Pregnant, Nursing, and Supplementing--HELP!!

[bred]

My DS is almost 8 months old and I'm 16 weeks pregnant. At 3 months he was 12 lb 12 oz, I got pregnant when he was 4 months, and at 6 months he was 12 lb 5 oz...so we decided to start supplementing, and just naturally used a bottle (even thought it just about killed me). I consulted with a couple of IBCLCs, our ND, and my midwife, and no one mentioned using an SNS. I accept that my milk supply has decreased and that it probably tastes different, and there's not much I can do about the pregnancy's effects on my milk, but I was really *hoping* that he would just continue to nurse enough that when the baby is born and my milk is back and normal again then he would start nursing full-force again (he will be 13 months old). But, in the last couple of weeks he has stopped nursing at all but one middle-of-the-night one-minute fall-back-to-sleep session, and the last few nights he will barely even do that.
SadKitty suggested that I try supplementing with an SNS, so that he remains on the breast even though I have to supplement, and it will be a smooth tranisition back to nursing when my milk comes back in. MARVELOUS idea! Why didn't I think of that myself?!? So, I tried it today, and he HATED it!! He got SOOO mad , like "How DARE you try to put your NIPPLE in my mouth!!". A couple of times I got him to suck, and he would then spit my nipple out the side of his mouth right away and continue sucking on the tube. But, mostly he would just scream like he was really mad that I was offering him my breast when he was hungry. My assumption is that he doesn't like the taste of my milk, but I keep wondering, if I would've started with the SNS from the beginning of supplementing, if we would still be having the same problem...
I am feeling so lost right now, and I'm not sure what to do. Should I continue trying the SNS at different times of the day?? Should I be supplementing with something other than goat's milk formula? Do you think there's any chance that he will go back to nursing in 5 1/2 months when the baby's born, even if he doesn't nurse at all from now until then? Is there something I should try that I haven't thought of???

[timneh_mom]

Hello! I'm sorry your baby wasn't that excited about nursing again! I want to encourage you not to give up on the SNS. Over the past couple of months, your babe has probably gotten used to the bottle. Since they have a faster flow, he probably got irritated and impatient with your "new" feeding system.

It's too easy to think back on what you could have/should have done, but for now, why not keep trying the SNS? Can you try it when he's a little sleepy, or maybe not so hungry... or maybe let him get somewhat satiated with the bottle, then switch to breast/sns for the rest of the feeding? Kind of approach it a little like a nursing strike or relactating... try the nursing when he's a little sleepy and go from there. I wouldn't give up yet though!

I don't have any advice as far as what type of formula though... but hopefully the SNS suggestions will be helpful to you and hope you get more responses too!

[TurboClaudia]

oh sweetie... i'm pm'ing you my phone number. please call me over the weekend and i'd be happy to share more details of our crazy nursing/milk supply issues journey that marek and i went through when he was 4.5 months old.



~claudia

[bred]

HE NURSED! HE NURSED! It was just about time for his nap, but he wasn't overly hungry or tired yet. So I gave him his sippy cup first with 2 oz and filled the SNS with 2 oz. He drank all of the milk in his cup and then nursed with the SNS for about a second, and then got mad. So, I put another oz or so in his cup, and tried the SNS again after he was done with the milk in his cup. He was mad for a little bit, so I would calm him down with his paci, and then offer again. After 10 min or so of this he started to get a little bit sleepy, and then he TOOK IT!! :2bfbabe: I almost started crying, I was so happy! So, what can I expect now? Should I offer it at every feeding? Should I always start with the sippy cup/bottle? I've never dealt with a nursing strike successfully, so I'm not sure what the strategy and tactics are here (ha ha, sounds like a war!!: Kind of feels like one, too!) If anyone has links to look at or other places to get more info on this, I'd love to have them. Thanks so much for your encouragement... I'm SO excited to be nursing again, and to have the prospect that we may be able to nurse on our own again after my milk comes back in!!!:

[timneh_mom]

YAYYY!!!! That is such excellent news!!! It sounds like what you did, worked, so why not try that again the next time? Why not continue to offer it, for now, at times when he is a little sleepy and not overly hungry like you said, start off with the cup to satisfy his hunger, then try the breast/SNS again? Since that worked this time, I'd give him quite a few more tries, and let him get a little more used to the SNS. Small steps but that's ok!

I think it's up to you how many times per day you want to try this, but picking the sleepy/not ravenous times will make it easier for him (and you) and kind of put him in a situation where he will be more likely to accept the breast. Every little bit helps, right?

I wouldn't worry so much about what to do next, I'd give him a chance to learn that he can get what he needs from your breast (and SNS), and then go from there... this is such excellent news, I can feel your excitement!! Please keep in touch, ok?

Edited to add: La Leche League has forums, you can find them at http://forums.llli.org. Getting to a group meeting would be a wonderful source of support for you as well... I know our group would welcome you with open arms

[TurboClaudia]

breana: yay, yay, YAY!!! sorry i missed your call earlier today... the new little one was nursing and i couldn't get up to retrieve my phone in the other room. hope you have time to call me tomorrow or the next day...

yay, yay, YAY for getting back to the breast!!!

~claudia

[wirewendy]

What is SNS? I am pregnant and nursing, and am loosing my milk and freaking out.

[TurboClaudia]

Medela makes a device called a Supplemental Nursing System that is basically a bottle on a necklace with small tubes coming out that you then tape near your nipples so your babe can nurse at the breast and get alternative milks or previously pumped milk at the same time. The idea is that it still preserves the breastfeeding relationship and the closeness of breastfeeding. See www.medela.com for more info.

Lact-Aid also makes a device that is similar except it uses more discrete, disposable plastic bags and only has one tube per unit. See www.lact-aid.com for more info.

~claudia

[bred]

Thank you all so much for your support... it was so important during this experience!! So, after that second time of trying the SNS when he finally took it, he has nursed fine with it every time, from start to finish. I tried getting up in the night to use it that first night, but sitting up for that long and not getting enough sleep wasn't good--so I'm still using a bottle at night if he needs to eat. He seems to be going back and forth fine now that he knows there's milk back in the boobies!!
I went to a LLL toddler meeting this week, which was great because even though I don't have a toddler, there were several other women nursing while pregnant or tandem nursing. It was too emotional for me to talk about, and I actually ended up going out and crying for awhile, but it was so great to be around others who have been/are going through the same thing.
We went out that day and bough a lact-aid and that is working great for us now. I totally recommend it!!
Wirewendy, how old is your baby and how far along are you? I'd love to keep in touch... I don't have any friends who've been through this, and it is kind of an isolating experience. PM me if you'd like to chat!!! I hope maybe a lact-aid or SNS will help you when/if you do need to start supplementing. My milk decreased right away, and now I don't think I have much if any at all.