Advice for new moms pls

[MikeysMom]

Hello everyone,
I am so glad to have found this awesome website. I am in need of some advice from other moms who might have been through this. I did not know where else to turn and thought that some of you might understand me better than anyone can.
I had an emergency C-Section 14 weeks ago. My pregnancy was challenging. I was ordered to bed-rest since the begining: absolute rest only getting up to go to the bathroom or doctor's office. Needless to say I had no energy nor strength to hold my baby for more than 10 mins after he was born. That had to change, so I started to walk a little and do very light lifting (3 lbs sissy weights lol), even though the doctor wanted me to wait some more but I was fed up from sitting on my fat arse. It felt so good to get up and move.
About 10 days after I started physical activity the milk supply started to drop dramatically. I called the lactation specialists at the hospital and was told that the increase in physical activity was the culprit. I was so upset, feeling that maybe I was being too selfish. Breastfeeding is important to me and I was very serious about it. I had a discussion with hubby who like me thought there was no correlation to working out and milk supply. I continued to work out, increasing the cardio to 30 mins 5 times/week and going up to 5 lbs weights (woohoo) . I also started to take supplements to increase the milk supply but of course with my luck the supply kept dropping. So I stopped working out and noticed that the supply stayed the same wasn't going down. I feel like a fat cow and at this point am very unhappy with myself. But if I start working out there might be no more milk for my baby. As is I'm supplementing with formula and feeling guilty.
Has anyone else ever experienced or heard anything like this?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[rockangel]

Hello everyone,
I am so glad to have found this awesome website. I am in need of some advice from other moms who might have been through this. I did not know where else to turn and thought that some of you might understand me better than anyone can.
I had an emergency C-Section 14 weeks ago. My pregnancy was challenging. I was ordered to bed-rest since the begining: absolute rest only getting up to go to the bathroom or doctor's office. Needless to say I had no energy nor strength to hold my baby for more than 10 mins after he was born. That had to change, so I started to walk a little and do very light lifting (3 lbs sissy weights lol), even though the doctor wanted me to wait some more but I was fed up from sitting on my fat arse. It felt so good to get up and move.
About 10 days after I started physical activity the milk supply started to drop dramatically. I called the lactation specialists at the hospital and was told that the increase in physical activity was the culprit. I was so upset, feeling that maybe I was being too selfish. Breastfeeding is important to me and I was very serious about it. I had a discussion with hubby who like me thought there was no correlation to working out and milk supply. I continued to work out, increasing the cardio to 30 mins 5 times/week and going up to 5 lbs weights (woohoo) . I also started to take supplements to increase the milk supply but of course with my luck the supply kept dropping. So I stopped working out and noticed that the supply stayed the same wasn't going down. I feel like a fat cow and at this point am very unhappy with myself. But if I start working out there might be no more milk for my baby. As is I'm supplementing with formula and feeling guilty.
Has anyone else ever experienced or heard anything like this?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I dont know about any correlation but i can relate my experience,.

With both of my kids, i did not produce enough milk to feed them. My breasts were HUGE, I ended up being a 38D, however, i could literally pump for hours and get two onces of breast milk. It took two weeks to figure out why my son was crying all the time (cause he wasnt getting enough food!) and we had to formula feed.

Once again in my second pregnancy, the same happened, my boobs got huge but made no milk. This time we just formula fed.


Both of my kids are healthy and active and have no issues from formula. So it happens. Dont feel guilty for formula feeding. Yes its bettere to breast feed but for some this doesnt happen. Your child will not lose out on anything nor is he getting "stinted". As long as he is growing properly and is healthy. thats all you need to worry about.

I know its tough as a new mom you want to do everything right, but its not always possible and you shouldnt hold yourself up to some level of perfection.

Parenting is the hardest thing in the world. You have this little person who depends on you wholly and you have to teach them what they need to know so they can flourish in the world. Its not easy but all you can do is your best. If your body wont produce enough milk. then there is little you can do. So stop worrying about it, love your new baby, and enjoy your family. Dont fret over the small stuff. Your baby will be fine and having a happy mom is better for your whole family.

[discdoggie]

Hello everyone,
I am so glad to have found this awesome website. I am in need of some advice from other moms who might have been through this. I did not know where else to turn and thought that some of you might understand me better than anyone can.
I had an emergency C-Section 14 weeks ago. My pregnancy was challenging. I was ordered to bed-rest since the begining: absolute rest only getting up to go to the bathroom or doctor's office. Needless to say I had no energy nor strength to hold my baby for more than 10 mins after he was born. That had to change, so I started to walk a little and do very light lifting (3 lbs sissy weights lol), even though the doctor wanted me to wait some more but I was fed up from sitting on my fat arse. It felt so good to get up and move.
About 10 days after I started physical activity the milk supply started to drop dramatically. I called the lactation specialists at the hospital and was told that the increase in physical activity was the culprit. I was so upset, feeling that maybe I was being too selfish. Breastfeeding is important to me and I was very serious about it. I had a discussion with hubby who like me thought there was no correlation to working out and milk supply. I continued to work out, increasing the cardio to 30 mins 5 times/week and going up to 5 lbs weights (woohoo) . I also started to take supplements to increase the milk supply but of course with my luck the supply kept dropping. So I stopped working out and noticed that the supply stayed the same wasn't going down. I feel like a fat cow and at this point am very unhappy with myself. But if I start working out there might be no more milk for my baby. As is I'm supplementing with formula and feeling guilty.
Has anyone else ever experienced or heard anything like this?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I have never heard of the correlation between physical activity and milk supply. I never had a problem with making milk. Actually, I had the opposite problem. But if that's true, and 'twere me and my babies, I'd go with cutting out the activity so I could feed them. For me (and this is JUST me--- please don't get offended or take this as any kind of judgement on your personal decision to supplement with formula), formula is the last resort. As in, only-option-because-I-tried-everything-else-to-produce-my-own-milk last resort.

[heidismommy]

I have never heard of the correlation between physical activity and milk supply. I never had a problem with making milk. Actually, I had the opposite problem. But if that's true, and 'twere me and my babies, I'd go with cutting out the activity so I could feed them. For me (and this is JUST me--- please don't get offended or take this as any kind of judgement on your personal decision to supplement with formula), formula is the last resort. As in, only-option-because-I-tried-everything-else-to-produce-my-own-milk last resort.

I agree with this completely.

[MuscleMom]

Increase in physical activity = less cals to produce milk. I would up the cals a bit if you want to keep your activity level the same.

[discdoggie]

Increase in physical activity = less cals to produce milk. I would up the cals a bit if you want to keep your activity level the same.

That makes sense, but the "extra fat" that MOST (not all, of course) women put on their hips, butt and thighs during pregnancy provides ample energy to make milk throughout lactation. Usually. I did not up my calorie intake at all for nursing, yet my bra cups runneth over.

[skinnyfatlean]

make sure your water intake is enough. I drank alot and my boobs were just bursting with milk and I fed for a year with no formula . However what I will say is...dont beat yourself up if you have to mix the feeds. How you react to hormones is unique to you, how a baby feeds from the breast is unique to them so try not to worry. The thing is you have tried/trying. Just do whatever is best, discuss with your partner and other mums if you have to. I dropped 10lbs within 3 weeks of stopping BF without altering my diet. When my son was 1yrs old I was only feeding him the night feed as he was weaned by then but it took to drop that last feed to drop the pounds, obv cos of the hormones I was still producing.
enjoy your baby, enjoy your work out, a happy mum is a good mum.

[birdiefu]

If establishing a nursing relationship is important to you, I would work on that right now. Especially in the early days of nursing, it is so easy to screw up your milk supply and go down the slippery slope of supplementation that almost always will lead to no nursing. I know you want to get back into shape, but looking at the lifetime of your child and the possible life-long health benefits you can impart on him/her, you starting to work out now or postponing it another month to get your nursing more established should be a no brainer.

Some basic things - make sure you are keeping demand up and are nursing at least every 2 hours with your newborn. Make sure you are getting enough sleep (hard, I know!), drinking a lot of water, and not eating at a deficit. What kinds of galactagogues have you been using? If fenugreek, you need to take enough so that you start smelling like maple syrup. Regardless, it should not be the exercise that causes you to lose your supply, though I realize that not everyone is the same.

Kellymom is a great resource for evidence-based breastfeeding info, I would highly recommend you browse most of it, but here are two relevant pages:

http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifes...-exercise.html
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mo...eightloss.html

You have a lot to recover from, and I would do as your doc says and postpone your exercising as your body heals and you get to know your baby. Congrats!

[Rowyn]

Did you start supplementing with formula when your baby seemed hungry? Babies naturally go through growth spurts in which they will have a couple of days of being extra fussy and hungry and nursing alot. Many moms will become worried about this since baby seems hungry (they are!), and give formula. Here's the problem: all that extra nursing the baby wants to do serves a purpose---to increase your milk supply. When you supplement, the baby doesn't continue to try to nurse more frequently since he is full. Your milk supply, then, does not go through the natural increase it should to meet the baby's demands and you get into a viscious cycle in which baby grows, needs more milk and needs to stimulate your body to produce more, but instead gets a bottle. This is when many women accidentally fall off the breast feeding route. Once your milk supply stops keeping up with baby, it is very difficult (sometimes impossible) to catch it back up.

How much you can pump does not correlate to how much baby gets per feeding. Many women do not let down properly with a pump (verus a baby nursing), and most do not produce as much milk with a pump even when they do let down (this is why some women who pump at work take a pic of the baby to look at while they pump, it actually stimulates milk production). Some women can pump easily, others not. I exclusively breast fed my kids but could never pump more than 2 ounces per breast at any one time.

The first 6-8 weeks of nursing are critical to establishing a longterm milk supply, especially for those who want to breastfeed exclusively with no supplementations. If it seems to help your milk supply to take it easy and back off activity, then you should do so.

[kimm4]

Increase in physical activity = less cals to produce milk. I would up the cals a bit if you want to keep your activity level the same.

Exactly.^^

If you want to continue working out, then you need to up your calories to make up for it. Most nursing women need to be eating anywhere from 300-500 calories over their maintenance numbers to keep a healthy milk supply.

[smdiskin]

Did you start supplementing with formula when your baby seemed hungry? Babies naturally go through growth spurts in which they will have a couple of days of being extra fussy and hungry and nursing alot. Many moms will become worried about this since baby seems hungry (they are!), and give formula. Here's the problem: all that extra nursing the baby wants to do serves a purpose---to increase your milk supply. When you supplement, the baby doesn't continue to try to nurse more frequently since he is full. Your milk supply, then, does not go through the natural increase it should to meet the baby's demands and you get into a viscious cycle in which baby grows, needs more milk and needs to stimulate your body to produce more, but instead gets a bottle. This is when many women accidentally fall off the breast feeding route. Once your milk supply stops keeping up with baby, it is very difficult (sometimes impossible) to catch it back up.

How much you can pump does not correlate to how much baby gets per feeding. Many women do not let down properly with a pump (verus a baby nursing), and most do not produce as much milk with a pump even when they do let down (this is why some women who pump at work take a pic of the baby to look at while they pump, it actually stimulates milk production). Some women can pump easily, others not. I exclusively breast fed my kids but could never pump more than 2 ounces per breast at any one time.

The first 6-8 weeks of nursing are critical to establishing a longterm milk supply, especially for those who want to breastfeed exclusively with no supplementations. If it seems to help your milk supply to take it easy and back off activity, then you should do so.

This... espceially regarding the formula supplementation

Exactly.^^

If you want to continue working out, then you need to up your calories to make up for it. Most nursing women need to be eating anywhere from 300-500 calories over their maintenance numbers to keep a healthy milk supply.

and this

Never specifically heard of activity reducing milk production
I had a baby last year by emergency C section at 32 weeks (with pancake boobs) and I did restart gently exercise at about 12 weeks... just walking before that... the recommendation to wait that long is to do with the amount of time it takes to heal from surgery which is cutting across the abs... I breast fed for almost 11 months... and baby grew nicely... however in teh first few weeks I was feeding on demand... not on the schedule they gave me in the hospital... so at one point he was eating every hour and a half... not fun... but it settled to every 2 hours in the day and 3 at night fairly quickly...
I think as Rowyn pointed out it is important not to supplement as this effectively will reduce the milk supply... in general boobs will make as much milk as the baby needs and if a feed is being replaced... then the boobs won't make that amount of milk...
And while we all want to get back into some sort of shape after having the baby... strict dieting and breastfeeding don't go well together... it took 9 months to get the weight on... so it's not going to come off overnight... as Kimm pointed out milk production needs some 3-500calories a day... think of it in terms of baby needs 3-500cals per day to grow, rather than you needing it...
Stressing about this may also be reducing the milk supply...
All the best... hope it goes ok..

[discdoggie]

Some women can pump easily, others not. I exclusively breast fed my kids but could never pump more than 2 ounces per breast at any one time.



.

Me either. I sucked at pumping.

[MikeysMom]

Thank you all for your advice and well wishes. I have a meeting Wed with this very professional and knowledgeable lady from LaLeche League that came highly recommended from a girlfriend of mine who had supply problems.
Maybe its just my luck and my body, but I never reduced my food intake. Since this started my mom inquires daily about what and how much I eat, lol.
I am currently taking Fenugreek and Goat's Rue. I tried More Milk Plus drops and Mother's Milk herbal tea without any great results.
I even tried a special shake made out of coconut water, scallions and milk (old wives tale thing). I deserve a medal for downing that. I tried non-alcohoolic beer which supposedly helps. Teehee.
I tried power pumping, weekend baby-feeding solely (this is a method where all a mom does is hold/feed/smell/see her baby).
I fell into the trap of supplementing with formula because my son was born small weight wise. I shouldn't have done it but too late now.
I was also told that I need to be calm and relaxed in order to get good results. I failed that test miserably by stressing myself stupid.
I'm trying my best every day. This breasfeeding thing is hard ya'll, LOL.
Thank you again ladies for taking time out of your busy lives to help me with this issue. God Bless!

[smdiskin]

Don't worry... as long as you are producing milk it will sort itself out...
Assuming you stopped the supplementing the milk can come back... natures great like that...
I know your worry... my baby was under 4lbs whan I took him home and I was afraid he wasn't going to eat enough... but I ignored the nurses in the hospital who wer insisting on the 4 hour feeding schedule... maybe that's fine for formula but not for breast fed... and he fed on demand... by the time he was 8 weeks old... so the time he should ahve arrived he was a comfortable 8.5lbs... and has kept growing nicely... good solid gains and not fat, but with just the right amount of baby chubby... so cute...
The LaLeche League are great... we have nothing like that here... actually there is absolutely no support of any sort except family and if like me you are an expat... then you're stuffed... LOL... nobody within 7000miles...

[Rowyn]

Thank you all for your advice and well wishes. I have a meeting Wed with this very professional and knowledgeable lady from LaLeche League that came highly recommended from a girlfriend of mine who had supply problems.
Maybe its just my luck and my body, but I never reduced my food intake. Since this started my mom inquires daily about what and how much I eat, lol.
I am currently taking Fenugreek and Goat's Rue. I tried More Milk Plus drops and Mother's Milk herbal tea without any great results.
I even tried a special shake made out of coconut water, scallions and milk (old wives tale thing). I deserve a medal for downing that. I tried non-alcohoolic beer which supposedly helps. Teehee.
I tried power pumping, weekend baby-feeding solely (this is a method where all a mom does is hold/feed/smell/see her baby).
I fell into the trap of supplementing with formula because my son was born small weight wise. I shouldn't have done it but too late now.
I was also told that I need to be calm and relaxed in order to get good results. I failed that test miserably by stressing myself stupid.
I'm trying my best every day. This breasfeeding thing is hard ya'll, LOL.
Thank you again ladies for taking time out of your busy lives to help me with this issue. God Bless!

Breat feeding may be natural, but that doesn't mean its easy, lol! I nearly gave up after a few weeks with my first (had bad latch issues which caused me to develop sores and blisters on my nipples). Got some advice from a lactation consultant and finally resolved the problem to go on and exclusively breast feed him for a year. You are doing the best that you can, which is all you can do.

What is "weekend baby-feeding"? Sounds like what a mom does when they have a newborn anyway, but that someone has now coined a term for it?

My number one advice would be to feed on demand. The more the baby nurses (even if he has just nursed an hour before and it seems like there is nothing in there), the more he will stimulate your milk supply. When they are going through a growth spurt, it can be frustrating and very tiring because they will want to nurse constantly. Then your milk supply catches up to their growth and they settle down again.

Good luck and congrats on your little one!

[smdiskin]

Yup... breastfeeding is not easy... no matter how natural it is supposed to be...
I was in agony too for the first 11-12 weeks as baby was not latching properly... he had such a small mouth that he just couldn't get it all in... but he was sucking like mad anyway...
Feeding on demand worked for me at the beginning... as he got bigger we got into a better routine...
The pediatrician at the hospital in Gaborone was into the whole Kangaroo Mother Care thing which was great... and we did that much of the time... baby was on my chest for hours every day for teh first 6-8 weeks... and he slept there... it was so cute...
I had to go back to work at 12 weeks and we had a routine by then and had to do the whole pumping thing which was not fun...

[-H-]

Hello!

I just wanted to share my experience as well...my second post-lol- I tend to lurk but am a happy breast feeding mommy!

I have two daughters (their birthdays are this week! They are now one and three.) I had c-sections with both (bed rest with my first for 13 weeks due to complete placenta previa, so understand that feeling of fear and also boredom...) and nursed both for a year (little one is one today, and I am contemplating when to have that last feeding...)

With my first I had a brief period of drop in supply, and asked my pedi and LC about it, and was reassured that my exercise should not affect milk supply. Basically they said that something we SHOULD be doing to stay healthy will not hurt us. Women hundreds of years ago did a lot more physical labor than many today, and nursed babies etc- the body knows what to do. Milk is made supply/demand- if it is demanded the body will supply. So I was told to continue to nurse frequently. Drink water. Eat the calories (don't 'diet' while nursing, just make healthy choices) ad pp's have said. I am a runner and also lift weights and starting 6 weeks past both c-sections jumped back into the workouts, no probs.

I am sure there are always exceptions, though I doubt exercise can significantly affect milk if the water intake is replaced...will be curious to hear what you find out/about your progress. Good luck and hang in there!!

Also- just me- but I agree with one of the pp's, if I would have had to wait to work out to nurse I would have. I did have to give up dairy and soy for both, as my girls had MSPI. SO worth it- especially as I sit here now and look back, near the end of nursing for the second time (planned to stop at a year)- I don't think I will ever do anything as special as nurse and carry my babies! that is me, though, and it is important to follow what feels right for you.

Hollie

[smdiskin]

On thing I was told when I was breastfeeding...
I don't know how true it is... but it makes kind of sense... don't feed straight after a workout as apparently the lactic acid can make the milk a little unpleasant... however from a practical point of view... I wouldn't want to work out too close to feeding time simply from a comfort point of view... full boobs are not a great exercise inducer...

[MikeysMom]

The meeting with the LaLeche lady went very well and was very informative. Between 2 and 4 months postpartum a lot of moms experience a sudden drop in milk production. The reasons can be many but working out isn't one of them definitely.
Bottom line is that breastfeeding should not be considered a chore: if you do not enjoy it then don't do it. Looking at it as a duty or a job puts more stress in a mom's mind which in return can have negative impact on the supply.
She also said that most new moms have an unrealistic idea of what their supply should be. Usually whatever amount your baby can feed on is the optimal amount for him/her. I however did not agree with this. But then again I come from a Mediterranean culture where chubby is the only way a baby can be, lol.
She suggested that I start a moderate exercise program. If I am not happy with my body the baby will feel it as anger and resentment toward him and he will be unhappy in return, which may cause him to feed less and be the source of other issues he might have when he grows up. Crazy Irish genes from daddy is more than enough, lol.
She told me a wonderful story about successfully inducing lactation for this woman who adopted a little newborn. I was stunned to hear that. The body of a woman is truly amazing.

For Rowyn who asked what a "Weekend Feeding" is. I think it's a NYC thing darling: You dump your kid with the nanny all week long then play mommy on the weekend, LOL. That's actually a day or two that you are not doing anything else like cooking, cleaning the house, feeding cats or hubby, laundry etc. Just hold the baby and nurse him while hubby is doing the other chores for you. Hubby is off on weekends mostly hence the term "weekend" =)

You ladies have some sick awesome bodies by the way.
Have a great weekend everyone and if possible let hubby do the chores while you "Weekend Workout" or "Weekend Sunbathe" =)

[medusa11]

My boys are now 7 weeks old, at 5 weeks I dried right up, I was getting a few mL only, I tried fenugreek and blessed thistle for a few days and it helped a bit, the scrip. for Domperidone made the difference. I still need a bit of formula to keep 2 of em happy, but Ive been able to half what they need and my milk suppy has been getting better daily.

[DomesticDiva]

About 10 days after I started physical activity the milk supply started to drop dramatically. I called the lactation specialists at the hospital and was told that the increase in physical activity was the culprit. I was so upset, feeling that maybe I was being too selfish. Breastfeeding is important to me and I was very serious about it. I had a discussion with hubby who like me thought there was no correlation to working out and milk supply. I continued to work out, increasing the cardio to 30 mins 5 times/week and going up to 5 lbs weights (woohoo) . I also started to take supplements to increase the milk supply but of course with my luck the supply kept dropping. So I stopped working out and noticed that the supply stayed the same wasn't going down. I feel like a fat cow and at this point am very unhappy with myself. But if I start working out there might be no more milk for my baby. As is I'm supplementing with formula and feeling guilty.
Has anyone else ever experienced or heard anything like this?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Working out could be part of the equation IF the caloric deficit created by the workout puts your calories too low for your body. Some mothers notice a decrease in milk production if they go below 1800 cals per day, for example. It's not recommended nursing mothers go under 1500 cals per day (for her own health as much as her milk production).

First, how do you know your milk production is low? Here's a checklist:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/lo...ly.html#supply

At this age, a decrease in milk production could be related to things. Does your baby latch well and suck effectively? Did you recently start taking hormonal birth control? Have you been supplementing a lot? Is your baby "sleeping through the night"? Did you recently start feeding solids? Does your baby frequently use a pacifier?

Have you seen this?
Hidden Hinderances to a Healthy Milk Supply
http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/hindrances.html
Here's another great resource:
http://www.lowmilksupply.org/

I am currently taking Fenugreek and Goat's Rue. I tried More Milk Plus drops and Mother's Milk herbal tea without any great results.
I even tried a special shake made out of coconut water, scallions and milk (old wives tale thing). I deserve a medal for downing that. I tried non-alcohoolic beer which supposedly helps. Teehee. I tried power pumping, weekend baby-feeding solely (this is a method where all a mom does is hold/feed/smell/see her baby). I fell into the trap of supplementing with formula because my son was born small weight wise. I shouldn't have done it but too late now.

It sounds like you're doing "all the right things". Remember that the more milk you remove, the more milk you make. Hang in there!

I was also told that I need to be calm and relaxed in order to get good results. I failed that test miserably by stressing myself stupid.

Stress can impact MER, but it's not proven to impact overall milk production. If you notice that it's taking a while for your milk to letdown, then you can try things like skin to skin contact with your baby (increases oxytocin release which is imperitive for MER), deep breathing, visual imagery, warm compresses on the breast, gentle breast massage, etc.

Between 2 and 4 months postpartum a lot of moms experience a sudden drop in milk production. The reasons can be many but working out isn't one of them definitely.

At this point, milk production is under local control. Put simply, if breastmilk is removed, the milk producing cells are signaled to make more. If breastmilk is not removed, a protein in the milk called feedback inhibiter of lacation (FIL) tells the milk producing cells to slow production. As long as a mother continues to regularly remove milk from her breasts, there's few things that can have a negative impact on the process. Don't let anyone convince you that it's "normal" or "common" for milk production to just drop. First, assure that you really do have low milk supply. If you find that your milk production actually is low, it's important to find help for investigating the source in your particular case. An IBCLC can be your best ally in rebuilding your milk production.

Bottom line is that breastfeeding should not be considered a chore: if you do not enjoy it then don't do it. Looking at it as a duty or a job puts more stress in a mom's mind which in return can have negative impact on the supply.

An accredited La Leche League Leader said that?

She also said that most new moms have an unrealistic idea of what their supply should be. Usually whatever amount your baby can feed on is the optimal amount for him/her. I however did not agree with this. But then again I come from a Mediterranean culture where chubby is the only way a baby can be, lol.

A baby's weight isn't the end all and be all when it comes to overall health, BUT weight is an important part of the overall picture.
WHO growth charts (based on multi-cultural, breastfed children)
http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/en/
Look at the baby, not the scale
http://drjaygordon.com/pediatricks/newborns/scales.html

She suggested that I start a moderate exercise program. If I am not happy with my body the baby will feel it as anger and resentment toward him and he will be unhappy in return, which may cause him to feed less and be the source of other issues he might have when he grows up.

Wow. I don't think that's entirely accurate. It's important for babies to feel loved and wanted. All mothers show their babies love and affection in a variety of ways. Almost every mother feels unhappy at one time or another (or even a lot of the time). If every baby would be damaged by an unhappy mother, then the whole world would be full of broken people. Don't put too much stock into that information, at least not as a stand alone. There are a LOT of factors that go into a baby's emotional development. If this kind of thing interests you, you would probably enjoy the work of researcher Robin Grille. You can see his books here:
http://www.our-emotional-health.com/...efulWorld.html
http://www.our-emotional-health.com/...art2heart.html

If you feel up to it and your doctor okays it, go for exercising to whatever level works for you. Exercise is a great mood elevator, too. More about mood and how it impacts breastfeeding here: http://uppitysciencechick.com/

The best things you can do for your milk production is to feed often (on cue--when your baby demands), not limit time at the breast, eat nutritiously, drink to thirst (if your urine is pale, you're getting enough), consider co-sleeping (sleeping in the same room) and napping when your baby naps to maximize rest, and spend some time just loving your baby (skin to skin contact is great for this--and spend some time smelling that fresh baby head, stroking his hair, rubbing his little feet, and just generally falling in love with your baby). Breastfeeding doesn't have to be complicated and full of rules. Humans are mammals and nursing our babies with our own milk is just something mammals DO. Take time to enjoy your baby!

Good luck.

[10n2010]

Exactly.^^

If you want to continue working out, then you need to up your calories to make up for it. Most nursing women need to be eating anywhere from 300-500 calories over their maintenance numbers to keep a healthy milk supply.

^^^ This is what I was alway told/read. With all 3 of my children I had an abundance of milk lol and pumping wasn't a problem. Even though I ate the additional 300-500 cals I didn't gain weight. I think it's important to get well into a good routine of breastfeeding before you start dieting/exercising. For me, I waited the standard 6 wks. I did go for walks before the 6 wk mark but nothing much more than that.

And OP when I first started to lift weights 10 yrs ago after having my daughter, I starting out with the same 3lb "sissy weights" lol.

[Veganflower]

I was actually having problems sorta the same..
I was producing enough for baby but just enough for her i couldnt pump.. so I couldnt be away from her for long periods. when i started getting active again I also increased my food and suppliments, my milk supply increased as well and seemed to make her more full for longer. I also noticed a difference in the color my milk had.. it just looked healther. I cut out junk food and sugers and made sure i ate at LEAST 5 times a day.

[whatsacannoli]

Thank you all for your advice and well wishes. I have a meeting Wed with this very professional and knowledgeable lady from LaLeche League that came highly recommended from a girlfriend of mine who had supply problems.
Maybe its just my luck and my body, but I never reduced my food intake. Since this started my mom inquires daily about what and how much I eat, lol.
I am currently taking Fenugreek and Goat's Rue. I tried More Milk Plus drops and Mother's Milk herbal tea without any great results.
I even tried a special shake made out of coconut water, scallions and milk (old wives tale thing). I deserve a medal for downing that. I tried non-alcohoolic beer which supposedly helps. Teehee.
I tried power pumping, weekend baby-feeding solely (this is a method where all a mom does is hold/feed/smell/see her baby).
I fell into the trap of supplementing with formula because my son was born small weight wise. I shouldn't have done it but too late now.
I was also told that I need to be calm and relaxed in order to get good results. I failed that test miserably by stressing myself stupid.
I'm trying my best every day. This breasfeeding thing is hard ya'll, LOL.
Thank you again ladies for taking time out of your busy lives to help me with this issue. God Bless!

I know this was 3 years ago for you but did you have any luck after all this? I am currently on the same boat you were Im trying everything. My son was born normal weight but when he went for his first drs visit the dr said he was borderline in weight saying he was losing too much. I was strictly breastfeeding at this point and then started supplementing with formula to get his weight back up, which did happen in a few days. Now my milk supply has run dry and im not producing nearly enough for him. Any thoughts form your experience? Thank you in advance for reading this! xoxox

[Run4Kiddos]

How old is your son (doesn't matter, just curious ) and how long have you been supplementing? I bf my first a little over 2 years and currently with my second for a year (this friday) and both of them dropped weight but the pedi said that was normal for bf babies. MY son was born normal weight, 50-75%, dropped to 3%, and is now 90%! My daughter is following his patter but only dropped to 13%. I know all doc's are different. Anyways, this time around my supply isn't as much as it was with my son....and there have been times that my supply dropped. I made sure I drank a gallon of water a day and I took the herbs fenugreek, blessed thistle and drank the teas. It did increase by 2-4 ounces. Currently it only worries me when i am pumping to make her bottles, I fret but on the weekends she seems fully satisfied. Your little one will get more out of you than the pump will! I pump and then hand express more. I notice my supply will drop after heavy/hard workouts especially when i do not drink enough water! It took 1-2 weeks to see the increase and I stayed on the supplements for several months, until I started to intro a little solids.

Sorry, babbling here. Try to relax, nurse/pump as much as possible, stay really hydrated and go ahead and try some of the herbs.

[sonti]

You should call a 24/7 lactation help hotline. In the meantime, eat your oats and nurse as much as possible.

That woman you quoted, probably has a true supply problem (that rare 5%) but it sounds like you may have just too much supplementing/not enough baby at the breast. Good luck! Breastfeeding is so easy when it is easy, but it is sooo hard when there is an issue!