About to give up on breastfeeding

Thanks a lot all for your answers!... but I did it again last night :-(

I was letting my baby suck anytime he wanted during the day time, but it seems that my milk supply is quite low during night time. After his bath, I let him suck and suck until he felt asleep. I tried to put him on his bed, but then he would wake up and cry for more milk. I would let him suck again until he falls asleep again, but he would again wake up later... When it was like 12:30am, I was going to let him suck again when he refused my breasts. He was just crying and crying his lungs out, and would not latch. I gave up and gave him formula, and he drank 60ml, after which he let me put him on the bed and felt asleep on his own....... He slept till 5:45AM this morning.

.... definitely going to call LLL ...
 
hmm.. maybe it's not the amount of time he's sucking.

i also did exclusive pumping for 10 mths for both of mine. To get supply established here's what I did. Paed suggested not to go exclusive pumping so soon, what I did was, when he's crying for milk, which was on the dot every 3 hours, i put him on breast first, watch the clock for 20 min, 10 min each side (I have inverted nipples and it's very difficult to latch and takes a lot of effort on his part). then he comes off and get the rest from the bottle right away (expressed or powder), so I still get the stimulation, but even if he's having trouble getting enough milk off the breast, he'll still be full. and when he's drinking off the bottle, I go pump to empty out my breasts.

I did that for about 6 weeks until I'm more confident that I get enough supply without putting him to breast and yes, then the number of pumps reduces, as other posters has said.

It's double the work, but it did work for me for what I wanted. It's hard work for the baby as well, imagine sucking and sucking for hours, maybe he's getting frustrated too. I had similar issues, coz I have plenty of supply, but might be a latch problem or other issues that's making it more difficult to get milk out.

That was for No. 2, I went through all the emotions and confusions you have for No. 1, so i knew exactly what I wanted to do for No. 2. Just my 2 cents in case it helps..
 
one thing that I think helps with my supply is more sleep - am trying to improve on my supply myself! it's hard but if that's what you want...try to hang in there...on days that I am really tired, i just give formula and I don't feel bad about it!
 
Maybe this is obvious but remember to freeze the milk that you store up from pumping when your baby is sleeping for 6 hours. If you try to pump every 2 hours or 3 or whatever while he is sleeping, then you will definitely get enough to freeze at least the 60ml you fed him the other night, for example. And that way when he is hungry next time, after trying to feed him directly, you give him your own expressed milk, so technically you are exclusively BFing! (if that is what you are going for, of course).
 
Yes, I am also doing that. My baby is taking a long 3 to 4 hour nap in the afternoon, so these days I have been pumping and saving this ebm for later. I still let him suck and suck before bed. I just top with the breast milk (or formula) if he is still hungry and refuse to suck. I think it would be ok to top him as I already got the estimulation from his sucking.

Also I will start pumping in the middle of the night, so to increase my supply. Hopefully this will work.
 
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