The Great Breastfeeding Thread

Athenanolen

May be obvious to some but hopefully helpful to others: drink tons of water. If baby is eating smaller amounts at a point during the day but more frequently your supply may be low due to lack of water. Keep it with you constantly and have at least a tall glass ready during your overnight feeding, LO sleeps much better now that I do this.

blondiemommy23

Any tips on how to increase milk supply ?? :-S

earichar23

Anyone have a baby that sleeps longer than 4 hours at night? Do you get up and pump? Baby girl slept over 4 hours this morning (is still asleep) but my boobs woke me! I'm hoping LO keeps up the sleep habit but am wondering what to do about the engorgement.

dobbyisfree

AW my milk for a second -LO had his one month appointment and he is up 1 pound 11 ounces since birth. Not bad for a premie NICU baby who needed IV glucose! Yay to my little chunk!!!

kwh33ls

I just got back from the pediatrician, and LO is up 5 oz from her birth weight at 10 days. I even got a little kudos from the doctor--so the sore nipples and long nights are working

mrsllove

Did anyone else's LC tell them to pump after every feeding? My LO is 4 days old and I'm pumping for 15 min after each feeding (and have been since day 1). My milk is starting to come in and she didn't tell me if I should continue to pump after each feeding or stop?

I can't really find anything online about it.

Also breast feeding can be very overwhelming at times.

Soon2BMrsN

earichar23 said:

Anyone have a baby that sleeps longer than 4 hours at night? Do you get up and pump? Baby girl slept over 4 hours this morning (is still asleep) but my boobs woke me! I'm hoping LO keeps up the sleep habit but am wondering what to do about the engorgement.

DD sleeps 9:30-3:30/4:00 most nights (I know, so lucky...my payback after DS2 who was and still is an awful sleeper) and I stopped waking her once she was back to birthweight about a week ago. I definitely feel full when she does wake, but it's not painful. I should stop being lazy and pump before bed...

nolemomma14

@cko521‌ I started pumping a week ago. I started pumping after LOs morning feeding, and I got about an ounce and a half the first 2-3 days and was feeling slightly discouraged. Since then, the amount I'm pumping has increased each day. I now get between 2-3oz in the morning. DH has been giving DS one bottle at night before we put him to sleep for the night, and I will pump during that time now too. Last night I got 4oz, and I was so excited, so I feel that your breast do adjust to the pump, the more you do it. Good luck as you continue to pump!

iris427

cko521 said:

mrsllove said:

Did anyone else's LC tell them to pump after every feeding? My LO is 4 days old and I'm pumping for 15 min after each feeding (and have been since day 1). My milk is starting to come in and she didn't tell me if I should continue to pump after each feeding or stop?

I can't really find anything online about it.

Also breast feeding can be very overwhelming at times.

My friend's LC told her this to keep her supply up. Mine said not to so my supply would adjust to baby. I'd just call your LC back for clarification.

---------------

Question 1: do your breasts react better to the pump the more you do it? I tried pumping the first time this morning and it took forever to get an ounce.

Question 2: aside from growth spurts, do babies ever get to the point where they eat, then they're done for a while? My girl is 8 days old and she will eat for 5 minutes, then sleep or stare around (or if it's nighttime, scream) for 20 min then repeat. I'm exhausted. Does that get better as they get older?

Yes, it definitely gets better! They will space out feedings and become more efficient at getting milk and digesting it. BFing a newborn is very different from BFing a 3 month or 6 month old. Hang in there! ETA It seems like BFing in general gets easier by about 6 weeks for a lot of people.

hgtvmom

sharmon1317 said:

I'm going to try and start pumping later this week. How do I pump and continue to breastfeed? When do I pump? I'm completely overwhelmed by the logistics here. Also how do I know how much to give the kiddo in the bottle?

I was really confused at first too. At first I tried pumping when after LO was finished eating. That was just to see what it was like. Now I only pump when LO skips a feeding or after he's done eating if I will need a bottle for him later that day or the next. At first he'd eat about 3 1/2 ounces out of a bottle. Now he eats about 5 to 6.. He's a piggy!!

Holy Moses! @sharmom1317 how old and how big is your LO? I'm kinda amazed at the differences in how much these kiddos eat - despite the realization that people are all super different. I just kinda expected them to all start out the same I guess??? Hannah (6 weeks, 7-ish pounds) takes 2-3 oz every 3-4 hours. She's gaining weight, having the right number of wet/poopy diapers, so I am not concerned. But, her feeds are not picking up the way some of the other babies around here are. 

iris427

@jessafish‌ I've always had to pump about 2 hours after my baby last ate, or I hardly get any milk. (With my other babies. I've been lazy and haven't pumped at all yet this time). If I pumped too soon after baby ate, I would get almost nothing with the pump. My boobs hate pumps though.

likeanoldtimemovie

@jessafish

My pediatrician said 2-3 oz from a bottle for now, but we've tried giving her a bottle and the flow was too fast. So right now I just pump once in the morning after I feed her. I pump the other breast and I've been getting close to five ounces each morning, but everyone's different!

honeybee434

Everytime I think BF'ing is getting easier my nipples decide to hurt for a random day and make me eat my words. I can't wait to hit that 6-8 week point where things officially get easier.

Also, my boobs are so lopsided right now I think I may need a smaller breast shield for just my right size, which just seems do weird to me. That nipple always hurts when pumping but the left never does. I miss my old boobs!

ghostof5letters

Jillian eats 4oz every 3-4 hours via bottle. The minimum she eats is 3.5oz, and the most she's eaten (only once) was 4.75oz

She's 3.5 weeks old. 

My SIL's daughter is 4.5 months old and only eats 2oz out of bottles but weighs 17lbs. Every baby is different. 

chawkins

Hi everyone- would love any BF advice. I delivered on Sarurday and am feeling completely overwhelmed. Baby wants to eat all the time but then falls asleep right after latching. This makes a 20,minute feeding take more than an hour as I fight to keep her awake. This also means that no sooner than I finish I have to wake her and start again. She's lost 7 oz since birth so I want to keep feeding as much as I can.
Is appreciate any tips. This does get easier right?

abrazz

2lacyblue what brand are you using?  I use the Lansinoh during the day and Avent at night since they seem a little more absorbent.  Avent is a little bulkier so I don't like to wear them during the day.  I really only change them when I put the new ones in at night.  I leak a lot more in the evening for some reason. 

ariel8200

Those of you that have lo's that are sleeping longer stretches, are they wide awake while you are nursing?

Lola825

If you pump during the night, do you wash everything then or can that wait until morning?

hgtvmom

Lola825 said:

If you pump during the night, do you wash everything then or can that wait until morning?

I keep a bin in the sink and dump my pump parts and bottles in water until I'm ready to wash everything. At that point, I dump the old water, fill with new plus the madela soap and hand wash it all. I do that twice a day.

Athenanolen

Eta:repost

Lola825

Pup4gdb said:

Lola825 said:

If you pump during the night, do you wash everything then or can that wait until morning?

I keep a bin in the sink and dump my pump parts and bottles in water until I'm ready to wash everything. At that point, I dump the old water, fill with new plus the madela soap and hand wash it all. I do that twice a day.

Good idea! Thanks! DD sometimes falls asleep after one side so id like to pump but obviously once she's asleep I want to get back to sleep as quickly as possible. Cleaning those little parts is too time consuming for the middle of the night.

lowen83

Ecomom17 said:

hab83 said:

Does anyone find they need to avoid certain foods while BFing so baby doesn't get so much gas? My poor little guy seems to have a tummy ache quite frequently that only settles after lots of farting and popping when he finally gets it out. I tried the gas drops, but they don't seem to be doing much. He's burping fine, too. It's really affecting our sleep since he grunts and fusses all night long while scrunching up his little legs and turning red in the face.

Yes!! I avoid, tomatoes, cumcumbers, onions, beans, and I limit my dairy. LO still has all the same gassy, poopy, fussyness your does but I'm trying to help his little immature digestive system the best I can. Also he sleeps in my arms as well. As soon as I lay him down (only at night for some reason) he wakes himself up.

Mamanorris81

Thought you ladies would enjoy this https://dirtydiaperlaundry.com/the-5-phases-of-breastfeeding-in-gifs/

iris427

Lola825 said:

Pup4gdb said:

Lola825 said:

If you pump during the night, do you wash everything then or can that wait until morning?

I keep a bin in the sink and dump my pump parts and bottles in water until I'm ready to wash everything. At that point, I dump the old water, fill with new plus the madela soap and hand wash it all. I do that twice a day.

Good idea! Thanks! DD sometimes falls asleep after one side so id like to pump but obviously once she's asleep I want to get back to sleep as quickly as possible. Cleaning those little parts is too time consuming for the middle of the night.

You can also put them in the fridge and then wash in the morning.

abrazz

2lacyblue I have never tried the Johnson brand but the ones I use do not leave lint behind and I wear them in the nursing tanks and the nursing bras   If you accidently wash them though, lint goes everywhere ">

ghostof5letters

Lola825 said:

If you pump during the night, do you wash everything then or can that wait until morning?

It waits until morning. 

MonkeyJD

Even though it felt like I was nursing nonstop and Noah had started gaining weight, it felt like he wasn't actually getting a lot of milk out. My boobs were so huge & sore it hurt to walk. I started pumping for just a few minutes yesterday to help relieve the pain and oh my gosh I feel so much better. Noah's even nursing better and I can only assume it's because the milk is able to come out better since I'm not so swollen. After 3 short pumping sessions I have over 5 ounces of milk stored in the fridge. No wonder I was hurting so bad!!!

dobbyisfree

I should be glad at least that LO is cluster feeding during the day?

Lola825

So, I just pumped for the first time on my right side after DD fed on the left only. I barely covered the bottom of the bottle after 15 minutes of pumping. She's 2w3d today. I'm so incredibly discouraged about my supply. I've been cutting back on the formula supplements and now that I know how little I'm producing I don't think I can.

So discouraging that all the work we've put in and I'm getting only a few milliliters of milk. She's nursing every two hrs during the day when she isn't cluster feeding and every 4 or so at night. I can set an alarm and pump at night but otherwise I don't know what else to do here.

Allison546

2lacyblue said:

I'm confused about breast pad hygiene. The disposables are much more absorbent than my washable ones, but they leave cottony lint on my nipples that I have to annoyingly clean off before I can feed.

I'm wondering if I should be putting on a new pair after each feeding, but that seems so wasteful! So far I change them when they feel damp about 1-2 times per day.

I just change my disposable pads once per day.. But I'm not leaking too much. I like lanisoh brand.

hab83

Lola825 said:

So, I just pumped for the first time on my right side after DD fed on the left only. I barely covered the bottom of the bottle after 15 minutes of pumping. She's 2w3d today. I'm so incredibly discouraged about my supply. I've been cutting back on the formula supplements and now that I know how little I'm producing I don't think I can.

So discouraging that all the work we've put in and I'm getting only a few milliliters of milk. She's nursing every two hrs during the day when she isn't cluster feeding and every 4 or so at night. I can set an alarm and pump at night but otherwise I don't know what else to do here.

I wouldn't trust the pump just yet. Pumps aren't as efficient as a baby and some women just can't pump. Can you go see a lactation consultant and have them weigh your daughter before and after nursing to get an idea of how much milk is being transferred? Also, you might check to make sure you have the right size of flange for your nipple. And finally, I noticed I get less from the pump if I have it turned up to a higher setting versus when I have it using less suction.

TwizzyG

sharmon1317 said:

Every time I have fed LO today every burp he has spit up. He's so cranky when he's not eating or sleeping. I have no idea what to do. I've been soaked in spit up allll day!!

This. And add that my LO pees like crazy and is passing gas, but doesn't poop very much.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

bgoodbpar

@litera No advice for the bottle-breast issue as I don't have experience there. But FWIW with DS I had a LC come while I was inthe hospital and I was went nuts trying to follow her advice on getting DS to latch properly. At my 3 day check up/lactation consultation with a nurse practitioner I got THEE BEST advice and help that changed my BF experience immediately. I say all that just to let you know that your NP is likely to be very helpful in the LC's absence. Oh and have you tried hand expressing a little of your milk prior to feeding him just to take the edge off? Also pumping a little bit before and not giving him the bottle at all but just putting him right on the boob after might help too and you wouldn't be dealing with the bottle preference since you wouldn't be offering it.

bgoodbpar

Just an FYI for those looking for a decent wrap-style sleep/lounge bra but are either a bit bustier for the typical target style sleep bras (they are horrible when you have big cups and small band) or just want one that is a little more supportive and won't have you falling out. I like this particular one. I bought one after i had DS and just found it hidden in the back of my drawer yesterday.

https://glamorise.com/all-styles/sport/active-comfort-wrap.html

earichar23

Bpargood said:

@litera ... Oh and have you tried hand expressing a little of your milk prior to feeding him just to take the edge off? Also pumping a little bit before and not giving him the bottle at all but just putting him right on the boob after might help too and you wouldn't be dealing with the bottle preference since you wouldn't be offering it.

This exactly. But don't over do it with the pumping, you'll just encourage more oversupply. And save the extra 1/2 ounce or so in a freezer stash if possible.

dobbyisfree

litera said:

Help.

So, LO was feeding awesomely, that is, until my breasts got to be so swollen and engorged due to (oversupply of?) milk. He could no longer latch and completely stopped even trying to suck. He would scream and throw his head around. After hour 5 of no food, I got scared and pumped for the first time and he devoured all 3oz. 

Cue trying to BF again, 3 hrs later, he still wasn't having it so I tried waiting him out. Thinking he'd eventually have to give in and suck/latch due to hunger. 5 hrs later, he still wasn't having it. I pumped again and he sucked down 2 oz. DH suggested that I express some milk via the pump to deflate my breasts a bit and then try a Raiders of the Lost Ark and swap the bottle for my breast. He actually latched for about a minute, but lost interest again most likely due to being full. 

We have an appt. in the AM with a Nurse practitioner as the fucking LC is on vacay and has no replacement in the interim. I'm terrified he will get used to the bottle and no longer want to BF. 

Anyone else had this issue?  How quickly can they develop the preference of bottle over breast? Is anyone BFing AND pumping/bottle feeding? I am absolutely shattered that I didn't realize he couldn't latch due to my being so engorged. It's literally like watching him suck a beach ball with short valves. Any help is much appreciated.

Edit: He is 6 days old.

I was getting really sore at one point, and my LC thought it was because I was overfull and he was having trouble latching. She suggested pumping for 2-3 minutes and massaging the area to soften it before latching him. Not giving him the milk I pumped, but just getting it ready for him.

Logan was just on bottles for 36 hrs or so after he was born and I got him back over to the breast. It can be a pain because bottles are less work for them and he would hold out for it, and it wasnt until he was 6 days old before I trusted him to eat enough without giving him a bottle too, but you can do it just be patient. Just keep trying to latch him!! Good luck!

ariel8200

I read that when you give LO expressed breast milk in a bottle that you shouldn't shake the bottle to mix up the milk, that you should swirl it. I've tried swirling the milk but it doesn't mix the seperated milk very well. Can you use a mini spatula or something to that effect to mix the milk together without losing the integrity of the milk?

abrazz

kam3100

I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but I would warm the bottle in a hot water bath then stir it and it seemed to mix well.  I could not get it to do that when it was cold.  I stirred it gently not vigorously. 

melissaquinn106

Yesterday I pumped for the first time and it was pretty good! LO fed for about 20min on one side and then passed out. Then I pumped the other side for about 6 minutes and got 2.5 oz. DH gave LO a bottle around 11pm and she took right to it! Woke up around 5 for a feeding and went right back to the boob!

litera said:

Help.

So, LO was feeding awesomely, that is, until my breasts got to be so swollen and engorged due to (oversupply of?) milk. He could no longer latch and completely stopped even trying to suck. He would scream and throw his head around. After hour 5 of no food, I got scared and pumped for the first time and he devoured all 3oz. 

Cue trying to BF again, 3 hrs later, he still wasn't having it so I tried waiting him out. Thinking he'd eventually have to give in and suck/latch due to hunger. 5 hrs later, he still wasn't having it. I pumped again and he sucked down 2 oz. DH suggested that I express some milk via the pump to deflate my breasts a bit and then try a Raiders of the Lost Ark and swap the bottle for my breast. He actually latched for about a minute, but lost interest again most likely due to being full. 

We have an appt. in the AM with a Nurse practitioner as the fucking LC is on vacay and has no replacement in the interim. I'm terrified he will get used to the bottle and no longer want to BF. 

Anyone else had this issue?  How quickly can they develop the preference of bottle over breast? Is anyone BFing AND pumping/bottle feeding? I am absolutely shattered that I didn't realize he couldn't latch due to my being so engorged. It's literally like watching him suck a beach ball with short valves. Any help is much appreciated.

Edit: He is 6 days old.

I was having a similar problem about a week ago. LO would touch my nipples and be covered in milk and it was so slippery that she couldn't get anything and she was trying so hard to latch it was so sad. I wound up using a burp cloth and squeezing some out by hand and then wiping everything dry and tried again. It was a little better but then I switched sides and she latched on the other side.

On another note the first day I pumped and my DH bottle fed her 2 oz I tried BF her later and she wanted nothing to do with me. I was scared that now she saw how easy the bottle was she wasn't going to want to work for the breast. I let DH feed her another 2 oz. and went to bed discouraged but when she woke in the middle of the night hungry I BF her and she was fine and we haven't had a problem switching back and forth since.

I don't know if this is any help. My LO is 3 weeks now and eating great now with some sporadic spit ups during the day, but just wanted to let you know I had some of the same issues and I think your baby will settle in with time. Good luck.