Supply low, babe refusing everything but breast...

[marrymeflyfree]

Help!

My 2nd child is nearing 8 months, and I am pregnant again. I still have milk, but I think my supply must be quite low because she's not pooping or peeing as much as normal. She hasn't poo'd in 4-5 days, and her urine output today seemed much less than normal as well - to the point that it's making me nervous. She's in great spirits, happy and playing and laughing and not at all fussy, no obvious signs of dehydration, though she is wanting to nurse more than usual. We'd only just barely started solids before this happened; I'm gently encouraging more now and she's generally eager to eat - but the problem is that she is completely refusing anything liquid.

She has no idea what to do with a bottle. We offer, and she just wants to play with it/chew on it, and gets upset if any liquid comes out. We've tried tip-up sippies, straw sippies, cups, spoons, and just wet fingers. She absolutely refuses all of it. I have no stash and haven't been able to pump much of anything...she makes the most offended and upset face at the taste of formula (not that I blame her, really!), and she hasn't taken any water either. We've done it various ways...having dad offer the bottle with me out of the room, trying it when she's calm and happy, trying it when she's hungry, etc, etc.

I've been mixing a bit of formula in with some food to get her accustomed to the taste, but it doesn't seem to be helping much yet.

Any suggestions? Should I try a SNS? I definitely still have milk and at times I do feel it and hear lots of gulping and swallowing...but the dry dipes are very concerning. My oldest was just a month older when I got pregnant with #2, and my milk completely dried up before I'd even peed on the stick. We've been through this before - but that baby had taken bottles of pumped milk before that happened, and she was fine with formula when my stash ran out. We dry-nursed throughout that pregnancy and continued - and she still nurses once a day. I don't want to wean my oldest completely, but also wondering if I shouldn't be giving her the milk that #2 may need...

Agh. Any suggestions are oh-so-appreciated...

[Knitting Mama]

My Cecilia has been nursed with an SNS since the first week of her life-- once my milk came in around day 3 it was clear that my breast reduction had effected my supply, and I started her on donor milk in the SNS (she was jaundiced and it took more than I could make that early on to clear out the bilirubin). It's a wonderful way to continue a breastfeeding relationship and to know your baby gets enough milk. I would definitely go for it!

[firewoman]

How pregnant are you? I haven't ever noticed a real lack of supply until around 16 weeks. If you hear her gulping and swallowing and she has the same amount of energy I wouldn't be inclined to think there is a problem even with periods of dryness and less pooping. I would definitely keep an eye on it but if she were becoming dehydrated, I don't believe she would refuse a sippy cup of fluid. Think of how thirsty you get when you are dehydrated. I would just keep offering the sippy cup or even try a regular cup. My daughter is 8 months and when she sees me drinking out of a glass she HAS to have some. She grabs the glass as I hold it and drinks out of it. Maybe you could try that.

[wombatclay]

Moving to breastfeeding... good luck mama!

[ewe+lamb]

IMO, and this is what I did with my kids, is that I never bothered with bottles or sippy cups or anything like that, a little metal goblet or glass with just a little bit of water at the bottom - about 1cm is enough at a time and they can take it that way, I never really like to drink out of plastic stuff - i find it leaves a funny taint in my mouth and it could simply be something like that, although the SNS is a great way of keeping baby close - and maybe something you may wish to think about for the coming months.