low supply? feeling guilty...help?

[marcib28]

I just had my first baby (now 2w3d) and I feel like something is wrong. I had a LC help me when I was still in the hospital, and she said he was latching on correctly. As I look up videos, he still seems to be latched on right. However, I don't think he's getting enough. It took 5 days for my milk to come in (or at least I thought it did-my breasts started leaking). However, I have yet to feel any type of "let down" when I bf (or at least what I think it would feel like). If baby doesn't eat in a while, my breasts feel fuller, so I believe there's plenty of milk. After he's eaten for a while, milk will still be dripping from my breasts and I'll still be able to get 1oz or so out total (using a pump to try and get my supply up). However, there are times where he will continue wanting to suck for hours... he did cluster feedings like that while in the hospital, but the lc told me that once my milk came in, he would get full and would stop with the cluster feedings. Today, no matter how long he's bfing, he's still rooting afterward I'm about to break down and give him a bottle of formula. I don't know if he just wants to suck or if I'm letting my baby go hungry.
He's been sick since 1w and so he's been sleeping a lot recently and not eating as much (leaving me to feel like my supply has dropped). At his ped appt yesterday, he had only gained a few ounces. So he has another weigh-in on Fri and if he hasn't gained enough by then, I'll have to EP, chart how much I'm pumping, and just give him a bottle. Because I'm home with him all day, I really don't want to do that. Won't that make it harder for him to go back to bfing?
How do I know if he's getting enough? Shouldn't I feel my milk let down when he starts eating? What does it feel like when your milk lets down? Is it normal to not feel anything? This is really frustrating me...
Sorry for the dumb questions-I'm obviously a first-timer TIA

[Sk8ermaiden]

I am no expert, but I just know a few things -

It is completely normal to never feel let down.

Cluster feeding is completely normal for little babies. My best friend just did 24 hours of test-weights on her 4 week old and has PLENTY of milk, but ALL that baby does is eat.

Yes, that will make it harder to get back, and will NOT be an accurate measure of how much you make. My recommendation would be to rent a baby scale that will show you how much you baby is taking in at each feeding.

Good luck.

[Bokonon]

However, I have yet to feel any type of "let down" when I bf (or at least what I think it would feel like).

This is ok! Many women never feel letdown. I never did with DS.

However, there are times where he will continue wanting to suck for hours... he did cluster feedings like that while in the hospital,

Again, totally normal.

but the lc told me that once my milk came in, he would get full and would stop with the cluster feedings.

Sorry, but she's off her rocker. Babies cluster feed often, especially in the early days, and in the evenings during growth spurts for the first 6-8 weeks.

I'm about to break down and give him a bottle of formula. I don't know if he just wants to suck or if I'm letting my baby go hungry.

Even if he "just wants to suck" - let him. Breastfeeding is about comfort in addition to nutrition. He's also stimulating your milk supply by the frequent nursing. How are his diapers? How many wets and dirties per day? It sounds to me like you are doing just fine and there would be no reason to supplement.

At his ped appt yesterday, he had only gained a few ounces.

A normal breastfed baby will be back up to their birthweight by 2-3 weeks. So if at 2 weeks and a couple of days, your baby is already above his birthweight, that tells me he's nursing great!

So he has another weigh-in on Fri and if he hasn't gained enough by then, I'll have to EP, chart how much I'm pumping, and just give him a bottle.

Did your ped. say this?? What was his/her reasoning, and how much did s/he say would be an "acceptable" gain? I'm not reading anything that sounds like a problem. It could be highly detrimental to the breastfeeding relationship, and I would HIGHLY suggest either finding a more breastfeeding-friendly pediatrician, or an IBCLC (International Board of Certified Lactation Consultants), not just an LC.

I hope this helps put your mind at ease some!

[Bokonon]

Here is some good info:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing.html

[zinemama]

You may have low supply or you may not. As someone who stood in your very same shoes, I have one piece of advice for you:

Call a lactation consultant. Not the hospital one, but an independent, board-certified LC who will come to your house and work with you. This was the best baby-related money I ever spent. It will give you peace of mind, one way or the other.

With my first baby, the LC confirmed that yes, my baby really wasn't getting enough milk, for whatever reason, and she helped me make a plan.

With my second baby, when I was so concerned about history repeating, the LC confirmed that actually, I was making tons of milk this time around.

Go here to find one in your area.

http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3432

Good luck and hang in there.

[Pandme]

Originally Posted by zinemama

You may have low supply or you may not. As someone who stood in your very same shoes, I have one piece of advice for you:

Call a lactation consultant. Not the hospital one, but an independent, board-certified LC who will come to your house and work with you. This was the best baby-related money I ever spent. It will give you peace of mind, one way or the other.

With my first baby, the LC confirmed that yes, my baby really wasn't getting enough milk, for whatever reason, and she helped me make a plan.

With my second baby, when I was so concerned about history repeating, the LC confirmed that actually, I was making tons of milk this time around.

Go here to find one in your area.

http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3432

Good luck and hang in there.

This. Do it now....I've never found hospital LCs to be terribly helpful. And rent a scale too.

[PatioGardener]

I agree - you need an LC!

You have plenty of milk if you can pump so much! (1 oz at a time is alot at 2 weeks post partum!)

You said baby had only gained a couple of ounces - but in how many days? Is baby up to birth weight yet? Baby should be gaining about an ounce a day, or a total of between 5-7 oz a week once they have reached birthweight.

How are baby's pees and poops? Do you get 6 HEAVY wets in 24 hours? and 3-4 yellowy poops?

If baby is not gaining enough, then the first step is to find out why the milk transfer is not working. Is baby tongue-tied? What about the latch? Does baby have a weak suck? These can all be corrected - which is why it is important to see an LC! If you need to supplement you can even give your pumped milk through a little tube at the breast!

Hang in there, Mama! If you can't find or afford a good LC, call La Leche League for sure! They can often help.

[marcib28]

Thanks for the replies.
It's good to know cluster feeding is still ok. Based on the nbci website (saw the link on a thread here), it looks like he's just nibbling most of the time, which is my main concern I guess. Although, if he's just cluster feeding, it wouldn't necessarily make sense for him to be eating a ton the whole time...
I really don't mind the cluster feedings, except that my nipples are still adjusting and it isn't completely comfortable yet (although MUCH better than it used to be). Once it doesn't hurt, I'll probably even enjoy his longer feedings.

He was 1oz short of his birth weight at his 2w appt. They had weight concerns at his 3 day appt, so I had to supplement with formula (1/2oz/feeding) for a day and half until another weigh-in, at which point he had gained 10 oz! So, between then and now (about 1w), he's only gained 3 oz or so, which is why they're concerned. However, they also followed it up with, "well, he's been sick and so has been burning more calories fighting it off." ok, so I don't understand what the problem is... they didn't say how much he needed to gain by fri. unfortunately, from what I've found, I go to the most bfing-friendly ped in my area.

Call a lactation consultant. Not the hospital one, but an independent, board-certified LC who will come to your house and work with you. This was the best baby-related money I ever spent. It will give you peace of mind, one way or the other.

How much did that cost? Money's a little tight...

And rent a scale too.

Where would I go to rent a scale?

This has me really stressed out, so thanks for your thoughts. It's good to hear that it doesn't sound like I'm miserably failing at this. I hate that I'm stressing over 1oz of weight...

[marcib28]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

How are baby's pees and poops? Do you get 6 HEAVY wets in 24 hours? and 3-4 yellowy poops?

If baby is not gaining enough, then the first step is to find out why the milk transfer is not working. Is baby tongue-tied? What about the latch? Does baby have a weak suck? These can all be corrected - which is why it is important to see an LC! If you need to supplement you can even give your pumped milk through a little tube at the breast!

Hang in there, Mama! If you can't find or afford a good LC, call La Leche League for sure! They can often help.

I change his diaper every time he eats (every 2 hours or so) and it's ALWAYS wet (and then he usually pees on me or himself as I change it too no matter what I do). He only poops about 2 times a day. He's not tongue-tied and seems to latch ok. I definitely don't think he has a weak suck. Although, I'm no expert by any means, so of the 3 I'd say it would have to be the latch.
As far as La Leche League-I've looked at it online. Do you have to be a member to get any help? I know that costs money too (although it may be cheaper than the alternatives).

[PatioGardener]

The pees sound good - that's great news! So you know that baby is getting enough milk to stay hydrated - we just need to be sure he is getting enough to grow as expected.

I don't think you need to be a member to call LLL. Hopefully another Mama can fill us in

[zinemama]

My baby had wet dipes every time and still wasn't getting enough from me. Not to discourage you, but it can happen.

The LC cost me $80 ten years ago. She talked to me on the phone a long time first. Then she came to my house for over an hour and worked with me, observing, adjusting, evaluating. She had a digital scale that she used to weigh ds before and after feeding. I ended up renting a scale from her (forget how much it cost).

Really, if you can scrape the money together, do it. The peace of mind is priceless. At the very least, call an LC on the phone. Most of them are happy to talk to you and determine whether you need them or not.

LLL wasn't very helpful to me. Maybe it's just my area, but they seemed like more of a social support for women who didn't have problems bfing.

[Katie T]

LLL can help you for free although I agree a independent LC would probably be more helpful. If you feel like it they have nice meeting (our area is once a month). They are are informative and nice to be around other mothers that nurse and can maybe help support you.

You can rent a baby scale for around $30 a month around here from a hospital or medical supply company.

Good luck, It sounds like you are doing a good job taking care of your little guys needs.

[blessedwithboys]

LLL is free, you do not have to join to get help.

if your LO is pooping and peeing well, go to the ped, smile and nod, and then leave and forget everything you were told. keep nursing your baby, esp if he has been sick, you dont want to make it worse by replacing human milk with artifical.

and remember, some artificially fed babies grow slower than other artificially fed babies. if your LO is growing a bit slower than the typical artifically fed one, no worries!

[PatioGardener]

How are things today? How long will you have gone between weighings when you go in tomorrow? 3 days? You would expect to see a gain 2.5-3 oz in that time in a typical breastfed baby.

I would be concerned if my newborn was not gaining as expected - but I would work to increase milk transfer, not jump to bottle feeding! A good LC would be your best bet. Here are some good videos on latch as well - and check out the one on breast compressions, that often helps too. www.drjacknewman.com

Good luck tomorrow!

[marcib28]

Thanks for the responses
So, I made an appointment with a lactation specialist. Unfortunately, it was too expensive to have someone come to my house, so I'm going to her office instead-I figure it's better than nothing. My appointment is in the morning. She only had a spot to see me at the same time his weigh-in was scheduled for. So I canceled his weigh-in for now. I'm assuming she'll weigh him and then I save $20 on ANOTHER co-pay (between him getting sick and his weigh-ins, the co-pays are killing us!). If she doesn't weigh him or I feel it's necessary, I'll reschedule the weigh-in.
The LC told me to pump for one of his feedings and just see how much I'm producing. I did that today and pumped 2 3/4 oz...I don't know if that's a good amount or not He left 1/2 oz in the bottle and spit up quite a bit. He usually doesn't spit up after I've fed him, so maybe he ate too much. ?? Or maybe he's not getting that much when I bf him. Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow. I'm concerned still though because he hasn't pooped yet today He's peed at least 6 or 7 times though.

Thanks for the website PatioGardner. There are some helpful videos

Keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow. I really hope everything is fine. I HATED giving him a bottle today for even that one feeding! Thanks for your thoughts mamas.

[claddaghmom]

Wow, surprised you pumped an 1oz AFTER he nursed! You must be a super producer. I could only get a dropper or two full by the time my DD was 2 weeks old.

Not all moms feel a letdown. Totally normal. I would say not only is cluster feeding normal, but it's really really important because the baby is signaling your body to make more milk. Breaking away from the cluster feeding could hurt your supply.

If you're worried about gaining, buy a scale and weigh him before and after feeding.

Pumping does NOT give you an accurate idea of how much you make.

[zinemama]

Glad you're going to see someone. I hope you get the peace of mind you need.