Low Supply/Supplementers: How long did you nurse?

[Mamja]

I had a breast reduction and wasn't really able to BF or pump for DD. With DS it is going much better. He is 2.5 months and we are still BFing, and I try to pump as much as possible, too. But, we definitely still need to supplement with formula.

I'm curious about other mamas in similar situations. How long were you able to BF? I'd love to keep going as long as possible, but I'm always paranoid about losing my supply. I already noticed a permanent dip in supply from having a plugged duct. I want to (hopefully) hear some stories from other low-supply mamas who have BF for a long time, while also supplementing a good deal.

[germin8]

I don't have a personal story... but I hope to in 2 years!

However, someone recently encouraged me by telling me about a woman who breastfed for 3 years with a low milk supply.

I'd be curious to know how people like this did it!

[SubliminalDarkness]

I had a breast reduction as well, and have always dealt with low supply. We didn't supplement because I chose to monitor his weight gain and diaper output and just let him nurse as much as he needed..... which ended up being about 20 hours of every day, literally. He was always thin, low end of the percentages for weight, but was consistently growing and meeting milestones. He just needed to nurse a LOT and was very demanding.

He's 3 1/2 now, still nursing.

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

I only produced about 50% of ds's needs and we ended up nursing until he was 28 months old, (my goal was 2, but he didn't want to stop) I did start the weaning around 2 though, nursing less etc. I was ready to stop, but i'm sure my ds would have continued longer. He also gave up naps after weaning, (that was the only way he went to sleep in the day time). But my point is, there is no reason to wean early because of low supply, the baby will benefit. My ds had never had an ear infection or any type of stomache bug until well after he weaned, so imo, he was still benefitting whether he was getting 100% or just 50%. Plus it gets easier once they start solids. As a mom you feel less guilty giving the lo a bit of water or milk in a cup than formula, I weaned ds from the bottle around 16 months but he kept nursing a year after that.

I don't think my supply really decreased until i started to wean. When ds was on formula i was always careful to not overfeed him formula and he has always been very height weight proportionate, and pretty lean and tall. I have read that many formula babies are way overfed, and a few times when a sitter watched him he would go through all his bottles i packed in half the time if he were home, but he was also not nursing. But as long as you are mindful not to overfeed and when solids are introduced to reduce the supplement a bit your supply shouldn't diminish as long as the baby is still nursing regularly

GOOD LUCK!

[lyterae]

I have IGT and was producing significantly less than 50% of what DD needed. I started supplementing at one month, and due to PPD stopped nursing entirely at 3 months. I have plans to make it at least a year this time around, hopefully longer.

[Knitting Mama]

Breast reduction mama here, too. I make about a 50% supply. I make up the rest by using donated breast milk and Cecilia gets it via a supplemental nurser (SNS) so that my supply is still stimulated every feeding. I also take about a gazillion galactagogues, and have gotten my supply up to around 75% when she's not in the midst of a growth spurt. We're at 5 months and still going strong. My goal is 18 months for sure, longer if she wants it.

[Megan73]

I nursed to 20 months with unexplained low supply.
I always needed to supplement 8-10 oz a day in a Lact-Aid. When I returned to work at age one, DS drank cow's milk at daycare and I pumped during the day and supplemented with my own milk.

[poorlittlefish]

Yet another breast reduction momma here. I BF'ed my first DD for 1 year. I am now nursing my second with a 100% supply. I truly believe all the work I did with my older DD (pumping, feeding a ton, never letting too much time go by before I pumped or fed for the whole year) has let me nurse my first with a full supply. So, when the going gets tough keep trucking because it might pave the way for your next kids!

Anyways, I also can't rave enough about Shatavari---it has increased my supply from about 80% to a full supply.

Good luck!

[cristeen]

We made it to the 9 mo nursing strike with virtually no milk of my own. At 11 mos he'll still latch on his own occasionally, but if i try to insinuate the tubing, he'll pull off and refuse to come back to the breast. So even though i have no
milk to offer him, i let him nurse without supplementing whenever he wants, which might be a few times a week. For actual mlk though, he gets a bottle.

[chellebee]

We made it 19 months. He weaned during pregnancy. Had I not been pregnant, I am pretty sure he'd still be nursing today at 2.

[mston]

We've made it to 26 months, and she's weaning herself because I'm pregnant. I have IGT and we supplemented from birth with an SNS - I would say I was able to give her less than 50%, but she seemed to love the little I could give.
We weaned from the SNS at around 16 months.
It's been worth all the leaky SNS bottles, the explanations to strangers about what the tube was all about when NIP, the hassles of formula...

[Mamja]

Wow, you mamas give me hope! I'm taking things one day at a time, but I'd LOVE to be able to make it to a year.

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by Mamja

Wow, you mamas give me hope! I'm taking things one day at a time, but I'd LOVE to be able to make it to a year.

You can do it, mama! By supplementing at the breast you are doing exactly the right thing to prevent premature weaning.
And I bet you'll find at a year that there's no reason to stop

[sharr610]

nak

Go, go, go! I had low supply with DS and nursed until he was 2.5 yo and only quit b/c i was pg and it hurt.
you can do it! i worked so hard, but it was so worth it. and now, with #2, i have no supply issues so far and feel like a truly experienced and knowledgable breast feeder. Stress was the biggest supply demon for me. I honestly think, looking back to last time, i started making more milk when we started to supplement, b/c I was just resolved to it and finally could stop worrying about ds getting enough to eat. So relax, know you are a super mama for giving all you can and commit to as much as you can give for as long as he'll take it.
. good luck!!!

[Vegan Princess]

I have implants - so same issues as a reduction. I made about 50% of DD's needs. Supped using a lactaid until 15 months and am still nursing at 19 months. I am seriously cutting down...like to once/day...or weaning altogether in the next couple months. But that is bc I now get the creepy crawlies a lot of the time I'm nursing. And I'm trying to get pregnant again but the nursing is keeping my cycles a little out of whack. In any case, DD would gladly nurse a million times/day still, if I let her, despite the fact that I'm no longer supping at the breast and no longer take anything to boost my supply (so my supply has really dwindled). I know for sure now that breastfeeding is about so much more than just the milk! It provides my little one so much comfort and joy...so even if your supply does go down, keep at it if your little one is interested. :-)

Cindy

[marielizabeth]

13 months and counting, here. Down to two pills a day (Domperidone) from eight at the beginning. Still making about 50% supply (IGT).

Go, mamas! So inspiring to hear how long some of you have kept it up!

[aramat]

Glad to read this thread as I am hoping to reach two years with my nursling; she was a preemie and we are currently supplementing just under 50%. Nursing for 8.5 mos so far, but she doesn't like the SNS so I just make bottlefeeding more difficult/slower for her; I pull back on the bottle every few sips, not enough to make her mad but enough to slow the process.