The Great Breastfeeding Thread

sxymamakat

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.

It took them a few days in the hospital to actually read my chart but the third LC noticed that I have PCOS with infertility, and she came barreling in asking why I wasn't pumping yet.  I was rather confused.  Apparently, if you have PCOS with infertility, you are a significantly increased risk for supply issues, so they had me start pumping after each nursing session, which got hellish really fast.  I'm still pumping several times a day, but as LO is starting to cluster feed, I'm starting to lose my mind.  Maybe this was why they told you?  

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dobbyisfree

Holy crap. Just traded my hospital grade rental pump in for my forever pump. Im getting about 5 cc total in 10 minutes from each side. Less than I got before my milk came in with the other pump. Hope this gets better or we will have to switch to formula when I go back to work. :-(

Ekg688

Currently "nip" in a fitting room...with the door open bc the stroller is too wide to fit through the door. Also its about 90 degrees in here

TRyan86

Last two days LO has significantly dropped how much she is eating at each feed. Prior to this she was eating aroundan average of 20 min at each feed. Last two days we are averaging only 12-14 min then she falls asleep. 5 weeks old. Is this normal?

rachelchristina

TRyan86 said:

Last two days LO has significantly dropped how much she is eating at each feed. Prior to this she was eating aroundan average of 20 min at each feed. Last two days we are averaging only 12-14 min then she falls asleep. 5 weeks old. Is this normal?

I think they get more efficient at feeding as they get older. She might not necessarily be eating less, she might just be more efficient at getting the milk. That's what I've read. If she's still gaining weight and eliminating normally I wouldn't worry. I'm no expert though.

earichar23

TRyan86 said:

Last two days LO has significantly dropped how much she is eating at each feed. Prior to this she was eating aroundan average of 20 min at each feed. Last two days we are averaging only 12-14 min then she falls asleep. 5 weeks old. Is this normal?

I've noticed sonething similar with my LO at 3 1/2 weeks. She still eliminating plenty so I'm hoping she's getting more efficient. But it's making me anxious.

twister22

MrsWallick said:

I use a Medela pump so that DH can do one middle of the night feeding and to start building a stash. I read on Facebook that the Ameda valves actually work better on the Medela pump. I thought that was weird but the valves were only $7 at BRU so I bought them and gave it a try. I normally pump a combined 4-5 oz per session and with these valves I pumped a combined 7 oz!!! Just had to share the awesomeness! If you have a Medela pump, you must get Ameda valves for it!

Just ordered them on Amazon. I will let you know in two days if they work better . Thanks @MrsWallick

Lhalliburton

@twister22‌ let me know, too! I wanted to get some at the store the other day, but I couldn't remember which brand for sure...

ariel8200

Do you have any special techniques for burping your LO? I have the hardest time and every time she doesn't burp she ends up with a tummy ache.

Lhalliburton

kam3100 said:

Do you have any special techniques for burping your LO? I have the hardest time and every time she doesn't burp she ends up with a tummy ache.

I pat his back for a minute or two and then rub with strokes up toward his head. If that doesn't get the burps, I lay him down for a minute, then pick him up again and that works.

reils500

kam3100 said:

Do you have any special techniques for burping your LO? I have the hardest time and every time she doesn't burp she ends up with a tummy ache.

My lo has a hard time getting burps up too. I burp him sitting & try to flex him forward. I rotate his trunk from side to side slowly which seems to help.

lowen83

Just a tip for those of you beginning to pump for the first time. If you are pumping the opposite side after LO eats for storage, make sure you are expressing all the milk from that breast. You need to be getting the "hein milk" out as well. You don't want to only pump 2 oz of "fore milk" and stop. Just food for thought there

twister22

kam3100 said:

Do you have any special techniques for burping your LO? I have the hardest time and every time she doesn't burp she ends up with a tummy ache.

@kam3100 with LO I'll pat his back with him on my shoulder, then pat his back with him sitting upright on the boppy, and if I still haven't gotten a burp I'll lay him down and have him slowly do "crunches." Repositioning his stomach like that seems to really help. Also, what @relis500 said seems like it would work too.

reils500 said:

Do you have any special techniques for burping your LO? I have the hardest time and every time she doesn't burp she ends up with a tummy ache.

My lo has a hard time getting burps up too. I burp him sitting & try to flex him forward. I rotate his trunk from side to side slowly which seems to help.

cgavin127

Some awesome products that relieved my early BF pain: Lansinoh hot/cold breast packs, Medela gel pads, lanolin, and expressed milk (the best cure for damage!). Also, pumping was a great way to relieve pain and I also think it helped me establish a good supply. I'm 3 weeks into BF'ing and am having great success - and I thought the pain in the beginning was going to make me give up! Persevere :-)

earichar23

lowen83 said:

Just a tip for those of you beginning to pump for the first time. If you are pumping the opposite side after LO eats for storage, make sure you are expressing all the milk from that breast. You need to be getting the "hein milk" out as well. You don't want to only pump 2 oz of "fore milk" and stop. Just food for thought there

Is there a way to know if you've pumped long enough to get the good stuff? I try to pump until my breast feels soft and the milk isn't coming as easily, usually 15-20 minutes. But I never get more than 2 oz a side.

lamarei

Saw another comment on this thread and can't find it right now, but my LO only wants my right boob at night too! So frustrating. During the day she's all good with the left, but I had to put my pump by the bed for when she just won't take the left all night. Crazy!

lowen83

@earichar23‌ That's a good sign! Also the fore milk in a thinner less filling milk and the hein milk in the fattier milk. Hein milk is usually a shade or two darker then the fore milk. Think of it like fore milk is like skim milk and hein milk is whole milk. It also normally separates during storage, but remember not to vigorasly shake it prior to feeding LO because it will break it down.

lowen83

This may help, the milk on the left , the 2.5 oz is the fore milk and the milk on the right , the 1.5 oz in hein. It's darker then the one in the left

lowen83

ashleysyn2 said:

lowen83 said:

@earichar23‌ That's a good sign! Also the fore milk in a thinner less filling milk and the hein milk in the fattier milk. Hein milk is usually a shade or two darker then the fore milk. Think of it like fore milk is like skim milk and hein milk is whole milk. It also normally separates during storage, but remember not to vigorasly shake it prior to feeding LO because it will break it down.

*hind

Ha thanks didn't even catch that! Let's blame it on lack if sleep

argonne

Lhalliburton said:

Do you have any special techniques for burping your LO? I have the hardest time and every time she doesn't burp she ends up with a tummy ache.

I pat his back for a minute or two and then rub with strokes up toward his head. If that doesn't get the burps, I lay him down for a minute, then pick him up again and that works.

This.  My pedi recommended starting on the shoulder, then moving them to a sitting up position and then to the belly if the burp hasn't happened.  Works every time.  I think the movement in between positions helps the bubble dislodge.

shortstack930

lamarei said:

Saw another comment on this thread and can't find it right now, but my LO only wants my right boob at night too! So frustrating. During the day she's all good with the left, but I had to put my pump by the bed for when she just won't take the left all night. Crazy!

My DD would only take my right boob the first couple of days we were home from the hospital. She would cry and refuse to latch on the left and I ended up pumping the left because it was becoming engorged. After two days of exclusively nursing on the right I was in so much pain I didn't know what to do. After researching a bit I had DH go out and buy me a nipple shield--best thing ever!! With the shield she latches on the left with no problem and I use it on the right so that it doesn't hurt my sore nipple anymore. I definitely recommend the shield if you continue having problems with the left.

TwizzyG

This kiddo has been cluster feeding since 2:30 today. I feel like my boobs have nothing left! They are tired and I am tired.
Also, LO has a new trick where she "bites" my nipple. Not cool baby! Ouch!

JuniperGaze

TwizzyG said:

This kiddo has been cluster feeding since 2:30 today. I feel like my boobs have nothing left! They are tired and I am tired.
Also, LO has a new trick where she "bites" my nipple. Not cool baby! Ouch!

Same! I think she is gumming mine and that is causing initial latching pain! Ouch! It makes cluster feeding a nightmare.

likeanoldtimemovie

Alice gained nine ounces in a week! The LC at our pediatrician office was so impressed and told me I don't have to wake her anymore! Yay boobs!

mamakiss

I was going to post earlier that I was concerned that DD only eats for 7/8 minutes(and one side only) every couple hours the past week or so but we weighed her today and she has gained a pound and a half in less than two weeks! She's pretty no-nonsense and has never been a comfort nurser so I guess she is just becoming more efficient at it! What a relief.

honeybee434

So apparently marinara/tomato sauce is off the table for me after going through foods I had eaten and LO having a ridiculous time pooping the last two days. I'm hoping that I can still eat pizza since it's a little less on there, but no more red sauce and pasta for me for awhile.

earichar23

I've been worried Adelinde is an inefficient eater, she'll spend 20-40 minutes on a breast at times and then be hungry 5 minutes later but after tonight I know she is definitely getting milk. Can we say projectile vomit?! Anyone else have this happen from burping? She's not usually a spitter at all so I'm rather alarmed.

honeybee434

So apparently marinara/tomato sauce is off the table for me after going through foods I had eaten and LO having a ridiculous time pooping the last two days. I'm hoping that I can still eat pizza since it's a little less on there, but no more red sauce and pasta for me for awhile.

shortstack930

Dserpaa said:

@TKT17‌ Thank you. I have tried hand expressing onto her lips or under her nose and she still gets frantic. I will be literally dripping because the letdown typically comes quick. I am seeing the LC on Monday, just need to push through this weekend.

Have you tried using a nipple shield? My DD wouldn't latch onto the left and once I tried with the shield she latched on in seconds.

chrinikki1

honeybee434 said:

So apparently marinara/tomato sauce is off the table for me after going through foods I had eaten and LO having a ridiculous time pooping the last two days. I'm hoping that I can still eat pizza since it's a little less on there, but no more red sauce and pasta for me for awhile.

No red sauce for me either. Sadly, this includes pizza as that was the confirmation food. Hurts my heart to watch him struggle so badly. I accidentally had soy beans today... Totally forgot they were on the list of BFing no's. I'm waiting to see how that reacts with him tomorrow I hate trial by error.

rachelchristina

Gave DD a bottle of breast milk this evening for the first time because I am leaving the house for a couple of hours tomorrow and I want to make sure DH can feed her if need be easily while I'm gone and she had no problem with it! Was pretty happy, but didn't want to get too excited until I breastfed her again. Well I'm feeding her now and she latched right away! Score! I know I'm probably not out of the woods yet, but it's a happy moment for me.

shortstack930

@Dserpaa‌ the shield is basically supposed to help babies who have trouble latching. It's shaped like a nipple so if someone has inverted/flat nipples it makes it easier for baby to latch. In my case DD kept refusing the left so I was feeding her only on the right, which caused the left to get engorged so the poor thing couldn't latch on if she tried because her mouth wouldn't fit around the nipple. The shield worked great because she was able to fit on it. After using it a few times I tried feeding her without it and she latched right on! Hope this helps!

Ekg688

We're going on vacation and have a 5 hour car ride. We're going to give DD a bottle (of breast milk) then take a quick 10-15 min stop to burp and change vs stopping for an hr (ish) to feed, burp and change. I was wondering how you ladies are warming bottles on the go? I'll be in the car so no power. Right now my plan is to take a thermos of hot water and pop it in until it's warm.

I could also pump but I'll be crammed in the backseat and know I won't be able to relax/get comfy.

TwizzyG

Ekg688 said:

I was wondering how you ladies are warming bottles on the go? I'll be in the car so no power. Right now my plan is to take a thermos of hot water and pop it in until it's warm.

I think your idea sounds great. You could also just try to give it room temperature and see if your LO takes it.

TwizzyG

Don't know if my DD is going through a growth spurt or what (she's almost 3weeks), but after nursing both sides she was still extremely fussy, so we gave her a 2oz bottle of breast milk. She guzzled that down and was still crying. So we gave her another 2-3oz and she was FINALLY satisfied.

I feel a little guilty resorting to the bottle so quickly, but it was a huge relief to finally have her be full (not to mention...a nice break for my boobs). Plus, I think DH was pretty stoked to finally be able to feed her.

JuniperGaze

LO is 4 weeks old and I'm thinking it's probably safe to introduce a bottle now that BF is well established. I go back to work in 8 weeks so she will need to take a bottle by then. Any advice on how to start?

bchildrn

@Ekg688‌ babies r us carries a portable warmer that plugs into plug in the car (like where you'd charge your phone) and fits into a cup holder. I haven't tried mine yet but seems like it would work well. It wraps around the bottle and no water required for heating.

Allison546

JuniperGaze said:

LO is 4 weeks old and I'm thinking it's probably safe to introduce a bottle now that BF is well established. I go back to work in 8 weeks so she will need to take a bottle by then. Any advice on how to start?

I've read that it's best to have someone else besides you give the bottle for the first time, so try having your SO feed LO a few ounces. Also try to pump around the same time LO takes a bottle so that you are not essentially skipping the feeding.

TRyan86

Two topics of discussion:
1) for those ladies with fast letdown. Do you also have oversupply? How do you know exactly? What are you doing to correct or will it eventually correction it's own?
2) LO did a 4.5 hour stretch last night which meant I got a decent stretch of sleep but woke up soaked through nursing pads (cloth)/bra/shirt, and so engorged she was never getting on the left side - had of manually pump a few ounces first. Partly this is because she has only been eating off one side at a time in the last few days so she hadn't eaten off the left from 10-6. Help!