How to find the time to restart breastfeeding?

Discussion in 'The First Year' started by onigame, Aug 10, 2017.

  1. onigame

    onigame New Member

    Our twins are 6.5 weeks old now, but they are having maybe 98% formula feeding :(

    We'd like to breastfeed more, but with the amount of time needed to take care of them, the wife can only afford to pump 1-2 times a day, which isn't nearly enough to keep the flow up. We'd be lucky to get 1 ounce from her breasts a day. Since she isn't producing enough, the twins get frustrated easy whenever she tries breastfeeding.

    It feels like the only way to get her to have the time to pump 8 times a day would require us to hire one, if not two, full-time nannies (and right now both me and her mother-in-law are helping), which the wife doesn't want because she doesn't get to spend time with them.

    Does anyone have any advice for us? Should she be offering the breast every chance she gets instead of playing with them, reading to them, etc.? Or should we just forget about the breasts and let them dry up?
     
    Ivory likes this.
  2. Ivory

    Ivory Member

    If you both would like to restart breastfeeding, than pumping at the times your babies are being bottled fed would help her to produce more. By doing it at the same time, for the amount of time it take for the babies to feed, you'll both be able to get on a scedule, and she will still have time to play and read to them.

    There are supplements and things that can help with milk production. Lactation cookies helped me a little, as did the supplement pills. However what worked the best is pumping at least once an hour. Making sure to pump on both breasts for a little longer after no more milk is coming out.( It tells her body more milk is needed to be produced)

    Drinking lots of water, staying hydrated plays a major roll. I went from producing 1 oz to 3 or 4 within a day by staying hydrated. Making sure to eat enough calories. An extra 1000 to 1200 a day will make a huge difference!! And breastfeeding or pumping in the beginning will burn those calories very quickly! Seeing a lactation constant will help a lot!

    Also having a snack and something to drink while pumping will help a lot! It never failed, when I would start pumping I would get hungry and extremely thirsty!

    I hope this helps!
     
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