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seven2hold
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 1:51pm | IP Logged
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My three week old, John Patrick Blaise, is a wonderful baby. He is very very relaxed and only cries when he's hungry. He sleeps well, sometimes a three hour stretch here and there. He is, however, a very lazy nurser. VERY lazy. He is so tiny, just 6 lbs. 12 oz. He's too small to be called my peanut, so I call him my little pistachio.  He
He will eat with gusto when I'm engorged. But if I'm not -most times- I have to hand express the milk for him. He had nursing jaundice as did 4 of my others. To avoid a hospital stay &/or the bili blanket, I opted this time to give him 1/2 an ounce of formula at the breast once a day with a dental syringe. I've nursed all of my babies (over 8 years) and this is the second most difficult beginning I've had. He had many dry diapers his first week. At his two week check up he was only 2 ounces over his birth weight. His palate is very high and I nurse in a great deal of pain. To aid with my healing at 1 week and a few days I began giving him the formula from the bottle and increased it to a full ounce. All of the sudden I had wet diapers.
Tomorrow he will be three weeks and I'd like to drop the formula, but it really seems like he needs it. I give it to him between 6 and 8 PM, but first I nurse and nurse and nurse him back and forth from breast to breast, hand manipulating the ducts (I do this most feedings - NEVER with my other 7) to give him all I have. He nurses slowly and then drops off to sleep, but if I try to put him down he cries and we're back at the breast again. I give it a good hour and then give him the bottle, which he guzzles with gusto. (Of course he does - there is no work involved here!)
I'd love to know if there is something that will help me increase my milk supply. I already know nursing more frequently, drinking lots of water and rest hlep improve this. I'm still not getting any results and wonder if any of you ladies have some ideas.
Thank you!
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Kathy
Wife to John
Mother to DD(91), DD(93), DD(95), DS(98), DD(00), DS(01), DS(03), DD(05), and DS(07)
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Taffy
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 2:12pm | IP Logged
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Kathy,
I just went through something very similar with my little 9 week old. She wasn't gaining at all and also had two bouts of jaundice that was severe enough that she had to go under the UV lights.
In our case, the problem was a poor latch. We weren't able to overcome this, so I am now feeding her expressed milk via a bottle and she's doing great now. I know for a fact that the milk supply is there, we're just inefficient with nursing. 
Instead of using formula, I would suggest that you get hold of a good quality breast pump and pump after every feeding. You should be able to rent one somewhere, here in Canada they are available from Public Health (I think).
I've been exclusively feeding pumped milk for the past 7 weeks and plan to continue for at least a year. I did this with my other children too.
There's more I could say but I'll quit now. PM me if you'd like any other info on pumping. 
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Susan
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 2:14pm | IP Logged
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You need to drink and drink and drink and REST..
alfalfa will help make milk richer and more plentiful.. though I think there are other things that increase supply as well. The mother's milk tea is the one I know off hand.
but you drinking enough.. and resting enough will be a BIG part. Also.. it sounds like you're having to work awfully hard here.. and if you don't relax while nursing you inhibit the let down.. is there something you could do to help with that? You said he nurses fine when you're engorged.. could it be that you have a more active letdown at that time? Maybe if you could find a way to relax (a bit of beer if you can stand it I understand both increases supply and helps with relaxation for letdown) more he'd be able to do more of the work because your let down would be more active.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 2:23pm | IP Logged
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Kathy,
I have a really good pump if you want to try it. Tammy should chime in her with tips. I always have the opposite problem.
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 3:01pm | IP Logged
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Oh boy, does this sound familiar. My son was jaundiced, wasn't gaining weight, slept through feedings. We went through a whole rigamarole, but it did help.
Wives tales say that barley helps increase milk production. And my OB said drink beer, too, which is made with barley. It calms you, and increases milk production. I couldn't handle too much regular barley. There is also a tea, called Mother's Milk, which is supposed to help. I downed these and lots of fluids.
As far as feedings, I would pump 15 minutes beforehand, to get the flow going (I used a hospital pump for a while, and now have Mother In Style). I'd prepare my son (or dh helped a lot at the beginning) to help him wake up a bit -- we'd change his diaper, strip him down to his diaper, have wet cloths ready to keep him awake during feeding. I'd do both sides, lots of burping to keep him awake, and then use a syringe and feed the pumped milk to him, so that we could definitely say "this many ounces" at a sitting.
It was a struggle, and some of it a blur. Put him stripped down in the sunshine as much as possible...windows work.
If you're sticking to giving formula, keep giving it through a syringe, not a nipple, so there isn't nipple confusion or laziness.
Just my experience and 2 cents.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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St. Ann
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 3:19pm | IP Logged
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A very good meal
or
A strong german beer
or
A glass of champagne
These 3 always increased my milk supply - almost immediately. They were definitly very effectiv.
I hope you find what works for you.
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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Rachel May
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Kathy,
I'm so sorry you are going through this! My friend at Rosetta Stone (scroll down to More on Mary and an earlier post Frustration and Misery) is having the same issues.  She said this site Dr. Newman helped and linked to a site with videos. In the comments of both her posts there are tons of suggestionsa and then she also talks about what works for her in the actual post. Maybe there will be something helpful there. I'll say a prayer to Our Lady of La Leche for you!
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 3:47pm | IP Logged
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Oh, there's another site I use a lot, called KellyMom that deals with all sorts of breastfeeding issues. I don't have time to look up the particular problem, but I know help is there.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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organiclilac
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| Posted: Nov 07 2007 at 7:36pm | IP Logged
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Oatmeal in any form (including cookies!) will help boost your production.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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Ruth
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| Posted: Nov 08 2007 at 8:31am | IP Logged
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Dear Kathy,
I'm so sorry. I will pray for you and lil' John.
I would try this. I have heard great things about it. Vitamin Shoppe has it. I hope this works.
Love, Ruth
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Ruth
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seven2hold
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| Posted: Nov 08 2007 at 10:30am | IP Logged
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Thank you everyone. I know I need rest. I simply feel like a failure if I'm not accoplishing my work in the house, in the homeschool, etc.
I did take two weeks off homeschool and stayed in my PJ's for two weeks. I told the children that while they were not doing school they would be helping me watch the little children and do a quick pick up if someone was coming to bring a meal.
I have increased my drinking water. I was bringing a glass to bed every night and my 2 and 4 year olds would drink it.
Last night I was determined not to offer him any formula. It was an extremely long night. At 3 AM after nursing for an hour and a half I caved in and gave him his one ounce. He resisted the nipple at first, then guzzled happily (probably hungrily), burped and fell asleep for 2 1/2 hours.
Thanks for the fenugreek tip, Ruth. I remember taking this with one of my other children. I remember the maple syrup smell. I will try and pick some up today.
JennGM, KellyMom looks like a site to add to my favorites.
Organiclilac, I think I'll bake oatmeal cookies with the children today!
Molly, I f I ever see you, I'd love to try your pump.
It's so nice to know you are all here with your own experiences for me to benefit from. God bless you all.
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Kathy
Wife to John
Mother to DD(91), DD(93), DD(95), DS(98), DD(00), DS(01), DS(03), DD(05), and DS(07)
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seven2hold
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St. Ann,
I'd love a glass of champagne. 
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Kathy
Wife to John
Mother to DD(91), DD(93), DD(95), DS(98), DD(00), DS(01), DS(03), DD(05), and DS(07)
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seven2hold
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| Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 10:36am | IP Logged
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Update. JP has been off formula since Friday.  Thank you for all your tips and prayers!
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Kathy
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Mother to DD(91), DD(93), DD(95), DS(98), DD(00), DS(01), DS(03), DD(05), and DS(07)
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Ruth
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| Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
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Yay!!!
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Ruth
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4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: Tips for increasing milk production
