cluster feeding with no increase in supply!

[@llli*hms828]

My 9 week old has been cluster feeding on and off for three weeks and my supply hasn't increased. He is having sufficient wet diapers but is still hungry. Ive finally started giving him my stash of expressed milk because he is still hungry after most feedings and cluster feeding isn't helping my supply. But now that stash is running low. I bought formula today because I have to go to work and there wasn't enough breastmilk.
Has anyone else had this problem? Will adding formula help since my body isn't responding to his needs? Or any advice on how to increase my milk supply?

[@llli*mommal]

Cluster feeding is normal for a new baby, and it isn't necessarily going to increase mom's supply beyond what is needed by the baby. Can you explain why you feel that your supply is inadequate? A baby who is having sufficient wet diapers sounds like a baby who is getting enough to eat. Can you post a weight history (birth weight, lowest weight, weight at each checkup)?

Formula is sometimes necessary, but make no mistake: it never helps your supply. Every time you supplement, and the baby consequently goes longer between feedings or feeds less frequently, you're telling your body to relax, and either make the same amount of milk as it has been making, or to make even less.

Increasing supply is generally a matter of increasing the frequency of stimulation to and milk removal from the breast. In other words, nurse more and/or pump more, and you'll make more. While building supply, you want to take away any supplements. If you're supplementing with small amounts- just a few oz per day, for example- you can drop all bottles right away. If you are supplementing with many oz, or after every feeding, you probably need to slowly decrease the size of the bottles while you increase nursing and pumping.

What sort of pump do you have? And how often are you nursing and pumping?

[@llli*auderey]

just one more question to add to the above, which is spot-on: are you on a new hormonal birth control? could you be pregnant again?

[@llli*summermomma719]

I'm having the same problem only I don't have any stash left and can't seem to pump. And my baby isn't gaining enough. I'm starting to feel like I'm failing at this

[@llli*hms828]

Sorry..

He was born at 7lbs 6 oz. Weighed 9lbs 5oz at one month check up. He is gaining and having sufficient wet diapers. I'm not worried that he is failing to thrive. I'm upset that he is still hungry after feeding, and that no matter how much I pump and nurse, my body doesn't seem to be producing any more to meet his appetite.

I was only going to give formula as a last resort on his really hungry days. (After nursing of course..)

I have a medela personal double pump. I pump every three hours when I'm at work. And also on nights he sleeps through feeding times. (Sometimes hes awake for 8-12 hours during the day, with a few 20-40 minute naps, just crying. And on those nights he sleeps for extended periods of time. 5-7 hours. So I wake up to pump)

[@llli*hms828]

Yes I am on birth control.

[@llli*auderey]

ok, so his weight gain is great. how do you know he is still hungry after feeding? what do you do when that happens?

[@llli*auderey]

and when did you start the hormonal bc? what kind?

[@llli*hms828]

When I give him a bottle he sucks it down then goes to sleep. This isn't always the cause of his crying, but it seemß that it is the reason pretty often.

I started the pill two weeks ago.

[@llli*krystine]

The pill can hurt your supply. Are you open to exploring non-hormonal bc while you are breastfeeding.