Breastfeeding and supplementing late premie

I have at 23day old son. He was born April 15 at 35.5 wks gestation. Right now I'm breastfeeding and supplementing with formula every 2-4 hours around the clock. I want to stop giving him formula though and just strictly breastfeed. How can I achieve this??

I started the formula in the hospital because my milk was delayed from having a c-section and being on Mag drip for Pre-E. Now he takes 3-4 oz of formula. I pumped in the beginning but now I barely get anything at all. I try just staying with 2oz and just put him to the breast before and after the bottle feeding but he stays hungry so I give in because I feel bad. Also, since he has a weak suck, I'm worried that if he stays too long at the breast he'll burn more calories than he takes.

Please, someone, set my mind at ease or redirect me. The nurses made me feel like crap in the hospital because he lost 9oz in three days. His weight is fine now. He's passed his original birth weight but I don't want the doctors to think he has to go back to the hospital if he starts losing weight again.

Please, ANY advice or tips would be GREATLY appreciated.

First off, weight loss is completely normal after birth, especially with a breastfed baby. Normally 100% normal.

I would suggest just trying to go cold turkey. The more you nurse the more he will up your supply. If you feel like he's truly hungry then you could offer a small amount of formula.

Take baths together, lay in bed without your shirt on and your son in just his diaper, skin to skin contact is so important in establishing a good supply.

You need to throw away the formula and just give him what you have. Supplementing is doing nothing but making your supply go down more. And the delayed milk because of a C-section thing...That's false. You still have colustrum. AND babies are supposed to lose some weight in the hospital. Your biggest mistake so far was to give formula at all. Ditch it and give him the breast on demand.

Isnt there also special vitamins or a supplement to help up the supply? I know the name, just having a brain fart.. ugh!

Quoting XxMeriahxX:" Isnt there also special vitamins or a supplement to help up the supply? I know the name, just having a brain fart.. ugh!"

Fenugreek, blessed thistle, mothers milk tea, more milk plus, etc.

I'm also taking fenugreek to try to up my supply. And what I said about the csection is what I was told by nurses and doctors. Said that the oxytocin hormone isn't as prevalent as it is in vaginal births.

So with the nursing on demand, do I just let him suck until he's satisfied or still do just 15 min at each side?

<blockquote><b>Quoting XxMeriahxX:</b>" Isnt there also special vitamins or a supplement to help up the supply? I know the name, just having a brain fart.. ugh!"</blockquote>




Fenugreek!! Thats what I have heard really helps increase supply.

Quoting Mirror Seeing:" I'm also taking fenugreek to try to up my supply. And what I said about the csection is what I was told ... [snip!] ... births. So with the nursing on demand, do I just let him suck until he's satisfied or still do just 15 min at each side?"

Until he unlatches himself. It could be an hour, it could be 5 minutes. He could then also want to nurse again 30 minutes later.

Quoting Mirror Seeing:" I'm also taking fenugreek to try to up my supply. And what I said about the csection is what I was told ... [snip!] ... births. So with the nursing on demand, do I just let him suck until he's satisfied or still do just 15 min at each side?"

Why switch sides? You can do one boob per feeding. Let him stay good and latched on. No reason to make him get off and latched all over again. Do you have a pump? I would pump after every feeding until you get your supply up. Even if nothing is coming out. It's signaling your body to produce more milk.

Okay, thanks ladies. I actually tried all of this in the hospital and it was working but the nurses told me it was too much for him. That him sucking that long is what caused him to lose the weight.

Quoting Mirror Seeing:" Okay, thanks ladies. I actually tried all of this in the hospital and it was working but the nurses told me it was too much for him. That him sucking that long is what caused him to lose the weight."

Most of the nurses there aren't trained on lactaion. A lot are ignorant on the subject for lack of a better word.

Quoting .Mommy.[40]:" Most of the nurses there aren't trained on lactaion. A lot are ignorant on the subject for lack of a better word."

Apparently. I'll give the demand nursing and pumping a try. I'll update in a week or so. Thanks Again!

Quoting Mirror Seeing:" Apparently. I'll give the demand nursing and pumping a try. I'll update in a week or so. Thanks Again!"

Don't give up. The percentage of women who REALLY, like really really don't make enough milk is super slim. Just do natural things to up your supply and you should be fine. Best of luck to you!

Quoting Mirror Seeing:" Apparently. I'll give the demand nursing and pumping a try. I'll update in a week or so. Thanks Again!"

I didn't have a preemie or a c-section (yet- fingers crossed). But I remember with my LO I breastfed on demand and pumped in between. By the time my boobs caught up with the demand I was forcing I had more milk than I knew what to deal with. Persistence is key!

Quoting XxMeriahxX:" I didn't have a preemie or a c-section (yet- fingers crossed). But I remember with my LO I breastfed ... [snip!] ... By the time my boobs caught up with the demand I was forcing I had more milk than I knew what to deal with. Persistence is key!"

yea i think that might be my problem. At least where the pumping is concerned. By the time LO is fed and asleep I either go back to sleep or find something to eat and try to do some housework. I'm trying to learn how to juggle all of these things.