Breastfeeding Help and Support

[sunni76]

[B]manatee
Don't know if you already bought some, but Florajen is the best acidophilus product you can buy! You can get it at most pharmacies, it's kept in the refridgerator, one capsule is like eating 6 yogurts! space it out from your antibiotics, don't take it at the same time as you take the antibiotic.

[gizzyntaz]

Dreshny I would guess that your son is going through his 3 month growth spurt if he's nursing 'round the clock... Though if his belly hurts or if he's not filling up with hindmilk that could cause the behavior....Keep in mind that ANY food could potentially be causing him problems. Especially if this just started happening...

-Alison :)

[Dreshny]

Could the three-month growth spurt last two weeks? Because he started nursing like crazy two weeks ago, and he's still doing it. I'm talking every 45 minutes to an hour during the day. He's been STTN, usually (like 10/11 to 6/7.)

[diedra1027]

Hey ladies...It's been a while since I visited this thread! I have a question about inadequate milk supply I'm hoping y'all can help with...

My DD is 4 months old and gaining weight very, very, very slowly. As in a gain of 1 pound in the last 2 months :eek: :(. Her ped is sending her for testing (urine, stool, and blood) and both of us to a nutritionist for milk/bf-ing evaluation. Ped suspects inadequate milk supply, although her suspicions are based on how much I can pump which I know isn't an accurate measure of how much baby is really getting. Is it possible that my supply isn't good enough when the only red flag is DD's weight gain? DD has the 'right' number of wet/poopy diapers, goes 3 hours or so between feedings, STTN, etc.

For full disclosure: We are still using a nipple shield which I know can cause supply issues. I started out using it because I had some severe nipple damage. To be completely honest, I now use it because I hate the sensation of 'bare' BF-ing. BF-ing without the shield doesn't hurt anymore, but the sensation really annoys me and makes me very agitated. Of course, DD is now accustomed to the shield too and prefers it as well.

Sorry for the novel. TIA for any advice you guys might be able to give. :)

[Sarah]

Diedra- I think it is possible. My DD was underweight at her 7 month appt, and was still too small at 9 months. She was peeing and pooping fine, but not eating enough BM. I was actually feeding her too often, which meant that she would just eat a little--enough to stave off her hunger, but not enough to get full and get hindmilk. BY spacing her out to every 2.5 hours or so, she would get a little hungry and actually eat a good amount.

Yeah, pumping is not a good reason to think you don't have enough milk. Can you describe her nursing habits? How often does she eat? Does she eat solids at all? How long does she eat for? Is she hitting her milestones? What percentile is she in (if you don't know, tell me her weight and I can check)?

Most likely (IMO) she is fine. Doctors tend to worry a lot about the weight gain of BF babies, and they are almost always fine.

[diedra1027]

Thanks Sarah. Avery is nursing every 3 hours or so during the day. She tends to cluster feed a little when we first get up in the morning and right before she goes to bed. She's nurses for 15-20 minutes each side and she takes both sides during a session. We have not started solids, she is exclusively BF'd. Ped wanted me to start supplementing with EBM after each feeding, but she's matured enough that she will not just suck down whatever I try to give her. I can get about an ounce extra in her, but then she tends to spit up quite a bit so I don't know that it's actually helping any.

She is meeting all her milestones, is active and alert. Ped said that her physical exam is otherwise perfect. She weighs 10lbs 2oz which is off the percentile chart in terms of weight. She's 23.5 inches tall - in the 10-25th percentile. Head circ is 40cm (25th percentile). So...a big headed, tall, skinny babe ;).

[HGMorgann]

Diedre -If she is spitting up after you sneak in more food, wouldn't that indicate she is full? Could you try to squeeze in a "dream feed" perhaps? Maybe try to feed her every 2.5 hours? It just seems that from what you wrote, you are doing everything right BF-wise. If she eats every 3 hours, she is probally getting enough hindmilk.

I guess for pumping and supplementing - only supplement the hindmilk, so she is getting more fat. (I guess you would have to pump like 1/2 your normal amount, switch containers, and pump some more and just give her that...)

[jrdhbunny]

diedra1027- {{{Hugs}}} to you! I had the same issue at my DS' 4 month check up- he only gained 1 pound 10 ounces (only 2.9 ounces a week :( ). But since he still falls in the 50th percentile and he's extremely active and meeting all of his milestones, the doctor was not concerned. What about your DD's height? My DS also grew 3 and 3/4 inches so it could be that he grew up rather than out.

ETA- I missed your post about the height. I have a friend who recently went through the same thing with all of the testing only to find that absolutely nothing was wrong. Like Sarah said, doctors are a cautious lot and just want to make sure all is ok if there's any sort of red flag. Is your doctor knowledgable about BF babies? Is she very pro-BF?

[Marisa]

dierdra -- NAK, but wanted to say, a better way to judge your supply is to do a weigh-and-feed -- if the dr. will let you go in and weigh her (after it's been about an hour or so since she last ate) - then nurse for about 15 min, then weigh again. You'll actually get a pretty accurate idea of how many oz. she's taking in at each feeding.

[jrdhbunny]

I think some La Leche chapters will do weigh and feeds as well- do you have one in your area?

[NYN]

my LC did a weigh and feed w/ my dd and it was what finally helped me to relax while BF. worth it IMO.

Do you think it could be related that DS is nursing very, very often these days?
my dd tends to cluster feed in the evenings and up until about two weeks ago (she is 7 weeks today) she would get green poop (though not runny, just w/ traces of green) right after the marathon feeding session. it just stopped happening one day.

[diedra1027]

We do have LLL in the area, they are meeting next Wednesday. The Ped wants us to go to the nutritionist at Children's Hospital, I was assuming that they were going to do the feed/weigh thing for us. I'm thinking about stopping by the LLL meeting to see if they can do a feed/weigh and to talk about the nipple shield.

HG - I assume the spitting and the refusal to take any more are signs that she's all FULL.

Thankfully, our Ped is very Pro-BF and has been very adament that she wants us to be able to get DDs weight up through breastmilk alone if we can. She's also been good about looking at our family history (all our babies are SMALL/slow growers). I believe the tests are more 'just-in-case' to make sure that nothing serious is going on.

All in all, I think we're really just dealing with genetics here and the tests will reveal that everything is fine. It's hard not to worry that I'm doing something wrong!

[catmom]

I hope Marissa (or someone else) knows the answer to this...
We are starting DD on solids this weekend, and I've read that you shouldn't give cereal too soon before or after nursing, because the iron in the cereal can impede the absorbtion of other nutrients in the breastmilk. So how much time between food/nursing is enough? I was planning to nurse DD in the morning and then give her breakfast a little while later, since she is usually really hungry and grumpy in the morning. But she is usually hungry again 30 minutes or so after she finishes nursing. Is that enough time?

[Sarah]

Catmom- Double check with someone like Marisa, who probably knows better than I, but I think it's the other way around- the nutrients in BM can impede iron absorption. Could be totally off base.

Either way, I seriously wouldn't worry about it. Don't stress yourself out. I am not planning on giving my DD any cereals this time around, at all.

[lorbo]

as far as iron absorption...James was put on tri vit with iron and fer-in-sol which upped his iron intake due to the hemolytic anemia and he remained on these until the end of august. i asked his ped about giving these, since they say don't take with milk-his doctor said just to give it when i could and not worry about the feeding part-and that's what i did and he bounced back from his anemia-so i don't think it's a big deal.

[Marisa]

catmom - my understanding of it is that the excess iron in iron-fortified formulas and cereals actually prevents the baby from utilizing all the iron available in breastmilk -- it overwhelms the proteins in the milk, which leaves a lot of iron free and available for bacteria in the baby's gut.

I also agree with Sarah that if it's a concern, you don't have to give cereal at all. We never did. It's not terribly high in nutrition (at least, not naturally -- I know it's fortified)... and if your baby is 6 mos. you can begin with mild fruits and vegetables. Sweet potatoes are a great first food that can be pureed very smooth (you can mix in a little milk, even) and are also high in natural iron. :)

If you do decide to go with cereal, I think your plan of trying a half hour later is fine -- All the reading I've done seems to suggest that nursing first and then waiting is simply to ensure that the baby gets her full feeding of milk, since that's where the nutrition really is.


ETA -- can you direct me to where you were reading about the iron/breastmilk incompatibility -- I'd hate to think I'm not up on something. ;)

[Kiley]

My pedi wants DS to start taking a vitamin drop (TriViSol w/out iron). I was under the impression that breastmilk had everything he needed so why the vitamin?

[LeslieR]

I just wanted to update that we got Luke to take almost 2oz from a bottle today. Yay! It took a lot of work-both of us trying and a lot of patience, but he did it!!! Towards the end, he through a fit, but it was only a tiny bit left, so mommy was proud! I still had to nurse him afterwards, so I'm wondering how much he is eating in a feeding.:confused:

[Marisa]

Kiley -- breastmilk does have every vitamin that baby could possibly need, with the exception of Vitamin D. However, your baby can get enough Vit D from minimal sun exposure, maybe 10 minutes per day. If you're afraid of him being out in the hot sun, it also counts if you're near a window. :)

[Sarah]

Don't even GET me started on the new "all babies need Vit D at 2 months old" rec from the AAP.

[Kiley]

Thanks for the reply Marisa.

Anyone else's baby a puker? Preston is 3 weeks old and has probably thrown up his entire meal at least a couple times a week. It usually happens within 15 mintues of a feeding but tonight it happened during a feeding. I'm almost certain he is not ill and it is definitely vomit and not spitup (judging by amount and it was projectile). Should I be worried? My book says that it happens, but this often?

[Sarah]

kiley, does he seem upset or have any reaction when it happens? if not, it's usually spit up. try pouring a couple T of water on the floor and see how much it looks like- he's probably not throwing up that much. I wouldn't worry if he's gaining, peeing, and pooping normally, and has no other problems or symptoms.

[BuffaloBlondie]

KileyI was going to ask the same question! My little guy also throws-up after he eats. It really isn't that much, but it is a pain. I usually burp him during each feeding, but it still happens. I am not sure if this has anything to do with it - but Brady eats soooo fast. He is always slurping, breathing heavy, snorting - just eating like a little piggy. Then he falls asleep while eating. Those are the times he spits up the most. BTW, my dr. also recommended Tri Vi Sol.

[catmom]

Thanks for the info on when to feed my DD! Sheesh, in the last day, she has had her first solid food, cut her first tooth, and the morning I got AF for the first time. I wonder if that's why she was guzzling her formula yesterday; she took a whopping 20 oz, when she usually only takes 12-15. Maybe she wanted the extra formula because my supply was down because of AF? If so, how long does your supply usually dip with AF?

[gizzyntaz]

Kiley - Alan did that too. Just keep an eye on it... he's probably fine. As Alan got older it diminished. Sometimes he would vomit through his nose! :eek: Poor guy! I remember telling some friends that the thing that surprised me the most about having a baby was the spit-up. I was totally not prepared for it. At about 4 months he just stopped. Now he only vomits when we offer solid foods (but that's a whole different thread ;) )

- Alison :)

[moderngal]

I think I have a cold-- is there anything I can take that is safe with BF'ing? I've been taking a little Motrin and that has been ok, but I'd really like something to make me less stuffy.
TIA!!

[Sarah]

MOderngal- The only OTC cold med you need to worry about is Sudafed (or other drugs with its active ingredient, pseudoephedrine), because it can effect supply. I never had an issue with it, but if you try it, be aware and make sure your DS is getting enough.

[Sarah]

from kellymom.com- which has great info on what's safe, with references.
http://www.kellymom.com/health/index.html

Mom's use of many forms of Sudafed, Dimetapp and Actifed are considered to be safe for the breastfed baby, but always check the active ingredients, as there are many versions of these medications.

Sudafed (pseudoephedrine, a decongestant) and Actifed (pseudoephedrine plus triprolidine, an antihistamine) are reported safe for baby, and both pseudoephedrine and triprolidine are approved by the AAP for use in nursing moms and pass into breastmilk in minimal amounts.

Milk supply: Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) may reduce milk supply. Thomas Hale Ph. D., a renowned breastfeeding pharmacologist (Breastfeeding Pharmacology), has recently said that he recommends using caution with Sudafed or any product containing pseudoephedrine:

"Preliminary studies from our laboratories suggest that in some mothers, a significant reduction in milk volume and prolactin levels may result following exposure to pseudoephedrine. While the amount of pseudoephedrine in milk is not clinically relevant, the reduction in milk supply is concerning." (Medications' and Mothers' Milk by Thomas Hale, PhD, 2002 edition, p. 605.)

Dr. Hale was speaking of this study, which is now complete: Aljazaf K, et. al. Pseudoephedrine: effects on milk production in women and estimation of infant exposure via breastmilk. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2003 Jul;56(1):18-24.

If you do take pseudoephedrine and notice a drop in milk supply (many moms do not, but recent research shows that it can decrease milk supply by as much as 30%), simply stop the medication and take measures to increase milk supply - the problem should resolve fairly quickly.

Be very cautious about taking pseudoephedrine on a regular basis, as it has the potential to permanently decrease your milk supply. Regular use of pseudoephedrine (120 mg/day) has been used to decrease milk production in moms with overproduction, where the usual methods to regulate milk production were not working.

[Marisa]

Kiley -- I agree with everyone else, it's *probably* normal spitup, especially if you have a good strong supply. If your milk comes too quickly he's gulping down a lot more than can fit in his little stomach. Even an oz. or two can seem like a lot as it's spewing from your tiny infant! :)

Since you mention that it usually happens soon after a feeding I'm going to guess that that's all it is. You'll probably see an improvement soon, after his 6 week growth spurt.... he'll get bigger and your body will get better at regulating your supply to match his needs. And it will continue to improve. :)

[Koala_Gurl]

Kiley - DD was a projectile vomiter in the beginning! She would vomit sometimes once / day. Dr. said as long as the frequency wasn't increasing, we were OK. Over time it became every other day, every 3 - 4 days, once / week, until I realized it hadn't happened in a while. I had a pretty forcefull letdown and DD was gaining plenty of weight (95%), so I guess she was just getting too full!

[happy1nuv]

Kiley... Just a note... and not necessarily pertininent ... but, my sister projectile vomited after every feed. She also cried non-stop... from about 5 weeks on. After a lot of back and forth, they found out she had pyloric stenosis (very rare, but most common in first born sons). So, if you are concerned, it is worth a call to the ped... Most likely its nothing... please don't let the above freak you out. Because my sister had it, I was overly concerned about nic having it... mom said you would definitely know if your child had it, so most likely this thread isn't relevant... but did want you know it exists...

[BuffaloBlondie]

Please help!I am not sure how normal this is so I thought I would ask & see if anyone else is in the same boat. My ds will be two weeks on Tuesday. BF is going pretty well except my little guy gets VERY worked up almost everytime he eats. He routs, grunts, snorts, breaths heavy and slurps. I have been feeding him b/t 2-3 hours each day so I don't think it is b/c he is overly hungry. My milk seems to be flowing well. He also gained a full pound & 2 ounces after we left the hospital. To add to all of this- he'll normally fall asleep at the end of each feeding (while attached). I'll burp him, he'll fall asleep peacefully & wake-up within a couple of min. grunting & routing AGAIN!! Any suggestions.......

[Mickey&B]

I'll burp him, he'll fall asleep peacefully & wake-up within a couple of min. grunting & routing AGAIN!! Any suggestions.......

I don't have any suggestions I just wanted to say that my DS is 2 weeks and he does the same thing, and I am feeding him about every 1 1/2- 2 1/2 hours. I am just feeding him on demand, if he is rooting sucking on his fingers ect I assume he is hungry and I feed him. From what I understand you can't overfeed a BF'd baby.

[Marisa]

Jen - M&B is right, you can't really overfeed a breastfed baby. In fact, a 2-week-old eating every 3 hours is kind of on the low end of the number of feedings suggested for newborns -- about 8-12 in a 24 hour period.

The most important thing for a new mom to remember is that just a few days ago, your baby was eating every minute, every second of the day, as your heart beat he was getting more nourishment. So it takes them a little while to get used to the idea of eating, then going a little while, then eating again. Babies have a strong suck instinct because of this... also because breastmilk is easily digested, and is likely completely digested within an hour to an hour and a half of eating. Until your baby is older/bigger, his tummy just won't be large enough to hold enough milk to go for a longer stretch.

It sounds like he's gaining very well, though, and you can be proud of that! :) Just continue to feed on cue, it sounds like he's doing everything he's supposed to at this stage, and once he gets through his three week and six week growth spurts (wanting to nurse round the clock) you will see a pretty different baby.

As for the grunting, etc -- human babies are born *mostly* developed, but a few things take a few more weeks to get more fully functional. It's possible he just needs a little time to get more comfortable in his body, for his respiratory and digestive systems to mature a little more... again, it's pretty normal to have a 'piggy' sounding baby, something they don't show you in all the pretty commercials with the baby sleeping peacefully in her bassinette... ;)

[BuffaloBlondie]

Thanks for responding Marisa & Mickey& B! I'll continue to feed on cue and hopefully it will get better.

[Daniel's Kitty]

Jen My DS will root on anything! Don't feel bad. He even went after his Grandpas ear this weekend. He latches onto it if he gets close enough. The grunts are kinda cute though.

[LeslieR]

Is it normal/common for baby's latch to go bad after bf'ing has been established? It seems over the past week my left nipple has grown increasingly sore to the point where it was bleeding yesterday when I pumped (pumping to give it a break from my little Hoover man). The right one is not as sore, but it's getting there. I was reading on kellymom.com yesterday and it seems to me that the culprit must be poor latch. I just don't get why after 4 weeks, his latch would go bad? He latched on like a champ from day 1 in the hospital! Could it be because of the introduction of bottles? I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but we started the bottles about a week ago. Any tips for correcting his latch? I keep trying to get him to open his mouth wider, but it seems as soon as my nipple gets in his mouth, he sucks it in and doesn't get to the areola. And, of course, he's been in a fussy stage, so he has no patience for me trying to help him get it right.:( TIA!

[curlywig]

We are no longer BF, but I have a dumb question (that will hopefully serve me when BF #2 someday)....should the upper lip be flanged out like the lower lip for a correct latch? DS has NEVER been able to get his upper lip out, whether it was on the breast or bottle. Wondering if this was part of our problem. None of the IBCLCs that we saw ever commented about this, so I figured it was alright.

[Sarah]

Curlywig-
Yes, it should be. When you latch the baby on, if you kind of come in from the bottom, you can get the top lip out more. Make any sense?


Leslie- I don't know about how common it is, but my DD1 did it, and it's not that difficult to mess up a latch, especially when they get older and mom gets lazy about making sure it's a good latch. Your son is only a day older than my DD2, and she certainly still needs a lot of assistance getting a good latch. If she's hungry she will do what your son is doing- latch lazily and just slurp the nipple in, not actually open up. I know it's hard, but just keep breaking the seal with your finger and get him to open big before latching. If you can notice his hunger cues before he gets frantic and cranky, he might be more patient. HTH!

[Cosmogirl]

I think my milk production is going down!?!?
Last night I pumped after 41/2 hours of not feeding and I had a mere 4 oz in one breast.
Today, my boy kept on wanting to suck his hand after the feedings. He doesn,t want a paci though, but he really looked like he was hungry.
What can I do to upgrade my milk production??

[newyorkgirl]

Last night was pure misery. I thought my left bb was getting engorged, and so tried to pump. Nothing was coming out and it just got more and more painful. I thought I was getting another clogged duct, but no amount of warm compress and massage was working. Finally, I gave it to DS to nurse. It was painful and he took so long to finish. When he was done, I realize I had another milk blister. I managed to open it up, but this is my second blister in so many weeks. Is there anything I'm doing to cause them? Anything I can do to prevent them?

[LeslieR]

Thanks Sarah!

[Marisa]

Erika - there's a supplement called lecithin which you can take, it's supposed to make the milk less viscous or 'sticky' -- 1 capsule 3 times a day until you've had a couple of weeks with no blockages. If you're getting these due to hardened or clumpy milk in the ducts that might help.

I'm on my way out the door but I also wanted to leave this link to Kellymom:

How do you treat a milk blister? (http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplebleb.html)

[Sarah]

Cosmogirl-
2 things. First off, 4 oz is nothing to sneeze at! Your baby is just 2 months old, right? So if he was getting 4 oz from each breast, that'd be 8 oz total, which is impressive. Most babies his age take much less than that per feeding, just a couple oz usually.

Second of all, the amount you pump has nothing (or little) to do with supply. Some people don't respond well to the pump, some do. Babies are much more efficient than pumps, generally. Don't sweat it if your baby seems fine, is growing, peeing and pooping well. :D

[snowzilla]

I could be jumping the gun here, but I'm more curious than anything, and didn't see any information about this on the 'net (didn't look that terribly hard though, with a 1 month old keeping me busy!) -

Is it possible for one breast to produce more milk than the other, or for the supply in one breast to diminish while the other breast remains normal? I'm just wondering, because today, I went to pump a bottle, and started on the side that she hadn't nursed on at her last feeding. I had a really difficult time getting a scant 1.5 oz, but then the other side easily gave me over 2 oz, without any difficulty (I probably could have gotten more, but the bottle was as full as I needed it to be).

I always alternate which breast she starts on, and let her nurse until she has completely "drained" it to benefit from the hindmilk, and then offer her the opposite side. So she seems to be nursing evenly from both sides throughout the course of the day/night.

At her feeding just now, the breast with the lower supply was visibly smaller (than the other breast) before she nursed, and I could swear she hardly got anything nursing from it. So I put her on the other side and she ate and ate and ate - usually, she doesn't want the second breast, or if she does, she doesn't eat for very long.

Any ideas? I'd hate to have to start stuffing a sock in my bra cup.... :p
Honestly, I'm just wondering if there's anything I could/should be doing to counter this.

[gizzyntaz]

Snowzilla
In our house the leftie is the "producer". One of my midwives noted this during a breast exam in the middle of my pregnancy. I have more ducts there or something. It's never really made too much of a difference except maybe at the beginning. I've never been religious on going from side to side though. I just kinda feel them both and whichever feels fuller he gets. (That's after about 2 months of nursing though). Anyways, totally normal. :)

[Sarah]

Is it possible for one breast to produce more milk than the other, or for the supply in one breast to diminish while the other breast remains normal? I'm just wondering, because today, I went to pump a bottle, and started on the side that she hadn't nursed on at her last feeding. I had a really difficult time getting a scant 1.5 oz, but then the other side easily gave me over 2 oz, without any difficulty (I probably could have gotten more, but the bottle was as full as I needed it to be).

Well, it might be that the one is producing less. Most people have one that makes more than the other. Or it could have just been a one time thing. You could try offering that breast (the smaller one) more often, for two sessions in a row, and that may up your supply in that bb.

[Marisa]

Yeah, most people are 'lopsided' (I'm a lefty, here :D) -- but it's hard to notice until you're breastfeeding, most of the time! :)

There's nothing wrong with it, you'll still produce enough milk either way. If you'd like to try to balance it out, you can 'up' the production in the smaller side by letting her comfort-nurse when she's just wanting to suck and not eat as much.

[Klo.]

forgive my typing, my other hand is busy.

DS is 12w4d, excl. BF'd from day 1 :D
1) I've had a yeast infection in my right breast before and my midwife prescribed me some diflucan and that did the trick. 2 weeks later, it seems to be back again. instead of using that again would it be ok to start taking acidopholis on a regular basis (pill form)?? Is there anything else I can do to prevent this in the future?

2) DS has been sleeping for 7+ hours/nt for the past week, I'm not convinced it will last but I am certainly enjoying it! I am worried about my supply though. Will this affect my overall supply? or just at night? What if he has the occasional night waking and needs to eat? will it be there for him? i try to pump before bed and right away in the mornings to help with this. I'd really rather not have to set an alarm for 4am though (who would??)

3) this seems like dumb question but I'm only going to be working 1-3 days/week otherwise I'll be home with him. I'm trying to get a "system" for milk storage, pumping etc. I've heard its best not to freeze milk if you don't have to but thats what I'm doing right now. I already have like 20-30 bags of EBM froze. Any tips on how I can get us an a sort of 'system' to use as much fresh as possible but still have enough stashed away?

Thanks so much in advance of any questions you can help me with.

[PrincessCrappy]

I am so thrilled to be posting here as a bf mommy! I've been nursing my son for all 12 days of his life and it makes me so happy!

I've pumped a few days in a row and now I have a question about what to do with it. I only got an ounce or 2 at each pump session and I know I should store the milk in around 4 ounce serving sizes. Is it ok to combine milk from different pumping sessions on different days? I'm thinking it would be ok to combine once the milk is at the same temperature (it's all in the fridge right now in individual bottles, I want to freeze it) and then date with the oldest date. Is that right? Thanks for your advice!

[cc8]

DD was born on 8/20. I've been BFing and also pumping to increase my milk supply.

Question is: how much milk are you guys getting in a given pumping session? Seems mightly little to me. I can pull in a combined 20-30cc's in the morning, but it dwindles during the day (most likely b/c DD is consuming most of the milk from me directly).

[Koala_Gurl]

Carrie - I learned the hard way...I stored my milk in 4 oz bags...only to find out that DD won't take the bottle. So now I do one or two oz bags, that way when I thaw them out to TRY the bottle, I don't waste too much.

Not sure if you have tried the bottle yet, but just my $0.02. :)

[SD601]

cc8, what pump are you using? I used a hospital grade pump and pumped religiously every three hours (even waking up in the middle of the night) for the first couple of weeks, which is what got my supply up. I get about 3-4 ounces if I pump after he feeds and 6-7 when I substitute a pump for a feed. Are you pumping after every feeding? Are you taking those supplements, drinking water, and eating oatmeal?

That does sound low to me, but many women here have said that pumping is no indication of your supply. I would try pumping after every feeding, even if you think DD has "drained" the breast. I honestly credit my extreme pumping for my milk supply right now.

Carrie, I have small servings and big servings, depending on how much I can get from a pumping session. In the beginning, I only had an ounce or two at a time, so I froze that. Now I can get 6 or so, and I freeze in 4-6 ounce servings. I figure he'll be taking more and more at a time, so when I need to defrost, I'll take the oldest bags and defrost a couple of them for however much he needs. Also, I combine fresh breastmilk together, but I only combine the same days. The hospital's breastmilk instructions on storing were more conservative for preemies (4 hours room temp, 48 hours in fridge, etc.), so I'm pretty cautious. HTH and congrats!

[Quartercentury]

Hi ladies,

I've got a breastfeeding research/activism question that I was hoping someone (marisa, ahem) might have the answer to...

What proportion of women are physiologically unable to breastfeed? What kind of research has been done on this? Where can I find a good source both for information and to cite in a letter I'm writing?

TIA! :)

[happy1nuv]

Quick question... frozen breat milk isn't the same as fresh? What's the difference, anyone know?

And, i've been combining output to freeze in 4 oz increments, marking with the earliest date. (but that's the size bottle nic is happy w/ ... i have a few smaller, but only when i didnt pump the next day to even it up... havent had to use any of it yeet, so ... take that for whatever its worth...

[Marisa]

Quarter -- here are a few articles:
http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/breast/AS-doesntworkout.htm - contraindications to breastfeeding - lists the situations in which women would be unable to breastfeed (cancer, hard drugs, low breast tissue, etc.)
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2001/bf.htm -- U of Michigan study "In fact, only about 3 percent of the entire female population is unable to produce enough milk to support their children." (about 2/3 way down)

I wish I had time to find more, but I don't think Joey will let me right now. :) I'm seeing (unsupported with cites) figures from 1% to 5% unable to breastfeed, but I think that the 5% number takes into account not only moms with hypoplasic breasts, but also babies with cleft palates, etc.

cc8 -- I agree that the type of pump can make a difference, if you're using a manual or an electric! But it's true that what you can pump doesn't necessarily represent how much you're making. Some women never respond to the pump. My LLL Leader (who nursed twins) was never able to pump more than a half-ounce, she says. A better way to see how much baby is getting is to count diapers, and if necessary, do a weigh-and-feed.

PC -- I also agree with the others to freeze in smaller increments if you can, at least at first. My DS was taking about 2 oz. at a time when we started the bottle around 3-4 weeks. It's always easier to thaw another 2 oz if necessary than it is to dump those precious oz. of breastmilk! (You should only keep BM an hour after it's been thawed, esp. if it's already been drunk from.)
I like the advice to only combine milk from the same day. :)

Klo - acidophilus is the best! :) I still take it from time to time, you can take 2 caps a day with your multivitamin, or a cap or 2 three times a day if you're feeling an infection coming on. It's safe! You can also eat yogurt with active cultures (if your baby is not sensitive to dairy).
As for sleeping through, as long as baby is exclusively breastfed, you're fine -- your body will adjust to him not nursing at night, and it will readjust when he switches his schedule around again. Your body is still making the same amount of milk, just at different times of the day. :)

Gotta go - joey's trying to eat lotion - toddlers are fun!

[Quartercentury]

Thanks, Marisa!!

[Mrs.Chappy]

i want to increase my pumping supply...should i wake up in the middle of the night to pump? If i pump instead of feed i only get 2-4 oz..DS will take a 5-6 oz bottle of formula (and even cry when i take it away)..he will never push teh bottle away but he will always fall asleep at the breast..i take fenugreek, drink water, etc..my supply has never been where i wanted it.

[PrincessCrappy]

Thanks for the storage tips! You guys are the best!

[Cosmogirl]

Sarah He does grow, and pee right, but since a week, he doesn't poo as much. 1-2 a day, instead of 3-4(and 5 sometimes!). That is what is puzzling me too!

[Marisa]

Mrs. C - if you can manage it it wouldn't be a terrible idea - many women find that their supply is high in the middle of the night, and your milk will tend to have a higher fat content as well.


Cosmo -- the wet diapers are more important -- BM is digested very efficiently with little waste leftover most of the time, so it's not abnormal for a BFed baby to go from several poops a day to only one or two within a couple of weeks. Usually after the 6 week growth spurt you'll start to see a change.

[hope0805]

Jumping in with a question, from a new (well, 4 week old) mom/breastfeeder.

I've had some soreness/tenderness on my left side pretty much the whole time since my son was born 4 weeks ago. Lately it has gotten worse, and I have redness in the nipple and a sore with a small white dot in one spot on the areola. My son is also a gulper, whether I wake him from dead sleep to eat or wait until he is screaming because he is hungry, and he does this weird "clicking" thing with his tongue when my milk first starts to flow. From what I've read, this combination of things could be (1) yeast, (2) a plugged duct, and/or (3) oversupply/fast let-down. I've seen two lactation consultants so far and have gotten conflicting advice, and nothing helpful. Warm compresses before nursing seem to help, as does Lansinoh, but I know that if it is yeast the Lansinoh can make it worse not better. I am also hesitant to do anything to lower my supply intentionally until at least after 6 weeks, because I know he will likely have a growth spurt then. I'd kill myself if I took this seemingly great supply and killed it, only to have the opposite problems later. (To give an idea of my supply, I got 9.5 oz pumping last night in 15 minutes using a medela pump in style after I had fed him on the left side for 7 minutes).

Any thoughts from experienced BFing moms?

[shellbell516]

Lanolin - I was using this religiously to begin with, but now DD is 3 weeks old and I'm starting to slack off. Should I continue applying after each feeding or maybe just once/day? I haven't had any problems with cracked nipples.

[newyorkgirl]

hope0805, it sounds like you've got what I've been battling for the last couple weeks - a milk blister caused by oversupply. If you scroll up, you'll find the kellymom answer on how to treat a milk blister, which is pretty much what you've been doing.

What you can also do is open up the blister yourself - which is what I had to do both times. Soak the nipple in warm water for a bit, then use a clean, damp washcloth to rub the blister just until the skin opens up. Hand-express, pump or nurse to let out the backed-up milk. Then apply something to prevent the open skin from getting infected. You can use Polysporin, but not Neosporin, and wipe it off before you nurse. I just use Lansinoh. The nipple will continue to be tender for the next day or so, but the pain from the blister should start to fade, and the ducts behind the blister should empty when you nurse/pump.

[nygroove]

you girls have the best advice!!!!!

Pam

[namrodda]

apologies-1 handed typing!

Jumping in at the advice of my fellow Aug moms! DS is just over two weeks and despite best intentions to only BF we were given bad advice at the hospital and started supplements. Fortunately someone helped before too late and we got a good latch....until my milk came in. It was miserable every feeding but I kept pumping and trying and finally found true help with a nipple shield. Now he happily goes from bottle to breast as long as we have that. I'd like to try to wean him eventually but for now its great peace of mind.

My next problem is supply. I'm trying to be better about pumping and feeding at night but he sleeps 6 hours straight so so do I! Realize that needs work. I've got a medela symphony for the rest of the month and I'm trying to pump after ever feed but I've never gotten more than a combined 2 oz and it takes at least 2 hours or more to build back up. It seems my breasts drain in the first 5 minutes but I try to pump at least 10. If he's fed first I get a measly amount. He never takes much more than 2 oz from a bottle so I guess he's getting enough. We have TONS of wet diapers but sometimes have a day or so go by with only a little soil. He has his second weight check tomorrow...Hes a very lazy eater, taking a good hour and half all together because we have to constantly wake back up. He still gets about 2 oz of formula somwhere during the day so I can try to just pump. I also had breast reduction surgery 6 years ago (very minor changes and the doc said I shouldn't be effected but I realize that CAN effect supply).

So those are all the facts...what can I do besides feed more to build it up? I hear oatmeal is good? What about these supplements? Is it normal to only get that amount at 2 weeks old? The nipple shield hasn't made it worse but its not getting better either..... :confused:

you girls do have the best advice, thanks!!

[Mickey&B]

We are still battling green poops, I took DS to a lactation clinic yesterday and they told me to stop pumping because I was likely overproducing and he wasn't getting enough hind milk. I now nurse on one side for two consecutive feedings (and they usually last anywhere from 15 min to 1 hour depending on if he stays awake). When I pump though I only get about 2-3 ounces combined from the sounds of you other ladies that seems very minimal. So my question is do I keep doing what I am doing and if I do when can I pump to build up my supply I have to go back to work Part Time soon and I worry I won't have built up my supply. I am so confused/frustrated!!!

[LeslieR]

Argh-we have been struck by the green poops now, too! Luke has been nursing around the clock since 3am-could this have anything to do with it?

[moderngal]

green poop~ we battled this for about 6 weeks. I called our ped's after hours hotline and the nurse there told me it was no big deal. At our 2 month well baby visit I asked me ped directly about it. Her response was that it could be due to blue foods in my diet (I eat blueberries like they're going out of style) or "a bug." Her advice was to keep nursing and call if the poops were black, red, or white. She said that although it isn't a "textbook" color, it wasn't worrisome. I mentioned the foremilk/ hindmilk thing and she told me not to worry about it. Around 3 months, they stopped being green and are now back to yellow. (DS is 4 months).

[Sarah]

ITA with Moderngal and her ped. Unless green poops are accompanied by other symptoms, it's not a problem. A certain amount of fussiness, gas, red-faced pushing, etc is normal in the first few months. No need to worry and start special diets or work on changing these totally normal newborn behaviors.

[Marisa]

Alice -- if you're supplementing, then you're not going to necessarily see the "typical" BF baby, poop with every feeding kind of dirty diapers. Formula is constipating. Your baby may only go once or twice a day. Wet diapers are more what you should be concerned with, to be sure that he's not dehydrated, etc. It sounds like you're doing fine there.

What I'm going to say next is for you but it's also for Mickey&B.

Do not judge your supply by how much you can pump. Do not compare how much you can pump to how much other women can pump.

That's the bottom line. There is no "normal" amount that women can pump, because honestly, pumping is not "normal". Your body may respond to it, someone else's may not. It's totally an individual situation.

If baby is sleeping through on his own right now, and dr. is happy with weight gain, etc, then don't worry about changing things *at the moment*. Alice, since you're concerned about supply, I'd probably set your alarm for about 3 hours in and give pumping a shot. You still get a good solid block of sleep before and probably after, and you're cueing your body to produce more. Plus, many women find that their supply is higher in the middle of the night.

M&B - since you want to be able to feed DS on one side for two consecutive feedings, try pumping or at least holding up the pump on the other side to catch your letdown. You'll experience letdown on both sides simultaneously anyway so you might as well take advantage.


I also have something to say about Green Poop in general. We had some green pooping going on for about 2-3 weeks here, and it was very unsettling... and then I quit taking my prenatal with extra iron. Voila, no more green poops.

How do I know that the iron was the culprit? Because when I gave Joey a bottle from those 2-3 weeks when I was still taking it, he had greenish poop again! So try switching to a regular multi if you're still taking a prenatal, see if that makes a difference.

And here's a great poop color article from my secret boyfriend, Dr. Jay Gordon:

http://www.drjaygordon.com/pediatricks/poop.htm

[LeslieR]

I am still having tremendous nipple pain. I'm sure I'm not healing because I'm still nursing. Luke will not consistently take a bottle, so I can't pump and just keep giving him bottles until I heal. Would nipple shields be a solution for us? It's getting to the point where I dread feeding him because I am in so much pain when he latches on.:(

ETA: Thanks for that link about the poop colors, Marisa. Very interesting!

[alienhost]

Frozen BM question I unfortunately froze my BM in larger quantities in the beginning (4 oz) - not knowing better. Once I start rice cereal I will need to defrost the milk and use it but clearly there is too much in each bag. Can I let it soak for a few minutes in warm water and pour out a little and put the rest in the freezer or is that BAD?

Any ideas on how not to waste the milk. I'm not really giving her daily bottles and maybe I should?

Thanks!

[Mickey&B]

Thanks again Marissa!!!! :)

[AusAshMommy]

Alienhost ~ I posed that question to my ped, and she said it'd actually be ok to mix the cereal w/water. That way they get the flouride needed for their teeth...

As for defrosting a little them refreezing the rest I don't know if it's something your not supposed to do, but I've done it...

[Cr8nme]

Just subscribing. I had my DD a little over a week ago and breastfeeding is going great! I was a little sore at first but all that is gone now. I introduced a NUK paci and found that she doesn't latch on correctly after having it so we don't do that anymore,lol.


Michelle

[Marisa]

Leslie -- that's exactly the reason why I started using the shield with Joey, when he was about 3 weeks old. If you want to give it a shot, they sell them at Target in the baby feeding aisle, and they're only about 6 bucks each. It saved my sanity/our breastfeeding relationship.

alienhost -- unfortunately, once the milk is thawed it really should be used within the hour. Since it's not pasteurized it will start to 'turn' more quickly than cow's milk might in the refrigerator. Also, some of the immunities/antibacterial properties are destroyed in freezing, which contributes to its much shorter shelf life.


As for mixing cereal with water to get the fluoride.... well this just seems to be popping up everywhere the past couple of days! :) I was just recently reading that fluoride does nothing for infants with emerging teeth -- if it has any positive effect it's on children and adults who already have their teeth. Infants have a much harder time processing fluoride and an excess can lead to bone problems or fluorosis -- when their teeth come in they can be brittle, yellow or stained.

Anyway, back to the 'freezing-in-too-big-amounts' dilemma.... the good thing is that BM will keep in the back of a freezer for up to 6 months. So start freezing in smaller amounts, and keep the 4 oz. bags for when you know she will take 4 oz. at a time in a feeding. If you don't need to give her a bottle, you can put the larger amount of milk in a sippy cup starting at 5-6-7 months... it may just be for fun but if baby's starting to sit up assisted she can have some sips of milk that way too.

[cc8]

Marisa,
You said "Do not judge your supply by how much you can pump. Do not compare how much you can pump to how much other women can pump."

So can I 'safely' assume that DD is getting more when she feeds from me directly vs when I pump and bottlefeed her?

[Marisa]

cc8 -- unless you have some reason to suspect your baby has a sucking problem/bad latch (you'd know by now!) -- then yes, baby's almost always get more from mom than the pump will. The breast was designed to be nursed by a baby, not by a conical piece of plastic with tubes attached. ;)

[Daniel's Kitty]

Just thought I would post that when I give DS a bottle I try to make sure that there is a little more than he likes to eat. It took some trial to figure out how much to offer, but if he still seems hungry I latch him on for a while.

[AndreaMMS]

Hi, Ladies...

I am almost 39 weeks along with my daughter (out first baby) and planning to breastfeed.

I just read through the "Help, I hate BF" thread, and while I'm glad to see the info in there and appreciate everyone's hosesty, it scared the cr*p outta me!

I've been putting Lasinoh Lanolin on my nipples for the past three weeks or so trying to get them ready, and have a Mendala PIS if needed, but is there anything else I can do NOW to help myself and the baby have a positive experience and head off some of the possible challenges of the first 6 weeks?

Biting and bleeding nipples and blisters and mastasis... :eek: :eek: :eek: I'm kinda freaked out!

[Koala_Gurl]

AndreaMMS - First off, don't be "scared." That is a thread specifically about the bad stuff that can come with breastfeeding, so of course no one would post a "good" story.

I think the best thing you can do to prepare is mentally committing yourself. I never did anything before (including Lanisoh), and we had a relatively easy experience. Not to say it wasn't tough in the beginning (eating all the time, all night, getting latch squared away, etc.) But, I just kept telling myself it wouldn't last long, and then one day I realized how much easier it had become. I even supplemented in the hospital (thanks to "bad" advice from the nurses), but only twice and it never caused any issues. I will tell you, sitting in a hospital, recovering from child birth, and having a screaming baby not be able to latch at 3am...can be off putting, but I was determined to make it work, and it did. :)

[Marisa]

Yes Andrea -- get yourself a list of people that you can call for advice! :)

Do I remember correctly, are you in the NYC area? There are tons of LLL groups in Manhattan and the other boroughs... If you wanted to take in a meeting during this week while you're waiting to meet your daughter, or even call a Leader to introduce yourself, that wouldn't be a terrible idea.

Look at your health insurance. Does it cover or partially cover a visit to a IBCLC after the baby is born? Try to determine what BFing support is available through your hospital, and visit http://www.iblce.org/US%20registry.htm to see a listing of all IBCLCs in your area.

BFing is a learned skill, something that some moms take to right away, and others take some practice to master. I read sometime last year about an experiment where a pregnant ape was isolated from her peers, and when she gave birth she didn't know how to nurse it. We're not unlike our animal cousins in that sense -- although it's a *natural* process, it's also something that should be handed down from woman to woman. It's hard when so so many women in our society have chosen to FF for the past few generations.

Anyway, surround yourself with support, and with good information to keep the naysayers at bay. :) And remember that you have some control over the situation -- talk to lots of people, get second opinions. If you don't like one LLL group, remember that they're just the moms that chose to volunteer in that area -- maybe a different group will be better. And of course come back here if you need us -- the internet isn't the ideal form of support for breastfeeding questions all the time, but we'll do our best to keep ya going. :o

[Daniel's Kitty]

AndreaMMS Sorry to scare you! I promise it isn't to bad! I have a little boy who is currently happily latched on. Although he is falling asleep again. Pnce we made it past the growth spurt and figured out what was causing the problem it got a lot better. I was just looking for advice, trying to vent and I think looking for somenoe to commiserate with.

I wish I had known that it wasn't all always beautiful and it could be painful and challenging. I think that would have helped a lot at first.

[BeachBum]

Hi guys.
I could use some advice. My baby is 8 days old today. I think bf is going well, but I still feel confused about switching boobs.
From what I understand the milk that comes out the first 5-7 minutes is more like colostrum and then what comes out is thicker and more fatty? So I'm just not sure if I am supposed to switch boobs after the first 5-7 then let him nurse till he's done? or just let him go till he's done on the same one.
Often he starts to fall asleep after 5-7 minutes, so getting him to latch back on the other side can really be a challenge. I usually have to stroke his face to perk him back up to keep nursing after the 7 minute mark.
So far, at night I've just been letting him have one and nurse till he's done, but then in the day I try to switch him.

Any advice?

[Marisa]

BB -- it sounds like you're doing just fine! The first milk that he gets is the foremilk, it's actually more watery and thirst-quenching (not so much like colostrum, which is like a 'concentrated' version of your milk that he only gets for the first week or so).

Leaving him on one side for a full feeding is absolutely fine. If you want to let him nurse one side, then after 10 min or so burp and try the other, that's ok too. I think that the "switching" that many advise is mainly so that you don't become too sore at first. If you're feeling ok then keep doing what you're doing.

Your baby will 'wake up' more and more in the next week or so, and it will be easier for him to stay awake during a longer feeding. You can help keep him up by trying skin-to-skin contact (him just in a diaper, maybe with a blanket over both of you), a cool washcloth on his face and neck, a diaper change after he's had his fill of one side....

[moderngal]

Beach Bum-- Congrats!! I'm so happy for you. :)

[Cosmogirl]

Thanks Marisa
Is there anywhere that I could see a good pic of yeast infection in the mouth of a baby. I think we are stuck with it again...I have shooting pain in my breast while/after BF

[alienhost]

Just to clarify frozen BM question

Marisa, thanks for your response, just to clarify, I wouldn't defrost the whole bag. I was thinking I could warm the bag for a few minutes in warm water then pour out the bit that defrosted and put the remaining frozen BM back in the freezer. I wouldn't technically be refreezing a totally thawed bag, KWIM? Is this acceptable or really not recommended.

DD is now 4.5 months I still have milk from the beginning of May. Since I didn't return to work I'm finding it challenging to use the stash. I was pumping a lot in the beginning, thus the huge stash. I have it in a chest freezer in the basement. I just hate to think I might have to toss it (all that hard work literally down the drain :D ). I guess I should maybe go back to giving her a bottle a day. I just don't find it as convenient if you KWIM.

[LeslieR]

Thanks Marisa! Going to look for nipple shields tomorrow. However, can I still use them if I have a yeast infection? After doing some research, I'm starting to think the nipple pain is from that and not the latch gone bad (because of the way my nipples look, he's screaming at the breast occasionally, that rash on his butt, the pain). Although, I do think he is being lazy with his latch and we are working on that. I talked to the IBCLC at the ped's office and told her what's been going on-she asked if Luke had white spots on his tongue and I said no. She asked what my nipples looked like and I told her they were pink and swollen (exactly like what a picture of nipples with a yeast infection look like). She asked if they were itchy; I said no. She asked if they were burning; I said yes. She suggested putting on Lotrimin 3-4 times a day, making sure my nipples are dry after feedings, and changing the breast pads when they are damp. She also gave me some tips for fixing his latch. She only said to bring him in if he develops white spots on his tongue. I was surprised she didn't ask more questions or want to see us anyway. And I was surprised that she only gave me tips to treat myself and not him. Is it possible for me to have it and not the baby? I am in so much pain-I don't know how much longer I can deal with this.:(

[Klo.]

Marisa -
I'm a couple days late but just wanted to pop back in and say thank you for answering my questions. You are so nice.
Btw, I have an adorable pic of my DS in an outfit from your store. I got it from Beryl. So cute. Nice work.

LeslieR -
Is it possible for me to have it and not the baby?
Yes. That is what I'm dealing with right now. And from what you describe it sounds like exactly what I have too - I'm on my second round of an YI in my right boob. And yes - IT HURTS!!! My MW put me on Diflucan for 2 weeks and it cleared up and I was finally pain free. I'm going to get started on some acidophilus and see if that will help from now and help keep it away.

[Marisa]

Just a quick post to let you all know that I'm deleting my account and all my posts on that 'other' board.

A family member somehow found a few stray posts from my wedding planning days (over 3 years ago) and is printing them and using them to create drama.

Just mentioning it because the bulk of my posting in the last year or so was in the BFing threads, so if anyone was still using them my posts will be disappearing. (I think those boards are all but abandoned now, though, no?)

Anyway, I'll be back online later, I hope, to read and chat. :)

[kindermom]

AndreaMMS - I was worried too about my ability to breastfeed. I have to say that it was pretty uncomfortable for the first few days but after that, it has gone pretty well (ok it has only been a month though). Remember, you are reading posts from people who are having problems - both on the other thread as well as here. There are many more people who can tell you about the joys of breastfeeding.

I personally love lying in bed with Madelyn noisily gulping down milk. The "drugged" look she gets when she is done, including the milk running down her chin is priceless. It is really satisying to know that I am providing all that she needs.

[ahavnes]

Marisa- Wow! Sorry about the drama. That stinks.

I have yet another question. I am STILL battling thrush, which I have had pretty much since DD was born 3.5 months ago. :rolleyes: It's getting better, but Abbey is now on antibiotics for pink eye and 2 ear infections (my poor baby). My doctor said the medicine could give her oral yeast-- just what I need (she hasn't gotten it as of yet). I'm wondering, could using a nipple shield prevent her from giving the yeast right back to me? My thrush is finally getting better, and I don't want it to get worse from her mouth. I've been using a nipple shield occasionally for other reasons and haven't had problems with weaning, so that's not an issue.

TIA!

[Cosmogirl]

ahavnes I was using a nipple sheild at some point, and ds had trush, and I got it even with using alwasy the shield, so in my case, it didn't protect me at all!

[cc8]

What supplies will I need to buy in order to start a freezer stash of BM? And where can I get the supplies? (Um, can you tell I'm clueless about this?!)

TIA!

[SiValleySteph]

A family member somehow found a few stray posts from my wedding planning days (over 3 years ago) and is printing them and using them to create drama.

Oh the drama! How annoying. What is with some people? :rolleyes:

Thank you for all the advice you have given both here and there. You've helped so many mammas and babies. :D

[Daniel's Kitty]

Sorry about the drama!

You can get bags to freeze in at a lot of stores.

[Cosmogirl]

Girls, I really need your insight!
Since a couple of days, I'm working on making my boy nap better, It is going good, he now sleeps an average of 15-17 hours a day. He is 71/2 week old. But since yesterday, he only eats about 5-6 times a day?!?! where as usually, he is on a 3 hour schedule, thus eats 8 times a day. Is it possible for a 7-8 weeks old baby to have already started to eat less often????? LAst night, he did wake up, but was SO not hungry, I think I could have even skipped the night shift. He doens'nt look sick, making smiles and stuff all the time when he is awake. What is going on???
THANKS!!!

Oh, and sorry Marisa about the drama, this would really be my worst nightmare!

[Marisa]

Thrush pictures:

http://www.breastfeeding-basics.com/html/candida.shtml
http://lactinv.com/tscreen.htm
(some bare breasts/tushies in these pages too!)

A list of some more thrush articles including treatments:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/thrush/thrush-resources.html


Leslie - if you use nipple shields w/ a yeast infection, you will have to boil them or use one of those Medela steam cleaning bags after every feeding, just as you would with any bottles, to avoid passing the yeast back and forth. Yeast can survive on these surfaces, as well as bras, sheets, etc. All should be washed in hot hot water.

cc8 - Target actually has a wide selection of BFing products in their baby section, including the Lansinoh storage bags that everyone here likes so much. :)

Cosmogirl - I'd probably say that 7-8 weeks is a little too young to be switching to only 5-6 feedings a day... but on the other hand it's not uncommon for babies to start spacing feedings after a growth spurt as well. As long as he's doing the scheduling and not you (i.e. you're feeding him on his cues and not waiting until a certain time) then you will be fine following his lead. He will certainly let you know if he needs to adjust his current system.\


Kinda off-topic, but the last reply I just wrote made me think of it... I was watching "Bringing Home Baby" the other day, the episode with the lesbian mommies. It was making me crazy, I don't know why I watch these shows! It focuses on the first three days home, I think? And this mom had a c/s so the baby was less than a week old... and when she woke at night they would let her get to the point where she was screaming because "It hadn't been two hours yet" since she'd last eaten. What kind of bizarre advice was that that they'd gotten? They were shoving the pacifier in, rocking her, and she was rooting like crazy. I felt so bad for that baby. :(

At least they showed BFing though, and it was more positive later (mom even NIPed!) -- most of those shows are sponsored heavily by formula companies.

[maggieb]

marisa: I watched that show today too and it was the one with the Chinese girl and Puerto Rican/Italian guy and it drove me crazy b/c the mother of the girl kept pushing formula b/c she thought the baby was hungry. I was shouting at the tv screen. Thank goodness the girl refused to give the baby formula.

[Cosmogirl]

Cosmogirl - I'd probably say that 7-8 weeks is a little too young to be switching to only 5-6 feedings a day...

Well, that is what I figured...but once he is asleep, he sleeps for often 3 hours at a time, and sometimes, it took me about 1/2-1 hour to put him to sleep. So that means sometimes 4-5 hours between feeding even during the day?!? ( I mean, he goes that long during the night...but during the day?!?!) I feed him as soon as he wakes up and ask for it, and I don,t let him cry until a certain time. This has changed since I'm trying to be more consistant with nap time, (about 2-3 days) and honnestly, it is getting me worried. I heard never to wake a sleeping baby, but should I wake him up???

[Dreshny]

Hey Marisa,

What's your opinion on this? Asher's been having green poop (and at nearly every diaper change) since the end of his 3-week groth spurt two weeks ago. I tried eliminating soy and peanuts, and it was still green. The green poop coincided with a marked increase in Asher's nursing habits--from every 2 1/2 hours or so to every 1/2 hour to an hour. And this is AFTER the growth spurt. He wants to eat himself to sleep and eat himself awake, and his naps only last 1/2 hour. I also tend to nurse him whenever he gets fussy. Per LLL, this isn't a problem...

Anyway, when Asher was born, I signed up for 4 sessions of a breastfeeding "salon" with an LC, and today was my last session. I mentioned the green poop, and meanwhile Asher had nursed 4 times in 2 hours. So the LC said it was a foremilk/hindmilk inbalance because he eats so frequently and for so little time at a feeding that he never gets any hindmilk. Which actually makes sense.

This evening, I tried for an hour to get the poor little guy to take a nap without nursing (we took a walk, I sang to him, I rocked him in the sling, etc.) and finally gave in. During the day it's much easier to distract him because he's less fussy.

I don't have a problem feeding on demand, but isn't every 1/2 hour excessive? And the green poop is starting to worry me.

Do you have any insight?

BTW, I'm now doing the after-nap nurse, because he woke up screaming (yes, he ate 1/2 hour ago...)

Roseanne

[gizzyntaz]

Dreshny - I know you asked for Marisa's advice, but I'm going to chime in.

1st - DS's green poop arrived after the 3 week growth spurt too. It's as if their systems are just chugging along trying to get adapted to life outside and then the growth spurt hits and then their systems figure out something's wrong. Is your son's poop mucousy too? I've heard that the green/frothy (non-mucousy) indicates foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.

As far as eliminating soy/peanuts, I'm afraid you haven't given it enough time to know if that's the problem. It will take 3-4 weeks of complete elimination before you will know if they are the problem (sucks, I know). Dairy is the most common culprit, btw...

FWIW, our pediatric GI doc was not worried with DS's green, mucousy poop except when he had blood in it (be on the lookout). I would think that if your son has no blood and does not seem to be in any discomfort, radical elimination might not be necessary... I know what it's like to long for normal, yellow BM poop though. I long for it right now (DS is going through another round of green...)

As far as the eating... I fed on demand. It didn't matter *why* DS wanted to nurse (hungry/comfort/bored) - if he wanted it, he got it. Some moms are comfortable with nursing that way, some aren't. I'd say if you're comfortable doing it - just go with it. He'll only be this little (and demanding) for a very short time. DS ate round the clock. He spent a lot of time on the Boppy, on my lap in those days. People would ask if he's eating every 3 hours and I'd look at them like they had horns. He was eating CONSTANTLY. I mean CONSTANTLY. And it worked out fine :)

- Alison :)

[LeslieR]

I went and had myself a good cry after reading the info from this link:

http://www.breastfeeding-basics.com/html/candida.shtml

Now I know why Luke has been occasionally throwing fits while I feed him and why he's wanted to eat at what seems like every hour on the hour.:(

Has anyone successfully beaten this? It sounds like such a PITA to get rid of. I don't want to give up bf'ing, but I almost feel like I am being forced to as I don't know how we're going to get rid of this. Why didn't that IBCLC that I spoke to ask us to come in to the ped's office so that we could start treatment?:mad: And this is going to sound really stupid, but I had no idea you were supposed to change your breast pads once they got wet!!! I was wearing the same ones ALL DAY LONG! Why doesn't anyone tell you this stuff??? ugh.

Thanks for all of your help, Marisa. I don't know what I would do without this thread!

[Cali_Katy]

My son had thrush diagnosed at his two-month WBV. I was given a prescription for an anti-fungal ointment for my nipples and an anti-fungal suspension for his mouth. After every feeding, I rubbed some of the oral medication onto his tongue with a Q-tip and some of the ointment onto my nipples. It cleared up within a week and it hasn't been back. I know some others have had a tougher time getting rid of it, but it wasn't too bad for us!

Here's a question for you all. DS is a little over four months and he's exclusively breastfed. I stay at home, so I pretty much nurse on demand. I'm not worried about my supply for him because he's clearly growing and thriving and getting enough to eat.

But somewhere along the line I became kind of lazy about my pumping; the only reason I pump is to get away for a few hours on the weekends while DH babysits. DS only gets maybe one bottle or so a week, so I haven't worried about building up a huge freezer supply.

Well, a couple of weeks ago we had friends come into town and then family come to visit, so I decided I needed more EBM on hand, and I noticed I'm definitely getting less than I used to per session -- only .5 oz to 2 oz., so it takes me a few sessions to fill a bottle. I think my supply has regulated from the first couple of months -- I'm no longer waking up in a pool of my own milk, which is nice -- but I guess that means I don't have a lot extra.

Is this pretty normal? Should I worry about doing the whole fenugreek/oatmeal thing to up my supply? Or should I just try to pump more regularly?

[BuffaloBlondie]

Leslie I just read that article and it does sound like a PITA!! It also got me thinking that maybe I have it too!!! I feel that I have some of the symptoms...my nipples always hurt & my nipples are a little cracked. I also get shooting pain, but ONLY at the end of each feeding. So the big question--- how do I know for sure if it is a yeast infection or am I just having trouble with BF in general? Braden doesn't have any signs inside his mouth. You mentioned before that there are pictures of nipples w/ the infection. Where did you find them? I would be curious to see them. I hope that everything works out for you & Luke

[Dreshny]

gizzyntaz: So did Alan eventually STOP nursing so much? Or at 8 months is he still nursing constantly? And when did his poop go back to being a normal color?

I can't tell if it's mucousy or frothy because I don't know what to look for/how to define that. I do know it's very runny and soaks deeply into the diaper.

I don't think it's reasonable for me to eliminate dairy, soy, and peanuts all at once, since I'm a vegetarian and I'm craving protein all the time. If DS never had a problem with any of these food before, would he start to have a problem suddenly now?

I've seen two other babies this week who were around Asher's age who were nursing just as frequently, so I know it's not completely unusual, or anything...

It's just that I know he CAN go longer without eating because I've seen him do it, especially if he's being held by my DH or my mom and not smelling milk on me. The evenings are harder to gauge, though, because he has a 2-hour window of constant crying, and it's hard to know whether I should be cluster feeding him, or trying to calm him down, or trying to get him to sleep.

I wish he'd come with an Asher Manual, KWIM? ;)

I don't know what's right. I do know LLL would say it's fine to keep feeding him, since all babies have different needs. Even the LC today said I had the option of trying to space the feedings or feeding him from the same side more than once in a row to try to give him the hindmilk.

But lately I go to bed with sore nipples every night, and the green poop seems to indicate to me that something's wrong.

[LeslieR]

Jen, there are two pictures of nipples on this page:

http://breastfeed.com/resources/articles/thrushinfect.htm

I hope you don't have it!

Cali_Katy, thanks for posting that. I feel a little more hopeful now. :)

[Dreshny]

(these days I never seem to be able to fully process a thought in one post...)

The reason I really do think it's a foremilk/hindmilk thing and not a food intolerance is because before Asher falls asleep, he has his longest nurse of the day. The first poop of the morning is more yellow-brown and less green. And then as the day goes on, there's more and more green appearing at frequent intervals...

[ahavnes]

Thanks for the advice on the nipple shield and the thrush. I am SO sick of having thrush, but oddly enough, it makes me more determined to bf. I think I'm starting to take it personally, like it's some evil I need to defeat, lol! ;)

[scout]

Dreshny A few thoughts...my ds had green poop too and I really think it was because of things I was eating...mainly chocolate and caffeine. It could be a coincidence, but once I cut out caffeine and chocolate, it ended.

As for eating all the time, my ds did that too. I think every half hour is excessive. I would feed my ds whenever he would cry, and I found out that he wasn't hungry, he was tired. Very, very tired. I started swaddling him up and putting him to sleep when he was crying if he had just eaten within the hour (I only say this because I see your ds is nearly four months old. The first few months of life I would feed ds all the time--sometimes all day, LOL!)

[Marisa]

Leslie -- we had thrush not once but twice -- once right after he was born, I'd gone through a full course of antibiotics for mastitis. Then again at around 6 months, I'm not really sure why. The second time was much easier b/c I recognized it from the first time -- I applied the Nystatin that the dr. had prescribed and took lots of acidophilus, and beat it without passing it back and forth.

The first time we both had it, Joey's manifested in an awful diaper rash. He had the Nystatin in an oral suspension and an ointment for his tush, I had it for my nipples, and because I was having yeast problems in other areas too my OB called in a prescription for me for Diflucan -- one of the single dose, two-week pills. That knocked it out fairly quickly.

You *will* kick this, it will take a few days but it does go away. Just keep taking acidophilus supplements 3 times a day until you feel back to normal, and avoid refined sugar whenever possible (yeast thrives on it).

[AndreaMMS]

Koala Gurl, Marisa, Daniel's Kitty, and Kindermom - Thank you for offereing soothing words and support to a Mom-to-be. I'm going to check out local Le Leche Leagues, and I just bought "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding."

"Dresh" - I'm gonna email you....

[HollyMN]

I wrote earlier about a plugged duct, I think that's gone!

But I'm wondering if I have thrush too. I had GBS antibiotics in labor 6 weeks ago. I came down to write that I have a white dot on one nipple. Also, that breast is sensitive to touch, and the nipple is very much more so. The other breast is fine. I don't see any signs in his mouth. Where would I go to get a prescription, OB/GYN, pediatrician? I hope it's not yeast, it sounds like such a pain to get rid of, and we pump and use nipple shields and he spits up a lot and I leak and there's milk everywhere. I just started a freezer stash too.

Today's my birthday, I want to know whether I have to give up dessert today. :(

Also, my baby normally takes both sides per feeding. Lately, he'll take the first side (either breast), and stay there for 45 minutes, and then refuse the second side. Sometimes I make him take it anyway, (with a nipple shield he is easy to latch on) and he screams at first, but eventually does take it and stay there. Does he want to be a one-side at a time baby? I don't want one breast inflated and the other deflated.

[marchfamily]

Question about supplementing - In another week or so, I will need to start supplementing my 8.5 month old's daily bottles. She usually has 2, 6 ounces bottles during the day. I will probably need to supplement 4-6 ounces daily. Is it best to mix EBM with formula? Or one bottle EBM and one bottle formula?

[gizzyntaz]

Dreshny - Looking at your sons age, I wonder. Alan had started to slow down feedings by then, but every once in awhile he'd cluster feed again. At 8 months Alan is just now getting to a consistent every 2.5-3 hour "schedule" (I loathe to call it that) though. Every child meets their needs differently.

If you truly suspect a foremilk/hindmilk issue, keep feeding from the same breast for 2-3 feeds in a row, then switch. Within a few days you should be able to see some difference. You should be able to see mucous in the diaper if it's mucousy. It would look like snot (pardon the term).

When Alan is in a bout of green poop, often his first BM of the morning will look "normal" too. We KNOW his is a wheat intolerance/allergy, but it has taken us a LONG time to get to that point.

I'm not sure how late in life these things can show up. Alan's showed up right after the three week growth spurt.

If it is an intolerance to something in your diet (and it could be ANYTHING) the good thing is *most* kids outgrow it by a year old.

If you don't feel comfortable cutting dairy now - don't. Right now, you need to be healthy to continue to make high-quality milk for your son. You can cut dairy later if soy and peanuts don't work. Or you can choose to live with the green poop...

- Alison :)

[Dreshny]

gizzyntaz: Turns out he really was hungry last night and wanted to cluster feed, and I just kept giving him the same side. He woke up twice in the middle of the night to eat, when usually it's once or not at all these days. So I felt bad...

I guess what I should do is try not to feed him when it's "easy," like when I suspect he's just bored, but I'm too tired to play with him.

It's hard, because I also end up being his pacifier when he's sleepy. If he would take a paci or a finger or suck his thumb more consistently, then I'd know he was just eating when he was actually hungry.

[Marisa]

Sorry guys, apparently I've been followed over here.

I will probably take a break from the boards for a few days until I can figure out what to do.

[Sarah]

What, Marisa?

[gizzyntaz]

Who is it, Marisa? I think we'll collectively go kick some e-*ss. You just let us know, we've got your back ;)

- Alison :)

[LILRTL]

Oh, Marisa. Bless your heart. We should definitely gang up on 'em! :p

[prudies]

marisa - that stinks! I can't imagine that you could be the source of drama. What can be said -- Damn, that marisa, there she goes again, talking about nipples!

[maggieb]

What?!!? Followed? As in stalked? I'm sorry and I hope the offender goes away!!! We'll try to keep things in order for you while you're gone.

[Dreshny]

Oh, Marisa, I'm sorry...

[AttyGrl74]

Oh Marisa - I'm so sad that you've been followed!

I have to share my happiness at my & Nora's Nursaversary! (aka - Nora's Birthday)

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif (http://gynosaur.com/bf_ribbons.php)

I got my gold BF ribbon!

What a wonderful year!

[lady1297]

Marisa, wtf!?! Anything we can do to help? I can't believe things are going south for you, you're too nice a woman for that kind of stuff...

[catmom]

Yuck! I'm sorry. Marisa! What's up with people? We have some family members like that too, unfortunately. Some people have waaaay too much time on their hands.

[hope0805]

Vitamin D? My pediatrician recommended at our 1 month appointment that my son get a dose of poly-vi-sol or tri-vi-sol once a day. I take my prenatals still (on advice of my OB) and eat healthy. We go for a walk every day for at least 30 minutes, sometimes much longer. Any reason why he needs a vitamin supplement to get extra Vitamin D (or anything else)?

PS -- Sorry Marisa that you've been "followed" here -- some people just SUCK, I swear...

[Daniel's Kitty]

Sorry to hear that Marisa. if you want I will follow you around here since I don't care what you say! And I don't follow so well either.

[manatee]

Marisa, sorry to hear that you are followed. That is so wrong.

Question on acidophilus. I can't find the Florajen brand anywhere (I'm in Southern California). I bought this one recommended by the guy in GNC, called Pro-Biotics Acidophilus, in a 1,000 mg capsule, recommended daily dose of 2 capsules a day. It doesn't need to be refrigerated. I'm taking Acidophilus because I was put on Keflex (antibiotics) for a spider bite. Can someone tell me if this sounds okay to take?

I have had some minor shooting pain but it really doesn't bother me that much. Neither DD nor I have any other thrush symptoms. I have also finished the antibiotic since yesterday. Should I take a higher dose of the Acidophilus in case my pain is a mild thrush, and for how much longer? Any advice/opinion would be greatly appreciated!

[moderngal]

hope0805~ I don't give the vitamin drops- I think there was just a thread about it. My ped said it's not a big deal to take them.

Marisa~ I am so sorry to hear you're dealing with this BS.

[Marisa]

Thanks guys... I was really posting so you'd know where I was if I decided to stay offline... I don't think I'm gonna need backup on this one but I'm all squishy inside that y'all care... http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/luxlove.gif

I'm also pretty sure I'm not going anywhere. If anyone would like to hear me expound on green poop, they can go right ahead! :)


hope - Vitamin D is pretty much unnecessary if you're not dark-skinned and if you're in a part of the world where there's a reasonable amount of sun exposure. Even ten minutes is fine. Vitamin D is not really meant to be obtained through a food source, which is why it's not in high quantities in breastmilk.

Here's that thread moderngal was referring to:
http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=6572

manatee - that sounds like the brand I had for a while. I was actually taking a little more than the regular dose while I was feeling the symptoms, then tapered off as things improved. It's definitely safe. I took at least 3 caps a day (at mealtimes) but you can do 2 caps, 3 times a day I believe if you're really trying to knock out an infection.

[Adam's Pi]

About 2 (?) weeks ago, I went in to nurse DS at night, and when I came back out I was in terrible pain. It felt like someone was stabbing me from inside on the side I nursed on. The pain was not just in one spot, it was all over that boob and sometimes I felt it in my nipple. After two hours, the pain subsided and I was able to sleep. It hadn't happened again (despite night time nursing on that side nearly every night) until last night. It felt even worse last night. I took two Tylenol and cuddled up to a heating pad. That seemed to help, but maybe it was just exhaustion.

I have no symptoms of mastitis other than pain--but there are no lumps or bumps or anything (even had my gyn check on Wednesday) that I can feel. FTR, DS has been nursing more frequently at night b/c of molars, but that is winding down (thank God!!!). Yesterday I probably didn't drink enough water. No idea whether I had or not the first time it happened. No pain in the other boob, this pain has happened only on my left side.

Can someone please help?

[prudies]

I had to pop in and say congrats on a year of nursing, attygrl ! :D

[dbers]

Hi there! I've been reading along, but this is my first post in this thread. DD is now 3 weeks old, and BF is going well - she's eating well, gaining weight, etc. But my boobs hurt! It's kind of an ache - almost feels like they get engorged once a day or so like when my milk first came in - is this normal at this point? I don't think I have symptoms of thrush or mastitis...

TIA!

[Sarah]

Attygirl! Congratulations on a year of nursing. You should be so proud of yourself. Where do you plan on going from here? Are you going to go for another year or two, or start weaning, or what?

Dbers- I think having an ache might be feeling a let-down, if there's no other symptoms. But yes, you alternately could be feeling engorgement, as your milk suppy probably isn't stabilized yet. As your baby nurses and you both get into a routine, your supply will adjust and you won't feel so much engorgement.

[dbers]

Thanks Sarah! I was wondering if my supply is still stabilizing. Last night they were really aching, and Alexandra didn't want to eat - so I had to pump.. made me feel better for a bit.

[Mickey&B]

Do babies to through a 3 week growth spurt?
DS has been wanting nurse constantly!!!! He has been so fussy, not wanting to nap, and the only time he is happy is when he is nursing. My heart tells me I am producing enough milk, but my brain keeps wondering if he is just hungry and not getting enough. Yesterday I gave him a 2 1/2 oz bottle of EBM and he guzzeled it down and then still nursed! He is gaining weight, has a lot of wet diapers, and a few BM a day. the BM's are going from green to a mixer of green and yellow so I think we may be resolving the inbalance issue, or the dairy one whichever it was that was causing the green poops in the first place! Is this behavior normal? Should I just keep doing what I am doing?

[Marisa]

dbers - I remember your wedding stuff! :) Congrats! :)

both of you have babies born on 8/25, and I think it looks like we've got some growth spurt happening! It's typical at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months, though it's not an exact date, just an approximation. :) They typically can last for a day or two, and it feels like it's non-stop nursing, every hour. But it's a good thing, it means that baby's about to do some serious growing, and it's an instinctive thing to get your supply up to meet their growing demand. Try to avoid bottles when possible since you want to take advantage of baby upping your supply. And hang in there -- it's only for a couple of days, and there's usually a 'day of rest' where things quiet down considerably afterwards! :)

[Mickey&B]

Thanks Marissa!

You are so right, he has spent almost the entire day sleeping, just getting up to nurse every 2 hours! God knows I needed a break after two days of non-stop nursing/crying!!!!

[solongtogo]

Another 8/25 baby going through that growth spurt...it's killing me. I caved in today and gave her a bottle of formula. I feel like such a failure for doing so.


On another note, I am getting a reoccuring shooting pain through my left breast...does anyone know what could possibly be causing this?

[gizzyntaz]

I feel like such a failure for doing so.

Please don't (feel like a failure). The three week growth spurt nearly killed me too. I think the only reason I didn't go and mix a bottle with the formula the hospital had given us was because I was too tired to get out of bed... :rolleyes:

IT WILL GET BETTER! If you don't want to supplement, try not to do it again. You've probably heard - they have to suck you "dry" to get your supply up during these growth spurts... It's a normal part of the process. Formula can interfere, though I doubt your one bottle did - so don't beat yourself up!

Good Luck! (Oh, and I'm not sure about the pain - do you have any cracks in your nipple?)

- Alison :)

[Marisa]

Lisa -- a shooting pain can be one of the first signs of a yeast infection -- try to cut back on sugar intake and take some acidophilus or eat yogurt with active cultures -- see if that helps.

If you had any antibiotics in the hospital (which many of us did) it's not too uncommon for there to be an imbalance of yeast in the first weeks postpartum.

[BeachBum]

My baby is about 2weeks old. I would like to pump some just so DH can help with feeding at night (not every night, just sometimes) and just so he can feel a part of things.
I can't find in my books any recommendations on when it is ok to start pumping--and how much I should try to collect before freezing. Is about an oz right?
Can anyone advise?

[moderngal]

BeachBum~ i started pumping at about 3 weeks. DH gave DS his first bottle then. I think we did a 3 oz bottle. i would suggest freezing in small increments- like 2 oz.

[Dally]

Beachbum--I started pumping in the hospital, the day DD was born. (She was small and I need to get my supply up fast according to the LCs). So I think you can start pumping whenever you want.

You can freeze in any size increment you'd like (most people suggest 2 oz.), but (sorry if you know this already) have your DH give the baby EBM that hasn't been frozen, when possible, and just freeze any excess for your freezer stash. The EBM will keep in the fridge for a week (sources differ on how long).

[BeachBum]

Thanks for the info. That helps. :)

Since this is the BF thread....has anyone found any cute tops that work well for nursing? My boobs are way to big to go back into my non maternity shirts so I'm looking for some new things. Any suggestions on cute stuff?

[Dreshny]

So it's defintely mucousy now and has a couple of specks of blood in it. Should I call just the ped?

[happy1nuv]

roseanne ...
i'd call, but i probably overcall my ped ...

from http://www.umc-cares.org/health_info/article.asp?Category=Childrens&ArticleID=166]

Occasionally, there will be some blood in the stool. This should always be reported to your doctor. However, don’t be alarmed. If your baby seems otherwise well, it is most likely not a serious problem. The most common cause for a small amount of blood on the stool is an anal fissure. This is simply a small tear in the anus that bleeds slightly when the stool is passed. This is often noted in constipated infants and usually resolves once the stool is softened.

[lady1297]

OH!! Growth spurts are so trying! You can make it through this and it will get better soon. That first one is rough. Go rent some good movies and curl up on the couch and enjoy!! Soon baby will be poking you and twiddling you...enjoy when they just lay there! :)

QOTD:

DS is 13 months (as many of you know) and is driving me nutty with the "feeling up" Mommy at 1 am. I have no patience for his 'exploration'. He basically just rubs and pinches the non-currently nursing breast. I just want to scream when he does this. I am just not feeling the love for these feedings. I don't want felt up by my baby. I'm feeling all touched out and want my skin to stop crawling every night. I know he's doing it for comfort, but it's driving me batty. Any suggestions? I've tried giving him things to hold, but he flings them.

[Marisa]

lady - Do you nurse lying down or sitting up? These days it's pretty much only lying down for us. Maybe this only works b/c I have larger breasts, but I'm able to keep J away from the other side by putting a his small quilt in between us, just moving aside enough of it so that he can get to the one he's nursing from. I actually got in the habit of having a somewhat-thick blanket between us because he used to kick me right in the c/s scar, and I'd have the blanket as a layer of padding so he couldn't hurt me.

I have a feeling that it's going to be pretty hard to describe it any better, I hope that makes sense. If you're sitting up, maybe you could wear a thick robe or toss a baby quilt over your shoulder so he can't grab on as easily. Joey's nipple fascination seemed to peak when he learned the word "milkies" -- he'd actually stop nursing to tell me that the other one was "milkies", that there were "two milkies". Which is adorable, but not at midnight, KWIM? :rolleyes:

[lady1297]

I do okay while wearing a bra, so maybe I have to try something like the blanket at night. It's just so irritating....

[catmom]

lady-
My DD is younger than your DS, so this might not work, but when her little hand starts wandering over to the other breast I usually try to get her interested in my other hand (the one that isn't holding the breast). Sometimes she will just hold hands, and sometimes she is happy playing with my fingers. At the moment, it is working pretty well. I also always have a bra on (I'm too uncomfortable without one), which helps make the other breast a little less interesting.

[Dreshny]

I called the ped this morning, and she wants me to take Asher in. :( I'm starting to get worried that my breastmilk is poisonous.

[Marisa]

Oh Roseanne. :(

Hopefully she will be able to give you more insight when she sees him, maybe they will decide to do some tests to find out what's bothering his tummy.

I have a friend whose daughter is so allergic that mom actually gave up all dairy, soy, wheat and eggs for 18 mos. so her baby would have something safe to eat. I certainly hope you don't have to give up anything else, but it can be done.

[December27JJB]

Breastfeeding is going great. We got lucky from the very start,she had excellent sucking. Even the LC at the hospital were amazed. There were times when I was worried that I wasnt producing enough milk, there were times when she was a newborn and would fall asleep at the boob and wouldnt eat, and there were times when my boobs hurt like hell as if they were on fire. Now, I am facing a whole new issue:

But last week, my mom has hinted couple of times that DD is a little 'chubby' She looks like the 'normal baby chubby' to me not, 'overweight' At our 2 month checkup the dr told us she was right on track, only slightly heavier but he said she was perfectly healthy and he was happy with her development. My mom even suggested I stop feeding her on demand so she doesnt get overweight? :confused: I really am not feeding her all the time,usually we go 3-4 hours between feedings during the day and 5-6 at night. I dont think that is too much?
TIA
http://photobucket.com/albums/a52/jejordan9/th_91805007.jpg

[Sarah]

!! It is nearly impossible for a EBF baby to become "overweight." I don't even think that term is applicable to babies, unless it's a health issue. Even if your baby was off the charts for weight, she would be normal, if she was meeting her milestones, etc. Some kids are just bigger, some are smaller.

If it makes you feel better, many many BF babies start out chubbsters, hitting 20 lbs really early, and then begin to thin out in the second half of their first year. I can't tell you how many posters come in here talking about their big healthy babies, and then suddenly (at around 6-8 months) start posting about how their pediatrician says the baby is dropping in percentiles and should be weaned/needs supplementation/needs solids/is sick. It's just the way BF babies grow.

[December27JJB]

Sarah-

Thank you so much! My mom is being silly, she was comparing me and my sister to DD. Apparently, I was small and my sister was bigger but not 'as big as DD' Unfair, I know but I am certainly not taking her advice! I am going to keep feeding DD the same amount until DD starts eating solids then let her wean when she wants to.

Again, thank you!

[Megande]

December27JJB - You should be proud of that chub!! :) :) Your daughter is adorable!! You really can't overfeed a BF baby. You can tell your mom that This study (http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_leaner.html) found that breastfed babies are leaner for life, and maybe that will help things.

[December27JJB]

December27JJB - You should be proud of that chub!! :) :) Your daughter is adorable!! You really can't overfeed a BF baby. You can tell your mom that This study (http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_leaner.html) found that breastfed babies are leaner for life, and maybe that will help things.

Thank you! Interesting article, I just showed it to DH. I do feel better now. I was just worried she'd end up with diabetes or something because I fed her too much as a baby. lol Thanks to my mother for putting ideas like that in my head. I see you are a June mama also ;) Your DS is adorable.

[lorbo]

James was spitting up quite a bit and i mentioned it to the nurse at one of his well baby visits(we were really late with the schedule, being that James was in and out of the hospital and being seen 2x a week by the doctor). she asked me what formula he was on...DUH! i said i was nursing him and she said it sounds like he's eating too much-and i added well, how can i be feeding a breastfed baby too much-it's not like i can shut it off. silly silly people. he's chunky, he's got the wrist and thigh rolls and cankles to boot, and i still don't think he's overfed!

[solongtogo]

Lisa -- a shooting pain can be one of the first signs of a yeast infection -- try to cut back on sugar intake and take some acidophilus or eat yogurt with active cultures -- see if that helps.

If you had any antibiotics in the hospital (which many of us did) it's not too uncommon for there to be an imbalance of yeast in the first weeks postpartum.

I think you may be right. I did have antibiotics in the hospital as well since I had a csection. I went and got some acidophilus...thanks for the tip. I'm waiting on a call from the lactation consultant...

how sucky! Hope it goes away soon...it hurts!

Thanks for the heads up...

[Dreshny]

The ped was mystified. She said that since he didn't have a fever and didn't seem at all unhappy (in fact, he was flirting with the doctor) and since he gained 3 pounds since his last appointment, she was just going to assume the green poop is within the range of normal. She said I shouldn't change my diet or the frequency of his feedings for another week, and if it continues, I should call and let her know. Whew! :)

[manatee]

Hi everyone,

DD is 5 weeks old and has been breastfeeding. She was on a breast shield for the first 3 weeks but has been weaned over the last few weeks. I have noticed that she has a blister/callous in the middle of her upper lip. It peels off and then reforms but doesn't seem to bother her. Does this indicate an improper latch? Is this normal and if so, will she always have this blister as long as she is breastfeeding?

Thanks in advance for any advice/opionion.

[adore_one]

Coming over here to subscribe.

DS is 1 mo old and we have been BF and giving EBM. Turns out I was allergic to Lansinoh and my nipples became gross huge hives that were too painful to have him latch on. We had to suppliment with formula for a bit as well (one bottle a day or so) we are now trying to get back on the breast after 2 weeks off and it is still painful. So I just wnat to subscribe and listen to what all you great ladies have to say.

thanks for all your help and I hope I can help in the future.

Stac

[moderngal]

I was just worried she'd end up with diabetes or something because I fed her too much as a baby
nope. and iirc, the more you breastfeed, the lower the risk of diabetes.

my chubby BF baby is starting to thin out. he's becoming more long and lean. :) my ped said this was totally normally, btw.

manatee~ my DS had a little blister at first. totally normal, I think. it's gone now though.

[JATTNJ]

Sorry if this is already in this thread somewhere but.....have any of you had experience with taking an antibiotic due to a breast infection? My doctor told me that it may make my ds cranky?!? He is 6 weeks old & the first 5 weeks of nursing couldn't have gone more smoothly....then this week i developed this infection. Simulatenously, it seems like he wants to nurse ALL THE TIME....but that is probably just coincidental.

The doctor suggested supplementing which is not something I want to do.
Thanks in advance for your help.

[Megande]

Breastfeeding does decrease the risk of diabetes. Both in children and later as adults
From 101 Reasons to Breastfeed (http://http://www.promom.org/101/index.html)
There are many studies linking development of insulin dependant Type I diabetes (formerly referred to as "juvenile diabetes") to lack of breastfeeding. The results of a study from Finland suggest that the introduction of dairy products at an early age, and high milk consumption during childhood increase the level of cow's milk antibodies in the children's systems. This factor is associated with an increased risk of insulin dependent diabetes. Now a new study has indicated that breastfeeding in infancy may help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. This sort of diabetes was formerly referred to as "adult onset" diabetes, but has been mysteriously occurring in more and more youngsters.

manatee- My son had the blister too. I don't think its a big deal.

adore_one- I'm so sorry that you have had such a hard time! I have never heard of anyone being allergic to Lansinoh! That is terrible! I hope things will get better for you soon! Way to stick with it!

[Marisa]

Roseanne -- I'm glad to hear that your ped wasn't concerned. It could absolutely just be in the realm of normal, and it helps to hear a professional say so, I think. :)

manatee - that type of callous on the lip is pretty normal -- just googling "infant lip blister" I found this as the first result:

Your baby may get a lip blister (callus) on his upper lip during the first month. This lip blister is also called a sucking pad. It is caused by your baby's sucking and will go away by 12 months. The blister does not bother your baby so you do not need to do anything about it.

Stac -- good for you, mama, you must be pretty determined! It sounds like you're on your way to recovering from this, let us know if we can help in any way! :)

JATTNJ - I had mastitis when my DS was only about 2-3 weeks old, and was prescribed 8 days of antibiotics. Although I've heard other moms since complain that their babies were gassier or fussier during the antibiotics, the only problem we had was thrush (yeast infection) following the treatment. You can avoid this by going on probiotics (acidophilus) now, and stay on a heavy dose of them (three times a day) for a week or so after your antibiotics are through.

Six weeks is a classic growth spurt time (they tend to happen at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months -- although every baby is a little different, instinctively they seem to know that it's time to grow!) You'll find that he'll want to nurse constantly, and like I said, it's his instinct -- he knows he needs to get your supply up a bit to meet his growing needs. This might go on for a day or two, then he should ease up on you a bit, do a lot of sleeping... then all of a sudden his clothes are fitting differently. Hang in there -- your instincts are right, too. Supplements would defeat the purpose - you can stick it out and your supply will be stronger. :)

[adoredh]

Good morning girls! Lurking away in your thread until I can join you (hopefully sooner rather then latter! This whole being PG for the last two weeks, not so fun! LOL!)

Anyway, the reason I'm popping in, is that I've been working with a LC and she recommended these:

Lilly Pads
http://www.evalillian.com/images/LilyPadz%20New%20Package%20GroupingLg.jpg

I bought a pair, tried them on and love how you can't even feel them! I'm really excited and hope that they work as well as I've heard. Anyone else try them?

[Lydia]

Can I take a little poll on when y'all are starting rice cereal? DD is just about 5 mos. old now and I'm wondering how much longer she can wait. I'd like to wait until 6 mos. but she is really starting to reach for our food and eyeball us while we're eating...

[jrdhbunny]

Lydia- I'm wondering the same thing as I was intent on waiting until 6 months too, but DS stops whatever he's doing to watch us eat and reaches for our food/utensils constantly. I would like to skip the rice and go right for oatmeal; I think I'm going to call the doctor and see if that's ok.

[Marisa]

FWIW, we never gave any cereals at all. If you wait until six months you can start right in with 'real' foods like banana and sweet potatoes, mixed with a little EBM to get to the right consistency.

There are a lot of other factors involved in solids readiness -- reaching for food/watching you eat is one of the lesser ones. Does your baby sit up well? When they reach for items, are they able to pick them up with their fingers?

The AAP has recently revised their policy to state the benefits of waiting until 6 months, so I think this is one case where you'll have to exercise your parental authority, tell those babies, "We know what's best for you." ;) See if you can get away with handing your baby something else to chew on during mealtimes. We always did just fine with a cold teether or other soft toy. Or really, anything forbidden from mommy's purse, if we were out at a restaurant. ;)

When your baby finally is ready, developmentally, for solids, try something like this:

http://store1.yimg.com/I/kidsurplus_1861_47358463
http://www.kidsurplus.com/bsf01.html

It was great for us -- baby can chomp and slurp at the food inside the mesh bag, getting all the taste and texture, and you don't have to sit there shoveling food into the poor kid's mouth. Joey loved it with frozen fruit when he was teething. :)

[Sarah]

I waited until 6 months with DD1, and will probably wait until later with DD2. I hated doing cereal and even though I made my own baby food, I'd rather go straight to mostly table foods, nearer 8-9 months.

[moderngal]

I just talked to our ped about solids last week. She thought it would be best for us to wait until 6 months or so and skip cereals. DH and I decided the earliest we'll start is 6 months and we'll go right to veggies. We also plan on making our own to start. We'll probably go to organic jars for daycare around 8 months or so.
(as with anything, this could all change depending on what DS ends up liking!!)

[maggieb]

We never did cereal either. I started Helena with avocado mixed with bm. She never was a fan of cereal...can't blame her, the stuff's pretty nasty. Although I started H with solids at about 5.5 months, she didn't take to them until about 10 months. She never ate much jarred baby food. With Marisa, I'm not going to start until she's ready for table food.

[ahavnes]

Sorry if this is a hijack, but since we're on the topic of solids...

What is the benefit of making your own baby food? I don’t mean that in a snarky way, I am just totally clueless. Is it b/c there are less preservatives? This whole food thing is very confusing to me...

[adore_one]

Well we have gone to the breast 2 times and things seem okay but he does not seem to get full. Any suggestions? We are still using the nipple sheild because I have some SEVERE fissures still.

[Marisa]

Alicia -- I never made my own baby food, at least not intentionally (Joey didn't take to solids until later so plain old mashed up sweet potatoes or banana was fine, no purees for Mr. Picky). But I think the intention is to be able to control what goes into it, to know that the food is as fresh as possible, to use organic when possible, things like that.

Plus it can be waaaaay cheaper to make a big batch of something, freeze it in ice cube trays, and warm up a portion at a time.

Stac -- what is making you think that he's not getting full? Nursing for long stretches, fussing when off the breast? Not only is he gearing himself up for a 6 week growth spurt sometime in the near future, he may be trying to help you keep your supply up by staying on for a longer period (one of the best ways to do it, though fairly exhausting for mom to be sure!)

[HGMorgann]

no rice cereal here either. we watched her cues and started banana about a week shy of 6 mo. she did fabulously, but still, for the most part, just eats banana. fine by me. Its easy.

her ped is thrilled at how she is doing and never even mentioned cereals.

[adore_one]

yeah he will just go on one breast for 30 minutes - that and I still have to use the nipple sheild while the last of the fissures remain. an hour later he is hungry poor guy he fusses. If I give him a bottle of EBM I pump at that time for at least 20 minutes so hopefully I am keeping up with him. I think tomorrow I will be a pacifier.

[Adam's Pi]

FTR--I posted a few pages back regarding pain following nursing in both my boob and my nip. DS was getting molars at the time. The pain kept up for a day or two after the molars were through, but now that he seems to be done with molars, the pain is gone. FWIW, someone on LJ said she experienced the same pain I described while her DS was getting molars.

[Marisa]

Hang in there, Stac --- I *hated* using the nipple shield, but in the end I was able to heal up properly and it saved both our nursing relationship and my sanity. I remember standing in the shower crying because my nipples were so damaged... although I wouldn't give up on nursing my son, I was also feeling very sorry for myself for the pain and what I thought must be irreversible damage. But within a few weeks it was healing.... within a few months they were 'good as new'.

Karen -- I've been thinking about you b/c I read that in your LJ yesterday? Two days ago? I've been having some pain all of a sudden myself, and then yesterday I stuck my finger in Joey's mouth -- not one, not two, but *three* molars are emerging all at once. Gaaaaah....

[janders6]

adoreh I have a pair of lily padz and they didn't work for me. I have friends who swear by them, though, I think the key is making sure there is enough pressure to keep milk from leaking out.

[ahavnes]

Marisa- Thanks for the info on solids. I like that ice-cube tray idea. :)

[Cr8nme]

FWIW~I also have Lilypadz and they work wonders for me. I have been wearing them everyday for 2 weeks and I have only leaked 1 time and I didn't have it sealed properly. There was a little air bubble. I think they are great!

[adore_one]

Marisa - thank you so much. yes I have been feeling aweful - stand in the shower - heck if water stream hits my nipple shooting pain insues. Yes it is lovely. Can I ask what happened with you? The doctor gave me some things to clean up the fissures, but they are still there - I think my pump was too small too. But even labor was not as bad as when I had the allergic reaction - nursing on hives (from lanolin) was awful. I am so glad to know that in maybe a month we will be okay.
Can I ask how you eased off the nipple shield?

[jeggink]

OK, another quick weaning question. I am now weaned during the day for the most part, still experiencing some fullness 2 week later! Anyway, I want to wean completely now to get AF back since we want to TTC at the beginning of 2006.

So, is it easier to get rid of the morning session or the evening session 1st?

Thanks!

[Sarah]

Jeggink- It really depends on the kid. Some are more attached to night, some to day. IME with my DD, nighttime would have been harder, as nursing before bed was part of the routine. Morning was easier to cut out, as when she would come in our room, I woud just hop up quickly, pour her a glass of milk, and we would sit down for breakfast. It was easier to distract her (I mostly did don't ask/don't refuse).

[cc8]

DD was delivered on 8/20 via C-Section so I had major supply issues from the get go. Long story short:

*we supplemented with formula as needed (esp before my milk came in)
*I've been pumping for stimulation, taking MMT and fgreek (which all helped increase my supply)
*For the last 2-3 weeks or so, DD has been pretty much breastfed; the formula supplementation has decreased (with the exception of the 2am feeding which is 100% formula)

My questions are:
1. will supplementing have a negative effect on my milk supply? I ask because I noticed that it's super easy to "doubt" my supply - I've started supplementing throughout the day too bc I fear DD isn't getting enough

2. Before when I BFed on one side, the opposite side used to "drip". Both sides would drip too, when I woke up at 2-3am or so to feed. The dripping has STOPPED. Does this mean my supply has gone down?

3. Do you recommend that I cease all supplementation and soley BF? As somewhat of a 'gauge' of my supply (I know this isn't 100% accurate), I was away from DD last Sat from 8am - 5pm and so I had to pump while at school. I would up pumping something like close to 150mLs - indicative of a good supply right???

[Marisa]

cc8 -- congrats on sticking it out! :) I think you're doing great, and I know that it can be easy to doubt yourself once you start supplementing. I also had a c/s and my milk came in late, but luckily I got good advice from the beginning and was not pressured to supplement.

1. will supplementing have a negative effect on my milk supply? I ask because I noticed that it's super easy to "doubt" my supply - I've started supplementing throughout the day too bc I fear DD isn't getting enough

Definitely. Every oz. she gets of formula is like telling your body to make one oz. less. (It's not a direct correlation like that, of course, but even someone with a strong supply will see a dip if supplementation is continued, esp. after a growth spurt.)



2. Before when I BFed on one side, the opposite side used to "drip". Both sides would drip too, when I woke up at 2-3am or so to feed. The dripping has STOPPED. Does this mean my supply has gone down?

Absolutely not -- it's normal for your supply to regulate after a few weeks, once your body gets used to how much milk your DD takes at each feeding. Some women will 'leak' for a few weeks, some for a few months, some not at all -- it's all in the realm of 'normal'.


3. Do you recommend that I cease all supplementation and soley BF? As somewhat of a 'gauge' of my supply (I know this isn't 100% accurate), I was away from DD last Sat from 8am - 5pm and so I had to pump while at school. I would up pumping something like close to 150mLs - indicative of a good supply right???

Yes, I would recommend this, as much as possible. I especially would recommend giving up the 2 AM bottle (I know, that's the hardest one to give up! ;)) -- because typically your milk supply is at its highest and your milk is at its fattiest and richest overnight.
Although that pumping session sounds great, pumping is not actually a good indicator of supply. Some women respond well to a pump, getting 6-8 oz. per session or more... others only get an oz. if that. Your body is designed to respond to a baby's sucking, and even the best pump can't mimic that accurately. You can pretty much figure that whatever you're getting from the pump, she's getting significantly *more*, and in a shorter time.

As I mentioned before, your DD will have another growth spurt soon, around 6 weeks. Maybe a good goal would be to try to reduce supplements by that point? It's entirely up to you, but it would probably be more manageable if you can set a good short-term goal for yourself, one that you're comfortable with. And when she does hit that spurt, let her nurse as much as possible, around the clock.... it's going to be the best thing for your supply, to meet her growing needs. :)

[solongtogo]

Here's a dumb one...does pumping have a negative effect on supply? Like instead of breastfeeding, solely pumping and giving a baby a bottle of breastmilk, does this affect the supply you've got?

[moderngal]

solongtogo~
I don't know if pumping has a negative effect, I don't think so though. But pumping isn't an accurate gauge of your supply either. One of my friends hardly gets anything when she pumps (and has to supplement while at work), but she's able to keep her DS satisfied the days she isn't at work and solely BF's those days.

cc8~ Marisa's advice is great. I stopped leaking for a few weeks and have started again. I think the longer my son sleeps at night, the more likely I am to leak.

ahavnes We're planning to make our own food for 2 reasons- 1. we'd like DS to eat healthy, organic foods- the way we eat and 2. my DH loves to cook and thinks of making baby food as a new challenge.

[Sarah]

Here's a dumb one...does pumping have a negative effect on supply? Like instead of breastfeeding, solely pumping and giving a baby a bottle of breastmilk, does this affect the supply you've got?

Do you mean exclusive pumping, all the time? I think so, yes, actually. A lot of people who work FT and pump find that they have to work hard, take galactogogues, drink water, etc, to maintain supply, whereas most women who solely nurse do not. I don't think pumping maintains supply the same way nursing does, because as Moderngal said, it doesn't stimulate you the way nursing does. So while occasional pumping or even pumping every day as a WOHM isn't usually damaging (or if it is it can be helped) I wouldn't recommend EPing, unless it's a last resort. While EPing is definitely better for your baby, health-wise, than FFing, nursing is always best. And I think that many EPing mothers find that the hard work of constant pumping, maintaining supply, washing bottles, storing milk, etc gets to be a huge pain. I think most EPing moms don't make it that long, partially because of how much work it is. But it's definitely do-able if you are committed.

[twainny]

I made it to 6 months!! YIPPIE!!! I guess I will keep pumping and BFing. I will try for another 3 months. (I know that if I go home for the holidays that my family will think I am a freak for BFing a 9 month old). I will reevalute again in 3 months. More than likely I will BF until a year.

It has been hard, but yet rewarding and I know it is the best thing for my babe! He is growing lots! (though not enough... I think I only make skim milk, he only gained 8 oz the last 2 months!)

[Marisa]

twainny! Congratulations on meeting your goal! :) Doesn't everything seem that much more manageable when you set small goals for yourself?

Oy, if 9 months is too old, though -- your family had better never run into me! ;)

As for the weight gain, have you seen the charts on Kellymom.com?
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/chart1.html
Current growth charts are based on a population that has primarily formula-fed for a couple of generations, this chart is based on CDC data and shows a more gentle upward slope for breastfed babies.


Lisa -- in addition to what Sarah and moderngal have pointed out, there are also benefits of having baby at the breast, including the immunity factor. Baby's saliva will trigger your glands to produce antibodies in your milk. And there's also the added benefit of improved eyesight (the nursing position is ideal for proper eyesight development since mom's face is the perfect distance away) and fewer dental/jaw problems (as high-tech as the bottle nipples get, they can't mimic a real nipple well enough, I'm afraid).

But ultimately, as they said, the challenge will be to keep your supply up and most moms who EP do find themselves having to take galactogogues, etc. to keep it up.

(If I may be so bold -- try and give it another week or so if you're considering EP -- 6 weeks or thereabouts seems to be a major turning point for many of the challenges in breastfeeding a newborn.) :)

[cc8]

Marisa ,

I just wanted to thank you sooo much for being such a great resource to us all! Your response to my most recent slew of Qs was EXTREMELY helpful - now I can change my DD's feeding 'plan' (decrease supplementation) with confidence, knowing I'm doing what's right for us.

Just wondering, ru a lactation consultant or a nurse? You know SO MUCH about all of this! (And you give waaay more reliable advice than the nurses we had at the hospital who were pushing formula/supplementation so aggressively).

[Marisa]

cc8 -- thank you, you made my evening! :D

Although I'm technically not supposed to say, since I'm not operating in an official capacity here on a random message board, I'm about 8 months in on the application process and training to become "an accredited peer counselor for an international breastfeeding advocacy organization".

(If you've read my earlier posts at all you can probably guess which group I'm affiliated with. ;))

I like to use this thread as practice. :)

I've also grown up around this stuff, my mom was a LLL Leader for years when I was small (you know, La Leche League? That international breastfeeding advocacy organization? ;)) And now among other things she's been a IBCLC for a large NJ hospital for years. So if I'm ever stumped and I can't find a good answer in my books, it's like I've got a professional on call. :)

[Daniel's Kitty]

I wanted to thank everybody since I am now a week away from my 6 week goal and things seem to be going great, other than he seems to have my family's lactose intollerance(which I am hoping won't cause too many problems).

He is a little eating machine, especially since we seem to be in the beginning of another growth spurt. He fell asleep eating and unlatched himself and kept making sucking motions for 5 minutes! He will actually open his mouth and dive for the nipple now! Thankfully he normally winds up perfectly placed. We have used formula occasionally, but now I don't want to quit.

Dumb question DS really likes the left side and I am a little lopsided. I am trying to nurse the right side first since it doesn't seem to produce as much anymore. Is there anything I can do to encourage him towards the right side? It isn't really a problem since I know that the left side produces what he needs, I just don't want to need to stuff socks to make up the difference.

[Daniel's Kitty]

I think many of us would have quit without Marisa! ;)

And I know I would have instead of just trying to figure out the problems.

[jeggink]

OK, now I have a bigger issue besides weaning. My left BB is on fire on the outside lower portion when I touch it. It is like a swath of skin about an inch long that goes from my side (left side of left BB) all the way up to my nipple. I have been trying heat and massage thinking it maybe a clogged duct and having DS BF off that side more. It came on pretty suddenly yesterday. Now I am also not feeling all that hot either, I keep feeling like throwing up. No fever though, at least of yesterday night and this morning.

I cannot feel a clogged duct and see no red streaks or dots. It is painful to nurse, but I still do it anyway.

ANy ideas on what I can do? I would have thought that after 2 weeks of pumping I would have been over this potential hurdle. Sigh, I guess I may have to wean REALLY slowly now!

[solongtogo]

thanks for the advice and tips. I'm going to stick with it, but it sure isin't easy. You'd think putting a boob in a kids mouth wouldn't be so hard.

Marisa, you should become a lactation consultant...you are really knowledgable on this subject..

[newyorkgirl]

Hi Marisa, just wanted to give you an update on those recurrent milk blisters I kept having. Only the left bb was affected. The first couple were on the surface but the subsequent ones kept getting deeper under the skin so it became harder and harder to open them up. Nursing on that side was getting very painful, plus afterwards, my nipple would be in pain for a good 30 minutes or so until the Motrin kicked in. So I finally went to see a LC and she diagnosed the problem as a bunch of small ones all coming together to make a big problem - mild thrush (funny because the ped didn't catch it and it only coats his tongue a little bit), mild inflammation, milk blisters, mild oversupply. DS was helping to open the milk blisters when I nursed him, but they kept closing up again afterward. So I'm on a regimen of alternating application of all-purpose nipple ointment and Lotrimin as well as constant warm compresses and hopefully that will work.

Which I hope it does because nursing on the right side is really enjoyable and pain-free and I'd love for the left side to be the same.

ETA: Oh yeah, I am also off soy (Bennett is sensitive to this) and dairy and trans fats (hoping this thins out my milk).

[ahavnes]

And I think that many EPing mothers find that the hard work of constant pumping, maintaining supply, washing bottles, storing milk, etc gets to be a huge pain.

I know I'm a little late, but this is so true. I have been 90% pumping since about 2 weeks and only BF Abbey at night. It is a HUGE pain. Honestly, I feel like it would be a lot easier to BF, but that's not an option now, as Abbey is too accustomed to the bottle. But you do what you have to do, and it's important to me that Abs gets BM until at least 6 months.

[cc8]

My QOTD is:

Do babies actually "know" when they are full? Or do they just keep eating and eating?

DH just gave DD her first bottle of formula for the day and she guzzled it down in no time. Throughout the day, I had been BFing her and she didn't show any excessive signs of being hungry. Does this mean that (A) she wasn't getting enough from me or that (B) babies just don't know when they're full?

BTW this was/is our first full day of "no formula". We had been supplementing before. And earlier today, she rejected the formula bottle each time until this evening...

Background:
Last night was the first night that I had to take care of DD without DH. Boy was it tiring and VERY TRYING. Last night was also the first night that I was determined to BF DD *without* any formula supplementation. We usually use the supplement at the 2am or 3am feeding, to tide her over until the morning time (and so that we can get some sleep). Here's the lowdown of what happened:

*DD woke up virtually every HOUR. Her longest stretch was an hour and a half. Having said that, I think part of the reason she woke up was that she was cold. At any rate, she fed with each waking.

*I did offer her a formula bottle at one point which she COMPLETELY REJECTED. I was shocked. I guess this is a good thing!

[sunni76]

My DD is 6 months old today, I made my goal of only bf'ing her for 6 months :D I feel pretty accomplished since it has been alot of work pumping and everything since I work full time! Now my next goal is Christmas....


cc8 I just read something that said babies do know when they are full, better than adults do!
I bet she was getting plenty from you all day, but then that bottle came around and it was just so easy to take! That seems to be the case with my DD, she can guzzle a bottle down in no time flat, they just don't have to work at it like they do from the breast.

[SD601]

cc8, DH gives DS one bottle of EBM a day, usually at night. I can't belive how much he takes (at least 4 ounces, sometimes 5!). We give him the bottle then because it gives us one long stretch without waking in the night (he can sleep 4-5 hours after the bottle). I worried about overfeeding my little guy with the bottle, since he doesn't take as much from me, but he doesn't spit up after a large bottle, so I assume he didn't take more than he needed. I will bet that she will get used to feeding all from you and will begin to go longer stretches. She'll probably learn to take more from you as you BF exclusively.

[newyorkgirl]

cc8, most of the time, Bennett tells me when he is full, either by unlatching himself and falling asleep, or (as he got older) pulling away (ouch!) or pushing my bb away with his hands. Sometimes, though, especially when he is sucking for comfort and not food but gets the food anyway, he will take in more than his tummy can manage, but he almost always spits it up, so I don't worry. Same thing happens when DH gives him the bottle - he'll spit out the nipple with his tongue or push the bottle away with his hands when he's full.

[pgbg]

Hi--I read this thread several times a day, but now have to write my own problems. I have to say first that Marisa, I wish you could come spend a day with me and tell me what to do -- so helpful!!! Everyone here has such great ideas and input, so hopefully someone out there will know what I should do.

DS is 3 weeks. BF has been going well; he eats about 7-8 times/day, usually every 3 hrs but at night he sleeps for 3 hrs so goes about 4 hrs between feeds. Starting last week though he started to get REALLY fussy in the evening. Basically I'll feed him on one side, and he'll eat well there for about 10 minutes. When he pulls off he's sleepy and content for a few minutes, but then he'll just start screaming, and is only somewhat soothed by burping. When I try him on the other side, he usually gets really frantic, rooting around and slurping at my nipple but not really latching. Sometimes he does latch and will eat at that side too (but usually about 5 minutes or so). The problem is after that, he's usually up for the next hour to hour and a half crying unless I'm holding him/bouncing him, etc. Sometimes I'll try him back on the breast after an hour or so, and sometimes he'll take more. Tonight he was up to eat at 8:00 and then I fed him again at 10:00 because he was mostly screaming in between those times. Then he finally fell asleep at 11. Is that normal? Sometimes I worry that the milk bothers him or he's not getting enough, but he poops and pees constantly. The other problem is that I started reading "Baby Whisperer" tonight, and that just made me feel more like a failure -- how after he eats he should be able to "play" and then be put down and go to sleep on his own. And how he'll develop bad habits if I bounce him or let him fall asleep in my arms instead of the crib.

Anyway, I'm just getting frustrated and discouraged by all his crying at the breast. He seems to be gaining weight, and like I said he's constantly wet/dirty. And some feeds go very smoothly, but others are just really tough for me. Our 1 month appt is next week, and I was going to ask the Peds about this, but I figured I'd try here first.
Thanks!!!

[Mickey&B]

What's going on????

DS is 4 weeks, he has had episodes of gassiness but I am thinking that, that has more to do with me having dairy, I stoped eating dairy, but he has this new thing where he grunts and pulls off of my right breast, he does it sometimes on the left, but more so on the right. What does this mean???? I guess I should tell you that when I switch sides he usually does fine.

[BTB]

Mickey&B - my DD does the grunt and pull-off thing when she's unhappy with the flow rate of milk and wants it to be faster. Sounds like DS is getting you to fix the problem by getting you to change sides. :)

pgbg - evening fussiness and cluster feeding are VERY common in babies, especially at your DS's age! I once got sage advice to set myself up well in a comfy chair with water, a book and a footrest come evening. It was less stressful once I just planned to be on the couch with DD in the evening at that age. It's very normal for babies to have different feeding intervals at night than during the day, you can think of it as them "tanking up" for a night's sleep - which will come eventually! :)

Especially during this early time, it's important to feed him when he needs to be fed to make sure you get BFing well-established and to keep DS's tiny tummy from hurting. He's still very, very young and routines and schedules are a bit beyond him. Just three weeks ago he was getting fed constantly through his tummy and now he's got to work for his food and learn to eat at intervals.

The Baby Whisperer is enough to give any new mom a complex, but no fear, it makes a great coaster. :D Pediatricians fellowship-trained in Growth and Development generally feel it's just not possible to "spoil" a child this age. The biggest thing babies need to learn, from an emotional and social perspective, in their first year is that the world is basically a good place, that their needs will be met, and that they can be effective in getting help they need - when they're exhausted and don't know what to do about it, someone will come and gently help. When their belly's empty, they can communicate that by crying and someone loving will come help then too. Your DS is so little, enjoy him and do what you and he need, there'll be plenty of time for routines and boundaries and expectations for behavior later. :)

It sounds like you're doing very, very well with your DS's great output and his weight gain! Kellymom.com has more information about evening fussiness if you want to give it a read: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

Now a question of my own: does anybody know if there's data regarding the introduction of solids to an EBF'd baby at 6 months vs. later than 6 months and whether any additional benefits to delaying accrue? Thanks! :D

[pgbg]

BTB Thank you thank you thank you!! I really needed someone to tell me I'm doing the right thing. Last night was hard -- he slept from 11-2:30, then was up until 4:15. I'm just going to continue letting him fall asleep in my arms because he cries if I put him down. I did find the thread on sleeping which helped me see that it's ok to put him to sleep by feeding/rocking/cuddling (which Baby Whisperer said I shouldn't). He does seem rather young to be able to "train" at this point.
Thanks again!

[lorialys]

Okay, I know this has been discussed on here recently, but I'm bringing it up again cause I'm curious now.

I was diagnosed Group B Strep positive, I'm 37 weeks. I know I'll have to have the antibiotics in the hospital, and I'm totally okay with that. But I know it can possibly lead to thrush.

Should I go ahead and get some acidophilus, to try and counteract the antibiotics? Also, when should I start taking them? Before I go into labor, or after I deliver? Are there any drawbacks/side effects from taking it for an extended period of time? Is it safe to take while pregnant (I'm assuming so, just asking)?

[Marisa]

lorialys - there's no reason why you can't start taking them now, and there shouldn't be any negative side effects. You can take 1-2 caps a day for starters, but up it to 1-2 caps three times a day once you've had the antibiotics. (I was taking them at meals.) Once you feel you're safely out of yeast's way (after maybe a week or two w/no symptoms?) you can go back to a 'normal' dose of 1-2 caps per day.


Ladies, I'm probably going to be in and out -- my DH is being sent to Germany for the week for business, and I don't know how much time I'll be playing online when he's gone. (Knowing me, it might be even *more* than usual, but I may be crashing when the baby goes to sleep just as easily!) We've already been crazy busy this week getting him ready. I like the company he works for, but they don't give you much notice. :)
(On a positive note, it'll be nice to have the big bed all to ourselves - me and Joey, I mean. :))

[Cr8nme]

I think I have 2 concerns that I need some light shed on :)

1. My DD is almost 3 weeks old and nightime feedings are puzzling me. During the day she will have really good feeds for anywhere from 25-45 minutes. At night though she will feed for a max of 15 minutes and crash out. Is this okay? When she does want to eat for a long time that usually isn't until 9 am or so but by then I am really full.

2. My nipples were pretty sore in the beginning but as my milk came in and she was latching on correctly the pain went away but now at almost 3 weeks it seem to be back where I cringe when she latches on but it doesn't hurt hardly at all once she is on and sucking. Is there a reason for this?

Michelle

[Sarah]

I know I'm a little late, but this is so true. I have been 90% pumping since about 2 weeks and only BF Abbey at night. It is a HUGE pain. Honestly, I feel like it would be a lot easier to BF, but that's not an option now, as Abbey is too accustomed to the bottle. But you do what you have to do, and it's important to me that Abs gets BM until at least 6 months.

Okay, I don't know how to say this in a way that sounds the way I mean it. I just want you to know, in case you don't, that it is most definitely possible to get your DD back on the breast, if you want to. I say this to encourage you, not to judge. If you don't want to, or if it's just too much work, I totally understand, and pumping is amazing. I just want you to know, in case you think it's a lost cause, that you can reteach latching, especially if she is BFing some of the time, still.

As for being full, BF babies are good at regulating their intake, and your body will give them what they need, if you feed on demand. A BF baby will usually suck down a bottle, whether hungry or not, because they are not used to this new, easy to get, food source.

PgBg- I was actually just reading a copy of TBW that someone have me when my first DD was born, to see what the hype was about. OMG, she is dreadful, and says things that are just patently untrue. Even if you agree with her other advice, please ignore her BFing advice, which is wrong and potentially dangerous. She is not trained in lactation. Don't make anything she says make you feel bad, just follow your baby and it will be okay. You are doing a great job- adjusting to motherhood is so hard, and is a long process.

[Sarah]

1. My DD is almost 3 weeks old and nightime feedings are puzzling me. During the day she will have really good feeds for anywhere from 25-45 minutes. At night though she will feed for a max of 15 minutes and crash out. Is this okay? When she does want to eat for a long time that usually isn't until 9 am or so but by then I am really full.

2. My nipples were pretty sore in the beginning but as my milk came in and she was latching on correctly the pain went away but now at almost 3 weeks it seem to be back where I cringe when she latches on but it doesn't hurt hardly at all once she is on and sucking. Is there a reason for this?


I think as long as you are feeding her when she wants to be fed, and she is making wet and dirty diapers okay, then don't sweat it. My DD does the same thing- I think she's just really tired at night and just wants a little snack. :D

As for the latch pain, I think it's okay as long as it goes away after a second. Your nips are probably getting used to nursing. Keep an eye out for any signs of thrush, and watch your latch to make sure her lips are flanged out.

[Daniel's Kitty]

Cr8nme Is your baby sucking harder than at first? My ds does this with growth spurts. And he can make it really sore, I was miserable right around three weeks. Once he started showing signs of a growth spurt this time, I made sure that my nipple didn't get beat up as bad so I have a sore areola instead. He didn't eat for long periods of time at night, just drained both side in 10 minutes and then sucked looking for more. I would second that you should make sure your latch is right!

[Cr8nme]

Thanks ladies!!! I will definately be watching the latch

Sucking~ Its like she dives for it at first.

[HGMorgann]

btb delaying solids - my old passion
I did a bunch of mostly online research in regards to delaying solids or starting them at 6 mo. I was all for delaying until later - however, then my daughter started exhibiting cues that led me to believe she was ready for solids - but oh, no! she was only 5 months! That couldn't be right! The AAP says they are ready at 6 mo!!! So, she would scream while we ate dinner...spoons are no fun, mom! I want FOOD. 2 weeks later, I gave her banana. She was happy as can be. 1.5 months later, she gets probally 95% of her nutrition from breastmilk, some days 100%. She just likes her bananas - and not much else at this point

At the last LLL meeting, we went over the AAP's book on breastfeeding and recommendations. I haven't read the entire book - but I want to. From what I gathered, the AAP recommends yes, 6 mo, but some babies may be ready as early as 4 and as late as 8. I was suprised that was in there, because I have always heard 6 mo. I think if you follow your daughter's cues, start out slow, you are all set. If at 5 mo, she is showing all the signs for readiness - I would offer some banana. But at 6 mo, if she isn't showing signs, don't offer.

Dr. Sears, Dr. Jay Gordon, and Kellymom.com all have good information - thats where I started...oh and the LLL website too:-)

[lorialys]

Thanks Marisa!!! I'll see about going to the store and getting some soon. :D

[ahavnes]

Sarah- Her latch is actually pretty good, but I'm wondering if I have enough to supply her. I work full time, so the only time I really can breastfeed her is in the evenings and on the weekend. I would be interested in doing that, but I seem to have some serious supply issues. I usually only produce about 3 ounces total at each pumping session, which is about 2oz short of what Abbey usually eats. Any advice you have would be great though! :)

[solongtogo]

cr8- I've experienced the same thing..my nipples KILL now when DD latches on. It's so painful that I actually cried last night...I hope it goes away soon!! She's like a freakin hoover vacuum cleaner!

[Kiley]

My baby's being treated for thrush (for the last 3 weeks and it's still there, I think.) Now, I think I have a yeast infection and my dr prescribed diflucan. This is safe while nursing right? Also, since I do have a yeast infection does that mean that the 50+ ounces of BM in the freezer are bad? Does the yeast infect breastmilk?

[portlandbride]

ahavnes
I'm sure Sarah will be back to post, but I wanted you to know that what you can pump is usually less than what the baby can get from you. Marisa has said this in a much better way. ;)
I also work full time and breastfeed in the mornings, evenings and weekends. I have to work very hard to keep my supply up - drink lots of water, take More Milk Plus, Blessed Thistle and Marshmallow Root and get as much rest as possible. But, I am able to feed her almost exclusively through breastfeeding or EBM. There have been a few times at daycare where she has taken formula, and that's okay with me. I can only do so much.
I pump 3 times at work and once in the evening after she goes to bed. I am thinking of adding a morning pump session so I can try to freeze some milk.
Oh, and BTW, 3 ounces is good! I usually only get 3 or 4 each time.
Just wanted to let you know that if you are interested, there are some things you can do and it sounds like your supply isn't as low as you may think.

[moderngal]

I work full time, so the only time I really can breastfeed her is in the evenings and on the weekend. I would be interested in doing that, but I seem to have some serious supply issues.
ahavnes~ I, too, work full time and am breastfeeding. My DS gets bottles of EBM at daycare, but is on the boob all night, early mornings, and all weekend. Like the others have said, what you pump is definitely *not* indicative of what your baby gets!! Some women successfully BF, but never pump well at all. I have struggled with supply issues while pumping. I eat oatmeal for breakfast daily, drink a ton of water, and drink MMT just to get exactly enough for DS's bottles. I have a tiny extra supply, but not enough really. Still, he's only ever getting breastmilk and when he is on the boob, he's definitely eating enough and is gaining a ton of weight. It's a lot of work, but definitely do-able, IME. :)


sleep/ night time feeding question-- DS is a little over 4 months and still waking up several times a night. I feed him and then he drifts right back to sleep. How much longer until he STTN? I thought that physiologically, babies shouldn't really need to eat as often at this age? Am I "giving in" too easily when he wakes up at night? I really do not want to do CIO and I think he's too young for that anyway. Any advice/ help? TIA.

[SiValleySteph]

sleep/ night time feeding question-- DS is a little over 4 months and still waking up several times a night. I feed him and then he drifts right back to sleep. How much longer until he STTN? I thought that physiologically, babies shouldn't really need to eat as often at this age? Am I "giving in" too easily when he wakes up at night? I really do not want to do CIO and I think he's too young for that anyway. Any advice/ help? TIA.

I would ask the same question except my son is 1 year on Tuesday. :cool: :o

He had a good spurt of waking up only 1 time a night (sometimes 2), but the has had a hard time with his molars and has been waking up 3+ times a night for the last couple weeks. It was getting a little better and then his bottom molars broke the gum. :eek:

Well, I guess I was totally unhelpful. Just commisserating.

[Sarah]

Sarah- Her latch is actually pretty good, but I'm wondering if I have enough to supply her. I work full time, so the only time I really can breastfeed her is in the evenings and on the weekend. I would be interested in doing that, but I seem to have some serious supply issues. I usually only produce about 3 ounces total at each pumping session, which is about 2oz short of what Abbey usually eats. Any advice you have would be great though!

Well, I think Moderngal said all that I was going to say. I don't pump that often because I don't WOH, but as she said, the pump does not show how much your baby gets. If you start just nursing when you get home from work and keeping her on the breast as much as she wants, your supply will adjust, I promise. 3 oz in a pumping session is great, BTW.
sleep/ night time feeding question-- DS is a little over 4 months and still waking up several times a night. I feed him and then he drifts right back to sleep. How much longer until he STTN? I thought that physiologically, babies shouldn't really need to eat as often at this age? Am I "giving in" too easily when he wakes up at night? I really do not want to do CIO and I think he's too young for that anyway. Any advice/ help? TIA.

You'll get a range of opinions on that one, I think. :O I think the more "crunchy" pediatricians will say that many babies still need to eat at least once in the night until they are 9 months old. So I think trying to get full STTN with no wakeups at his age would be a little premature, especially since the babies of WOHMs frequently get more milk at night that other babies with boob access all day. But I think aiming for just 2 wakings would be okay, nutritionally. I don't think you'd have to go for full on CIO, but you could try a lot of things to decrease feedings and increase sleep.

Have you ever tried the No Cry Sleep Solution? She has some good ideas that I think work best if you start young.

I think it might work to try nursing normally for a couple nights, and slowly weaning him down to just 5 minutes of nursing, then 2 minutes, then just 1 minute, etc. After nursing you could try rocking, shushing, swaying, swaddling, etc, to get him to sleep. I think once you establish that there will not be food offered at every waking, the number of wakings will decrease.

There's also the concept of a "dream feed," where you wake the baby when you go to bed, just enough to eat, and then let him fall back asleep.

Are you two (MG and SVS) cosleeping? Not together, I mean. With your respective sons. :D

[SiValleySteph]

Are you two (MG and SVS) cosleeping? Not together, I mean. With your respective sons. :D

hahaha... :D:D

DS starts the night in his crib and then comes to our bed after his first nightwaking. On his good nights, this is after 2am. Recently it is earlier (11:30/12) and last night he was only sleeping 30 min at a time in his crib, so he went directly to co-sleeping. Interestingly, I didn't have to nurse him to sleep in our bed - he just flopped over and went to sleep. DH's theory is that we have better sheets (sateen and a higher thread count). :p

[Daniel's Kitty]

Your dh has a pretty good theory in my book. I like comfy sheets. I am sure kids notice that stuff too. Ds likes his good sheets and doesn't like the Kmart sheets as much. :rolleyes:

[moderngal]

Sarah~ thanks!! i am going to buy that book tomorrow. :)

lol, Steph. i think my son my be a sheet snob, too!! he sleeps great on our 600 tc sheets!!

I would love to co-sleep full time, but DH is against it. we do it part time, though and it does help ds sleep best. i wish dh was for it.

[gizzyntaz]

I would love to co-sleep full time, but DH is against it. we do it part time, though and it does help ds sleep best.

Just give the word and we can load you with ammo to inundate your DH. I always think that if we (mamas) are the ones up with the babies in the night, we get to choose the sleeping arrangements. :) At least that's how it works in our house ;)

Of course, co-sleeping is no answer for those darn teeth! We are in a stretch of dreadful sleep while we wait, and wait, and wait, and wait and wait for the eye teeth to finally break the surface... No amount of Hylands, Tylenol or Motrin will help this nightmare...

[HollyMN]

there are also benefits of having baby at the breast, including the immunity factor. Baby's saliva will trigger your glands to produce antibodies in your milk. And there's also the added benefit of improved eyesight (the nursing position is ideal for proper eyesight development since mom's face is the perfect distance away) and fewer dental/jaw problems (as high-tech as the bottle nipples get, they can't mimic a real nipple well enough, I'm afraid).


Does this mean that with a nipple shield that a baby isn't getting the antibodies?

[Marisa]

Does this mean that with a nipple shield that a baby isn't getting the antibodies?


No, not at all. It just means that without the nipple shield, the process of producing the antibodies can be even more fine-tuned to the baby's needs. :)

For example, let's say your household has been exposed to Cold Germ A. Your body's already fighting it off, building antibodies, and they will be in your milk. With a trigger from baby's saliva, your body might be signaled to put even more antibodies to Cold Germ A in your milk. They'd already be there, but you might add a boost if there was a cue from baby for you to do so.

ETA a great quote from a great article:

Even more amazing, if a baby contracts an illness that mom has not been exposed to previously, he will transfer this organism through his saliva to the breast, where antibodies are manufactured on site and then sent back to baby via the milk to help him cope. Science does not come even close to duplicating this feat! Babies who are sick will often increase their nursing frequency, and researchers now believe that they do so not only for the comfort that it brings to a miserable little being, but also to increase the baby's intake of antibodies and immune factors available through mother's breast (Dettwyler, website). Babies seem to "know" when they have been exposed to a virus or bacteria, and know when they need to breastfeed more frequently to help them fight it off; most importantly, they sense it before parents realize that an illness is developing.

http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/breast/cuefeeding.htm
Examining the Evidence for Cue feeding of Breastfed Infants
by Lisa Marasco, BA, IBCLC & Jan Barger, MA, RN, IBCLC
(the quote is toward the bottom where it talks about immunities)

[lady1297]

Babies seem to "know" when they have been exposed to a virus or bacteria, and know when they need to breastfeed more frequently to help them fight it off; most importantly, they sense it before parents realize that an illness is developing.

I think this makes total sense. Don't we feel yucky before most colds and sometimes before we realize it's a cold? I do at least. It's nice to see that someone finally realizes that babies aren't stupid after all! Geez!!


ETA: On the sheet theory, I think I agree too! Our son sleeps better on a microfleece recieving blanket than a cotton or flannel sheet, I think it's MUCh more comfy...So he sleeps on a blanket and has since he was about 5 months old. Works like a charm every night! I'm thinking there may be a need for sheets out of microfleece, at least in this house!

[Sarah]

nakking...

just wanted to stop in and congratulate our own SiVallleySteph on a year of pumping and nursing! Way to go, Steph!

[lady1297]

Yeah Svs!!

[MurphysLaw]

I have a question that you more experience BFers may be ableto help me with.

I feel like I'm coming down with something. I have a Z-pack(zithromax/antibiotics) that I could take that would probably knock it out, but I'm worried that since my body is still not back to normal (becase of BFing - haven't got AF yet) I may get a YI like I did when I was PG. I know that sounds odd, but I cannot BEAR to go through one right now...BUT I'm worried about getting DD sick. Are there any other meds that are okay to take to try to stop this thing before it gets too bad? It feels like the beginnings of a bad cold w/sore throat.
TIA!! :)

[ellybelle]

I have a question that you more experience BFers may be ableto help me with.

I feel like I'm coming down with something. I have a Z-pack(zithromax/antibiotics) that I could take that would probably knock it out, but I'm worried that since my body is still not back to normal (becase of BFing - haven't got AF yet) I may get a YI like I did when I was PG. I know that sounds odd, but I cannot BEAR to go through one right now...BUT I'm worried about getting DD sick. Are there any other meds that are okay to take to try to stop this thing before it gets too bad? It feels like the beginnings of a bad cold w/sore throat.
TIA!! :)
If you're actually getting a cold, the antibiotics won't do anything, because it's a cold rather than a virus. You'd only need the antibiotics if it later turns into bacterial bronchitis or something.

You could try taking zinc lozenges -- they reduce the effects of a cold w/o messing with your natural "balance."

[Marisa]

Kim -- Zithromax would be safe to take while breastfeeding, but you are correct to be concerned about your yeast levels while taking an antibiotic. (It has nothing to do with whether or not you're breastfeeding, but since you're fairly newly postpartum your body is probably not prepared to fight off the yeasties on top of recuperating. :))

Elly has a good point about the type of bug you have. If you just want to knock out the symptoms, Tylenol Cold is safe to take while BFing. Just go easy on anything that contains pseudoephedrine (used to dry up a runny nose, it can also negatively effect your milk supply).

You can also try something like "Airborne", which is homeopathic.

If you do decide to take the antibiotics, counteract the yeast imbalance by taking acidophilus (sometimes referred to as 'probiotics'). During the course of antibiotics, take 1-2 capsules of acidophilus, three times a day (I took them with meals). After you're back to normal you can reduce the dose to 1-2 caps once a day. Again, perfectly safe while BFing. :)

[MurphysLaw]

You ladies are *GREAT*, ty so much!! :D

[Sarah]

Kim- It's also likely that you needn't worry about Lina getting sick from you- if you have a cold your body will produce antibodies, and give them to her.

[Kiley]

how long does diflucan say in your milk supply?

i am nursing and pumping but I don't know if I should be keeping the milk i pump or dumping it. i know ds is getting some of the med when he nurses now but do i really want to expose him to it again in 2 months when he drinks the stored milk?

[2002BeachBride]

Hi everyone!

I hope some one can give me some advice or input - dd is almost 6 weeks old. My right breast has always produced more milk than the other but lately she can't even drink without choking and sputtering because the milk is flowing so fast and its not just during a let-down. So, we come off the breast choking and crying - then I have to burp her because she swallowed air trying to gulp the milk down.

Now, I know we are blessed to have lots of milk but I really feel she's miserable and I feel bad ...

Anyone had this happen or have any advice?

If the topic has been discussed already I'm sorry but I didn't have the chance to go back and read...

Thanks so much!!

Jen

[dbers]

So it seems like DD is having some tummy issues.. when she hasn't had a BM in a while, she gets so uncomfortable. A couple of days ago she had a really bad 24 hours - crying all the time until she had what I can only describe as an explosion!!..it was very sad. She seems better now, but still uncomfortable when she hasn't gone in a while... When I saw her pediatrician on Thursday, she said to try the Mycelen drops, which we've been using for a few days. I'm concerned about dairy intolerance since I had that when I was a baby - and food allergies run in our family - but the doctor said I didn't need to cut out dairy yet, and that most digestive issues work themselves out by 3-4 months.. she also checked some BM for blood in the office, and there was none. Anybody have similar issues which resolved in one way or another?

It's hard not to feel like it's something in my breast milk making her sick :(

[2002BeachBride]

dbers,

we have that problem too!!! dd strains and grunts and just is generally miserable and I have eliminated/added things from my diet and just can't figure out what is making her uncomfortable!!

It's AWFUL feeling your milk is the cause! I sympathize!!!!

[Marisa]

Kiley -- no need to pump and dump. There is no significant side effect posed by any minimal exposure he might get through your milk.

Jen -- if you are blessed :) with oversupply, you might try keeping her on one side for a full feeding, or if you're already doing that, try two feedings in a row on one side. (Alternatively, you can do it by blocks of time -- any feedings within 2 hours on the left, then the next 2 hours on the right, and so on.)

This would work to regulate your supply so that within a few days or so, your body will be making closer to the right amount of milk. It can take a little time for your supply to really even out, though, and if she's almost 6 weeks old you're probably looking at another growth spurt in the next week or so. The good news is that once she "spurts" again she'll be that much bigger and more able to handle a stronger flow of milk. :)

Diane -- it's up to you whether you want to try eliminating or cutting back on dairy. It's true that there's going to be some grunting involved no matter what -- newborns have immature digestive systems, and since their whole lives revolve around sleeping and pooping it can be a major production when there are gas bubbles! That much *will* start to work itself out around 3-4 months -- her digestion will be more mature and she'll be able to move around a bit on her own to help the gas work its way out.

If you decide to cut out dairy, be aware that it can take up to two weeks to fully leave your system. I found that my DS was much happier and more comfortable once I eliminated all obvious dairy and soy from my diet (I did not have to read labels to find hidden dairy, thankfully -- the obvious things like milk and butter were enough). I did that until he was about 8 months old, then slowly started adding things back into my diet.

[HollyMN]

No, not at all. It just means that without the nipple shield, the process of producing the antibodies can be even more fine-tuned to the baby's needs.

Thank you!!! I haven't gotten truly serious about weaning from the nipple shield yet, there's always a reason to put it off until tomorrow. However, I thought I'd let him slobber around yesterday at first, and he ended up taking the breast on one side!

Question: Would it be helpful or no big difference for the antibody thing to let the baby slobber around on the bare breast before using the nipple shield, or does he need a full feeding to get his saliva out there enough?

Second Q: I read the previous pages on green poop, but y'all were discussing brighter green poop. Now my baby has green poop, but it's more green-brown and a similar consistancy to his yellow poops, but no seedy things. What does this mean?

[saathei]

Hopping on the antibody train...

So, the girls and I both have nasty colds. I know the correct response is to nurse, nurse, nurse because they'll get my mad antibodies and lick the cold faster. However, they haven't wanted to nurse at all and have only taken bottles. :confused: I've pumped for them, but it's a lot easier on all parties involved if they just take it straight from the tap. Is it because they have stuffy noses? Or because they're just generally crankier? What can I do to make this easier?

Thanks!

ETA: Wow, I'm post #1000. That oughta count for something... :p