Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Baby Is Here!

We picked up our baby girl on Friday afternoon. She is 3 weeks old and still just 5 lbs as she was 8 weeks early. She has been feeding exclusively on breast milk since she arrived. I've been using my frozen expressed milk in the Lact-Aid. This afternoon I used the last of the frozen milk and I had to use formula tonight. I had hoped to get enough milk to exclusively breastfeed, but not yet. It is breaking my heart to give her artificial baby milk.

She was tongue-tied but the pediatrician clipped her frenulum today so I may start to have more milk now that she can be more efficient. My nipples have been very sore and cracked, but immediately after the procedure it hurt much less when she nursed.

If anyone has any other ideas about quickly increasing my supply please let me know. I think I will increase the herbs for the next couple of weeks, any other ideas? I am holding her in the sling all day and she has been staying mostly latched on all night. I have been nursing her on demand (she demands a lot)and I nurse without the LA for a while before I attach it so she will nurse longer. I can't think of anything else.

Have you had your latched checked by a lactation consultant? It would be a good idea especially since you are experiencing sore nipples. It should not hurt to nurse. You might try pumping after feeds to help increase your supply too.

Thanks Lalle-

I did see an LC the first day she was here. It really helped a lot. She was the one who noted that the baby's tongue was tied. We have a good latch now. I think most of the soreness was from that because it is better today. I just don't know when I would pump, she is nursing pretty constantly, even when she is asleep she is latched on (in the sling)and she is sleeping most of the night latched on. I've only gotten to shower a couple of times since she arrived because she cries when hubby holds her, she doesn't want the pacifier.

Today she has only taken about one ounce of the supplement at each time before she nods off (I am supplementing about every 3 hours) so perhaps I have more milk today than I've had.

Sounds like you are doing great. Pumping after feeds is hard for the very reason you mentioned. It is only suggested if you can manage it not as a have to thing. It is a good idea to get her latched checked again now that you have fixed her tongue tie probably as well as the fact you have milk now.
I would avoid a pacifier or other artificial nipple. They cause confusion.

If she is staying latched most of the time I would say thats is exactly what you need to do. My daughter was tongue tied until she was a year. Her ped would not cut it until then. By that time they took her to surgery. Crazy! keep us updated.