
Originally Posted by
@llli*tclynx
I've experienced (am still experiencing) some issues with my now 8 week old. He was big at birth and it was a fairly long labor and I experienced a fair bit of blood loss during delivery which may have contributed to my milk being a little slow coming in. For the next few weeks I was struggling with supply and needing to supplement (I've been using the at the breast supplementing methods, not the bottle.)
I was having a terrible time feeling that it was my fault/low milk supply. Then I got a good breast pump and was doing all sorts of things to increase my milk supply (and still am.) I finally got to the point where by pumping after almost every feeding, I could pump as much as we were supplementing with formula. So a couple weeks ago I tried to stop supplementing, I reduced the amount of supplement by about an ounce a day. It became apparent that the problem wasn't my supply but his latch, feeding were LONG and frequent and became progressively more painful to me during that time (even though it looks good to a consultant from the outside) finally got some one to look at him for tongue tie. I'm still waiting for the appointment to get his tongue tie (and lip tie) fixed. My LC said that once fixed he will become far better at milk transfer and my milk supply should see a drastic improvement and I will likely be able to stop the pumping after each feeding.
By the way, after he feeds, I'm lucky to pump 1/2 an ounce, My all day pumping total is usually only 3-4 oz when I don't pump overnight.
If her latch hurts you, then even if it looks good and textbook from the outside, there is still something wrong. Nursing shouldn't hurt.
By the way, Do What YOU Think is BEST!!!! She is your baby and you need to take care of her as you feel is best so don't let too much conflicting and confusing advice sway you from following your instincts. You have done a great job so far, glean what you can that is useful to you from all the advice but take care of you and baby as you think is best. (That was the single most helpful thing out Pediatrician said to me when I was. "Do What You think Best.")