annamiree
05-08-2008, 07:16 PM
Hoping someone can help. I have two children, a three-year-old son and a five-month-old daughter and have had marginal success in breastfeeding. My son was born healthy at 37 weeks gestation after being induced due to gestational diabetes. He did not latch on for six weeks despite repeated efforts to do so; I pumped incessantly and was able to produce around 20 ounces per day. At six weeks he began to latch on occassion; he enjoyed the closeness, but knew he'd get more from the bottle than from me and soon turned me away. I continued to pump, as well as take fenugreek and then Reglan to stimulate supply. At four months my milk supply dropped significantly and I gave up.
My daughter was born healthy at 38 weeks gestation after another bout of gestational diabetes. I never felt the "let-down" sensation after her birth, however, she latched on like gangbusters! I really thought that, due to her latching on wonderfully, that my milk supply would be better stimulated, but it's been just the opposite. I've done everything that I did with my son...skin-to-skin contact, constant latching (even if only to pacify), hospital grade pump every 2-3 hours, watched my diet and water consumption, etc. Nothing has worked. I've only not tried any oral remedies as they did not work for my son, either. On days that I have to work, which are very few and far between, I am able to pump about six ounces total (if I'm lucky) with a pumping session every three hours. That's six ounces for the whole day. My question...is there anything I haven't tried to stimulate milk supply? Do some women experience low milk supply despite all efforts to correct it? Is six to eight ounces worth the effort? She's still interested and so I do still offer the breast to her every time she's hungry; she's at the stage, though, that she knows where her bread is buttered and will occassionally go to the bottle over me. I just need reassurance that I'm doing the right thing by her and that I did with my son, also.
Thank you.
My daughter was born healthy at 38 weeks gestation after another bout of gestational diabetes. I never felt the "let-down" sensation after her birth, however, she latched on like gangbusters! I really thought that, due to her latching on wonderfully, that my milk supply would be better stimulated, but it's been just the opposite. I've done everything that I did with my son...skin-to-skin contact, constant latching (even if only to pacify), hospital grade pump every 2-3 hours, watched my diet and water consumption, etc. Nothing has worked. I've only not tried any oral remedies as they did not work for my son, either. On days that I have to work, which are very few and far between, I am able to pump about six ounces total (if I'm lucky) with a pumping session every three hours. That's six ounces for the whole day. My question...is there anything I haven't tried to stimulate milk supply? Do some women experience low milk supply despite all efforts to correct it? Is six to eight ounces worth the effort? She's still interested and so I do still offer the breast to her every time she's hungry; she's at the stage, though, that she knows where her bread is buttered and will occassionally go to the bottle over me. I just need reassurance that I'm doing the right thing by her and that I did with my son, also.
Thank you.