Breastfeeding Problems

[sap2010]

I was really sick with an infection and have had 2 sedated surgeries since my daughter's c/s 8 weeks ago. She was on a solid 3 1/2 hour schedule (sleep, breastfeed, awake, repeat) that was working so well for both of us before I got sick, which was MUCH different than my BF "fail" with my #1son (now age 3). I pumped with a hospital grade plug-in pump religiously while in the hosp for 2 days, then still pumped with a good plug-in rented pump while home for 2 days (b/c of meds that meant i had to toss the milk), then when I had to go back in the hospital as an emergency for 2 more days and more surgery, there was a delay b/c they couldn't find a pump for about 12 hours. All this time, I was having trouble keeping fluids down (altho I was on I.V. fluids) and basically didn't eat. Now that I'm home it has been a big struggle keeping hydrated and I'm still struggling with eating. (One nice thing is that I'm dropping needed pounds! ha!) Anyway, the rest of the story is that by the time I left the hosp the 2nd time, I was getting next to nothing (literally just a few watery drops) even with pumping every 2 hours. My body is/was just really exhausted, I guess. So, I quit my pain meds as soon as I left the hosp the second time and pumped for 24 hours with dd right next to me (for real baby stimulation) until I was "safe" to nurse her (all meds out of my system) and I've been trying to nurse her on demand to get my supply back up. It was amazing that it did increase once I was home and off meds and near her, and it wasn't watery anymore! But I could only get about 2 oz max at a time (both sides combined), and usually 1/2 oz - 1 oz (both sides combined) at a time. She will easily down 3 1/2 oz of formula every 3 hours. (She is 8 weeks old tomorrow.)
SO, at my checkup today for the surgery, my family doctor told me he thought it was too much stress on my body to keep trying to BF her and that I should just wean her. This made me SO sad! He is 7th Day Adventist and very "natural" and this is not advice I expected to hear from him. I am still really struggling with weakness and nausea and diarrhea (so sorry if too much info! bleck!) and he just feels that I need to take this drain away from my body so it can get better.
I am not really willing to stop, but at the same time it seems like she will stay at my breast less and less each day, and after only about 5-7 mins on each side, she starts pulling and squirming and really getting fussy. She would fill up at about 25 mins (one side for 20, 2nd side for about 5 more) before I got sick. I am thinking she is doing this b/c she wants more, but there isn't any more coming, so she is frustrated?? It is also quite painful for me she she starts yanking and twisting.
So which is better, for me to nurse her every 2 hours till she does this frustrated thing and then feed her again in 1 1/2 to 2 hours when she wakes up hungry, or try to feed her a full formula feeding and pump every 2 hours and then give her my milk pumped milk plus whatever she can get at my breast every other 4 hours? Does that make sense?
Here is the Q another way:
To try to rebuild supply while keeping baby nutritiously fed, would you (2 examples below):
8am - nurse
9:30am - nurse
11:30am - nurse
1pm - nurse
etc...

OR

8am - formula for her/pump and save
10am - pump and save
noon - nurse and give saved milk in bottle
2pm - pump and save
4pm - formula for her/pump and save
6pm - pump and save
8pm - nurse and give saved milk in bottle
etc....


I am not sure what's best for her!!! I prefer the second one for her, b/c she then sleeps the "right" amount of time, etc. The first schedule is so short and broken up! But the first one might be better for building my supply b/c I actually would have her at my breast giving me that baby-feeling, you know?

And now, I have a third question that I wasn't going to ask before this AM... do you think it's better for me to just wean her? I mean, I know you all don't know all my medical background stuff, but I know there comes a point where you have to take care of yourself so that you can be there in other ways for your kids and hubby. If I am completely wiped out from trying to BF, am I being imbalanced? Part of me says, yes, but maybe if I would just try for a couple more days (I've been trying to nurse/pump every 2 hours since last Wed AM) then it would magically all happen!!!
Besides all the facts, BF'ing was going SO well this time, and it makes me VERY sad to think about stopping. I love the smell of a BF baby and think the formula makes her smell so yucky... plus it gives her gas and I know my milk is so much healthier for her! :'-(
I am doing Mother's Milk Tea and Gatorade and home made pedialyte and trying to eat as much as I can. (Surgeries were unexpected, emergency gallbladder removal and then an ERCP with a cut into my common bile duct.)
Also, she doesn't seem to exhibit any nipple confusion, but she much prefers my breast to the bottle. I think this is good, but still not sure what to do!
THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP!

[Llyra]

Oh, wow, it sounds like you've been through so much. You must be exhausted and worried. I'm so sorry you're going through so much.

As far as the breastfeeding-- only you can judge if weaning is your best choice, of course. But I do think there are reasons to keep breastfeeding. Honestly, it sounds like you're dealing with a temporary dip in supply, which is understandable considering all you've been through. Keep in mind, though, that a pump is nowhere near as efficient at building and maintaining milk supply as your baby is. The best pump cannot extract milk as well as baby can, and many women find it extremely difficult to maintain a full milk supply depending on the pump. I exclusively pumped for my own DD1 for several months, and it was grueling hard work, and I still lost my milk supply gradually.

The best way to deal with a dip in supply is to nurse-- a LOT. Schedules are not appropriate for such a young infant, anyway. And three and a half hours is way too long for a baby this age to go without a feed. If it were me, I would nurse on demand around the clock for awhile. Lose the bottles, lose the pump, lose the formula, and just take baby to bed with you and nurse. Don't watch the clock-- just nurse as often as baby is interested. Don't worry about how long baby is sleeping, or how long the schedule is--- it'll all even out again in its own time, but trying to impose a schedule can undermine your supply. Baby is wanting to nurse more often, because baby is getting less at a single feed-- the way to deal with this is to nurse much more often, whenever baby wants to, and your supply will naturally rebound all on its own.

The frustrated thing she's doing-- that's what babies do when the supply isn't quite meeting their demand. They yank and tug and fuss and yank some more, and the yanking and fussing and tugging and popping on and off sends the message to your breasts that more milk is needed. If baby gets too frustrated, set baby down for ten minutes and then try again. Switch sides often-- multiple times during a single feed, as soon as baby gets restless. This is a technique called switch-nursing, and it's a classic method to increase supply.

You're right to think of nipple confusion. It is a risk, with a baby this age, to go to offering bottles so many times a day. Baby can learn lazy latch habits, and come to prefer the easier flow of a bottle, and gradually baby starts suckling less and less well at the breast, until weaning happens. I would imagine that if you're going to wean, you'd like to make a decision about it-- not have it happen all on its own without you choosing it.

Good luck, mama, whatever you decide to do. Have you thought about contacting your local La Leche League, or a local lactation consultant, for advice? We had an LC come to our house, when DS was having trouble as a newborn, and it was incredibly reassuring. I got her number from the referral service on Medela's website.

Whatever you do-- it's important to realize that a breastfed baby should not be fed on a clock-schedule. The right time to feed is when baby wants it- which most likely will not happen at regular intervals by the clock. Clustered feedings, close together, especially in the evenings, are normal and healthy and biologically appropriate. They don't mean that anything is wrong.

[KempsMama]

My advice, throw the schedule out the window. Nurse, nurse, nurse! I was recently sick with a virus and my supply took a HUGE hit, but I was able to bounce back without using formula.

[BathrobeGoddess]

moved to breastfeeding...

[sap2010]

thank you

Thank you all for the information and for moving the post. Sorry to have put it in the wrong place!

[Llyra]

How's it going, sap2010? Update, if you get a chance-- I'd love to know how you and your DD are doing.

[Kellyh_01]

Have you considered using a Lact-Aid or a Supplemental Nursing System? I would contact a lactation consultant. That way you would get the stimulation of having baby nursing at the breast to help rebuild your supply, and baby could get the supplement that she needs in the meantime. Personally, I don't think I would wean entirely. ANY breastmilk is beneficial for your baby, even if it's just a few ounces a day. I would not give that up, especially since the breastfeeding relationship is very important to you. Hope you're feeling better soon.