advice on exclusive EBM

[maylimtw]

Hi mummies, need some advice.
Currently I'm in day 20 since giving birth. Baby refuses to latch coz I intro bottle feeding too early n she prefers that as she don't need to work for her milk. Thus, I've been pumping at least 5-6times a day since day 4. Initially didn't buy pump coz thot I'll be latching. Anyway my problem now is my milk supply is very low. Initial 3 days only droplets then was able to pump 20-40ml in total for next one wk. I started taking fenugreek at day 15 n now my milk supply has increased to about 60-80ml. It's not very constant. I can see the increase but I just want to know the increase in milk is a slow progress? Or fenugreek is not much of a help to me? I've been drinking papaya fish soup twice a wk, soup at every lunch n dinner n about 3litres of longan red date water, milo, warm water. I'm not sure what else I can do to increase milk supply. I have also been massaging daily. Pls advice on what else I can do. Thanks in advance.

 

[Alisa]

if u can, drink papaya fish soup everyday. that is what i did but of course i also latch on & express.

 

[babywaby]

I have same prob. Baby never latch on. Due to short nipples. So gave formula n now she reject the breast.
My lactation consultant says latching is the fastest way to increase milk. Pumping needs to be done every three hours. I didn't have the energy for that.
For fenugreek u must also drink lots of water.
But BM is demand n supply. If your baby on formula Then likely BM supply will reduce.
All the best!!

 

[maylimtw]

Is there really no way to do exclusive EBM for baby? No way to improve then maintain supply? Currently I pump every 2-4hrs occasionally 5hr for night

 

[3mum]

Hi...

Just latch and pump after latch will help increase supply. Even after latch u might not pump out anything initially but will slowly increase in supply ... I faced the same problem after bb admitted for jaundice as drank formula too , u have to b persistent on latch n pumping but very tiring Loh. Try not to give formula unless due to medical issue if not it will not up ur supply. Bb will not latch well if start bottle early, so we will face some difficulty when starts to resume back to latching ... Try ur best and not stress out as bb is also learning to latch well. You can do it!!!

 

[andieluv2]

May I know how long does it take to see the increase in amt pumped out after latching? I am trying on off for 2 weeks but seemed the same. Can't latch her every feed bcoz she is giving me sore nipple.

 

[soapsoap]

Are u using dual or single pump?? If u intend to pump for long better to invest a good dual pump, dual pump can let u produce more milk compare to single. As Bm is demand and supply so when u pump make sure u empty both side of ur breast so can trick ur body to think tat not enough milk for bb must produce more

 

[soapsoap]

Andieluv2 is this ur first bb?? If first bb cos ur nipple is still not used to bb sucking tat the reason y u have sore nipple, bear with the pain try to let bb continue to latch, it will get over soon once ur nipple is toughen up it will be ok, and try to apply nipple cream on ur nipple and air ur nipple as often as possible.

Don give up on breast feeding, u are giving ur bb the best gift in the world

 

[paulinepoh80]

I also hv problem latching on baby. Spent a lot to extend hosp stay so that I can get help n see lactation con twice after discharge to make sure baby latch in also. Ultimately when reach home baby still don wan end up would struggle for almost 1 1/2 hr to latch. And lengthen his feeding time from 3 hrly to almost 5 hr. I gave up because I think to make sure he eat well is more important. I pump diligently 3 hrly even at midnight. Forgot to say, I did latch on for abt 10 days before I give up. Baby has been doing nipple suck n doesn't gain weight. After I realize it my supply has also drop. Can only hand express 20 ml for both side. I pimp diligently since then. Now I can pump abt 130 both side naturally without taking any supplement. Now my supply is enough for baby to drink. I m still cont my effort b look forward to see more increase, it takes time but be patient. Everyday been drinking fresh ebm. Try to use electric dual pump. It help greatly n less tiring. Jia you n wish u success on journey of bf.

 

[maylimtw]

Thanks mummies! Currently I'm trying to pump every 3-4hr n supply enough for baby to drink day time, at night drink fm. Will continue n hope supply increase so that it's enough for whole day intake

 

[andieluv2]

Andieluv2 is this ur first bb?? If first bb cos ur nipple is still not used to bb sucking tat the reason y u have sore nipple, bear with the pain try to let bb continue to latch, it will get over soon once ur nipple is toughen up it will be ok, and try to apply nipple cream on ur nipple and air ur nipple as often as possible.

Don give up on breast feeding, u are giving ur bb the best gift in the world

Yea its my first baby. My sore nipple osbgone. But its really bery tiring to keep latching het plus its disheartening everytime i latch her liao she seemsvto be still hungry. So now i only lat h her abt 1-2times and pump 4hrly. Think its psychological. Whn i an relac i pump slighyly more. Like in the middle of the night if i got sone slp and not so tired i can get more output. Guess all this low flow maybe due ti stress that i'm putting in myself as i an a person that worries alot.

 

[andieluv2]

So far i am able to give her ebm during tgh day and 1 feed of Fm at night. Some days i go fully n bm.

 

[kinkybaby]

Hey mummies, I gave birth in April this year, bb going to 5 mths in a few days' time. Right from the start I was pumping exclusively cos I thought I had short nipples, imagine the first time I tried to let bb latch was on 3rd wk. After some check i dun have short nipples but stilll, dun really latch v often cos I maintain schedule to pump at regular intervals.

Anyway, my point is continue to pump consistently for those who r not latching. I pump 90% of the time and the supply will slowly build up, eventually more than what bb needs so u can have excess for storage

 

[lyra]

Exclusive pumping is not easy to maintain supply. My friend and I did pumping and latching and we managed to feed our babies full bm until now (10 months old). Another friend did exclusive pumping and she had to supplement with formula since baby is about 3 months old. 1 or 2 formula feeds a day.

I also had short nipples but I didn't really care about it and let baby suck all he wants and now my nipples are longer. He can shape it to the length he wants. haha.

And breastfeeding is a struggle at first. Its normal. Its a really battle of perseverance for me. There are more than once that I feel like giving up. I struggled for 5 months. When he's 5 months old, breastfeeding starts to get smoother and now, he's an expert.

All the best!

 

[Jode]

i really salute those mummies who pump exclusively.
I have to pump during the day at work and i struggled! couldn't pump enough for bb's intake daily cos my nipples were not used to the pump. but after a while, guess my nipples 'toughened up' and i was able to yield enough. =)

 

[andieluv2]

I also wanna fully.bf.my girl but my.mum is.not aupportive.of.bf-ing. Everytime i latch her liao then.after.awhile she.cries and my mum will say she didnt have enouhh and went to thaw.my ebm for.her. Then after latch sure.not.much to pump out for.her.nxt feed then in the end have to give.fm. Thats the reason why i dun usually latch.at hm. I rather pumo out to let my mum see that she drink certain amt so as to shut.her up that baby is crying not for hunger but for something else. It sucks to be in a family without any support for bf and will.only add stress to.the mother. Guess my supply.is always low (pumping abt 80-100 only per 4hrs) bcoz of all these unnecessary stress. So sick and.tired.of her.. Sometimes i juz wish to.move hm as i am.staying with my mum now, who helps to take care.of.my girl. I promise.i wont do this to my girl.nxt time whn she bcums a mother.herself.

 

[andieluv2]

Exclusive pumping is not easy to maintain supply. My friend and I did pumping and latching and we managed to feed our babies full bm until now (10 months old). Another friend did exclusive pumping and she had to supplement with formula since baby is about 3 months old. 1 or 2 formula feeds a day.

I also had short nipples but I didn't really care about it and let baby suck all he wants and now my nipples are longer. He can shape it to the length he wants. haha.

And breastfeeding is a struggle at first. Its normal. Its a really battle of perseverance for me. There are more than once that I feel like giving up. I struggled for 5 months. When he's 5 months old, breastfeeding starts to get smoother and now, he's an expert.

All the best!

Are u a SAHM? great that it.gets smoother u at 5 months but i dun have so much.leave to wait for it to smoothen out. Only 4mths maternity leave. And to.persist on to give her as much ebm as i could i even tot of taking.no pay leave so i could breast feed her.till 5 months at least. Singapore is such a non-condusive plc to promote bf and with the current wrkibg lifestyle. Its juz.so difficult to wrk and exclusive bf esp whn u have.low supply like.me. Sorry for complaining. But am juz too fed up with all these...

 

[wenqiu]

it will be good if you let out yr angers by words instead of bottling up. by the way, why are u not pumping 3 hourly instead.

for myself, i am lucky to be a successful exclusive ebm. but i still do latch when im lazy. initially i thought baby sucking might not be able to promote more milk since he always fall asleep fast. so not able to trick my body to get more milk. i pump instead, but of course, so diligently that even night time also i also think a good brand dual pump will be good. and also to stimulate a few let down will be good. if no let down, pump for very long each session will only give sore nipples

 

[andieluv2]

Tried.3 hr pumping initially.for the.first.month. But its.really tiring me out. Which in turn will cause.my flow.to.drop too. Like a vicioua cycle. Hence i stick to a 4hrly cycle so i could get enough.rest roo. Agree that more let down is impt. I am using PISA. so i guess its a pretty good.pump liao. Anyway.i will juz keep psycho-ing myaelf that i have alot of.milk and persevere on.

 

[JuliaKT]

HI mummies,

I'm also trying to express milk before i go back to work. Think i started quite late on pumping since I'm now only 1 month left to go back to office.
I bought phillips Advent manual pump and it's very tiring to use it. Any idea which brand is good for electronic pump?