Hungry hungry hippo

It never crossed my mind that I wouldn't be able to breastfeed Santiago.

When I was pregnant, I bought nursing bras, tank tops and covers for nursing in public. I assumed that it would be easy. It's this natural things that mammals do, nurse our young. I have what he needs and I thought he'd instinctually know what to do and want to do it.

I was SO wrong. Breastfeeding is hard. Our situation was made even harder by several factors. His poor little heart doesn't have the stamina to work as hard as he needs to, to get the calories he needs to gain weight and then there was that awful nurse that gave him his first bottle. The bottle that derailed all previous work we did with the lactation nurse. Since then it's been all bottles. Just the sight of my boobs makes him scream with terror.

Sorry to sound like a milk snob, but I cant even think about giving him straight formula. Not at his age. I want him to have breast milk with all it's nutrients and antibodies. And that's what he gets. Yes, I do fortify with a high calorie formula to help him pack on the pounds, but not every bottle. Sometimes, I give him freshly pumped milk, nothing added, just pure mommy goodness.

Because of this determination to give him only the BEST, I spend 3+ hours a day pumping milk in 20 minute increments. I even pump overnight. After his 2am feeding, I stay up and pump, pump, pump.

Last week, I noticed my supply getting low and I freaked the F out! Every time I pumped, I seemed to get less and less milk. If I run out, he is left with nothing but formula. Just the thought breaks my heart and makes me feel
like a failure.

So I searched the Internet for milk making suggestions and found some advice. In addition to pumping religiously around the clock, I started taking fanugreek, more milk plus and drinking nursing support tea throughout the day. Plus I have some more supplements on the way.

I was skeptical at first, but the proof is in the output. It's working! Just in time too. Santi is now taking 90+ ml at each feed. I call him my hungry hungry hippo.