Breastfeeding at the Hospital

Hi, you've gotten a lot of good responses and as a seasoned breastfeeder I only have this to say... TELL THE NURSES TO TAKE A HIKE!!! YOU are that baby's mother and it is your decision, not theirs. Don't EVER let anyone bully you into doing something that you know isn't right by your children. Please pick up a copy of The Nursing Mother's Problem Solver. It's a great book and will give you confidence. Remember that for the first few days, your baby is getting colostrum, which everyone else already said, and that is plenty. Your milk supply was so low last time BECAUSE you were giving formula (not your fault, those nurses should have known better) the more your baby suckles, the better your milk supply will be. Your breasts need that constant stimulation right after birth to gauge how much milk will be required, so nurse, nurse, nurse.

As for resisting pressure from the nurses I have a few suggestions:
1. Before you go into Labor and Delivery, or on your way in, let the nursing staff know that you plan to breastfeed exclusively and won't tolerate any interference. You can get away with being bossy, you're pregnant and hormonal, right? :)
2. If you still get a nurse trying to tell you to supplement simply say to her "That may have worked for you, but I am this baby's mother, and I'm not going to give up." That'll rock her back on her heels.
3. In the face of persistent pressure, I would ask to speak to the head-nurse and have the offender reassigned. make it clear that you will not allow that person back in your room. It is YOUR RIGHT!!! Don't be afraid to take your rights, especially since your baby's health and future lie in the balance. (not that formula is bad, but we can all agree it's not even close to breastmilk.)

Get educated, go armed, and Good Luck!

Breastfeeding is based on the principle of supply and demand. Babies do just fine on the premilk called colostrum. It's the thick clear stuff baby gets before your more mature milk comes in. Just put the baby to the breast any time he or she seems hungry. Signs baby is hungry are making little movements, searching for something (called rooting), sucking on the tongue, bringing fist to mouth, and lastly crying. My first was force fed formula after I had breastfed in recovery and developed jaundice because I was unable to breastfeed her on demand those first few hours after birth. She didn't want to nurse much the first day, but after that she nursed like no tomorrow. She was a large baby and they insisted on giving her formula (on top of a full belly) because that was their protocol for formula fed babies. Even with a C-section, assuming that it's not an emergency, you CAN breastfeed in the recovery area. Go to any breastfeeding class your hospital offers. Usually the lactation consultants on staff teach the class and it's good to at least get an idea of how you work together. My second baby, also a c-section (I was bullied out of a VBAC) didn't have any formula in the hospital and she nursed almost every 90 minutes for the first 24 hours and then on the second day slept more and has been a much more relaxed nurser. With my second child, I wrote in the birth plan that administration of any artificial nipples, bottles, pacifiers, infant formula, sugar water or other breastmilk substitutes without my express written permission would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and should a substitute become medically necessary, it would be discussed with a physician before such written consent be given. Needless to say it got everyone's attention, and only once did anyone suggest a pacifier for the one time the baby needed to leave my room for the hearing screening. Rooming in is also a key to success in breastfeeding, and when you go home, keep the baby as close to you at night as possible. This is a great article on nighttime breastfeeding: http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/sleep/mckenna.... And after you're home, if you have ANY trouble at all, immediately call for help either to the lactation consultant, your local La Leche League leader, or if you qualify, your WIC office.

Sorry, I haven't read all the responses, but I had a simiilar situation with my first child. He was born a few weeks early, I had flat nipples and no one warned me it would be a problem, and we got off to a bad start. The lactation consultants at Fairfax Hospital actually made me use formula to teach me how to finger feed with a syringe and use a nipple shield with a tube and syringe (since my son was not latching-on properly). After 4 months of painful nipples, 3 bouts of mastitis, milk oversupply, pumping after most attempted nursing sessions, and lactation consultant help, I gave up at the breast and pumped exclusively for a year.
I was determined to breastfeed my second child, so I skipped the epidural (it made my son too sleepy), insisted on no formula, and worked at it for weeks until my nipples healed and it became second-nature. We've been nursing pros for 17 months now!
Anyway, a few things to consider in your situation:
1. Your milk should come in sooner with your second child.
2. If you allow yourself to go into labor or at least not schedule your c-section too early, your milk should come in sooner becuase your body will be preparing for it.
3. If your doctor insists on formula for real jaundice or some other complication, ask for or buy your own hypo-allergenic formula. Studies show that exclusively breastfed babies who develop milk allergies almost always had formula supplementation in the hospital. Babies are born with a leaky gut so the milk proteins from formula enter the bloodtream more readily and can cause an allergic reaction. By using Alimentum or Nutramigen if you have to supplement in theose early days, you may prevent months of you having to avoid dairy while you nurse, and allergy to formula and cow's milk should you plan to use it later on.

Good luck to you. Remember it won't be easy in the beginning, but nursing your baby is totally worth it!

I am doula on Fort Meade. I would be happy to answer your questions and put you in contact with great help. Give me a call any time. ###-###-####

J. Verdery

Hello
Good for you! (and your baby) I can tell you that my milk came in sooner with each pregnancy, and since you are having 2 so close together you will probably see the same thing, so it hopefully won't be an issue. (Although I don't understand the rush to supplement, seems like waiting for the milk and nursing what you have until then is what nature intended- unless there are medical complications. Also, I never(thankfully) had a C-section so I don't know what breastfeeding issues may arise because of that.) My youngest just turned four yesterday, and it seems like yesterday I was still breastfeeding him - how did he get so big?!?!

Lots of good wishes,
D.

Wow I had to push nurses to give our son formula since I did not want to breastfeed. They kept giving me the guilt talk and even invited in a brf consultant. What is up your your hospital????

With my first I encountered a similar situation. I had a c-section and was pressured to supplement with formula. Thank goodness my mother was there with me. I was crying about not being able to nurse the way I had hoped to and my son was spitting up all of the formula I gave him. My mom just looked at me and said "feed your baby, do what feels right to you". I never gave him formula again and he thrived. I since nursed two more children and they never had a drop of formula. I was pressured the same way but knew that I could do it if I stuck it out. I understand why I was pressured. Who wants to think a baby is going hungry? Our bodies are amazing though and it is rare that a mother can't produce enough milk (I said rare, not impossible) It is a "natural" thing to do but definately not an "easy" thing to do. It usually takes about three or four days of nursing for your body to "catch up" but it will. You just need to keep at it. It was also a great help that my pediatricians were so supportive. (Children's Clinic) With my second and third children I also had nurses that were helpful and understood my wishes and didn't try and push their beliefs on me and my children. I am definately not saying throw caution to the wind and don't worry about it. Just make it known before delivery what you want to accoomplish as far as breastfeeding and hopefully they will provide you with the support you need. Good luck to you and congratulations.

Firstly, great job on deciding to breast feed. I am currently breastfeeding twins who are now six months old. This is your baby and that makes it your decision. With a c-section your milk supply usually comes in two days later than normal which means you can still breastfeed but try using the syringe filled with formula while your baby is at the breast. It should help encourage your baby to suck harder therefor bringing your milk supply in faster. Don't allow the nurses to bully you into something you don't want. That does mean however that you will be cluster feeding the second night when they want to eat every hour. Let me know how it goes if you have time once your joy comes to you. Good Luck. C.

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/colostrum.html

Julia,
The above link will take you to a wonderfully educational and informative page on the first few days of breastfeeding an infant... It explains that before your mature milk has begun to be produced by your breasts, your body offers the newborn something perfect called colostrum. The page tells all of the benefits of colostrum, and they are many!! I always feel so sorry for the babies who don't get to have colostrum, as it benefits the baby for a very long time. The page also has a paragraph at the bottom that has info about how very tiny a baby's stomach is at birth (can only hold 5-7ml at a time, the size of a marble!) and how it grows to the size of a shooter marble by a few days out, and then a ping-pong ball size at one week. So-- while colostrum is produced in small amounts, it is incredibly dense nutritionally, and your baby only needs small amounts at first. Nature did a wonderful job making sure those first few days the baby gets a food that is nutritionally dense so that its wee stomach doesn't have to be overly full all the time.

Your baby is so lucky to have you for its mama, because you know that only offering the breast with no supplementation is the best way to get off to a good nursing start.

On the same site as referenced above, there are links to local LLL leaders and meetings. When I began nursing the first of my five babies, LLL meetings were tremendously helpful in that they contained so much information no one had ever told me, and that I never read in mainstream literature (for instance, what is offered by an OB or pediatrician's office). The LLL meetings and leaders, who offer their services for free, and who I found to be better informed than licensed lactation consultants, set me up for five highly successful and deeply fulfilling nursing relationships with my babies. I feel deeply indebted to them.

Good luck to you, Julia! I hope you will let us know how it all goes for you. Stick to your guns. You know what's best for your baby, and after reading the info above, will know even more than the hospital staff about those important early days of feeding your baby its best possible food!!

Warmly,
JennyC.

Julia, I am a breastfeeding counselor and there is no reason your nurses should have instructed you to supplement because your body has produced colostrum during the third trimester preparing for birth. Colostrum is produced in small amounts because a newborn baby cannot ingest anymore than 1-2oz usually. PLEASE find out if the hospital you are delivering at has a Lactation Consultant on staff. If not, I would suggest finding out if there are staff members (nurses/doctors) that are pro-breastfeeding. A lot times what happens (I used to work in a hospital)is the nurses don't feel like being bothered with assisting moms with latching on, especially if they had no training themselves. So they will quickly give you a bottle to shove in the baby's mouth. Again, PLEASE investigate the staff at your hospital and be persistant that you want the baby to latch on after delivery, if feasible. You can locate a local Lactation Consultant if one is not available at the hospital, by going to www.ilca.org , then on the right side is a blue box to locate an LC, that will allow you to put in your zip code for ones in your area. Best of luck and stand firm with your wishes to give this baby the breast (best) start in life!
Breast Fed is Best Fed!!!!

Julia, Here's a bit of comfort. Your body may work completely differently this time around. I too had low milk supply with my oldest, and when I was expecting my second, I made sure I had a bottle of Fenugreek (it helped increase my supply with my first). But once my second was born, I naturally had over-abundance. I thought that was so strange!
You, as the mom, knows what's best for your baby. Tell the nurses up front that you plan to breastfeed only. The pediatrician will be checking your little one's weight at the hospital and after you come home, so they'll can be sure your little one is gaining weight healthily. I hope that helps! Congratulations!!

Hi. It is not unusual - actually very normal - for milk to come in, say between day 4 - 7 (on average) Keep in mind that, you are the momma and as such simply stating that you want no supplement(s) given to your baby should suffice. Yet, I am sure many times this is easier said than done. You just have to remain vigilant in your efforts and in what you want for your baby. Keep stating what you want for your baby and refuse formula, they must listen to your wishes. Most babies lose weight in their first week of life so do not let this "fear" enter into the equation. The colostrum seems to be enough during this period of time. Breastfeeding is a partnership, so to speak, between you and baby, and as such the more you work on it together, the better the outcome. Giving supplements will just lead to nipple confusion. After receiving bottles which are a lot less work for babe, who would go back to breast? It is important to stick to breastfeeding initially. Once baby is doing great there is nothing wrong with pumping so that others, like dad, have the opportunity to feed your little one. Good Luck!

I would just advise to be open to all options. I fully intended to breastfeed my son and did so exclusively at the hospital. The nurses were very pro-breastfeeding too. The problem was that I didn't produce anything ( <2oz a day and hardly any colostrum), and as a result my son was readmitted less than a day from being home because he was severely jaundiced. My husband and I were quite annoyed that his situation was not communicated to us while we were in the hospital the first time nor did the nurses suggest supplementing with formula to fight the jaundice. His jaundice could have easily been reversed at that time.

This time, I fully intend to supplement with formula until my milk comes in -- and even then to access just how much milk I'm producing before going with one particular path. I would still like to breastfeed, but I do not want to jeopardize my babies health either. While our bodies may supposed to know what to do, they don't always do so, which is why wet nurses existed in the past to feed those babies whose mother's bodies didn't perform as designed.

My understanding (and I am a bf novice myself) is that the first few days is when your cholostrim (not sure if I spelled that right) is there and from what everyone says that is the best part for your baby. Full of vitamins etc. So that is really all the baby should need. I am surprised that the nurses last time encouraged you to supplement with formula. If you are adement about bf tell them NO! and if they don't like it...ask for a new nurse.

You can also find a lot of good info on breastfeeding on kellymom.com

Good luck!!! I am due in Dec and also hope to be successful at bf this time, since I wasn't with my other 2.

R.

Hi Julia, I just had a baby 2 months ago and did prevail with breastfeeding. I had a hard time because my baby was early and when my milk came in and I was engorged she couldn't get the milk out. I didn't know about Jaundice and she did have to go back to the hospital where they put her on formula. I know that that was the best thing for her at the time but I was worried she wouldn't want to bf. The hospital had great lactation consultates though and they came to the NICU daily to help us learn to breastfeed. I learned that you will definetly have enough colostrum to feed your baby until your milk comes in. They are also still running off nutrients from the placenta. That's were I made my mistake. I thought that my baby would be ok until she learned to bf. Before we left the hospital though the nurses were happy if I attempted to bf and if she took colostrum. They were very opinionated and I just said thank you for your advice and went about trying to bf. After my daughter got out of the hospital for the second time we came home and she went to the breast with no problem. I did have to wear a nipple shield for awhile but all our trouble and hard work has paid off and we are bfing pros now. Just stick to your guns and write down when you tried to bf in the hospital that should keep the nurses at bay. Use the lactation consultates if they have them the nurses tend to trust in them more. Don't give up, bfing is definetly not as easy as it should be. It is very rewarding so keep trying and don't give up.

You should have some milk right away, even before your milk fully comes in. Just make it clear to the nurses that you want to breastfeed only. Also, usually the hospital has a lactation consultant who can come and give you some advice while you are still in the hospital; I highly recommend that. Also, you can look for local breastfeeding support groups. Good luck!

The pre-milk stuff, called colostrum, is what comes out immediately after birth and is what contains all the antibodies and immunity that really helps taking care of your body. If you nurse through this phase you'll have a much high milk level. At this point in the child's life, colostrum is not only all they need it's the best thing for them. You can call around to find a local lactation consultant, google it or go to this website, http://www.ilca.org/. They can help support you through these phases. Also, ask if the hospital has one, many do. Tell the nurses that you don't want to supplement, you're exclusively breastfeeding, it is totally fine. My milk came in around day 3, you're may have taken a little longer because you weren't nursing. Good luck and hopefully you'll get more support for this great decision your making!!

Some babies if given a bottle too early will prefer it because they get what they need on demand rather than when your milk comes in, when it lets down, etc. Unless there is something significantly wrong with you or the baby your breastmilk (colustrum at first) should be more than enough for the baby the first few days before your milk comes in.

You also want your breasts and your baby to get used to being breastfed. One thing to think about, if you're worried about your baby getting enough food, your babies stomach after birth is the size of a marble. I went to a breastfeeding class and they told me this. After a week it's the size of a shooter marble and then a golf ball. That's REALLY small if you think about it and really not that much food. So don't worry and think of that when your baby is first learning to feed from you. Best of luck and I hope all goes well.

After reading all of the posts you received, there was one thing I didn't see mentioned. From the description you gave, I would think the baby rejected the breast due to "nipple confusion". A bottle is easier to get milk from than the breast-the baby doesn't have to suck as hard to get "rewarded" with milk. This is a common reason that they reject the breast for the bottle.
My 3rd baby is due in 3 weeks. I nursed the first two and plan to again. What they don't tell you at the beginning is that it can hurt. My first daughter was csection and nursed nearly non stop for the first 3 days. More so due to comfort than to being hungry. By the time I left the hospital, I was so sore I was sure bottle was the option. The lactation consultant told me to give it to the 3rd week and promised it would get better. She was right-about 16 days old, my daughter latched with ease and it was no longer painful to nurse. She also had colic and the fact that mommy could fix everything and get her to settle down by offering up the breast was the best feeling in the world. Even as she got older and began her slip/fall phase(she was walking full force by 10 months), she would want to sit and nurse for comfort. It is a truely rewarding experience!!
Books to refer to are: "the motherly art of breastfeeding" endorsed by LLL, "so that's what they're for" and of course, your "what to expect when you are expecting" and "what to expect the first year" are great reference tools for nursing and new mother help!!
After about the 3rd month of breastfeeding my daughter, I was a pro and didn't care anymore what people felt or thought. I was even nursing in the middle of the shopping malls (blanket over baby of course) but you just have to make up your mind that you are doing what's best for baby and make sure that no one takes that advantage away from you.
Best of luck!

Hi Julia,

I just went through this with my son who is almost 5 months old. I also had a C-section and the nurses wanted me to give him supplement formula. I refused to give him a bottle or a pacifier. Part of the problem is that it is easier to get formula out of a bottle than the breast at first. However we did supplement some which made the nurses happy. What we did is called finger syringe feeding. A long thin tube is put at the end of a syringe after sucking formula into the syringe. Then you put your finger in the baby's mouth with the end of the tube. Then very gentle pressure is applied to the plunger of the syringe so that as the baby sucks he pulls out the formula from the tube. The hospital should give you the tube and syringe and either a nurse or the hospital's lactation consultant can show you how to do it. At first this was a two person operation for my husband and myself. While it is kind of a hassle it really limits the chance of the baby not taking the breast and gives the dad's a chance to bond with baby because they have fingers too! After my milk had come in we didn't need to supplement at all anymore and after 6 weeks I slowly introduced a bottle so that I could leave my son with grandma for an afternoon. At that point there was no confusion and he preffers the breast but will take the bottle when offered. Hope that helps :)

I am so sorry that you had that experience in the hospital! A baby's suckling is what encourages milk to come in, and you should only offer breast until the baby is 3 weeks or older! The baby will get a little bit of something (its called collastrum) which is like "pre-milk" and is usually clear) and it is what aids in keeping them from getting sick. The baby SHOULDN'T be that hungry for a few days and the pre-milk should be enough, although I know in some cases that it wasn't enough and some formula had to be given, but ONLY after the breast was tried. This is usually only the case is bigger babies, who are just hungry all the time. I didn't have this problem w/mine, but a friend of mine did. La Leche League and WIC have great breastfeeding info and classes you can take that will make you less nervous and more at ease when you try the first time, and that makes all the difference. If you are going to be at the same hospital, and don't have any other choices, you may want to try to find a lactation consultant either at the hospital or outside, that will visit you either the day the baby is born or the next (depending on what time you have the baby, of course)! It also helps that you have had this experience, and you aren't a first time mom. You now know to be more assertive with the nurses. If they say something about formula, then you tell them, "I do NOT want my baby to have formula AT ALL", Unless you feel that he/she needs it and change your mind. The best advice I can give you, is look into information and help, and stand your ground and be firm! When my second son had problems getting latched on (he would clamp down before I could get the whole thing in his mouth and couldn't get a good suck...he was just too quick, the little booger!), I had a nurse tell me that if he couldn't get latched on soon, they would have to give him formula...I don't know if she was trying to motivate me, or what, but it wasn't ever mentioned again, but I was determined that if it was, I was going to tell them that was NOT an option! If anyone gave my kid formula w/out my permission, they would have got an ear full! Giving a baby who is struggling to nurse, will only confuse them more, and make them not want to try anymore, because nursing is harder than the bottle, but once they get it, there is NOTHING in the world like it! I miss it so much! (My boys are 5 and 2)

okay, I cannot believe that you have had to feel as if you could not provide your child with adequate breat milk at the hospital by nurses no less...what are they trained for. I am so offended that they even suggested that you suppllement unless you had a legitimate difficulty.

Anyway,

When an infant is born it's stomach is the size of a marble, yes, that's right a marble. By day three or four the size expands to the size of a shooter marble (the big ones), at a week it is getting to be the size of the wee one's fist.

Honey, you have plenty to feed that baby before your milk comes in. Easpecially when you know the size of the stomach.

Your body begins releasing colostrum as soon as the placenta detatches and some times before and the hormones that stimulate lactation go into action at the same time. Granted it seems as if there is not much there, but that colostrum (thick yellowish fluid) is plenty and a liquid gold mine that provides your little one with so many valuable nutrients antiviral properties and immunities. It is designed to be the best way to clean the meconium from the intestinal tracts and safely jump starts the babies digestive system.

I highly encourage you to tell those nurses to take the formula and shove it. Unless you have been told ba a certified lactation consultant that medically you a a difficulty do not supplement. Your little one misses out on this very important first milk.

You will have to nurse the baby more frequently and it will be tiring, but it is so worth it.

When I was pregnant, as crazy as it sounds, I was "leaking" around 6 months pregnant. I'm wondering if it is possible to start now trying to pump to get the milk to start coming in sooner. If you can get any milk at all, you can freeze the breast milk so when your baby is born, if you aren't able to nurse right away, maybe the nurses can still use your milk. Talk to your doctor. I know it sounds crazy, but maybe it'll work.

Julia, I'm so sorry you had a negative experience with the nurses! If it happens again, stick to your guns. Tell them up front that you will be breatfeeding and DO NOT want to supplement with formula. Ask to see a lactation consultant. If your hospital doesn't have one, try contacting La Leche League. (I think it's www.llli.org). They are extrememly helpful and supportive and can answer any questions that you have.

Good luck!

The same thing happened to me with my son - my milk didn't come in, and my son would sleep right through when he was supposed to be nursing. As a first time mom, I was completely lost - so even though I didn't want to, I listened when the nurses said to supplement even though it seemed counter-productive. If your milk only comes in w/ regular nursing, and supply is established by how much they nurse, wouldn't supplementing w/ formula mess that up? I supplemented for the 3 days we were in the hospital, and as soon as we went home, I stopped supplementing because my milk came in - and can I just say, OW! I had no idea it was so painful!
Anyway, the milk came in just fine, he had gained back the weight he had lost plus some by his 2 week check-up, and has been in the 90th percentile at every check-up since. Plus, he nursed till almost 16 months -- and didn't have his first cold until 17 months, which was no coincidence.
My point is - supplement ONLY if you feel right about it, and then stop as soon as possible. Once your milk comes in, you DON'T need to supplement at all -- if the baby is hungry, they will just nurse more until the milk supply grows.
Congratulations on your new little one, by the way!

Newborns thrive by having the little amounts of colostrum (sp?) that is in your breasts prior to your milk coming in. It is packed with all the nutrients they need in the first 3-4 days of life. Tell the nurses you are happy to hear their comments but unless he/she has dramatic weight loss where supplementation is necessary you will NOT be supplementing. In some states and hospitals they have the attitude that BF is best and in others it seems more standard to try and push formula for fear that the baby is not receiving enough. It really depends on the area. Just be firm and stand your ground. If your baby isn't loosing more weight than a normal infant there is NO Need to supplement. Milk does take a bit longer to come in after a C-section but also, since this is your second one it shouldn't take as long as with the first.

Good Luck and good for you to try again!

Just be strong on wanting to breasfeed and the nurses should help you with breastfeeding. When I gave birth to my son, the nurses at the hospital were very helpful when it came to helping me breastfeed. I gave birth at Civista Medical Center in southern Maryland.

I have two and never once was pressured by the nursing staff to suppliment my babies with formula.....My first took a little longer to get the hang of it and subsequently lost over a pound, which is somewhat normal, but she's a thriving 3 yo now! My second is a boy and he took right to it. The nurses did continually urge me to "wake him up! feed him!" which to me was a little hard as the poor little guy just wanted to sleep :-z You would too after "snip snip" and a scream session.....All mom's take 3-4 days for their milk to come in and in the meantime the liquid that does come out is some of the most important for the newborn. Stick to your guns and if the nurses still pressure you, speak with your doctor or ask for different nurses!

Your hopital must be backwards. Many nurses at hospitals today area trained to encourage brestfeeding not formula. The first milk of colostrum is especially valuable. Your milk may come in sooner this time. You will always have some milk. Just put the baby to the brest often. AF

Great advice! I just wanted to agree with the other posts about colostrum being the baby 'superfood' and they are born with a 'full' belly (you'll see it in their first dirty diaper!). If your baby seems frantic before the fluid milk comes in, realize babies need to suckle regardless of whether or not they are getting food. Just offer your breast as your child's suckling is the best way to encourage the hormones that trigger milk production. If you want to be extra-sure, you can always begin to pump. Just remember, your baby has natural instincts BUT needs to learn how to nurse. Don't get frustrated and stick to your (polite!) guns. You can even put a nicely-stated notecard on your baby's bassinette at the hospital if you sense resistance to your wishes. Typically, if you kindly state your wishes before the birth the nurses will respect that.

It was four days with my first and FIVE days with my second until my milk came in with natural deliveries. We have big babies, so it wasn't really an issue when my kids lost weight (my oldest lost 1 lb, but she was just shy of 9 lbs at birth). I didn't pump either time at first, and my kiddos nursed until they weaned themselves later in their first year.

Along with the LLL, I would recommend reading The Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg. There's some great advice on nursing in there as well as sleep strategies! We found it invaluable with BOTH children (16 months apart).

Congrats and good luck!

Hey Julia,
I have an almost 5 month old who was exclusively breastfeed until last month:) My milk supply also didn't come in for about five days. My doctor said that my daughter was getting enough from the colostrum that my body emitted prior to my milk coming in. I think that the colostrum is just for that reason (and it has all kinds of antibodies in it), so provide all the nutrients a baby needs until your milk comes in. I would ask your pediatrician because if you start out supplementing, your milk supply will probably not develop as needed. Good luck!

To be honest, my nurses at the hospital when I delivered my first were less than helpful. They insisted I supplement with formula b/c I didn't have milk. And to make matters worse my nipples were inverted so it took several weeks for my son to get a proper latch. It was a difficult time. They (the medical staff) complained about the fact that my son wasn't getting enough to eat, he would lost weight, etc. In fact, the ped even listed him as a failure to thrive when he was born weighing 8 lbs 10 oz and lost 1 pound in his first few days (which he gained back within 1.5 weeks). He was obviously NOT a failure to thrive.
My point through all of this is: your baby will be just fine. I promise. The nurses, although well intentioned, are NOT trained to be breastfeeding consultants. And frankly, neither is your doctor. The nurses know how to take care of you and your baby, but breastfeeding is just not their area of expertise.
I am pregnant again also and I will not be mislead into going through crazy contraptions (finger feeding tubes, etc). It is frustrating for the child and momma.
The second go-round I am going to sit back, take it easy, and let my baby find the breast and let nature take its course with colostrum until milk comes in. I will know I am doing the right thing. That knowledge will help me tell the nurses that we're doing just fine and we don't want any formula, thank you very much.
I hope this helps.
Good luck!

For the first few days, you have colostrum because baby is only awake for short periods and needs the intense nutrition it provides. It also helps baby to pass the meconium. Further baby's frequent suckling at the breast stimulates your hormones to bring your milk in more quickly.

You got some really bad advice at the hospital. Early latch, preferably in baby's first hour of life and frequent suckling without pacifiers or bottles is the way to bring in and establish your milk supply.

If you have any difficulties next time, please speak with a board certified lactation consultant. Lots of people call themselves "lactation consultants" but for it to mean something they should be board certified.

Also, you might want to take a breastfeeding class before you deliver. My birth classes included one class on breastfeeding and it was very helpful.

For what it is worth, I delivered at Alexandria and I found the nursing staff to be both helpful and supportive, but I didn't have any problems.

baby doesnt need anything to eat the first 24-48 hours because it still has stuff in its belly and colostrum is all it needs. all you do by giving baby formula is stretch its belly to where when you do get your milk in you never make enough to match its size. just kindly refuse the nurses bottle when they ask and nurse baby every time she cries. the more she sucks the sooner it will come in. no wonder it may have taken awhile last time as she was sucking on a bottle instead. by the way my milk never came in til at least the 2nd day and my babies didnt starve. if you want it too come in stronger and sooner try fenugreek. good luck!

I know exactly where you are coming from, the same thing happened with my first child. The second time around I told them, in a firm voice, that I was solely breast feeding him. Do not give him formula. They tried a couple of times saying he is hungry etc. I nursed him and he was fine. Do let them force you to do anything. We have colostrum that comes in and the baby will be fine with that. I look at it like this 30+ years ago we didn't have formula and we all made it right? God knew what he was doing when he made our bodies. Our mother's milk didn't come in any faster than ours; your baby will be fine. I was lucky and a nurse in the nursery felt the same way and every time they tried to give him a bottle she called and told me, I came down there and nursed him. He was a healthy happy, baby and is a healthy, happy 2 year ( 10/13) old. Formula is not what's best for them, if you have no choice that's one thing, but don't let them force you. If you think about it they don't really eat much anyway. Why you ask? I strongly believe it's b/c that's the way we were created. Other countries don't do that( automatcically give formula). I have no idea why Doctors etc feel like we need to control everything and that they way God intended things to be and happen are insufficient. Ok I will stop now lol. Just don't back down okay, stick with your gut, if it says give the baby formula do it, but no b/c some person who doesn't know or really care about you and the baby said so. Good Luck!

I can't help you with the c-section aspect of your problem, but I can assure you that even with a vaginal delivery, your milk doesn't come in immediately. My son was born on Wednesday and I think it was Saturday afternoon/evening before mine came in. But during the time before your milk comes in, the baby is getting colustrum - very important antibodies, etc - as well as telling your body to make the milk. Fortunately we didn't have to supplement at all, and now, at 7 months, he won't take formula at all. Our nurses were great - I made it clear at all my prenatal appointments as well as all hospital paperwork that we were breastfeeding and our hospital was really great - labeling his bed and papers (and I think even his bracelets) that he was breastfed and therefore not supposed to get anything else.
With supplementing, your supply will be lower - now that we've introduced solids, my supply has definitely decreased. I'd say to stick to your guns, even hook up with the lactation consultant in the hospital which might help. And when/if the nurses pressure you, just say no. You're baby won't starve until your milk comes in. Hopefully this time around you'll get better nurses - ones that will put your wishes first. Good luck!

You feed your baby breastmilk!!! I can't imagine why they told you to supplement at the hospital..that is the craziest thing I've ever heard. NO ONE'S milk comes in right after they give birth, but your body is producing colostrum and this is all the nourishment the baby needs for the first few days. I breastfed my first two children after their natural, vaginal births (milk didn't come in until after I left the hospital, by the way), but my third child was breech and was delivered by c-section. This didn't change anything with regards to how and when I started breastfeeding. You do it when you're ready to try. Yes, it's a little bit tricky because you're sore from the incision, but the nurses should be willing to help you find a comfortable position. I recommend a great book, "So that's what they're for!" It tells a story about a newborn baby buried in a hospital in Mexico City during the big earthquake who was found days later and he was fine...because babies are built to survive the first few days without all the calories of breastmilk, only colostrum. Tell them your baby is going to breastfed and NO FORMULA. You'll be so glad you did, and so will your new baby!

Advise your nurses ahead of time (and often if needed) that you WILL be breast feeding exclusively. They should not have a problem with that. I exclusively breast fed both of my daughters and I think my milk came in on about the third day. Nursing your baby often (about every 2 hours) will help your milk come in and also let your baby get colostrum (sp?) - which has great benefits for them. Obviously, a bottle or two of formula isn't going to hurt them but eating from a bottle is so much easier than nursing. It's not a bad idea to hold off on bottles until you're sure the baby has a good latch. Some lactation specialists think babies can get "nipple confusion" if they don't have nursing down really well when a bottle is introduced. Also, take advantage of of the lactation consultant at the hospital. If you're really questioning whether or not to give a bottle of formula at the hospital ask the consultant - they are often nurses, too.

Remember that the more often you nurse, the more milk you will produce. So, get ready to be tired, hungry, thirsty, and sucked dry ... and maybe a little sore, too. Lanolin is a must. I would recommend using it after every nursing for the first several months - I did with both my girls and while I was very sore with my first, I never cracked or bled. Just push through it, think of how good it is for you and your baby, and when all else fails and you're ready to give up - think of how much money you're saving by not having to buy formula! :) That kept me going a few times.

Lastly, your baby is not going to starve while you're waiting for your milk to come in. This is how God created your body and women and babies have done this for hundreds of years without supplementing with formula. (I don't mean to sound like I'm a formula nazi - I'm totally not!) Obviously, formula is fantastic in some situations.

Good luck! You can do this!

Hi
I nursed all 3 of my girls within an hour of delivery(all c-sections too). I never have used formula for any of them. Your body knows what to do. As for the nurses ignore them. You know what is best for you and your baby and you don't need stress from them and tell them so if needed.
Congrats!!!!

I also had very little milk until day 5, and there after, but we did not introduce formula until day 5. I nursed for about 2 weeks but had to stop for medical reasons (I went in the ER on day 5 due to a retained placenta and became overly exhausted recovering from surgery and trying to nurse. Anyway, I've read that babies can "survive" on just your colostrum for a few days while waiting for the milk because they have plenty of nutrients that are stored from being in your womb. Try not to stress too much about nursing and I wish you the best!

I agree with the last post that you had bad nurses!! The ONLY thing your baby needs to eat for it's 1st days of life is colostrum and if your baby isn't nursing, your milk supply will definitely be decreased.
I've had 2 c-sections and nursed both my babies exclusively. They're now 5 and 2 and have always been healthy and certainly NOT malnourished!
Trust your instincts and remember that YOU ARE the mom with some experience "under your belt". Do not let misinformed nurses pressure you to do something you believe to be not in your baby's best interest! What I would do is clearly state your wishes regarding breast feeding as soon as you check in to the hospital (as well as any other instructions you want followed). I know that my hospital had a form I filled out that specifically asked whether I wanted to supplement with formula, and I checked NO (with several added exclamation points for emphasis!).
Good luck with the new baby!

If you want to breastfeed, don't give the baby formula supplement. Especially if you have a healthy baby. Your body is made to provide what your baby needs even when your milk hasn't officially come in yet. I was very firm that I wanted to breastfeed only with both my kids, and although the nurses pressured me to supplement saying my daughter was going to be too hungry, I stuck with my gut and everything worked out fine (this in not to say that supplementing is wrong or anything, just not what I wanted to do).

Hi Julia!

Just tell them no when they ask to supplement. They tried to pressure me because my son was 9 1/2 pounds and I was breastfeeding. They kept telling me that he would lose weight, be hungry, etc. Well, he did not have any formula and only lost 2 ounces. They kept me in the hospital an extra day because I would not supplement with formula, but it was well worth it to me. The pre-milk (colostrum) is what is the healthiest for new babies in the first 24-48 hours anyway. Just tell them no, and do not give in if you don't want to!! Good luck, and congratulations!

C.

Hi Julia,

I don't know why the hospital told you to suppliment. I have had six children and never heard of that. I also had 4 C-sections. My doctors and nurses always told me that the yellow liquid that actually comes in before the milk is the most important, because it carries most of the antibodies the baby needs in those first few weeks. So my nurses said to put him on the breast as often as possible. If the baby got a little fussy they would give the baby water, then bring them to me. The other reason you shouldn't suppliment with a bottle is because it is easier for the baby and she/he will always choose easy. Not good for you. And you should also prepare your body for this to make it easy on you and the baby. Purchase lanolin cream or lansino and apply it to your breast now it will help soften the area and hopefully cause you less discomfort later. Remember the more you get the child to latch on the faster and quicker the milk will come in. I hope this helps.

Ask for a Lactation consultant right away. Also contact your local La Leche league right away. Go to a meeting NOW, and get to know those ladies. They will come to the hospital to help you if an LC isn't around soon enough.

Early and often is key. Room in with baby, actually most hospitals are now encouraging this. Let baby stay in your room, and ask the nurses to wake you every 2 hours if baby doesn't wake you.

Understand that the first couple days the baby's stomach is the size of a small marble. It doesn't take much to fill it. When hospitals supplement with a bottle (either breastmilk or formula) it's usually TOO MUCH. I have more to say but can't right now because I have to find underwear for my incompetent (not really, but it feels like it) husband

you can email me for more information if you'd like.

Good luck!

Bah I hate that I can't put another post in response to another poster....

The jaundice thing... someone said they were told not to nurse because of jaundice!!! Phoeey! Colustrum has a natrual laxitive in it that makes babies poo much more, and they wind up pooping the bili rubin out of their system!

go to lactation consultant now. then you will have the nerve to ignore the nurse at the hospital

Geez, I'm so sorry that you had horrible nurses. I would deliver at a different hospital. You're already making colostrum before your milk comes in. The baby eats that in the meantime. I never had anyone recommend that I supplement. You need the suckling to tell your body to produce milk and how much to produce. Even moms that I know planned on supplementing later didn't do it at first, or it will affect your supply.
Good luck this time!

Julia,
I was shocked to read your post, I have 5 children and my last 3 were section, with all 5 of mine I was encouraged to put baby right to breast and not introduce a bottle, I have never heard of supplementing formule while waiting for milk to come in. What to baby gets the first few days, cant remeber what it is called, is extremely important for the babies immune system. I would talk to your doctor about your concern and maybe even visit the birthing center where you will be delivering and discuss this with them to see what they do or dont do. I wish you the best of luck.

Hi Julia,
When I gave birth to my daughter in February, I also had nurses who wanted me to supplement with formula. They kept telling me that the baby would get jaundice because she wasn't getting enough to eat. But I wouldn't let them give her formula and she was fine. Before going birth I had written out a birth plan. One of the items was that the baby should have no formula, sugar water, or pacifiers. I agree with the others who have responded, make your wishes known from the beginning. They may give you a hard time, but stick to your guns.

Your breasts produce colostrum beginning during pregnancy and continuing through ... Colostrum is extremely easy to digest, and is therefore the perfect first food for your baby. As long as you are producing the colostrum, there is no reason to supplement formula. That being said, the second time around you will probably get your milk much sooner.

It makes me so sad when hospital staff lies to a new mother like that. Pick up a book about breastfeeding or speak to a lactation consultant before you actually give birth or just go to the La Leche website and you will learn that in the first 72 hours or so your body produces colustrum which is what you have before your milk comes in. That colustrum is all the baby needs to survive the first few days and more so, it has all the antibodies that your baby needs even more so than the actual breatmilk. So make sure you instruct the nurses that unless there is a medical reason to supplement and unless you give consent, that your baby is not to recieve formula and is to be brought to you to nurse every 2-2.5 hours. The hospital will have lactation consultants and nurses that can help you. When you come home, you can pump for 5-10 minutes after each nursing session. That way you will both increase your supply and have extra milk if you need to supplemenet with a bottle but don't want to supplement with formula. Pupming is time consuming and annoying but if your goal is to exclusively breatfeed you will need to do it in the beginning until your supply is established and so that you will be able to run errands without your baby and leave enough breastmilk for the baby.

Hi Julia!

At my hospital (Upper Chesapeake in Bel Air) there were lactation consultants on staff that encouraged me to get my baby on the boob pretty much right after birth. I would find out if your hospital has them on staff and request to speak with one of them before and after you give birth. Also, no one's milk comes in right away. The colostrum that is there before the milk is very beneficial to baby. Upper Chesapeake has a breast-feeding support group that meets 2X a week. It is open to ANYONE regardless of where you deleivered and it's FREE. I was very worried that my baby was not getting enough and almost gave up, but the specialists at the support group helped me through it. They also helped many of my friends with very difficult situations like thrush, inverted nipples and breast-feeding twins. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is trying to breastfeed.

Good luck!!!

Julia-
I have had 4 kids and have breastfeed all of them, the last of which I am still nursing. My first child I had to leave at the hospital so I had to pump let me tell you if you really knew how much they naturally get you would not be worried. the first time I pumped they had to bring in a little syringe I barely got a sip out. At one point a nurse told me that they might have to start supplementing that broke my heart and made me mad. I went home to pump and low and behold my milk came in. The only suggestion that I have to give is to be very strong in letting them know that you are going to nurse your baby, that you do not want to supplement unless it is absolutely necessary, and nurse, nurse, nurse. Keep up on your fluids if your milk is low try more fluids and rest even if the house is a little messy.
Good Luck
E.

Knowledge is power. I really advise taking a breastfeeing course so you can know what to expect. No one's milk comes in immediately. At first it is colostrum, and in very small amounts. It is all that your baby will need for those first few days of life until your milk does come in (the hospital SHOULD have explained all of this to you). You should make it clear from the moment you arrive that you want to breastfeed exclusively. Having your husband, pediatrician and OB on board also helps. All hospitals have lactation consultants, so you can also ask to see her at her earliest availability. Again, with information you receive in a class you will feel more empowered when they pressure you. I also recommend having the baby room in with you so you can nurse him/her on demand to get your body ready to produce what will be needed in those first few weeks.

Hello Julia!

Your attitude is great!! I like your determination that you will nurse this child!! It really is the best nutrition for infants and these days, very much the norm. It is disappointing that the nurses in the hospital didn't encourage and support you. . . I am a registered nurse and nurse practitioner (master's prepared) and hate to hear that!! I nursed all 5 of my children for 15-22 months each! It is the sucking that will make your body produce the milk!! I never supplemented; Let your baby be your guide and nurse when he/she wants (especially at first), don't use a pacifier!! If you need another C section, ask the nurses to help hold your baby and help you find a comfortable position to nurse as the traditional one may be uncomfortable--try the football hold!! It will be a little awkward and seem hard at first, but stick with it; know you are trying to do the best for your child and you'll be amazed at the beauty of it all!!God Bless!! Oh--ask to see the lactation specialist!! They are a fabulous resource!!

B., SAHM of 5, all nursed exclusively for 6 months, continuing for 15-22 months each!!. . . working from home now and loving it!!

It is likely that your milk will come in much sooner this time - probably before the baby even comes. And since you have done it before - just keep trying at the hospital and you just have to stand your ground and tell them you want to wait just a bit before supplementing. But either way - your milk will probably be in. Plus remember supply and demand - get the baby to nurse and nurse and nurse and it should come unless there are other issues (like naturally just not having a large milk supply).

just do it, girl! you have the most important trait for successful breastfeeding--- determination... i exclusively breastfed both of my children after c-sections... (i think the problem is that you're in the hospital longer and the nursing staff gets obsessive about infant's weight loss...) i am also a l+d/ post partum nurse... the "magic" number for weight loss is 10%... this is where pediatricians/nurses begin to get uncomfortable and recommend supplementing with formula... my daughter lost a little more than 10%, but was nursing well, peeing and pooping, etc... my pediatrician said i didn't have to supplement b/c my milk would be coming in and he would follow the baby's weight in the office... and she did fine... without formula...
some nurses seem to think that newborns are starving b/c mom's milk isn't in yet... well, we were designed to give our baby's milk... and it is really only teaspoons of colostrum at first, but newborn's stomachs are very small... just be sure to nurse on demand... and to not let baby go too long between feedings- at least until your milk is in... hopefully you will be delivering in a supportive hospital... and just be sure to tell your nurses no pacifiers and no formula... they can't force you to use them... and if it comes down to your baby needing to supplement (which it usually doesn't) ask to cup feed (sounds crazy, but nurses can give the baby "sips" with a medicine cup) or finger feeding- which does not use a nipple and can help avoid nipple confusion... if you have any questions, let me know... best of luck!!!

I did not have time to read through all the responses so I apologize if I am duplicating. First, the decisions regarding your baby are yours alone. You should not worry about standing up for yourself and making your wishes clear. Secondly, I'll share my experience. With my first child, my milk came in immediately (even though a lactation consultant (with my 2nd)told me I was wrong and that it could not have come in so fast, but I digress) so she took to the breast right away and she was fine. With my second child, however, my milk did not come in and she was starving. The only thing that kept her from shrieking constantly and allowing me to get ANY sleep at all in the hospital was to supplement with formula. Supposedly the colostrum is all they need and should satisfy them but with my daughter, it simply was not and she was only satisfied after some formula. Bottom line is to trust your gut and do what you think is best. Your child won't be "ruined" regardless of what you choose. Best of luck!

Hi Julia. As far as I know, babies are born with "food" in their system to keep them going for a few days until the milk comes in. Make sure you nurse him/her VERY often to accelerate this process. Also, I think they introduce formula if the baby loses more than 10% of their body weight before your milk comes in, or if its not a healthy baby (ie. preemie, etc). One of the nurses at the hostpital I gave birth in, suggested I use a syringe and squirt some formula on my breast as the baby was sucking. That way he wasn't introduced to the bottle, but at least was getting a bit of formula from my breast before mine came in. Good luck!

Great advice! Stick with your gut and refuse the formula. Babies do not need more than the colostrum that you produce before the milk comes in. If you tell them that you plan to breastfeed from the start they will likely support you and not even offer formula. Just make sure baby is nursing every 2 hours. Good luck!

Congratulations!! I just had my first and was lucky to deliver at a hospital that supported breastfeeding. Your full milk supply won't come in until 2-5 days after delivery. The milk will change again at two weeks (and become "mature milk" -- thinner and bluish white). Before then, your breasts produce colostrum which is thicker than milk. Colostrum is packed with nutrients a newborn needs and laxative to help the baby pass its first few stools. The baby only needs a teaspoon of colostrum when you nurse. So, plan to nurse right away and trust that the baby is getting what it needs in your colostrum until your milk comes in. It's normal for babies to lose up to 10% of their birth weight after birth. As long as your baby is thriving and not dehydrated or has lost more than that, it's fine to restrict feeding to the breast absolutely. Remember, the more you bring the baby to the breast (the more often and longer), the quicker your milk supply comes in and the more supply you will have. Nursing on demand (while it can be demanding on mom) is how the baby's body tells your body just how much milk he/she needs. So, nurse whenever the baby indicates (sucking sounds, moving his/her tongue over the lips, sucking on hands, etc.) Don't try to set a schedule, the baby will do that for you. Also, be advised that just before your milk comes in and during periods of growth spurts (3 weeks, 6 weeks of age, 3 months and 6 months), your baby will likely cluster feed - meaning baby will want the breast ALL the time. This is fine. Again, this is how the baby's body tells your body to up production, start production, etc. Many babies are non-nutritive suckers - meaning they like to suck or hold the nipple in their mouths for comfort. Don't do like I did and give a pacifier instead. I mistook the cluster feeding for non-nutritive sucking and that created some challenges for us! I'm not against pacifiers - I think they're great and they save the nipples when they are sore, but just be sure the baby's full and not cluster feeding to up your production. Hope this message is helpful and not too confusing. Hang in there. Breastfeeding is not always easy, but VERY worth it!

DO NOT GIVE THE BABY A BOTTLE OF FORMULA.

While you are waiting for your "milk" to come in, your body is producing Colostrum. That is ALL your baby needs for those first few days. Do not listen to the nurses, ask to speak to a Lactation Consultant if you are concerned. You could also contact a LLL consultant prior to even having the baby to ask your questions.

Your breasts make milk based on supply and demand. The more you nurse your baby in the beginning, the faster your milk will come in and the more you will have. Just nurse on demand. Some babies will eat every 30 minutes to an hour in the beginning and others go every 2-4 hours. Just relax and feed your baby AT THE BREAST when ever he/she needs it.

Nurses are usually misinformed about the needs of newborn babies. All they need is a bout a teaspoon of colostrum per feeding in the beginning, they DO NOT need a 1-2 ounce bottle of formula!!!!

Good Luck, do some research and find your self a good Lactation Consultant (either at the hospital or through LLL). You will do GREAT!

Mel

This is your choice, you should tell the doctor/nurses that you choose to breastfeed only and that they are not allowed to supplement with formula. The lactation consultant at my hospital said that they need to practice breastfeeding & that the colostrum is very healthy for them and that is all that they need for the first few days until your milk comes in. By feeding them formula you are missing out on BF opportunities and the more they suck (call for milk) the faster your milk will come in. If that is your decision then make them stick to it.

When my daughter was born and I tried to breast feed but also didn't know what to do before my milk came in. The nurse suggested using a syringe to drip in the formula so that way the baby doesn't get nipple confused. It worked great!!!! I would let her nurse for a while (20 min or so) then fill a syringe (no more than 5cc at a time) and give her some, only a little at a time. The first time, after spending hours with her fussy and crying, I let her nurse then gave her some syringe formula, she took 1cc and was out like a light. A friend of mine would have her baby suck on her finger and give the formula in the syringe during the sucking. I only had to use the formula in the syringe for a few days before my supply came in. Breast feeding was hard at first. It took a whole month before I started to feel that it wasn't painful. Stick with it for at least 6 weeks before deciding to give it up- its worth it!
And no matter what- don't let the nurses bully you. Most nurses now are very supportive of breast feeding.
Good luck.

You've received lots of great advice, but just wanted to add that a book that I found helpful this time around (after breastfeeding two babies, I finally decided to learn more about it before having my third!) was "Breastfeeding Made Simple." Lots of great information about the mother-baby breastfeeding "relationship" and wonderful advice on how to survive the first six weeks, which is pretty intense. Good luck with your newborn!

I would contact La Leche League for additional breastfeeding support at LLLI.org Babies do not need anything until the milk comes in and the milk will come in faster if you are exclusively breastfeeding. Colostrum is very rich in nutrients babies are made to be able to loose up to 10% of their birth weight and be just fine. I would ask questions at the hospital while pregnant on their tour and see how they feel about supporting breastfeeding. If they are not supportive you could always look for another hospital, birthcenter or consider hiring a midwife and having your baby at home. As for how to deal with nurses pressuring you to give formula, it is your baby and you do not have to do what they say. You can ask if their is a medical reason behind their suggestion it would have to be a pretty unique situation for formula to be necessary. Nurses sometimes like it because they can measure and chart it but even the formula companies tell you that it is inferior nutrition.

i too have a 15 m/o active son who was happily breastfed despite some nurses and doctors trying to get me to give him the bottle. He was slightly jaundice and my milk did not come in for 5 days but I continued to nurse every 2 hrs for 20 min. I did supplement with some formula but i refused to use a bottle- we fed him from a medicine cup. He lapped it up like a baby kitten!! (it was so cute i took video)I actually did this at every feeding after i nursed until my milk came in and his jaundice cleared up. I have also heard of people feeding with a dropper. either way stand your ground and refuse that bottle!!! Good luck on your upcoming birth and your venture to nurse!

my milk came in like moments after my 2nd was born. it took like 5 days with the 1st one.

i pumped after my 2nd was born because he was in the NICU, and i thought for sure it would take forever for my milk to come in, but i was so surprised.

if i had to bet i'd say your milk will come in quickly and the baby will not suffer. you need to have the baby nurse, though, for your milk to really come in. the first time my 2nd guy nursed, i could feel the letdown so much more strongly than i could with the pump (which was also pretty effective.)

you can also hire a doula who will be your advocate in the hospital to make sure everything you want to happen will. she works for you and does what you want, so she'd intervene when the nurses pressure you. she could also stay in the room with you and help you nurse (some doulas are lactation consultants also), and help take care of the baby in your room so s/he doesn't have to go to the nursery where the nurses could feed formula without your knowing.

good luck!

Where are you delivering?

Make it clear you are breastfeeding. Find out what lactation consultants are available. Have one visit you in the hospital.

My daughter didn't nurse well right away in the hospital. As long as she was making diapers, they didn't worry much. Colostrum is what comes in first and that sustains the baby the first few days. After that, the lactation consultant can help you with pumping, using a nipple shield, proper latch, etc. Don't let a misinformed or under informed person keep you from trying to breastfeed. Also, if your baby is not rooming in with you, make it clear that you want to nurse and not to supplement with formula or water while baby is in the nursery.

You might also do well to buy some books and/or contact local lactation consultants (there's a group associated with Holy Cross) before delivery.

I had a nurse that intended well, but stressed both of us out so bad that my husband intervened and told her to go away the next time she came in to check the baby/try to force her to nurse. We finally figured it out on our own after getting more info and using a nipple shield. I tried to feed her every 2 hours, keeping track of input/output and how successful we were. We gradually moved from the shield to bare nipple, but the shield was a godsend while we needed it. Good luck!

It is difficult after a c-section, but I think the best thing is to breastfeed before giving any supplementation. I had to supplement with my daughter for a few months before my supply caught up, but in the hospital I made sure that she had to suck hard to get anything from the syringe/finger method I was using. This way it was easier to get the little colostrum I had and later on when I introduced the bottle, my milk was much more free flowing and just as easy to get as the bottle. Good Luck!

I had a c-section in March, and what they didn't tell me and I only found out later is that the painkilling drugs that they give you suppress lactation! I tried with much pain to breastfeed, but for three days the baby got nothing, his weight dropped, he became dehydrated and then spiked a fever, which caused panic at the hospital, they took all sorts of blood from the baby and were going to run a spinal tap. Finally my ped. was like, just let me give him a bottle to get him out of the NICU and let you guys go home, and she did, he was fine. We gave him a bottle again at home, and then the milk came in, he nursed and is still a fine BFer today.

So. Having been through that horrible experience ... unless the baby's not wetting diapers or he loses too much weight, you don't need to supplement. If those things do happen, let nurses give him just enough formula so his weight is maintained and he doesn't dehydrate. But still have him keep BFing every few hours, even if you think only dust is coming out, because the first week is very important for getting your milk production up and going.

Also, breastfeed asap after delivery. Don't let them take the baby away to give him a bath first.

If you think your milk is low.. it might not be. At first it's normal to just produce as little as half an ounce at a time. It seems low, because you have to give a baby so much more formula for him to be nourished. That's because formula is so much less efficiently digested.

If you have a breast pump, take it to the hospital. Even before your milk comes in you can express the colostrum...much like women of premature babies do. I have three children that I exclusively breastfed for the first year, but with the third, it was easier for me to pump it and feed rather than try to nurse while monitoring a 2 and 3 year old as well!

Before your milk comes in, your baby gets colostrum from your breasts. That's all your baby needs. Put the baby to your breast every 1-2 hours. You need the baby to take the colostrum to get the milk coming in AND you need your baby to learn to latch on. ONLY give your baby formula if the baby loses a lot of weight. Tell this to the nurses. My son needed formula because he did lose weight, here's what the lactation consultant did: Hook a small tube to a bottle of formula and put it right at your nipple when the baby is sucking. This way the baby gets the formula but is still sucking and stimulating the breast. YOu can do it! Sign up to see the lactation consultant as soon as you can. Put notes on the baby's chart if you need to.

I say just don't let them give the baby formula at all. I'm surprised that they pushed it on you the first time around. I suppose it is all in the nurses that you get. Some say "breast is best" and they leave you alone and others just reach for the formula. You must be stern and insist! Most everyone has a very low supply in the beginning. It is usually starts out as a yellowish substance (can't think of the name.) My nurses with my 1st called it liquid gold. My milk came in slowly as well. What can help that is pumping in between nursings. The pumps at the hospital are top notch. A little hint, if you can find a 2nd hand Medella pump you can use your supplies from the hospital with that pump. So hold on to those supplies. They should offer them to you because once they're used the hospital throws them away. I had a lot of trouble getting started nursing my first but for some reason I was determined to do it. I nursed him for 13 months. I have 3 children and nursed them all for a little over one year. Good luck!

Hi Julia

I just gave birth to my 4th child in June. I don't know where you're giving birth, but I was at Bayview for this last one. When I told them 'No formula', they didn't even offer it. Just be sure you baby is having 'ouput' in the diaper. As long as the wee one is, well, wee-ing and poo-ing they're are doing *just fine*- you just hold your ground, in peace. It is healthy and normal for them to loose a tiny bit of weight after their born. The only time to worry, and rightfully react is if there is no real reason to change a diaper.

I had so many complications that we *had* to go to formula because she hadn't wee-ed or poo-ed for over 24 hrs.

I wish you wellness, health in your delivery and recovery! Congratulations on your new little one

I delivered my first and only child by c-section on a Saturday, and my milk didn't come in until Tuesday evening. While I did not receive any pressure from my hospital staff to use formula, I was very frustrated in the delay of my milk coming in. While my son may not have needed the milk, I wouln't have known that by the frantic, almost constant feeding trying to get something more than colostrum. He was 8 lbs 12 oz at birth, and lost down to 7lb 7 oz by Wednesday. It didn't occur to me and no one warned me that c-sections will delay onset of milk supply. While I was very exhausted by the lack of sleep from constant nursing those first few days, the milk did come in, in plentiful supply without any pumping, and my son nursed fine after that and gained weight like a champ. Just be prepared in advance for some delay and frustration those first few days, and you will do fine after! Good luck in January.

Don't compromise your position! Stand firm and say, NO to supplementation. Your baby's tummy at birth is the size of a small marble and while you wait for your milk supply to come in, put baby to breast at birth and every two hours and squeeze your breasts. Colustrum will come out in drops. And don't worry, believe it or not this is enough for your baby. I didn't compromise despite the fact that hospitals must get a great kickback from Enfamil/Similac as they push supplementation. Your baby will naturally lose weight the first few days, even up to 10% of its birth weight...don't let anyone tell you that is a reason to supplement. You might also be aware that the docs/nurses will want you to rest and suggest they will take care of the baby while you do so. Be firm. Female physiology/biology is amazing for childbirth and breastfeeding. Trust your instincts and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Good luck! I'm a mother of two. My oldest is 2 years old who I nursed from birth until 18 months, and I have a four month old who I have been nursing since birth. I had to stand firm being here on the East coast with baby #2, as oddly breastfeeding seems to be the exception and not the rule. If you need support, find a lactation consultant where you are giving birth for that additional support. If you want to email me directly as I'm in Northern Virginia, I could send you some names. Good luck!

I would start talking with a lactation consultant to see what they recommend (try out a few to find one that fits with your personal style -- ask your pediatrician, the hospital, or Special Beginnings for recommendations). You may also want to contact La Leche League for recommendations and general information about breastfeeding.

Also, you'll find that just as each pregnancy is different, your milk may come in much earlier this time, so there may not be as long of a wait. I had difficulties with my milk coming in with my first child and did NOT supplement with formula, but I should have to prevent my baby from losing critical weight. I was insistent on breastfeeding her and had to pump and finger feed her through a tube -- all the while she was getting skinnier. It took a couple of weeks to get everything going smoothly and then she successfully breastfed for a year. Did I do the right thing? Who knows, probably not in retrospect, so don't judge yourself too harshly for "caving" to the pressure of nurses and others! With my second time around there were no problems with breastfeeding -- lots of milk and lots of weight gained right away. I was more relaxed about breastfeeding and had some concept of what was involved, unlike the first time around and my baby just took to it better. The bottom line is that even if you do have to supplement with formula to get your baby the milk he/she needs, you can get your baby back to breastmilk exclusively -- it just depends on how much work you want to put into it.

I have now nursed two boys for 14 months each. With lots of difficulty. The best advise I can give you is to start researching and to find a nursing consultant. Obviously who ever told you things in the hospital weren't educated. Which really makes me mad. It is bad for your baby to get formula at a day old. They don't need it and there belly's are not set up to process all the chemicals. Everyones milk comes in between 24 and 72 hours. This is very normal. And dont take peoples advice about how often your baby should be nursing. Theyll nurse when they need too. One of the problems I had nursing my first son was that the nurses wanted him to nurse every three hours but he would just fall asleep. As soon as someone told me to stop forcing him to wake up he started wakeing up every 4 hours on the dot to eat. So let your body do what it knows how to do and let your baby do the same. Oh and the thing about not having enough. First it probably started because in stead of nursing your baby was getting a bottle and your body reacts to how much your baby is sucking culostrum and has the correct amount of milk come in accordingly. And a little hint. If your milk comes in and its still not enough, which happened to me both times. Is you can get a hospital grade pump and everytime hes done nursing you can imediately pump for 10 or 15 minutes. If milk is coming out it means he is not getting everything and just needs the chance to get a little stronger. But keep pumping to keep up that supply. If nothing comes out it will slowely increase your supply. With whatever milk you have from the pump he can be given emmediately after nursing while your pumping. And when your milk production is up you can just stop the pumping all together. It took me about a week to get my milk up where it needed to be. And dont worry about your son liking the bottle more. A baby will always prefer a breast over a bottle, its natural. And as long as your mainly nursing there shouldnt be any problem.

Woosshhhhh Sorry that was so long. Contact me if you need any help. I have a natural baby company and have helped mothers with these issues before.

A.

I may not be the best person to give advice as I have never breastfed either of my children but it is my understanding that the nutrients that you can provide while "waiting for your milk to come in" is very good and vital for the breastfed infant. I would suggest talking to a lactation specialist (all hospitals should have one or try the local WIC office) and/or your pediatrician for advise.

In the end, you have to do what feels right for you and your baby. If your child won't take from the breast, you could still exclusively breastfeed by pumping and using a bottle.

Good luck and congratulations.

Unless baby is *truly* dehydrated, you don't give the baby anything. There is enough colostrum there to keep such a small baby content.

The easy answer, is you beat the nurses until they shut up. If they give you trouble, ask to see the lactation consultant. Make sure that they don't keep the baby too long when they do their stuff, and make sure baby is back for feedings promptly. If they want to take baby right before a feeding is due, then feel free to tell them to wait.

By all means, if you want to breastfeed you should do it. You can talk to the La Leche Team at the hospital. Tell the nurses you only want to give your baby breastmilk. IF the baby needs supplement, your pediatrician should tell you that. There are ways to breastfeed and supplement without the baby refusing. Again, if you have any concerns, talk to the breast feeding nurses at the hospital.

GOOD LUCK

Julia,

Good afternoon. When I went to the hospital, I had a birth plan in place. I put in there everything that I wanted to happen before, during and after the birth of my child. I put in there specifically that I wanted to exclusively breast feed. This will let the docs and nurses know your intentions. Also I would ask to try and nurse the baby right after delivery or soon after so that you are not pressured to give formula because the baby is hungry. If time permits, I would also talk with all of your nurses and be sure that they understand your wishes.

I just went through your situation about a month ago, and although I didnot sleep very much the first two days because you have to feed so often because of the lack of milk supply, feeding that often only encourages your milk supply to come in, but it will sustain it when it does come in.

If you have any questions about a birth plan, please feel free to contact me. Have a blessed day.

S.

i agree with everyone else mostly that if you are producing colostrum and baby is having wet and dirty diapers all is fine. If the baby isn't having wet and dirty diapers you must supplement in the hospital. However, once your milk came in and the diaper situation resolved, there is no need to continue to supplement at home. i have a friend whose baby was recently hospitalized for dehydration b/c they didnt' supplement and was found to have a low milk supply. this is very rare but possible. I think you won't have any trouble as long as you monitor the diapers. Enjoy your new baby and breastfeeding!

Before your true milk comes in, your breasts have colostrum, which is full of antibodies- they called it "liquid gold" at the hospital where I delivered my children. Unless there is some type of medical problem, there is no reason that you would need to supplement with formula before your "real" milk is in. Newborns eat often ,but they are only taking in small amounts at a time. Make sure that you talk to the lactation consultants at the hospital, if available. They are invaluable during those first few days in the hospital. Also, arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible about breastfeeding. It is a lot easier, mechanically, for babies to get milk from a bottle than it is from the breast. They have to suck differently, which is why lactation consultants will tell you to wait until breastfeeding is fully established between mother and baby before introducing a bottle.

And don't be fooled by those breastfeeding videos that show a 3-4 month old infant latching on to the breast with such ease, while the mother is lovingly smiling down at the baby. This is NOT how it is with a newborn. It takes time and practice for both you and the baby to get the hang of it, but it DOES get easier! As far as pressure from the nurses, just be honest with them and let them know that you need their support with breastfeeding. Make your wishes known- any good nurse should respect and help with your decision to breastfeed exclusively!