https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:54:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2250130 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 14:53:45 +0000 Adira 2250130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ldh112: Well, the 4-7 p.m. time range is the witching hour for babies and they tend to be extra fussy and cluster feed then, so this could all be normal! Giving her a bottle may affect your supply too if she's getting that instead of signally your breasts to make more milk... but I would meet with an LC some more because I don't want to discourage you from supplementing when you might actually need it. Hugs, girlfriend. Figuring out breastfeeding is hard! &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2250121 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 14:44:41 +0000 Kemma 2250121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ldh112: have you tried giving an ounce of milk before putting baby to the breast? Taking the edge of LO's hunger might help her to coordinate her suck a little better and help her to realise that she can still be satiated at the breast.</p> <p>And does she take a paci? Could you check out some suck training exercises online? If she's struggling with her tongue / suck coordination and you want to continue bf'ing long term then I'd perhaps be pushing for a referral to a specialist who could help with that.</p> <p>Hang in there, Mama, you're doing great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2250024 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:43:49 +0000 ldh112 2250024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@adira hmm... maybe 4 feedings out of 10 a day? i use an app to track feeds and she has had 4 bottles the last few days in a row (2-3 oz after nursing at least 20-30 minutes). The fussiness is random but I'd say it has tended to be between 4-7 pm and sometimes during the night. Its also occurred at other times though so its not very predictable.</p> <p>The LC thinks transfer issue mainly but I still worry some about production since she fusses/roots still after some feedings. But her inability to transfer could just be the issue. Its hard to not think its my fault :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249998 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:32:25 +0000 Adira 2249998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ldh112: How often does she seem hungry? After you nurse her, does she seem like she's still hungry (besides in the evening) or does she seem satisfied? What did the LC say about the 1 oz weighted feed?</p> <p>The weight gain sounds right to me, but like you mentioned, you are supplementing, so that could be why. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249989 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:28:05 +0000 ldh112 2249989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz pediatrician and LC have ruled out any lip/tongue tie. After 3 visits to the LC they are suggesting craniosacral therapy which I am a bit skeptical of trying. </p> <p>My midwife and the LC believe it is a transfer issue due to her weighted feeds and observations of feedings- her tongue flies around as she attempts to latch which frustrates her and her latch routinely becomes shallow and she takes her sweet time while feeding. :) The LC did say my supply could be impacted, so it just seems like the perfect storm for continued issues with breast feeding. I never thought I'd be considering switching to formula or supplementing for the long haul, but I am increasingly becoming overwhelmed with how much this has consumed our first 5 weeks together. I feel like there is so little I can control (welcome to parenthood I know) but am just trying to figure out what variables I can try to improve (this has been quite the challenge for my type A personality that's for sure!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249977 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:22:31 +0000 ldh112 2249977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe thanks for this- like I said, I haven't had luck with pumping but may pull it back out this week and see if anything has changed in the last week. I definitely believe supply issues are real, but I've read on a lot of breast-feeding friendly sites like kellymom.com that more often than not, mom's just think they have supply issues when in reality everything is fine. My baby's wets/poops are in the normal range and her weight gain, while not amazing, is still alright (one lb in a month)... so by her standards, my supply is fine. But, I still believe for as hard as I am working, things aren't totally normal for us. I don't plan to stop supplementing unless I see drastic changes (I can pump more, her weight gain really takes off, etc). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249965 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:15:07 +0000 snowjewelz 2249965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm if you have already seen an LC, she had already ruled out other issues such as a tongue tie? What did the LC say about her latch? </p> <p>I feel like your supply is fine and it's a transfer issue.. And if it continues it may affect your supply since the poor transfer is telling your body she doesn't need that much. </p> <p>I would say that it is good news that she is gaining though! She is back at her birth weight so that is def good news. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249957 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:10:26 +0000 gingerbebe 2249957@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had chronically low supply and couldn't pump hardly anything until 6 weeks. DS was born small and was losing weight, colicky, had reflux and was on the boob nonstop but angry. At 3 weeks we did start supplementing a bottle of formula at bedtime at the urging of our pediatrician so I could catch a break and DH could do the feeding. We also offered a bottle after every feeding he didn't seem happy and he would take 2-3 ounces and drink it oh-so-slowly but he would be satisfied. </p> <p>At 6 weeks I could pump like 3 ounces at a time and by 10 weeks we switched to almost exclusively pumping. (I had extreme differences in output between my boobs and his reflux was hard to control and I was always trying to keep his weight up so I wanted to know how much he was eating). At my peak around 12 weeks I was pumping 26 ounces a day which is much lower than most mamas and that was 30 minutes of full pumping 6 times a day! So we always kept one or two formula bottles in the mix. I really credit supplementing for helping us get him BM as long we did. By 6 months he could have been EBM when his intake went down but we still have him that bottle of formula and banked any extra and I decided to stop pumping at 9 months and he had BM until 9.5 months. (I needed those 2-3 hours a day on the pump back!)</p> <p>I'm not trying to undermine your desire to breastfeed but I think low supply is definitely real and combo feeding was so great for us. The times DS and I did nurse was beautiful because I could enjoy it and not be stressed about he was hungry and there were plenty of days he just wanted to comfort nurse or snooze while side lying nursing with me. He is 11 months and FF now and is so healthy and happy and I'm really happy we had the nursing/BM relationship we did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249926 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:53:36 +0000 ldh112 2249926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@adira sorry for the confusion! She was 8 lbs 1 oz at birth. She was discharged at 7 lb 6 oz.</p> <p>1 Week: 7 lb 11 oz<br /> 2 Weeks: 7 lbs 13.5 oz<br /> 3 Weeks: 8 lb 7 oz<br /> 4 Weeks last Friday: 8 lbs 13 oz</p> <p>Monday she was up to 9 lbs when we weighed her prior to the weighted feed. At this feed (which was at around 830 am,) it was directly after the feed she was weighed and saw about an ounce worth of change. She was hungry within the hour of the feeding and I had to supplement because I was still finishing up at the clinic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249888 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:32:28 +0000 Adira 2249888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ldh112: Just so that I'm sure I'm understanding you correctly - are you saying she was up 2.5 oz from her birth weight at 2 weeks?</p> <p>With regards to your last weighted feed - how long had it been since she fed before you did it? How long after that feed did she go before she was hungry again?</p> <p>Her percentiles sound pretty good! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249878 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:29:21 +0000 ldh112 2249878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@adira yes, I have spent lots of time on that site. :) I understand its normal to nurse so frequently, but when she is not gaining adequately that's what makes me concerned. She gained 2.5 oz at 2 weeks, 9 oz the next week after introducing supplementation, and 6 oz 10 days later at her 4 week appt with slightly decreased supplementing (1-2 bottles a day as opposed to 2-3. I had started to think maybe my supply was sufficient after the 3rd week gain). </p> <p>Her weight percentile has continued to decrease from 58th, 46th, up to 47th at 3rd week appt, and now 39th percentile as of her 4 week appt, while her height percentile is off the charts practically at 97%.</p> <p>She isn't wanting to cluster feed like she did the first 1-2 weeks. I would say its somewhat random when she seems unsatisfied. Sometimes during the middle of the night. Sometimes it'll be a feeding around our dinner time. Today it's already happened after multiple feedings on the hour basically. </p> <p>The last weighted feed was Monday and she took about an ounce (my left breast was battling infection so she didn't stay on that one very long). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249845 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:12:17 +0000 Adira 2249845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you checked out KellyMom? That's a great resource for what's normal when it comes to breastfeeding.</p> <p><a href="http://kellymom.com/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/</a></p> <p>Some things that you've mentioned that are normal:<br /> * Being able to only pump &lt;1oz at a time when you are nursing full-time<br /> * Nursing 10-12 times a day at this age<br /> * Nursing more frequently in the evening (cluster feeding) and acting unsatisfied (this is how your baby tells your breasts to make more milk)</p> <p>When was your last weighted feed? Babies stomachs are tiny at birth and can only take in very little. Around 1 month, they are able to eat 2.5 - 5 oz at a time, but before that, they can't.</p> <p>I don't have advice about how much to offer when supplementing though - hope you get some good info from other Bees! &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supply-and-supplementing#post-2249793 Thu, 30 Jul 2015 11:48:24 +0000 ldh112 2249793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay. I am through a third round of fighting off nursing related issues (plugged ducts, having fluid drained at the OBGYN, major swelling from her refusing one breast twice) at 5 weeks. Breastfeeding has continued to be THE issue for us. </p> <p>Her weight gain has been so-so and I've been supplementing after some initial concern by the Pediatrician my supply was the issue (At her 2 week appt she had only gained 2.5 oz... nursing had worn me out before this appt and I felt like she was never content). Her ability to transfer is also questionable based on weighted feeds/observations made by lactation consultants/my midwife.</p> <p>That said, I am trying to keep at this but it is really frustrating to wonder after every feeding how much she is getting and how much to top her off with. Some feedings (all last at least 30 min) she seems content with just breast milk while others she will pull off and cry no matter what I try position wise/compressing, etc. I am taking More Milk Plus, eating oatmeal, trying to stay hydrated... </p> <p>On top of this, my body is not responding well to pumping. I have the Medela pump in style and then rented the hospital grade Symphony and between both have maybe pumped an ounce total. </p> <p>I keep holding out that her inefficiency may be corrected as she develops but wonder if maybe I really am not able to feed her adequately even if that happens. It seems like she is frustrated with feeds as the day progresses, as if my supply maybe tanks late afternoon or in the evening sometimes. How do you really know if its a supply issue? I feel fullness in my breasts when she sleeps/goes slightly more between sessions, I can express milk manually most of the time (when I am checking to see if anything is coming out when she gets frustrated),</p> <p>As far as supplementing, I am curious to know how much others "top off" with. I have mainly offered her 2 oz but this week she has seemed to want more, so I've upped it to 3, hoping she is at least getting an ounce from me during nursing (this is what she has transferred at the last 2 weighted feeds, the most being 1.25 ounces). I am nursing about 10 times a day and averaging 3-5 bottles a day just for reference. </p> <p>I keep hoping breastfeeding will improve and the need to supplement will go away, but I know that this doesn't always work out and have come to terms with it- mostly. :) </p>