Breast Feeding, Post all your questions dumb or otherwise here

Jennyinheaven

Go ahead, let's get this party started =P~

Jennyinheaven

Oooh, oooh I will start...I had some alcohol earlier tonight, my first in like 10 months. 2 glasses of wine and 2 beers. While I enjoyed it earlier tonight, I am now sitting here after an hour nap and having fed my DD a previously pumped bottle with a pounding headache getting ready to pump. Does anyone have a better idea on how to enjoy a couple drinks while avoiding feeling like crap at the feeding an hour or so later?

SurprisePartySue

I got one. Can you tell a 9 day old no? When she latches she has the tendency to throw her head back and pull my nipple. It hurts like a mutha!

Soupy84

MeaganStringer said:

I got one. Can you tell a 9 day old no? When she latches she has the tendency to throw her head back and pull my nipple. It hurts like a mutha!

In my breast feeding class the nurse suggested laying at about a 45 degree angle to allow gravity to do the majority of the work. Baby wont want to fight gravity and pull her head back unless she is done feeding. I dont know if this will help at all, as I still have an inside baby and am a FTM.

MissLadyTay

MeaganStringer said:

I got one. Can you tell a 9 day old no? When she latches she has the tendency to throw her head back and pull my nipple. It hurts like a mutha!

I always unlatched my son when he did this and said "no!" loudly and firmly before continuing. I'm sure he had no idea what I was saying, but it made me feel better and more in control of my body. When he got old enough to understand I would end the nursing session or take a break. That stopped the pulling.

MissLadyTay

Jennyinheaven said:

Oooh, oooh I will start...I had some alcohol earlier tonight, my first in like 10 months. 2 glasses of wine and 2 beers. While I enjoyed it earlier tonight, I am now sitting here after an hour nap and having fed my DD a previously pumped bottle with a pounding headache getting ready to pump. Does anyone have a better idea on how to enjoy a couple drinks while avoiding feeling like crap at the feeding an hour or so later?

Four drinks is a lot after ten months! I wouldn't feel well either! My tolerance is really low when I am nursing. So I will have one glass of wine with food and at most another beer a few hours later. I drink very slowly and alternate with water. Otherwise I get an immediate hangover feeling, which I hate.

MissLadyTay

Anyone else using a nipple shield? I am using it to help get him latched on my inverted nipple, and it hurts soooooo much. I thought shields were supposed to minimize pain?! I must be doing it wrong but I don't know how.

Jennyinheaven

MissLadyTay said:

Jennyinheaven said:

Oooh, oooh I will start...I had some alcohol earlier tonight, my first in like 10 months. 2 glasses of wine and 2 3 hour feedings come up fastand will definitely be taking it easy if I have a drink again beers. While I enjoyed it earlier tonight, I am now sitting here after an hour nap and having fed my DD a previously pumped bottle with a pounding headache getting ready to pump. Does anyone have a better idea on how to enjoy a couple drinks while avoiding feeling like crap at the feeding an hour or so later?

Four drinks is a lot after ten months! I wouldn't feel well either! My tolerance is really low when I am nursing. So I will have one glass of wine with food and at most another beer a few hours later. I drink very slowly and alternate with water. Otherwise I get an immediate hangover feeling, which I hate.

I know it has just been so long and it was a beautiful evening sitting on my deck with my husband, baby was napping and I just sorta went with the good feelings. BUT yeah I pretty much learned my lesson, 3 hour feedings come up fast and mama has a headache

Jennyinheaven

MissLadyTay said:

Anyone else using a nipple shield? I am using it to help get him latched on my inverted nipple, and it hurts soooooo much. I thought shields were supposed to minimize pain?! I must be doing it wrong but I don't know how.

I use 1 because of my flat nipples, the lactation consultant at my hospital showed me how to use it are you running it under hot water, and flipping it slightly inside out before applying?

Junebug060609

Jennyinheaven said:

MissLadyTay said:

Anyone else using a nipple shield? I am using it to help get him latched on my inverted nipple, and it hurts soooooo much. I thought shields were supposed to minimize pain?! I must be doing it wrong but I don't know how.

I use 1 because of my flat nipples, the lactation consultant at my hospital showed me how to use it are you running it under hot water, and flipping it slightly inside out before applying?

******

You may also want to check that you have the right size.

spinsoffresonance

Jennyinheaven said:

Oooh, oooh I will start...I had some alcohol earlier tonight, my first in like 10 months. 2 glasses of wine and 2 beers. While I enjoyed it earlier tonight, I am now sitting here after an hour nap and having fed my DD a previously pumped bottle with a pounding headache getting ready to pump. Does anyone have a better idea on how to enjoy a couple drinks while avoiding feeling like crap at the feeding an hour or so later?

Well the best time to have a drink is while nursing. That way the booze isn't in your milk yet and it will be out by the next feeding. Of course that only works if you have 1 drink, maybe 2. 4 is a lot, you might have to pump and dump. I have no tolerance since my last pregnancy. I can barely finish 1 drink without getting a buzz!

spinsoffresonance

MeaganStringer said:

I got one. Can you tell a 9 day old no? When she latches she has the tendency to throw her head back and pull my nipple. It hurts like a mutha!

I also second trying laid back breastfeeding. And yes you can tell them no, sort of. If the latch is bad make sure you unlatch and start over, otherwise your nipples will suffer.

For me the initial latch was quite painful for about 3-4weeks (only the first 10-20sec after latching, the actual feeding shouldn't hurt). Your nipples need time to adjust to all the stretching. After that there was no more pain.

Kris2011RN

MeaganStringer said:

I got one. Can you tell a 9 day old no? When she latches she has the tendency to throw her head back and pull my nipple. It hurts like a mutha!

Do you have a fast let down? I've heard babies doing that because the let down is too fast for them. From what I remember is that you can pinch your nipples to make it slower until they are big enough to handle the fast let down.

Also you can unlatch them when they do it. My pediatrician told me to do that with DS.

flockofmoosen3

Jennyinheaven said:

Oooh, oooh I will start...I had some alcohol earlier tonight, my first in like 10 months. 2 glasses of wine and 2 beers. While I enjoyed it earlier tonight, I am now sitting here after an hour nap and having fed my DD a previously pumped bottle with a pounding headache getting ready to pump. Does anyone have a better idea on how to enjoy a couple drinks while avoiding feeling like crap at the feeding an hour or so later?

Yes!!! Thank you @Jennyinheaven for doing this thread!

No opinion on the drinking before BF, but I totally understand just getting into it again and how good it must feel (while drinking). I have this Mike's Hard Frozen Margarita pouch in my freezer that I have been dying to have for months. Good thing summer is just around the corner!

I guess, in my inexpert opinion, you could probably just drink a ton of water before and as you BF to help with the headache. I assume it's like a hangover you're feeling, and I heard from friends with babies that you get dehydrated easily while BFing.

bumpuser9353653

Kris2011RN said:

MeaganStringer said:

I got one. Can you tell a 9 day old no? When she latches she has the tendency to throw her head back and pull my nipple. It hurts like a mutha!

Do you have a fast let down? I've heard babies doing that because the let down is too fast for them. From what I remember is that you can pinch your nipples to make it slower until they are big enough to handle the fast let down.

Also you can unlatch them when they do it. My pediatrician told me to do that with DS.

@MeaganStringer‌ - I had a fast let down and produced a ton of milk and DD1 would pull away and get very upset (and then sprayed in the face, poor thing!)

We actually used nipple shields to help stem the flow for her at the start of a feeding. Then after the initial let down, I'd take the shield off and her latch back on. It definitely helped. And eventually, my body figured out the correct supply amount and things got easier with time. (And she BFd for 14mos)

julesf817

Jennyinheaven said:

Oooh, oooh I will start...I had some alcohol earlier tonight, my first in like 10 months. 2 glasses of wine and 2 beers. While I enjoyed it earlier tonight, I am now sitting here after an hour nap and having fed my DD a previously pumped bottle with a pounding headache getting ready to pump. Does anyone have a better idea on how to enjoy a couple drinks while avoiding feeling like crap at the feeding an hour or so later?

I'm a FTM with an inside baby still, but i'm a pro when it comes to hangover avoidance. WATER. literally chug a glass of water between each drink. it works wonders when it comes to hangover symptoms.

gutsysneakers

No outside baby yet - but when do you start pumping if you are BFing too? I will be taking 12 weeks mat leave but curious as to when to break that bad boy out of the box? 

ns1

Jcrewgirl85 said:

No outside baby yet - but when do you start pumping if you are BFing too? I will be taking 12 weeks mat leave but curious as to when to break that bad boy out of the box? 

I started at about 5 weeks with DD and will do the same with this one. I think that was about where I saw most recomendations. You're body is better regulating milk production then, baby should be getting used to latching, and baby has time to get used to a bottle.

SurprisePartySue

I feel like a cry baby cause I'm posting again. But I think I'm throwing in the towel. I think I'm either getting mastitis or the flu and my nipples hurt so bad I dread feeding. I feel like if it's not one road block it's another. Idk what to do.

firebelle26

MeaganStringer said:

I feel like a cry baby cause I'm posting again. But I think I'm throwing in the towel. I think I'm either getting mastitis or the flu and my nipples hurt so bad I dread feeding. I feel like if it's not one road block it's another. Idk what to do.

Im a FTM, but I've been doing a lot of reading on the April boards breast feeding thread. Have you tried those gel things that you can either freeze or put in the microwave? I've got the Lansinoh ones from target, they were like $14.00 and on the front it says helps with mastitis and clogged ducts. Worth a shot for some relief! Also, there is a ton of great info on the breast feeding thread over on April's board. I'm sure that would help too. Good luck!

SMM1986

Does anyone else hate it? I do not mean to upset those who try and cannot breastfeed, But as a first time breast feeder I am really freaking HATING it. I'm tired, it hurts, My boobs hurt. I have 2 other kids and I hate being sidelined every hour to feed. I don't feel any "special bond" that mothers talk about. Not saying I don't feel a bond, it's just nothing different than how I felt with my formula fed kids.
I'm already going to try and pump because I'm hoping that maybe getting even one bottles worth of a break will help.

That was more of a vent than a question, sorry.

jenb_99

@SMM1986 said:

Does anyone else hate it? I do not mean to upset those who try and cannot breastfeed, But as a first time breast feeder I am really freaking HATING it. I'm tired, it hurts, My boobs hurt. I have 2 other kids and I hate being sidelined every hour to feed. I don't feel any "special bond" that mothers talk about. Not saying I don't feel a bond, it's just nothing different than how I felt with my formula fed kids. I'm already going to try and pump because I'm hoping that maybe getting even one bottles worth of a break will help. That was more of a vent than a question, sorry.

I didn't love breast feeding. DS had a bigger appetite than I could provide for, so he was never satisfied and therefore it strained our relationship rather than creating a bond. We only really started bonding after I took him off the boob and instead started alternating pumped breast milk and formula in bottles. He was full and happy, I was no longer tied down to a baby I couldn't please, and my husband was happier because he could participate in feedings.

Kris2011RN

@meagenstringer if you feel like you are getting the flu it could be mastitis and that sucks! Do you have a high fever if so I would call your ob! I had mastitis and I woke up from a nap with chills and a fever. Hydrogel pads are wonderful!

@SMM1986 I didn't like it with my first, I felt like I was always tied down as well. On top of that I had mastitis, a cracked nipple and then a nursing strike. We only lasted 5 months BF looking back I miss it. I miss the cuddles and the time I had with me and DS. Good luck, perfectly normal to feel that way. Plus your hormones are still out of whack for delivery!

MissLadyTay

SMM1986 said:

Does anyone else hate it? I do not mean to upset those who try and cannot breastfeed, But as a first time breast feeder I am really freaking HATING it. I'm tired, it hurts, My boobs hurt. I have 2 other kids and I hate being sidelined every hour to feed. I don't feel any "special bond" that mothers talk about. Not saying I don't feel a bond, it's just nothing different than how I felt with my formula fed kids.
I'm already going to try and pump because I'm hoping that maybe getting even one bottles worth of a break will help.

That was more of a vent than a question, sorry.

Vent away. I did love breastfeeding my first but not until week four or five. Before that I hated it and the pain. When it finally "clicked" after a month I was all "oh THIS is why women like this." I'm hoping to get to the good place again this time. Until then, I agree, it's not fun.

mirdamae03

SMM1986 said:

Does anyone else hate it? I do not mean to upset those who try and cannot breastfeed, But as a first time breast feeder I am really freaking HATING it. I'm tired, it hurts, My boobs hurt. I have 2 other kids and I hate being sidelined every hour to feed. I don't feel any "special bond" that mothers talk about. Not saying I don't feel a bond, it's just nothing different than how I felt with my formula fed kids.
I'm already going to try and pump because I'm hoping that maybe getting even one bottles worth of a break will help.

That was more of a vent than a question, sorry.

This is 100% normal. It gets easier for most. Promise!

SMM1986

Thanks guys.

SurprisePartySue

Hey everyone. Thanks for the advise. I do have mastitis so I'm on antibiotics. I officially made the decision to give up bfing. It's been very hard on me to make the final decision but I think it is for the best. That being said we did ff for the first time last night. It was the most peaceful and best night we have had in the past two weeks. (Even with my 104 temp) I feel better about my decision. Hopefully with future babies i can try bfing again.

danabsd

Edited because I read the rest of the thread. 

ThereBeDragons

Baby is simply too tired to nurse for more than 1-2min at a time. She basically sleeps around the clock right now and doesn't really wake up fully to feed. We've tried all the tricks- undressing her, damp/cold washcloth, tickling her feet... And all it really does is make her so angry that all of the energy she could put toward feeding is instead used crying and she just passes back out once she latches on and still doesn't get anything.

So we introduced the pump early because it was either the pump or formula (and we had a couple of nights where formula was really the only option to get her blood sugar back up) and she's doing great at eating pumped milk- it just requires so much less energy on her part to take the bottle. And I produce enough even with my current hand pump (trying to get a double electric, have the prescription to get it free from insurance, just have to get to an open and in-network supplier and they're all closed for the weekend)

I should, with effort obviously, be able to reintroduce the breast once she is a week or two older right? I think she just needs a little time to get bigger and more awake before she will be able to handle the breast as a primary source. But I also don't really want to lock myself into pumping every feed forever just because she's having a rough start.

Jennyinheaven

@ThereBeDragons‌ I was told by lactation specialist to always start with breast even if you are feeding pumped milk just to keep the idea present and latching skills up

Dellaramsey

I do not like breast feeding. I had to EP with DD because I wasn't producing enough. I did give it a shot with this baby but I've decided that I simply do not have the patience for it. I still want him to get the nutrition so I am EPing again. It does take a little extra time but for me, it's worth it.

SMM1986

Dellaramsey said:

I do not like breast feeding. I had to EP with DD because I wasn't producing enough. I did give it a shot with this baby but I've decided that I simply do not have the patience for it. I still want him to get the nutrition so I am EPing again. It does take a little extra time but for me, it's worth it.

Could you give some ideas on what your day is like? I'm ebf right now, but i don't particularly like it. I pumped this morning and got 3.5 oz. It seems like it would take less time to EP; took me 20 mins to pump and I put the parts in a Ziploc and put in fridge so I can wash once a day. So if I decided to EP, I could pump while DD was eating a breast milk bottle and kill 2 bIrds, right?
Hope you don't mind me asking, I don't want to make any stupid mistakes here but I'm at wits end already and Zoe is only 9 days old.

ETA- I have to go back to work in 5 weeks so pumping is inevitable, if that matters.

Dellaramsey

SMM1986 said:

Dellaramsey said:

I do not like breast feeding. I had to EP with DD because I wasn't producing enough. I did give it a shot with this baby but I've decided that I simply do not have the patience for it. I still want him to get the nutrition so I am EPing again. It does take a little extra time but for me, it's worth it.

Could you give some ideas on what your day is like? I'm ebf right now, but i don't particularly like it. I pumped this morning and got 3.5 oz. It seems like it would take less time to EP; took me 20 mins to pump and I put the parts in a Ziploc and put in fridge so I can wash once a day. So if I decided to EP, I could pump while DD was eating a breast milk bottle and kill 2 bIrds, right?
Hope you don't mind me asking, I don't want to make any stupid mistakes here but I'm at wits end already and Zoe is only 9 days old.

ETA- I have to go back to work in 5 weeks so pumping is inevitable, if that matters.

I have an Itzbeen timer that I use to time when baby eats and when I pump. I will give baby a bottle and then pump for 15-20 minutes. I've been able to pump 4-5 ounces every time and he only eats 2-3. Since you can leave BM at room temp for 3-4 hours, I'll make his next bottle and store the extra.
I usually pump right before I go to bed at night and once during the night. I hope that answers your question. I'm happy to try to answer anything else
I can.

ThereBeDragons

Lissiehoya said:

Lucky! My insurance would only cover the manual pump. But my mom was nice enough to buy me the electric one we had on our registry.

Our insurance was very very cagey about the pump. Kept trying to convince us to go through the WIC program (Which we don't even qualify for) or rent a pump instead. Took a bit but they finally admitted that as long as a doctor was willing to write a prescription for a pump, they would cover it from an in network durable medical goods supplier. Getting the doctor to write the script was the easy part- We were still in the hospital when we found all this out and I was already pumping a couple of times a day using the hospital pump. Hospital doc just wrote me up for a double electric- which should be awesome to get for free.

But we did have to push pretty hard on the insurance company to find out how to get the pump.

I will note for all the not-yet-delivered mamas out there... Ask to check out the hospital's in-patient pump even if you don't think you'll need to use it. They will supply a bag of sterile pump parts for the machine (ours was a Medela Symphony) including newborn sized bottles to pump into, the flanges, tubing and such- and ours included this strange piece we couldn't figure out until we got it home and read the entire manual. It converts the bottle/flanges from the electric pump into a single manual pump. That's what I'm using to get through the weekend until the supply shops open back up on Monday. And like all the other stuff in your hospital room- once it's opened you get to take it home- so free manual pump. Yay.

I actually don't mind the manual pump for short term use- it lets me get a really good feel for what kind of suction I need and I don't seem to have a problem getting enough breast milk out of it. But baby also isn't taking more than an ounce a feeding at the moment. I pump half an hour every 4 hours, get three ounces total and feed her one every two hours and have a spare waiting in case she actually wants more. I'm getting the feeling that I might wind up with an oversupply issue if I pump more than she can actually eat in a day, so I'm trying to take it easy.

britab

Where do I keep the chair I'm planning on using for rocking/feeding baby? I'm planning on her sleeping in our room in a rock n play until I go back to work in the fall. Do I keep the chair there or will I want to leave the room? Or something else?

What kind of things should I buy for my boobs before baby is here? Today at Target there were creams, cooling pads, and ice/warm pack things for boobs...I'm so confused!

Thanks!

SMM1986

@Dellaramsey‌ Thanks!

SMM1986

@britab‌ For The Chair, I Put DDs in her room but have yet to use it. I have been sleeping on the couch since she's been born. I never seem to make it upstairs.
For your boobs, nipple cream is a must. Ice packs can help with soreness and engorgement and warm can help with your letdown. Disposable nursing pads (or washable ones) can help if you have leaks. I've been using them as a buffer between my nips and my shirts.

ThereBeDragons

We have a lazy boy style rocker recliner. Put it in the nursery. I've attempted to feed in it exactly once so far. I've found it easier to put baby to breast wherever I am these first few days. Going specifically to the nursery happens very rarely at the moment.

But! I know that once we have established feeding and naps that we will be using the crib (she sleeps everywhere right now) and the rocker much more often. Its nice to have them where I will want them rather than trying to accommodate the newborn chaos.

You want lanolin already in your home when the baby arrives. That's all I've used so far. I have a pile of breast pads but I've found that I strongly prefer to wander the house bra less so there's nothing to hold them on and since I'm not going out yet- no real reason to bother. But the lanolin is quite important early on.

Helmink0804

ThereBeDragons said:

Baby is simply too tired to nurse for more than 1-2min at a time. She basically sleeps around the clock right now and doesn't really wake up fully to feed. We've tried all the tricks- undressing her, damp/cold washcloth, tickling her feet... And all it really does is make her so angry that all of the energy she could put toward feeding is instead used crying and she just passes back out once she latches on and still doesn't get anything.

Thanks for posting this- it explains our Brooke perfectly! I was going to post about it on here asking what you ladies would recommend and than I saw your post. I made her up a 2oz bottle and she downed it in no time. Guess we have a lazy baby on our hands!

cbrust

Helmink0804 said:

ThereBeDragons said:

Baby is simply too tired to nurse for more than 1-2min at a time. She basically sleeps around the clock right now and doesn't really wake up fully to feed. We've tried all the tricks- undressing her, damp/cold washcloth, tickling her feet... And all it really does is make her so angry that all of the energy she could put toward feeding is instead used crying and she just passes back out once she latches on and still doesn't get anything.

Thanks for posting this- it explains our Brooke perfectly! I was going to post about it on here asking what you ladies would recommend and than I saw your post. I made her up a 2oz bottle and she downed it in no time. Guess we have a lazy baby on our hands!

I could have written this myself! LO is a day old and not interested in nursing despite having a perfect latch. We had been syringe feeding her hand expressed colostrum but she lost 8.5% of her weight in less than 24hrs. I caved and gave her a 2oz similac bottle and she downed it and is now sleeping better than ever.
I'm now pumping every 3hrs to hopefully build supply, but only got about 2/3mL of colostrum.
Any advice or encouragement for me? Feeling a bit like a failure right right

Beegirl99

I still have an inside baby, but plan to breast feed. Do I need to buy bottles and other stuff for pumping before he is born? What should I buy? I think my insurance gives me an actual pump.