Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Very Hungry Ellie-pillar

Ok fellow Mommas, I need your help!  For the past week or so, Ellie has been wanting to eat pretty much constantly.  I try to just go with her flow, so when she asks for it, I feed her.  Even though it's only been 30 minutes since she stopped eating the last time.  This has literally been going on non-stop except for when Andy gives her a bottle.  After she eats that, she will go for another almost three hours before needing to eat again.  

When she gets the bottle, she wants to eat about 6 ounces.  When I pump, I get out about 3.  So I have to work really, REALLY hard for those bottles.  But it is worth it so that I can teach lessons and I don't have to sit in the nursery and feed her for the entirety of the church service.  As I've mentioned before, she's always been a slow eater - she takes about an hour.  

At one point, I was worried that her slow eating was due to my having a low supply, so I started taking (with her doctor's permission) Fenugreek, like everyone recommended.  It helped!  For a while.  I still take it, but I feel like she's just not getting enough to eat.  She eats until there's not one drop left.  And then a half hour later she wants more.  I know that kids go through growth spurts, but this has been going on for over a week.  She even stopped sleeping through the night.  Ugh.  

I did start taking a breast-feeding safe birth control pill, which I have read can cause your milk to dry up.  I'm a little worried that that's what's happening.

I just don't know what to do.  I drink water all the time.  Literally, I carry my water bottle around with me constantly, even when I go out to the store.  I'm not dieting or anything, as I've heard that that can reduce your milk supply.  I pump after every time she eats, even though there's nothing left, which I've been told to do to help increase supply.

My question is this: how long do I let this go on before I take her in to the doctor and talk to her about what to do?  Her next checkup isn't until May 6th and I just don't think I can last that long.  I mean, I spend all day attached to either a baby or a pump.  I don't even really have any way of telling if she's still gaining weight like she should be.  I just know that she's constantly screaming for food and constantly frustrated that it's not there for her.  And then if I DO take her to the doctor, what's she going to tell me aside from everything I've already tried?  She'll probably just tell me to go see a lactation consultant who will just tell me to keep doing what I've been doing and the milk will catch up with her needs.  But it seems like the more she eats, the less I have to give her.  

Last week at this time, I was pumping out around 5 ounces when she would get a bottle.  Tonight I am down to less than 3.  Help me!  What do I do?!

1 comment:

  1. sorry sweetie I don't have any idea what you should do, but it could be the pill. I'd call the doctor, or email them and see if they have any ideas for you. Good luck!

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