So...my sweet girl has finally arrived, and is 5 weeks old today!!!

I was able to nurse her for the first time with a feeding tube contraption in the NICU when she was a week old. It was at that point that I started pumping and herbs. I am taking 40mg Dom three times a day, 3 capsules blessed thistle 3x/day, fenugreek 3 capsules 3x/day. I pump every 3 hours for 10 min with a symphony pump. I nurse her as often as possible during the day, but always pump afterwards. I am averaging 25mL every 3 hours or 210mL every day

She latches very well, and I've had her latch checked by an LC. She is, however, due to medical issues, a very fussy baby. She does not like the Lact-aid and always fusses when I try to nurse with it. She will nurse much better without a supplemental system, although still gets fussy at times and refuses the breast. I want breastfeeding to be pleasant for her, so I really just go with her cues and stop if she gets too fussy.

Any thoughts on how to increase my supply??? Also thoughts on how to decrease fussiness would be great.

THANKS!!!!
Erin

Hi Erin, congratulations!
Wow, you must be proud and happy!!!
My son didn't like the lact-aid either, we couldn't get used to it. I think you have a very good approach when you say that you go with her cues. I personaly think patience, persistence and listening is the key. If you keep breatfeeding and pumping the way you do, your supply should improve!
It took me about 2-3 months before I could exclusively breastfeed my son, but since then he wouldn't accept the bottle!
Good luck, keep on
Jalx

Jalx ~ Thank you!!! We are so thrilled with our little beauty! I'm getting so frustrated with the darn lact-aid though!!

As for my supply improving, I have been pumping for 4 weeks now, and its stopped increasing as of 2 weeks ago. Its hard to think that it'll stop there...and with what I'm now producing, theres no way I could exclusively breastfeed...

feeling frustrated...

Have you tried to latch with out lact-aid and then slip it in? Have you tried the transitioning to breast protocol? I wonder if using a breast shield with the lact-aid would work.

Lalle~ No,no, and no. What should I try first?????

I would try to slip the lact-aid tube in after latching and see how that goes. There is a video showing how. I will go grab the link for it.

Okay this video shows first compression and then how to add the lact-aid tube in. They are using a bottle adapted version. But it is basically the same tubing. Try the compression as well.
http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/additional_reading/movies/lactationaid.wmv
I think if you can get her to take the lact-aid it will help tremendously as she will stay at the breast longer.

Are you bottle feeding? If so, what kind of nipple are you using?

What is the transitioning to breast protocol???

It is typically used when you get an older baby that is used to a bottle. SO you go from bottle to nipple with lact-aid threaded through to breast shield with lact-aid threaded through to lact-aid at the breast to just breast
It is transitioning to breast slowly. It is a something Lenore sent to me that I have passed on to many moms here.

I am interested in this video (which I have seen before). They show the doctor poking in the tubing from a lactation aid but my issue is that that tubing is far stiffer than the Lact Aid tubing. Has anyone had success in being able to accomplish this with Lact Aid tubing?
Also www.lowmilksupply.org has some interesting stuff on supplementing wherein they suggest offering a small supplement first and having baby finish at the breast to prevent them finishing early when the flow lessens and start looking around for the supplement.
I think supplementing (often very neccessary in this case) is tricky and there are many schools of thought on the process. Nipple confusion is one issue but flow preference is often a greater one.

I think it is 5m French tubing which should be similar to the lact-aid tubing. It is used to make your own lactation device. You just must hold the lact-aid tube up close get it in the mouth and then thread it in.

I never could do it with the lact-aid. The lact-aid is to soft and just curled up under her lip. Where would some one get the french tube that needed it???

Nona you are supposed to be able to get it at Medical Supply stores. Ours here is called Norco.

hmm never heard that one before

HI Ladies,
My baby arrived as well and is feeding like a champ, although i am supplementing stored BM with bottle ( dr.Browns slow flow) she likes both breast and bottle. she eats 6 oz a day more than I can produce. she was born 7lbs 7 oz, AND in 3 weeks has gained 1.1 so she now weighs 8.6. I breast feed on demand, i use the lactaid tube successfully too. I let her latch on, then i slip it in the side. i lift her cheek and slip it in up toward the roof of her mouth, a bit at a time until i see the milk being sucked. For the lact-aid I use a bottle without the nipple, and position it between my breasts; tucked in between what ever top I'm wearing, usually a breast feeding bra or top.
In the three weeks that I've been BF my baby, my supply has increased, but the baby grew and her demand has increased too, so I'm still not producing enough. i pump when ever i can after feedings and try and feed as much as possible on the boob.
I'm hoping to "catch up" with her needs, but if i don't I'm ok with it too, since she is getting lot of milk from me and that's enough for immunity protection.
Gosh it would be nice to be able to exclusively BF her.....
But, I'm gratedful for what i have and it seems to be increasing.

Marica.

Marica it sounds like you are doing great. I used the lact-aid in a bottle too but flipped a nipple upside down and fed the tube through then tightened the ring down. That way I didn't have to worry about spills.

sounds like your doing great. Yup... I still use the bottle adapter with olivia

thanks Laurie, im going to try the upside down nipple trick,
Marica

you are welcome. You may need to make a small slit in it if it is too tight.