Breast feeding or Bust

I’m not sure how many moms out there are for or against breastfeeding but hey it’s pushed enough and honestly most importantly it’s a money saver in my book. While you spend money on storage bags and a pump if you are returning to work like I will be in a few months comparing that to buying a few containers of formula a month I mean come on as I mentioned already I am a coupon queen and sale shopper. Anything I can do to save and preserve a buck without changing my lifestyle I am here for. Back to this whole wait I’m a mom thing… When I was younger I was dead set that I would not have kids I just didn’t see that as being apart of my life. I would like to give myself credit for being well endowed when it comes to the boob department but this also caused a lot of back pain. So not even a full year after graduating high school I had breast reduction surgery and that has a negative effect on breastfeeding. With my first I tried but I was so unsure and the hospital I was at since I delivered on the weekend their breastfeeding consultant was not in at the time. I was released before I ever received any advice or guidance on how to proceed. I immediately started my daughter on formula supplementing after feedings because I just knew she wasn’t receiving what she needed. Eventually I made it to see a lactation consultant who provided me with a pump and an SNS system to help assist me. She talked me through how to stimulate breast milk, pumping and supplements to take to try and help boost my supply, and how to use the SNS system(Supplemental Nursing system). This system allows you to fill a container with either expressed milk or formula, you place the containing on a string around you neck and there are two small tubes that hang down pinching on off and attach the other to your breast you place the child there as if to breast feed. This allows you and them that same connection which can help stimulate your milk flow and give the baby the same feel and need to latch as traditional breast feeding.

Anyway sorry for the lesson there, so needless to says it’s a challenge for me breastfeeding and I doubt I am the only one. So with my second child we delivered at a different hospital they have lactation consultants there everyday, they provided me with a phone number for after I was released if I needed assistance and even provided me with a handheld pump. I explained my situation and they let me know that as more time passes and sub-pregnancies the ability to produce milk increases. My son latched with ease and feed frequently but his weight dropped and it was determined he was not receiving the nutrients he needed so we introduced formula. Now that I am home we are constantly feeding, pumping, taking supplements and drinking the dreaded mother’s milk tea. SN: if they could make that tea taste much better I’m sure mother’s would be buying in by the buggy full to help them produce more milk. I myself add honey made in my hometown by my in laws no less. Makes it tolerable enough for me.

I spend many mornings searching the web on other ways to improve my supply and found some great sites. Hopefully this helps out others as well even if you don’t have my same situation knowing where to find resources and your options is always better than flying blind.

http://www.lowmilksupply.org/increasingmilk-physical.shtml

 http://www.sdbfc.com/blog/2015/3/2/breastfeeding-after-breast-reduction-it-is-possible.html

http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/fenugreek.shtml#sthash.Nk0yckLo.dpbs

https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/products/mothers-milk/