Comments on: When Breastfeeding, Persistence Pays

By: tjwriter

tjwriter — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:56:08 +0000

Well, since I posted my last comment, we hit the two week mark and my supply did that funky dropping off thing like it did with my first.

The only difference is that it has not been so wild and crazy as it was with the first (she was in the NICU for her first five days) and my supply seems to be recovering.

However, I still only feel full one or two times a day, and the little one wants to eat constantly. I’ve taken to supplementing with a couple of ounces of formula twice a day (morning and bedtime), usually after breastfeeding her. Then I breastfeed her all day and during the night.

It seems to be working out well and my breasts seem to be making more milk, so I think my supply will match her needs soon. I certainly don’t feel guilty about the little bit of formula she gets. The breastmilk is still the mainstay of her diet.

You have to do whatever works.

By: Melissa H

Melissa H — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:36:57 +0000

At my hospital the nurses were incredibly helpful with nursing… but the nursing consultants were not, giving me a list an arm’s length long of all the reasons that I had against me and why I shouldn’t feel bad if I fail. I too had to supplement because my babe had bili rubin troubles. So I supplemented and pumped and ended up with so much milk that I had bags of it in the freezer. It eventually evened itself out… but I had had so much for so long that when it slowed to her need alone, I FREAKED. I was terrified that I wasn’t feeding her enough. Here we are approaching 14 months though and she is still nursing and is a healthy and beautiful child. So the best thing that I can say is to relax a little and remember that nature has a remarkable way of working it all out. Persistance is THE key. If you keep at it the latch works itself out, the milk will balance itself out, the baby will be fed and then one day you will look down at your angel and realize that this is the best decision that you have ever made in your life. It is amazing the bond created with your little one. I will never regret the choice to breast feed my little one.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:15:54 +0000

TJ, I confess I'm a bit jealous of your copious supply, lol! But I guess neither extreme is pleasant. We haven't had any issues mixing, other than weird colored poops. lol In the past few days, my supply has increased and she can fill up on just one if it's early in the day. Then I'm lopsided. lol Dawns last blog post..Whatever it Takes

By: Alexandra Lutz

Alexandra Lutz — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:12:03 +0000

My hospital’s staff woke me if my daughter had slept more than three hours without eating. And once it took 45 minutes of deliberate action to wake her, only for her to fall asleep again at the breast. She started losing weight quickly, approaching 5 pounds by her third day. When the hospital pediatrician recommended supplementing with formula, I wanted a second opinion. I asked a lactation consultant what I could do about her sleepy eating, asked a midwife about the weight loss and my own pediatrician. All said that supplementing was necessary at that point. I didn’t like it, but I realized that supplementing with bottles was not a crime. And it did not interfere with breastfeeding as I had feared.
However, I later learned about “finger feeding” with formula which I wish I had known about at the time.

By: tjwriter

tjwriter — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:07:53 +0000

I’m just in the beginning stages of breastfeeding, and I’m miserable right now from overproduction. I keep waiting for my supply to level off, but I’m still having to pump out my breasts 1-2 times a day to relieve my severe discomfort. I try to wait as long as I can to do so.

My daughter can’t even completely empty one of my breasts and has to stuff herself to empty the other.

It’s weird that your hospital had that hourly feeding schedule. That’s near impossible. I guess we have a very nice hospital here. I only had to offer the breast every three hours or so and they didn’t freak out if she didn’t take it or nurse very long.

They also had lactation consultants stop by the room every day to address any issues or concerns. I really love my hospital.

Still, supplementing with formula is not a crime and you do what you have to do. Though mixing breastmilk and formula did give my first horrid bowel discomfort.

tjwriters last blog post..Coffee and Pregnancy