Breastfeeding Theories Chat Thread

[Nerissa]

I always get frustrated with some of the advise that is given when mom's say their supply is low. The biggest one is a the nursing vacation or whatever it is called--where the advise is stay in bed with the baby all weekend and only nurse. I mean, come on, in reality how is that even possible for 99% of moms.

Or not to give pacifiers or bottles--they do not cause nipple confusion. If so, my babies would have stopped nursing at 3 weeks. None have had any trouble going from bottle to breast. I love the pacifier. I can only comfort nurse so much and then I start to get irritated and resent it. I am on my own from 3pm (when I pick up the kids from daycare) to 10pm tues-friday and all day on Saturday while my DH works.

Or the advise that formula is the devil and a mom should do whatever it takes to BF only. That one really bugs me. Why not just support the mom and if she needs to use formula it is okay. Just because you (general) will do anything it takes doesn't mean that is right for everyone.

IMO--whatever makes for a happy mommy, happy baby, happy family is what is best. If that is giving some formula--fine, if that means pumping a bit so someone else can give a bottle--awesome, if that means introducing a bottle so mom can get some baby/kid free time-- great, if that means a pacifier so baby can suck--wonderful.

[gingerpeachee]

Originally Posted by sunnyllama These are just a few of my theories on why women think they dont make enough milk, I feel like most of us rely on the medical profession or societal ideas without educating ourselves adequately and most people want to create a problem that they can fix. I am more in the wait and see camp. I try to not stress out prematurely and most importantly, not take everyone elses advice I trust my body to do what it was made to do!

I think this absolutely makes sense when you are home with your baby. Your body was made to be with and nurse your baby. I don't think its really natural to have milk evacuated from the breasts with a pump. I also disagree about mothers not educating themselves. I think most moms who struggle with low supply know every angle of breastfeeding. I think they read every book, go to every group and see every LC within a 50 mile radius. I think the idea that these women who struggle aren't educating themselves is a dangerous one. There are those times like around 4 months when the baby isn't pooping except for like once a week and you're like WTH when the every baby is different things comes into play. But babies do need to gain weight and grow; surly at his or her own individual rate, but its not normal for a baby to gain no weight.


ETA: I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to scare you away. I totally agree with your point about Americans expecting babies to eat A LOT and 2 oz into a belly the size of a marble is certainly past reasonable. There are definitely societal pressures at play here. I just think that most woman who feel that they are struggling with a low supply probably are. I mean, the woman who struggle are the woman who aren't giving up.

[gingerpeachee]

Originally Posted by Nerissa I always get frustrated with some of the advise that is given when mom's say their supply is low. The biggest one is a the nursing vacation or whatever it is called--where the advise is stay in bed with the baby all weekend and only nurse. I mean, come on, in reality how is that even possible for 99% of moms. Or not to give pacifiers or bottles--they do not cause nipple confusion. If so, my babies would have stopped nursing at 3 weeks. None have had any trouble going from bottle to breast. I love the pacifier. I can only comfort nurse so much and then I start to get irritated and resent it. I am on my own from 3pm (when I pick up the kids from daycare) to 10pm tues-friday and all day on Saturday while my DH works. Or the advise that formula is the devil and a mom should do whatever it takes to BF only. That one really bugs me. Why not just support the mom and if she needs to use formula it is okay. Just because you (general) will do anything it takes doesn't mean that is right for everyone. IMO--whatever makes for a happy mommy, happy baby, happy family is what is best. If that is giving some formula--fine, if that means pumping a bit so someone else can give a bottle--awesome, if that means introducing a bottle so mom can get some baby/kid free time-- great, if that means a pacifier so baby can suck--wonderful.

I don't think that formula is the devil at all. I prefer to give my kids breast milk for a few reasons, a lot of it has to do with the fact that I do WOH and I like to keep our nursing relationship going as long as possible because my husband is the primary care provider for our kids and I have to work at being mommy when I'm home. He is Mr.Mom and I need things like breastfeeding and babywearing to help me connect with my babies. So you see for me keeping a supply up really is important and I imagine there are other moms out there with similar needs.

I have really seen a change in my supply with each bottle of formula in the past. So the supply and demand idea does hold true in that respect for me. I give a bottle of formula, my body doesn't get the signal that those 4 oz where required, i don't make those 4 oz and the spiral starts. (Which gives me something to think about in regards to giving milk pumped by my friend) Both of my kids have gotten nipple confusion from bottles, even ones with slow flow nipples. I don't have much of a let down reflex (who knows why) and maybe they just prefer the bottle, but once their latch gets lazy that pretty much the end of my supply.

As for nursing weekends or vacations or whatever.... that just a dream idea. By the time I have supply problems my baby doesn't want to stay in bed all weekend and I only get so much time off.... things need to get done while I'm home from work. I'm sure maybe they work for some people, but they haven't been the fix all for me that some claim them to be.

[Nerissa]

I much prefer BM if possible also but it isn't always possible.. But when the freezer stash is gone and I was not able to pump enough at work to cover the next days bottles. Waking up every three hours at night to pump or spending my evening pumping/nursing was not/is not an option so formula was what the baby got the next day.

I think making a mom feel bad about giving formula if needed does more harm than good. Just causes more stress/anxiety which can further decrease supply.

[gingerpeachee]

I guess I'm just trying to find better/new solutions to the low supply issue. Because I do think its a real issue that lots of moms have to deal with. I think lots of these moms get told, well... supply and demand, nurse more pump more. But there has to be more to it than that or there wouldn't be low supply issues. I'm hoping to think of things that would hopefully omit the stress and help before the depleted freezer stash happens and the need for waking up at 3am to pump when baby is already sleeping through the night. I've been in that place where I chose formula and thanked God for its existence and it probably saved my sanity. I just want to explore things that could help before I get to the point where I'm bargaining my sanity.

[Nerissa]

IDK what to tell you. I don't think there is a perfect answer. Each child/BF relationship is different, and each person life style is different and the life style with each child could be different. I have a great supply with baby #3 and so far in no formula/dipping into my freezer stash has been needed yet with my first two babies they where we are on formula full time by 8 months.

DC#1 and 2--STTN from about 3 months, were not comfort nursers, did not take a pacifier, bottles at daycare, pumped every three hours at work, ate from both sides at a feeding, drank lots of water, less stressed, got more sleep

DC#3--still wakes up at least twice at night, comfort nurses (especially in the first few months), loves her pacifier, takes bottles at daycare. I pump twice at work, eats only from one side at a feeding, I eat a bowl of oatmeal w/flax meal every morning for breakfast, drink lots of water, more stress, get way less sleep

So this time around I am more stressed, getting way less sleep but have a much better supply.

[gingerpeachee]

http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/0...tfeeding-moms/

I thought this article was great.

[raymark]

If you are truly interested in the science behind thoughts affecting the physical world your research should probably begin with the theory of noetics and Edgar Mitchell. However, no amount of 'positive thought' can change one's genetics.

[raymark]

I strongly dislike the 'trust your body' mantra. We are all so very different. My second born has a severe hearing disability, is she just supposed to trust her body to magically start hearing? I have no Fallopian tubes & my eggs aged very prematurely (we're useless before I was 25). Am I just supposed to trust my body to magically become pregnant? A good friend has a strong family history of diabetes, is she just supposed to trust her body to regulate insulin properly? Is a new mother with ppd just supposed to trust her body to pull through it?

Not one of us are genetically perfect, nor is it possible to live with only a prefect environmental effect upon our genetics. There is very little scientific medical research of breast supply and no reason to believe our mammary glands are created any more perfect than any other part of our bodies. Why do people not understand that just as one can suffer from low libido, depression, near sightedness, High blood pressure, glaucoma, celiac disease, allergies, or any other blip within the spectrum of not being physically perfect one can also have legitimate supply issues without it being all in their head?

[jennayoung99]

this is actually something my LC has talked about, she said it's very much a phycological. also all the poor or lack of info is a big issue, we can be set up to fail before we even leave the hospital, or even before we give birth (mothers, aunts, friends, who it never worked for trying to talk you out of it, or giving you myths). even after all of that there are still issues of over/under supply, foremilk hindmilk imbalance, allergies, reflux, tongue or lip ties, etc. that can get in our way, and again be miss diagnosed, and given improper info or myths to "fix". then there are those moms that just do not want to ask for help (i was one of these) thinking that a LC can not help them, they just have some crazy problem that no ones heard of, or don't need the help because they can just figure it out. all of these things again adding to stress, it's a huge factor i believe.

the tips i would give a new mom wanting to BF is just believe you can, don't think too much about "maybe it won't work" until you notice a problem, there is no problem. also keep in touch with a LC, they have great tips and will notice things even before you do, and they are esspecially helpful if you don't have a lot of friends/family that have breast fed. i have a breastfeeding group in my community that meets once a week, its a great way to talk to other moms that may be going through the same issues, talk to the LC, weigh your baby, etc.