Help!! BF issues and possible supply issues?

[MommaKitten21]

Hey ladies I have a few questions about breastfeeding! I had dd in July, and have been EBF her. My hubby is in the Army and we just moved last weekend to his new base location and finally got to be a family again (yay for that!)

I never had any supply issues before (at least I don't think so!) and now I seem to be having issues just since we moved here last weekend. Everytime dd latches, she starts whining and fussing and pulling away. She wants no part in nursing. I'm not sure what is going on.

We were having issues with her abilities to poop, and they were dark and thick. She was only having a bm every week or so.

Also, I just got my first period this weekend. So I'm pretty sure that's not a good sign right?

I tried pumping milk so DH could feed her and start bonding with her (he got to come home real quick for her birth then had to go back) This has been a huge challenge. I pump several times a day but by the end of the night I am lucky if I get 3-4 oz of milk. (total milk from the whole day, not 3-4 oz per sitting)

DH wanted to start formula, but I said no way! It sort of caused a tense debate as DH was ready to drive to the store to get formula. DH is pro breastfeeding, but he is also a "fixer" of problems, so there seems to be a problem... and his only known knowledge to fix it is with formula. So our current "compromise" about this issue was I now nurse her on both sides every feeding, then we give her a bottle of soy milk. I do not know if this is the best thing to do. I am so confused. This has seemed to help with the bm issues. They are "normal" in color and texture and they are much more frequent (twice a day?)

I want to breastfeed as long as possible, but I am not quite sure what to do. Or, if it is even a supply issue or what to do. She just has no interest in my breasts. I have started taking fenugreek tablets and am hoping that helps, but it's been two days and it doesn't seem to be working (yet) I have been pumping every hour in hopes of getting something out, but not much comes. I still put dd to the breast for every feeding, but she only is interested in nursing for about 3 minutes each side and starts the fussy/crying behavior like she is starving and miserable and not getting anything.

What can I do? Is it a supply issue? I do NOT want her on soymilk as I just don't even know if it's safe, but figured it has to be better than formula. I also don't want him to bring home formula and insist on that either.


I also should say this arrangement does seem to be working (besides the fact I'd like to up my supply and be able to pump more!) But as far as dd feeling full, not fussing, and the bm issue... it seems to be working out perfectly. She's actually a happy baby now. Is this set up even ok? I highly doubt any pediatrician would be ok with it... but ughhh I don't know what to do?

[Llyra]

First off, soymilk is not an appropriate substitute for breastmilk for a child under a year old. Formula would be better, if you must offer something. Formula gets a bad name, especially among those of us who believe strongly in breastfeeding-- but it has been formulated to have a balance of nutrients that a child can grow and thrive on. Soy milk has not. It is lacking in important nutritional elements that a baby under a year old must have.

Second of all, I'm so sorry you're going through this. It sounds like you're struggling, and I wanted to offer some hugs.

How has her weight gain been? The first thing I would do would probably be to get an idea of that. Maybe see a health care professional, if at all possible, for advice and a weight check. If she's gaining weight appropriately, then you have a much smaller problem!

Infrequent poops are NOT a sign necessarily that anything is wrong. Past about two months old, many normal healthy breastfed babies poop as infrequently as every seven to ten days, and some even go two weeks. It's normal-- breastmilk is digested much more thoroughly, at this age, and there's not much left over to be passed. It's only in the early newborn period that infrequent poops are alarming. What you want is a poop that is ample, when it does come, and soft-- varying from liquid, to something about like peanut butter. You want to see something that's not hard and dry, which would be a symptom that baby is not adequately hydrated. But the frequent poops of newborns don't always keep up-- infrequent is fine.

What you're dealing with sounds like a nursing strike. Did it start with her being given a bottle? Sometimes they experience confusion around that-- they get bottles, and then prefer the bottle, and have trouble latching properly at the breast. Not all babies are subject to nipple confusion and bottle preference, but some are-- I fought that battle with two of my kids, and the only solution is to lose the bottles and pacifiers entirely, and just nurse freely around the clock until baby gets back on the breast.

If it didn't start with the bottle, then you might want to read up on nursing strikes, and how to manage them. You can try kellymom.com for the best and most reliable advice.

If baby isn't gaining weight appropriately, then you'll want to look into measures to increase supply. Supplementing should be a last resort-- the more other milk baby gets, the less baby is nursing, which will stimulate you to make less milk, not more. a good lactation consultant can be a big help with this-- ask your pediatrician or your midwife or ob/gyn-- sometimes they can refer you to somebody. You might also want to check out your local La Leche League-- a lot of times they can be a big help.

If you do decide to supplement, please consider using a balanced formula.

[ContentMama]

I would check out the La Leche League website. They have tons of articles on just about every breastfeeding topic and you can contact a local leader.
I was having a similar issue with ds fussing at the breast. In my case I had an overactive let down and oversupply in the left breast (this is the one he was refusing). I knew it was an oversupply because of the engorgement and leaking.