Routine for pumping/supplementing slow start BFer?

[SomedayMom]

So, my 2.5 week old son is having a rough/slow start learning to nurse.  There are/were some anatomical issues and he stopped nursing at 6 days old.  After about 6 days like that the LC suggested we try a nipple shield and viola, the child will latch on and nurse.  He refuses to even try otherwise.  So I know the sheild is controversial, but it's working for him.  He can get milk out now and he swallows but he's still quite inefficient (but still won't latch without the sheild).

So...I am pumping after every feeding and supplementing with the EBM.  My supply is *barely* keeping up with him.  Whatever I pump he finishes after every feeding.

So, my worries are that there isn't enough milk left for him when he does nurse b/c I am constantly pumping after each feeding.  However, if I don't pump I will probably loose my supply so I need to do it until he can nurse more efficiently.  Which he will.  I refuse to consider the alternative ;)

Has anyone BTDT and figured out a way to balance all of this?  It is so exhausting, especially with 2 older kids around wondering why we never go anywhere or do anything but hang out on Mommy's bed watching movies and feeding the baby...

I pump after every feeding...8x a day for 20-30 minutes.  I get 3 oz pretty much every time. I started taking fenugreek and eating oatmeal in an attempt to get a bigger supply going.  I do have frozen milk from the beginning when he wasn't eating as much.

TIA!

[Megan73]

I'm on the nursing/pumping/supplementing treadmill, too, so hugs.

The one thing I'd suggest is (if you're not already) combining nursing and supplementing by using an at-the-breast supplementer such as a Medela SNS or Lact-Aid instead of a bottle. They're actually easier to use with a shield because you can use it to anchor the tube.

I nurse and supplement using what I pumped after the last feed and then pump. We're aiming for 10 feeds a day - DS2 is two weeks tomorrow.

And yeah, it sucks - for me, DH and our toddler. Unfortunately I don't see any way around it either.

[gemasita]

I am there with you!  My son had my nipples bleeding/raw because of anatomical issues and the LC we've been working with extensively gave us nipple shields on day 6, which at least kept him at the breast.  I was in too much pain to feed him even one more time so I'm so glad she did a home visit and gave me those.  But then I realized I also had supply issues because he lost a lot of weight in the first week.  He was down a full pound.  My poor baby was starving.  So now I'm pumping every 3 hours, around the clock and we are bottle feeding him (after using an SNS and finger feedings for a full week).  He goes back to the breast fine (except his latch is still not right so we have to use the nipple shield for now).

I'm only getting about 11 oz a day pumping and he's eating about 20-25 oz a day.  I pump for 35 minutes to get 1.5 oz.  Grrr!  I'm on domperidone but haven't seen much of an increase in my milk supply yet (after a week).  I really don't know WHAT happened with my milk supply.  I never thought I would have issues with it.

What is the story on oatmeal?  I was doing Fenugreek but switched to Motherlove Special Blend.  I'll probably have to switch back to the Fenugreek at some point because the Motherlove is so expensive.  The domperidone is hideously expensive too!

No real suggestions but I am SO glad to know I am not alone.

[SomedayMom]

Oh, I'm sorry you guys are going through this too.

Hi Jamie!!  Congrats on your little guy!  Not sure if you'd recognize me but we were in the Jan/Feb group at SE :)  Our little guys are only a day apart!

Eating oats is supposed to help with supply as well.  Good thing I like it :)  Do you have a hospital grade pump?  I EP'd for DS1 with a PISA but I went and rented a symphony this time. 

This is difficult!  But I feel like I'm armed with so much more info this time than with my first son.  We never figured it out, hence the EPing for a year (and supplementing with formula too).  The good news is my DS2 was problem free and nursed for 2 years. 

Right now, my game plan is to keep seeing the chiropracter for cranial sacral treatment and I'm having a doctor evaluate him for posterior tongue tie tommorrow.  He had an anterior TT clipped already.  Have you had anyone check for that?  I'm a dentist and didn't know about it...the posterior TT.  It is a relatively new rediscovery and might be worth checking out.  My LC gave me the doctor's name, but there is a thread on here about TT that might help if you think it's a possibility.

[gemasita]

SomedayMom - I didn't recognize you so I'm glad you let me know who you are!

I've been on three different pumps - a PIS, Symphony, and now a Hygeia EnDeare so I do have a hospital-grade.  I got DS evaluated for posterior tt already.  We have a couple of specialists in the area and they said it sounded like it from my description of things but when they checked him out, they said there was NOTHING to clip.  So we are doing the chiro and cranial-sacral thing now...or in the next few days.

I'll work on the oatmeal.  I like it too!