fighting a losing battle

I'm really set on breastfeeding my baby for at least a year, but I feel like things are going down hill. My supply has never been enough, and no one seems to believe me, and every one just says pump and feed more often. I even got a medela pump in style advanced so I'm really pumping efficiently. And I'm taking fenugreek like candy, but it's not making much difference. And I'd love to pump every two to three hours for a full 24 hours or so, but even a trip to the grocery store throws that off, not to mention that my ds will NOT wake up at night to eat, no matter what I do. I can tell he's hungry because he fusses in his sleep, but a few minutes at the breast and, if I got him to latch on at all, he's out like a light.  He's two months old, so I don't think it hurts him, although I try giving him pumped milk in a bottle and he takes that easier (so he's not fussing).
I just feel really discouraged. Nothing I do seems to help, and I'm really doing everything in my power to increase my milk supply.

[DollChina]

I am sorry you are feeling so frustrated.  Mine went down at around 8-10 weeks when I returned to work.  I just kept pumping and nursing any chance I get and I took Frnugreek as well.  I heard Brewer Yeast works too.  I think when you are stress, you produce less.  The more I was worrying about my supply, the less I got.  Keep on what you are doing and try to relax.  Also, make sure you are eating and drinking enough.  
Do you stay home?  Do you pump in between nursing?
Best of Luck to you!
Dolly

[lawgirl17]

It sounds like you have truly tried everything to increase your milk supply, so I have no words of advice on that. However, I do want to point out that if your supply is insufficient to feed him completely for all feedings, you can purchase breast milk and supplement yours with that of another mother, or you can choose to supplement formula to ensure that he is eating enough. His breast milk intake may gradually decrease a bit in two months if he is released for solids at that time, so you may supply a sufficient amount for his daily milk intake at that point (when solids are added into his diet). Best wishes to you!

[AndiJ78]

As you know, a baby nursing is much more effective than any pump, no matter how good it is. My babies NEVER waited 2 or 3 hours between feedings, especially that young. When we go shopping, I nurse right before we leave and after we go shopping i nurse him in the car before we head home or immediately whenw e get home. I know there are times of day I cannot go shopping or run errands, so I try to time them for his nap times.

My advice, if it is possible to to ditch the pump for a few days, put off eveyrthing else you feel you need to do and literally surrender yourself to the baby's demands for feeding. Let him dictate when he eats, nurse on demand. I imagine this will make a difference in your milk supply. Even though you pump, don't forget that every bottle of expressed milk you give is one less chance for him to work his magic at the breast. Given ym situation, I have never been successful at pumping and have always feared decreasing my supply. I am literally on call 24/7 with my baby. It makes for a dull social life during the first 14 or 5 months, but it is such a short amount of time in the gradn sheme of things. Besides, it is a great excuse to snuggle my baby as much as I want.

I hope you find a solution. I never got to the point of trying fenugreek. During the gorwth spurts I just basically expect to be camped out in my chair with a baby latched. He makes a huge turnaround in my supply very quickly.

[nbuckner1109]

Well, I never had a problem with my children not wanted to nurse at night, my son woke up every 30 minutes until he was over 6 months old, however, i had stopped nursing by then, my only suggestion for the night time, i know you want to get your sleep, but if he isn't waking up for feedings and you are really wanting to increase your supply, try setting your alarm to wake up every few hours so that you can pump, even if he's not wanting to eat, that way, you will be emptying your breasts so they can refill, and then if he does happen to wake up, you do have a bottle to give him.  That way, you aren't going all night long without feeding or pumping.  With my son, i used to pump one side, while he fed on the other side, because he wouldn't eat from both sides at a feeding, that way the breast i pumped on wouldn't be completely empty and by the time for his next feeding, i would still have milk left in that side, and then i would pump the refilled side, all of that worked, until i went back to work, for that, i have no suggestions because i never got to breastfeed after that.  I hope you find something that works because i know for me breastfeeding was so rewarding!

[anxiousmomtobe?]

I agree with Rock Rose....

Milk is usually supplu and demand, the more he nurses the more you have.

And take it from the oldest preggo here....never wake a sleeping baby (unless Dr tells you too)!

[RockRose]

Why do you think you're not producing enough milk?

Is your baby gaining weight normally?

[Tia Lucila]

My sister went through a similar experience.  She ended up feeding the baby partially with breast milk and partially with formula.  Your problem isn't all that unusual.  That's why I think it's interesting when people ask me if I intend to breastfeed.  I do intend to breast feed, but it seems like that may or may not be possible.  Time will tell for me.  

[waitingwithhope]

I had the same issues with my first child. I tried everything and I later found out that one of the medications they gave me during delivery to induce labor (that I had an allergic reaction to) also can effect milk supply. While I would try and continue to nurse your baby at your breast and see what the results are, don't beat yourself up over it either. You have gone far enough that your baby will have had a great start health-wise and the main thing is that you are making a decision that both you and your baby will be happy with.  I felt so guilty the first time not being able to make it to a year either. I made it to the two month mark and had to finally give in to the bottle idea. I had better success in other pregnancies with a ton of milk flow and I made it over the year mark with them so I know that what I experienced was real the first time.

[AnnieBrooke]

I was worried about this, too, especially worried that I simply would stop producing milk.  I talked to my Ob-Gyn and she prescribed Reglan.  It is given to moms of preemies to start their milk, and is also used to help digestion for diabetics, and also for babies for digestive issues.  It apparently has some down points but is not harmful to the baby through the breast milk -- you will hear people say they looked it up on the Internet and it causes seizures in some people who take it.  Also it supposedly can lose effectiveness after a while.  All I can say is that I take it in about half the dose my doc told me to, and it seems to have kept my milk up, along with the nursing.  I really am glad I did it.  I take the Fenugreek, the Brewer's Yeast, and the Mother's Milk tea (the latter seems to help the most of those three), and I take that moderate dose of the Reglan, and so far so good.  My baby gets formula too (this started on his second day of life so I couldn't do much about it, he was dehydrated by being under the bilirubin lights for jaundice), but at least, thank heavens, my milk supply is still there and some days he gets breast milk all day, not formula at all.  I think you can do it, try the three natural remedies and be sure to keep really hydrated, and then if you need it, talk to your Ob-Gyn about possibly having some Reglan on hand in case you think you need it.  Good luck!!!

Anxious, you're not the oldest mommy on this forum, LOL.  I think it's me. :)

Annie