In order to build your supply up you need to stimulate your breasts more. There are basically two ways to do this. The first is to get the baby to feed more at the breast and the second is to pump or hand express (as well as breastfeeding) until baby is drinking enough at the breast.
You need to be pumping at least
eight times a day (in 24 hours). This is an average of every three hours, usually we suggest every two hours during the day and every four hours at night.
How you give the formula milk to your baby also makes a big difference. Bottles are likely to make breastfeeding directly much harder, especially when your supply is low because the flow of milk is slower than the bottle. This means that the baby has to work harder at the breast to get the milk and usually they are unwilling to do this after getting used to the faster flowing bottle.
There are other methods of giving the formula, for example, cups and spoons. These avoid the faster flow at the bottle problem but they still as not helping you stimulate your breasts.
The best method to stimulate your breasts and give the baby formula is by a
lactation aid. Dr. Jack Newman has a video of a lactation aid at work on his web site at
http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/newman.shtml
The video is under the heading
At-Breast Supplementer. With this lactation aid the baby can get the formula, learn to breastfeed correctly and stimulate your breast all at the same time.
If you can I’d get help from a lactation consultant or LLL leader. They will be able to review your positioning and latch-on technique and also show you how to use the lactation aid.
To contact me call 2548-7636 or e-mail
sihung7@netvigator.com
There is a story called
Nursing Della in Late-year 2005 (Vol.6 No. 3) issue of
Close to the Heart available at
http://www.lllhk.org/Publications.html which talks about using a lactation aid. This story is actually about adoptive breastfeeding rather than building your supply back up.
Best wishes,
SARAH