LOW milk supply.
 

I have a 7 week old daughter, and I'm EBF. I'm like 99% sure my supply is about to stop completely. I had this issue with my first daughter, and ended up supplementing with formula before giving up completely. This time, I didn't supplement until Sunday night. We fought with her for FIVE HOURS trying to feed her. She's been fighting me, keeps pushing off, won't stay latched on, screams and screams and screams after a feeding because she is clearly not eating enough. I nurse her every 30 minutes to an hour. I'm up every two hours at night (which is normal, sure.) But it's just very frequent. The way she acts during a feeding, and after a feeding, I'm very sure she's not getting enough. Also, even though I know it's not necessarily a sign of low supply, I'm never "full" anymore, I don't leak, and I can't hand express or get anything out with a pump, even after 30 minutes of pumping.

ALSO, she barely got back to birth weight by one month old. She was 7.11 at birth, and now, she might just be 8 lbs. I'm not sure if that's a good weight range for her, or if she's gaining too slowly.

I've been keeping myself hydrated, and taking at least six pills of Fenugreek a day. Even though I'm upping that. We had to go out and get formula Sunday night. Since then, she's only had three two ounce bottles. But I always offer both breasts each session, sometimes bouncing back and forth between them twice or more. Then I'll give her a bottle of formula (which has also induced a lot of spitting up...). I'm so determined to keep BFing. Any advice??

Re: LOW milk supply.
 

Get to an IBCLC for good advice. Here's the IBCLC directory: http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3337

Get a pre- and post feeding weight taken to see how much she takes in in an average nursing session. To do this, start her with a clean diaper, nurse, weigh with the same diaper, whether dirty or wet.

Have your DD evaluated for a tongue or lip tie. Have the IBCLC examine you for signs of insufficient glandular tissue or hypoplastic breasts. Could you have retained placenta? Have you ever had signs of PCOS?

Are you supplementing with an SNS at the breast?

Re: LOW milk supply.
 

Oatmeal, several times a day. A gallon of water. Fenugreek. Mother's Milk Tea. That's all I can think of right now. Nurse as much as possible.

Re: LOW milk supply.
 

We don't have a scale here at the house. I was going to ask WIC if I could just come by and weigh her to see how much she's gained in the past two weeks. She hasn't been evaluated for those. She has a pretty damn good latch. It's not painful, I can hear her swallowing, etc. I don't think it's a latch issue, but I will bring that up to her pediatrician. Thank you for the link! I have had signs of PCOS, no periods while I'm not pregnant, larger ovarian cysts than normal, etc. I also have thyroid disease, if that's related. I haven't tried a SNS, but I've really been looking in to it. But I'm just worried that, by using it every feeding, it'll be more inconvenient and not worth the trouble.

Re: LOW milk supply.
 

I'm going to make Lactation Cookies today (:

Re: LOW milk supply.
 

I have PCOS and hypothyroidism. I have to be on meds to successfully nurse and keep my supply up. I take Metformin for my PCOS, luvothyroxine for my thyroid, and Reglan for my milk. I use reglan vs domperidone as I cannot afford dom and my insurance pays for reglan.

Could she have reflux? My ds did this until we got the reflux under control

Hugs

Re: LOW milk supply.
 

I'm treated for hypothyroidism, too, and also take levothyroxine. I haven't been diagnosed with PCOS. I mentioned it to my OB and he blew me off. No wonder I don't see him anymore. (: I don't have any weird hair patterns. I've dealt with depression, I have irregular periods (or did, before pregnancy), larger cysts on my ovaries, and I'm overweight... IDK. Anyway, I was thinking about asking my doc/OB for Reglan, but I figured they'd have to test me for something before they prescribed me something. Isn't breastmilk supply boost just a side effect of Reglan?

Re: LOW milk supply.
 

I don't think so... Since we started the formula, she's spat up a lot. But I'm sure it's just from the formula. She's only had three or four two ounce bottles since Sunday. Before the formula, she didn't spit up at all. It was so rare. I think it's just the formula and how she's not used to it.

My ds did not spit up either. MIT was silent reflux. Also I had to eliminate dairy and that worked wonders too!