New Mom, low milk supply - please help!

[luckymom1]

Help! I am getting very depressed about not being able to supply breastmilk to my 10 day old. She sucks for a a few seconds and turns away, kicking, crying and fussing when the milk doesn't flow like her bottle. I try both breasts with her in different positions before each feeding but so far no luck. I have been pumping roughly every 3-5 hours for 20-30 mins per session but am still getting very little milk (10 ml per breast). I have tried pumping more frequently but just end up with less per session (5ml per breast).

It's eating me up inside (pardon the pun) and I am feeling like I am at my wits end now and am constantly tearing up at the thought of this. I'd like to focus on the joys of my beautiful baby but this is really bringing me down now. I have read that retained placenta is a cause of low milk supply. I had problems delivering the placenta, my doc had to manually remove it. Could this be my problem? If so, are there tests that my OB can do to rule this problem out?

[Amy_G_]

yes you can go in for a check with your OB for retained placenta or hormone issues.

But, pumping every 3-5 hours for 20 minutes is NOT ENOUGH to bring in your full milk supply. You need to pump every 2 hours, for at least 20-30 minutes, at least 5-10 minutes after the milk stops flowing to encourage your breasts to make more milk. You also need to be using a high quality hospital grade pump.

Giving baby supplemental formula from a bottle, can also reinforce to baby that the breasts are not where you get food from, so even if you had a good milk supply, your baby might refuse the breast--preferring the easy flow of the bottle.

You need to see a lactation consultant, (IBCLC) ASAP to get your supply evaluated, help with pumping and a good supply, find out about giving any supplemental formula at the breast and more.

You can check out kellymom.com for info on pumping when baby refuses to nurse at the breast. Many will say pumping every 3-4 hours is enough, but realize, human newborn babies tend to nurse every 1-2 hours, so if you pump less often you are not stimulating your breasts to make milk any where as often as if baby were nursing, and that has to have an effect on supply.

[cctaylor]

definitely pump more often (as suggested in pp) like every 2 hrs. it takes a couple of days to see milk production increase, but it does! nurse more often. i know it must be difficult when baby refuses the breast, but maybe take a little break (5-10 mins) and then offer the breast again. or u could start pumping to stimulate the breast before nursing. that way by the time u nurse baby, the milk flow is much faster. increase food/ liquid intake. i heard oatmeal helps and so does taking fenugreek (but maybe do some research on that before u take some).

[Nipple_nectar]

How are you doing?

[luckymom1]

We kept trying and trying but without much progress. However I did start seeing some positive change that was encouraging - some leakage from the breast when I woke up one morning. The odd thing was that this was after I saw some tissue/clots in my pee - could this have been some placenta? I am not sure but I called my OB again the next day to see about the possibility of this being my problem and she basically ignored it like it was an 'out there' kind of thought. She actually told me that pumping was my problem and to stop pumping so that there will be some milk left for baby to drink...that that was the reason the baby was turning away from the breast since I pumped all the milk out (even though I explained that I only pumped after putting baby to the breast). It left me soooo confused. I spoke to several lac consultants afterwards and they put me back on the track of doing both bfeeding and pumping. I feel like my OB is not very sympathetic to my problem and is generalizing and shooing me off like a silly little kid. I have my 6week check up approaching and am beginning to wonder if I can demand her to do tests regarding retained placenta and thyroid problems etc. I asked her if there were any tests that can be done to eliminate any medical reasons as to why I cannot seem to get milk supply and she basically laughed it off and said no. She always makes me feel like some paranoid patient so I feel like I cannot approach her for help anymore.

Unfortunately I got sick and had to stop bfeeding for a week (I still pumped during this time out though). Now that I am off the antibiotics, I have resumed bfeeding and have started taking Fenugreek supplements. Not seeing much change yet as I just resumed yesterday. The only thing I have to report is that I get even less when I pump now. 5ml from each breast per pumping session. I felt the disappointing feelings and tears coming back but I'm not giving up yet for the sake of the little one as she has been having problems with her formula (she's on Similac Alimentum).

[crystal555rose]

It sounds like you need to change doctors. It seems like late in the game but you are looking for medical help and being made to feel like your concerns are invalid when in fact they are valid. Doctors are not used to being asked things they do not know about and will not readily admit ignorance. It takes a truly outstanding physician to admit they need to learn more and take the time to do so. Your breasts are never empty and breast pumps are inefficient so it is ridiculous for your OB to suggests that you are pumping out all the milk.

With no other information than what you have posted the most likely culprit of low supply is baby not nursing enough. They nurse almost constantly the first few weeks which is what tells your body to increase milk production. Producing milk takes a lot of energy (500 calories per day! A 20 minute bike ride only burns 100 calories) so your body will only do what is required and baby dictates this requirement.

Certainly find a doctor that will support the testing you feel you need. Establish a relationship with a Lactation Consultant. Remain committed to breastfeeding despite all adversity. It is the single greatest challenge I have ever faced and it was well worth the pain, tears and work it took to be successful. I wish you the best of luck!

[Becca75]

Everyone else has given you really good advice and I'd just like to add one more thing. Antibiotics don't generally mean you have to stop nursing. Most of them are just fine. The best way to find out if a med you are taking is OK while nursing is to find someone who has "Medications and Mother's Milk" by Tom Hale. Quite a few people here have it if you need something checked.

[StillSingingMom]

You really need a lactation consultant, at this point. A board certified consultant can help you start figuring out why your supply is low; and if necessary, ought to be able to call your OB or even your family doctor for help in scheduling appropriate tests.

Your OB has obviously not much knowledge of breastfeeding, as one never completely empties a breast. Even if you pumped before offering the breast to the baby, there would still be milk there. The breast just keeps making more.

Are you still bleeding?

[LiLRuck44]

Definitely look for a lac consultant. You could also look for a midwife, my experiences have led me to believe they are much more interested in seeing you succeed at breastfeeding... they can also help you with the placenta problems. I would try and get baby nursing as much as possible. It's probably frustrating for her because it comes so much faster from a bottle, but any bit of nipple stimulation you can get from a baby vs. a pump will help. Don't give up! A lc or a midwife can give you a lot of ideas to try.. probably over the phone too! Good luck!