Update on 'dissapointed with breast feeding'

Thanks to all of you who replied to my post the other day regarding Sam's poor weight gain and my dissapointment with my brest feeding experience, there was some great advice and I think we have made our way through the worst. I stuck with it over the weekend and now offer him just one breast at each feeding, I think I have a bit too much milk and by swapping breasts half way through the feed he was missing out on the hind milk. Anyhow, he has gained 5 1/2 oz in 5 days which means he is now above his birth weight and the midwife was satisfied with that weight gain. It can still be a long process sometimes (40 mins or more) and he feeds much better from my right breast than the left but I have noticed that it is much longer before I get let down when I feed on the left. Any tips for getting him to feed on his least favourite side or getting my let down sooner so he isn't frustrated waiting for the milk? Thanks again girls, you were a great help and I know if I do struggle breast milk in a bottle will be the way I go; there were some very encouraging posts about pumping and giving breast milk this way.

[pixijal]

Awesome persistence with the breast feeding....you will be a success just based on your determination...and it will be soooo worth it.

If you have the time, take a hot shower just before nursing him on his least favorite side.  The hot water will cause a 'let down'.  Get out of the shower, put on some panties, and feed the baby!  They always have 'favorite sides'.  Sounds like you are doing well!

[amy524]

I am really glad that things are getting better!  Hope things continue to improve!  :)

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Good for you with sticking with it.  Nursing can be a hard job.  Give him the least favourite breast when he is good an hungry.  A warm compress right before you nurse will  help with the let down.

Good news that he is gaining weight.  Both my kids lost a lot of weight at first as I had blood in my coloustrum and couldn't nurse until the full milk came in.  I had the public health nurse come in and help with latching (ds had very bad jaundice and was too sleepy to eat.  She came a couple of times that first week and weighed him.

It will get easier.  I promise.

[myproblem]

With dd #1, my left breast flows super fast, and the right is slower. I did not need the right to produce more milk, but I definately needed the left to produce less. I started every feeding on the right (slower) side, for about two weeks. By doing this, my milk production pretty much equalized.