How to start nursing again

[caro113]

When my daughter was born in October, I exclusively breastfed and planned on doing it until she decided she was old enough. But nursing was so painful that just latching on was an event - the screaming, the crying, the kicking (did I mention that's me?) So I stopped nursing for a few days and exclusively pumped, giving my nipples the much needed break they deserved. So I started nursing again and noticed that I just more comfortable only nursing on one side, so when she nursed, I pumped the other breast at the same time. That way I had extra milk for when I needed it and her father could feed her. And of course I could get a full nights sleeps
But then I started noticing that I was pumping less and she would nurse and nurse and nurse but still not be full. I stopped pumping regularly and started nursing on both sides, but nothing was helping, she just wasn't eating enough. She were cry her hungry cry long after I didn't have anything left to give. So I did the one thing I never wanted to do: I started supplementing. And while I found a company I love (organic, soy, they even promote breastfeeding right on the can!! and their website) I still want to try to increase my milk supply so I can exclusively nurse again. But just last week she stopped wanting to nurse. If she's rather full or not really hungry, she'll latch on for a few minutes but then delatch and not want it anymore. If I pump, hardly anything comes out.
I know I screwed up, so please don't go about that. I feel bad enough that I'm not giving her the best that I can and it's only making the ppd worse. I know it's my own fault for being lazy and tired at night by just giving her a bottle when she wakes up instead of nursing, even though the bottle was breast milk for a time. But I'm trying to go back to exclusively nursing. I tried registering with LLL on their website but something keeps screwing up and it wont let me register. And truthfully, I just don't have the courage to call anyone and talk on the phone.
So what can I do? I want to go back to nursing. I will still use a bottle on occasion so that her father can feed her and for when I'm not feeling well and need to nap and shes hungry (plus if I'm sleeping, I'm very hard to wake up) but I want that bottle to be breast milk. I miss nursing. As odd as it may sound, I miss the feeling I get when she's nursing, the light tugging and the sometimes bleeding scratches from her nails that seem to grow into daggers over night (seriously, she had a bloody face for about a week because she scratched herself, even though I had filed her nails a few days before). I want to nurse agian, and when she refuses to take it, it really just makes the ppd worse and I end up just handing her over to her father and leaving the room to curl up in a ball on the bed. I just don't know what to do anymore.

I tried this liquid herbal thing called More Milk Plus but I'm looking for some sort of herb that is a pill. This liquid thing requires four takings in a day. I can hardly remember to take something once a day, let alone four times.

Also, I drink plenty of water. In fact, with the exception of maybe one or two drinks within a weeks time, water is the only thing I drink. I even eat the ice! Which reminds me, my glass is empty. I have to go get more water.

Thanks for any replies! I really appreciate it.

[nataliekat]

Hey, Caro, hugs to you.

First of all, this didn't happen because you were "lazy and tired" and gave her a bottle at night. Painful nipples and latch problems are really serious issues and major obstacles to breastfeeding. It also sounds to me like when she was able to latch on and nurse, she may not have been sucking in an effective way to empty your breasts and to stimulate them to make more milk.

If you do want to continue nursing, the most important first step is to increase your milk supply. The most common herbs for doing that are Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle. I know that at least the Fenugreek is taken three times a day, so the same as the More Milk tincture you're taking now.

Some women take a prescription drug called domperidone to increase milk supply.

Thoroughly emptying your breasts is what signals to your body to make more milk, so you should be emptying your breasts every 2-3 hours during the day and every 4 hours through the night with an effective breast pump.

At this point your daughter may have an aversion to your breast which will take patience and persistence to overcome. A good place to start is to give her lots of no-pressure up close time with your breasts. Just lay her on your chest when you're topless and she's in a diaper. Lots of skin-to-skin contact gets her familiar with the area and triggers her natural instincts to nurse. Try lying down with her when she's in a diaper and you're topless and play and you can eventually get her face near your breasts, continuing the no-pressure play and see if she'll eventually latch on there.

Again, Patience - don't expect immediate results, Persistence - keep trying, and Pumping - keep the milk supply up.

If you do get to a place where she's willing to latch on, you really do need to have someone evaluate her latch and make sure she's sucking effectively. This is CRUCIAL! Breastfeeding can't be successful if she's not getting the milk out due to poor latch or ineffective suck. Please don't be afraid to get in touch with local LLL leaders AND a lactation consultant for good measure. You'll need to have her suck evaluated.

Here's some more information:

http://www.drjacknewman.com/Breastfeeding-help.asp

Dr. Jack Newman is a breastfeeding expert and has some wonderful information on this page. Take a look at

Domperidone
Herbal Remedies for Milk Supply
Protocol to increase Breastmilk Intake
Skin to Skin Contact
When the Baby does not yet Latch

And anything else you have time to read.

Again, get local help!

Natalie

[velcromom]

I agree, call your local LLL leader asap and get a recommendation to see a certified Lactation Consultant. The pain you describe, plus the possibility of ineffective suck, makes me think the LC should check your baby for tongue-tie along with the rest of the evaluation.

[menomena]

LLL of Lebanon County, PA

If the info is current, it looks like you can still make the mtg tonight @ 7:30.

I agree that an eval by an LC would really do you some good. Your local LLL should be able to hook you up with local resources. They should also have some literature for you about relactation, latch, sore nipples, etc. good luck, mama.

[annettemarie]

Moving to Breastfeeding Challenges. Best of luck to you!

[caro113]

Wow
Thank you so much!!!:::
I will definitely try the laying down with the skin to skin contact thing. I can't believe I didn't think of that myself. In the begging, all we did was skin to skin contact. I was originally nursing while we were both naked (well, I had shorts on due to ppbleeding) but I gave that up after being pooped on too many times. That EC just wasn't working, and she still doesn't give signs, just laughs afterwards like she knows she got me
When she wakes up, I will definitely do some skin to skin contact. We both need baths so I'll get out the 'sunshade' things I bought for her for the pool and we'll take a nice long bath together.
This Fenugreek stuff, can I find it at whole foods store or a vitamin store or something? Anything will be better than this More Milk stuff. I don't mind it, really, but I can't drink anything 20 mins before or after I take it, which wouldn't be a problem, but of course as soon as I know I can't have a drink, I become thirsty. Go figure. It's definitely something to be taken at night.
My mother keeps telling that 'some babies just don't nurse' but I can't accept that.
Thanks for the LLL meeting info. I have to change mine since I am no longer in Lebanon. I moved to the neighboring county, but I was napping last night at the point anyway and only saw the response now. But thank you so much. I will look up the info for my county.
Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate it!!

PS: Has anyone tried those Lactation cookies? Someone alerted me to a recipe which was actually here on mothering. Im going to make them tomorrow so I'm curious if anyone else has tried them and had success.

Thanks again!! I'll let you know how it goes!!

caro

[caro113]

So I don't have results yet, but I thought I would document my journey so far. I have the Mothers Milk Plus liquid thing that I will continue to take at night due to the non drinking deal. I bought Fenugreek, which was surprisingly easy to find without thyme or any other ingredient, along with Blessed Thistle. I am taking those pills in the morning when I wake up and at dinner time. I may take them at night too but I am going to wait an see if I need it. I also bought the flex meal and brewers yeast for the cookies, which turned out flat for some reason. So I will be eating those until I run out and need to make more. I had to buy the big jar of the flex and brewers so I have plenty to make lots and lots more cookies. I also found this organic, caffinee free, herbal tea that has different herbs (including blessed thistle) to help boost milk supply, which I will drink a few times a day. My theory is that at least one of these ideas will work ... or I'll have more milk than I'll know what to do with and be able to store it until I know if I will need the extra milk. Hopefully I'll have an over abundance of milk so I can donate it.
Anyway, I just thought I'd update you. Everything says that I should see results in 12 - 24 hours so we'll know soon! Thanks again for all your support and ideas. I will call LLL on Monday most likely, to give myself some time to fill up (-:
Thanks again! I'll keep you posted!

caro

[AtomicOcean]

I hope you are seeing results with all your hard work. I didn't see anyone else mention it, but oatmeal can help too and it doesn't have to be porridge - cookies are yummier! Also, stay away from sage and parsley if you can because they can decrease your supply. And don't forget to drink plain old water too

I'm wishing you all the luck I can!

[AislinCarys]

You can take quite a lot more of the Fenugreek, and it works wonders for me!

The other thing I would recommend is an SNS or lact-aid, as I am certain that saved my supply in the early months. So make sure that as long as you are around LO, she gets everything from your breast, as your baby should be able to stimulate your breast better than the pump.

And I second (3rd? 4th?) seeing a good LC. She can help your baby feed really effectively (which really is an issue when supply is low).

And no, I don't think it is too late - I hung on to breastfeeding by the teeth really, and by the time DD was starting solids (just over six months) we were off the supplement! So yes, you can increase your supply, even very late in the game!

[Ms. B. Sprout]

, mama. I hope things are going well.