Distressing Situation

[Katsume]

My son is about to turn one month tommrow and my mother in-law is throwing a fit because he still has a bit of jaundice (which from what I've read is normal in breastfed babies). When I took him for his two week check up his Ped recomended I stop bfing for 24 hrs to bring down his bili level. Now it wasn't threatingly high or anything just more elevated than he would've liked it to be. I didn't do it because from what I've read there was no need to I should just bf him more. Well now my mother in-law has convinced my husband that "something is wrong" because my son is still a little yellow. They both went on a big rant and to make a long story short made me stop nursing my son for 24-hrs. I still snuck in a few feedings at night when my husband was at work and my mother in-law was asleep (she lives with us), but now I fear the damage is done and they're "helping" has damaged my supply. My questions now are a) Is it possiable to reestablish my supply? and b) If so how can I go about doing it? I was thinking of trying Fenugreek & Blessed Thistle in combination with a hell of alot of nursing, but I'm open to suggestions.

[ima062002]

A 24 hour hiatus is not going to destroy your supply. I would stop ALL supplementation and just nurse nurse and nurse. This is how babies cause moms to make more milk when they are going through a growth spurt.

I don't know how culturally appropriate it is for you to defy your MIL and dh, but you are this baby's momma and it is OK for you to stand up to anyone who wants to decide for you.

If you want to add some Fenugreek for the next few days or so, that would be fine. I would not worry too much though. What did you do when your son wasn't nursing those times you weren't able to sneak in a feed? Did you pump? If not, where you at all engorged?

[Katsume]

When I wasn't able to nurse I was quite engourged. Today I feel like I'm hardly producing anything at all. I've tried nursing my son, but he still seems to come off both sides hungry. I really do not want to supplement him, but I also don't want him to be hungry either.

[TayNRobbiesMom]

the more u nurse him the more you will make. He will get milk, it may just not be fast enough, so he may fuss some.

[ima062002]

Just to make sure I understand you; you have not nursed him for 24 hours - not much more - except for a couple of night time sessions? During that time you have not pumped or extracted milk by hand either?

If so, my advice still stands, put that baby right back to the breast, let him nurse around the clock. The best thing would actually be if you could stay in bed for a day or so, and keep you and your baby naked from the waist up and keep him close. Close contact like that will help your baby to wanting to nurse a lot and lots of times and that will help your supply to bounce back in no time.

If you have ceased to nurse him several days, now that would be more of an issue and might require more work on your part.

[Amy_G_]

Your supply probably is still fine, but he's fussing cause he has to WORK to breastfeed. drinking from a bottle is easy the milk flows if baby barely sucks, drips even if baby doesn't suck. So he'll fuss but you are the mom and you are breastfeeding and tell the mil and the dh to back off.

[Amy_G_]

and by the way, what was his bilirubin level?