Our Blessing

Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers

Our Blessing Number 2

Lilypie First Birthday tickers

Friday, May 30, 2008

Back To Formula!

Please be in prayer for Joshua and myself (Christa). We had Joshua weighed and looked at yesterday. At three months old, he is only 9 pounds. The doctor told Daniel and I that Joshua really needs to put on some more weight. So, we are back to formula. The only problem is, I am not producing enough milk to feed Joshua. I have tried some things, and will try one more to see if I can produce more. Please be in prayer for me. Because I am taking this really hard, and am not ready to face one more disappointment, I have seemed to have enter into a depression stage. I am not ready to give up nursing my baby, but am hurt when eveyrthing I try is not helping!

11 comments:

The Serven Clan said...

Dear Christa,

Just a little note to encourage you.

My mom had a hard time nursing each of us . . . with each baby, it got a little easier. In the early years she connected with the La Leche League when us older children were babies. With later children, she found the tincture More Milk" to be helpful. There was also a tea called Mother's Milk which was beneficial. She would have to block out other distractions, relax, be in a quiet, darker room, and just focus on nursing. We supplemented with goats milk for some of the children and that went well.

As far as being discouraged, which is something which I have struggled with, purpose to set your mind on the things that are true--God loves you, Daniel loves you (I can almost guarantee : ), your family loves you, God has called you to care for this little one and He will equip you for His glory and your and little Joshua's good. Remember His steadfast love and faithfulness.

Praying for you (and I have been each day for a long time : ) ,

Rebecca

Daniel and Christa Blanchard said...

Rebecca,

Thank you for your encouragement! I am working with a lady who is part of the La Leche League. She has agreed with my Mom on the Mother's Milk tea, and that is my next thing to try! My only concern is, that this has been a problem since Joshua was born, and I am afraid it is too late.

Would you do the goats milk without formula or with formula. I do not like to use formula, but if it is the only way to help Joshua gain weight, I am trying to over look it.

Thank you for your prayers

Christa

The Serven Clan said...

Dear Christa,

I'm so glad you connected with La Leche! Mom is not at home right now, but I'll ask her your question regarding formula/goats milk combination. There have been several of us babies who did quite poorly at first (myself, Lydia, Joel), but as Mom kept persevering, we turned the corner and pulled through just fine. So, I wouldn't AT ALL think that it is too late. You guys will have to use wisdom to discern the best direction. I'm not up on all the latest regarding formula : ) but as a general rule, it seems that the closer you can get to the way God created it, the better. I've heard from many that goats milks is the closest to mothers milk (in the molecular structure, etc). It worked wonders for Andrew. Because we had a good source for goats milk he was the chubbiest baby! And he is still a manly young man. : )

Also, on the discouragement thing, I was mindful of something that the Lord has used to encourage me recently. My emotions can be here, there, and everywhere, but the truth is that God is the same. Even though I may feel ____, it is well with my soul. And that is what counts.

Rejoicing in His love,
Rebecca

P. S. I'll ask Mom and get back to you on your question. (Probably Monday).

lcrmum said...

Nettle tea is also a good one to use as well as fenugreek tea. I have used both of these as well as the mothers milk and it worked well. But the other thing you can try and to nurse for very long periods of time even 30 minutes or more on each side which will stimulate your body to produce more. And yes if you are tired or stressed that can affect your milk supply. a quiet dark place to nurse would be a good idea.

You can also get a special tube that Joshua can get the formula out of but it is hooked to your breast so it stimulates your body and will produce more each time he feeds as well as when you nurse. so he will be getting them both.

Please know you are in our prayers.

Hugs

Patti xxx

Anonymous said...

I am feeling for you! I had problems nursing our first. I think that being a first time Mama, our bodies some times have a hard time adjusting. I am sure that has alot to do with hormones, stress of being a first time mama, and the like. Keep at it. Eat oat meal, it really helps produce more milk and a high quality milk. Dont give up on nursing. I understand where you are coming from, but you still have milk, you just need to focus on helping your body produce more. Nurse often, dont let him sleep though the night. When you are nursing, pray! Have Daniel pray with you. This will help get you to relax! Trust me! It worked for me! Every one else has great advice. Most important PRAY! God can do anything! We serve an amazing God! *hugs* Let me know how it goes, or if you just want to chat for support give me an e-mail. aaronamber@aol.com
Amber King (I know your mom though the PW's e-mail group)

Darren Whittemore said...

Hi Christa,

There is a medication called Domperidone that helps you make more milk. If you'd like to know how to get it, email me at texaswhittemores@comcast.net It really does help. I'm on it currently. You have to buy it online from New Zealand, though.

In Christ,
Holly Whittemore

The Serven Clan said...

Dear Christa,

Sorry it took longer than I had thought to reply . . . I finally had a chance to ask Mom about the nursing question last night. Things are busy! : )

Let's see . . . where to start!?

The most important thing she would encourage you, is to connect with a real live person who can be there, sitting right next to you. Internet is great, but when you are learning to nurse, you just can't substitute a real person for an on-line help forum. She was glad to hear you are open to connecting with a La Leche woman, a lactation counselor, etc. She said it would be really wonderful to connect with one soon. Try to find a woman who you can be comfortable with, who can help coach you on-site. They will be a wealth of knowledge. If I remember right, you might be going up north too to visit your mom? I'm sure she will be able to help too if she has any experience with nursing.

Mom said there are tons of factors why things might not be "working". It is almost impossible to "diagnose" something like this in a clinical fashion. Nursing is a very organic kind of thing.

Mom mentioned how you might want to keep two aspects in mind: nourishment and nurture. In an ideal world, nursing can accomplish both factors. When you are learning to nurse and it is being a challenge, sometimes you need to set aside something to make sure that you are really nourishing and nurturing. i.e. using goat milk or formula to nourish/supplement, but still nurture through loving your baby, being close to him, etc. Nursing is not a download-able skill or automatic reflux where you can push a button and turn it "on". It is more of an art than science.

Mom said that it is certainly never too late to incorporate aspects of nursing. You will learn more things as you go along with each baby, so don't feel like you have to do everything "perfect" with your first. There is no "perfect"--just wisdom in each situation to know what the Lord has for you and the baby at that point.

I hope I'm making a sense . . . I'm sure Mom would be able to verbalize this much better, but I'm trying to remember everything she said! : )

We'll be praying the Lord gives you and Daniel wisdom and peace as you discern how He would have you care for Joshua.

In Christ,
Rebecca for Mom Serven : )

Daniel and Christa Blanchard said...

Thank you everybody for your help and encouragement! It means a lot to me.

Joshua is nursing what he can and than having organic formula to fill him up, and Joshua has gained a pound in three days

Thank you for your prayers!

Anonymous said...

Hi Christa, I found your blog through your mom's blog. I know how hard it is to nurse your baby being a first time mom. You have gotten so much wonderful advice. I hope you don't mind me sharing something that helped me with nursing. I noticed in some of your pictures your little angel using a pacifier. That was a big problem with my daughter that she used it a lot. A doctor told me that instead of comporting her with the pacifier to latch her onto the breast. I did as she recommened I threw away the pacifiers (which was so hard to do). Every time she cried my first instinct was to reach for the pacifier. But with it gone, I started latchig her on and using nursing to comfort her instead. It worked she started eating more and gaining weight!!!! I was so happy!!! I know using a pacifier is a very personal choice I was all for them... with my other pregnancies I have opted out of using them. For me that was what was drying out my milk.. I will be praying for you and your little angel!!!
God Bless,
Kit

Mrs. Pear said...

Hi,

I really have no advice or ideas to add aside from the wonderful ones you have already received, I just wanted to encourage you! You are such a great mom to be trying so hard and be so dedicated! Hang in there!

Blessings!

Kristy

P.S. I found your blog through your mom's - how else! I will offer the only help I can, prayer.

Anonymous said...

Hi Christa! I have been following your blog a bit and since I am a doula, childbirth educator, and student midwife, I thought I could pop in with some nursing advice.

1. Cut out pacifiers!!! EVERY time your baby wants to suck it should be on your breast. Breastfeeding is a supply and demand relationship, so the more sucking (even just comfort sucking) he is doing, the better.

2. I'm sure you are already doing this, but ALWAYS nurse FIRST when he's hungry, then feed him formula or goats milk after he is finished at the breast (or look below for an alternative).

3. If you can buy a SNS system (a bag connected to a tiny tube) it would help prevent nipple confusion and increase his sucking on your breasts, which will stimulate more milk to be produced. Here is how it works: you fill a small bag with supplementary milk (formula or goats milk) and then the tiny tube goes in the corner of your baby's mouth while nursing. That way he is associating being full with the breast, which will increase his desire to nurse and increase your milk, God willing. This also prevents nipple confusion due to being switched between a bottle and the breast.

4. Make sure you are getting a good, strong latch. The lactation consultant can help with this and she can do some one-on-one assistance and counseling, which is a great help.

5. If you are not cosleeping and babywearing (sling/wrap), I would recommend trying it. The more skin contact you have with your baby, the more your breasts will be stimulated and the close proximity of food to your baby may prompt him to feed more often. Nursing at night (via cosleeping) is a huge key in keeping up your milk supply, if it is naturally a little low. If Joshua is sleeping through the night, I would wake him up 2-3 times during the night to nurse---again, supply and demand!

6. You can probably rent a breast pump through la leche league if you don't own one. AFTER each nursing, stimulate your breasts with a breast pump (even if there is no milk coming out) for 5-15 minutes on each side.

7. Try both the herbal teas that prior posters suggested and also alfalfa tablets. Make sure they don't have mint in the ingredients list. Start with 1 tablet with each meal and work up to 3 tablets with each meal. Alfalfa HUGELY encourages milk production and also provides lots of good nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

8. Try Hops tea (3 teabags in a small mug of boiling hot water. Cover with a saucer and steep for 30 minutes. Sweeten with honey and drink) at night before you go to bed (because it can make you drowsy). The Hops herb is an excellent breastmilk stimulant when brewed at the proper medicinal strength.

That's all I could think of right now, I hope some of this info helps. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or anything. I will be praying for you and your family.

A Sister in Christ,
Jessica I.
Fayetteville, NC
doulagurl18@yahoo.com
www.freewebs.com/handmaidenbirthservices