[sattygirl99]

Do you find yourself worrying that baby isn;'t getting enough from you?

Most of you here know my story but I have unexplained low supply and supplement DD at the breast with donor breast milk.

She was taking 5 oz a feed... Now she's taking more like 3-4 oz a feed. But I still feel sometimes like she shouldn't need to take 4 oz. I worry sometimes that she doesn't get much from me.

I know, it shouldn't bother me. She's getting my milk, even if it IS only an oz or 2 a feeding. She's getting my antibodies, the bonding, the closeness...

Everyone says she eats too much and while I ignore it most of the time, sometimes I feel like maybe she does. She doesn't spit up often and when she does, it seems like normal spit up (no more than a TBSP or 2). If she was overeating, she'd throw up more. If I try to cut her supplement short, she gets mad, she's hungry and unhappy.

I really shouldn't worry about it, right? It's all breast milk, it's all at the breast... No harm, no foul?

Just looking for some insight from BTDT moms.

 

[starling&diesel]

Hey, comrade ... I feel the same way.

DD gets 10-12 oz of supplement over the day, at the breast. I give her each breast first, and then the top up, which is usually 1.25 oz at each of about 9 daytime feeds. Like you, I also have more supply at night, so she just nurses for her night feeds. But yes, the worry doesn't go away. I wish it would. I've been trying to frame things in the positive and stop berating myself all the time ... if babe is gaining, then all is well. A half ounce to one ounce is good for bf babies per day until about three months ... my DD gained 2 oz a day for the past week, and the ped says I can slow it down a bit. How is your DD gaining? Can you adjust the numbers according to what the scale says?

 

[indeospero]

What has her weight gain been like?

I think that it's really hard to go wrong when you are supplementing at the breast and following your baby's cues, but I know all too well how hard it is not to worry.

 

[sattygirl99]

THANKS EVERYONE!

I feel better now... I'll just let her take whatever she wants... You really cant go wrong wih baby at breast.

her weight gain... She was 7lbs 7oz (2 oz under birth weight) at 4.5 weeks. She was 10lbs 8oz at 11.5 weeks. She was 21 in long at 4.5 weeks and last check, she was 24 1/4 in... that was a week or so ago.

 

[sattygirl99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by starling&diesel Hey, comrade ... I feel the same way. DD gets 10-12 oz of supplement over the day, at the breast. I give her each breast first, and then the top up, which is usually 1.25 oz at each of about 9 daytime feeds. Like you, I also have more supply at night, so she just nurses for her night feeds. But yes, the worry doesn't go away. I wish it would. I've been trying to frame things in the positive and stop berating myself all the time ... if babe is gaining, then all is well. A half ounce to one ounce is good for bf babies per day until about three months ... my DD gained 2 oz a day for the past week, and the ped says I can slow it down a bit. How is your DD gaining? Can you adjust the numbers according to what the scale says?

When DD was 'catching up' (ie, in those first 3 weeks we were supplementing) she was gaining 1.5 to 2 oz a day.... Her first check after starting the lact-aid was 10 oz in 4 days . She's since slowed down to anywhere between .5 oz and 1.5 oz a day, depending on the week.

I guess when I think about it... She nurses about 4 times during the day (sometimes more, but it's just bare breast without supplement) and she's taking 12-16 oz a day... That's about right... It wouldn't seem so bad if she was taking it over the course of 9 feeds like your DD is. It's so much at once and that's what makes me think...

I really should start thinking of the Lact-Aid as my 'third breast' and acting as if I can't see the amount of milk she takes.... Hrmm... that's a thought!

 

[ErinBird]

Looking back (similar story, no definite reason for low supply, lots of speculation, donor milk via SNS at most feedings for 10+ mo), I wonder the same thing.

I have considered some things I will do differently this time if supplementation is necessary-
1. never let the baby get used to the idea that supplement will be flowing from latch on

2. weigh/feed/weigh with a rental scale in the early months until I get into the swing of gaging how much baby needs to eat. I'd consider doing an additional weigh between using just my breast and adding the supplement, but it will depend on the baby's personality about eating (i.e. I need someone easy going and willing to stop/restart meal). I figure at some point baby will become better at indicating his/her needs.

 

[ErinBird]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sattygirl99 THANKS EVERYONE! I feel better now... I'll just let her take whatever she wants... You really cant go wrong wih baby at breast. her weight gain... She was 7lbs 7oz (2 oz under birth weight) at 4.5 weeks. She was 10lbs 8oz at 11.5 weeks. She was 21 in long at 4.5 weeks and last check, she was 24 1/4 in... that was a week or so ago.

When Raina was catching up and finally getting full at the breast, she gained rapidly for a while, then slowed up quite a bit. I think thats normal.

 

[sattygirl99]

Oh DD isn't always used to the flow... We don't supplement over night feeds and she does fine. She'll nurse to sleep without the supplementer and does fine. She is a little impatient about letdown sometimes but I hear that's normal at 3 months, supplemented or not.

Thanks ladies!

I'm just going to BF on demand and stop looking at the bag... She takes whatever she takes, it's breastmilk, she's at the breast and it's the best thing I can do for her.