Hi hon

Just thought I'd mention I went for baby massage yesterday and the instructor is also a midwife and a breastfeeding advisor.

She recommended that I do all the things we've already said and also to take something called More Milk made by Motherlove. Apparently although medically unsubstantiated, she said it has been said to have really good reviews.

I ordered some tonight from www.breastfeedingheaven.co.uk it costs ??14 inc p&p. I'll let you know how I get on.

Both of my boys are ill, lo with a cough and has been up for the last few nights and my 4yr old is off school with a high temp (sound familiar) so no rest or expressing going on around here!xx

Sorry your boys are ill. I understand the feeling. Hope mothers milk works for you. I saw it on the net but did not order cause I thought my milk would dry up by the time it was dilivered.

At least you have gone 4 months although that probably do not make you feel better. Shane is just 18 days days old and things are so bad now that the only thing that might work for me is mixed feeding. I think I have tried everything I know to do and just think i am one of those women who don't have enough. i am bearly getting a trickle out when he sucks and the poor thing is frustrated.

Yesterday i was so tited that last night I took him and my 4 year old to bed with me at 7:30 (how early0 after a bottle. When I woke up 3 hrs later my right breast was as full as the first time the milk supply came in nut the left one flat as a pancake. I fed him on the right one for the rest of the night and thought today would be better but no luck. he was so frustrated and keep spitting the breast out i had to top him up with 2 ox of formula, the expressed 3 ozs once he went to sleep and gave that to him when he woke. He refused the breast after that.

I really thought that after a full breast in the night that the milk he drank would be replaced on a demand/supply basis as the day went on but that did not seem to happen.

Do you still manage to stay away from the formula?

Thanks for continuing to give me your support. It means a lot to me to be able to talk to someone who understands especially since I am on my own until hubby gets home in the evenings and he gets so tired from helping with the 4 and 10 year old.

If you can keep going, please try cause if I could find a way, i would.

Aw honey - this was like me last time with my ds, that's why I'm so determined this time I think. I'm still doubting my milk supply and I've started to try to express (1oz all day) to stimulate them into action! My left breast has never had as much milk and I tend to feed much more regularly off the right one.

Listen, don't beat yourself up about it - you're such a great mum even trying to keep going and it's proof of your strength of character that you've kept going even though your lo is getting frustrated etc. If you have to keep topping up with formula, then so be it.

One last thing to try though - have you been to a bfing cafe/counsellor? They might be able to help with positioning cos apparently one big reason for inadequate milk supply is wrong positioning and latch on. I had to drive 30 miles to get to a good one round here, but it was worth it.

Keep expressing and sticking lo one on to bf as much as you can for now - I'll let you know if the Motherlove stuff works and I'll personally deliver some to you if it does! (where do you live?!)xx

I live in Ilford, Redbridge, ESSEX. Thanks for the thought.

In hindsight, giving the problems I had with the last baby, I should have done some more research before this birth.

Where did u find your breasffeeding councillor?

Hi hon

Used to live there many moons ago! I'm in Harrow now so the other side of London.

Here are some phone numbers:

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers: 08444 122 949
National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0844 20 209 20

The link below will take you to a site that shows you where your nearest breastfeeding cafe is.

http://www.thebabycafe.co.uk/L/BC_Nearest.php#a

Good luck - let me know how you get onxx

i have to add here that milk IS a supply and demand thing, so if youre only feeding from one side then only one side will produce..... :\(

try to put lo to the breast as much as possible, even if you have to top up with formula afterwards...it will stimulate your supply much better than expressing will

if you're stressed when feeding lo will pick up on it an be stressed themselves,
this is a time when lo will have a growth spurt (and if youre topping up with formula it will take longer for your milk supply to catch up but it still can) and growth periods are characterised by frequent feeding, and/or resistance to feeding, increased crying and decreased sleep.

if you can get through this time then everything will get much easier. I'm certain you can (you'd have to be pretty unlucky to be in the 1% of the population who actually dont produce enough milk, and as you said your right breast was full the other night then I'm assuming its because your supply hasnt caught up yet that is the cause for you thinking you havent got enough milk)

I really think, as hard as it is, you need to keep putting LO to the breast first, before any topping up, and if you can, express about half an hour after that - yes it will feel like there is no milk, and your boobs are flat, but that is because they havent been given the chance to catch up yet.

If you were closer to me I'd offer to come round to check positioning, but I'm t'other end of the country... :\(

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but I remember the feeling that I was starving Ollie, and I didnt understand anything until it was explained to me, but after it was I just constantly had him on the breast (I mean almost constantly - every half hour) and my milk caught up so fast, and i had an abundance of it after that.

~You really really have to want to continue bf to be able to get through this.

Sending you lots of hugs, and a nice big mug of tea/coffee (delete as applicable)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you karen and S.Y. I will keep trying because I really want to do this, especially as i have taken a whole year off my teaching job.

I am not going to give up until all else fails but hope they won't. I had enogh for lo last night mainly from right breast although the left was better than the days.

He woke from 3-5 and nothing would get him to sleep even though he was so full he was bringing up milk, he still wanted to be on the breast.

He slept late after that and i fed him this morning, then expressed after that cause he went to sleep. The next feeding is where I normally start to stuggle.

He is about to wake now so will try to keep him on the breast even if it means continued switch feeding.

i hope it is just that my supply has not caught up with demand yet. I thought it should catch up by now cause baby getting frustrated. If he was happy, I would be happy.

Anyway thanks all and talk soon.

Karen i will check out your links.

Wow that post was so full of spelling mistakes. Sorry trying to hurry before lo wakes up.

another thing that you could consider (if baby is full to the point of bringing it back up) could be a slight reflux, or comfort suckling.... you could try a dummy (I'm a bad person for even suggesting it I know, But Ollie needed one or I'd have had no nips left!) which would solve the constant wanting to be on the breast if it was just for comfort - if lo was hungry he wouldnt take the dummy- or see your GP to see if it is a bit of reflux.... Ollie posseted a bit until he was about 2 months old....

xxxxx

just finished feeding lo.I had to switch feed (change from breast o breast) a few times and he kept pulling the left nipple in frustration, throwing is head back, turning red and crying. After about 45 mins I gave him the milk I expressed this morning (3 ozs). He drank it all and could keep going.

I think he is comfort sucking at nights so yo are right. Just hope supply will kick in at this late stage

hun just a thought but r u getting enough sleep? my milk supply really suffers if i dont get enough rest! my three keep me hoping n sometimes my milk seems to dissapear but after a good meal and a sleep it gets better. hope that it gets easier for you soon

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yesterday was not really good so I spoke to La Leche councillor. She suggested another lady who lives close to me. She was very supportive and suggested I give baby formula after putting him to the breast and he wont have it any more but not to give too much so is too full for the breast again soon.

She thinks i am trying all the right things and ask that I rest as much as possible and talk to doctor abot domperidone. The doctor said she has never prescribed it for but suggested I take a lot of garlic.I bought it over the counter as motilium but not sure if I should start taking it.

She says women with PCOS often have very low supply and thats why she thinks domperindone might be worth a try.

Anyway in the mean time I am continueing to give lo as much breast milk as I can get into him and try not to stress. I am tryinh to rest, even if it means sitting on the sofa, put my feet up and hold baby so both of us can rest.