Should my LO be more efficient by this point? He's 6 weeks and still takes 15-20 minutes per side.
I wish LO was that "inefficient". She takes 60-70 minutes each feeding!
@vrj0522 very true I should be thankful. I guess my 30-40 minutes is no big deal hah. (About an hour with burping breaks and diaper change) I just see ladies posting here 7-8 minutes and I just think how nice that would be!
Anyone have any experience with the Medela Calma nipple? It's also supposed to have baby really work at it in order to get milk flowing, mimicking the breast. I'm probably going to introduce a bottle in the next few days, as LO will be 4 weeks on Wednesday. Kind of nervous about the whole thing!
I hated that expensive thing! Dr browns are slower flow IMO
I also tried the calma and it didn't work for my LO. I ended up calling Medela and told them about it. They ended up sending me a replacement so I could take back to the store and get a refund.
Okay, this is probably a silly question at this point, but how do you know your LO is full vs just tired. We just switched from mostly pumping last Thursday and she does not eat for long and she gets really mad if I keep trying to latch her. She never spends more than 10 min on the first side and if she takes the second side she never spends more than five. She often falls asleep and will not latch again no matter what I do to wake her. If she's awake she often will just stick her tongue out but won't open her mouth or she will open her mouth but not latch anymore and then scream at me. She doesn't comfort suck so I take this to mean she is full but it seems pretty quick considering that we are doing exercises from an OT to help with sucking weakness and we only starting BFing full time last week. Last Monday at our lactation appointment, before we switched to nursing full time, she transfered 1 oz in six min on the first side and then 0.6 in about the same amount of time on the second. Wet diaper output is good but her most recent poop was olive green. I guess my question in all of this is how many times to you keep trying to get them to latch until you just end the feeding and wait until the next hunger cues. She only really gets upset with the repeated attempts to latch and she does not pull off upset.
I'm going to call the LC consultant tomorrow, but I am curious to hear from you guys as well.
@JessAnnJ How old is your LO? I would follow the instructions of your OT or LC based on the info you provided about needing to strengthen her suck, but for a baby with no complications, I would say nurse on demand and watch weight gain and diaper output. Green poops are not a big deal. If she's happy and gaining weight well, spending enough awake time alert and calm, and producing good poops, she's getting enough and there's no need to wake her to continue a feeding.
If, however, she is tiring because of having to compensate for some issue or work harder to feed than normal, perhaps she does need waking. If she strongly objects to being awoken right then, maybe waiting 10 minutes or so and then waking her to continue nursing would work?
@katedann Can you have LO's latch evaluated by an IBCLC, or meet with a LLL Leader, in the meantime? Maybe they could give you some tips for helping LO open wide and maintain a deep latch. They can also go ahead and start looking for the underlying cause of LO's tendency to clamp down.
Do you suspect that you have an oversupply? Sometimes this can cause baby to clamp down. Tongue and lip ties can also be to blame. There are a number of possibilities, so having LO checked out is a great idea, and if you don't want to wait until you can see the PT, maybe try specific breastfeeding help. Good luck!
@keelyd ((hugs)) You've received some great advice about trying other bottle nipples, so I have just one thing to add. The laid-back breastfeeding position can really help baby get a deep latch. It's worth it to try nursing that way and see if LO's latch improves. It's also a very different position than one in which he would be fed a bottle...may be different enough that he doesn't treat your nipple like a bottle. Good luck!
DS is a month old and the past few days he isn't wanting to nurse more than 5-6 minutes on each side, and he usually only wants one side. He's only nursing maybe an hour and a half a day.
Still has plenty of wet and dirty diapers, but I'm concerned he doesn't want to eat much. I'm assuming I watch diaper output and just keep taking him to the breast and trying to get him to nurse.
I brought it up at our pedi appointment, but they think all breastfed babies should nurse for 15 minutes on both sides at every feeding.
So DS's new thing is to scream while at the breast but only at night. After 8, he'll latch, unlatch and scream. He's not normally a screamer and I don't have this problem with him during the day. He's had 4 bottles in the last week, the last one was yesterday. I'm really hoping this isn't the beginning of a nursing strike. It's frustrating because he used to be so good about nursing to sleep and now he just refuses. It takes over an hour to get him to sleep and I have to walk around while I nurse and bounce him and those things don't work always. I'm upset because I'm afraid there's something wrong with my supply and also because I don't want to give up BFing.
Me: 30 | DH: 4/12/85 - 6/16/14 | Quinn Patrick born 9/28/14
DS is a month old and the past few days he isn't wanting to nurse more than 5-6 minutes on each side, and he usually only wants one side. He's only nursing maybe an hour and a half a day.
Still has plenty of wet and dirty diapers, but I'm concerned he doesn't want to eat much. I'm assuming I watch diaper output and just keep taking him to the breast and trying to get him to nurse.
I brought it up at our pedi appointment, but they think all breastfed babies should nurse for 15 minutes on both sides at every feeding.
Every baby is different, every nursing mother is different, and every mother-baby pair is different. Sounds like your pedi forgot this. If his weight gain is good and diaper output normal, and if he's a happy kid, you can set all worry aside. He may just be super efficient already. Continue what you're doing and offer the other side when he seems to be done. If he doesn't want it, he is probably truly full and will be fine for a bit. He'll let you know when he's hungry again.
@katedann Can you have LO's latch evaluated by an IBCLC, or meet with a LLL Leader, in the meantime? Maybe they could give you some tips for helping LO open wide and maintain a deep latch. They can also go ahead and start looking for the underlying cause of LO's tendency to clamp down.
Do you suspect that you have an oversupply? Sometimes this can cause baby to clamp down. Tongue and lip ties can also be to blame. There are a number of possibilities, so having LO checked out is a great idea, and if you don't want to wait until you can see the PT, maybe try specific breastfeeding help. Good luck!
Thanks for the advice, @Emerald27 ! I actually saw an LC last week and did attend a LLL meeting at the beginning of November too. The LC was the one who suggested talking to our pediatrician about PT and gave me some tips for getting a good latch at the beginning of her feeding. Of course, LO did pretty well (didn't clamp down as much as she usually does) during the appointment.
I do think (and LC agreed) that I likely have an oversupply. LO weighed 5-10 at birth and is 8-8 at 6 weeks. I've noticed much less engorgement over the last couple of days, so I'm hoping that's regulating a bit. I've been reclining while nursing, but can't tell if it's helping all that much.
We were able to make an appointment with the PT for next Monday, so I just have to make it through this week! Just following this thread has helped me feel so supported and encouraged that eventually breastfeeding will be an enjoyable experience! Thanks, ladies!!
So DS's new thing is to scream while at the breast but only at night. After 8, he'll latch, unlatch and scream. He's not normally a screamer and I don't have this problem with him during the day. He's had 4 bottles in the last week, the last one was yesterday. I'm really hoping this isn't the beginning of a nursing strike. It's frustrating because he used to be so good about nursing to sleep and now he just refuses. It takes over an hour to get him to sleep and I have to walk around while I nurse and bounce him and those things don't work always. I'm upset because I'm afraid there's something wrong with my supply and also because I don't want to give up BFing.
Does he do this all night or just from 8 until he goes to sleep? If the latter, it could be a witching hour thing. Keeping the lights low, maybe playing soft music or giving him a massage, walking and bouncing like you're doing, skin to skin and nursing as much as he wants to...just getting him through that rough patch...will help. Witching hour behavior doesn't last forever. It's just a phase, but it is a super hard phase on mama.
Your supply is lowest in the evening, but that doesn't mean it's "low" or inadequate. It just means LO needs to work harder for his milk, and may nurse more frequently or act frustrated at times.
If it's all night and only during the night, look at other external causes. Are you nursing in a different place than you do during the day? Different position? How is he dressed, and what's the house temperature like? If it's a nighttime and all night thing, maybe there's something going on that is bothering him. Best of luck!
So lipstick shaped nipple after nursing but not painful... okay or should I still be trying to fix this. We nursed in a reclined position it wasn't hurting while nursing so I didn't unlatch her but noticed it after she popped off.
@sabby2 I am no expert by any means but I had the same problem with my son. He was tongue tied & once it was clipped the problem was resolved. Again, take what I say with a grain salt, just my experience.
Me: 37, DH: 42 Married March 22, 2003 TTC since early 2006, Fertility treatments since 02/2013 First Pregnancy with Twins EDD 10.24.2014
@sabby2 I am no expert by any means but I had the same problem with my son. He was tongue tied & once it was clipped the problem was resolved. Again, take what I say with a grain salt, just my experience.
As far as I know she's not tongue tied. Maybe posterior? I should probably just make an appointment to work with the lactation consultant again.
So lipstick shaped nipple after nursing but not painful... okay or should I still be trying to fix this. We nursed in a reclined position it wasn't hurting while nursing so I didn't unlatch her but noticed it after she popped off.
One time thing or is it always this way? It's probably nothing to worry about, but if you start feeling any soreness or note that his latch really is shallow, maybe work on helping him open wider and try some varying positions (laid back is great, though!).
Thank you @Emerald27. Sometimes I just need some reassurance. It's only from around 8 until he falls asleep. Hopefully it's a temporary thing.
It's the same in this house, and many many babies (I'd even venture to say most) have a fussy time in the evening. This often starts around 6-8 weeks and runs anywhere from a couple weeks to 5 months. It's just something kids do. They've been stimulated all day, the milk is harder to get, they're tired...they're just done.
If you have a baby carrier that's comfortable and the weather is nice where you live, taking a walk during this time can help make baby calm. I've found that walking around with DS in the "colic hold" helps him fuss less in the evening, and turning down the lights helps too.
So lipstick shaped nipple after nursing but not painful... okay or should I still be trying to fix this. We nursed in a reclined position it wasn't hurting while nursing so I didn't unlatch her but noticed it after she popped off.
One time thing or is it always this way? It's probably nothing to worry about, but if you start feeling any soreness or note that his latch really is shallow, maybe work on helping him open wider and try some varying positions (laid back is great, though!).
Basically this happens any time we don't use the nipple shield. Most of the time it is painful. It seems to happen no matter what position we use. Frustrating. DD just gets really worked up sometimes and it gets very difficult to keep unlatching.
So lipstick shaped nipple after nursing but not painful... okay or should I still be trying to fix this. We nursed in a reclined position it wasn't hurting while nursing so I didn't unlatch her but noticed it after she popped off.
One time thing or is it always this way? It's probably nothing to worry about, but if you start feeling any soreness or note that his latch really is shallow, maybe work on helping him open wider and try some varying positions (laid back is great, though!).
Basically this happens any time we don't use the nipple shield. Most of the time it is painful. It seems to happen no matter what position we use. Frustrating. DD just gets really worked up sometimes and it gets very difficult to keep unlatching.
I don't remember, but have you had LO's evaluated by an IBCLC?
So lipstick shaped nipple after nursing but not painful... okay or should I still be trying to fix this. We nursed in a reclined position it wasn't hurting while nursing so I didn't unlatch her but noticed it after she popped off.
One time thing or is it always this way? It's probably nothing to worry about, but if you start feeling any soreness or note that his latch really is shallow, maybe work on helping him open wider and try some varying positions (laid back is great, though!).
Basically this happens any time we don't use the nipple shield. Most of the time it is painful. It seems to happen no matter what position we use. Frustrating. DD just gets really worked up sometimes and it gets very difficult to keep unlatching.
I don't remember, but have you had LO's evaluated by an IBCLC?
We went once around 2 weeks for help getting off the nipple shield (dd refused to latch without it). Of course dd did everything perfectly while we were there. We had a handful of successful sessions after that but it's been going downhill since. DD will latch without the shield and seems to be on properly but then changes the latch and we end up with the weird shapes and pain.
She gets really frustrated if I continue to unlatch and try to fix it and we almost always end up using a shield after because she gets so mad and won't try anymore.
She seems to have a really strong suck because I usually end up with marks on my nipple from the holes in the top of the shield. That hurts too so I would really like to not use the pesky thing.
@sabby2 I would really consider going back and having LO evaluated for a posterior tongue tie. Oftentimes tongue tied kids can get a good latch but struggle to maintain it, and fall down off the nipple during the course of the feeding. As the latch gets shallower and shallower, mom's nipples hurt more and more, and the shallow latch creates that compressed look.
Here's a great illustration of the difference between a tongue tied baby nursing and a baby with normal range of motion in her tongue nursing. The baby with a tied tongue will not be able to extend it far over the lower gum to draw the nipple back to the soft palate. Instead, mom's nipple will be pressed against baby's hard palate, creating that lipstick look: Even just to rule out tongue tie as the underlying cause of Lo's latch trouble, it could be worth the evaluation.
@keelyd LO has an appointment with a PT next Monday. Since it sounds like we're having the same issue, I'll definitely let you know how it goes. The pediatrician seemed to think it would help significantly and be a relatively quick fix.
In the meantime, now I have blood blisters on both nipples. Calling the LC when the office opens at 9...
I am going to a Christmas party from 6-10 next Friday and leaving LO with my parents. Should I pump during that time? The party is only about 15-20 mins away.
I am no expert but I think you should be fine without pumping. Just feed before leaving and I would even suggest feeding and pumping when you get back. As long as it's just a one time thing, I think you should be fine.
Me: 38 DH: 36 Married 8/27/2011 BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012 BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014 BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017 BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
Just wanted to share my success. I haven't had to use the shield in over 24 hours. And before that it had been only at night for about a week. I see an end to this annoying thing!
Just wanted to share my success. I haven't had to use the shield in over 24 hours. And before that it had been only at night for about a week. I see an end to this annoying thing!
Jealous! Were working on weaning..
I've been working on it for about 3 weeks now. It was really slow going at the beginning, he'd latch without it, suck once or twice, pull off and refuse to go back on without it.
I'd take a hand pump with you and a change of shirt. If you aren't used to going that long between feeds you might get engorged leak and need to express some milk
This, @cantisa. I would bring a hand pump and just pump for a few minutes at some point. Not worth the discomfort of engorgement or leaking everywhere. Plus, if the party is 6-10, you still have to drive there and home, so potentially 5 hours. That would not be comfortable!
Just want to give hugs and support to all those ladies trying to wean off the nipple shield. We successfully did it, so it is possible! We still have trouble latching on the side I was using it on sometimes, but it's slowly getting better.
@narabug I'm so happy for you that an end is in sight for you with the shield. How did you do that?!? We are struggling with it here. We went to a bf support group and , of course, we were able to do without the shield there, with the nurse's help after initially latching with the shield. But at home, he just pushes away from me after 1-2 sucks without the shield and then starts screaming. I feel like it's torture to him and then I just give in and put the shield back. Any tips besides starting with the shield and then take it away? We are going back to the bf class tomorrow but I need all the help I can get thanks!
@drgriffith I always tried to start without the shield and when he got too upset then I'd put it on. I just kept doing it that way every feeding. And even if he needed it on one side, he didn't necessarily need it when we got to the second side, so make sure you try without it again there. Trying to catch his hunger cues before he was crying helped a lot too, initially. Now that doesn't seem to make a difference.
I'd take a hand pump with you and a change of shirt. If you aren't used to going that long between feeds you might get engorged leak and need to express some milk
This, @cantisa. I would bring a hand pump and just pump for a few minutes at some point. Not worth the discomfort of engorgement or leaking everywhere. Plus, if the party is 6-10, you still have to drive there and home, so potentially 5 hours. That would not be comfortable!
Perfect thank you both. I was also worried about my supply. Can one stretch here and there where you don't pump when LO gets bottle be detrimental? Or can it just be an extra pump that day sometime? Thanks!
I wouldn't do it often. Anytime you become really full, your body releases FIL (feedback inhibitor of lactation) which signals your body to produce less milk. It's one thing if you have an oversupply or something, but if you're not nursing or pumping and life gets in the way of emptying your breasts, you can run into supply issues.
Once or twice probably wouldn't hurt anything, but definitely don't make a habit of it.
I made another appointment with the LC for next week and she told me to pump while my nips heal. 2 questions:
1. If she usually only takes one side, should I only pump one side at a time? 2. I just gave her 2.5oz in a bottle (paced to 20 minutes). She kept acting like she was hungry so I burped her for 5 minutes, then offered the breast for 5, burped for 5, then she took the breast for another 5. Doesn't that seem like too much? She probably took almost 3.5oz in 35 minutes!
Interesting, @keelyd, she was sucking so hard on the bottle at the beginning, that the nipple collapsed twice! No wonder I'm in pain!
I made another appointment with the LC for next week and she told me to pump while my nips heal. 2 questions:
1. If she usually only takes one side, should I only pump one side at a time? 2. I just gave her 2.5oz in a bottle (paced to 20 minutes). She kept acting like she was hungry so I burped her for 5 minutes, then offered the breast for 5, burped for 5, then she took the breast for another 5. Doesn't that seem like too much? She probably took almost 3.5oz in 35 minutes!
Interesting, @keelyd, she was sucking so hard on the bottle at the beginning, that the nipple collapsed twice! No wonder I'm in pain!
@katedann -- he does the same thing. I'm going to go buy different nipples today (trying the lansinoh natural wave) to see if they help at all.
@keelyd I just bought one of those this morning. I'm going to try it too. The LC said that one would probably work well because it's firmer than the others.
LO is 6.5 weeks old, and my nipples have just started hurting during nursing. Is it possible that increased pacifier use can lead to a lazy/bad latch? I'm also feeling like my supply is low the last few days...LO only feeds for 5-8 mins at a time, and has been sleeping 6.5-8 hrs every night. thinking about pumping more frequently to keep supply up...or is it more likely that my oversupply is just regulating itself?
Is his diaper output good, and is he a happy guy? As long as you're nursing on demand, it's ok for him to take short feedings. Your supply is probably regulating, but there wouldn't be a problem with offering to nurse in between usual feedings.
The pain could be from the pacifier causing trouble, but it could be something else. What is the pain like, and how is his latch?
LO is 6.5 weeks old, and my nipples have just started hurting during nursing. Is it possible that increased pacifier use can lead to a lazy/bad latch? I'm also feeling like my supply is low the last few days...LO only feeds for 5-8 mins at a time, and has been sleeping 6.5-8 hrs every night. thinking about pumping more frequently to keep supply up...or is it more likely that my oversupply is just regulating itself?
Is his diaper output good, and is he a happy guy? As long as you're nursing on demand, it's ok for him to take short feedings. Your supply is probably regulating, but there wouldn't be a problem with offering to nurse in between usual feedings.
The pain could be from the pacifier causing trouble, but it could be something else. What is the pain like, and how is his latch?
Yeah, diaper output is still good and he's pretty happy, other than gas pains. My breasts feel much softer than usual, which is why I was concerned of low supply.
The best way I can describe the pain is, my nipple in a vice. He usually rolls in his upper lip, but now has started rolling in lower as well. I always try to loosen up the lower lip and flange it out, but that doesn't always help. It seems like maybe he's not taking in as much of the nipple anymore, and he pulls off a lot.
Is he lip or tongue tied? Sometimes when moms have an oversupply in the beginning, ties are no big deal because the milk flows so readily that a good, deep latch isn't really all that necessary to get the milk they need. And mom doesn't notice pain or trauma because baby isn't pressing hard on the nipple to express the milk. Then when mom's supply regulates, it becomes more work to nurse, and the tie(s) begin to affect latch and mom's comfort more and more. If you think this could be the case for your LO, maybe it would be a good idea to have his latch evaluated by an IBCLC, and she can either diagnose a tie or just show you some better positioning techniques. Good luck!
ETA: DS2 has an upper lip tie that I'm keeping an eye on. It's fairly restricted but hasn't caused us trouble yet. My fingers are crossed that as my supply regulates, nursing remains comfortable.
LO is 6.5 weeks old, and my nipples have just started hurting during nursing. Is it possible that increased pacifier use can lead to a lazy/bad latch? I'm also feeling like my supply is low the last few days...LO only feeds for 5-8 mins at a time, and has been sleeping 6.5-8 hrs every night. thinking about pumping more frequently to keep supply up...or is it more likely that my oversupply is just regulating itself?
Is his diaper output good, and is he a happy guy? As long as you're nursing on demand, it's ok for him to take short feedings. Your supply is probably regulating, but there wouldn't be a problem with offering to nurse in between usual feedings.
The pain could be from the pacifier causing trouble, but it could be something else. What is the pain like, and how is his latch?
Yeah, diaper output is still good and he's pretty happy, other than gas pains. My breasts feel much softer than usual, which is why I was concerned of low supply.
The best way I can describe the pain is, my nipple in a vice. He usually rolls in his upper lip, but now has started rolling in lower as well. I always try to loosen up the lower lip and flange it out, but that doesn't always help. It seems like maybe he's not taking in as much of the nipple anymore, and he pulls off a lot.
Is he lip or tongue tied? Sometimes when moms have an oversupply in the beginning, ties are no big deal because the milk flows so readily that a good, deep latch isn't really all that necessary to get the milk they need. And mom doesn't notice pain or trauma because baby isn't pressing hard on the nipple to express the milk. Then when mom's supply regulates, it becomes more work to nurse, and the tie(s) begin to affect latch and mom's comfort more and more. If you think this could be the case for your LO, maybe it would be a good idea to have his latch evaluated by an IBCLC, and she can either diagnose a tie or just show you some better positioning techniques. Good luck!
ETA: DS2 has an upper lip tie that I'm keeping an eye on. It's fairly restricted but hasn't caused us trouble yet. My fingers are crossed that as my supply regulates, nursing remains comfortable.
Ohhhh hmm, that's very possible! The nurses at the hospital said it looked like he has a mild tongue tie, and I'm pretty sure he also has an upper lip tie. I'll definitely get it checked out...that makes total sense! How hard would it be for him to re-figure out nursing after having those fixed?
LO is 6.5 weeks old, and my nipples have just started hurting during nursing. Is it possible that increased pacifier use can lead to a lazy/bad latch? I'm also feeling like my supply is low the last few days...LO only feeds for 5-8 mins at a time, and has been sleeping 6.5-8 hrs every night. thinking about pumping more frequently to keep supply up...or is it more likely that my oversupply is just regulating itself?
Is his diaper output good, and is he a happy guy? As long as you're nursing on demand, it's ok for him to take short feedings. Your supply is probably regulating, but there wouldn't be a problem with offering to nurse in between usual feedings.
The pain could be from the pacifier causing trouble, but it could be something else. What is the pain like, and how is his latch?
Yeah, diaper output is still good and he's pretty happy, other than gas pains. My breasts feel much softer than usual, which is why I was concerned of low supply.
The best way I can describe the pain is, my nipple in a vice. He usually rolls in his upper lip, but now has started rolling in lower as well. I always try to loosen up the lower lip and flange it out, but that doesn't always help. It seems like maybe he's not taking in as much of the nipple anymore, and he pulls off a lot.
Is he lip or tongue tied? Sometimes when moms have an oversupply in the beginning, ties are no big deal because the milk flows so readily that a good, deep latch isn't really all that necessary to get the milk they need. And mom doesn't notice pain or trauma because baby isn't pressing hard on the nipple to express the milk. Then when mom's supply regulates, it becomes more work to nurse, and the tie(s) begin to affect latch and mom's comfort more and more. If you think this could be the case for your LO, maybe it would be a good idea to have his latch evaluated by an IBCLC, and she can either diagnose a tie or just show you some better positioning techniques. Good luck!
ETA: DS2 has an upper lip tie that I'm keeping an eye on. It's fairly restricted but hasn't caused us trouble yet. My fingers are crossed that as my supply regulates, nursing remains comfortable.
Ohhhh hmm, that's very possible! The nurses at the hospital said it looked like he has a mild tongue tie, and I'm pretty sure he also has an upper lip tie. I'll definitely get it checked out...that makes total sense! How hard would it be for him to re-figure out nursing after having those fixed?
How old is he now?
He'll be 7 weeks on Friday...
You'll likely notice a difference immediately after the revision, but that doesn't last. It will take about a week (sometimes two in extreme cases) for him to learn to latch properly and get used to the newfound freedom of movement in his mouth.
I like to use the analogy of a runner preparing for a marathon with her shoes tied together. If she trains the whole time with her shoes tied together, so that she takes short little steps, what will happen on the day of the race if her trainer unties her shoes? Will she have a long, natural stride? Of course not! Her muscles were trained in short stride. But now that her shoes have been untied, she can stretch and lengthen her muscles, and gradually achieve a more natural gait. So with a tongue tied baby who has a revision, they're almost starting over learning to nurse as though they've just been born. It's not immediate, but you will definitely see results soon!
Is it possible for a baby to be tongue tied if he can suck out his tongue well past his lips?
Nursing is still painful for me, and LO will be 4 weeks tomorrow. The pedi said he has a very mild tongue tie but that it doesn't need to be revised. He can stick his tongue out far so I just believed it, but my nips are seriously sore and they aren't getting better. I'm about ready to quit
Re: Breastfeeding Links & Talk
@vrj0522 very true I should be thankful. I guess my 30-40 minutes is no big deal hah. (About an hour with burping breaks and diaper change) I just see ladies posting here 7-8 minutes and I just think how nice that would be!
I'm going to call the LC consultant tomorrow, but I am curious to hear from you guys as well.
If, however, she is tiring because of having to compensate for some issue or work harder to feed than normal, perhaps she does need waking. If she strongly objects to being awoken right then, maybe waiting 10 minutes or so and then waking her to continue nursing would work?
Do you suspect that you have an oversupply? Sometimes this can cause baby to clamp down. Tongue and lip ties can also be to blame. There are a number of possibilities, so having LO checked out is a great idea, and if you don't want to wait until you can see the PT, maybe try specific breastfeeding help. Good luck!
ETA: side-lying too!
Still has plenty of wet and dirty diapers, but I'm concerned he doesn't want to eat much. I'm assuming I watch diaper output and just keep taking him to the breast and trying to get him to nurse.
I brought it up at our pedi appointment, but they think all breastfed babies should nurse for 15 minutes on both sides at every feeding.
I actually saw an LC last week and did attend a LLL meeting at the beginning of November too. The LC was the one who suggested talking to our pediatrician about PT and gave me some tips for getting a good latch at the beginning of her feeding. Of course, LO did pretty well (didn't clamp down as much as she usually does) during the appointment.
I do think (and LC agreed) that I likely have an oversupply. LO weighed 5-10 at birth and is 8-8 at 6 weeks. I've noticed much less engorgement over the last couple of days, so I'm hoping that's regulating a bit. I've been reclining while nursing, but can't tell if it's helping all that much.
We were able to make an appointment with the PT for next Monday, so I just have to make it through this week! Just following this thread has helped me feel so supported and encouraged that eventually breastfeeding will be an enjoyable experience! Thanks, ladies!!
Your supply is lowest in the evening, but that doesn't mean it's "low" or inadequate. It just means LO needs to work harder for his milk, and may nurse more frequently or act frustrated at times.
If it's all night and only during the night, look at other external causes. Are you nursing in a different place than you do during the day? Different position? How is he dressed, and what's the house temperature like? If it's a nighttime and all night thing, maybe there's something going on that is bothering him. Best of luck!
If you have a baby carrier that's comfortable and the weather is nice where you live, taking a walk during this time can help make baby calm. I've found that walking around with DS in the "colic hold" helps him fuss less in the evening, and turning down the lights helps too.
Basically this happens any time we don't use the nipple shield. Most of the time it is painful. It seems to happen no matter what position we use. Frustrating. DD just gets really worked up sometimes and it gets very difficult to keep unlatching.
She gets really frustrated if I continue to unlatch and try to fix it and we almost always end up using a shield after because she gets so mad and won't try anymore.
She seems to have a really strong suck because I usually end up with marks on my nipple from the holes in the top of the shield. That hurts too so I would really like to not use the pesky thing.
Here's a great illustration of the difference between a tongue tied baby nursing and a baby with normal range of motion in her tongue nursing. The baby with a tied tongue will not be able to extend it far over the lower gum to draw the nipple back to the soft palate. Instead, mom's nipple will be pressed against baby's hard palate, creating that lipstick look:
Even just to rule out tongue tie as the underlying cause of Lo's latch trouble, it could be worth the evaluation.
I'm glad to see it is normal and I am not alone. Hugs to all going through this. It is definitely not easy!
In the meantime, now I have blood blisters on both nipples. Calling the LC when the office opens at 9...
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
Just keep trying, you'll get there!
Maybe @Emerald27 has some more tips?
Once or twice probably wouldn't hurt anything, but definitely don't make a habit of it.
1. If she usually only takes one side, should I only pump one side at a time?
2. I just gave her 2.5oz in a bottle (paced to 20 minutes). She kept acting like she was hungry so I burped her for 5 minutes, then offered the breast for 5, burped for 5, then she took the breast for another 5. Doesn't that seem like too much? She probably took almost 3.5oz in 35 minutes!
Interesting, @keelyd, she was sucking so hard on the bottle at the beginning, that the nipple collapsed twice! No wonder I'm in pain!
The pain could be from the pacifier causing trouble, but it could be something else. What is the pain like, and how is his latch?
ETA: DS2 has an upper lip tie that I'm keeping an eye on. It's fairly restricted but hasn't caused us trouble yet. My fingers are crossed that as my supply regulates, nursing remains comfortable.
I like to use the analogy of a runner preparing for a marathon with her shoes tied together. If she trains the whole time with her shoes tied together, so that she takes short little steps, what will happen on the day of the race if her trainer unties her shoes? Will she have a long, natural stride? Of course not! Her muscles were trained in short stride. But now that her shoes have been untied, she can stretch and lengthen her muscles, and gradually achieve a more natural gait. So with a tongue tied baby who has a revision, they're almost starting over learning to nurse as though they've just been born. It's not immediate, but you will definitely see results soon!
Nursing is still painful for me, and LO will be 4 weeks tomorrow. The pedi said he has a very mild tongue tie but that it doesn't need to be revised. He can stick his tongue out far so I just believed it, but my nips are seriously sore and they aren't getting better. I'm about ready to quit