Long Term Supplementing

[@llli*yaiza]

Why don't you give the SNS or lact-aid a chance? They will eliminate the problem of nipple preference, as well as they'll help you increase your supply. I was in a situation very similar to yours, and it's thanks to that SNS that I'm still breastfeeding - and supplementing, but as I said, the volume of formula my baby is getting is lower than it was a month ago. It's under control now, whereas before I felt I didn't know how to stop the wheel, my baby was getting more formula and less breast each day, I felt tired and sad, it was awful.
Don't give up, you'll feel better!

[@llli*djs.mom]

Yes, that sounds like nipple preference to me.

And NO, that is NOT enough pumping. At all. 120 minutes total for at least 8 sessions a day. With at least 1 between midnight and 5am. For at least 12 weeks. Then you might be able to drop to 6 a day. Maybe. And you must rent or buy a hospital grade pump.

EPing is MUCH MUCH MUCH harder than BFING. This frustration you feel now is NOTHING compared to how you will feel when you are hooked up like a cow and your baby is crying for you. Or messes with the pump. I have been EPing for 15 months, and this is the hardest thing I have ever done, and I have done some hard things in my life.

Don't give up!!

Yeah I was hoping Susan would come say this. It's going to be way harder to pump than deal with a fussy baby. So you need to decide if you are willing to do the work to keep feeding her. It's not easy in the beginning. But you are making milk and I think you should work to continue to do the work to give her that food. Because there is no question that if you give up nursing this early and only pump 6 times a day that you will lose the battle. it's not enough. Your supply is not regulated yet. It's all supply and demand. You will be telling your body to make WAY WAY less. And it will.

[@llli*supersarrr]

Well, turned out its more of a side preference. If she starts on the right she's fine; if she starts on the left she's fussy. Weird

I did the tube for the first three weeks and can't do it again, not even in the lact aid instead of with a syringe. And frankly the appeal of eping is that I already pump 100 minutes a day (5 20 min sessions) with a hospital pump including a 4 AM sessions while the baby sleeps. But I'm just going to keep at it. Things seem to have restabalized. Perhaps it was a growth spurt that accounted for those couple of days, but it sure was discouraging. We're now back to about 10 ounces of supplement a day, so hopefully I won't need to add more formula from here.

[@llli*djs.mom]

. Keep at it Mama. You were made to do this. You will never be sorry you kept at it. We promise.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

The difference would be that you LOSE a connection with your baby if you quit. I have breastfed directly three children. I have pumped and fed for the fourth, because he could not nurse. And there IS a difference. I love him the same, but there is a subtle difference to our relationship.

The hormone response for you is different.

And we have no idea what, if any, impact pumping has on the milk's quality, other than if you freeze it, for sure that kills part of it off.

Bottlefed babies are much more likely to have issues with satiety. Any breastfeeding you can do will help your baby learn to self limit intake.

And it's awesome comfort. I miss not having breastfeeding in my mothering toolbox. Bumped head? I can't nurse him. Tired? I can't nurse him. You don't need milk for either of those situations and more that will come up as your LO grows. It is not about milk alone. It grows into this wonderful thing that, if you perservere, will benefit both of you.

The idea is to not become frustrated by little things like this. So she prefers one side to start...she's letting you know her preferences (and starting young, ). So you need to top off. Ok. Growth spurts happen. Meanwhile, just keep doing what you are doing.

What happens if you nurse more and pump less? The baby is better at this than any pump.

[@llli*supersarrr]

I nurse as much as I can. The times I pump are twice during the day, usually once during her nap and pnce in the late afternoon when my husband gets home, and three times while she sleeps (she sleeps 8-10 hours at night). I don't feel like I should go that long without nursing, so I pump. Plus, this way she has a bottle of pumped milk in the evening instead of formula. And I still hope all this pumping will increase my supply even though it hasn't yet.

I'll keep nursing as long as she is willing to. I have no interest in stopping, but I also can't fight her if she decides she's done.

[@llli*christinao]

Just reading through all the posts now, and I just want to say what a great job you're doing. You sound like a very attentive mama, that really wants what is best for her LO. Way to stick with it!!

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

I nurse as much as I can. The times I pump are twice during the day, usually once during her nap and pnce in the late afternoon when my husband gets home, and three times while she sleeps (she sleeps 8-10 hours at night). I don't feel like I should go that long without nursing, so I pump. Plus, this way she has a bottle of pumped milk in the evening instead of formula. And I still hope all this pumping will increase my supply even though it hasn't yet.

I'll keep nursing as long as she is willing to. I have no interest in stopping, but I also can't fight her if she decides she's done.

Do whatever you can to keep her interested. This may be nurse-bottle-nurse, an SNS, someone else gives bottles and you only nurse or some variation in that theme. Baby has an instinct to nurse...she will not just decide she is done. She will choose to do what is easiest. Make nursing the best, and you stand a better chance of getting to whatever your goal is.

I do have a mom with IGT, and she never can make enough milk. She nurses, gives supplements as needed, and night nurses, and she is doing better than she has with any other baby. It's about defining what you see as success.

[@llli*djs.mom]

I nurse as much as I can. The times I pump are twice during the day, usually once during her nap and pnce in the late afternoon when my husband gets home, and three times while she sleeps (she sleeps 8-10 hours at night). I don't feel like I should go that long without nursing, so I pump. Plus, this way she has a bottle of pumped milk in the evening instead of formula. And I still hope all this pumping will increase my supply even though it hasn't yet.

I'll keep nursing as long as she is willing to. I have no interest in stopping, but I also can't fight her if she decides she's done.

If you are only giving two supplemental bottles at the end of the day rather than topping off every feed there is no reason to think that she will be done anytime soon. Babies that don't develop nipple preference don't ususally self wean before 24months without encouragement from the mother.

[@llli*supersarrr]

No, she gets a Bottle after every feeding because she is still hungry. I've had production issues from the beginning because of extreme blood loss. Luckily, she jst doesn't like the way I've been holding her on the left and still wants to nurse. I'm glad to know others have supplemented long term. Hopefully my supply will maintain. And hopefully it will be different next time. At least I've learned an incredible amount about supply issues