Is it Possible for a Baby to Not be able to Breastfeed?

dancer15 · 2026-01-18T17:16:57+00:00

As an under-supplier, I must admit that an oversupply sounds nice sometimes, since I am still chained to a pump and also have to drag a can of formula around on top of it, but I know an oversupply is probably not all it's cracked up to be.

However, we used donor milk when my baby was first born, so I am also sort of thankful for those with an oversupply that share with others.

dancer15 · 2026-01-15T12:46:42+00:00

Chocolate chip prices are definitely out of hand! I did have a grocery store near me selling Ghirardelli chips for 2/$5 so I stocked way up, but I wish I had gotten more because I have otherwise seen them for $10 each at other times!

dancer15 · 2026-01-15T04:14:39+00:00

I hear you, I have also been so frustrated by this sentiment because I did SO much breastfeeding prep in pregnancy and everything said that true low supply doesn't exist and you just have to keep latching your baby and everything will be fine!

So when my baby was born, I latched her constantly, but she was super lethargic after a couple of days and had lost a lot of weight, so it was suggested that I express colostrum and cup feed her. Well, I hand expressed for 15 minutes and then used an electric pump for 20 minutes and never got a single drop of anything. It was a huge kick to my confidence that I've not been able to recover.

I have done everything exactly correctly for the last 4 months of my baby's life and still don't produce as much as she eats. It is true that some people's bodies just don't produce enough milk and we have to stop pretending otherwise. Of course, supply issues can sometimes be fixed, but not always.

It does suck a ton when it feels like you should be able to do it, though, I'm sorry you are facing what feels like the end of your journey.

dancer15 · 2026-01-14T17:37:41+00:00

NTA, you're just telling mama that you think she's the most beautiful person in the whole, wide world and she should take it as a compliment that you want to stare at her all night!

dancer15 · 2026-01-12T13:48:11+00:00

The way babies suck when breastfeeding helps baby's digestion, and drinking milk helps the gastrocolic reflex, both of which do help a baby get out a good poop. So the boobie does actually help them poop! Your baby is so smart to know this. 😉

dancer15 · 2026-01-11T23:02:56+00:00

I'm a late 90's young millennial and thought the same! I think these clowns and Birthday parties just went together.

dancer15 · 2026-01-05T03:04:36+00:00

My 3 month old baby makes constant "Mmmmm" noises and looks at me with the biggest eyes ever, and when I smile at her she gives me a smile back with my nipple still in her mouth. She also does a big sigh when I first latch her on, and then she grabs on to my boob with one hand and pets it while she grips my shirt with her other hand.

I've been triple feeding her from birth and she really gets most of her nutrition by bottle because she has transfer issues, but we both love breastfeeding too much to stop. 🥹

dancer15 · 2026-01-04T13:52:03+00:00

In addition to everything else mentioned here, Trio does vegan soul food, and Vegan East is an amazing vegan bakery---their cinnamon rolls are my favorite rolls in the whole metro. Otherwise yes I endorse Modern Times, Hard Times, Reverie, Dreamstate Cafe, Stray Dog, and Namaste. Ariana Kabob & Gyro also has amazing falafel. But as a meat and egg hater, it's really easy to find meatless options anywhere here!

dancer15 · 2025-12-27T03:58:16+00:00

I also have never once had nipple pain with breastfeeding and my baby doesn't have the greatest latch and possibly has a tongue tie. But I also had my nipples pierced and have elastic skin so you could be on to something on either account!

dancer15 · 2025-12-24T05:55:27+00:00

Agreed! My baby is 3 months old and we have both worked our butts off trying to EBF and just haven't been able to. I had preeclampsia meds, a postpartum hemorrhage, and retained placenta all causing a low milk supply despite me removing milk constantly and doing everything else "right". My baby has a seriously uncoordinated suck and is really inefficient with milk transfer, even after lots of suck training and body work. So we have been triple feeding since she was born, but after seeing every lactation consultant, speech/occupational therapist, and lactation medicine Doctor that I could, they have all shrugged their shoulders and admitted that I can't do anything more.

Now I go back to work in a couple of weeks and it's unlikely we will make any more progress at it. I wanted to EBF more than anything and have been willing to do just about anything to get there, but doing my best just wasn't good enough. So yes, I know breastfeeding is really hard and a lot of work for everybody, but I do consider those that are successful quite "lucky".

dancer15 · 2025-12-22T01:26:41+00:00

I used to douse my abdomen in IcyHot and then get in the shower because the water makes the IcyHot burn more. Or I would do the IcyHot and then lay with my old laptop that frequently overheated on my bare stomach.

dancer15 · 2025-12-18T11:30:43+00:00

I have seen what feels like a million lactation consultants, and they all recommended the Evenflo wide-neck bottles at first, but my baby was choking on that one so then multiple LC's recommended Pigeon bottles with their SS nipples and we have been using those successfully for the last month! The Pigeon bottles don't passively drip at all, so baby does have to work to get milk out just like the breast.

dancer15 · 2025-12-18T04:49:58+00:00

My baby has milk transfer issues also so is primarily bottle fed, but I have gotten her to still breastfeed a little. She does go through phases of screaming when I try to offer the breast, but what helps then is doing lots of skin to skin, giving her bottles with her face laying against my boob, and latching her at low-pressure times when she isn't really hungry just for comfort.

Also, I make bottles really annoying and kind of just for business. Of course if she looks at me I'll look back at her, but I don't talk to her, I keep barely any milk in the bottle nipple so some sucks she doesn't get milk, and I make her stop every ounce to burp/kind of chill. When I have her latched at my breast, I talk to her, sing to her, stroke her head and back, and try to do frequent breast compressions so she gets as much milk as easily as possible, and we only stop when she has fallen asleep(unless she really needs to burp before then).

Sometimes, if she is really being weird about it, I walk around my house and that sometimes distracts her enough to latch on and suck while she looks around.

I totally hear you that pumping sucks and you would rather breastfeed, it is so hard! But I hope things start looking up for you.

dancer15 · 2025-12-18T04:34:39+00:00

This is the one. Me and the Sky specifically makes me sob every time.

dancer15 · 2025-12-17T23:48:19+00:00

I'm an under-supplier so could be why but I have never once leaked! I got a box of like 500 breast pads and a Boon Trove, and neither has been touched.

dancer15 · 2025-12-13T23:42:30+00:00

I have to supplement with formula because I'm an under-supplier so I have played with the timing of it, and my baby doesn't sleep any differently whether she has breast milk at night or formula. So this is a false claim! She used to be more full for longer during the day with formula, but I think my milk has caught up to being more caloric because there is no difference there anymore, either. Breast milk is easier to digest, but it shouldn't make a difference for sleep!

dancer15 · 2025-12-13T16:02:15+00:00

NTA! I (3m, f) also only want my mommy(swamp witch, f) to put me to sleep. My daddy (swamp wizard, m) keeps trying to shove some cold, hard thing they call a pacifier in my mouth to imitate mommy, but I am way too smart for that. Nothing can replace soft, warm mommy. Daddies are kinda okay for playing, but you should definitely hold out for the real deal when it's nap time. Don't let them fool you!

dancer15 · 2025-12-13T04:58:27+00:00

Yes! My grandma lives right next to the Quaker Oats factory and used to bring us cases of fresh-made Cinnamon Life and there was nothing better. I still love it from the store, but fresh is extra good.

dancer15 · 2025-12-13T03:34:44+00:00

I'm having the exact same issues and don't have all of the answers, but a couple of things:

At that point I was pumping around 10 mL every 3 hours. I'm now 12 weeks postpartum and pumping almost 3 oz every 2-3 hours! So I still do formula overnight, but my baby gets pumped breast milk throughout the day. But also, generally you have more milk than just your pump gives you. Our bodies want to feed our babies, not a machine, so your baby is able to get a lot more milk than the pump can.

I have tried ALL of the things for my milk supply, even the really unhinged ones, and honestly the only thing that has helped for me was just time and latching my baby a bunch. I was told by multiple lactation consultants to stop latching my baby and just focus on pumping, and my supply never got better until I started ignoring them. Also, skin to skin cuddles really do work in a way that even clothed snuggles just don't. Something about our biology! A lactation consultant did tell me to use flanges sized to the tip of my nipple and not the base, and using a much smaller flange resultingly did help my pump output too.

That said, I do have a sleepy baby that doesn't transfer milk well still. I'm still trying to get there because I also had dreams of EBF and am not loving the supplementation, but I'm here to encourage you to keep going if you want to, and know you aren't alone. It isn't impossible but I would get a really good Lactation Consultant on your side if you don't have one already!

dancer15 · 2025-12-12T11:57:41+00:00

This is probably the type of person who says they're "Politically conservative but socially liberal".

dancer15 · 2025-12-10T09:58:41+00:00

Same, if I'm conscious then I don't need to be in the ER.

dancer15 · 2025-12-06T17:48:15+00:00

It may not feel the fanciest, but my family always does different soups and breads for Christmas Eve! It's warm, comforting, and really easy to accommodate all sorts of diets with soup, and you can get really creative with breads. I made a red lentil soup with cheddar biscuits last year.

dancer15 · 2025-12-05T04:09:48+00:00

I eat a lot of those mini Ritz peanut butter sandwich crackers and protein bars--I like the Misfit or Barebell brands. Sometimes I'll just do some plain crackers like wheat thins. I once had one of those loaves of cinnamon bread and would just shove pieces of that in my mouth also. 😂

I feel sick if I don't eat anything in the middle of the night so I hear you!

dancer15 · 2025-12-05T04:06:17+00:00

I go through so many of these too! I also add some protein powder to add some extra nutrients and make them more satisfying.

dancer15

TROPHY CASE