June '14 BFing/Pumping Questions Thread

tbmadeamistake

@ChristineBaker23‌ I used to pump on the side baby didn't nurse on right after she ate.

ncbelle

Lilygrace48 - How did he do overnight??  And how old is he?  Babies can get so sleepy that they won't nurse well.  Keep waking him to feed.  And you might have some luck with the laid back position:  https://breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/some-ins-and-outs-laid-back-breastfeeding

britleann26 - It's a lot harder to bring in your milk with the pump - and you definitely could still get a supply up.  I would encourage you to work with an IBCLC who can help you transition to the breast and off the supplements and give you some hands on help that may make your pumping more effective.  Hands on pumping:  https://www.nancymohrbacher.com/blog/2012/6/27/to-pump-more-milk-use-hands-on-pumping.html can be really useful in upping pumping production.

Cherylwang - Declan looks like he's going to be my champion spitter!  I would rule out overactive letdown (which I have and is part of our problem here).  Once that's tamed/ruled out, you can look at food sensitivities.  Most "reflux" babies are actually having reflux due to one of these (or can also be caused by a bad latch that causes them to take in more air).

rachelnjacob - Probably still postpartum bleeding at 4 weeks but you can cycle while breastfeeding.  Some women start cycling right away; others won't.

dragonfly711 - Did the LC give you any guidance aside from saying you have tubular breasts?  If you do, that means you have less milk making tissue than average.  Some women with tubular breasts can nurse completely; some will need to use various degrees of supplementation.  Ideally, the IBCLC would help you determine what LO is getting at the breast (with weighed feedings) and help you set up a plan for supplementing as needed.  If the one you saw didn't, I would find someone who will!!

sumochik

Thank you @AmyG*‌ !!

ncbelle

ChristineBaker23 - I really wouldn't pump more than once a day right now (aside from pumping if he gets a bottle).  You really don't want  to give yourself an oversupply.  4 oz is a lot to pump at this point!

fsumom - How's it going?

Sorry if I missed something!

Cherylwang

@ncbelle‌ thank you. I just googled overactive let down and this is a possibility especially at night when she nurses less and I feel engorged.

ChristineBaker23

ncbelle said:

ChristineBaker23 - I really wouldn't pump more than once a day right now (aside from pumping if he gets a bottle).  You really don't want  to give yourself an oversupply.  4 oz is a lot to pump at this point!

fsumom - How's it going?

Sorry if I missed something!

Thanks! I don't even have to try for the four ounces. It just flows like a fountain! I did that with my first also though, actually would get a full five last time. When do you think would be a good time to up the pump? I want to have a good supply on hand in case I decide to start working again. Also for date night etc. Last time I didn't stock up very much and would often be trying to pump out enough in time for my next shift at work.

tbmadeamistake

@‌ @ncbelle‌ , he did OK! Decent feeds at each wake up and he didn't sleep more than three hours at a stretch. He also ate really well this morning. Thank you. I actually already do a lot of the laid back feeding with him lying under my breasts. It seems to also help with my let down not choking him. Thanks for all your help!!

Eta tag

fsumom

I feel absolutely defeated! DS is now a full pound less than his birth weight 11 days ago. I have no choice but to supplement with formula. Sufficient dirty and wet diapers have meant nothing.

** I decided to pump my right side and got less than an ounce. I'm guessing my supply is low.

ncbelle

fsumom - Sorry he isn't gaining  I'm sure I asked already but I'm a bit fuzzy brained…did he get checked for tongue tie?  It's a good possibility that something is going on that's preventing him from transferring milk well and that in turn is causing you to have less milk (since he is nursing frequently).  Lots of pedis and even some LCs aren't always skilled in noting ties (or realizing that they can cause a problem).  Don't feel badly about needing to do what you need to do to get him gaining!

ChristineBaker23 - I'd stick with just once a day unless you do end up returning to work.  If you are getting 4 oz a session without even working for it, that's awesome and you'll have a freezer full before you know it.  Ditto on not letting yourself get caught up in stash building mode!

fsumom

@ncbelle‌

I'm going to check that out. I really want to make breastfeeding work but this has been so difficult.

britleann26

@ncbelle Thank you!!!! I am having a friends mom who is a LaLeche Leauge (sp?) leader come over tomorrow morning to help me. She is also bringing a SNS to help as well.

dragonfly711

Lilygrace48 said:

@dragonfly711‌ keep in MIMD that your pump is no where near as effective at getting milk as your baby is. What you pump is not necessarily a good indicator of what lo could get if she were nursing. Some tricks for pumping are a warm compress before you start, looking at pictures or video of lo while you pump, or her if she's around, and doing manual massage toward the nipple while you pump. Good luck!!

Lilygrace48

Well, I found out that I have tubular breasts and that I might not be able to make anymore milk.  I have always had a size A cup they never grow even if I gain or lose weight.  During pregnancy I didnt gain anything in my boobs either, maybe just a little bit.  

Come to find out when the consultant talked to me she looked at my breasts and said that they were tubular and it is congenital.

So wish a Dr would have told me this years ago.  I never knew.

From Wikipedia:

Tuberous breasts (or tubular breasts) are a result of a congenital abnormality^[1] of the breasts which can occur in both men and women (also see Hypoplasia), one breast or both. During puberty breast development is stymied and the breasts fail to develop normally and fully. The exact cause of this is as yet unclear, however, a study in 2011 of the cells in the breasts of both males and females with tubular breasts suggested a genetic link in a disorder of collagen deposition.^[2]The condition is thought to affect one to five per cent of breast augmentation patients,^[3] however, the numbers affecting the population is undetermined as surgery is not always sought.

nunzchucks

MrsRahl said:

Sorry if this was just asked because I feel I read it but can't find it now... anyone change diapers between boob switch at feeding and lo poops again after you just changed them? The LC told me to change in between nursing sides so she can go straight to sleep after, but lo just keeps pooping again and I end up changing her twice almost always. changing her wakes her up so badly. Any suggestions?

@mrsrahl I put DS back on boob 2 until he unlatches then straight to sleep after that.

tbmadeamistake

@dragonfly711‌ she can tell that just by looking? Lots of women don't see a change in size during pregnancy and nursing, it doesn't necessarily mean anything. I find it odd that she'd diagnose without any tests. I'm sorry, though, that's rough!

SarahS11

How many oz will a 2 week old eat from a bottle of pumped breastmilk? I think for my sanity I have to let DH give LO a bottle cause I've been up all day and night... In one feeding how much do I need ready to go

fsumom

DS is now having latch issues since a bottle was introduced. I gave 1 1/2oz of formula because he wasn't satisfied. I'm now pumping.

fsumom

DS is now having latch issues since a bottle was introduced. I gave 1 1/2oz of formula because he wasn't satisfied. I'm now pumping.

fsumom

@AmyG*‌

I haven't met with anyone but will be calling ASAP. DS was 7lbs14.6oz at birth and now weighs 6lbs15.8oz. Everyone's making me feel guilty and is forcing formula down my throat. I know everyone is just worried about him and want to see him gain weight. It's just so frustrating.

I've pumped almost 2oz on my left side alone so maybe my supply isn't low???

fsumom

Thanks @AmyG*‌ . I'm not sure what I was thinking by saying a full pound. But now that I've given him a bottle, he doesn't seem to want to nurse . I have people pressuring me to give him more formula. His diaper count is great which is why I was shocked he dropped 2oz since Monday. I take him for another weight check tomorrow. I'm struggling with how to time nursing and pumping. I don't want my supply to go down . He's refusing to nurse now. He seems frustrated. My nipples aren't sore. I had IV fluids and I mentioned that to a nurse at the doctor's office and she said it might have inflated his weight by a couple of ounces and pretty much said he'd end up in the hospital if I didn't supplement with formula. Is this a lost cause?

otter1103

Can we talk about showers for a second. I mean, is anyone else having to play this cover here and cover there o cm the boobs with hands or arms so the water spray doesn't make them shriek? Or is that just me? At 3 weeks into nursing/pumping, I was hoping the nipples would be less tender by now but that is not the case. I'm thinking about wearing my bikini top so I can shower hands free (

tbmadeamistake

@otter1103‌ I hear you!! Took a shower this morning and ouch!

Anything I can do to help with Charlie's ever shrinking latch? He'll do great in the morning but by late in the day, especially as my breasts get floppier, he shrinks his latch as much as he can. Its frustrating and it ends up hurting quite a bit.

meritsamomma

I'm feeling like such a failure. LO and I have been trying for the last 40 minutes to BF again with no success. I manage to stay calm until she just won't stop crying, then I start crying and DH offers to warm up pumped milk in a bottle. The SNS isn't working. It's making the nipple shields fall off and milk is going everywhere but in her mouth.
My boobs are leaking everywhere and I'm just feeling so defeated. The worst part is she nursed successfully this morning for an hour and a half. I was feeling like we'd turned a corner but now it's like we've taken 5 steps back.
The LCs just make me feel like I am a horrible mother if she's not at the breast and even her pediatrician told me that the last thing I should do is give LO a bottle. My main concern is keeping her weight up and her bilirubin going down.
This shit is just hard...

katekat8721

@meritmacalpine‌ you are not a failure (((hugs)))

tbmadeamistake

@meritmacalpine, no one should ever make you feel like shit for feeding your child.  Be that nursing, pumping and bottle feeding, formula, or some combination of those.  You do what you need to in order to feed your baby and keep yourself sane/happy.  Babies need healthy, happy moms as much as they need breast milk.  Maybe start setting yourself a time limit?  If she doesn't feed well on the boob in x minutes, I'll use the SNS/nipple shield/bottle/whatever.  That way you don't over stress?  I'm not sure if that's helpful or not, I hope so.  I know it's frustrating and I can't imagine having to work that hard.  I ended up pumping exclusively with C and for us, that's what worked.  Don't ever feel bad for feeding your child in a way that works for you both.  Ever.  Work for what you want, but as long as she's fed and healthy, be content.  Stay strong!!

fsumom

Since I'm now pumping, attempting to nurse and supplementing with formula, how am I supposed to juggle all of this? DS isn't going to want to nurse if I've pumped all the milk out, right? I'm starting to feel like this is more trouble than it's worth. After all, what really matters is a healthy and happy baby AND mom!

tbmadeamistake

@fsumom‌ nurse, pump immediately after for the next feeding, and supplement as needed would be my guess. I used to pump while feeding C with her propped in the boppy, but that doesn't make for the most intimate of bondings. You are right, a happy and healthy mom is very important. With C I had over supply. I pumped exclusively because she had latch issues. After one month of nursing and four of pumping, I quit because being a slave to the pump was driving me insane. No other reason than that. We switched to formula full time and I never looked back. I was happy and she was fed and that what mattered to me. We each have to make the choice that is right for us. No one else.

Eta because I keep typing pimp and not pump.

MrsBHM

I've been pumping once a day after our first nursing session of the day because my breasts still are painfully full. How long should I be pumping each breast? Or should I just pump until milk is no longer coming out?

MrsBHM

mullenem said:

MrsBHM said:

I've been pumping once a day after our first nursing session of the day because my breasts still are painfully full. How long should I be pumping each breast? Or should I just pump until milk is no longer coming out?

Only pump until the pressure is relieved.  If you pump until empty, you are telling your body that you need all that milk (and maybe more) which means you'll just keep being overly full in the mornings.  Your supply will even out more quickly if you just minimally pump as needed for relief.


Thanks! I guess I didn't realize the amount of my milk would change throughout the day. I thought it was more related to going longer btwn feedings overnight. I didn't realize I may have been causing the problem by pumping til empty each AM. Thank you!

Mom&nurse

How much milk do u get if u pump ladies?

meritsamomma

@AmyG*‌ thank you for the advice... I added an update this morning under the new BF check in thread. LO and I are off to a great start this am!

ETA tried to fix tag but it won't let me!

fsumom

Lucas gained some weight after supplementing with formula. I have been advised to now start with 1oz formula, nurse and then give pumped milk if I keep pumping. He's still 12oz from his birth weight at 12 days old. I was told that if he had not gained any weight, they would have hospitalized him.

sumochik

Hang in there @meritmacalpine‌ don't give up it's going to get better!!!!

fsumom

Thanks @AmyG*‌ . I left a message for an LC but never got a call back.
I'll keep trying. Just wanted to add that there is a free support group that I can attend on Tuesday's and Thursdays. I'm pretty sure they do weighed feedings. I'll go this coming Tuesday.

sumochik

Update on LO, so the bilirubin came back at 16 from Wednesday's draw and they drew again today. We saw the other doc who is our pedi's partner. We see them roughly (70/30) and I'd forgotten how much more progressive and pro breastfeeding he is. He said LO def doesn't look like 16 he said the blood from today will probably show 12-13 and he says it seems to have peaked. He said continue to breastfeed breastfeed breastfeed I'm hoping the numbers come out positive tomorrow morning and then we won't have to come back until he's a month. Also he's now 7/5, up from 6/13 on Wednesday and getting closer to his birth weight of 7/9. Feeling so much better and hopeful that tomorrow the numbers will be better!

roadspeckle

Mom&nurse said:

How much milk do u get if u pump ladies?

I have a ton of milk. I pump every day around 9:30 am, and I can usually get 7 ounces after a feeding. My left breast produces like a machine my right breast is a dud compared to the left.

Edit: I suck at words these days.

roadspeckle

AmyG* said:

and most breastfeding moms will NEVER pump 7 oz at a time even both breasts combined.  avg intake in a day is 25 oz a day, with baby eating 8-10 times a day past 3-6 weeks of age, avg is 2.5-3 oz a feeding, so pumps should usually be similar amt.

Don't know what to tell you, but it happens to me. My Dr laughs and was in disbelief when I told her. I don't know how to "cut" my supply down and still create a supply for work. My breasts are super full and painful if I don't but I want to build a good supply for work. It's been like this since my milk first came in.

Edit: enter before I was done

roadspeckle

AmyG* said:

rachelnjacob said:

AmyG* said:

and most breastfeding moms will NEVER pump 7 oz at a time even both breasts combined.  avg intake in a day is 25 oz a day, with baby eating 8-10 times a day past 3-6 weeks of age, avg is 2.5-3 oz a feeding, so pumps should usually be similar amt.

Don't know what to tell you, but it happens to me.

oh I certainly don't doubt it! some women can pump a LOT and some by pumping frequently and long enough can stimulate their body to make a LOT for the pump to have a high freezer stash.

Just clarifying that most moms never pump that much and that's ok, since babies don't really eat that much over all.  at first when starting to pump in addition to nursing, most moms will get like 1/2 oz ish.  then over time build up to a full feeding worth at a pump.  And some moms can never pump much of anything cause they don't let down for the pump well. 

Getting 7 oz at a time can be an indicator of oversupply which can come with a lot of problems including reflux and mspi symptoms for baby and MAY put mom at risk
of mastitis if she gets engorged very often. so be a bit careful.

@AmyG*‌ - my LO is on acid reflux meds since 2 weeks and he is now 4 weeks. she didn't say that it could have been caused by my oversupply, but could that be a factor? in fact, he's so colicky on top of his reflux that she asked me to cut out dairy for the next few weeks to see if that would help.

I just pump once a day and never for more than 20-30 minutes sometimes less. My LO feeds every two hours like clock work day and night. Is there something I'm doing wrong?

roadspeckle

AmyG* said:

If you have oversupply that can certainly cause reflux, cause there is just so much volume of milk it's easy for baby to start chugging and take in too much milk and then it's overeating and then it comes back up.

That's part of the reason why it's recommended to wait to start pumping until after 3 week growth spurt, and to pump one side first thing in the am, and nurse primarily on the other side. 

tell me more and I'll try to help more.  how long are nursing sessions? why are you pumping extra? is poop yellow and seedy or green? how much spit up? is meds helping? do you nurse on both sides or just one side?

Nursing sessions are about 20 min, sometimes 30. I started pumping because I was so engorged for the first few days that my milk came in, I had to pump because it was so painful and he wasn't eating enough. I didn't pumped every day until the last two weeks. Now, I'm pumping because I have to go back to work, and my husband will be home with him. I won't be able to get away to come home and nurse.
I nurse on one side, alternating sides every feeding.
Poop was yellow seedy, has recently changed to green seedy due to Zantac. His ped warned me that may
happen.
Meds seem to be working as he is spitting up less than he was, but in the recent weeks he has turned very fussy and cries a lot. I would never know if the meds were working if his spit up hadn't gotten better.

tbmadeamistake

@AmyG*‌ I am having the same issues as @rachelnjacob‌. I know I have over supply, or assume I do, based on the over supply I had with C. Charliebis now showing signs of reflux at not quite two weeks old and I'd love to not have to do meds this time. I had no idea it could be caused by oversupply. I think after he over eats because of over supply and forceful letdown, he then comfort nurses to try and get it to stop hurting, which only makes it worse.

Nursing is one side, anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes. He's hard to burp though I know hebswallows air. Minimal spit up apart from one incident tonight which was more than normal but not a whole lot. Poops are yellow and seedy and very frequent.

Thank you so very much for all your help!! I wish I had known a lot of this with C, perhaps nursing would have worked out better.

roadspeckle

This nursing stuff is hard, but I'm determined not to give up. I'm glad this forum exists.