Breastfeeding Help and Support

[moderngal]

Is there a growth spurt around 10 weeks?
That would explain my DS this week!!
I feel like there's a growth spurt every other week!!

[happy1nuv]

Me too! Putting a name to why he's so fuzzy/frenzied at eating makes it better, ya know?

[NYN]

please help

forgive me that i am copying half of this from my julymommies group but i have no time to rewrite. i had my baby last friday making tomorrow day 6 with her. i am having terrible BF problems. catie has a good latch (i made some mommy friends come over today to confirm this for me as i started convincing myself that it was all in my head) but she screams bloody murder everytime i try to give her my breast. she fidgets and cries, then latches on, then pulls away as if she is disgusted by me. her cries turn to screams and i finally just give her the bottle. i am using Dr. Browns bottles b/c i hear those are good for breast fed babies but i'm sure i've already ruined our BF relationship by doing this b/c she has no interest in my breast when she is awake and when she is sleepy she uses it only as a pacifier (i get no let down and she just suckles).

i am pumping so she is only getting breast milk but i hate the pump and feel like i am chained to it (and i have such a new found respect for all those women who EP for months or years). that said, i get about 4oz of BM in one sitting. my milk came in on tuesday morning. she was only eating 1.5oz every sitting until yesterday when she started eating about 2.5 and sometimes (tends to be b/tw 7pm and 10pm) she will cluster feed 1-1.5oz every hour so i feel like i am forever pumping b/c i am always afraid that she will ask for food when there is no supply in the fridge (i am always 2-3oz ahead of her w/ my fridge supply but i still panic about it).

i am being told by everyone to just let her cry until she latches on but i can't bring myself to do it (today she cried for about 10 minutes and i almost died. i think i was crying more than she was). i just don't know what to do. i am trying to find a LC to come to me, or find some sort of meeting or class that i can go to but i don't know where to start looking. does anyone have any suggestions as to where i can start? i am in queens, ny but can go to any of the five boroughs or westchester, long island, etc. i was thinking about calling LLL but i have no clue how that works.

let me explain here that i have been having BF problems since the beginning b/c the hospital that i gave birth at (not my first choice) did not provide me w/ an LC and when i asked for help, i was told by one nurse to rub my nipple and when i did and nothing came out she said "you don't have anything, you'll have to formula feed." i stared at her in disbelief and waited until the shifts changed and the nurse that "helped" me then said that the baby was crying too much, she would have to come back later (the baby was doing the very thing that i was asking for help w/: latching on, pulling off, crying, screaming, fidgeting, etc.). until today, i didn't even know how to hold her correctly b/c i was never taught any holds (my girlfriends taught me some holds today but as i said before, i think it is already too late). also, i was not given the baby to BF until i left the recovery room 4 hours after i had her (she was a vaginal delivery but i had a 4th degree tear and it took a long time for my doc to finish me up down there.) i asked that she not be given a bottle and i was assured they would not do it and my sister told me that when she went to see her for the first time in the nursery there was a nurse giving her formula. by the time i got her she had no interest in eating and didn't take my breast until the next morning. since then she has only taken it for a few minutes at a time so i continued supplementing w/ the formula until monday when i started pumping full-time.

i am sorry that i just dropped this in here w/out reading but i have no time (must go pump :( ). if anyone can help me, please email me (tbesada at nyc.rr.com). i will also stop by here to check. i was really hoping to find someone to help me before this weekend. i can't imagine going past one week w/ this problem - i have been crying everyday. i feel like such a failure and like it is my fault - i should have demanded more of the hospital. anyway, if someone could suggest something i would really appreciate it.

thanks in advance.

[Teresita]

NewYorkNovia Congratulations on the birth of your DD! Please don't get down on yourself--you are not a failure and it is not too late for BF'ing to work out. The fact that you have taken the initiative to seek help from your friends and are pumping--all less than a week post-partum is amazing. You are doing a great job, especially considering the unfriendly atmosphere your hospital had toward breastfeeding.

You have gotten her latched on properly, which is great. If you need any more info on latching on, I found http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/basics/latch-resources.html to be a helpful site. The fact that you are pumping a good amount is good news since you know the milk is there.

My guess is that your DD's bottle preference results from either the fact that she gets milk more quickly from the bottle (some women have a slower letdown of milk and so the baby has to wait and suck a bit before he/she gets milk) or perhaps your letdown is more forceful than the bottle and your DD is getting more milk than she can handle (not uncommon in the early days when your supply is still regulating).

You say she pulls away after latching on and then cries--do you see milk coming out of her mouth or out of your breast when she does this? If so, perhaps it is a forcefull letdown problem, if not perhaps she just is getting a bit impatient waiting for letdown.

My advice would be the following:

1. Find a certified lactation consultant to watch you and your DD during a feeding and give you advice. You can contact La Leche League for a recommendation. Breastfeeding can be very, very difficult in those early weeks and I found it made a world of difference to have someone with lots of experience to help guide me through it.

2. Try to find out if any area hospitals or pediatricians' offices offer breastfeeding clinics and/or attend a La Leche League meeting. At a BFing clinic, you will probably see lots of other women with similarly fussy newborns. While I learned a lot at my BFing clinic, the most important thing I learned that first week or two was that breastfeeding was hard for lots of women, that lots of babies throw fits at the breast, and it wasn't any indication that I was a bad mother or necessarily doing anything wrong.

3. Try to make sure she is as calm and comfortable before/during a feeding as possible. In the early days, I always had DD tightly swaddled. Otherwise she was fidgety and fussy as hell.

4. You mention people advising you to "let her cry until she latches on." Perhaps I am misinterpreting this, but at such a young age, it is not up to her to latch on. The mother needs to do a good deal of the latching for the baby by making sure the baby's mouth is open very wide and then firmly bringing the baby's head to the breast so that as much of the breast is in her mouth as possible. (The Kelly Mom site helps demonstrate this.)

5. If she delatches or refuses to latch and gets very upset. I would take a short break to calm her down (if at all possible by means other than a bottle) before you try again.

6. Try as much as you can to pretend that the bottles don't exist. You really want to get her used to the breast, so your supply can get in sync with her demand, and the more she is on the breast the more readily this will happen.


Hang in there and go easy on yourself. You are doing a tremendous job, and take heart that things will get much, much easier for you both with time! :)

[lady1297]

NewYorkNovia

Congratulations on your baby's arrival!! Wow. It sounds like you are getting a rough start. I think Teresita covered most of what I was going to post.

Please call you pediatrician, LLL, or the hospital you TRUST and ask for a Lactation Consultant, preferably one that is willing to come to you. It will have a fee attached, but it will be the best money spent. You do have a supply. YOu can see that when you pump. You get more than I do already!

And I second, try not to give a bottle today. Try swaddling tightly, shhhushing, swaying, sidelaying, and anything else to help came baby. Do you have a sling or carrier you could put baby in and wear her to calm her? This worked for my son.

Keep us posted. You can do this!!

[Marisa]

NYN -- I'm still away so I don't have a ton of time to type, but I wanted to give you this link:

http://www.lllusa.org/NYE/Queens/queens.HTM

This takes you directly to the page for the Queens LLL groups, there are five different women there that you can call for help. Call until you find someone who can talk to you!!

I am just disgusted at the way you were treated in the hospital. :mad: None of this is your fault, you are doing the best you can and I KNOW that you can get through this. It is DEFINITELY not too late.

[Klo.]

Teba -
Oh sweetie! I am soo sorry you are having these problems. I know how important BF'ing was to you, I just got tears in my eyes from reading your post. I feel so badly that you were treated so awful in the hospital and that you are struggling with this.
I wish I had something helpful but I think these ladies got you covered, I just wanted to stop in and offer you big {{{HUGS}}}. I hope you find someone helpful very soon. Hang in there. You are doing the best you can.

[nml12903]

I have a question that I'm hoping one of you smart women may have an answer to. My DD is 11 months old and still pretty much exclusively breastfed. She's not big on solids yet at all, and although she is little (not quite 16 pounds) she has been growing pretty stedily (most of the time!).

So, for the past 2 days, maybe 2 times a day, I have gotten this horrible pain on the left side of my left breast. It's the kind of sharp stabbing pain that makes me want to roll up into a ball and cry. It lasts about 5 seconds and I almost can't talk or breath because it hurts so bad. Could this somehow be related to breastfeeding?

Does anyone know what might be going on with me?????

Thanks!
Hannah

[NYN]

before anything i want to thank those of you who took the time to email me/reply to my post. it really meant a lot to me, especially since i was having a mini-breakdown yesterday. i made a list of all the advice i was given -- things i should do, people to call, etc. -- and i feel a little more in control of the situation.

to update, i called my pediatrician yesterday and she suggested i offer her my breast every 2 and a half hours religiously. normally i wait for her to wake up and show me some signs of hunger (i never let her get to the point where she is crying...i usually offer her my breast when i see that she is sucking on her fist or sticking her tounge out a few times -- is this bad?). anyway, i was doubtful at first. i am not crazy about putting her on my breast when she is sleepy b/c she just sucks on me but doesn't actually "eat" (though she does open her mouth for me when i graze her bottom lip w/ my nipple so i am able to pull her on me and she latches on correctly). so i started doing it and lo and behold, after the third time she woke up, looked at me and started eating away. granted, it was only for about three minutes but i was so overjoyed i started crying.

so yesterday was a good day in terms of that. i also have an appt. w/ my ped. this morning and she is going to watch me and make sure i am positioning her correctly and all that since i was never taught proper BF techniques. also got in touch w/ an LC but she was busy w/ appts all day today so she referred me to someone else. i'm hoping she can get to me before sunday. i'm also planning on buying different bottles. someone in my julymommies group suggested getting PUR brand nipples b/c her LC recommended them since they are a slower flow. i realized that i am using Dr. Browns bottles b/c i was told they are good for BF babies but i can see that she is eating way too quickly so these bottles are making things way to easy for her.

so even though things are not perfect i feel much more in control. at the very least i am not in hysterics every 20 minutes. ;) i really appreciate the help i got from all of you. i'm sorry that i can't respond to each of you individually but please know that i am extremely thankful.

to answer some questions:

my letdown: i would guess that i have a slow letdown b/c i notice she will suck really quickly and then pull away and get cranky. she will do this two or three times and the next thing i know she finally has milk spilling out of her mouth. my other problem is that this is so new to me that i can't really tell when i am getting a letdown.

swaddling her: teresita suggested this b/c she is so fidgety. she didn't like it at first but it did calm her down and i was able to get her on me for a while. LOVED it! thanks for the suggestion.

latching on: yes, i do bring her to me to latch on. maybe i am not explaining it correctly but what i do is i graze her bottom lip w/ my nipple (believe it or not, my DH told me to do this since no one taught me. he said he saw the lady doing it in the BF video in our birthing class. i don't remember seeing it but it works). anyway, i graze her bottom lip w/ my nipple and she opens her mouth wide. then i put my nipple in her mouth, kind of over her tounge and pull her head towards me (we are belly to belly at this point, something my friend told me to do which is probably really basic sutff but since i was never taught it it was news to me). she then closes her lips around most of my areola (i have a very big areola - it practically covers her face - so she gets around as much of it as possible) and then i can feel her begin to suck. i showed three of my friends who BF exclusively and they all said both me and catie were okay in this department.

sling carrier: i have a hotsling but i can't breast feed in it. either i am doing something wrong or my breasts are way too large (i am a G cup right now) b/c i can't figure out how to get my breast level w/ her head. i am thinking about getting a mayan sling b/c i would love to be able to BF her while wearing her - i think it would help calm her down w/ the fidgeting since she is pressed to me already. i will probably get it before my first LLL meeting (in two weeks) and hopefully someone there can help me figure it out.

anyway, i think that is it. again, thanks to all of you who posted here and those of you who emailed me w/ advice and LC's numbers. i am really thankful. i will keep you all posted on our progress. like Klo said, BF is really important to me and i am really alone in this b/c none of the women in my family did it (i am the first person to BF in my family since my grandmother BF my uncle in 1968!) so i have no one to teach me. it is hard to learn on your own, nearly impossible. i'm glad i informed myself somewhat beforehand. again, thanks a million for your suggestions and kindness in general.

[lady1297]

NYN:

Try just carrying her in the sling. Keeping her close to you. It is hard to nurse in a sling when you are trying to figure everything out. I couldn't do it until about 4 months. But I was thinking if you carried her a bit she would calm down for you enough to try and nurse.

Letdown: If you have a slow let down, maybe you could try pumping for a minute or two to bring the milk closer and help her get it more quickly. As she gets older she will be able to do that herself, but she maybe to frustrated now. Pump til you get a drop or two then latch her on.

Latch: Yeah, sounds like you are doing it right. Keep up the good work.

Bottles: I love Dr. Browns, but some babies don't. DS has only used those and they work for him. Avent is supposidly good too. I don't know about the ones you mentioned, but try them if you feel like it may help.

Keep trying LC until you find one that can squeeze you in. It really is worth it and it gives you a contact for any future issues that may come up.

YOU'RE DOING GREAT!!! (And your ped sounds great!)

[ann2002]

Teba -- I just wanted to jump in and cheer you on... Hang in there, you are doing great!

I am sorry that you got such crappy advice in the hospital...

Not sure if you remember me, but a few years ago you recommended the florist for my wedding on WC - Silver Stems....!

[Marisa]

Teba -- I keep checking in to see how you are doing! :)

It sounds like you're doing much better today. I think it's great advice to try to get her to nurse before she really seems hungry. The signs you mention -- rooting, fist sucking -- are good signs but if you try before she's even doing that, then she'll be calmer and more willing to learn how to do it right (even she has to learn! BFing is a learned behavior for both mommy and baby!)

Wearing her in the sling as lady suggested is a great way to keep her a bit calmer too. I had a pouch with Joey as a newborn but I never nursed in it -- I also am "mammarily blessed" and didn't figure all that out until he was a few months old.

And finally, remember that it is TOTALLY NORMAL to feel overwhelmed, sad, frustrated, depressed... if you can keep in mind that some of that hopeless feeling is definitely just from your hormones regulating back to their pre-PG state, you might be more encouraged. And if you keep BFing, the prolactin and oxytocin released by your body will also help ease your transition back to your normal hormone level. :)

[AusAshMommy]

Hey Ladies ~ Let me preface by saying I've never read through this but seen it and looked at the thread several times...

Ok that said, I am in need of your assistance, I've been nursing my 7 mos old since day 1 and I pump 2x's a day at work. Well she's teething and has begun chewing on me when she's eating and now my nips hurt really bad, they are tender to the touch and when I am pumping they hurt as well. Now I don't want to wean her, so I am hoping ya'll can give me some feedback on how to keep her from using me as a chew toy...

PLEASE! My BB's hurt soo bad!

[marchfamily]

I'm having the same issue as AusAshMommy - plus my nipples are still peeling. Ouchie!

[mollyeilis]

i would guess that i have a slow letdown b/c i notice she will suck really quickly and then pull away and get cranky. she will do this two or three times and the next thing i know she finally has milk spilling out of her mouth. my other problem is that this is so new to me that i can't really tell when i am getting a letdown.

I'm not an expert, but I exclusively nursed past 11 months, and even now he barely eats solids, so I've breastfed A LOT in the last 14 months. :)

And what you describe here sounds *normal*. Babies get a letdown by doing just what you're describing! Suck a little, pull away, suck more, pull away, suck more, pull away, then ahhhhhh, milk! :) I'm sure there are some women who start letting down just hearing the baby (I've done it on occasion), but usually the process is just as you described! The fussiness is transient. And OK. Even my guy, who didn't even touch a bottle until after 6 months and hardly since, gets fussy for a little minute, then once the milk starts he calms down.

re: nursing in the sling, I've been able to nurse in my hotsling pouch ONCE, and that was at home with my shirt off. I've never been able to do it modestly or in public. Once my boobs calmed down and shrank a bit, I'm a 38 DDD or 40 DD, and it's just never worked. I did manage the other week to nurse during a long walk with him in my MobyWrap, in a front carry. But if anyone had walked past, they would have seen the top of my breast...it still wasn't all that modest. Not everyone can figure out sling-nursing. It's sort of a bummer for me, but don't let it bother you, if you can never get it to work, OK?


AusAshMommy, I would recommend not letting the baby gnaw on you. For us, teething behaviour started around 4 months, and he got 8 teeth just outside 2 months starting around 5+ months. Just before the first tooth erupted, he was chomping like crazy. I just kept my finger poised at the corner of his mouth; if he started chomping down, the finger went in to break the latch as soon as I could. I don't remember if he would "learn" after that, but I think at 7 months you have a better chance of really getting baby to learn not to do that, at least for each nursing session. :)

And FWIW, in *my* experience, once that first tooth broke through, the chomping was NEVER that bad again. He'll bite every so often, and I won't lie, it hurts, but it's never been as often or as hard as before that first tooth broke through! Possible light at the end of the tunnel, if your babe is like mine in that way.

[lil_nance]

DS is 2wk old today. I've been waking him up at night to feed. He's so sleepy and then gets fussy and frustrated before finally eating. Sometimes the whole process from when I wake him, change him, get him to eat, and then back to sleep can take 2 hr. My question is, at what age is it ok to let him sleep and wake up on his own when he's hungry? Is it possible to let him sleep too long? TIA

[Dally]

NewYorkNovia--I can't believe how the hospital treated you. It really makes me mad. :mad: I'm glad you're persevering and trying to find support where you can. You are a wonderful mama.

I'm still learning, too (DD is 11 weeks), but I can chime in and agree with Molly. My DD also pulls, sucks, and sometimes fusses to get a let down. Also, sometimes she fusses even when there's milk. According to Kellymom.com, that's normal. By the way, I know someone else mentioned it already, but Kellymom.com is a fantastic resource. That website has helped me tremendously. And I'm happy to say that thanks to here, Kellymom, an LC, and patience, BFing has gone from frustrating to pleasurable (well, not so much in the middle of the night, but generally!). It does get better. Keep hangng in there, realize your hormones and exhaustion have you naturally on the verge of breaking down, and have patience with yourself. You are doing great. :)

lil_nance I think that you don't have to wake the baby by 2 weeks, unless there is an issue with weight gain/eating. Ask your ped, though. They should give you the reassuring green light you need to get a little more rest.

[moderngal]

lil_nance, My DS is only 11 weeks old, so I am by no means an expert here, but...
my ped told me not to wake my baby to eat- even at 1 week old. She told me he would let me know when he was hungry. And he did. BUT... my DS was a big boy at birth and gained all of his weight back in less than a week.
We had a lot of longer naps and then cluster feedings for the first month. Now things are a little more regular. If your son is gaining well, I would let him sleep and let him tell you when he's ready to eat.

[NYN]

ladies, i'm happy to report that dd took my left breast for a solid 20 minutes tonight. i am 100% convinced it was due to the playtex ventaire bottle i bought today. she HATED it! it took her 20 minutes to drink 1oz and she gave up. i offered her my breast when she woke up an hour later and the girl took to it like it was candy. i offered her my right breast afterwards but she fell asleep on it and DH pointed out that she has never eaten off of that breast. i am not worried about that right now - i just want her to BF for now and then i will worry about getting her on my right breast too. she is due to wake up soon so i am praying that she will want me again. will report back tomorrow.

again, a million and one thanks to all of you.

btw, i wore her all day except for after dinner when we had a few visitors.

[mollyeilis]

"i offered her my breast when she woke up an hour later and the girl took to it like it was candy"

Isn't that the best? :D

About her preferring one side, that can be a sign that she could be helped by a quick chiropractic visit. Could be one or two vertebrae are just a teensy bit out of alignment, and a chiro could gently help it/them back into place, and then she'd feel comfy with her head turned both ways.

The other kind of practitioner I *highly* recommend for new babies is someone who does CranioSacral Therapy. There are some chiropractors who do CST, but when I took my son in for it at 2 weeks, I took him to an LMP who does it. He was already a great nurser, but after one visit he got even better!

While I do highly recommend chiropractic (full disclosure, I used to be one b/c it did me so incredibly much good in my life), I know that CST is astoundingly amazing.

[NicoleWisconsin]

Yay! So happy for you!

If she won't take the right side, try using the opposite hold (football/cradle) that you use on the left side. Does that make sense? She may not like to lay on her right side. So if you cradle for the left, football for the right and see if she'll take it.

[Teresita]

NewYorkNovia So happy to hear how well things are going for you and your DD! :D

[Dreshny]

Hey, I have some questions about feeding EBM from a bottle. DS is 8 1/2 weeks old, but I haven't tried giving him a bottle yet because I was afraid I'd mess up the delicate supply/demand balance. Also, my mom insisted that pumps are a waste of money since I'm not planning on going back to work anytime in the near future. She said I'd get much more milk out hand-expressing anyway (she always did.)

So...for the last couple of days I've been doing some hand-expressing, and with that plus some old frozen milk from my engorgement days, I've got about 8 oz total in two bottles (ie. I'm not getting much out.)

Should I have DH try to give DS one of these bottles to see if he'll take it? I realize that there's a "window" after which he probably won't take a bottle, and I may already be past it. But since I have very little stored milk, I can't really offer him a bottle every day to make sure he'll take one consistently. And if he does drink it, should I then express the feeding he would have taken? I'm really not sure how this all works, and since I only have two frozen bottles, I'd hate to waste one, but I'd love to eventually be able to go out without the baby for a few hours.

[catmom]

Hi, I posted about this in another thread, but maybe one of the bf-ing experts in here can answer this... about a week ago, we started giving DD supplemental formula. Shortly therafter, she started having very frequent stools (some days only 1 or 2, some days 5 or 6), which is very runny but a fairly normal yellow color (and it smells just like BF-poop, fwiw). Prior to this, she only pooped once or twice a week. I was thinking that the diarrhea was because of the formula, but I just realized that it was also at this time that I started taking antibiotics for mastitis. Could my antibiotics be giving DD diarrhea? She has no other symptoms... she's not even gassy, and doesn't act like she's even the slightest bit uncomfortable. (when she does pass gass, she smiles like it's the funniest thing ever). I would have thought that if the formula were giving her diarrhea, she would be having other symptoms as well. Any other bf-ing moms have their babies develop diarrhea when they were on antibiotics? Is this possible?

[BTB]

Dreshny - in order to start a daily bottle of EBM, to get and keep DS acclimated to bottles, all you need is one bottle. Then offer (or have DH offer it) in place of a feeding, and while DS is eating, pump or express. DD has her bottle every night before bed, and then I pump, replacing the bottle she ate.

If you want to build up more stored milk, to keep a couple days ahead of DS instead of just one (kind of takes the pressure off, and makes it easier to have someone babysit on short notice) express for a set period of time, say 20 minutes, every night, instead of just until the flow stops. Your body will start to make more milk to meet that demand at that time, especially if you help set that schedule by expressing around the same time each day. By doing this you can set the 'demand' for milk to a bit higher than what DS is taking at that feeding and thus build up a bit more stored milk each day. You can also start expressing at a certain time in the morning - even just an ounce or two - to get your body used to extra demand then, and use that "feeding" to build up stored milk too.

If you want my two cents, as a fellow SAHM, my pump was worth every penny. I feel it gives me as much control over feeding my DD as if I were bottlefeeding her - anyone can feed her, anytime; I can take food for her anywhere even if I'll be in a place where I couldn't NIP, if a Grandma comes down to visit DD, DH and I can sneak off for a dinner out together knowing there's plenty of milk in the fridge. Now, if you are having an easy time hand-expressing, you can have all those same benefits. It can just take practice to get used to a pump, at first I only got maybe an ounce or two total, but now can pump 7 or 8 ounces total in about 15 minutes.

[BTB]

catmom - sorry, x-posted: yes, it could be the antibiotics. A switch from BM to formula usually stops kids up a bit; constipation would be more likely than diarrhea if the formula were to blame. That's all I know about that. :) I'm sure somebody more knowledgeable will be along soon.

[mollyeilis]

Hmm, well, I know from the experience of a couple friends, that formula was given in order to prompt more pooping. I hadn't really heard about formula causing *less* poop...


dreshny, I'm at home with DS too, but got an Isis. I had quite a freezer stash (considering I could see no point in actually having it LOL), but only gave DS a bottle at 6 months (teething emergency, no Hyland's, no cold teethers, he was hungry, my nipples were scared of the chomping...ice cold milk in a bottle to the rescue!), and he took it *just fine*. I think he's had the occasion to drink two more times from a bottle, and it was fine. No big deal at all. No "window" to worry about, in our experience.

If you're concerned about whether he'll take much from a bottle, you might want to only store maybe 2 ounces in each container, so you don't "ruin" the 4 ounces if he doesn't drink much of it. :)

Yes, you'll want to pump at the time he's drinking the bottle.

All that said, I've seen no added value in our lives to having the freezer stash (except for that one night while teething!)...most of the milk has thawed then been tossed, as it was mainly taken on road trips (just in case he got screaming-hungry on a stretch of road with no exits...never happened) and such. Hubby never wanted to intrude on the feeding of baby, as we'd agreed that was my job, we have no relatives who felt it was their right to feed baby, and so on. So you certainly don't *have* to have others feed the baby, if you don't want to. (said just in case you don't really want to do the bottle thing but feel you "should")

[BTB]

Hmm, well, I know from the experience of a couple friends, that formula was given in order to prompt more pooping. I hadn't really heard about formula causing *less* poop...

Mollyeilis: I can see how it would seem contradictory at first glance, but it's really not because there's a separate issue there: quantity.

There's two different poo characteristics here: amount, and consistency. Poop being food remnants, you can only make as much poop as you have food. If there is such little poop that it indicates the baby is not getting enough food, then formula would be recommended as a supplement, so that the baby makes more poo. But you can have tons of poo that is runny, or tons of poo that is not runny, and even that is bulky and hard to pass (i.e. constipating) - the less -runny end of the spectrum is the type of poo that formula fed babies tend to have lots of. You would expect the FFd babe to have lots of poo, but not of the runny variety, as formula tends to be constipating.

Make sense now? Catmom's baby could indeed make more poo now that she's getting more calories, and the increase in volume is because of the formula. But you would not expect the higher-volume poos to be runny just from formula, however, antibiotics are a common cause of diarrhea.

And, of course, since babies are individuals who didn't do their homework and read the textbooks, there will always be exceptions. :)

[Teresita]

Also, my mom insisted that pumps are a waste of money since I'm not planning on going back to work anytime in the near future. She said I'd get much more milk out hand-expressing anyway (she always did.)

Dreshny My guess is that pump technology has come a long way since your mother was pumping. I can't imagine hand expressing unless you are only going to pump once in a blue moon. I bought an Ameda Purely Yours electric pump and have been very happy with it. I pumped about once a day from months 1-6 and then intermittently thereafter. I work from a home office, so I just needed bottles for business trips. meetings, etc., but not every day.

In your case, if you don't want to spend too much, you could perhaps try a manual pump. I have no personal experience with those, so unfortunately I don't have any recommendations.

Also, FWIW I think the willingness or lack thereof of babies to take a bottle can vary so much depending on the baby. I think we gave my DD her first bottle around 7 weeks. She took it no problem. She only had bottles every now and then thereafter and still no problem. But, I've have a niece who never took a bottle despite the fact that my SIL followed all the common advice about when to introduce it, how often to offer it, etc. And, my niece was at daycare all day! (She ended up just cluster feeding when mom was around and did just fine.)

[usafwife]

Hi everyone. My DD will be 5 weeks old tomorrow. For the first two weeks I was doing a combination of breast feeding and supplementing with formula. I started pumping soon after DD was born because she never latched on quite right. Anyway, at 3 weeks old we went on short trip. I didn't take my pump with me for a few reasons. During that trip DD wouldn't hardly nurse so she was only fed by bottle. And that's when my supply started to go away. It wasn't that much to begin with. I'm trying to find ways to increase it. When I pumped this past week I never got more than 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. Anyone have suggestions on how I can increase my supply? Or am I asking/wanting too much.

I originally wanted to breast feed for the first 3 months but that went out the window very quickly. The hospital started DD on a bottle the night she was born. I was so worn out from labor and delivery that I could hardly keep my eyes open. I'd been up since 1 am that morning (DD was born just after 3 pm). Plus I was VERY shaky - to the point where I couldn't even hold a cup to take a drink. So the nurses brought in a bottle and DH fed her. The next day I was still worn out so I didn't end up nursing for the first time until late that evening or the next day. She never did latch on quite right and caused me much more pain/discomfort than I though there would be. I continued to work with it hoping things would get better. They never did but decided to go ahead and deal with the discomfort/pain while nursing her.

So now she will nurse for an hour and still want more so we give her a bottle. Anyway, hoping that someone here can help me (us) out.

Gotta run, got an unhappy baby.

[Mrs.Chappy]

Hello,
I stopped pumping b/c i was having BFing issues with DS. He is doing better and we are supplementing formula in the afternoons and a big bottle before bed. When should i start pumping..my supply is lower than i like...in the past i was only getting one-two ounces with the pump after nursing. I hear about mom's who get 8-10!! beggers can't be choosers...any advice? i am taking fenugreek.

[HGMorgann]

Mrs. Chappy, Hi there!
Honestly, 1-2 ounces after nursing would be a lot for me. Your baby is much more efficent at getting the milk out than the pump is.

I know you have heard this before, but supplementing formula will not help increase your supply at all. I know its hard, but if I were you, I would defintely pump during the time you are supplementing so that you can "trick" your body into thinking you are nursing, thus maintaining your supply.

I always have the most success pumping first thing in the morning. M. would nurse on Side A, then I would pump Side B.


USAFwife - You can still help your supply issue out! A couple of things I would do would be eat a ton of oatmeal, drink a ton of water and start on Fenegeek. Also, your baby is so young that it is OK for her to be nursing every hour or so. The key to increasing your supply is to try to limit the supplements as much as possible and allow her to nurse. I would always offer the breast before the bottle. You say she nurses for an hour and then still wants a bottle, have you tried to just give her a paci or your finger instead. Sucking is how young babies comfort themselves, so she may just have the need to suck. A baby that young will eat even if she's not really all that hungry. Her stomach is so tiny that 2-3 oz. is all she needs at a feeding, so I wouldnt supplement more than an ounce or so after she BF. If she nurses for say 20 mintues, and you can hear/see her swallowing that is great - but then after 20 mintues you may notice that the swallowing stops....she is probally just sucking for comfort.

Have you seen a lactation consultant? Or talked to a LLL leader? That would be a great place to start if you are still having latch issues.

The first few weeks of BF can be really hard, but you CAN do this. It takes a lot of determination and perservance and PATIENCE. I think someone "In Real LIfe" could help you out the most. You can't change how you started out your BF relationship - don't feel guilty about it or anything - its ok, but you can determine the present and future :-) Take care.

Marisa probally has better advice/suggestions, but she has been away a lot so I wanted to just give you some advice I heard from my LLL and LC expereince! Take care:-)

[AusAshMommy]

USAWife ~ GOD I could have told your story when Ashley was born, wouldn't latch, wouldn't stay latched and fought the breast w/everything in her and then some...when my milk eventually came in she was a lazy eater and didn't eat much. The only difference between the two of us is that after she was born I was on such an adrenaline high I didn't notice I was tired and tried to nurse her, didn't work. We kept at it even though she fought it with everything in her.

How did we build supply? I'd feed her then I'd pump, sometimes I'd get a 2nd letdown, others I wouldn't...it just simulates your baby's eating, that way your body cues in to make more. If you really want to keep at this, I'd say keep trying and keep that pump handy!

Now Ashley's a healthy happy 7 mos old who's trying to chew my nipples off because she's teething...keep at it!

[Marisa]

Two posts in a row about increasing supply! :)

usaf - I would recommend trying fenugreek, it is an herbal supplement, and as Mrs. Chappy says it is helpful much of the time in increasing supply. You can purchase it in capsule form and take 3 caps, 3 times a day as you're working to build your supply back up.

Other galactogogues include oatmeal (cereal, cookies, in any form). Some recommend a dark beer; if you are uncomfortable with drinking an alcoholic beverage Goya makes a non-alcoholic drink called Malta which also has hops -- it tastes like molasses soda.

Drink plenty of water. Keep a water bottle full and handy. Don't drown yourself, but just try to take a few sips as you think of it, and have a good drink as you nurse.

This is not said to be judgemental, but... the more bottles you give, the more your supply will drop.
That is a fact -- if the baby is getting milk from somewhere other than you, your body will "learn" that it is not necessary to produce as much. If you have given the baby a few oz. of formula and she still seems hungry, let her nurse, even if you feel like she's not getting very much. You'll hear people say, "She's using you as a pacifier"... well, that's actually what you WANT at this stage. (Ok, maybe you don't WANT it ;) -- but it's good for your supply!) The more she sucks, even if she's not getting much milk, the more your body will be signalled to produce more milk. It may take a few days to see visible results, but it should work.

us -- your baby is due for another growth spurt sometime in the next week or so -- do NOT be surprised if she wants to nurse round the clock, do NOT be tempted to increase the supplements -- just get yourself a comfy spot, rent some movies or get some magazines and put some snacks out for yourself. Settle in for a day or so of nursing -- it's baby's instinct to do this every few weeks or so as a newborn to keep your supply up to meet her growing needs.

Pumping is NOT NOT NOT NOT a good way to tell how much milk you have. Although some women can pump 8 oz. during one session, others never can pump anything at all -- they just don't respond to the pump. One of my LLL Leaders nursed TWINS and still couldn't get more than a half-ounce when she pumped.


Those of you who are supplementing with formula, you should be pumping at any time that your baby receives the supplement, so that your body still knows to make milk at that time. Try to pump for 15-20 min, even if you're not getting milk anymore; that's a signal to your body that you need more milk than it's making and your body will respond within a few days.


Sesame Street is no longer fascinating my son, so my computer time is up! :) I hope some of that was helpful.

[NYN]

so just to update, last friday night catie started taking my left breast (and only my left breast) so i was pretty happy all weekend but also super engorged in my left breast. i was pumping my right breast every hour on the hour and i was still totally lopsided. also, catie was not very consistent w/ her feedings. she would take my breast once for ten minutes, then scream until she got a bottle, then take it for a half an hour at the next feeding, etc. it was very frustrating for me and i still felt like i was doing damage. diaper counts were perfect and at our first visit to the ped. catie had gained back all her birth weight (and iw as told i was doing an excellent job :)) but i was still insecure and i really didn't know what to do about my engorgement issues, the right breast issue, my nervousness, etc. so i decided i still could benefit from an LC.

long story short, i called every LC that was recommended to me by you girls and took the first appointment that was available (in case you are curious, docoNY's LC won ;)). BEST MONEY I EVER SPENT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! i don't want to jinx myself but catie has not had a bottle since 11am this morning and we are 4 successful feedings in as i type this. i could not be happier. the LC also told me that she has gained another 2 oz. since saturday so i am doing okay in that department. she also said i could start letting her sleep two 4 hour stretches at night (i was only letting her sleep one 4 hour stretch which is difficult for me b/c she is a heavy sleeper and does not want to wake up even to feed) since she is gaining well. she taught me some excercises i need to do w/ her before every feeding and it is amazing how they help her get more of my breast in her mouth. she also taught me what to do to better support my breast so that i am not concerned about it hitting her chin and making her uncomfortable.

so i am happy and, of course, extremely thankful to you girls. things are still a little new to us and i know it will take a few more weeks before it gets to feel "natural" but we are already doing a million times better than yesterday and i am ecstatic about it. i'm also very impressed by how regulated my supply seems to have become in just a few hours (though i have been using cabbage leaves on the engorged breast so i'm sure it's due to that too). also, the consistency of the milk that is on catie's mouth after a feeding is 100x whiter than the milk i was pumping - that is so crazy! and i was pumping 4oz. as of late. so nuts.

anyway, a million thanks again and please wish me luck that we continue on this streak. i will be back to update (and i'm sure with more questions :o ).

[lady1297]

NYN!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BF will become more natural over time. As you both learn it. You are doing FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! And yeah Catie!! Keep it up, sweetie!! :) HUGSS!!!!

[Marisa]

Teba -- what a great post! We will definitely be here for any answers or support you need. Remember that you may have your ups and downs as you're both getting everything figured out, but it will be so worth it in the end! :)

[NicoleWisconsin]

So glad to hear it, Teba. I don't know if I have posted this here before or not, but my first week of nursing, I didn't think I'd make it a month. No one told me how hard it'd be! But, it does get better! We're past a year and still going strong!

[ann2002]

Teba --- Woohoo!!! That is great ;)

[lil_nance]

NYNovia So glad to hear things are going better for you. I know how challenging BF can be.

Which leads me to my questions;
1. DS is 17 days old. He sleeps a lot. How often should I be feeding him at this point? Should I be waking him up or let him tell me? FYI, he regained birthweight by day 10 and seems to still be gaining. Wet and poopy diapers are good.

2. He latches VERY tight on my right breast and tugs like a vacuum. It loosens a bit after letdown. I've tried getting him on deeper but no go. Any suggestions?

3. I've noticed my breasts are sore about 1/2hr after feeding. I've heard this may be the milk coming back in and should subside as my supply regulates.

Finally, thanks Marisa for the sling. I love it. We're still learning how to use it correctly but he's been asleep in it for the last hour while I'm on the computer. :)

[usafwife]

HCMorgann ~ Thanks for the tips. I only got the tips/talkings from the nurses while we were in the hospital. At that time she was latching on pretty good. Though she never did take much of the areola into her mouth. And my nipples seem to pay the price. She never seems quite satisified with 2-3 oz. Maybe I'll enlist the help of my SIL.

AusAshMommy ~ Thanks. Sometimes she does fight it. Other times she will latch on, stay on for a while and then come off and immediately start crying. I'll try to get her back on and she won't stay on. And then the crying will start all over again. There was no way I was on a mental high after delivery. I'd been awake for what seemed like 3 days straight. It really wasn't as I'd gotten 2 hours of sleep Monday evening when I went to bed and then got awakened by my water breaking.

Marisa ~ Thanks. Where can I purchase the fenugreek? At Wal-Mart or at a different store? I try to drink a lot of water during the day. I'll try and increase it. I understand that giving her bottles will cut down on my supply. Glad to hear that pumping ins't an indicator of how much milk I do have. Cause if that was the case the last session hardly had any results.

lil_nance ~ 2. He latches VERY tight on my right breast and tugs like a vacuum. It loosens a bit after letdown. I've tried getting him on deeper but no go. Any suggestions? I find that my DD does this as well. I wouldn't say that she really loosens all that much though. She basically just takes the nipple and a tiny bit of the areola. If I try to get too much more in her mouth she won't take it and fights me.

Gotta run as someone is a little unhappy.

[Lydia]

I have a dilemma.

DD has been in daycare for 2 1/2 weeks and is starting to eat a LOT. My frozen stash is gone. I am barely keeping up with her demand during the week. During the weekend she is fine. Her daycare provider suggested a teaspoon or so of rice cereal mixed with EBM in her bottle to fill her up more. I called the ped to see what her opinion was (she is very pro BF and I love that about her). I REALLY don't want to introduce formula. I'm not knocking it, it's just my personal feeling.

I am taking fenugreek too. It is definitely helping with the supply.

What are your opinions?

DD is almost 16 weeks, weighs about 14 pounds. I will be working for another 8 weeks and then I am quitting to be with her full time.

[AusAshMommy]

Lydia ~ I was having the same issue, if she's 16 weeks that's 4 mos, and our ped told me that at 4 mos if she's able to hold her head up well then perhaps introduce rice cereal into her diet, just 1-2 tbsp at 1st to see how she handles it...we did that w/Ashley when my supply wasn't great and our freezer stash was gone...we mix her cereal w/water and not formula. She doesn't seem to notice a difference...

[AusAshMommy]

USAFWife ~ Your welcome...I dunno what it is about these girls, I have a friend who's DD did the same thing when she was born...frustration/hunger/who knows...anyhew, keep at it, don't give up yet...it's not easy at 1st to BF (something not many are told) and with support from these ladies you can do it!

I know...wish you were, I was like that w/Austin, felt like I'd been hit w/a mac truck after delivery. For some reason w/Ashley I was on such an adrenaline high I didn't notice I was tired...I'd been up since 1am and she was born @ 5pm...go figure!

Hang in there!

[Teresita]

Lydia Obviously it is completely your perogative to do whatever you see best for your DD. However, since you asked for opinions, I would definitely not give my DD rice cereal in that situation. The AAP now recommends delaying any solids until 6 months. I know lots of people start them sooner, but IMO the AAP has taken this stance for good reason. I heard from my mom, my sister, and others about how they started their DC on cereal at 2, or 3, or 4 months and they are just fine, blah, blah, blah. But, research shows that it is best to wait until 6 months.

Of course we all know BF/EBM is ideal, but if I were in a situation where I needed to supplement at less than 6 months, I would supplement with formula not cereal. Formula is made to mimic BM as much as is possible--it is the next best thing and has much, much more nutrition than cereal. Although I could be wrong, I also thought that BM and formula are more caloric ounce per ounce than cereal, so I don't buy into the whole myth of cereal filling babies up.

[catmom]

Lydia,
I would think that formula would be better than rice cereal if your DD isn't getting enough to eat. Rice cereal doesn't have much in the way of nutrition. When we needed to start supplementing DD because she wasn't gaining weight well, we talked to the dr about adding some solids and she said that the baby really needs the nutrition from either breastmilk or formula. I think that for most of the first year, almost all of the nutrition the baby gets is from breastmilk or formula, and that solids are sort of an "extra." Of course, one of the ladies here might have a suggestion for getting your supply up, in which case this would be a moot point.

[Toonces]

My DD will be 10 months old next week and I've made it this far so I thought I wouldn't have to worry about a plugged duct, but now I think I have one. :( I'm not sure though so for those of you who have had them, what does a plugged duct feel like? I have lumpiness extending from where my breast meets my chest, forward in a line toward my nipple. It's sore to the touch. DD has been on a kick where she's way too busy to be interested in nursing during the day and we co-sleep so she does a lot of nursing during the night. I think that's causing some engorgement during the day and a duct possibly got plugged. :confused: How do I know if that is what it is? What are the things that you have found help to lessen the soreness and unplug the duct?

TIA!!

[Natrat80]

Lydia
My SIL is in a situation similar to you. She is back to work and is BFing her 4 month old son. She has no freezer stash, she pumps everyday and then sends that milk to daycare for the next day. She recently started just nursing him (while not at work) on one side only and pumping the other side for his daycare feedings for the next day.

Could you feed off of one breast and pump the other?

Just an idea-hope it helps!

[Lydia]

Thanks for all the support (I love this thread). My pedi said "Absolutely not" when I asked about cereal. She understands how I feel about keeping Maddie on breastmilk only and knows that if push comes to shove I will not let my DD go hungry so I am going to speak with the LC tomorrow morning. Obviously the first thing I need to do is get on a better pumping schedule. Easier said than done at my work-I'm just so damn busy. I also need to add back in one ofmy pumping sessions even though DD is sleeping much longer. Last time I took fenugreek it took about 5 days to really kick in. I'm on day 3 or 4 right now so maybe it will get a boost tomorrow or the next day.

I have a very strange mindset where it's "all or nothing" and I feel like if I give her a bottle of formula, my hard work is all over. Isn't that silly? There is nothing freaking wrong with formula!

[Marisa]

Lydia -- I like Nat's suggestion about pumping one side, nursing on the other... have you tried nursing/pumping simultaneously at all? (I've never managed it myself.)

When you're home with your baby, obviously if you're nursing you wouldn't have time to pump both sides, but if you can set it up so you're pumping *while* you nurse you might catch the letdown and get more than usual. At the very least it gives you a chance to get a little ahead.

Plus, the bonus is that your body starts going 'Whoa, she's nursing two babies?' and your milk production should increase as well. :)

... Oh, and start eating your oatmeal! Breakfast, snacktime, cookies or granola bars count too! :)

[Marisa]

Oops, forgot -- Carrie, I've found that moist heat and Motrin work best to ease the discomfort and work through any possible plugs like you describe. I use either a rice sock heated for 1 minute in the microwave, or a damp washcloth that's been run under hot water, as a compress for as long as it's comfortable.

[moderngal]

re: pumping/ BF'ing simultaneously-- Marisa gave me that advice a few weeks ago when I needed to pump more for daycare and it worked great!! It requires some positioning trickery, but I got great let down doing that. :)

[Teresita]

I have a very strange mindset where it's "all or nothing" and I feel like if I give her a bottle of formula, my hard work is all over. Isn't that silly? There is nothing freaking wrong with formula!

I don't think you are alone in this. For me exclusively BF'ing was very important and it seems to be so for you. You've gotten some great tips for increasing your supply. I hope they work! Just think how easy it will all seem when you are at home full-time and won't have the pressure to pump!

[Allegra]

re: pumping/ BF'ing simultaneously--

This works best for results for me too. You might try a Leading Lady Hands Free Pumping Bra - makes the whole thing a wee bit easier to manage.

Allegra

[kelseyledare]

Add me to the list of mommies that must soon return to a hectic work schedule with a strong determination to pump and exclusively BF. So I have been looking into hands-free pumping bras / pump attachments. I have looked at the Medela bras as well as the Leading Lady Hands Free. I am wondering if any of you have tried these bras or others and have recommendations. I am using a Medela PISA and would appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!

[jrdhbunny]

I've been lurking in here and just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone for your amazing advice! I was just coming in to ask the very same questions as Lydia...

Lydia- I could have written every one of your posts (except the quitting part- I wish!!). I've been back at work for just over two weeks and DS had been fine with what I was able to pump during the day (about 12-14 ounces). However yesterday he went on an eating binge and consumed over 20 ounces. DH (who is a SAHD) had to break into the freezer stash. Today it looks like more of the same- he woke up twice last night/early this morning to eat and was up again at 8:30 a.m., crying and chewing at his arm. I still have about 25 ounces in the freezer, but at this rate it's not going to last very long and I'm a wreck over what we're going to do. I'm trying to drink as much water as possible and pump in the morning after DS nurses as well as 3 times at work, but it's really hard for me to get away that often- the lactation room is on another floor and I eat up so much time getting there, getting the key, setting up, etc.

I too have an "ambition" to EBF, especially since we had such a rocky start in the beginning, but if I have to supplement with formula I feel much more comfortable doing that after reading the posts here. And thank you as well for the advice about pumping one side while nursing on the other- I'm going to try that tonight!

ETA: Just wanted to clarify that 12-14 ounces and now 20 ounces is not all that DS eats all day, just when I'm at work. I also nurse him before I leave and then as often as he wants when I get home.

[NicoleWisconsin]

Catgirl, the other thing that is supposed to help with a blocked duct is trying to position the baby so that their chin puts pressure on that area when nursing...

[Marisa]

jdrh - Maybe a late 3-month growth spurt? Try not to stress too much about it, I know that's easier said than done, but being as stress-free as possible can only help you get more when you pump. ;)

[jrdhbunny]

marisa- I think it may be a spurt. Also, I know that 3.5 months is early for it, but he's been showing signs of teething (drooling, chewing his toungue) and when he bites down on DH's finger, DH says that he can feel hard nubs under the gum. Could DH be misinterpreting the arm/hand chewing for hunger? DS does suck down the bottles, but maybe he's not really that hungry?

It's funny you say that about stress because I've definitely noticed that since I started worrying about this, I've had less output at the pump. I really need to relax!

[Marisa]

3.5 months is early to see teeth, but the teeth actually do have to move through the gums before they emerge, so he's right on schedule. If your DH notices the drooling/chewing behavior, he can always try offering a frozen teether or cold washcloth to chew on first, and see if that makes your DS happier. If it really is teething, then the bottles are probably soothing to him but may not be entirely for nutrition, KWIM?

[jrdhbunny]

That makes sense. I'll ask DH to offer a washcloth before the bottle- DS won't tolerate a teether just yet.

[cynder]

One more working mom with no freezer stash.

We started part time daycare this week. So far all I can pump is a 3 oz bottle that I get from pumping in the evening and night. So DS get a bottle of formula at daycare before I pick him up after lunch. I am still busy catching up with work but I hope to start pumpimg one session around 10:30 and one at 2:30. I am lucky in that I have card swipe lactation room in my building so I have no excuse to give up.

Besides water, fenugeek, oatmeal, is there anything else I can do to increase output. DS is a two breast eater so nurse and pump does not work and one side is way less that the other. I am wondering if there is anything on the weekends that I can do to build some supply up.

[usafwife]

Where can I buy the fenugreek?

[NicoleWisconsin]

I found it at a nutrition store... Also try vitamin stores. I'd just look in the yellow pages and try calling.

[Teresita]

I have looked at the Medela bras as well as the Leading Lady Hands Free. I am wondering if any of you have tried these bras or others and have recommendations.

I have the leading lady bra and I LOVE it! I no longer pump, but when I did, it was wonderful. I work full time but have my office in my home, so I would pump while checking my email, voicemail, doing work, etc. It made pumping so much less of a chore because I could get so much done while I was pumping since both my hands were free. Worth the money and more.

[maggieb]

I have a Medela nursing bra, which was much pricier than my Kohl's bra and my Target bra and to be honest, I hate it! It has metal clasps and they just got so torn up in the wash. Also, it's really uncomfortable and I was measured for this bra at a breastfeeding center here in DC. I will never spend the money on a Medela bra again. I bought more Target bras this time and they're great! The only drawback to Target is that it's hard to find the larger sizes.

[Marisa]

Maggie, I don't think I realized you're a mama-of-two now! Congrats! :)

(Great choice of names, btw. :D)

[maggieb]

thanks, marisa!!! i love your name too! :D

[maggieb]

Ok, I'm here with issues, unfortunately. You would think i would have this down since this is #2. ;) DD was born 7/8 and will be 4 weeks old on Friday. I would say that 95% of the times that I nurse her, she fusses. I know I have oversuppply and an overactive letdown, so I was feeding her on one breast per session, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference, so I started feeding her on one breast every two feedings. So, for example, I feed her on righty at 1pm and the next time she's hungry, say, 3:30PM and then let's say 6 I feed her on lefty and then at 9 I feed her on lefty again. Make sense? It has helped some as far as me not leaking and spraying as much and I feel like she can handle my letdown a little bit better, but there are times that she still fusses a lot at the breast. She also fusses a lot after I have fed her and rarely goes to sleep after or during nursing.

When I say fuss I mean, grunt, cry, turn red and strain. I know it could be gas and/or just an immature newborn system, but at what point do I decide that it's more than that?

Here's my question...sometimes she fusses so much at the breast that I don't even get 10 min on one side out of her and then we quit. I can usually (except at night) get her to sleep by bouncing her and shushing her, but then she wakes up about 20-40 min later grunting and rooting. I try to feed her, but she fusses again and we start our cycle over. I have noticed that the few times that she has nursed really well on one side without fussing are mainly the times that she sleeps well afterwards.

I believe in demand feeding, especially at this age, but how do I know for sure that she's really hungry? Sometimes I think she just wants to nurse to go to sleep and gets pissed that milk's coming out. KWIM? I also think that the more she eats these quick little snacks, the more upset her belly gets since she's probably getting a majority of foremilk. I have considered a pacifier, but don't want to confuse her. Do you think she could handle a paci at this age or would that just complicate matters?

I have read kellymom up one side and down the other, but I want to find out if you guys have any suggestions.

BTW, she was 7lbs 14 oz upon going home from the hospital and was 10 lbs at three weeks exactly, so weight gain is not an issue.

Thanks!

[moderngal]

i bought fenugreek at GNC

[Toonces]

Thank you, Marisa & Nicole! DH heated a wet wascloth in the microwave for me last night (2 times), and wouldn't you know it, DD didn't nurse as much last night as she usually does -- when I needed her to the most. I ended up going to my OB b/c I was afraid of mastitis, and she manually worked the plug out. MUCH better now! Thx again! :)

[Klo.]

I'm not sure if I have a question so much as just need support and I'm not sure it all has to do with BF'ing. I just don't know if I'm doing this right.

DS will be 7 weeks tomorrow and I feel like all I've done the past week is BF him. Like he can barely make it 2 hours most of the time during the day. A couple night last week he was up *every* two hours but thankfully is back to 3-4 hours at a time. He will some times feed (or at least be latched) for almost an hour and a half and he just never seems satisfied and wants to eat again 20 minutes later. If I'm not feeding him he cries bloody murder if I'm not holding him and engaging him in some way. I can't put him down for even 5 minutes without him screaming.
I'm frustrated because I FINALLY feel like I was just getting over the excruciating nipple pain that I was having in the first several weeks. Now when he is latched for so long it really starts to hurt again and my nipples are back to being sore.

Is this just classic 6-week growth spurt? How long is this supposed to last? It seems like its been over a week now. He seems to be growing and thriving so well but just doesn't seem like a 'happy baby' the last couple days. Could there be something with my milk that isn't satisfying him? I'm just not sure what to do with him when he keeps crying and fussing like this all the time.

In a completely unrelated question: Can I pump more than one session into a bottle as long as it is within the same day and I use it within the 3 days of the first session? example: If I pump in the morning and can only get an oz or 2 can I add to that same bottle later in the afternoon?

You ladies are all so helpful. I've learned so much just from reading along on this thread (in fact, thats why I haven't posted a question before).

[ladybug0525]

Klo - I am sure Marisa will add to this but to answer a couple of things.
pumping - You can combine pumping session just make sure they both are the same temp when you combine them. For instance in the morning you get 2z and put it in the fridge then in the afternoon you pump you would want that to be in the fridge for a couple of hours before you combine them. I am not sure the exact reason but I always have various containers of milk going at one time.
growth spurt - I had a very large son who fed every 2 hours up until he was 8 weeks and then it finally slowed down. I promise it will get better. My DS always fed in about a half hour so I can not imagine it taking a hour and a half. Have you tried a paci - not sure what your stance is on this but it sure could give your nipples a rest. I hope the growth spurt breaks soon.

[happy1nuv]

klo... You are doing great!! Most babies go through a fussy period between 6-8 weeks ...i think i remember that from somewhere on kellymom.com ... with my ds, it seemed to last a lil longer. There have been many weeks where we spend hours a day nursing ... at 10 weeks, he seemed to just wake up one morning and decide to be a little less clingy and more happy go lucky... his favorite thing is still nursing... but, he probably only nurses about 15-20 min every 2 1/2 - 3 hours from hunger ... boredom, security, human pacifier, as a way to go to sleep nursing ... well, those are much more commn round here...

And, i've been combining milk til i gat 4 oz ... and just marking it with the earliest date...it can dsometimes take me 2-3 days to get that much...

[chloechloe]

HELP ME AGAIN :)
Okay DD is 10 months and one week. She is still nursing 8-10 times in a 24 hour period! The nurse says that is WAY too much! This is her present nursing schedule (approximately).
8am
10am
11:30am
1:30am
3:30pm
5:30pm
7:30pm
9:30pm
and twice in the night

She eats VERY VERY VERY little solids. But if I try to push the solids even a little she freaks out! Screams etc. The nurse told me she is not getting nutrition from all these feedings she is doing it for comfort. She said that I may cater to her because she is my first and only child right now. She suggested I let her cry herself to sleep and then offer a bottle when she wakes ( I have never let her CIO). She said that is the most effective way to cut out a nursing session. I would like to cut one out to give myself more time, and I am considering a job 12 hours a week. She has NEVER taken a bottle----ever. She will take a sippy cup. How do I do this? She said I had to wait a year to introduce whole milk (she has had cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt and ice cream). Would one sippy cup of whole milk really hurt??? PLease help!!!!

[Marisa]

quick responses while DH plays with Joey...

Klo -- it really does sound like a typical growth spurt, maybe a little longer than typical but definitely not abnormal. Another thing I was thinking is that between 4-6 weeks you often start seeing signs of a sensitivity, so if he's fussy/colicky esp. around feeding time or after a feeding, there may be something in your diet that bothers him. If you can, try cutting back on dairy/soy for a week or two, that might make him a happier baby again. :)

chloe -- I have to say, your nurse gave you some very incorrect information. She doesn't sound like she's very educated in BFing, honestly. Why would your milk all of a sudden be less nutritious? :rolleyes:
Your feeding schedule sounds a lot like what we were doing at 10 months -- Joey would have little tastes of things, but not a full meal. However, he would often take a bottle of expressed milk from the sitter, or even a half-jar of pears or some banana or something like that, when I had to be away from him for a couple of hours at a time. Something about it being a different person made him more willing to try something different, I think.
At around 1 year, he became more willing to try new things, so we started just giving him small bits of table food -- chicken, potatoes, veggies, whatever we were eating. I think that waiting and following his cues has made the whole 'solids' thing very stress-free for us. Now he eats like crazy all day (and still nurses a couple of times too). He's growing beautifully, too -- tall and healthy. :)

She suggested I let her cry herself to sleep

You know, it really bothers me when drs./nurses suggest that. First of all, I appreciate their *medical* advice, but they should leave the parenting to the parents. Second of all, it's pretty irresponsible to ignore all the studies that show that CIO increases the cortisol levels in the brain (similar to being in an extremely stressful or dangerous situation) and could create permanent damage. At the very least you're teaching your baby that you're not going to come when she calls, why would you want to teach her that? Sorry, I'm off my soapbox now. :D

Anyway, I'd avoid the whole milk if you can. If you need to leave her and cannot pump enough milk to leave, I'd rather see you give formula than whole milk; it's more easily digested and has the added nutrition that she still needs at this age.

Just my 2 cents. :)


(That wasn't a short post at all. Yay for daddy being able to keep Joey busy! :))

[Klo.]

ladybug, happy1inluv and Marisa -
THANK YOU so much for your responses. Your encouragement and tips are all so helpful. We are having a better day today already - although we haven't gotten to the dreaded evening hours yet either! After your responses and reading up a little more on kellymom.com, it really does sound like just a typical 6-week fussiness. Just having the knowledge and a little confidence that I can make it through this goes a long way. We are set to go on a 6-hour drive tomorrow for the whole weekend so I hope all goes well. yikes.
Again - thank you. I'm sure you all have toddlers to chase after so I appreciate you taking the time.

[Allegra]

You know, it really bothers me when drs./nurses suggest that. First of all, I appreciate their *medical* advice, but they should leave the parenting to the parents. Second of all, it's pretty irresponsible to ignore all the studies that show that CIO increases the cortisol levels in the brain (similar to being in an extremely stressful or dangerous situation) and could create permanent damage. At the very least you're teaching your baby that you're not going to come when she calls, why would you want to teach her that? Sorry, I'm off my soapbox now. :D


You know, I really needed to hear that. Marisol has been (I think) getting better and better about going to sleep with one of us and then being put down in her crib around 8:30-9. This helps give us some couple time which is nice. She still wakes up around 11 or 12 and usually wants to nurse (quite heavily) - we typically co -sleep the rest of the night. While my husband supports me completely, I am getting some flack from others about how I'm spoiling her etc etc.

It just doesn't make logical sense to me that any "animal" would cry for no reason or that any animal young would be left crying. YKWIM? Seems just kind of basic?

Anyway, just wanted to chime in.

Allegra

[AusAshMommy]

Hey Everyone ~ Just popping in for a sec...need some advice/suggestions regarding AF/BFing...

Last month I had my 1st PP AF starting 7/1, came w/out hardly any notice and went as normal after 5-6 days...well I was "due" again on the 29 - 08/3 as my cycles tend to run 28 - 33 days. Well here I am day 35 and no AF, two negative HPT's...any ideas? Is this normal to skip AF when your BFing? I've been crampy like AF was going to start and it hasn't...moody...pmsing...the normal AF related stuff. Do I just need to give a few more days?

This is not normal for me...not BFing my cycles are like clockwork...any ideas you all might have would be wonderful!

[Marisa]

Lara -- I wouldn't stress too much about it, it would be perfectly normal if it took your body a cycle or two to get readjusted again.

When I first got mine back (in April, at 14 mos pp) that cycle was *very* regular, and I was pretty surprised! I'd never been regular without the help of the pill, so when I got the second one in exactly 30 days, I was stunned. :D But since then the subsequent cycles have been 41 days and 36 days -- I haven't seen a real pattern yet. I haven't had such wacky cycles since I was 17 (started the pill as a college freshman)... but I'm just keeping track, and being careful with the birth control. :)

[chloechloe]

Thanks for the replies Marisa you really know your stuff. Well I would really like to have one nursing time, prehaps the mid morning or mid afternoon one that I could eliminate. This nurse told me that before the age of sixmonths the baby needs to nurse to be comforted, but by now should not be using nursing as a comfort thing, which I am very guilty of. Teething---she nurses all day, she is upset....i nurse. How do I cut out one feeding?

[AusAshMommy]

Marisa ~ Thanks! That's what I was thinking it was...just wasn't sure, as this is all new to me, ya know?

My DH seems to think that's what it is too. Then again we're only using condoms as a form of BC because I personally do not like using hormonal BC...so I'm just paranoid because of how easily we get PG...

[NicoleWisconsin]

AusAshMommy - My cycles before I was pg were always exactly 28 days. Now, they have been 35-42 days. I also worry, but try not to. There is no such thing as normal when you are nursing, I guess.

[AusAshMommy]

Nicole ~ Thanks! After Austin my cycles got really wierd and now they are just kicking back into gear...so like others have said it might take a while to get back to "normal"

[Teresita]

Before I got PG, my cycles were 28 days. I got my first PP AF at 8 months PP and DD is now a year old. My cycle length has been rather wacky, ranging from 41 days to 32 days, so I think it's normal to be irregular when BFing.

[EJM]

I skimmed and couldn't find an answer so forgive me if I'm repeating this question. I'm wondering if I should I have a pump on hand just in case before the baby is born? For some reason, BFing is my biggest concern with the new baby. I'll be home for the first 12 weeks and will be able to feed on demand, but I'm worried if we have latching issues or the like at first. I'm getting a pump from my sister (but not until the baby is 4-6 weeks of age due to distance). I have the number of a few places that can deliver a pump rental within 24 hours but I was thinking maybe I should get a hand pump just in case. I know the baby won't starve in 24 hours if we are having BFing issues. Did any of you guys invest in a pump as a back up? I'd prefer the pump instead of formula, even as a last resort. I know I can't plan for everything but maybe a hand pump would help me relax about it? I also thought it might be a good idea if I'm having a supply issue as well. Thoughts?

[Marisa]

EJM - I think that a hand pump will be enough for *any* possible situation you'll find yourself in, esp. if you're getting an electric pump for when you return to work.

If you really did have serious BFing issues, you would likely be working with a IBCLC (lactation consultant) who could get you access to a hospital-grade pump very quickly if need be.

I had a hand pump that I used a couple of times during the first week, because my milk came in very strong. I would pump for a minute, just to soften up and get a little milk out so that he could latch properly.

If you're concerned about your BFing success, one of the best things you can do is familiarize yourself with the resources you have available for after the birth. Does your hospital have a full-time LC on staff? Is there a La Leche League chapter near you? www.llli.org/WebUS.html

Even though my mom is a IBCLC we had our challenges in the first few weeks, and my mom was even stumped -- so it was great that I had a few different options ready for other LCs or LLL Leaders to talk to. :)

[terrys wifey]

Not sure if I subcribed to this thread or not. Well here I go

[EJM]

Marisa: Thanks, I think I'll invest in a hand pump just in case! I'm just picturing me at 3am with a screaming infant not being able to get him/her to feed.

Our hospital does have a LC on staff, although I'm not sure what the hours are if I need help once I leave the hospital. I'm in Chicago where I believe LLL was founded so there are plenty of meetings, I just need to get myself to one :). Also, there are a number of other resources closeby including a drop in clinic with an LC present to help, and they encourage mothers to come just to talk and hang out. And my mom, who BF'ed 6 of us will be coming to help me shortly after the baby is born. For some reason BFing worries me, so I've looked up all the places I can get help. :o

[mollyeilis]

chloechloe I missed why you want to cut out one baby-meal (I can't use the word "feeding" LOL), but I wouldn't, for one second, believe what that nurse said. What changes at 6 months that makes a baby not want to nurse for comfort? IMO babies know so much more than we do; only they know the TRUE reason why they nurse at various times. Perhaps they get upset, the psychological distress causes some mini-trauma in their immune systems (ever notice a tendency to get sick when stressed?), and they need to nurse right then, to prompt you to make something special that will help them out! Who is to say what the baby is *really* doing?

So if you're only cutting down nursing b/c you think you shouldn't be comforting your baby by nursing, I personally wouldn't do that. If there's some other reason, then there's a reason, but I might separate the two things in your mind.

My guy is 14 months, has been teething his molars since March (they are ALL about to pop through at once, it's agony!), and I don't even know *how* I would comfort him during every bout of teething if it weren't for nursing him! It just seems to help him SO much... :)

****
PP AF...I got my first ridiculously early, but they weren't regular for awhile. I have always been perfectly timed at 27.5 days, but these periods have been a bit odd. Then just as I got used to being 28 days, one period was 4 days early, then the next was 4 days late...very weird, but I think it's just what we can expect with our cycles. After all, the uterus has just done some wild stuff, and the ovaries were sort of put on hold. And of course we're older when we start PP AF, and every year has the potential to change our cycles. :)

[moderngal]

You know, it really bothers me when drs./nurses suggest that. First of all, I appreciate their *medical* advice, but they should leave the parenting to the parents.
Agreed!! I hate that people were telling me to let DS CIO as early as 2 weeks old!! I can't imagine anything good, from a medical standpoint, about that.

EJM- You may want to call your hospital- my hospital sends all breastfeeding moms home with hand pumps.

[nancy drew]

hello ladies. i am hoping someone can help me out until i see my dr on tuesday. im pretty sure stella and i have thrush. she was screaming while i changed her diaper (dipe rash, yeast im sure) and i saw white spots on the roof of her mouth. ive had severe pain while nursing for the last few weeks (months?) but i just figured it was normal pg nursing pain. it has gotten a lot worse, and my boobs itch during and after nursing sessions. i do see some faint white spots on my nipples but i thought maybe i had a plugged duct or some dryness issues. anyway, the white spots in stellas mouth convinced me its probably thrush.

so my question is, what can i do about it until at least monday? stella has a dr appt on friday and i have one on tuesday, so im going to call her dr on monday and see if i can bump up the appt to earlier in the week. im not going to move my appt, ive dealt with this for a few months and i can deal with it a few more days. but is there anything i can do in the meantime? keep in mind it has to be pg safe, too. im thinking acidophilus might be safe, right? can i give that to stella too? what other home remedies might i try to get a head start on this stuff?

[HGMorgann]

NancyDrew - You can put Lotrimin on your nipples. Also, I heard cidar vinegar rinse helps on both of you - her bottom, your nipples. I know BTB did Genitian Violet in her daughters mouth. You can get that at GNC I think. Kellymom might have some other good home remedies.

Wash your bras in HOT water and also you can put them in the sun to kill the yeasties.

I thought we had thrush once, and I just put Lotrimin on and "aired" out a lot and the problem went away...

[nancy drew]

HGMorgann thanks! ill give all those suggestions a try. :)

[Teresita]

nancydrew Sorry to hear you had thrush. DD and I had it a couple of times and it bites. DD took diflucan, which is a prescription, but I believe you can buy gentian (sp?) violet without a prescription and it it is supposed to be quite effective.

I used vinegar in all the laundry to try to kill the yeast. I also rinsed my nipples in vinegar and applied lotrimin AF to them in between feedings (major PITA though considering how often I was nursing in the early days and you do need to wipe off the lotrimin before nursing) and was bare breasted as much as possible since bras can sometimes trap moisture. Also, if you have a private yard, try exposing your breasts to the sun since the sunlight kills yeast. I took acidophilus. I didn't give DD any, but I'm almost positive I've read of others who gave it to their babies.

I hope it clears up soon.

[Traciann]

I have a question...I think it might be related to breastfeeding...My DD is throwing up after every nursing session. And its this doesn't look like just a little spit up, as she used to do. I have noticed in the last couple of weeks, it seems to be more. I was wondering could this be related to caffine or dairy or something else I am eating, or maybe something I should call my Dr on?

Thanks!
Traci

[chloechloe]

Molly--I was hoping to cut out a meal so I could do something away from DD. Prehaps one in the morning or the one in the afternoon.

[Marisa]

Traci -- how old is your DD? Have you changed anything about her diet lately? Has she been running a fever or getting rashy? It's hard to say whether it's a food sensitivity or just a stomach bug. How long has it been going on?

chloe -- are you able to pump anything at all, if you try? There's no reason to eliminate a feeding entirely... just leave something for her caregiver to give to her in a bottle or sippy cup to tide her over until you return. :)

[mollyeilis]

Molly--I was hoping to cut out a meal so I could do something away from DD. Prehaps one in the morning or the one in the afternoon.

Oh, I see. Can't help ya there! No urges to do anything "alone" that lasts beyond an hour (I miss him after 10 minutes), so haven't had to worry about it. :) I'm a happy hermit. :)

[Traciann]

Marisa-DD is 3 1/2 months. No fevers or rashes or strange looking poopy. I do drink alot of coke/diet coke so I was thinking it might be caffine? After she eats maybe a couple of minutes she spits up. I see alot of milk and water? Its pretty gross. What is weird is that she never really spit up alot in the beginning. I have tried cutting way back on my coke consumption yesterday, and so far today i have seen very little spit up. Could caffine be a cause of this?

[mollyeilis]

FWIW, while Eamon didn't spit up all that much at the beginning, I do seem to remember a month or two a bit later on when he spit up a LOT. And then it slowly petered out and stopped.

So it might just be a phase. :)

When I read that you drink Coke, I also thought *corn syrup*, because I have a friend whose children (all 4) are dreadfully allergic to all sorts of things, corn-derived items included.

Then I saw Diet Coke, and thought "ew, aspartame".

But it might be a reaction to caffeine, too. Do you drink coffee or non-herbal tea or eat chocolate? Is the reaction the same?

[Marisa]

Molly's got a good point, it could be not only the caffeine in those sodas, but also the other artificial ingredients. It's hard to find things to eat sometimes; it seems like so many of our foods are processed and enhanced.

If you can cut out the sodas for a few days, and you see some improvement, you might 'challenge' her with just one of those ingredients by adding back a more 'natural' caffeinated beverage such as tea, sweetened with honey or real sugar. That way you can see if she's having trouble with the caffeine, or the diet sweetener, or even the artificial coloring.

[LILRTL]

HELP! HELP! HELP!!! :p

DS is only 3 days old (yay!), and we are BFing (yay!). He is doing an absolutely wonderful job. Our only problem is that he is a little jaundiced, thus sleeping more than a "typical" baby...leaving me with SERIOUS engorgement issues now that my milk has come in. I have tried a warm shower (did absolutely nothing), and am looking for more remedies. I am sure there are some posted, but with a 3-day old, well, it's a little difficult to look. Hope someone can help! TIA!!!!

[Traciann]

HMMM Well now that I think about it I have been drinking more diet cokes in the last month...maybe it is the aspartamine. What is weird is that I have always been a more salty craving snacks person vs a chocolate person . Ever since I had DD its like I have had really strong chocolate cravings....I must have chocolate! I guess I will stick with water and non-caffinated beverages(i don't drink coffee) for a couple of days and see if that helps the spitting up. Thanks and I will let you know what I discover!

Traci

[Marisa]

Yay Lora!!!

I had the same kind of issues in the week after Joey was born. Since you can't be in the shower constantly, try a warm compress for when the engorgement is bad -- a warm washcloth or a sock filled with dry rice, heated in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. I'd put on a compress, pump with a hand pump for a few seconds, and then be comfortable or get him to latch on properly (I was so engorged that we were having trouble with that).

If you're really having a hard time (hard, red breasts) -- try the cabbage leaf trick. Take two large, cold cabbage leaves -- run them under cold water and break the stems a bit with your hands -- and put them inside your bra covering your breasts. Wear them until they wilt - about 20-30 minutes. This trick helped me immensely, but don't try it more than once or maybe twice -- it's an old remedy used to dry up your milk supply.


Traciann -- I think it was someone at my LLL meeting who told me that chocolate might be good for milk production. Wouldn't that be great? :D Hopefully it's just the artificial sweeteners, and you won't have to cut out all sources of caffeine. Plus - my DS was sensitive for several months in the beginning, and I started adding things back with no trouble sometime after he was 6 months. So it may be only a temporary dietary change for you.

[chloechloe]

DD will ONLY drink breast milk from the breast, I have tried bottles (lots of different ones) and sippy cups. NOPE, she will only drink water out of them. I would like an hour or more out......without worrying about her. (I actually went out Saturday afternoon, I came home twice to feed her, then went back out again). She is starting to refuse the soother to fall asleep and gets mad until I give her the boob.....

[twainny]

I hope someone can help me! One nipple/boob KILLS! It feels like it is burning. It hurts when DS eats. I know milk is coming out since I just pumped about 4 ounces. What would cause this and what can I do to stop the buring feeling?? (I find it weird that it is only one boob!)

[LILRTL]

Thank you so much, Marisa! Things are MUCH better today. He is waking up to feed every 2-3 hours. The ped said he was perfect at his appointment! :D I am loving BFing!!!!! :D

[lady1297]

Sorry to not read back through and catch up. Hope all is well. Seems like we have a few new mommies! Congrats and best wishes! You can do this!! I'm proof!!


WE MADE IT TO ONE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edward turned 1 this morning at 6:12 am!! We have officially made it to one year!

And our pediatrician said keep on going! He's thrilled that we've nursed this long and encouraged me to keep on going since it is so good for brain development which will continue for the next year. So I think I will keep going for now! YEAH!! And DH was there to hear that. So now I think he'll keep encouraging me and not worry what other's think. OH and I NIP at the lab when we went to get the blood drawn for a lead level (we live in an OLD house). I haven't done that in a while since Edward is SO squirmy and nosey. But I felt good doing it since the Doc had been so supportive.

YEAH!! And thanks to all who've helped! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!

[AusAshMommy]

Lady ~ GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

**APPLAUDS LOUDLY***

:D

[Teresita]

Lady CONGRATULATIONS on a year of BFing! That's fabulous! :D And, happy birthday to your DS!

[maggieb]

Lady: Congratulations! That's a huge accomplishment and you should be so proud! :D

I'm gonna repost this in case anyone can help.....anyone???? Bueller??

Ok, I'm here with issues, unfortunately. You would think I would have this down since this is #2. DD was born 7/8 and will be 5 weeks old on Friday. I would say that 95% of the times that I nurse her, she fusses. I know I have oversuppply and an overactive letdown, so I was feeding her on one breast per session, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference, so I started feeding her on one breast every two feedings. So, for example, I feed her on righty at 1pm and the next time she's hungry, say, 3:30PM and then let's say 6 I feed her on lefty and then at 9 I feed her on lefty again. Make sense? It has helped some as far as me not leaking and spraying as much and I feel like she can handle my letdown a little bit better, but there are times that she still fusses a lot at the breast. She also fusses a lot after I have fed her and rarely goes to sleep after or during nursing.

When I say fuss I mean, grunt, cry, turn red, bob on and off of the breast, and strain. I know it could be gas and/or just an immature newborn system, but at what point do I decide that it's more than that?

Here's my question...sometimes she fusses so much at the breast that I don't even get 10 min on one side out of her and then we quit. I can usually (except at night) get her to sleep by bouncing her and shushing her, but then she wakes up about 20-40 min later grunting and rooting. I try to feed her, but she fusses again and we start our cycle over. I have noticed that the few times that she has nursed really well on one side without fussing are mainly the times that she sleeps well afterwards.

I believe in demand feeding, especially at this age, but how do I know for sure that she's really hungry? Sometimes I think she just wants to nurse to go to sleep and gets pissed that milk's coming out. KWIM? I also think that the more she eats these quick little snacks, the more upset her belly gets since she's probably getting a majority of foremilk. I have considered a pacifier, but don't want to confuse her. Do you think she could handle a paci at this age or would that just complicate matters?

I have read kellymom up one side and down the other, but I want to find out if you guys have any suggestions.

BTW, she was 7lbs 14 oz upon going home from the hospital and was 10 lbs at three weeks exactly, so weight gain is not an issue.

Thanks!

[moderngal]

maggie~ does your DD use a pacifier? my DS did a lot of what you're describing and I think a lot of his frustration was his need to suck, but he was full, so the paci really helped calm him. I really don't buy the whole nipple confusion thing and neither does my ped. so I felt pretty comfortable giving the paci early on.

[maggieb]

moderngal: Thanks for responding. We have tried to give her a paci, but she spits it out most of the time. I think I'll keep trying...I agree with you about the confusion. A paci has no milk coming out and the breast does...big difference! How do you gage when he's really hungry and when he just wants the paci?

[moderngal]

maggie~ yeah- there is you with warmth, milk, and your scent that the baby already knows and then there is a piece of plastic. BIG difference. :)
I gage the difference between DS rooting strongly and just giving a little bit of a rooting sign. Also he'll try to get at his fists if he's super hungry or even try to suck anything near him- like rigorously sucking my finger or going after my nose if I kiss him. His hungry cry is rhythmic and even where is "I'm annoyed" cry is loud and sounds awful- more like a real cry. Does that make sense? The paci is really helpful when I know he's tired (he's annoyed, overstimulated, and cranky), but hasn't slept much. Sucking on the paci in the swing will usually put him right out. Hope some of that helps!! DS is only 12 weeks, so I am by no means an expert at this- we just do what seems right and sometimes it actually works. ;)

[lady1297]

maggie- If I remember right, they don't know how to keep the paci in their mouths, so you have to teach them. Keep putting it back in and/or holding it there for them. DS used one for a bout two months before giving it up on his own and the first few weeks were us teaching him what to do with one. Good luck.


Thanks everyone for the congrats!! We are happy about making it a year and know that we can really continue without criticism. Did anyone see that Today show segment this morning saying AAP recommends 2 years? I thought it was great (except Katies "unitl they bite" comment, uh they bite before 2!!). Keep going girls!! You can make it!

[PrincessCrappy]

I am so grateful to have this thread here! I'm not nursing yet (hopefully in a month or so!!) but I didn't know where else to ask my "boob" question!

Obviously during pregnancy my breasts and nipples have changed alot. I've noticed lots of little raised bumps on my areolas. Monday, I woke up with a little bump right at the base of my nipple. It has a white head on it, it pretty much looks like a little pimple. However, it really hurts. It's painful just to lightly touch it. I've also noticed that this areola/nipple has a lot more little bumps on it that the other one. Any ideas what this is or what I can do to make it less painful/go away?

[Marisa]

Hi CP! Welcome to your anatomy lesson for the day! :D

Those bumps are called Montogomery glands, they secrete an oil that keeps the nipple lubricated and prevents infection. Your body is protecting itself; no need to wash your breasts between feedings as was often recommended in 'the old days'.

At this late stage it's possible that your body has kicked up your production of colostrum, and you may have a blocked duct in that area that is painful. Try putting some moist heat on it, i.e. a warm, wet washcloth, and massaging the area to see if it loosens up. Your OB/MW may have more suggestions, I'm assuming that you're going once a week now?

It sounds like your body is really getting itself ready to go! It really won't be long until you're nursing your baby! :)

[kakirk]

Alright, firstly let me thank everyone for their wonderful advice during my rough start to bf'ing. We're now off the formula completely during the day & only use it at night right now.

We are/were on a great little schedule at night where they'd nurse & then have 2-3oz of formula at bedtime, sleep for 4-5 hours, wake up & nurse + 2-3oz of formula, then sleep for another 4-5 hours. They more than make up for the long stretches of sleep during the day as they nurse every 90 minutes-two hours. (and the ped isn't worried about the long night sleeps as they're both gaining more than an ounce a day)

I'd like to get off the formula at night too (I think it's contributing to Lily's gassiness), but I'm worried that we won't get as much sleep. It's very hard for me to sleep during the day because they're nursing so often. I don't mind not napping during the day as long as I get the stretches of sleep at night. Of course, the big chunks of sleep are great for Todd since he's back at work now (and already been caught dozing off in meetings! :eek: ).

Any thoughts and/or ideas?

Also, my right nipple is sore; I don't see any obvious blisters or cracks, but it hurts like the dickens when each baby latches on. I've been dilligent about checking their latches (both are good), but it still hurts. THoughts?

Katie

[Dally]

Kakirk--I'm sure someone who knows more than me will post, but I also had a very sore nipple right around the same timeframe as you. The nurse told me to allow it to heal by reducing nursing on that side. I did, but I think it might have affected my supply a little bit. Other things that helped: rubbing breast milk on my nipples and then allowing them to air dry, putting all-purpose nipple ointment on (my midwife makes it up; not sure what's in it), and giving my BBs a bit of sun every day. Eventually, the soreness went away and things were fine.

As for the sleeping...sigh. I can't help there. My DD, who was small, ate every 1-3 hours for two months. I was a zombie. Now I count myself lucky that she goes 4-6 hours for one night sleep before eating every two for the rest of the night. :rolleyes:

[gelfnrach]

Princess Crappy I had the same thing, and it was, as Marisa suggested, a plugged montgomery gland. Hot compress helped, and it was totally gone once I started nursing.

[PrincessCrappy]

Marisa & gelfnrach - Thanks for the advice. The warm compress felt heavenly! It already looks a little smaller this morning. Still hurts, but I'll keep doing the wet heat thing!

New question: I posted a thread about my GBS+ test result and a few people mentioned developing thrush as a result of the antibiotic use. Can anyone point me to some good info about this? I am absolutely determined to BF and don't want to let anything get in the way - I'm hoping the more I know now, the less frustrated/panicked I'll be when/if it should develop.

Thanks again!

[Marisa]

I had thrush right at the beginning thanks to my IV (c-section) and a round of antibiotics for mastitis at 2 weeks PP. :rolleyes:

Since you know ahead of time that you'll be on antibiotics, start taking a probiotic at least once a day (aka acidophilus, any vitamin store, Walmart, supermarket will have it). As you get closer to your due date you can step up your dose to a couple of capsules, a couple of times a day.

After being on the antibiotics, after delivery, continue with the probiotics. If you do see signs of thrush, speak to your dr. as soon as possible. If your baby has signs of it as well, they may give you Nystatin to administer orally (mouth symptoms) or as a cream for the diaper area. You are also able to apply Nystatin to your nipples, but you must wipe it clean for a feeding.

My thrush was actually a systemic yeast infection -- I had symptoms on my breasts but also like a regular yeast infection -- so my dr. prescribed a 2-week dose of Diflucan, which knocked it right out.

It can be annoying, but hopefully it will *not* be anything that stands in the way of your successful BFing experience. :)

[mollyeilis]

And hey, even if you do get it, you can still breastfeed. I got yeast, as did baby. Baby I treated solely with Gentian Violet (swab on nipples once a day, let baby's mouth get it by nursing, for four days). With me, though, I couldn't seem to get a regimen of GV or any other non-medicinal treatment. And I refused to have medicine b/c I was being stubborn (medicine got me this yeast, I refuse to have medicine treat this yeast).

Anyway, I wouldn't do THAT again, but despite SIX months of yeast, six months of intense pain b/c of it (and six months of itching when it went into my armpits, oh gawd don't let that happen to you LOL), we did fine with nursing. Wasn't the best way I can think to start out, crying while nursing b/c of the yeast, but it can be done.

But really, if you get yeast, do what Marisa said. Unless you can follow a regimen of "alternative" stuff, which I couldn't seem to do for myself. :)

******
Clothing question!

Do any of you have nice nursing clothes? I had found a cool site but now can't find it anymore, for a pretty dress or top/skirt combo, for a wedding I'm going to. What are the nursing clothes sites YOU guys know of? (I know it's not Milkface)

Thanks in advance!

[LILRTL]

Alright, Marisa, I think I will need you for this one. At our pediatrician appointment, Zack's doctor told us that we need to give him Polyvisol drops (vitamins) in addition to breast feeding. I have always been under the impression that BFed babies get everything they need from Mom. So...help? I searched for info on line...and as usual, it goes both ways. What do you think? (I know you're not a doctor - just very knowledgable on the subject. ;) )

[Marisa]

Molly -- I've ordered from www.onehotmama.com before, but it looks like their inventory is severely low right now. :(

Lora -- it's definitely not necessary. Although the AAP does recommend vitamin drops beginning sometime in the first 2 months of life (as per their recent revision to their BFing guidelines, Feb 2005) -- the main concern is the vitamin D, a deficiency of which can cause rickets.

However, the normal method of getting Vitamin D is sun exposure, and while you wouldn't take a newborn out in the hot sun for an extended time, you can get the same benefit by sitting next to a bright window for 15-20 minutes (or less) out of each day. As long as your baby is fairly light-skinned (in other words, not African-American) that should be enough.

LLL's official position on Vit D supplements is that they may be necessary for babies at risk (dark skin, no sun exposure) but others should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. FWIW, I never supplemented my son (though I did pocket the scrip from the dr, smile, and say thank you... then never got it filled. :))

I'm not sure if these are the iron-fortified drops, but again, your baby will definitely be able to get all the iron necessary from your milk for *at least* the first six months. Not only is it more bio-available in your milk than in a supplement, your baby also has a store of iron built up from when he was 'on the inside'. Typically drs. will do a finger prick at the 6 mo, 9 mo or 12 mo visit to test iron levels, and you can discuss supplementation then if the levels are low (should be within the 10-11 range I believe).

That enough info for you? :)