Pregnant again, baby 4 months, breastfeeding

[Danieljsmummy]

Daniel is 19 weeks now(4andhalfmonths) and he has been eating solids for a while now, he has breakfast(cereal and fruit) around 9am and then his vegetables around 7pm. In bed by 8. I have been battling with my milk supply since about 6-8 weeks around the time I have been nauseas. He has been wanting to feed around 4 hourly since he was born. For about 5 weeks now I have been on eglynol for helping the supply as I do not want to give him formula, which I am now forced to do as by bedtime I am dry as a dessert in central Africa but seeing that I think I might be pregnant I have weaned myself of it so I am having one every 2 days. I am seeing my gynea next week. I did 3 preggars tests and one bloodtest about 2 weeks ago all negative, so it apparently might also be a hormone imbalance. I am really fighting for my milk supply. I do not want him on formula full-time, he loves being on the breast and I love every moment of having him there, I cannot imagine it any different.
Thanks for the input guys!

[Claire76]

Ladybug is the BF expert and I'm sure she'll have some advice for you when she logs on later xx

[Danieljsmummy]

Thank you!

[isabellasmum]

I would be putting him on the breast whenever you can. The more he suckles the more milk your body will produce. Make sure you're offering him the breast before every solid feed too as milk is the main source of nutrition at this age so you want him filling up on this.

When you say you're dry how do you know this? The more formula you give him the less milk you'll make as it's supply and demand. Have you tried feeding him in the bath at night? The warm water should help your letdown reflex. Also I know some mums massaged their breast before feeding to stimulate the milk to come but I never did that.

I really would advocate you putting him on the breast every chance you can even if it's not a feed time just to help stimulate your milk supply. Pumping after feeds can help too. I used to pump every night and started off barely covering the bottom of the bottle but kept doing it daily and was getting loads within a week or two.

[Imosmummy]

aaahhh i miss pumping

[ladybug]

Hello and welcome!!!

Make sure you up your intake of folic acid, as it's needed for the breastmilk and the unborn child.

Drink plenty of water, eat as normal. Avoid caffeine, alcohol etc, all the usual stuff.

If your baby seems content after a milk feed, there is no reason to suspect your milk is drying up. Check with your health professional that the medication you are on does not affect breastfeeding or pregnancy.

If you are really concerned about your milk supply, you have to get your baby on the breast as often as you can. It's the skin to skin and suckling that stimulates the hormones to up supply. Offer the first side, wind him, then offer him the same side again. After that, offer him the next side. If you are feeling up to it, express more milk after a feed. Use it for your weaning, or freeze it, rather than replacing a feed with the expressed milk. Try doing some old-fashioned skin-to-skin, as this can really wake up the hormones - try the bath like Isabellasmum suggested.

Sounds to me like you have started weaning way too early, no offence. Make sure you always offer a breastfeed before solids, up til he is 11/12 months old. This ensures he gets the stuff he needs. Solids in the first year are mainly about learing about food, rather than being a nutritional necessity. You will find your milk supply increases quite dramatically if you take a step back on the weaning.

Also, you mention that your baby is feeding four hourly. If you want to ensure a good supply of milk, don't feed your baby to a set routine. Once your baby wakes naturally from a sleep, feed him. Don't wake him for feeds. If your baby looks hungry at all, perhaps smacking his lips, sucking his thumb or gnashing on his fist, maybe sticking out his tongue or sucking/licking your neck or hand - offer him the breast, regardless of when you expected him to need a feed.

Are you planning on feeding after the birth of your new baby?? That'll be fun LOL I say go for it

[Danieljsmummy]

Thank you. I will try and put him on more often. He always seems satisfied after a feed. I mainly give him a feed before he has his solids, as i know that it is still his main food. The solids are really very little, and know that it is mainly for tasting. Well, I am seeing my gynea next week and will see if I am pregnant. The BF consultant here in our town said if one is pregnant it will affect the milk supply. I will continue bfing Daniel even if the new one is born as it is good for bonding and also tandem nursing sounds so much fun!

[ladybug]

Brilliant!