[kp2009]

Hi everyone,
I am new to these discussion boards and have been reading the posts about breastfeeding challenges with great interest as I struggle with a low milk supply. I wanted to share my story in case it was at all encouraging to mothers of younger babies and to see if anyone else has had a similar experience when starting solids.
I knew from the beginning that ds was not getting enough milk. After an uncomplicated, unmedicated delivery he seemed to be a good nurser but never seemed sastified despite feeding ALL the time. On top of that he wasn't gaining weight. We started with checking his latch, positioning, using breast compressions, etc. At 3 weeks I started taking domperidone and fenugreek and we started supplementing at the breast. Pumping never worked for me as he couldn't be put down long enough to do it. We usually supplemented 3-4 x a day and he received anywhere from 250-350ml/day. The medication seemed to help but not enough to wean off the supplements. There were many tears in the beginning and I hated the tube, but I stuck it out despite frequently wanting to give up. (Although as an aside, once he took a bottle around 3 months, we did use one 1-2x a week as the SNS system I had was not discreet or practical for use in public).
I'm happy that I did hang in there because he is now 6 1/2 months and since starting solids a month ago he is down to 1/2 ounce formula mixed with food in the morning an ounce or two through the SNS at bedtime. Although I think the evening supplement has as much to do with him wanting the faster flow as it does with him needing extra calories. Overall he is growing and thriving.
Has anyone else had a similar experience when starting solids?
Hugs to all the mommas out there struggling with breastfeeding. Remember that there are many ways to have a successful breastfeeding relationship.

PS I really loved the book The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk by Diane West and Lisa Marasco

 

[starling&diesel]

Your post is so reassuring to me!
I want to be able to write the same one in a few months.
I have a couple of questions ... what was your schedule like for supplementing?
Right now I supplement about every two hours as she breastfeeds. How did you space out your supplements so it was only 3-4 times a day? My little girl also gets about 250-350mls over the day, but spread over nine feeds! Which is tiring.
Did you get any flack for starting solids early? Our LC and ped say any time after four months if she's interested and able.
Thanks from a fellow Canuck!!!

 

[starling&diesel]

Oh, and I forgot to say welcome to the boards!

 

[kp2009]

Thanks for the welcome and glad to hear that my story provided some reassurance!
Well first as a disclaimer, I have to say that I didn't really do exactly what they told me to do at the breastfeeding clinic, so it's probably a good idea to discuss with your LC. It sounds like what you are doing is closer to what I "should" have been doing. In the early months I spent ALOT of time nursing. I'd almost have to say that there weren't always distinct "feeds" but just a lot of on/off the breast with some breaks during the day . I supplemented when he expressed frustration at not getting enough milk or when a feed seemed to be going on without end. It usually worked out to early afternoon/late afternoon/evening or late morning/early afternoon/late afternoon/evening. We co-sleep overnight and he seemed sastified with no supplements during the night.
Over time he started going a little longer between feeds and sometimes he was content and other times he wanted more. I had to experiment a little because sometimes I couldn't tell if he was done and sucking for comfort or still sucking because he wanted more milk!
That's a long winded answer to your first question but hope it helps!
In answer to your second question, I didn't get any flack for starting early. At the clinic (I went to Jack Newman's clinic in TO) they suggested that I should start solids at 4 months if I was still supplement but I waited for what I understand are signs of being ready, (i.e. reaching for food, sitting up in chair, showing interest), for ds that happened around 5 1/2 months.
One thing that I found helpful was to make it my partner's job to get the formula ready so all I needed to do was take it out of the fridge and warm it. No measuring or mixing for me.
Most of all just do what is best for you and your baby. Hugs.

 

[starling&diesel]

Thanks for your reply ... lots of good info!
Sigh, how I wish there was a Jack Newman clinic on the West Coast. Our funded Breastfeeding Clinic is awful! They tell you that you're starving your baby and you should formula feed. The only thing they're good for is correcting latches, and dealing with tongue ties, etc.
I did email Jack Newman, and he said the same as you ... to watch for readiness, but that 4 months would be fine.

 

[Megan73]

Inspiring story!
I have read Dr. Newman suggesting early solids instead of formula but it would not have worked for my LO - who gets 10 oz a day in a Lact-Aid.
He's almost nine months and still not interested in solids. I prefer a baby-led weaning approach - self-feeding finger foods - rather than spoonfeeding. Also, very few solids have as many calories an ounce as formula.

 

[kp2009]

agree with what you said about no solids having as many calories as formula. so I was a little concerned at first when the amount of formula he was taking decreased, but I've been reassured by several source that it's ok. Plus he still breastfeeds plenty.
I also didn't want to start solids early, I did it when I felt that ds was ready. He really likes his food almost,but no quite as much as he loves to nurse! That's just been my experience.

 

[Megan73]

As you wrote, he is growing and thriving.

 

[justthinkn]

I'm so glad that worked for you! I had hopes that direction, and ended up using the SNS just a few times a day until just shy of 18mo's. I wish we could have had time in her baby-baby stage without any tubes or formula... But I guess my story could be a different kind of encouraging... Supplementation just became our normal, and much less burdensome, used much less often as the months went on. Now DD is 22 mo's, hasn't been supplemented in forever, and still loves to nurse

:

 

[kp2009]

Quote:

Originally Posted by justthinkn ... Supplementation just became our normal, and much less burdensome, used much less often as the months went on. Now DD is 22 mo's, hasn't been supplemented in forever, and still loves to nurse :

Thanks for sharing that. Supplementing is much easier now, at 6 months, than it was in the beginning. We continue to use it for a feed at bedtime. It's nice to hear from someone who supplement for a long time as most of time you only hear about really young babies. Do you mind me asking were you taking any herbs/medications? and did you continue them the whole time? I'm still on fenugreek and 120mg/day of domperidone.

 

[justthinkn]

Glad to help

I took Motherlove More Milk Special Blend and Goat's Rue (on LC's advice), and I started phasing out first the goat's rue, then the other, at about 6-9 months, watching carefully to see if my supply seemed to be dropping. Was totally off at around 13mo's - maybe I could have gone faster, but that's what felt comfortable to me