Monday, June 20, 2011

lactionist appointment..and finding out why she eats so frequently!

We had the appointment today with Heidi. It went pretty well. We discovered that my milk supply has dropped significantly. She suggested that I get a prescription for domperidone since it helps up your milk supply. I need to call the doc office tomorrow and see if he can give me one without seeing me, but like she said she never had anyone need to go into the doctors office to get one since what are they going to do, measure your boobs? So hopefully they will be able to call it in or fax it to SDM here and I can give that a try since the herbs are not working too well anymore.

She said it's unusual to be on them so long but when telling her I have tried to stop taking them a few times but everything went to crap a few days after I stopped she said maybe they are doing something for me. Although they could just very well be a placebo effect. She gave me a sample of the tincture though, I totally forgot about that. It's a blend of the two herbs in liquid form and you just add it to some juice or water instead of having to swallow 6 pills 3 times a day. I am hoping the domperidone helps or I have no idea what I will do, probably have to supplement as well as breastfeed. She said if it is going to work you will notice it within a week, if not then it probably won't. If it does I need to keep taking it for a while. I wish I had been able to get in to see her last week considering I was just at the doctors office on Friday and I could have gotten it while I was there. Geez :( oh well, I called when we got home and they are in the office tomorrow so no worries.

For now she just suggested that I feed her then top her up with an oz of formula a few times a day. She gave me a sample of ailementum to use. So about 8 oz worth. Monkey is still gaining well and her diaper out put is fine which is good. Heidi said this is why it's such a good thing to see her at the 3 month mark because we could get to four months go to the doctor and she hasn't gained any weight. This way at the 3 month mark we know she has and have something to pinpoint when she stopped gaining weight. Usually you see the doctor at 2 months then again at 4 months. She is following her weight curve well - she was 12lbs 13oz, so very close to 13lbs.

I am really glad and thankful for her support. Monkey only got about 2 oz out of me so no wonder why she cries or thrashes and pulls at my nipples. Breaks my heart to now know that her screaming fit before was because she was hungry :( and not from gas. Her getting so little is also why she is eating so often. Every 1.5 hours. I really hope the drug helps because omg every 1.5 hours is exhausting after awhile. I am so glad that she sleeps so well at night though.

Heidi also said that her taking 30 mins to eat is a bit long at this point. She never finishes on a side and it has been taking 30 mins instead of 45. I have noticed lately that she gets her let down then stops actively sucking and just seems to be sucking for comfort. She never pops off anymore. So I end up switching her to the other side after 15 mins. So that is why it's only 30 mins. I could tell she doesn't want to come off but she never gets anything more after that first let down usually. This decrease in supply also is why I can't seem to get any out after a feeding with the pump. Which is annoying when I want to get a bit for when we go out or whatever. Ugh but at least I can top her up with some formula.

Even if I had to supplement her feedings with formula it would be better then stopping breast feeding all together. I assume that is what I will have to do if the domperidone doesn't work. Heidi said it's the babies that get no breast milk that don't benefit. So it's good to now some breast milk is better then no breast milk. Stupid supply though seriously. I could write a book about my experiences considering I think I have had just about everything that could go wrong go wrong and I am still trucking through it. Now we are at the half way mark to starting solids, I can't believe that though it seems so soon.

She also showed me a good position to feed her in when she gets less wobbly etc that will make it easier to feed her when not at home. Right now I am dependant on that pillow and I can't really take that out to say Wally world now can I. We tried it there but she was to wobbly so she still needs the pillow. Although Heidi mentioned trying this position at home on the couch because I can lean back and she will be resting against me. She said eventually she will just latch on herself and go right for it without me having to position her etc.

So we gave her an oz of formula after I fed her when we got home. I feel so bad that she isn't getting enough. It's amazing that she still has been gaining weight and having enough diapers. Heidi said that she might continue to gain but it would be because she is eating so often. I am just crossing my fingers that the meds work because I want nothing more then to just be able to give her breast milk and be able to pump some out for when we go out somewhere. Also with her not eating so frequently, I will take ever 2-3 hours, it will make doing stuff outside of the house much easier and especially if she has milk there to eat it will take less time. Heidi says don't go to long more then 10 mins. This is probably all that I would need anyways considering after the let down she rarely gets a second one unless I am distracted with the TV and leave her on there for a long time.

Other then that she is good. On the 11th she almost rolled over, or at least she attempted to but her arm was getting in the way. Then this past weekend she was almost doing it again at Chris mom's house reaching for something on the side of the mat she was on. She was doing it again on the 19th at mom's house on the mat she was on. The monkey will be rolling over in no time flat soon once she figures out how to get her bum over and her arm out of the way! She also can grab the lion on her play mat and pull hard enough to get him to play his music - but this is mostly when his back is to her face and she can get to his tall. She has been playing and grasping the rattle like thing on the play mat as well and likes reaching for the mirror and swatting it.

Today I had her on the play mat and was making crinkle bug her fav toy squeak and when I brought it close to her she reached out and grasped it with both hands. Chris said tonight when he fed her that oz of formula that she was holding onto the bottle with both hands. She smiles at us now when she sees us - it just brightens your heart when you see that :). She is so cute and it is every day that I still can't figure out how she is thriving so well considering all the problems I have had with breast feeding! geez!

Breastfeeding has gotten better but with the right amount of milk supply it will be way better! I look forward to 10 min feedings! :)
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