[AvadaKedavra]

It is true that pendulum/tubular breasts (wide set) often do not lactate well. Also if you have not had a lot of glandular change during pregnancy it can lead to problems. Don't feel guilty about comp feeding. Just do the best you can do, which you are doing. There may not be a herbal fix it. Ii is way more important that you and your baby are ok and you can enjoy this experience. You have really been through enough.

This a million times. The ultimate goal is feeding your baby.

There are a minority (very very small) who simply cannot breastfeed due to a lack of milk producing tissue. But if you are keen to feed, then don't make this decision without being seen personally by a breastfeeding professional I.e. a board certified LC.

Go to
http://www.lactation.org.au/
for a list of LCs in Melbourne, or your MCHN can recommend you their favourite. It will cost $180-200 for a home visit, but if it works, then it's still money saved in formula, and if you're one of the rare people who medically cannot feed, then at least you will never have any lingering doubts. You will usually be seen within 24 hours. And right now, don't stress about the volume of comp feeding - with a 14% weight loss (and if she was small to start), your baby needs food and fluid. Once she regains her weight, and under the advice of your paed, and once your milk is in, THEN is the time to think about whether to give her less formula and more breastmilk.

Breastmilk may be better than formula - but right now formula is doing a very important job. Don't feel guilty about it, just look ahead.

Good luck.

[aphraell]

Please don't feel guilty for having to comp feed - the main thing is your LO is healthy.

But I kind of know how where you are coming from . My DD was born at 33 weeks and my milk didn't really come in till about a week later and had to comp feed in the interim (DD was purely nastrogasic (sp?) fed for the first week anyway with either BM or FF until starting to BF at 7 days). IO then had to start comp feeding again from 3 months after my supply never recovered from a bout of mastitis.

Things I found helped with my supply

Sleep - as hard as it is, it really does help
Water - lots of it
Protein - I found the "bounce" protein balls you can get at health food shops etc a really easy way to add some extra protein and there was a noticeable difference in supply on days I ate a lot of preteen vs those I didn't
Breatfeeding tea - there are some you can pick up from health food/chemists shops etc and of these I found the Holle brand the best. I also got a great blend from my naturopath
Herbs - naturopath again prescribed a herb now (Tasted horrible but was worth it)
Lactation cookies - oats, brewers yeast etc etc

I know it would be different with your LO at home (my DD was in SCN) but after my milk hadn't come in for a week I started expressing (when I wasn't trying to BF DD at hospital) every 3 hours for about 36 hours and that seemed to trigger it. Friends did a similar thing where they basically stayed in bed for 2 days with cubs (and the pump!)

My DD was born in the 5th percentile for height and weight and is noe off the charts (in proportion) for both, has been achieving her milestones on chronologic age or ahead (not adjusted age), and has a great immune system, so as hard as it was for me to give her FF at the time, looking at things now I don't believe the comp feeding held her back.

Wishing you all the best

ETA - I did also use Motillium and it did seem to help, but I am hesitant about recommending it as I feel that it contributed to my PND. After stopping the Motillium I was back to my old self in about 2 weeks (withou antidepressants) after dealing with months of issues which coincided with the Motillium


This post has been edited by aphraell: 03/08/2012, 04:29 PM

[petitmode]

OP, the most important thing is that your baby is healthy. So if that means formula (just for now or for the forseeable future), well that's OK. Really it is. It doesn't mean that you're a failure or that you love your baby any less.

I totally agree with PP

Don't stress yourself out - no one is here to judge you, really! If your firends are giving you the third degree for formula feeding - then I'd say they're not much of a friend at all...

Some women can BF and some women just can't. Luckily, formulas have improved so much over the past decade and many of my friends have extremely bright, happy & healthy toddlers that were exclusively formula-fed since day one. Just have comfort in knowing that you've tried your best in giving your bub the best start in life possible.

Just want to give you a bit of support & hugs do keep us updated too!

This post has been edited by petitmode: 03/08/2012, 04:38 PM