Breastfeeding Troubles. To continue or not to continue?
I breast fed exclusively for 1 1/2 months. My babies doctor was concerned because she hadn't gained any weight in a months period. I was very upset because I was feeding her every 1 1/2-2 hours. I was trying my best but I've been having many problems with inverted nipples! He asked me to start supplementing her, so I did. Ended up getting a Medela pump. I stopped breastfeeding and started exclusively pumping and giving her a bottle instead. My supply has gone up since I started pumping because my baby was deemed a ineffective breast feeder and it didn't help that I was forced to use shields. She hates shields. But even after it going up, I'm only producing 8-12oz on a good day 4-8 on a bad. I've been put on medication to try to help my production, supplements and vitamins. NOTHING is working! It's making me so depressed. My relationship with my fiancee has become tense and I'm spending so much time away from my baby because I have to pump. I've had lactation consultants come to my home to assist me with breastfeeding also. I've put much work into this and it seems that I am just one of those unlucky mothers that, no matter what they try, their production will always be low.
What should I do?
What should I do?
Comments
She eats 4-6 times a day and I'm supposed to pump 8 times on top of that. I don't understand how I'm supposed to handle that. It's nearly impossible for me to leave the house or I compromise my production. What am I supposed to do when I start working and going to school again? What minimum wage job is going to let me take a break every 2 hours to breast pump?
What size are baby's parents? What were their growth patterns as babies? What about baby's siblings or other family members? Genetics plays a large part in baby's size, so don't ignore it.
Is baby gaining consistently, even if it's not on a curve?
Is baby meeting developmental milestones on or near target?
Is baby alert, happy, active?
Is baby showing other signs of adequate milk intake?
Use these questions when deciding if you need (or want) to stop breastfeeding. Most doctor's growth charts are based on a mixture of formula fed and breastfed babies. Sometimes you just have to listen to to your baby.
She was born at 7lbs 4oz. She weighed 6lbs 12oz when we brought her home. She didn't gain a single oz in 1 1/2 months but she had been having the required amount of wet diapers a day and a poopy diaper every few days.
My fiancee and I were both big babies. I was a 9lbs baby but I'm not sure of his exact weight. We were both formula fed and explain by both of our parents as big fat babies, lol. I come from a 6 sibling house hold including myself and we were all 8-9lbs babies.
She is gaining consistently. She went from 6lbs 12oz to almost 12lbs in 2 months. She is very very lean though. She's in the 25 percentile. But I blame her major weight gain on the fact that I'm forced to used 80-90% formula when I make her a bottle.
Her developmental milestones are ahead of her game. She is very very strong. Since she was 2 months old, she's been able to hold her head up without assistance and now she's past her 3 month mark and she whips it around, looks up and down - no problem! She can hold her head up while doing tummy time. She's also been rolling on her side since she was 1/2 month old. She talks, ALOT! I swear, sometimes when people call me I have to leave the room because she happily screaming and cooing SO loud! Lol. She can see very well. She responds to sounds and can follow where a sound is coming from. She also has this new thing where she likes me to hold her up and let her support her own weight with her legs. She'll go up and down. If I stop, she'll get mad.
Baby is very alert, very happy and very active. It's nearly impossible for us to look at her w/o her smiling. She's wiggling and giggling all the time.
Since I'm giving her a bottle with formula mixed with a small amount of breast milk, she always gets what she needs. I've been giving her 6oz but she's been getting mad after she finishes the bottle like it's not enough. I upped it to 8 and she eats it in about 10-15 minutes. Sometimes will eat 7 then play with the last ounce.
I want to continue breastfeeding but I'm just having alot of trouble with it. Alot of struggle. Alot of stress. I can't seem to keep myself on a schedule. I don't know how to manage pumping right on the 2 hour mark while managing to feed her and keep my home clean.
I have alot of trouble because I have inverted nipples and not to mention, small breasts. I've been having to use a medela nipple shield. I've been having the WORST time with them. She gets upset that I'm not producing what she needs and will pull it off with her mouth or grab it and yank it off then it makes milk get all over me.
And when it comes to pumping and small breasts.. mine are so small that it's hard for me hand express while pumping because it breast the pumps suction.
I need a boob job... lol!