To those who claim breastfeeding is free, I call you on your BS.
So far, we've spent $20 on herbal drops to increase my milk supply, $45 on a lactation consult, and $45 in additional pediatric co-pays for Dexter's repeated "weight check" visits. If I didn't have such a generous friend in Danielle L., you could add $300 for a breast pump to that total.
Yet, we still try. Dexter hadn't gained any weight between last Saturday and yesterday (5 days). The new approach is to nurse him for every feeding AND supplement him for every feeding. This way, he gets at least 16 oz of formula each day, which should be consistent with his needs for his current size, plus however much breastmilk comes from ~320 minutes of breastfeeding each day.
That's right. We're spending over 5 hours/day just breastfeeding. And I'm pumping some in between. We're trying to give it until the next weight check (Wednesday, 10/22).
The good news is that he isn't losing weight, and he's still/again peeing and pooping like a champ. So we're not worried at this point about dehydration or anything like that. But if he isn't gaining enough weight, something will obviously need to change. I think the next plan will be all bottles (even though that nearly eliminates the "fewer ear infections" benefit of breastfeeding), with as much pumping as I can handle.
In brighter news, I've lost 24 pounds in less than 2 weeks. If I weren't so exhausted, I'd probably feel like I have a lot more energy.
Finally, it's not too exciting, but here's a video hot off the presses(?).
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Here's a little assvice from the wisdom of my experience, take it or leave it: Don't let the pediatricians hassle you too much about weight if you believe, based on diapers, that he is getting enough. Casey was a slow gainer and still is. He did not regain his birth weight by 14 days as they prefer. The weight charts that are the standard are based on 1950s studies of exclusively formula-fed babies. Breastfed babies almost always gain weight more slowly. If there are enough pee and poop diapers, it is unlikely that anything is wrong.
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