Breast Feeding, Post all your questions dumb or otherwise here

chillypenguin

MK1013 said:

I'm still waiting on baby, but curious, is Lanolin the best cream out there?

I used lanolin the first time, but this time the lactation consultant at the hospital gave me Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter and I loved it! I used it after every single feeding and also used breast shields to keep the fabric off and together they totally saved my sore nipples.

ThereBeDragons

Re: Lazy babies

I absolutely supplemented with formula while we were still trying to figure out the problem. My nurse cautioned me to start small even with the formula though- never more than 15mL each feeding for a day old so we didn't get explosive spit up baby. But once I realized it was going to be a longer term problem- I started pumping as soon as possible so I didn't lose my supply waiting for her to catch on.

At a day old, she doesn't need much more than a couple of mL at each feeding- her stomach is very very small and anything you put in it beyond it's capacity is just going to be spit up. Your milk will come in in a couple of days and the amount you can pump will go up if you're consistent with the pump. I'm lucky to have a generous supply but to show the change- my first pump (late in day 1) I got 15mL out of both breasts combined. I got 30mL combined in one pump by late in day 2. And my milk started coming in late in day three and my last pump was 90ml combined. It goes up quick in the first week- so don't be discouraged in the first few days.

Re: Lanolin

I tried the hospitals sample of medela lanolin, and the lansinoh lanolin I have at home. I prefer the lansinoh even though some people don't like how thick it is. It's just like any other lotion- what works best for you will vary and everyone's preferences are their own. Just make sure you have something available at the start and adjust to preference as you go.

Re: Buying pumping stuff before baby

I don't really see the point in buying any accessories specifically for pumping before baby unless you intend to pump for work when you go back. And even then you can judge what you need once baby is here.  Everything I needed to start pumping was provided by the hospital. I was happy to have some bottles on hand- but by "some" I mean I have a starter four pack of the smallest size avent bottles and don't really need more. It's not as complicated as it seems once you're doing it

ThereBeDragons

Oh, and baby latched on and very lazily sucked for a good 5 min tonight before she was so tired she couldn't maintain enough suction to stay on the nipple. That's my best at the breast attempt so far, but I was super encouraged since yesterday she got upset every single time the boob was presented and made it impossible to practice latching. I don't think she actually got any milk (even though I pre-pumped a tiny bit so she wouldn't have to work for let down) but I'm taking my progress where I get it. Had to try after the bottle of pumped milk (a little less than she wanted so she was still willing to suck for more) this time since the last few times of trying before just prompted a hystrical melt down.

cbrust

@ThereBeDragons‌ thanks for the info. I guess I'm getting conflicting/confusing info. The lactation consultant didn't seem too worried about the 2-3mL of colostrum feedings (about every 2-3hrs) but my nurse is saying LO needs 10-30mL per feeding now for being over 24hrs old? I'm guessing she is referring to formula mL's. I'm just confused because my nurse and the LC were impressed I was able to get about 2.5mL of hand expressed colostrum each feeding but now she's saying she needs more? I know colostrum is much more nutritious than formula per mL so there must be a different in number of mL needed for each feeding.
I had nurse take her to the nursery late last night so I could sleep for a bit and she apparently took 48mL of formula. Seems like way too much for her tiny stomach!
I'm still pumping only 2-3oz of colostrum and waiting for milk to come in. (We're at about 36hrs post delivery right now).

SMM1986

I use Mother Love nipple cream and I love it.

mmks

cbrust said:

@ThereBeDragons‌ thanks for the info. I guess I'm getting conflicting/confusing info. The lactation consultant didn't seem too worried about the 2-3mL of colostrum feedings (about every 2-3hrs) but my nurse is saying LO needs 10-30mL per feeding now for being over 24hrs old? I'm guessing she is referring to formula mL's. I'm just confused because my nurse and the LC were impressed I was able to get about 2.5mL of hand expressed colostrum each feeding but now she's saying she needs more? I know colostrum is much more nutritious than formula per mL so there must be a different in number of mL needed for each feeding.
I had nurse take her to the nursery late last night so I could sleep for a bit and she apparently took 48mL of formula. Seems like way too much for her tiny stomach!
I'm still pumping only 2-3oz of colostrum and waiting for milk to come in. (We're at about 36hrs post delivery right now).

If I were you, I'd listen to the LC and not the nurse. Babies tummies are teeny when they're born. They grow a little each day, but your colostrum should be more than enough until your milk comes in!
https://www.ameda.com.au/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-benefits/your-newborns-stomach-day-110.html

Here's another link that some ladies may find helpful. This is one of my fav bfing sites!
https://kellymom.com/category/ages/newborn/newborn-concerns/

SMM1986

@cbrust‌ maybe this visual aid will help.

MissLadyTay

cbrust said:

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

All of this is normal. She'll be sleepy for awhile and your milk hasn't come in yet. Just keep putting her to the breast.

jessicastanley

RugbyMamma said:

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)

This! I forgot that this could be a possibility. With DD I didn't produce much. This time around my letdown is ridiculously fast and DS gets so angry and pulls off faster than I can get him on! The nipple shield saved us this morning! Thanks for the reminder!

SMM1986

Thanks @kitchencolors‌!
Still bfing here. The initial latch hurts like a bitch but it's not too bad after a few seconds now.
I pumped twice yesterday and once so far today. I know it's early, But I am going to lose my mind soon being the only person who can feed my child. Haven't given her a bottle yet though. I already feel SO much better knowing I have a few feedings available. I can go to the store for an hour or get some extra sleep if necessary now.

ns1

MK1013 said:

I'm still waiting on baby, but curious, is Lanolin the best cream out there?

I used Lansinoh lanolin with DD, and I really liked it.  You can apply some before baby (the tube even says it helps prepare your nipples before baby, but I'm not sure I buy that) to see if you like it.  It is really thick and a lot of people don't like that.  You have to rub it between your fingers first before you apply it to soften it up a bit.  But I liked a thick layer of "protection" I felt it gave.  It's mostly just personal preference!

ThereBeDragons

Yeah @kitchencolors‌ I really want to be done pumping outside of date nights or the like by June 1. That's my goal right now. My due date was end of May so I'm expecting her to be able to pick up nursing by the time she's a week or so old adjusted. We activly work on getting her on the boob every day. And if we are still having issues that the lactation consultant can't cure by the start of June- then deciding how long I'm willing to pump. It probably won't be anywhere near as long as I'm willing to EBF.

awc1986

MeaganStringer said:

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.

I feel your pain and disappointment. I've also been unable to BF and have made the decision to FF instead. My breasts are just not ergonomic enough for the task (G cup with flat nipples) and DD won't latch properly. She tries, then shies away. I was far too sore to carry on trying to hand express and the midwives were brutal! She FFed a few hours ago and took the full 30ml, so I'm so relieved that she has something in her belly now. She seems a lot more settled. Remember that as long as baby is happy and well fed, that's the main thing.

spinsoffresonance

No question since I still have an inside baby at the moment. But since the pregsomnia is keeping me up, I thought I'd share my experience breastfeeding DD.

DD was born by c-section, we did skin to skin right in the OR and tried nursing as soon as we were in recovery. She had a pretty good latch from the start. The initial latch was super painful (that lasted about 2-3weeks total). Day 2, my nipples started cracking, feedings were very painful throughout and I was dreading every nursing session. They gave me frozen hydrogels which were amazing for relief. The nurse told me to make sure DD took most of my areola in her mouth and not just the nipple. With every latch I squeezed my boob to help DD get a deeper latch. I also started alternating nursing positions between football hold and cradle hold. These 2 things really helped with the pain. Within a day my nipples started healing and feedings were no longer painful after the first 15sec. Day 3-4 were hard because DD was getting hungrier and hungrier and my milk hadn't come in yet, so we had a fairly upset baby on our hands. She lost just over 10% body weight but the pedi wasnt concerned because she was nursing so well. By the time we left the hospital on day 5, my milk started coming in and DD was a great little breastfeeder. She even got approved to use a pacifier. We went to the pedi for a weight check the following day and her weight was already going back up.

BFing turned out to be much harder and much easier than I anticipated. Much easier because I never had to deal with cracked nipples (other than day 2 and even that wasn't bad compared to what I've seen on the BFing board), clogged ducts, mastitis, latch and supply issues. Much harder because I was absolutely not prepared for how much my life would revolve around nursing and nothing else in the beginning

In my BFing class they told us babies eat about every 2-3 hours. DD not so much. She ate every 1-1.5 hours from start to start during the day and every 1.5-2hours at night. A feeding usually lasted 40min-1hour. Which meant I only had about 20min between nursing session during the day and about 30-40min at night. In addition every evening she cluster fed nonstop between 7pm-10pm. Adjusting to this schedule, the first 3 weeks were extremely hard. I never got to sleep more than 30min at a time and had a baby stuck to my boob all day long. I barely found time to eat, sometimes didn't, and definitely did not shower or got dressed. It takes a lot of determination to make it through the first 3 weeks but then the next 3 weeks are a little easier and after that BFing was pretty awesome.

By the time I went back to work at 6weeks, DD went about 2.5 hours between feedings and maybe 3 hours at night. Over time she stuck to the every 2.5-3 hour schedule but nursing sessions became faster and lasted 15-20min. I even started really enjoying the MOTN feedings as it was our special time alone together. DD nursed every 3 hours at night until she was 9months old. Between 9-10months she dropped all the overnight feedings on her own.

Pumping at work I absolutely hated. It took me 40min to pump and I had to do it every 2-2.5 hours from start to start to get enough for DD's bottles. It was impossible to get any work done. I seriously don't understand how anyone would ever chose to EP if not medically necessary it is so much work and so much more time consuming than nursing, not to mention all the cleaning and bottles, yikes, I hate pumping, I hate pumping, I hate it.

At 6w old, DD was taking 2.5oz bottles at daycare every 2 hours. By 6months old she was taking 4oz bottles every 3 hours. Up to a year, she never took more than 4oz.

At 6months we introduced solids with baby led weaning. She didn't really eat anything until 8months old. But by 9months old she started favoring food over milk and dropped nursing sessions. By 14m she was only nursing twice a day, when she woke up in the morning and at bedtime. That was in February, I was 6months pregnant and my supply dried up so we weaned completely at that time. My initial goal was to BF for the first 6months but at 6m it was so easy and going so well I decided to keep going. I'm proud we made it past the first year.

Sorry for the novel but I hope it helps some of you to get an idea of what to expect. Of course every baby is different and my friend's 3 week old baby nurses every 4 hours during the day and sleeps 6 hours at night. Maybe I'll be blessed with a sleeper this time around!!!

jenb_99

<snip>
Anyway, I guess my only point is that while EPing can be easier at the beginning, the pumping never gets more efficient, rarely decreases in frequency/time it takes, the dishes never go away, but a baby DOES get more efficient at nursing! 
<snip>

What @kitchencolors said! Also, pumping gets more difficult as the baby gets older because you need to pump longer at a sitting to fill a bigger bottle, but by then the baby is awake more and wanting to be picked up and played with and will inevitably need your IMMEDIATE attention the second you get hooked up to the pump, even if s/he was asleep or happily ignoring you before.

Pumping and using formula is the hardest, IMO. I don't know any moms (myself included) who've been able to do both successfully for more than a few months. Formula is easy and pumping is a PITA, so the formula almost always wins. In my case that was fine and I'm planning to do it the same way this time around too, but it causes a lot of guilt for many FF/pumping moms. Formula is wonderful and nourishing and another great source of food for infants, but there's no denying that using it long-term is detrimental to breast feeding success.

cowpoly959

Any tips for engorgement? My little guy tried to latch tonight and was trying so hard but couldn't because how hard my breasts are. Tried a hot wash cloth and did a little bit of hand pump to get me going tonight but it's killing me

SMM1986

cowpoly959 said:

Any tips for engorgement? My little guy tried to latch tonight and was trying so hard but couldn't because how hard my breasts are. Tried a hot wash cloth and did a little bit of hand pump to get me going tonight but it's killing me

Try a cold pack instead of hot. I pumped (double electric) when I was engorged and it was such a lifesaver.

spinsoffresonance

cowpoly959 said:

Any tips for engorgement? My little guy tried to latch tonight and was trying so hard but couldn't because how hard my breasts are. Tried a hot wash cloth and did a little bit of hand pump to get me going tonight but it's killing me

I never tried it but they say to put cabbage leaves in your bra. If your boobs are too hard for LO to latch on all you can do is pump or hand express a little until they're soft enough. Never pump til they're empty or you're just signaling your body to make even more milk. Your supply should start to regulate in a couple days.

spinsoffresonance

MK1013 said:

So where can I find this Earth's Mama Nipple cream? Do I need to order online? None of the places I've tried seem to have it IN stores. Ugh!

I got it from amazon.

SMM1986

lica001 said:

MK1013 said:

So where can I find this Earth's Mama Nipple cream? Do I need to order online? None of the places I've tried seem to have it IN stores. Ugh!

I got it from amazon.

Same here.

SMM1986

Never mind mine is Mother Love, sorry!
So I took girl to her dr appt today and she has exceeded her birth weight, Dr said that's perfect and breastfeeding is going great. She was 6 lbs 8 oz at birth, 6 lbs 2 oz at her check last week and 7 lbs today:)

Jennyinheaven

Anyone have advice for ditching the nipple sheild? I started using on advice from lactation consultant at the hospital, we are now 14 days old and she has having none of breastfeeding without it. My nipples are sort of small and tend to lay flat

jenb_99

@Jennyinheaven‌ If you're using shields for small or flat nipples, you might try a manual pump for 1-2 minutes before each feeding to perk the nipples up so they're bigger and darker and easier for LI to latch on to. If you're using the shield for fast letdown, you can pump for 5-10 minutes (through the initial letdown) and then put LO to the breast after you feel your flow start to level out.

If you're using the shield bc of a physical problem with LO's latch (small mouth, awkward bite, unusual facial shape, etc), you might need to seek the help of an occupational therapist.

Junebug060609

@Jennyinheaven‌ , @jenb_99‌ covered a lot of the shield info. Just wanted to add as a fellow shield user to keep at trying to ditch the shield if baby has no physical impediment. Sometimes it takes baby being better at nursing to be able to do it w/o one. Took my son quite a while, hoping DD will learn quicker.

chillypenguin

MK1013 said:

So where can I find this Earth's Mama Nipple cream? Do I need to order online? None of the places I've tried seem to have it IN stores. Ugh!

One of my local Target stores had it in stock. I used the store locator tool on their website and luckily it was the one right by my hospital so I sent DH to get me some before we were released.

jenb_99

My favorite nipple cream ended up being a homemade mixture of about 80% Lansinoh and 20% coconut oil. I still had the protection of the lanolin but with less stickiness.

(FYI, this concoction also works great for raw baby bottoms those first few weeks, especially if you replace a portion of the lanolin with petroleum jelly.)

ns1

I bf with DD and I have zero problem whipping out a boob in a restaurant to feed a baby (I usually used and A&A blanket to cover), but the thought of visitors I know + bf'ing makes me all anxious like I'll need to hide in a room when I really don't want to and it's not normally my inclination at all.

I think I'm more nervous to bf around people I know who I know are a little more reserved. So...how have you dealt with this / can someone just tell me to not worry and feed the kid in comfort and let the visitors be uncomfortable? Is that legit?

cowpoly959

Really dumb question but how do I know if I pump until I am empty? I am still getting the hang of my pump. My boobs still feel huge but they aren't hard anymore I pumped after I fed tonight on each breast. I was able to see a lactation consultant today and she recommended that. Oh man I hope I don't make myself produce even more!

Junebug060609

cowpoly959 said:

Really dumb question but how do I know if I pump until I am empty? I am still getting the hang of my pump. My boobs still feel huge but they aren't hard anymore I pumped after I fed tonight on each breast. I was able to see a lactation consultant today and she recommended that. Oh man I hope I don't make myself produce even more!

When you pump while compressing your breasts, no more will come out.

If you are over-producing, why is your LC having you pump?

cbrust

How can I tell the difference between engorgement and clogged duct? Milk came in yesterday and I'm dying in pain, one side more than the other. I can't tell if there is a lump or not because my whole boob is rock hard.
Also if it is a clogged duct how do I treat it if I'm not breast feeding nor pumping?

jenb_99

@cbrust said:

How can I tell the difference between engorgement and clogged duct? Milk came in yesterday and I'm dying in pain, one side more than the other. I can't tell if there is a lump or not because my whole boob is rock hard. Also if it is a clogged duct how do I treat it if I'm not breast feeding nor pumping?

If the whole breast is hard, it's probably engorgement. A clogged duct is more of a sharp aching, burning sensation in a specific area. If you're engorged but not planning to pump or breast feed, you just have to power through it. Your instinct will be to get the milk out, but that just makes you create more. Take some Advil and alternate warm and cool compresses until the pain and pressure subside, all while avoiding too much nipple and breast stimulation. For a clogged duct, heat and massage (even though massaging a clogged duct hurts like a mofo).

SMM1986

@cbrust‌ https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/
I don't think there's much you can do for a plugged duct if you're trying to dry up.

cbrust

jenb_99 said:

@cbrust said:

How can I tell the difference between engorgement and clogged duct? Milk came in yesterday and I'm dying in pain, one side more than the other. I can't tell if there is a lump or not because my whole boob is rock hard.
Also if it is a clogged duct how do I treat it if I'm not breast feeding nor pumping?

If the whole breast is hard, it's probably engorgement. A clogged duct is more of a sharp aching, burning sensation in a specific area. If you're engorged but not planning to pump or breast feed, you just have to power through it. Your instinct will be to get the milk out, but that just makes you create more. Take some Advil and alternate warm and cool compresses until the pain and pressure subside, all while avoiding too much nipple and breast stimulation. For a clogged duct, heat and massage (even though massaging a clogged duct hurts like a mofo).


Yeah I have thoroughly confused my body-we went from trying to BF to pumping to now just FF all in 4 days.
I don't think it's a clogged duct I am just concerned because I have stopped pumping and didn't want it to turn into mastitis. I guess I'll just keep an eye out for any redness or fever.
Any other tips other than tight bra and cabbage leaves for drying up?

Xath

@cbrust Try putting cabbage leaves in your bra and take pseudoephedrine (the Sudafed you get from behind the pharmacy counter).  The mamary glands which produce milk are closely related to mucous glands in your respiratory tract, and both respond to Sudafed by drying up the glands.  Taking it regularly will help reduce your supply and engorgement  

SurprisePartySue

@cbrust‌ I had mastitis on Friday and have now decided to FF. My cousin told me to put on a sports bra that's about 2 sizes too small. If you are achy use frozen corn or peas and wrap an ace bandage around your chest. Wear the tight sports bra when you shower and try and avoid the water hitting your boobs as much as possible. Change into another once your out. I also had my husband wrap the ace bandage over the sports bra for extra tightness. I did this and was dried up in a couple of days. The first night was the worst cause I leaked everywhere.

danabsd

cowpoly959 said:

Really dumb question but how do I know if I pump until I am empty? I am still getting the hang of my pump. My boobs still feel huge but they aren't hard anymore I pumped after I fed tonight on each breast. I was able to see a lactation consultant today and she recommended that. Oh man I hope I don't make myself produce even more!

The more you empty the more you are signaling your body to produce. Your body makes milk by supply and demand.

ThereBeDragons

cbrust said:

@cbrust said:

How can I tell the difference between engorgement and clogged duct? Milk came in yesterday and I'm dying in pain, one side more than the other. I can't tell if there is a lump or not because my whole boob is rock hard. Also if it is a clogged duct how do I treat it if I'm not breast feeding nor pumping?

If the whole breast is hard, it's probably engorgement. A clogged duct is more of a sharp aching, burning sensation in a specific area. If you're engorged but not planning to pump or breast feed, you just have to power through it. Your instinct will be to get the milk out, but that just makes you create more. Take some Advil and alternate warm and cool compresses until the pain and pressure subside, all while avoiding too much nipple and breast stimulation. For a clogged duct, heat and massage (even though massaging a clogged duct hurts like a mofo).

Yeah I have thoroughly confused my body-we went from trying to BF to pumping to now just FF all in 4 days. I don't think it's a clogged duct I am just concerned because I have stopped pumping and didn't want it to turn into mastitis. I guess I'll just keep an eye out for any redness or fever. Any other tips other than tight bra and cabbage leaves for drying up?

It really is just a power through it sort of thing. Touch them as little as possible. I found binding them tightly really helped with the pain. It'll be over in a week or so. (My milk came in with my late loss- I'm not trying to dry up this time.)

spinsoffresonance

@Lissiehoya‌ you're welcome!

spinsoffresonance

cowpoly959 said:

Really dumb question but how do I know if I pump until I am empty? I am still getting the hang of my pump. My boobs still feel huge but they aren't hard anymore I pumped after I fed tonight on each breast. I was able to see a lactation consultant today and she recommended that. Oh man I hope I don't make myself produce even more!

Not sure why she would recommend you pump after a feeding. That's typically what you do to increase your supply.

Once your boobs are empty nothing will come out when you pump. When I was pumping at work it would take me about 30min of pumping to empty my breasts. Some people it only takes 15min.

cbrust

@therebedragons @gertiebarden @meaganstringer thanks ladies! I sent DH out to get cabbage and I pulled out some sports bra's. I'm just so frustrated over this whole thing, I had a plan to breastfeed and if she didn't latch then I "knew" I'd pump. Yeah, now I see why people say pumping isn't for everyone, it freakin sucks (no pun intended).