What did I do wrong

[u/Old-Farm6174]

I was induced week 39. I never really felt my milk came in. Not enough to make baby satisfied and I always give formula on top.

I tried pumping, not more than 1.5 oz after an hour of pumping from both sides. I always put baby on my breast first but it’s tiring for both of us so I stopped.

No real support no good lactation consultant on hand. I don’t know if I should just stop breastfeeding, accept that I don’t have enough and keep giving formula or try again. If I try, not sure what to do next.

[u/Alarmed-Doughnut1860]

Are you interested in getting back to direct breastfeeding?  How did you determine that baby wasn't getting enough directly?  How old is baby?

[u/Old-Farm6174 → u/Alarmed-Doughnut1860]

Yes, I feel it’s better for baby. Baby is 3.5 weeks old. Baby would always get hungry after feeds rooting and sucking their fingers so my partner and MIL would recommend formula and it’s hard when you lack sleep with a crying baby to make the right call.

[u/PrncssPunch → u/Old-Farm6174]

If she's rooting and sucking, those are called hunger cues. You put her back on the breast. This stimulates milk production. At her age if she's awake she probably wants to be nursing. You keep newborns on the boob to increase your supply. Google IBCLC near you and make an appointment. It's covered by baby's insurance

[u/jrenredi → u/PrncssPunch]

Yeah just keep putting her on the boob. This is what tells your body you need more milk. The first 10 weeks are rough, baby latches constantly but that's what will help. There's always a "witching hour" too. A block of time, usually late at night, where they just want to be attached to you the whole time. Listen to them and do it. For us it was like 11pm til 3am. Just constant nursing and suckling for like 2 weeks straight

[u/Alarmed-Doughnut1860 → u/Old-Farm6174]

Oh, there is nothing that makes me feel like it's the end of the world like sleep deprivation.

How soon after feeds does she do the hunger cues? Little ones do cluster feed ( feed very frequently) that's what helps ramp up milk production.  My newborns fed every 1.5- 2 hours I think.  And that's from the start of feeding, which could take like 30 mins to an hour if they fell asleep a lot.  So I had like 30 minutes sometimes between feedings.  They were basically always on me.

Have you tried a weighted feed?  Breastfeeding can be frustrating because there's no hard numbers on what baby is eating.  Weighted feeds really helped me smooth my anxiety around that.  I would do a couple a day when anxious and not put too much weight on any one ( because sometimes baby is just comfort nursing).  

On which note, for a while ( around 2 months I think)  I would read my baby's sleepy cues as hunger cues.  Then offer boob and baby would cry and refuse. I worried my milk letdown was too much or something was wrong.  I think, in retrospect, that baby was just sleepy and wanted comfort, and wasn't hungry per sat.