those who delivered at the hospital. I don't have their specific number anymore, but if you call Methodist I'm sure they could give it to you. I believe that # is ###-###-####
Good Luck!

S.,

This is what worked for me. After you deliver your baby, hold and try to nurse as soon as possible. This really can be within minutes of delivery. Don't let them take the baby until you have had at least an hour together after delivery. There isn't anything they need to do right away that they can't do in the delivery room.

Room in with your baby, and nurse ON DEMAND at the hospital. My second and third were roomed in, and I swear I was up the first 24 hours nursing after delivery. I also slept with my baby in the bed that first night at the hospital. No, you are not supposed to do it, but really, it's your baby, and if you can both sleep I think that you can make those decisions for yourself. This allowed me to get 3-4 hours of sleep in a row, which made me feel much much better!

The first week you may literally be nursing every 15 to 30 minutes during the day. YES it is exhausting, yes you will think you will never get any sleep, and yes, it should work. The first 6 weeks nurse on demand. Use yourself as a pacifier, that's what makes your milk come in good and strong. Don't worry about spoiling your baby. Don't worry about people telling you that you are nursing too often, or that you need a better schedule. If your baby cries or fusses, or sucks on her fingers, offer your breast. Once you get past 6 weeks, it will be much much easier, and your milk supply should be established and you can start to hold off more between feedings (like every 2 hours or so during the day), and if you need a schedule, you can start one around that time. If you need to offer a bottle, that's a good point to start that as well. My kids never really took bottles but I'm lucky to stay home, and it's worked out ok so far.

I see a pediatrician who is a lactation consultant. See someone before your baby is born to have questions answered, sometimes OB's are not the best resource for answering breastfeeding questions. Unfortunately, sometimes pediatricians are not either.

Another great resource is the yoga studio Blooma over in Edina. They have great staff, classes, and prenatal breastfeeding classes. You may also benefit from a breastfeeding class at your hospital, but in my experience they didn't really introduce the nurse on demand idea and the reality of how much nursing that will be.

With a toddler at home, get some help. Have your Mom come, or your MIL, or sister, BFF or anyone who can come play with your other baby. Something that helped me was to have a basket of books right next to where I nursed, so that while I was nursing, I could read to my older child. That way they felt included.

Good for you for asking for help before hand, and know that you are doing the best for your baby no matter what happens.

***One more thing - my milk didn't come in until I was home from the hospital with any of my 3 babies. I agree with other posters, you baby DOES NOT NEED FORMULA just because you don't have milk yet. Your baby is getting all it needs in the pre-milk that comes in first. You might be tempted to give your baby a bottle at the hospital (especially if you have nurses who don't support breastfeeding), but you have all your baby needs at that point.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Jessica

Definitely do the nurse on demand idea. With our daughter my milk dried up by about 6 months. I was doing daycare and she had to wait a lot when she was hungry. With our son, I was no longer doing daycare. He spent his first 18 hours of life away from me in a different hospital at the NICU. As soon as I got him back (my husband got him released and brought him back to the hospital I was at) I nursed on demand. I was his pacifier. Any time he fussed, I would try to nurse. We ended our breastfeeding at 18 months!!! So I was very pleased with how that worked.

I had a cousin who (with her first child) was scared into tube feeding her baby in the hospital because the doctors and nursed wouldn't release the baby until they got her eating formula.... That child never latched on well after that and she pumped for a few weeks before giving up. She never got much milk out.

With her second, she supplimented formula right away but then said she regretted it because her milk came in when they got home from the hospital. Her 2nd did nurse some but because she was supplimenting she ended up giving up again.

My biggest suggestion to you is to NOT allow your child to have ANY formula and always put him to your breast. We also did no pacifier with our 2nd. I was his pacifier! Give it a little time. With both children my milk did not come in till I got home. (1st was a c-section so 4 days after giving birth--2nd was natural so 2 days after giving birth). Breastfeeding works soooo much better when you can relax and sit back and be comfortable.

Good luck.

Congratuations on #2!

You already have lots of good responses, but I just wanted to chime in: Same with me. Thought I was a failure with my firstborn and having to supplement with formula. We made it breastfeeding (as much or as little as I had) for 13 months. My second is now 14 months old and still going strong - only breastfeeding!

The difference for me was two things: me not panicing and having a lactation consultant since week 2 of my daugther's life. I think, too, I have a better support system now of those folks who encourage us, whatever my husband and I choose to do for feeding our kids. My husband was an ace for both pregnancies and after.

Just know, whatever you do, you have your kids' best at heart and that's all they need. Blessings!

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I wanted to say that in the hospital - you will hear something different from everyone that comes in. It is frustrating and often very discouraging and hurtful. With my first child - she would not latch on at all. She would scream every time I tried to nurse her. The Le Leche rep told me that she was not latching on because she was lazy - due to me having an epidural during the delivery. Boy...that sure made me feel like I had already screwed up and she was only here for less than 48 hours. I remember being home on the first night and both her and I were crying because she didn't want to nurse and I felt like I had done something wrong. I called my best friend crying and she explained to me that many women have issues trying to nurse and sometimes it doesn't work. I had NO IDEA...I thought I was the only one. So I pumped for about 6 weeks and supplemented with formula.

With my son, I had issues again. He was over 9 pounds and HUNGRY. He wanted more than what I could give at the time. This time though...I had a wonderful nurse that told me it was okay. He would be fine. I just needed to keep trying. She said that it would take about two weeks for us to both get the hang of it and then it will be easy. It made me feel so much better and I nursed hime for about 13 months.

It did take about 5 - 7 days for my milk to come in though.

Do the best that you can and that is all you can do. Don't blame yourself and try to keep relaxed. I hated the thought of trying to nurse so was tense right away and my babies knew it. So it made them tense too.

I had a friend that used those nipple shields. She swears by them and said that it helps them to get latched on correctly right away so her let down was much quicker. I have not tried them - but might be worth it. I think that you can find them at Target.

Good Luck - you are a great mama.

Hi S.! I have been EXACTLY in the same situation. I was very optomistic with my 2nd baby but it was the same result. It was devastating. La Leche League made things worse for me. Don't let anyone ever tell you that you are a quitter or just didn't "want" it enough. Anyone who tells you that is a fool.
Do your absolute best, and I know you will, and if it works....WONDERFUL! If it doesn't, know that their are women just like you that have happy healthy babies and have no shame! Bless you mama!

Hi S.,

I'd highly recommend seeing a lactation consultant in the first week or two after your baby is born if you are having any problems at all. I found the lactation consultants at Abbott Northwestern hospital to be really, really helpful. Good luck!

S.

S. -

You are not alone. With my first child I didn't produce much milk either. When my second child was born and was in the NICU I met another mother who had the same issue. She pumped every 2 hours and the most she ever got was 1 oz and it didn't change when her son started nursing. She tried it all as well. I say, try it and if you end up with the same results know that you did all you could and don't feel bad about going to formula. You are still making sure your child gets the nutrients that they need.

Congratulations on your 2nd!
I can totally relate to your story. I nursed my first for 6 weeks. I didn't have the milk supply and she was constantly hungry/fussy because of it. When I'd pump, I'd get about 3 oz, but it wasn't very good quality. I then switched her to formula and eventually to soy formula because of excessive spit-up. My 2nd was 7 weeks preemie, so I had to pump right away. She was in the NICU for 3 weeks, once I got her home, she'd latch on just long enough to get the let-down, but then would fall asleep or refuse to try anymore, so I'd have to give her a bottle. She didn't want to go thru the work of nursing! So, after a week, I gave up breastfeeding her. With my third, I didn't even want to deal with the frustration of nursing and wanted to enjoy my baby, so he was exclusively bottle-fed. After giving up nursing with my first, I felt like I was a "bad mom" for it, but don't let anyone make you feel that way if nursing doesn't work. You don't have to nurse to be a good mom. Even if you just give baby colostrum, that's better than nothing! :) As far as breast size, it doesn't determine how much milk you have. I'm small, but my milk supply had more to do with genetics. Did your mom and grandma nurse their children? Both of mine couldn't either and I believe my mom's sister wasn't able to as well.
Good luck with nursing your 2nd and I hope it goes well! :)

Hi S.,

I had the same thing happen with my first child. I am due in November with my second and hoping for the best. Some things that I heard that aren't on your list are beer and oatmeal (not together). I did everything I could to make engouh milk with my daughter and it just didn't happen. I am trying to be more laid back about it this time. I know that all of the breastmilk she got from me was good for her even if I couldn't give her only that. There are lots of hormonal things that can cause you to not make enough milk. I would maybe ask your doctor about those. I have also heard of lots of women who has trouble with the first and were fine with the second. Hopefully that will be the case for us. GOOD LUCK!! Your kids are lucky to have a mom that cares so much.
E.

I've read that holding your baby on your tummy immediately after birth for at least an hour helps. I'm wondering if your first baby was delivered by C-section or brought to the NICU or anything like that? Definitely go to a La Leche League meeting or contact a member in your area. It's not your fault if you don't produce enough milk. At least your son had some breastmilk!

Honestly, I tend to be one of those who thinks that most people can and should be able to make it work...so I'm obviously biased...but I will say that I had three months at home with my first, and so I breastfed and worked up my store of milk for those three months--I often only got an ounce the first two months; it was after about three months that I actually started producing like a cow. I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY HARD IF MOM GOES BACK TO WORK AT 6 WEEKS TO BREASTFEED. Your baby helps your body figure out how much milk to make, and if you are at work and pumping, I think sometimes your body just never adjusts to that higher demand. That said--this is what worked for me. The first three months, I breastfed almost exclusively, but we did make sure to do a few bottles so that he would take one come the fall when he was in daycare full time. I also pumped almost daily and more on weekends in order to start to store up milk. Once I was working, I RELIGIOUSLY pumped 4x a day (in the car on the way to work--45 minutes, during my prep period, during my lunch, and on the way home from work) and then again every weekend day or day off work as well. I took my pump to my inlaws over Christmas and pumped every day. My body got used to not only nursing the baby in the morning, but also then pumping out a ton of milk. The other thing: I've been home with #2 and exclusively breastfed and I can hardly pump at all. I think that a good portion of pumping comes from practice--it's awkward; it's hard to let down and pump milk if you don't do it regularly. Anyway--good luck and I hope it works out for you; if it doesn't, give dirty looks to the people who make you feel bad!!!!

S., I completely understand where you're coming from! I, too, had a hard time the first time around! I came to the conclusion that a) I really didn't know what I was doing and b) too many people were trying to "help" (i.e. the breastfeeding nazies at the hospital) and didn't let me give it a go on my own! When I had my daughter, everything was completely different! My milk came in great and she was a champ! I didn't have much breast growth with either of the pregnancies, and not at all after the first, but "developed" quite nicely with #2. Try not to be too anxious and just take your cues from your baby and you will make enough milk! Good luck and congratulations!

The size of your breasts, or how much they grow, is no indicator of how much milk you make.
How much you can pump is also NOT an indicator of how much milk you are making!
Why did you think you were not making enough in the beginning? You can e-mail me and we can chat more if you'd like. ____@____.com

What IS an indicator is how many wet diapers your baby is having each day. If you get six, nice wet diapers, your baby is getting enough milk. If your baby is having a bowel movement a day (at first.. these peter out after awhile), you can assume that baby is getting enough milk from you.

Supplementing with formula is a huge reason why women end up not making enough of their own milk. Breastmilk is made on a supply/demand basis. If you are not "demanding" that 4oz of milk your baby just ate from a bottle, your body will no longer make it. Nursing on demand (which can mean every hour or less at first) is THE best way to ensure a plentiful milk supply for your baby. Your body sounds like it regulates the amount of milk it makes well, thus the no engorgement that you experienced. Count yourself lucky on that front!

You don't really need to do anything before baby is born. Finding a good IBCLC would be a good idea, though. LCs would be a second choice for me... I've seen to many of them recommend formula right off the bat. If someone tells you to supplement, run far far away! LOL.
You can also join my breastfeeding support group;
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/milk_drunk/
The women there are wonderful.. supportive, knowledgeable, and many have BTDT with MANY different problems.

You also do not *need* to take ANYTHING. Just nurse your baby and trust that your body will make enough. And if you nurse on demand (ie, whenever your baby is awake, roots, sucks on his/her hands, fusses a bit, etc) you WILL make enough. Don't pump. It is a very poor indicator of how much milk you make. I've nursed my first child exclusively until she was 6 months, and then continued THROUGH A PREGNANCY, then tandem nursed until she was nearly 3... I am still nursing my second at 9 months old who is now outgrown her 22lbs weight limited carseat LOL. I have never had to supplement. And do you know how much I have been able to pump? Less than an ounce.. and that's COMBINING the pumped milk off BOTH of my breasts when they were ENGORGED. Yup.

You did try, and no one should make you feel badly about not being able to breastfeed. Sadly, misinformation about breastfeeding is out there, and many women fall victim to it. I'm lucky to have a supportive familiy where the women have never had a break in the breastfeeding lore. I hope you join the group and share your experience and get the support and information you need this time around. Take care, and I know you can do it!

In theory, yes you should be able to produce as much as your child needs, but many things can hinder this. Pumping before 4 weeks can throw off your supply, pacifiers for soothing can affect your supply in the beginning, if you are supplementing even just 1 feeding (even with pumped milk) can affect your supply in the beginning. You can get an herbal supplement called Fenugreek and I have heard it works wonders for women that can't pump enough. That being said you make much more milk than you are able to pump and that is a common misunderstanding, I could get 2 oz in the beginning but a lactation consultant assured me I had easily another 4 oz stored in my breasts for baby. With DS I went into it not knowing anything and I pumped from the beginning and gave him pacifiers and my supply dwindled, it took until he was 4 months old to build it back up without needing to supplement and with DD I knew better, she (15 months) has never had a bottle and we have never had supply issues. I am 12 weeks pregnant and I can only imagine it will get easier with #3. Find a La Leche League and go while you are still pregnant, they are so helpful and are a wealth of information! KellyMom.com is great resource too. Go into this with the mindset that yes your body can do it and just don't be willing to give up. Knowing that you are worried about your supply put the baby to the breast as often as he will take it, even comfort sucking stimulates milk production! Good luck mama!

I had two preemies and wasn't able to make enough milk to breastfeed either one of them. I don't know why this happened, but I do know that it DOES happen sometimes and it IS normal, and it is NOT your fault.

My breasts never changed much during pregnancy, so I wonder if that has a connection, like it was never going to happen. Most people I know have lots of changes in their breasts during pregnancy, and then they have few problems breastfeeding.

Both my boys are very bright (one even skipped a grade) and healthy and happy and strong, so missing out on breastmilk hasn't hurt them.

It's really hard when you can't breastfeed -- I was devastated -- but forgive yourself and let go. It will be alright.

I had the same problem with my first son. I did not produce enough milk, and was worried that I'd have the same problem with my second. My second experience was completely different than my first, and the only problem I had was nipple pain.

Though I was more aware of the possibility of problems with my second, and armed with more resolve from the minute he was born, I think what made the difference was my boys' temperaments. My first was very sleepy and would not stay awake long enough to nurse or latch on strongly, whereas my second was a little barricuda, and nothing would stop him from learning to latch on to nurse.

I wish you the best of luck, and hope it is easier for you with your second.

J.

If all is normal, the more you breastfeed, the more milk you'll produce. It's amazing how our bodies work! They will produce the type of milk the baby needs too. If you have a preemie it will create a different type of milk than if you have a 42 week gestation baby. Interesting, huh? Get in touch with LeLeche before you give birth and connect with the community that way. Try not to supplement with formula the first six months. The baby's stomach needs the coating the breastmilk provides and this will help lower any allergies to gluten, etc. Your baby will not starve - remember, their stomachs are the size of the tiniest steelie marble. Do watch for dehydration as an earlier poster said, but the baby will eat what it needs. The more baby can be at the breast, the more you two will work that milk production! Get lots of support at home from family and friends. Every time you feed, eat a little snack and drink water.

Good luck!
W.

Every baby is different. Some are natural breast feeders and others are not. I tried a little with my first and wasn't successful. My second I tried to the point that when I look back at pictures he was getting emaciated. Once I realized that I switched to formula. The nurses that were helping me were so focused on getting him to nurse they didn't see how tiny and frail he was getting (sunken eyes and loose skin). With my third I went into it saying I'm going to try but if I can't, so be it. I was able to nurse and supplement him. I nursed him for about six weeks or so. I really enjoyed that time with him and never really felt like my milk came in so would supplement with a bottle. Breastfeeding is certainly about nutrition but, for me at least, it was more about the bonding. I decided at the hospital that I would give him formula for the nutrion but continue to nurse for the bonding time. That took off the pressure and stress so that it was a more relaxing, rewarding time for both of us. Good luck and just remember that you know what your baby needs so follow your instincts. Don't let anyone let you feel like a failure because you can't nurse. NOT every woman can. Good luck.

Hi S.!

I had the same problem with my first two. My daughter (the baby) was able to breastfeed for six months without any problem. The only difference was how much water I drank. My doctor when I was pregnant with her told me to drink a gallon a day. That sounds like a lot, but it worked. I would start with a new gallon of water in the morning and made sure it was gone by the time I went to bed. That is the only thing I did different and I wish that the doctors for my two older boys had told me to drink that much water. I hope this helps!

I am pregnant with my second now and have the very same question. I tried EVERYTHING (pumping after feedings, mother's milk tea, fenugreek, Reglan, and a supplemental nursing system) with my first, but I never made enough milk. My breasts never changed with pregnancy either and I never felt engorged. I was told at the hospital and by a lactation consultant after I had left the hospital that my son had a good latch. He lost almost 10% of his birthweight in 5 days, so we started supplementing. I breastfed followed by pumping for the 3 months I was home, then breastfed at home and pumped at work for several more months. This time around I don't think I'll have the energy to try as hard (unless it's clear that things have improved) with a toddler running around. Only once did a doctor or lactation consultant (I can't remember which) mention that I could have a glandular problem, so I think it's possible that could be your situation too, but it seems like no one likes to acknowledge that that can be an issue.

Good luck!!!

If you are a breastfeeding SAHM there should be no reason that you are feeding formula or supplementing- that is detrimental to keeping up your milk supply and confusing for a newborn. Normal time for your milk to come in is 3-5 days however it could take a week for it to come in. Do NOT supplement with formula if you are trying to breastfeed. Do not give artificial nipples until you and your baby are well established nursers and your body has adjusted to his needs which is usually around 4-6 WEEKS. MOST women make enough milk to feed the baby/babies that they deliver- it is not common to not produce enough milk for your baby if you are staying home and exclusively breastfeeding. (I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, I'm sure there are glandular issues or medical issues that affect a women's milk supply but that is not common or "normal") However it seems as though it is VERY common to not have enough support for breastfeeding mothers and for new moms to be confused or misguided. It is also common to have some type of issue while breastfeeding- no one said it was easy- just best. It is also VERY common to be a poor pumper of milk. How much milk you pump out has NO relation to how much milk you're making or the baby is eating. If you really want to know how much milk your baby is taking in, you need to go to your dr's office, weigh the baby- nurse the baby- and weigh the baby again. The best thing you can do as a SAHM is to eat well, drink TONS of water and nurse on demand. Basically, latch your baby on and keep him there until your milk supply is well established. Don't worry about pumping for weeks- as a SAHM you should only need a small freezer store of milk on those occasions when you are away from your baby. I work 4 days a week and pump for when my child is at daycare(believe me, I am a BAD pumper and it's stressful, you don't want to worry about doing that if you are lucky enough to stay home with your baby)and my rule is that my baby only gets a bottle when I'm at work- otherwise he is nursed- to help keep my supply up. If you really need outside help with increasing your supply you can try Fenugreek 6-10 capsules a day (didn't work for me)Blessed Thistle 6-10 capsules a day(works better for me)lots of different brands of "Mother's milk Tea" I'm using one called Milkmaid Tea and it works great- I drink 2 glasses each morning. I've also heard oatmeal for breakfast, glass of beer in the evening, More Milk Plus capsules- never tried them. I also don't think that the size of your breasts has any relation to how much milk you produce but I do think it has a relation to how much you can store. I am on the smaller side and tend to get clogged easy if I have too many letdowns. I nursed my daughter for 21 months with only the occasional clogged duct and I was never a good pumper and had to supplement a little for her daycare bottles. My son is 5 months old and I am having more and different problems with him but so far he has only had breastmilk. Each pregnancy and each child are different. You'll do great this time and do what's best for you and your baby- just get the support you need. www.kellymom.com is a good website for BF and www.askdrsears.com is also good and definitely attend some LLL meetings.

I've had problems essablishing my milk supply after both of my pregnancies. But working with the lactation consultant at the hospitals are great if you really want to be successful in breastfeeding. My suggestions that I got from the lactation consultant are to do alot of skin to skin contact in the beginning while you are waiting for your milk to come in and after it come in. Sit there and snuggle your baby with a blanket over the two of you with no clothes between the two of you and after 30-45 minutes you'll be leaking and ready to feed or pump. Also do the fenugreek and my doctor perscibed me Reglan to assist in building my supply up. I took 4 Fenugreek 4 times a day, pumped after every feeding and also took the Reglan 3 times a day 30 minutes before every meal. It really helps! Good luck I hope you are successful this time around...it is such a rewarding thing to do.

First of all, drink drink drink. I recommend a lot of water and a tea ____@____.com
I also recommend for the first few times you nurse, you may want to take advil before you nurse for the discomfort and dim the lights, play soft music and bond with your baby.
Your doctor is right, size has nothing to do with it. Stress however, has everything to do with it.

I know where you're coming from!! I felt very frustrated and like I wasn't doing something right when it came to breastfeeding my first, too. We also didn't have an adequate milk supply and supplemented. I saw lactation nurses and everything, but ended up doing the same as you...pumping and quitting at about 3 months.
And, like you, I wanted to do better the second time around...my breasts also didn't swell either time. I took fenugreek after my second was born, following the instructions on the bottle. I had to search for it, but found it at a supplement/natural foods store. Part of our problem was also that I had c-sections with both kids and didn't get to breastfeed right away with my first. So, with my second, I brought the pump along and started pumping in the hospital immediately. Both my babies were bigger: 8 lbs, 10 oz and 9 lbs, 9 oz. And people will say that the size of your baby doesn't matter, that your breasts will respond to the demand, etc. But, it doesn't work that way for everyone!!!
Don't feel bad if you quit "early" again with your second. I pumped early, used fenugreek, read and did the helpful tips in the La Leche League books, and I still ended up supplementing with my second. And I quit at 4 months.
The most important thing is that your baby is well fed and happy. And that you're happy too. If it's stressing everyone out, it's not worth it. Your baby gets all the colostrum and antibodies if you breast feed for the first couple months, anyway.