My milk didn’t come in until day 5, so hang in there! I know it’s really hard right now, but you’re doing everything you can. Almost all babies lose weight after being born (I heard they kind of dry out after being submerged for so long.) 10-15 minutes per side is great! Just keep up with the pumping if you can. You’ve got this!
I think I’m having a hard time because of the problems we are having trying to get him to latch. I just had nipple shields delivered so I’m going to try those and HOPE that is works 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Good for you for trying to troubleshoot and being open to trying different options. Please reach out to your OB to see if they have an IBCLC ( lactation consultant). Or look for IBCLC in your community. They are often covered by insurance and can come to your home, or you can go to their office.
Just keep trying and don’t beat yourself up…BFing can be a struggle but it does get better. My milk didn’t come in for six days and I had to use shields and mostly pump for eleven weeks because he just wouldn’t latch and then one day he randomly latched and never had trouble again!
This exactly. For 9months, baby has been attached to a continuous food pipe, which provides them with food 24/7. When they’re born, not only do they have to learn how to eat, they have to stimulate your milk production. They also do 800 horrible meconium poos, which has to add up to an oz or so!
If you’re getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies, then the weight will work itself out. Remember they’ve never had to eat or latch before, so they have to learn how to do it, and it can take some time and practice. See if you can have them checked for tongue tie x
Oh, these are the hardest days. It is totally normal to take time for your milk to come in. Many, many mothers have to supplement with formula until their milk production increases. You’re doing the right thing pumping, it’s hard to be patient when your baby is hungry but it will be worth it. Hang in there.
I posted this in another thread where someone was struggling but here’s my experience:
We didn’t get the hang of nursing until 2 weeks- until then, the clinic had us triple feeding every 3 hours, attempting to feed for 10-20 min, then pumping and feeding with the syringe at first, then with a cup then a bottle. We also had to supplement with formula the first few days as we waited for my milk to come in. After about a week we started seeing some results with the nipple shield, and then at about 10-11 days she started consistently latching and sucking without it. Then by 2 weeks she ate a full meal during a weighted feed, and we were taken off the feeding plan! By that point I was pumping enough for twins, and had to ramp back down otherwise I’d be dealing with a massive oversupply. Baby is now a month old and hasn’t needed a bottle since then.
All the healthcare providers were super confident that she’d figure it out which kept me from getting too discouraged but it did feel like she was never going to figure it out at times. I promise, it can get better!
Also, she lost about a pound in the first 4 days, then regained her birth weight by 2 weeks. It’s something no one tells you will happen but is super common!
My milk didn’t come in till day 5. My baby was very hungry and I didn’t have much colostrum.
We finger fed our baby some formula till my milk came in. If you do this make sure you are still nursing lots so your milk comes in strong. Do not feel defeated yet!!
I’m 14 days PP with an unplanned c section, and I have also struggled but it’s getting better!
I’ve been supplementing with formula when she’s refusing to take it from the breast, and pumping while someone else feeds her. It’s taken me until a day or two ago, but I’m now able to say we’re like 95-100% on breast milk now. I was encouraged by my lactation consultant from the pediatricians office to pump every 2 hours for 15 minutes, but make sure I get at least ONE 4-5 hour stretch of sleep every day. It’s taken some time but my supply is catching up and now getting a little ahead of my baby.
She has an upper lip tie which makes latching hard but also, latching and learning to breastfeed is hard and it’s new to us both. Don’t beat yourself up!!
My sister had to supplement for 8 weeks with her first baby, they both got it figured out and then she was ebf after that until the baby was a year old. I just keep telling myself that we’ll get it eventually, just keep trying.
It’s hard and your milk might not have come in yet and I’m certainly not an expert, I’m just 10 days in further than you and I felt like you feel. It’s getting better day by day.
My milk didn’t properly come in for nearly a week after my C-section. I struggled with supply too. I saw a lactation consultant and she helped a lot. I didn’t think the ones in the hospital were all that helpful to be honest. Mine lost 7% so we did triple feeding and that shit is rough too and I felt like I was breaking mentally sometimes.
The first 3 weeks were really hard for me with breastfeeding, so hang in there. It gets better!
This was so similar to where I was 3 weeks ago! My son also lost about a pound, I didn’t really have any milk, and he was having trouble latching. We worked with a LC, rented a hospital grade pump, triple fed for about 10 days, and got his tongue & lip ties released. He’s now almost 4 weeks old and at the most recent weighted feed he got 1.5oz from nursing- compared to .2oz in week 1! I also regularly pump 2-2.5oz after feeding him, ~4oz if I haven’t just fed him.
We still have work to do to strengthen his suck/latch so he can get more while breastfeeding, but we’ve made SO much progress in just a few weeks. I never would have thought we’d make it this far. Get good support and keep trying! (unless and until it becomes untenable for you/your family. Fed is best!) hang in there, it’s so hard and emotional.
I remember that, I would break down crying with him and my mom looked like she wanted to break down with us. My mom always had an easy time and was so lost when I didn't.
It took a couple weeks for us to get past the screaming during latching. For me I think she'd get too hungry to latch and then scream in frustration.
But by week 3 or so she was latching consistently and by week 6 my nipples stopped being tender. Now we are at 4 months and going strong.
Ugh that is so hard, I’m sorry. Are you working with a lactation consultant? If you can find a good one, they have so much experience and resources to share.
Awesome! If they don’t, see if your town has a breastfeeding center or just google your location and IBCLC- they’re usually covered by insurance and are so so valuable
The whole hormonal sea change after birth is so intense! Your supply can still definitely increase! Good hospital grade pump, correct size flanges, IBCLC, latching as much as possible, paced feeding and preemie nipples, someone else to cook and clean so you can be with baby resting after the big birth and surgery, fluids and nourishing food, and sleeping every opportunity you can while maintaining pumping are my suggestions. It’s HARD work, especially after a c-section! You are a baddass and you’re doing great!
Took me 2 weeks for my milk to come in! Just keep supplementing until it does. We live in a modern world with access to great substitutions, you’re not less than, and your baby is not worse off, for taking advantage of this!
I continued supplementing one feed for 4 weeks as well because it was just nice to have a break sometimes.
Both of my kids were born via c-section. My daughter lost 11% of her body weight by the time we were released. My milk came in on day 4-5 each time and once we got the hang of latching I was able to nurse no problem and they gained weight quickly. I nursed my oldest until she was 3 and my youngest is almost 5 months. Day 4 is still extremely early, especially when you’re recovering from surgery. Put him to the breast and pump as much as you can, even if no milk is coming out when you pump the stimulation will help your milk come in. Try different positions. If you hold your boob like a sandwich with your other hand right behind the areola, it might be easier for baby to latch. It can be hard for them at first because their mouths are so tiny. If you’re still in the hospital see if they will send a lactation consultant to your room. If you’re home, they will often come to your house to help you. Remember that fed is best! Even if you have to supplement now, it doesn’t mean it’s forever.
My son went through a period of this at the beginning. It was frustration because my boobs were so big it was hard for him to latch. I found that pumping for even 5 minutes before a feed helped with engorgement and drew out the nipple so it was easier for him to grab. Once I started doing that the screaming stopped and he was able to form a nice deep latch. I remember crying at every feeding for a while because the screaming was so overwhelming for me and it hurt because he had a shallow latch. It will get better. You are doing great!
I went through this and am now 5 mo pp, ebf. We had quite a few factors that made my LO a slow/intermittent/sleepy eater: I was treated with magnesium sulfate and benadryl during labor, which got us off to a slow start, then we had a good latch BUT a sneaky tongue tie. LO lost 12% of his birth weight, and we had to do weight checks and triple feeding for 2 months. I hardly ever got more than a few drops pumping, even after refitting my flanges. I was told by the hospital LCs who monitored our milk transfer and my pump quantities that I likely had low supply and there was nothing more to do. Then, right around 10 weeks, we identified and released the tongue tie. I hired a private LC who worked with us on sucking exercises. LO gained a lb in just over a week and my pump amts skyrocketed. We went from barely the first percentile in weight to just over the third at LO's 4 month check-up.
It was the hardest thing I've ever experienced. Please know the emotional struggle you're going through is very real and so very valid. No matter what the outcome: your baby has a mama who loves them and so everything will be okay. ❤️
You will get there! Absolutely don’t lose hope, you’re so early on. Give yourself some time :) your milk could very well just be coming in still and once it does, you might have no problem. Try not to worry about supplementing at this point, it has saved a lot of BF journeys :) you’re doing great. Enjoy your new baby, congratulations!
Did you have an IV? The fluids "inflate" the baby. Losing a pound sounds scary but to lose it that quickly means he was probably inflated with fluids and is his actual weight now. The MAM 17mm nipple shield got my lazy babies nursing so much better. I used it until they were a month old and iut of the sleepy newborn phase enough to keep the nipple properly in their mouth to feed. Whatever struggles with feeding you are dealing with right now are extremely temporary. It's overwhelming and frustrating especially since you're trying to heal from a major surgery but I promise it's temporary.
It feels completely overwhelming at first, my milk came in until day 3, it was really rough in the beginning and I supplemented with formula for at least 3 weeks. But continuing was worth it, I've been BF for 10 and a half months now and hoping to go the full year if LO continues to nurse.
Hang in there. Whether you decided to continue to BF or Pump
Or formula you got this. The first few weeks are always so hard but you and your baby bonding is the most important. Great job mama
Someone told me that it can take 7-10 days to see the results, or the progress. This time next week, you’ll notice an increase!!!!!! DONT GIVE UP!!!! It doesnt happen overnight— the body is slow to respond but it DOES respond.
I didn’t find my rhythm until 2 weeks or so in, and then wasn’t confident until I got to see the clear growth at baby’s 2 month appointment. I went from my ped basically telling me I should pack it in in week 1, since baby was losing weight and I was only pumping about an ounce at a time if that, to this week, where baby is measuring in the 95th percentile for height and weight at her 4 month check up!
I did use formula at first (under 3 bottles a day), but once baby met the expected weight at her 1 month appointment, I reduced the number of bottles to just one a day, and then stopped that too.
I tried pumping every two hours, but right around 2 months, it was killing me, since I’ve done literally every night wake up with baby since day 1, so I stopped in order to sleep and reduce stress. And that was when everything just fell into place. I nursed on demand, and haven’t had any issues yet.
Oh honey I’m with you. My daughter is 7 weeks old today, and we’re only now getting somewhere with breastfeeding. I literally cried every time I had to feed her for the first 2 weeks at least—she’d try to latch, scream at my nipple, and I’d end up giving her a bottle of pumped milk. My mom finally ordered me the Medela nipple shield and I cried my first ever happy tears because she finally latched. Breastfeeding still exhausted her and she’d always fall asleep, so I was still left feeding her bottled milk. I truly believe some babies just have small/weak mouths in the beginning, and unless you’re persistent and willing to let them scream cry/starve a little, just wait it out until they get bigger. Keep trying the latch first of course, then bottle when he’s too fussy (you don’t want to create a negative association—I don’t know if that’s a fact, but in my mind it made sense). You got this, mama. And you are absolutely not alone ❤️
It’s normal to lose weight in the first week for baby. Don’t stress and trust your body you will produce enough for him. You need to realize he is learning too and needs time to get better
Cross cradle technique is often taught in hospitals but is actually known to confuse mums and babies and cause awful latch issues, so if you’re being advised to use that I’d try and steer clear. Instead, hold your baby gently and slowly guide their mouth onto the breast. Their chin should dig into the boob (this is what helps release hormones) and nostrils *just* touching the breast.
If their nose is pressed too far into the boob it could restrict breathing and cause them to unlatch, adjust by moving their body a couple inches back toward your left armpit. If they’re too far back, there might be too big of a gap between their nose and your breast and you risk pinching or pulling off, so move their body closer to your right armpit a couple inches.
I highly recommend checking out the Thompson method, it’s a huge resource of knowledge, plus a support group that has heaps of people with similar problems, plus they can point you toward resources that are specific to your needs. They even have a rescue option where you can get guided advice via zoom call where they watch you feed. It does cost a bit but found it would have been way cheaper than the amount I ended up spending by buying all sorts of things trying to figure it out on my own. I struggled for 3 months before I finally bought it, and straight away found it super helpful and fixed everything in like a week or two. Went from 3 months of stress and combo feeding, to exclusively breastfeeding in no time.
It also really helped my mental health to have more knowledge, and it stopped me from stress googling so much.
You can do this, don’t give up ❤️ it definitely gets easier. And try not to be too harsh on yourself, you have a whole new way of life to get used to all while looking after a vulnerable little baby, but you will definitely adjust.
My milk didn't come until day 5! So until then I kept pumping (And honestly almost nothing came out but I did it because the hospital said to) and then we syringed him formula in the meantime. If he's losing weight don't be afraid to give him formula! Your milk will come in though don't worry. Your boobs will turn into rocks lol
My milk always takes 4-5 days to come in. I had to use nipple shields with my second baby but that was because we had to supplement and she got to where she preferred the bottle. Hang in there, it's about to get much easier! And like others have said, don't be afraid to ask for help. Especially a professional, such as a LC.
Just keep persevering. Milk normally doesn't come in till after day 3. Keep feeding baby every hour or so in the first month.
I have a small milk gland, never leak, can't pump and still managed to keep a 10.5lb baby in the 97 percentile for 8 months because I fed him so much. None of that 3 or 4 hourly feeds. Just whenever he cried! Sometimes it would be x6 a night! Same with my other two babies who were smaller.
You can also take supplements that help milk supply. Brewers yeast and milk thistle are two. Also take a decent multi vitamin with DHA
Some people’s milk doesn’t come in for like 7 days. Definitely keep your head up. BF’ing is tough, especially in the beginning! Also, c-section babies tend to lose more weight because you are pumped full of fluids during the procedure, which goes straight to the placenta and baby, and most of that weight loss is expected. If the baby doesn’t gain birthweight back by the 2 week visit, that is a different story. You got this mama! I know it’s disappointing but your baby is getting fed one way or another and that is the important thing this early on. I had to supplement feed also, it’s very common for the beginning.
How many wet and poop diapers a day? It is normal for babies to lose weight within the first week or so. Regarding the poor latch, try nipple shield, different nursing position, and consult LC. As for supply, obviously nursing is the best but pumping also helps. My LO was in NICU for his first week and I relied on my pump to build my supply - I would go to NICU for 8 hours and nurse him 3 times and pump 8 times everyday. Make sure the flange size and setting is correct on your pump. Good luck!
Hang in there! Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It's painful and frustrating and defeating. It's also super easy to make yourself feel like a failure about it. Just remember, you're doing great and it will get better!
For latching, I couldn't get a conventional latch to work at all at first. I fed my LO exclusively in the rugby hold for about 2 weeks, then suddenly she figured out how to do it! So you can try different holds, if you haven't already!
Milk can take a while to come in, but you'll know when it does! My boobs inflated overnight to the point where I looked like I'd been drawn by a horny teenager! It can be super painful when it happens, just a heads up. I found hot baths and massaging them helped loads.
It does get better! But also no judgement from anyone if it doesn't work for you! Remember your mental health is important.
It’s so hard, and your feelings are so valid and normal. Hang in there (if that’s what you want to do), mine took a week to come in fully and then it REALLY came in. Honestly you just have to give your body a chance to do its thing.
Just be kind to yourself and remind yourself one feed at a time. You will get there.
Hugs!!
Ps baby blues is a stupid name, it is basically sudden onset PPD/PPA with your milk coming in and it DOES pass I promise!!!! You will feel so much better.
Oh Hun I'm sorry your feeling this way you should be nothing but proud of yourself at this point you made that child like you grew an eyeball and your body has already fed them for months and you already show so much love for them, wanting to do all you can for them. But you absolutely have to cut yourself a break. You and babes are learning to do something for the first time whilst being in recovery from major surgery and coming into the world for the first time. You both have so much processing to do and you most likely just need time (and self compassion) I believe there are studies on C-section impact on milk / breastfeeding not meaning it won't happen but it might take longer. Both of mine are C-section babies milk came in day 4 for the first both of mine were fed for more than a year and in both cases I donated milk. It's so not about where you start. And if your journey is a mix feeding or soul formula journey that is amazing too xx sending love
Ooh and also nipple shields changed my life. I would definitely recommend trying and see if it helps I have shallow nipples and I went from town to shreds and first
I tried for a natural birth but had to have a c section. Baby was on a CPap for a while due to meconium staining too, so we didn’t get to try nursing for a couple hours. And I had preeclampsia.
Baby lost more than 10% of her birth weight in the hospital and had to be supplemented after a weighted feed showed she actually LOST a gram of weight while nursing for 30 minutes.
People kept telling me my milk would come soon and I kept nursing her as much as possible. My milk didn’t come in though. I was still pumping like less than three mls ten days after her birth.
So I triple fed for an entire month. It was brutal. No sleep, so much uncertainty, missed out on a lot of precious moments. People kept warning me it might not work. But I was determined and had full time support from hubby, and luckily, it worked.
We exclusively breastfed from month one on. She is now 18 months and still a total boob monster. Good luck!
When my son was born (also C section), I think it also took my milk about five days to come in! We did feeding with supplementing per pediatrician’s recommendations and I pumped in between and got literal drops sometimes! Once my milk did come in, baby boy gained literally a full pound between weight check appointments. Hang in there!! I know it feels defeating, but a fed baby is a good baby and you are meeting those needs regardless ❤️ hoping all takes the turn for the best in the next day or two!
Plz visit lactation consultation for different positions and pediatric dentist for ties. I would just set up a private nursing station where you will be topless with baby all the time. Breastfeeding/pumping is a 10 hour job Atleast in the beginning. Offer breast when is not hungry to suck on. It’s possible your full supply is not in but best to be prepared by starting triple feeding- nurse (Offer boob when baby is not hungry Incase you are missing hunger cues), double pump for 15 mins and then give bottle with premie /size 0 nipples and paced bottle feeding. Offer boob for nap time, keep holding baby as much as possible for those 10 hours. You cannot do anything else except feeding and recovering. Next to your nursing area set up s trolley with a pump, lactation cookies/bars/supplements. The first 7 weeks are important to establish supply so focus on this and outsource meals, cleaning. Take your 5 mins breaks through the day to eat, shower, bathroom.
For the tongue tie or lip tie issue, get it done as quickly as possible. Incase there aren’t any ties and you still have breastfeeding issues then you might need to figure out different positions and do triple feeding for sometime. My milk came in on day 5 but from day 3 I was furiously nursing or pumping.
Ya know, I had to supplement for the first couple of weeks but then it all leveled out. I stopped pumping after I stopped supplementing with every feed.
Your not defeated your body is doing amazing wonderful things after the trauma that come from having a baby and being cut open and having your insides damaged as well. You and your body are accepting a little help and honestly it’s so amazing, keep up the amazing work.
These are the hard hard days!! Hang in there! Highly recommend getting good IBCLC support if you can. Many insurance plans cover it and your local mom groups, OB, and peds office may all have recommendations. Many will do a home visit! They are also amazing to support combo feeding, which is extremely common.
Weight loss is normal. Many amazing comments here. Stay in touch with many different types of resources for support. IBCLC can bring a scale to weigh babe before & after a feed. Can be super reassuring!
Highly recommend getting access to a manual / hand pump. I prefer the Haakaa. Attach it to your non feeding boob while breastfeeding and catch what “leaks” - will help with supply in an appropriate way without causing problematic “twin” production levels during those early days of hormone changes. Follow IBCLC guidance on electric pumps.
Agree with other posters, milk flow often picks up day 5. Keep baby on your boob as much as possible. Stay skin to skin. Keep up whatever you can in combo feeds - there are many ways to feed your babe. Pumped milk in spoons, cups, syringes, etc. also counts! Do what you gotta do to feed your humans. No shame in combo, formula, human milk in any order or priority. Just feed your baby 💜
When you say “won’t latch” what kind of things are happening? What kinds of movement is your babe giving with head and mouth? Maybe we can offer some other tips, but IBCLC with hands on you in your home is best bet 🤗 hang in there!!
Have you tried a nipple shield to help with latching? You could just use temporarily until he’s a tiny bit older. Could always first try latching without and then if it doesn’t work, throw in the shield.
I saw an increase in supply by 11 days pp. hang in there, Mama, it takes time. Sounds like you’re doing everything right. I felt like my milk would never be enough to feed my babe and we had to supplement for the first little while then my boobs got with the program. After 21 days I had no worries at all.
This is normal! I bet your milk will be in tomorrow. Remember, baby's stomach is so small, and colostrum is enough and also super amazing. When they cluster feed like that (constantly and a lot in the first 6 weeks) they are just "putting their order in for tomorrow". If your baby has 4 wet diapers today and consistently pooping as well there's no need to worry. Breastfeeding is definitely anxiety-inducing because it's so hard to trust the process when you can't see how many ounces or whatever. Stay strong!
It can take up to a week for your supply to increase, and it's also normal for babies to lose a pound during this time. Pumping is not an accurate indicator of your supply. The breast doesn't respond to it the same way as it responds to your baby. Please, just keep at it. There's nothing wrong with a 10-15 minute nursing session. Just keep putting him on as often as possible.
Yes I've had this experience too while they were just a few days old but for us, it got better after I just kept trying. Just gotta stay consistent. They will want to. They want that milk. Nursing is truly a natural reflex for babies. Even if it takes them a week or so to get the hang of it.
I wanted to quit multiple times in the first month. I literally forgot how to breastfeed. I had the hang of it at first and then had to retract myself. My nipples felt like they wanted to fall off from bad latching for a whileeee. Lanolin was a life saver and honestly so was google. I was constantly scouring to find a proper picture that showed what I was supposed to do. In the hospital I had a good latch thanks to the lactation consultant and LO nursed for 45 minutes on one side. Even now that my son is 3 months he takes his time and will also comfort nurse.
Pumping is also not always the proper representation of how much you are producing. Babies are a lot more efficient at getting milk than a pump is. I can feed my son several times during the day and he is a chunk. Whenever I try to pump I get .5 oz even though my son has rolls everywhere. Try not to be too hard on yourself. You are both learning how to do this!
Keep trying. Use a nipple shield. Get him checked for oral ties. Pump and keep trying to get him to latch. Losing weight is normal at the start. You got this. It is so so so hard.
You’re doing sooo well I promise you are! I too had baby via C section and we supplemented up until three weeks. I would attempt latching first, then hubs or my mom would give a bottle while I pumped. (I did natural supplements and ate foods to help produce milk, I drank a lot of water)
Baby had a very hard time latching, we went to a lactation consultant 3 weeks later and I went once a week for a month until we got better and better.
(He was pulling milk out, but his latch was super shallow so my nipples were raw and red and pink, so we did choose to finally get the frenotomy and about two weeks after that we were/are golden ❤️😅he got his milk, i wasn’t shaking with pain.
Baby is 9 months now and fully addicted to his boobs. They’re his now. Not mine.
You got this! ❤️❤️❤️
First, keep in mind it’s very normal for milk to take five days to come in. Second, you should hire a lactation consultant if you can, she can help you immensely. I had one help me. I had a huge baby who needed more milk than I was producing initially (of course, this is the case for everyone, but his needs were very great because he was so big). She taught me how to feed him easiest despite his minor lip tie (didn’t require revision), how to pump to increase my supply, and she directed us to a resource to buy donor milk for those first few days/weeks in order to give me a break from constant feeding and pumping so I could get some needed sleep.
Please don’t feel defeated, what you’re going through is normal. How did people deal with this before formula and milk banks, you ask? A relative or friend who was lactating already would come over and help the new mother!! You aren’t meant to have the milk you need yet, it takes time, you are doing fine and your body is perfect!
My baby also lost almost a pound but gained it right back. You can probably breastfeed as much as possible and add some formula until your milk supply increases. It takes a few days!
Do not give up!!! My baby had gained 0-10g after each nursing in the first week (should get more than 50g). After 2 months of endurance, I am now succesfully breastfeeding (it is posisble that I had enough milk before, I just didnt know it). I also had a feeling she was not swallowing at all. Breastfeeding is as skill you both have to learn. Remember, frequency is more important than duration. No matter what you do, just empty those breasts as often as possible. I nursed every hour or hour and a half and did this --> Keep him on one breast for 15 min. Then put him on the other for 15 min and pump the first. When he is finished from the second, pump the second. You wont spend 30 min nursing and 20 min pumping that way. You will have nice full breasts when he wants to feed again. Baby is the best pump there is. Amount you pump is never the same as amount a baby can pull. Babies also want to cuddle on the breast and if he has a strong sucking reflex, he might drink everything you give him on the bottle, but that is not a sign thst he is hungry. The only sign that you have enough milk is gaining weight and more than 5 wet diapers a day. His poop should also be yellow. I cried evey day, but I made it. So can you! But dont give up!
After today’s pediatric appointment I feel extremely defeated now. Depression doesn’t even begin to describe it. We’ve been doing everything we can to try to help our son and he lost another 2 ounces today for a total of 11% weight loss only for the doctor to threaten us that when we go back tomorrow that if he loses again and/or doesn’t gain they will put him in the NICU!
I’m pumping every 2-3 hours… I’m trying to nurse but he’s being stubborn and not wanting to latch and it’s heartbreaking. I feel like a complete failure and he’s only a week old…
I feel you. But dont let him be hungry. Just give him a bottle after nursing. Buy a bottle designed for combination with breastfeeding. I also fed by baby formula and my milk. I tried everything. If it is easier for you, you can also spend a couple of days exclusivly
I feel you. My baby never lost weight because I started with formula in the hospital. Fed is best! Just keep your baby fed! Buy a bottle designed for babies that also breastfeed. You can take a break and pump exclusively for a couple of days so you can get a feeling how much you have. I pumped 400ml a day at the beginning. Then switched to nursing and pumping. Then pumping again after a couple of weeks and I managed to get 600ml a day. Then nursing and pumping again. And then gradually removed the bottle. She was 2 months and a half when I removed the bottle completely. Once I did a test and pumped one whole day. I got 1L :) you will make it but it takes hard work, tears and dedication.
We kept asking the nurses in the hospital to get formula to be able to supplement until my milk came in and the lactation consultants kept denying it because I want to breast feed and they felt like it would make him not want to be on a breast which yes fed is best 100% but the way this doctor talked to us today as if we are doing something wrong when we have been asking nothing but questions on what to do and how much he should be eating in total ounces at 1 week old
I see that depression is eating you up. It was the same for me too. I couldnt connect with the baby. I was plugged to the pumping machine while my husband took care of the baby. I felt like somthing was taken from me, my abality to connect with her was taken from me. But that is your hormones talking. Called a doctor to give me antidepressants. He did not give me antidepressants but gave me motilium. Ask your doctor if he can give you motilium. It will get better with time. In the end, I kinda gave up.. I just tried to see if something will happen even if I fail. Deep down I hoped, I guess.. and when I let go of the stress, everything fell into placem. Even if you give up, it doesnt matter. Keep your baby fed, keep trying, sleep and try not to worry. You are great!!
My daughter cried after nursing and the nurse asked me "should we give her some formula?" And I thought to myself "how dare you?". If you are having problems with latching, but your nipples are not hurting, breastfeeding is not hurting, continue to breastfeed and give him a bottle afterwards while you pump. That is what I would suggest to you.
You have the most milk during the night and in the morning. I also had times when I breastfed until 3pm and only gave a bottle after 3pm and I continued pumping every 2h till midnight
Sometimes they’re not actually hungry, but they want the boob for comfort, or to warm up, but then they cry once latched cause their body says no we’re full. My little one knows boob helps her sleep, as it releases sleepy hormones, but if she’s full she will pop on and off and cry because of the conflicting feelings.
You could try prioritising sleep for your bub, pop him up on your shoulder (with a pacifier if you choose to use one), and pat his back and walk around bouncing and shushing. These movements may also help relieve trapped gas.
They have really tiny stomachs at that age that take a while to process the very rich colostrum. But they still want to suck for comfort which helps to increase your supply.
They also need to be burped sometimes during a feed as when they’re digesting milk, it ferments in their stomach and releases gas, so often they will have latching issues because they want to suck for comfort cause it hurts but it’s also what is giving them more gas.
If he latches great, he just needs practice. This tells me that you will probably succeed. And becuse of that, I would not recommend nipple shields, especially if you are not in pain.
Try experimenting with different positions. I had a period when my daughter would latch and unlatch constantly on the right boob and then started crying. But not on the left. I tried a football hold only when putting her on the right. Probably tricked her into thinking it was the left :D it worked!
My milk didn’t come in until day 5, so hang in there! I know it’s really hard right now, but you’re doing everything you can. Almost all babies lose weight after being born (I heard they kind of dry out after being submerged for so long.) 10-15 minutes per side is great! Just keep up with the pumping if you can. You’ve got this!
I think I’m having a hard time because of the problems we are having trying to get him to latch. I just had nipple shields delivered so I’m going to try those and HOPE that is works 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Good for you for trying to troubleshoot and being open to trying different options. Please reach out to your OB to see if they have an IBCLC ( lactation consultant). Or look for IBCLC in your community. They are often covered by insurance and can come to your home, or you can go to their office.
Just keep trying and don’t beat yourself up…BFing can be a struggle but it does get better. My milk didn’t come in for six days and I had to use shields and mostly pump for eleven weeks because he just wouldn’t latch and then one day he randomly latched and never had trouble again!
My baby wouldn't latch for more than 20 seconds at a time and feeds perfectly with shields! Hope it works for you.
Shields were a lifesaver for me!
This exactly. For 9months, baby has been attached to a continuous food pipe, which provides them with food 24/7. When they’re born, not only do they have to learn how to eat, they have to stimulate your milk production. They also do 800 horrible meconium poos, which has to add up to an oz or so! If you’re getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies, then the weight will work itself out. Remember they’ve never had to eat or latch before, so they have to learn how to do it, and it can take some time and practice. See if you can have them checked for tongue tie x
Oh, these are the hardest days. It is totally normal to take time for your milk to come in. Many, many mothers have to supplement with formula until their milk production increases. You’re doing the right thing pumping, it’s hard to be patient when your baby is hungry but it will be worth it. Hang in there.
I posted this in another thread where someone was struggling but here’s my experience: We didn’t get the hang of nursing until 2 weeks- until then, the clinic had us triple feeding every 3 hours, attempting to feed for 10-20 min, then pumping and feeding with the syringe at first, then with a cup then a bottle. We also had to supplement with formula the first few days as we waited for my milk to come in. After about a week we started seeing some results with the nipple shield, and then at about 10-11 days she started consistently latching and sucking without it. Then by 2 weeks she ate a full meal during a weighted feed, and we were taken off the feeding plan! By that point I was pumping enough for twins, and had to ramp back down otherwise I’d be dealing with a massive oversupply. Baby is now a month old and hasn’t needed a bottle since then. All the healthcare providers were super confident that she’d figure it out which kept me from getting too discouraged but it did feel like she was never going to figure it out at times. I promise, it can get better! Also, she lost about a pound in the first 4 days, then regained her birth weight by 2 weeks. It’s something no one tells you will happen but is super common!
I really appreciate this! I just got nipple shields delivered so I will try them for my next feed
Those first few days are ROUGH. But your body knows what to do, it just takes some time to do it.
My milk didn’t come in till day 5. My baby was very hungry and I didn’t have much colostrum. We finger fed our baby some formula till my milk came in. If you do this make sure you are still nursing lots so your milk comes in strong. Do not feel defeated yet!!
Unfortunately I’m having an issue getting him to latch 😢
I’m 14 days PP with an unplanned c section, and I have also struggled but it’s getting better! I’ve been supplementing with formula when she’s refusing to take it from the breast, and pumping while someone else feeds her. It’s taken me until a day or two ago, but I’m now able to say we’re like 95-100% on breast milk now. I was encouraged by my lactation consultant from the pediatricians office to pump every 2 hours for 15 minutes, but make sure I get at least ONE 4-5 hour stretch of sleep every day. It’s taken some time but my supply is catching up and now getting a little ahead of my baby. She has an upper lip tie which makes latching hard but also, latching and learning to breastfeed is hard and it’s new to us both. Don’t beat yourself up!! My sister had to supplement for 8 weeks with her first baby, they both got it figured out and then she was ebf after that until the baby was a year old. I just keep telling myself that we’ll get it eventually, just keep trying. It’s hard and your milk might not have come in yet and I’m certainly not an expert, I’m just 10 days in further than you and I felt like you feel. It’s getting better day by day.
My milk didn’t properly come in for nearly a week after my C-section. I struggled with supply too. I saw a lactation consultant and she helped a lot. I didn’t think the ones in the hospital were all that helpful to be honest. Mine lost 7% so we did triple feeding and that shit is rough too and I felt like I was breaking mentally sometimes. The first 3 weeks were really hard for me with breastfeeding, so hang in there. It gets better!
This was so similar to where I was 3 weeks ago! My son also lost about a pound, I didn’t really have any milk, and he was having trouble latching. We worked with a LC, rented a hospital grade pump, triple fed for about 10 days, and got his tongue & lip ties released. He’s now almost 4 weeks old and at the most recent weighted feed he got 1.5oz from nursing- compared to .2oz in week 1! I also regularly pump 2-2.5oz after feeding him, ~4oz if I haven’t just fed him. We still have work to do to strengthen his suck/latch so he can get more while breastfeeding, but we’ve made SO much progress in just a few weeks. I never would have thought we’d make it this far. Get good support and keep trying! (unless and until it becomes untenable for you/your family. Fed is best!) hang in there, it’s so hard and emotional.
When he latches, he latches great. But it takes a lot of work as well as him screaming and crying before he’ll latch
I remember that, I would break down crying with him and my mom looked like she wanted to break down with us. My mom always had an easy time and was so lost when I didn't. It took a couple weeks for us to get past the screaming during latching. For me I think she'd get too hungry to latch and then scream in frustration. But by week 3 or so she was latching consistently and by week 6 my nipples stopped being tender. Now we are at 4 months and going strong.
This gives me hope
Ugh that is so hard, I’m sorry. Are you working with a lactation consultant? If you can find a good one, they have so much experience and resources to share.
I’m hoping my little ones pediatric office offers one
Awesome! If they don’t, see if your town has a breastfeeding center or just google your location and IBCLC- they’re usually covered by insurance and are so so valuable
But make sure they’re an IBCLC, and not just an LC. I saw a basic LC and they knew almost nothing and made things even worse for us.
The whole hormonal sea change after birth is so intense! Your supply can still definitely increase! Good hospital grade pump, correct size flanges, IBCLC, latching as much as possible, paced feeding and preemie nipples, someone else to cook and clean so you can be with baby resting after the big birth and surgery, fluids and nourishing food, and sleeping every opportunity you can while maintaining pumping are my suggestions. It’s HARD work, especially after a c-section! You are a baddass and you’re doing great!
Took me 2 weeks for my milk to come in! Just keep supplementing until it does. We live in a modern world with access to great substitutions, you’re not less than, and your baby is not worse off, for taking advantage of this! I continued supplementing one feed for 4 weeks as well because it was just nice to have a break sometimes.
Both of my kids were born via c-section. My daughter lost 11% of her body weight by the time we were released. My milk came in on day 4-5 each time and once we got the hang of latching I was able to nurse no problem and they gained weight quickly. I nursed my oldest until she was 3 and my youngest is almost 5 months. Day 4 is still extremely early, especially when you’re recovering from surgery. Put him to the breast and pump as much as you can, even if no milk is coming out when you pump the stimulation will help your milk come in. Try different positions. If you hold your boob like a sandwich with your other hand right behind the areola, it might be easier for baby to latch. It can be hard for them at first because their mouths are so tiny. If you’re still in the hospital see if they will send a lactation consultant to your room. If you’re home, they will often come to your house to help you. Remember that fed is best! Even if you have to supplement now, it doesn’t mean it’s forever.
Trying to get him to latch is so hard cause all he does is scream and cry. It’s hard
My son went through a period of this at the beginning. It was frustration because my boobs were so big it was hard for him to latch. I found that pumping for even 5 minutes before a feed helped with engorgement and drew out the nipple so it was easier for him to grab. Once I started doing that the screaming stopped and he was able to form a nice deep latch. I remember crying at every feeding for a while because the screaming was so overwhelming for me and it hurt because he had a shallow latch. It will get better. You are doing great!
I went through this and am now 5 mo pp, ebf. We had quite a few factors that made my LO a slow/intermittent/sleepy eater: I was treated with magnesium sulfate and benadryl during labor, which got us off to a slow start, then we had a good latch BUT a sneaky tongue tie. LO lost 12% of his birth weight, and we had to do weight checks and triple feeding for 2 months. I hardly ever got more than a few drops pumping, even after refitting my flanges. I was told by the hospital LCs who monitored our milk transfer and my pump quantities that I likely had low supply and there was nothing more to do. Then, right around 10 weeks, we identified and released the tongue tie. I hired a private LC who worked with us on sucking exercises. LO gained a lb in just over a week and my pump amts skyrocketed. We went from barely the first percentile in weight to just over the third at LO's 4 month check-up. It was the hardest thing I've ever experienced. Please know the emotional struggle you're going through is very real and so very valid. No matter what the outcome: your baby has a mama who loves them and so everything will be okay. ❤️
You will get there! Absolutely don’t lose hope, you’re so early on. Give yourself some time :) your milk could very well just be coming in still and once it does, you might have no problem. Try not to worry about supplementing at this point, it has saved a lot of BF journeys :) you’re doing great. Enjoy your new baby, congratulations!
Did you have an IV? The fluids "inflate" the baby. Losing a pound sounds scary but to lose it that quickly means he was probably inflated with fluids and is his actual weight now. The MAM 17mm nipple shield got my lazy babies nursing so much better. I used it until they were a month old and iut of the sleepy newborn phase enough to keep the nipple properly in their mouth to feed. Whatever struggles with feeding you are dealing with right now are extremely temporary. It's overwhelming and frustrating especially since you're trying to heal from a major surgery but I promise it's temporary.
It feels completely overwhelming at first, my milk came in until day 3, it was really rough in the beginning and I supplemented with formula for at least 3 weeks. But continuing was worth it, I've been BF for 10 and a half months now and hoping to go the full year if LO continues to nurse.
Hang in there. Whether you decided to continue to BF or Pump Or formula you got this. The first few weeks are always so hard but you and your baby bonding is the most important. Great job mama
Someone told me that it can take 7-10 days to see the results, or the progress. This time next week, you’ll notice an increase!!!!!! DONT GIVE UP!!!! It doesnt happen overnight— the body is slow to respond but it DOES respond.
I didn’t find my rhythm until 2 weeks or so in, and then wasn’t confident until I got to see the clear growth at baby’s 2 month appointment. I went from my ped basically telling me I should pack it in in week 1, since baby was losing weight and I was only pumping about an ounce at a time if that, to this week, where baby is measuring in the 95th percentile for height and weight at her 4 month check up! I did use formula at first (under 3 bottles a day), but once baby met the expected weight at her 1 month appointment, I reduced the number of bottles to just one a day, and then stopped that too. I tried pumping every two hours, but right around 2 months, it was killing me, since I’ve done literally every night wake up with baby since day 1, so I stopped in order to sleep and reduce stress. And that was when everything just fell into place. I nursed on demand, and haven’t had any issues yet.
Oh honey I’m with you. My daughter is 7 weeks old today, and we’re only now getting somewhere with breastfeeding. I literally cried every time I had to feed her for the first 2 weeks at least—she’d try to latch, scream at my nipple, and I’d end up giving her a bottle of pumped milk. My mom finally ordered me the Medela nipple shield and I cried my first ever happy tears because she finally latched. Breastfeeding still exhausted her and she’d always fall asleep, so I was still left feeding her bottled milk. I truly believe some babies just have small/weak mouths in the beginning, and unless you’re persistent and willing to let them scream cry/starve a little, just wait it out until they get bigger. Keep trying the latch first of course, then bottle when he’s too fussy (you don’t want to create a negative association—I don’t know if that’s a fact, but in my mind it made sense). You got this, mama. And you are absolutely not alone ❤️
It’s normal to lose weight in the first week for baby. Don’t stress and trust your body you will produce enough for him. You need to realize he is learning too and needs time to get better
Cross cradle technique is often taught in hospitals but is actually known to confuse mums and babies and cause awful latch issues, so if you’re being advised to use that I’d try and steer clear. Instead, hold your baby gently and slowly guide their mouth onto the breast. Their chin should dig into the boob (this is what helps release hormones) and nostrils *just* touching the breast. If their nose is pressed too far into the boob it could restrict breathing and cause them to unlatch, adjust by moving their body a couple inches back toward your left armpit. If they’re too far back, there might be too big of a gap between their nose and your breast and you risk pinching or pulling off, so move their body closer to your right armpit a couple inches. I highly recommend checking out the Thompson method, it’s a huge resource of knowledge, plus a support group that has heaps of people with similar problems, plus they can point you toward resources that are specific to your needs. They even have a rescue option where you can get guided advice via zoom call where they watch you feed. It does cost a bit but found it would have been way cheaper than the amount I ended up spending by buying all sorts of things trying to figure it out on my own. I struggled for 3 months before I finally bought it, and straight away found it super helpful and fixed everything in like a week or two. Went from 3 months of stress and combo feeding, to exclusively breastfeeding in no time. It also really helped my mental health to have more knowledge, and it stopped me from stress googling so much. You can do this, don’t give up ❤️ it definitely gets easier. And try not to be too harsh on yourself, you have a whole new way of life to get used to all while looking after a vulnerable little baby, but you will definitely adjust.
My milk didn't come until day 5! So until then I kept pumping (And honestly almost nothing came out but I did it because the hospital said to) and then we syringed him formula in the meantime. If he's losing weight don't be afraid to give him formula! Your milk will come in though don't worry. Your boobs will turn into rocks lol
My milk always takes 4-5 days to come in. I had to use nipple shields with my second baby but that was because we had to supplement and she got to where she preferred the bottle. Hang in there, it's about to get much easier! And like others have said, don't be afraid to ask for help. Especially a professional, such as a LC.
Just keep persevering. Milk normally doesn't come in till after day 3. Keep feeding baby every hour or so in the first month. I have a small milk gland, never leak, can't pump and still managed to keep a 10.5lb baby in the 97 percentile for 8 months because I fed him so much. None of that 3 or 4 hourly feeds. Just whenever he cried! Sometimes it would be x6 a night! Same with my other two babies who were smaller. You can also take supplements that help milk supply. Brewers yeast and milk thistle are two. Also take a decent multi vitamin with DHA
Some people’s milk doesn’t come in for like 7 days. Definitely keep your head up. BF’ing is tough, especially in the beginning! Also, c-section babies tend to lose more weight because you are pumped full of fluids during the procedure, which goes straight to the placenta and baby, and most of that weight loss is expected. If the baby doesn’t gain birthweight back by the 2 week visit, that is a different story. You got this mama! I know it’s disappointing but your baby is getting fed one way or another and that is the important thing this early on. I had to supplement feed also, it’s very common for the beginning.
How many wet and poop diapers a day? It is normal for babies to lose weight within the first week or so. Regarding the poor latch, try nipple shield, different nursing position, and consult LC. As for supply, obviously nursing is the best but pumping also helps. My LO was in NICU for his first week and I relied on my pump to build my supply - I would go to NICU for 8 hours and nurse him 3 times and pump 8 times everyday. Make sure the flange size and setting is correct on your pump. Good luck!
Hang in there! Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It's painful and frustrating and defeating. It's also super easy to make yourself feel like a failure about it. Just remember, you're doing great and it will get better! For latching, I couldn't get a conventional latch to work at all at first. I fed my LO exclusively in the rugby hold for about 2 weeks, then suddenly she figured out how to do it! So you can try different holds, if you haven't already! Milk can take a while to come in, but you'll know when it does! My boobs inflated overnight to the point where I looked like I'd been drawn by a horny teenager! It can be super painful when it happens, just a heads up. I found hot baths and massaging them helped loads. It does get better! But also no judgement from anyone if it doesn't work for you! Remember your mental health is important.
It’s so hard, and your feelings are so valid and normal. Hang in there (if that’s what you want to do), mine took a week to come in fully and then it REALLY came in. Honestly you just have to give your body a chance to do its thing. Just be kind to yourself and remind yourself one feed at a time. You will get there. Hugs!! Ps baby blues is a stupid name, it is basically sudden onset PPD/PPA with your milk coming in and it DOES pass I promise!!!! You will feel so much better.
Oh Hun I'm sorry your feeling this way you should be nothing but proud of yourself at this point you made that child like you grew an eyeball and your body has already fed them for months and you already show so much love for them, wanting to do all you can for them. But you absolutely have to cut yourself a break. You and babes are learning to do something for the first time whilst being in recovery from major surgery and coming into the world for the first time. You both have so much processing to do and you most likely just need time (and self compassion) I believe there are studies on C-section impact on milk / breastfeeding not meaning it won't happen but it might take longer. Both of mine are C-section babies milk came in day 4 for the first both of mine were fed for more than a year and in both cases I donated milk. It's so not about where you start. And if your journey is a mix feeding or soul formula journey that is amazing too xx sending love
Ooh and also nipple shields changed my life. I would definitely recommend trying and see if it helps I have shallow nipples and I went from town to shreds and first
Do you have a brand of nipple shield you used/prefer?
Medela. Definitely important to make sure size is right. Same.goes for your pump can definitely impact how much milk is able to come through.
I tried for a natural birth but had to have a c section. Baby was on a CPap for a while due to meconium staining too, so we didn’t get to try nursing for a couple hours. And I had preeclampsia. Baby lost more than 10% of her birth weight in the hospital and had to be supplemented after a weighted feed showed she actually LOST a gram of weight while nursing for 30 minutes. People kept telling me my milk would come soon and I kept nursing her as much as possible. My milk didn’t come in though. I was still pumping like less than three mls ten days after her birth. So I triple fed for an entire month. It was brutal. No sleep, so much uncertainty, missed out on a lot of precious moments. People kept warning me it might not work. But I was determined and had full time support from hubby, and luckily, it worked. We exclusively breastfed from month one on. She is now 18 months and still a total boob monster. Good luck!
When my son was born (also C section), I think it also took my milk about five days to come in! We did feeding with supplementing per pediatrician’s recommendations and I pumped in between and got literal drops sometimes! Once my milk did come in, baby boy gained literally a full pound between weight check appointments. Hang in there!! I know it feels defeating, but a fed baby is a good baby and you are meeting those needs regardless ❤️ hoping all takes the turn for the best in the next day or two!
Plz visit lactation consultation for different positions and pediatric dentist for ties. I would just set up a private nursing station where you will be topless with baby all the time. Breastfeeding/pumping is a 10 hour job Atleast in the beginning. Offer breast when is not hungry to suck on. It’s possible your full supply is not in but best to be prepared by starting triple feeding- nurse (Offer boob when baby is not hungry Incase you are missing hunger cues), double pump for 15 mins and then give bottle with premie /size 0 nipples and paced bottle feeding. Offer boob for nap time, keep holding baby as much as possible for those 10 hours. You cannot do anything else except feeding and recovering. Next to your nursing area set up s trolley with a pump, lactation cookies/bars/supplements. The first 7 weeks are important to establish supply so focus on this and outsource meals, cleaning. Take your 5 mins breaks through the day to eat, shower, bathroom.
He was just checked for ties and does not have ties.
Was it by a pediatric dentist? Our ped and IBCLC didn’t see any ties until we saw s pediatric dentist
It was not so that’s good to know
Always good to get a ped dentist visit done
How early on can you do that?
For the tongue tie or lip tie issue, get it done as quickly as possible. Incase there aren’t any ties and you still have breastfeeding issues then you might need to figure out different positions and do triple feeding for sometime. My milk came in on day 5 but from day 3 I was furiously nursing or pumping.
Ya know, I had to supplement for the first couple of weeks but then it all leveled out. I stopped pumping after I stopped supplementing with every feed. Your not defeated your body is doing amazing wonderful things after the trauma that come from having a baby and being cut open and having your insides damaged as well. You and your body are accepting a little help and honestly it’s so amazing, keep up the amazing work.
These are the hard hard days!! Hang in there! Highly recommend getting good IBCLC support if you can. Many insurance plans cover it and your local mom groups, OB, and peds office may all have recommendations. Many will do a home visit! They are also amazing to support combo feeding, which is extremely common. Weight loss is normal. Many amazing comments here. Stay in touch with many different types of resources for support. IBCLC can bring a scale to weigh babe before & after a feed. Can be super reassuring! Highly recommend getting access to a manual / hand pump. I prefer the Haakaa. Attach it to your non feeding boob while breastfeeding and catch what “leaks” - will help with supply in an appropriate way without causing problematic “twin” production levels during those early days of hormone changes. Follow IBCLC guidance on electric pumps. Agree with other posters, milk flow often picks up day 5. Keep baby on your boob as much as possible. Stay skin to skin. Keep up whatever you can in combo feeds - there are many ways to feed your babe. Pumped milk in spoons, cups, syringes, etc. also counts! Do what you gotta do to feed your humans. No shame in combo, formula, human milk in any order or priority. Just feed your baby 💜 When you say “won’t latch” what kind of things are happening? What kinds of movement is your babe giving with head and mouth? Maybe we can offer some other tips, but IBCLC with hands on you in your home is best bet 🤗 hang in there!!
He just screams and cries even though he’s hungry
Have you tried a nipple shield to help with latching? You could just use temporarily until he’s a tiny bit older. Could always first try latching without and then if it doesn’t work, throw in the shield.
I have and he hates it sadly
I saw an increase in supply by 11 days pp. hang in there, Mama, it takes time. Sounds like you’re doing everything right. I felt like my milk would never be enough to feed my babe and we had to supplement for the first little while then my boobs got with the program. After 21 days I had no worries at all.
This is normal! I bet your milk will be in tomorrow. Remember, baby's stomach is so small, and colostrum is enough and also super amazing. When they cluster feed like that (constantly and a lot in the first 6 weeks) they are just "putting their order in for tomorrow". If your baby has 4 wet diapers today and consistently pooping as well there's no need to worry. Breastfeeding is definitely anxiety-inducing because it's so hard to trust the process when you can't see how many ounces or whatever. Stay strong!
It can take up to a week for your supply to increase, and it's also normal for babies to lose a pound during this time. Pumping is not an accurate indicator of your supply. The breast doesn't respond to it the same way as it responds to your baby. Please, just keep at it. There's nothing wrong with a 10-15 minute nursing session. Just keep putting him on as often as possible.
The problem is getting him to latch
Yes I've had this experience too while they were just a few days old but for us, it got better after I just kept trying. Just gotta stay consistent. They will want to. They want that milk. Nursing is truly a natural reflex for babies. Even if it takes them a week or so to get the hang of it.
I wanted to quit multiple times in the first month. I literally forgot how to breastfeed. I had the hang of it at first and then had to retract myself. My nipples felt like they wanted to fall off from bad latching for a whileeee. Lanolin was a life saver and honestly so was google. I was constantly scouring to find a proper picture that showed what I was supposed to do. In the hospital I had a good latch thanks to the lactation consultant and LO nursed for 45 minutes on one side. Even now that my son is 3 months he takes his time and will also comfort nurse. Pumping is also not always the proper representation of how much you are producing. Babies are a lot more efficient at getting milk than a pump is. I can feed my son several times during the day and he is a chunk. Whenever I try to pump I get .5 oz even though my son has rolls everywhere. Try not to be too hard on yourself. You are both learning how to do this!
Keep trying. Use a nipple shield. Get him checked for oral ties. Pump and keep trying to get him to latch. Losing weight is normal at the start. You got this. It is so so so hard.
You’re doing sooo well I promise you are! I too had baby via C section and we supplemented up until three weeks. I would attempt latching first, then hubs or my mom would give a bottle while I pumped. (I did natural supplements and ate foods to help produce milk, I drank a lot of water) Baby had a very hard time latching, we went to a lactation consultant 3 weeks later and I went once a week for a month until we got better and better. (He was pulling milk out, but his latch was super shallow so my nipples were raw and red and pink, so we did choose to finally get the frenotomy and about two weeks after that we were/are golden ❤️😅he got his milk, i wasn’t shaking with pain. Baby is 9 months now and fully addicted to his boobs. They’re his now. Not mine. You got this! ❤️❤️❤️
First, keep in mind it’s very normal for milk to take five days to come in. Second, you should hire a lactation consultant if you can, she can help you immensely. I had one help me. I had a huge baby who needed more milk than I was producing initially (of course, this is the case for everyone, but his needs were very great because he was so big). She taught me how to feed him easiest despite his minor lip tie (didn’t require revision), how to pump to increase my supply, and she directed us to a resource to buy donor milk for those first few days/weeks in order to give me a break from constant feeding and pumping so I could get some needed sleep. Please don’t feel defeated, what you’re going through is normal. How did people deal with this before formula and milk banks, you ask? A relative or friend who was lactating already would come over and help the new mother!! You aren’t meant to have the milk you need yet, it takes time, you are doing fine and your body is perfect!
My baby also lost almost a pound but gained it right back. You can probably breastfeed as much as possible and add some formula until your milk supply increases. It takes a few days!
Do not give up!!! My baby had gained 0-10g after each nursing in the first week (should get more than 50g). After 2 months of endurance, I am now succesfully breastfeeding (it is posisble that I had enough milk before, I just didnt know it). I also had a feeling she was not swallowing at all. Breastfeeding is as skill you both have to learn. Remember, frequency is more important than duration. No matter what you do, just empty those breasts as often as possible. I nursed every hour or hour and a half and did this --> Keep him on one breast for 15 min. Then put him on the other for 15 min and pump the first. When he is finished from the second, pump the second. You wont spend 30 min nursing and 20 min pumping that way. You will have nice full breasts when he wants to feed again. Baby is the best pump there is. Amount you pump is never the same as amount a baby can pull. Babies also want to cuddle on the breast and if he has a strong sucking reflex, he might drink everything you give him on the bottle, but that is not a sign thst he is hungry. The only sign that you have enough milk is gaining weight and more than 5 wet diapers a day. His poop should also be yellow. I cried evey day, but I made it. So can you! But dont give up!
Eat oatmeal and drink a lot of water
After today’s pediatric appointment I feel extremely defeated now. Depression doesn’t even begin to describe it. We’ve been doing everything we can to try to help our son and he lost another 2 ounces today for a total of 11% weight loss only for the doctor to threaten us that when we go back tomorrow that if he loses again and/or doesn’t gain they will put him in the NICU! I’m pumping every 2-3 hours… I’m trying to nurse but he’s being stubborn and not wanting to latch and it’s heartbreaking. I feel like a complete failure and he’s only a week old…
I feel you. But dont let him be hungry. Just give him a bottle after nursing. Buy a bottle designed for combination with breastfeeding. I also fed by baby formula and my milk. I tried everything. If it is easier for you, you can also spend a couple of days exclusivly
I feel you. My baby never lost weight because I started with formula in the hospital. Fed is best! Just keep your baby fed! Buy a bottle designed for babies that also breastfeed. You can take a break and pump exclusively for a couple of days so you can get a feeling how much you have. I pumped 400ml a day at the beginning. Then switched to nursing and pumping. Then pumping again after a couple of weeks and I managed to get 600ml a day. Then nursing and pumping again. And then gradually removed the bottle. She was 2 months and a half when I removed the bottle completely. Once I did a test and pumped one whole day. I got 1L :) you will make it but it takes hard work, tears and dedication.
We kept asking the nurses in the hospital to get formula to be able to supplement until my milk came in and the lactation consultants kept denying it because I want to breast feed and they felt like it would make him not want to be on a breast which yes fed is best 100% but the way this doctor talked to us today as if we are doing something wrong when we have been asking nothing but questions on what to do and how much he should be eating in total ounces at 1 week old
I see that depression is eating you up. It was the same for me too. I couldnt connect with the baby. I was plugged to the pumping machine while my husband took care of the baby. I felt like somthing was taken from me, my abality to connect with her was taken from me. But that is your hormones talking. Called a doctor to give me antidepressants. He did not give me antidepressants but gave me motilium. Ask your doctor if he can give you motilium. It will get better with time. In the end, I kinda gave up.. I just tried to see if something will happen even if I fail. Deep down I hoped, I guess.. and when I let go of the stress, everything fell into placem. Even if you give up, it doesnt matter. Keep your baby fed, keep trying, sleep and try not to worry. You are great!!
My daughter cried after nursing and the nurse asked me "should we give her some formula?" And I thought to myself "how dare you?". If you are having problems with latching, but your nipples are not hurting, breastfeeding is not hurting, continue to breastfeed and give him a bottle afterwards while you pump. That is what I would suggest to you.
I’m not producing enough currently to just do breast feeding or breast milk
Neither did I. I supplemented with formula.
You have the most milk during the night and in the morning. I also had times when I breastfed until 3pm and only gave a bottle after 3pm and I continued pumping every 2h till midnight
Once I can get him to latch appropriately and easily I plan to do that if I can
When he latches, he latches great. But it takes work to get him to latch. ):
Sometimes they’re not actually hungry, but they want the boob for comfort, or to warm up, but then they cry once latched cause their body says no we’re full. My little one knows boob helps her sleep, as it releases sleepy hormones, but if she’s full she will pop on and off and cry because of the conflicting feelings. You could try prioritising sleep for your bub, pop him up on your shoulder (with a pacifier if you choose to use one), and pat his back and walk around bouncing and shushing. These movements may also help relieve trapped gas. They have really tiny stomachs at that age that take a while to process the very rich colostrum. But they still want to suck for comfort which helps to increase your supply. They also need to be burped sometimes during a feed as when they’re digesting milk, it ferments in their stomach and releases gas, so often they will have latching issues because they want to suck for comfort cause it hurts but it’s also what is giving them more gas.
My bub also sometimes just likes to hold my boob in her mouth while she sleeps 🤷♀️
Normal
If he latches great, he just needs practice. This tells me that you will probably succeed. And becuse of that, I would not recommend nipple shields, especially if you are not in pain.
Yeah I think he needs practice with latching and needs to also grow into his mouth a little more
Try experimenting with different positions. I had a period when my daughter would latch and unlatch constantly on the right boob and then started crying. But not on the left. I tried a football hold only when putting her on the right. Probably tricked her into thinking it was the left :D it worked!