Breast feeding woes

Hi... was just wondering who out there is or is trying to exclusively breastfeed.
I'm having such a hard time with Matthias.  He's almost 7 weeks now... still have to supplement with a bottle of formula each day and with pumped milk at other times because I have a terribly slow let down.  I make almost enough milk... but that's with pumping 6-8 times a day and nursing 8-10 times a day... I can't keep doing this... it's really taking a tole on the other kids.

I had an abundance of milk with the other 2 and just wonder if it has any relation to the RNY... nothing I can think of though...    Could simply be stress of having 2 others wanting moms attention...

Any thoughts??

i did not bf.. so take this for what its worth-.. ive had three post op babies... i had what seems like enough milk to feed a whole country.. so i dont think its wls related... are you eating/drinking enough? ive seen people drink teas.. and take fenugeek? i think thats what its called... and make some cookie .. ive also heard the hops in beer helps... formula isnt so bad.. i have  healthy, smart , beautiful kids thanks to that stuff

Thanks Lexa.  That's how i was with my dtr.  more milk than I knew what to do with!  I think its mostly stress... and I often am not eating enough....

I even tried a beer and boy was it good!  Don't know if it really helped, but it sure tasted good!  : )

Ryker is 8.5 weeks old and has never nursed.  Since he was in the NICU we chose to bottle feed him since it was easier for him to learn.  I have pumped exclussivelly since he was born and still am.  I do not produce enough for him so he gets formula as well.  I felt the same way and was ready to stop pumping since I felt like that was I was doing.  I cut back to pumping every 4 hours and supplementing him with formula as needed.  It was the best thing I ever did for myself and my other child.  Even if you need to supplement Matthias is still going to get the benefits of your milk with what you can give him.

Thanks for the encouragement. We were at the doctor yesterday, he's growing perfectly, but I can't keep all the pumping up.  I'm going to go ahead and supplement with formula as needed, keep nursing on demand and pump when I can...  Also going to add 'blessed thistle' to the fenugreek and see if it helps.

I have had 2 post RNY babies and EBF both of them. I have a very hard fast let down I almost drown them. I think every body is different. Are you eating/drinking enough? I am EBF'ing my 8 month old and am always hungry and thirsty. With that said be proud of yourself!! You have done an awesome job bf'ing!! Formula is not a bad thing. I know my daughter is a boob child. Both my girls never took a bottle so they are boob kids. Check out Kellymom.com for some help.
Jess

Kellymom is awesome. I discovered it through the La Leche League site.  I'm jealous of your boob kids!  My first was a boob kid... she'd stay latched on all day if I let her.  2nd one was given pumped milk... NOT a boob kid... the child had NO patience (and still doesn't). 

I'm not giving up yet... we'll see how the next weeks go.

With both my pre-op babies i had no problem BF.  However i did pump to store supply for when i was to go back to work.  I was not successful with pumping unless it was while i was BF.  I had a large amt of milk and my little monkey would nurse off one breast and be full, but my other breast would begin to leak.  I thought holy cow i work hard for this stuff why not bottle it up, so i pumped one breast while i nursed on the other.  I would get 6-8oz a pump, but when i went to work pumping didn't work to great and after my stock ran out they got a bottle of formula a day.  I cont' to nurse each one until 8mo as i began to slowly dry up.  I learned you do what you can and be thankful for that.  If you can try pumping while nursing it would cut back on some of the boob time and leave more time for kiddos.  It takes a min. to get the hang of it but it's amazing how us women can multi-task.......lol.  Good Luck

Tiff

This is a good idea Tiff... pumping while nursing.  If I can get the coordination right!  I usually need both hands while nursing him...  (low hanging post RNY boobs... that are way too large  : ( 

Thanks"

Always remember:
You're not failing at anything if you can't EBF and formula fed babies turn out just fine as well.
I tortured myself the first few weeks of my son's life trying to pump in between feedings to get my supply up, it never worked. I made the same amount no matter how much I pumped. He always had a mixture of formula and breast milk and he did just fine! There's no way to know why you don't make the same amount you used to. Don't torture yourself.