At Joao’s five month check-up we confirmed what my family has been feeling for the past few weeks, he didn’t gain enough weight. For a baby who was gaining at least half a kilo for the past few months this was a surprise. I was already feeling that I wasn’t producing enough milk and when I pumped it wasn’t as much as before. ”Was this it?” I was thinking. Are we finally switching over to formula? I voiced my concerns to our pedia and she recommended that we supplement with formula after I feed Joao from both breasts. She also said we could start him on rice cereal in the morning.
I admit I was a bit disappointed in myself since I have a friend who is still breastfeeding her son at over a year and a half. She however once broached the idea to me of a lactation consultant so I thought if there was any time to have a lactation consultant see me, it would be now.
I coordinated with Ms. Zeny to come see me last week. I wasn’t really sure what to expect since I had to prepare towels and a basin of hot water. Turns out it was a part massage part consultation on exactly how I have been breastfeeding. She immediately was able to identify that I had lumps in my breasts and I told her that I have had plugged ducts in the past. She told me that this was because Joao wasn’t fully finishing the milk in one breast thus the lumps were formed. She helped improve the circulation of the milk and said that I could actually produce 6 to 8 ounces! I’ve never done that before but I was amazed at how much milk flowed after our session.
Joao however has not been that cooperative in finishing off the milk in my breasts. In order to avoid engorgement I would pump in the morning when he’s full from his rice cereal and then feed him the extra milk in the afternoon. We had actually bought a very expensive can of formula but Joao refuses to drink it! I don’t know whether to be happy or sad. It was very expensive eh.
I hope to have another consultation with Ms. Zeny soon. I didn’t like the thought of having to result to formula but was more scared on Joao’s little weight gain. We’ll see if my efforts come to fruitition in his next pedia appointment.
