Breast milk supply vs demand, formula, solid food---for 6-month old baby page 2

[zoebird]

First -- and I assume you already have one -- but make sure you're using a hospital-grade pump. In fact, most hospitals will rent them to you. It just makes it easier to get the hind-milk.

Second, you'll want an ally in a lactation consultant. She may be able to get your child to latch -- now that she's old enough. Babies are more efficient than machines, and so your body is more likely to adapt to the nutritional and volume needs of the baby. We had a lactation consultant and she was amazing. DS didn't have a latch, and with her help, we were able to get him on the breast in 4 days!

Third, I also started with low supply. My doctor recommended Weleda Nursing Tea. It has everything in it (mentioned in prior posts) that help increase milk supply. It is a medicinal tea, so the instructions have to be followed specifically to get the best results. And, I started with 5 cups per day, and then transitioned down to three. It makes you smell like maple syrup.

Finally, check out baby-lead weaning. It's a process where the child decides when to take on solid foods. It happens naturally for most children between ages 6mo-9mo. In that, the idea is "before one, food is just for fun!" and after one, it becomes nutrition. My son started eating solids (not mushed or pureed, you feed normal food) at 8 mo, but his nutrition was breast milk. Then, around 14 months, he started eating food for nutrition, and I knew this because how he nursed changed (he still nursed until age 3) as well as my body composition with it.

What the child eats definitely affects supply. If the child is getting more nutrition from food, then supply drops. If the child is getting more nutrition from milk, supply stays up.

And if you can get a lactation consultant and train your daughter onto the breast (even if your wife works, she can pump for work, and nurse morning/evenings -- lots of moms do this!), it will definitely help her body keep the supply going.

Good luck with everything! You're doing an awesome job and taking on a lot of hard work with all of that pumping! And congratulations on your baby girl!

[zoebird]

I hate to say it -- as much as I love Gwamma -- but she is woefully misinformed abotu breastmilk. In fact, her statement is utter nonsense and absolutely unsupported by major health organizations and science.

Breastmilk is designed to be the sole food of human infants for up to 8 years. I know that it seems strange in our culture to think of an "8 yr old* as an infant, but based on our fellow primates and similar research, our breast milk can sustain children for a long time. Natural Age for Weaning (PhD research).

The WHO recommends breast feeding children for at least two years -- and in developing nations, even longer. The reason being is because the food and water supplies in developing nations are not as sustainable as in developed nations. The body will filter everything and *provide the best nutrition* for the children, providing them the opportunity to thrive and far less exposure to disease in water or food. It also provides human growth hormone, immunity antibodies (similar to vaccination theory) from the mother, and overall is the best nutrition for infants.

The AAP recommends *at least one year* of breast milk, and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends going to at least 2 years of age because it increases health and immune function in the infant -- and they recommend "longer so long as it is mutually desired."

At the very least, mothers can provide the required nutrition for up to two years -- with or without food. (source)

It might also be helpful to understand how milk is developed in our bodies -- and that the nutritional needs of the infant change over time, and so, therefore does our milk. So long as the lactating mother is healthy, consuming enough calories and nutrition (including support like herbal teas), and getting the proper stimulation (pump or nursling), and has adequate supply overall, then the milk will meet the nutritional needs of the child. (kellymom.com)

Another cue is teeth. Babies generally do not have teeth until they are around a year old, at which time they will start taking food for nutrition -- while still relying on breastmilk to fill any gaps in nutrition, as well as provide human growth hormone, immune antibodies (from the mother -- works like vaccines), and the additional fats that their bodies and brains need to grow. This is why the baby-lead weaning movement focuses on "play/experiment" with food starting between 8-10 months, and most will then start to actually eat after they get *teeth* -- between 1 yr and 1.5 years. (baby-led weaning)

I know that a lot of people pressure others to feed their baby a lot of food starting at 6 months -- because of fears around breastmilk not providing, etc. But breast milk is amazingly adaptable.

I really wish people would stop giving outdated advice about breast milk. *le sigh*

[NZ primal Gwamma]

Hmmmmm Zoes - we will beg to differ on this one, and thats okay.......... I think that my opinion is possibly irrelevent, as long as the op does his homework and makes himself an informed choice.

[Ayla2010]

Zoebird is right.
Also its all about supply and demand. The more you feed the more you produce. Pumping is a little harder, as it doesn't replicate a baby exactly, but I think pumping more could help.
I don't know if I missed it, but how come the baby isn't feeding of the breast?

[Ayla2010]

Make sure wife is eating enough, and try pumping for longer periods more frequently. She could also try some lactation supplements like fennel essential oils, fenugreek, more milk plus, and mother's milk tea. Just tossing some ideas out there. Worse comes to worst, you can look up to see if there is a local chapter of eats on feets.

Agree with this too.
No need to give formula, and def not milk from another species. Donated milk would be much better.
Also look up baby led solids. Babies can eat what you eat, no need for purees.
But at 6 months, breastmilk needs to be their main diet, food really is just for fun until after 1, for exploring more than anything. Their nutrition should come from breastmilk .

[Ayla2010]

Oh and remember that what your wife can pump is not an indication of supply as I said babies are more efficient at getting it out.

[mcgruff]

My wife tried feeding from the breast, but our daughter just hasn't taken to it. My wife and daughter could try again, but it never worked in the past. Even if it works, my wife would still pump since she works and there are plenty of times where having milk by bottle is practically necessary.

FWIW, my wife does have a hospital-grade pump provided by our insurance.

I wouldn't say that my wife is underproducing although it would make my wife feel good if she could produce more. I of course understand all of the ideals about babies subsisting almost exclusively on breast milk a long time, avoiding formula, feeding right from the breast rather than via pump, etc., but mostly I just want to do what I can to make things easier on my wife, and I do hope to avoid putting any sort of idealistic principles ahead of that goal.

I'm also sort of wondering if plain full-fat organic yogurt, perhaps goat's yogurt, is a possible addition to our daughter's diet.

[Ayla2010]

I wouldn't do that no.
What about the suggestion of getting donated milk?
It is very safe, the mothers who donate will get whatever blood tests you need to show they don't have anything. That would def take the strain off.
How many times a day is she pumping now.
Honestly your baby doesn't need other food just yet.

I also think its worth a shot to get a lactation consultant to help you try to attach your baby, you never know its very likely to work, and that will also make it less stressful.

[Ayla2010]

also are you feeding your baby on demand rather than to a schedule?
This is also important, they know when they are hungry.

[Dragonfly]

This site may be helpful if your wife would like to try the breast again: http://www.biologicalnurturing.com/