Thanks!!!

Thanks to all of you wonderful ladies for your tips on boosting supply. I appreciate them and will take them to heart. I think the biggest reason my milk is low is lack of sleep. The move didn't help what with stress levels and also my body is going hormonally crazy right now (typical post-partum hair loss, break-outs, bad ovulation pain, hunger cravings, etc), but it's mostly that they say to build your supply you should nurse around the clock, which I've been doing for 2 months now, but they also say you need rest to encourage more milk supply. How can I get more rest if I'm nursing around the clock and am a total zombie most days? This has been my dilemma.

Also, at an appointment a couple of weeks ago Justus was weighed and he was so tiny it scared me a bit! He had only gained about half a pound in over a month and a half and was 11.5#. My husband and I were very exhausted and frustrated and both felt that trying some formula was a necessity at this point. We offered it for 2 weeks before he started taking it. Instantly, in the last few days, he has started to plump up and I'm anxious to see what he weighs at his 4-month check-up today. However, I feel very strongly about the benefits of breastmilk and want to build my supply back up so we can use little, if any, formula for the duration of his first year. For a couple of days recently he didn't seem to be getting anything out of me and wouldn't nurse at all and would bite me hard each time. However, in the middle of the night especially is when I have my best milk supply so I've continued nursing every couple of hours all night, giving lengthy feedings, afraid to use formula at night lest all my milk dry up completely, but so desperately wanting to give him that formula at night so I could sleep more. I hardly seem to have any milk for him during the daytime hours. Maybe because I'm busy taking care of the other kids then?

As it is, I nurse first before I offer a bottle during the day and he drinks for about 15-20 minutes on me and then can guzzle a 4 oz. bottle of formula too. He seems to have gotten roly-poly thighs and chubby cheeks overnight. Which makes me wonder if I was starving my kid before I started supplementing? I'll check with his doctor today and see what he recommends.

I tried beer because it was recommended by a Christian pediatrician we know as well as some other friends. I know there are differing views on it. I used to be horrified when my neighbors would always tell me to drink a beer when Jer was a baby. Apparently it is common practice among all the women in Mexico who are nursing a baby. At any rate, I don't like it so hopefully with rest and more frequent nursings I can avoid having to use it or use Brewer's yeast instead! Although we normally just use the pacifier when Justus is drifting off to sleep or in stores when I can't nurse him right away, I will be trying to limit its' use until my supply builds back up.

I've looked at kellymom.com before and had forgotten about it! Thank you to all of you who gave me tips! Due to a cold snap of zero degree weather (I know...I know... that's warm to you Minnesotans!) I'm staying home a lot this week and just laying around trying to rest! Believe it or not, when Justus is well-fed, he is our happiest and easiest baby, although none of our babies have been hard and Jer, especially, was very smiley and easy too!

P.S. This time of year, I don't need any encouragement to beef up on calories!
P.P.S. Body fat isn't an issue! I have plenty! =)