I gave birth to a baby girl 3 weeks ago. Breastfeeding was going really well until day 10. After that I got really bad infection, my breasts were swollen and red and really hurting. Unfortunately y doctor didn't know what it was (neither did 3 other doctors). I had to stop feeding her (because of some medication I was taking, and also doc said I should leave breasts alone, as it may make everything worse ), but tried to use breast pump so that I still would have milk. So I didn't express milk at all for about 24 hours only. Started using breast pump again, and yesterday started feeding my lil girl again. My breasts feel different now, before they were really full, and now don't seem to be anymore, and I am not sure if she is getting enough, as we had to top her up with aptamil - about 30 mil more.
Did any of you mums had similar problems? I am really hoping I will be breastfeeding again, and without toping up by aptamil.
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RadiantMum
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Wow - you are doing so well and have great determination. Yes you can bring your milk back, it just might take a few days. Feed her as often as possible and have skin to skin contact as much as you can. Your boobs will get the message. Once your boobs have had their milk ducts 'switched on' - they are capable of feeding forever (there are cases of grandmothers in Africa being helped to restart their milk so they can feed their grandchildren when mothers can't because they have HIV/Aids.) Totally understandable if you want to top your baby up a little, especially if your girl is ill. I would have thought you would need to express a bit as well, if you are doing that, so your boobs are still getting the signal that they are needed and once your boobs can keep up, you can breastfeed exclusively again.
Your boobs may also feel less full partly due to the fact that all boobs start off really full after birth (so you couldn't do without breastpads in your bra) and then they settle down and only produce what's needed, so you leak less and don't feel 'painfully full'.
Offer her both sides at every feed (one side until she seems to slow sucks down to almost nothing, move her, burp her and then offer other side). Feed every 2 hours if she seems hungry enough to do that. Keep going, you will be so proud of yourself.
But...if for whatever reason (you or her are ill or any other reason) you just can't seem to get it all to work, don't beat yourself up. You are trying really hard.
It sounds like you may have had mastitis (blocked milk duct) which can happen to any of us. But I am guessing and it would be strange for docs not to notice if it was that.
Feed her as much as you can tomorrow and get professional advice from breastfeeding friendly midwife, health visitor.
Just wanted to say what a great and positive response this is! As a mum with a 9 week old and EBF and always battling with whether it’s enough it was really nice to read x
First doctor thought it was trush, next one had the same opinion, but just doubled my antibiotics and the third one gave me antihistamine and said he thought it could be mastitis (I had it with my son 3 years ago, and it was totally different), but not really, and that it looks like I am allergic to my own milk...
Anyway, she is on the breast for about 1 hour at a time, but still screams after she is finished, and will take about 70 ml extra of aptamil by bottle.
I am going to breastfeeding group today, hopefully they can give me some tips as well, and health visitor is coming to see us on friday.
Keep going you sound like you are doing all the right things but if supply doesn't increase you can get something from you g.p / h.v to help increase it or if you prefer herbal fenugreek can help xx
I think you are amazing and doing everything you can think of. I always liked going to my local breastfeeding group and will do again when bump arrives. Crossing my fingers it gets easier for you x
You could always try some pumping after feeding her? It will take a couple of days but your body will see it as needing to make more milk, so then it will catch up again. As babies grow they sometimes go through a couple of days of being fussy and constantly wanting a feed, this then stimulates your breasts to make more milk, so pumping would work the same way
Thanks for all the advice. I was feeling hopeless yesterday, but this morning when I used pump there was bit more milk I guess I just have to be more patient
My boobs were really painful when my milk first came in abs I thought I had everything! Thrush, mastitis, you name it! It was just the milk coming in.
IT could be that your boobs have settled and are now producing the right amount for your baby. Or it might be that the milk quantity has declined since you were not feeding. I'd suggest keep on feeding your little one and your breasts will start to produce to meet her demands. If you want to give yourself a little helping hand, eat bananas, almonds and oats (to help milk production). My midwife also suggested I take fenugreek supplements (which I bought at Holland and Barratt), but just a word of warning, they make you stink!! And my baby was also windy. Still, my milk was flowing!
Wishing you all the best. Keep on pumping as that'll help milk production too and you can keep it for a freezer stash!
Haha, I completely forgot about this, just got notification to my email, and was thinking "what the...?" It all went downhill shortly after I posted this question. But my baby girl is 6 years old now, happy, clever, bright girl 😁
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