3 week supply problems

My newest son, Harry, passed his 3 week mark on Wednesday. At his check
on Tuesday, he had gained a pound over his birth weight, and diapers are
all looking good, so we're not too worried about him, at the moment. BUT:

after clortrimazole and gentian violet, my boobs are still killing me,
but in a manner which does not indicate Thrush. For the longest time I
thought that Harry's fussiness and gassiness was due to Thrush, but no
longer.

I'm absolutely sure that my supply is low. We've been supplementing,
due to an early scare with dehydration (Mom's boobs were just too sore
to nurse through it), and tonight after hours of painful nursing and
crying, Dad called it and gave him a bottle of formula - Wham-o, out
like a light, totally contented.

So I'm looking for advice on non-prescription ways to boost my supply.
I'm pumping, I'm taking fenugreek, I'm eating oatmeal, and I found this
tea, Organic Mother's Milk by Traditional Medicinals. The tea's
ingredients a

Organic bitter fennel fruit 560 mg, organic aniseed fruit 350 mg,
organic coriander fruit 210 mg, organic fenugreek seed 35 mg, organic
blessed thistle herb 35 mg. Proprietary blend: organic spearmint leaf,
organic West Indian lemongrass leaf, organic lemon verbena leaf, organic
marshmallow root. (http://traditionalmedicinals.com/?id=30&pid=14)

Am I doing enough? Is there anything else I need to worry about, like,
cut out caffeine, or something simple I'm overlooking? I'm NOT going to
keep giving him formula, but I really can't deal with the crying for 4
hours, either.

Cheri Stryker skrev:
Am I doing enough? Is there anything else I need to worry about, like,
cut out caffeine, or something simple I'm overlooking? I'm NOT going to
keep giving him formula, but I really can't deal with the crying for 4
hours, either.


Many children have a growth spurt at three weeks. Go to bed, bring
magazines, drinks and snacks, and nurse-nurse-nurse. In a day or three
your supply will be better and match his new demands.

In some hours all the Americans will wake up and you'll get a lot of
good advice. Until then you'll have to make do with me :-)

Tine, Denmark.

"Cheri Stryker" wrote in message
...
My newest son, Harry, passed his 3 week mark on Wednesday. At his check
on Tuesday, he had gained a pound over his birth weight, and diapers are
all looking good, so we're not too worried about him, at the moment. BUT:

after clortrimazole and gentian violet, my boobs are still killing me, but
in a manner which does not indicate Thrush. For the longest time I
thought that Harry's fussiness and gassiness was due to Thrush, but no
longer.

I'm absolutely sure that my supply is low. We've been supplementing, due
to an early scare with dehydration (Mom's boobs were just too sore to
nurse through it), and tonight after hours of painful nursing and crying,
Dad called it and gave him a bottle of formula - Wham-o, out like a light,
totally contented.

I don't think your supply is low, I think either it could be thrush (someone
else would have to help, since thrush was never something I had) or it could
be that you're engorged. I'd consider pulling out a pump, pumping a bit to
relieve the soreness and seeing if Harry will latch on. If he does, check
his latch.

Jess

Cheri Stryker wrote:

My newest son, Harry, passed his 3 week mark on Wednesday.

I'm absolutely sure that my supply is low. We've been supplementing,
due to an early scare with dehydration (Mom's boobs were just too sore
to nurse through it), and tonight after hours of painful nursing and
crying, Dad called it and gave him a bottle of formula - Wham-o, out
like a light, totally contented.

I don't think your supply is low. Have you
checked to make sure the latch is good. At
this point, it is NORMAL to still feel pain
when baby first latches on, but the pain should
dull to an acceptable level after that. Make
sure his mouth is covering the whole dark part
of the nipple.

Also, 3 weeks is a well-known growth spurt
time. Just nurse for as long as you can stand
it.

With Pillbug, at 3 weeks, I was nursing 45 minutes
per hour, every hour. With Rocky, he marathon-
nursed, so he nursed every 2 hours during the day,
but from about 5pm to 9pm, he would be latched
on almost continuously.

It's all normal and it doesn't last forever.

-- Anita --

Irrational Number wrote:
Cheri Stryker wrote:

My newest son, Harry, passed his 3 week mark on Wednesday.
I'm absolutely sure that my supply is low. We've been supplementing,
due to an early scare with dehydration (Mom's boobs were just too sore
to nurse through it), and tonight after hours of painful nursing and
crying, Dad called it and gave him a bottle of formula - Wham-o, out
like a light, totally contented.


I don't think your supply is low. Have you
checked to make sure the latch is good. At
this point, it is NORMAL to still feel pain
when baby first latches on, but the pain should
dull to an acceptable level after that. Make
sure his mouth is covering the whole dark part
of the nipple.

This is all good advice. The other thought I had, was if he is
regularly getting bottles, perhaps this is bottle preference.
Bottles can cause a baby to start getting sloppy with
their latch, and can make them not want to work at the
breast. Really, the only solution is to cut out the bottles,
deal with the fussiness until he realizes that the easy way
out is not coming. If you are regularly supplementing, you
may want to cut back gradually so that your supply gets
up.


Also, 3 weeks is a well-known growth spurt
time. Just nurse for as long as you can stand
it.


Yup. Although if you are having painful nursing, be diligent about
the latch. Also, thrush can be resistant to many treatments.
Is your nipple blanched, mishapen or compressed after a feed?
That could indicate a latch problem.

Hang in there, it gets better!

Mary W.

Workingmom wrote:

In some hours all the Americans will wake up and you'll get a lot of
good advice. Until then you'll have to make do with me :-)

[smile] Quite good company, indeed.

Cheri Stryker wrote:

Am I doing enough? Is there anything else I need to worry about, like,
cut out caffeine, or something simple I'm overlooking? I'm NOT going to
keep giving him formula, but I really can't deal with the crying for 4
hours, either.


Thanks, everyone, for the consensus - possible thrush, probable bad
latch (I agree there, since sometimes it hurts and sometimes it
doesn't), and probable growth spurt.

We'll keep going.

Any suggestions on how to improve a bad latch? Just keep pulling at his
lips to make them "fish out"?

Cheri Stryker wrote:

Any suggestions on how to improve a bad latch? Just keep pulling at his
lips to make them "fish out"?

Yep. It's no different from walking or
not touching the TV controls... repetition...
over and over and over again. With Pillbug,
I would unlatch him, then try to latch him
on again. After awhile, it becomes automatic.
But, you still have to keep watching the latch.
Make sure the lips look like the bell of a
trumpet.

-- Anita --

Irrational Number wrote:

Cheri Stryker wrote:


Any suggestions on how to improve a bad latch? Just keep pulling at
his lips to make them "fish out"?


Yep. It's no different from walking or
not touching the TV controls... repetition...
over and over and over again. With Pillbug,
I would unlatch him, then try to latch him
on again. After awhile, it becomes automatic.
But, you still have to keep watching the latch.
Make sure the lips look like the bell of a
trumpet.

-- Anita --


And I suppose it'll help him stay awake, too. [sigh]

Cheri Stryker

"Cheri Stryker" wrote in message
...
Cheri Stryker wrote:


Any suggestions on how to improve a bad latch? Just keep pulling at his
lips to make them "fish out"?


Repeat, repeat, repeat. When he first goes to latch, look at him and say
"Ahhhhhh" with your mouth open REALLY wide. Most times he will imitate you,
even at this young age. Alaways wait until his mouth is open very very wide
before you start to nurse. When you do go to latch him on, aim for the roof
of his mouth, that will help insure that you have a nice asymmetrical latch.
Should help with the pain also. If you feel him start to slip, or you
notice that the latch has changed, even slightly, unlatch him and start all
over again.

Carrie & Jazz