I know pumping isn't any indication of supply issues but I'm feeling so defeated. I'm pumping so I can have bottles on hand for night time feedings and I'm just getting nothing. I'm lucky if I get an ounce total.
I just don't know what to do. I'm trying not to give up because I so desperately want to be able to breast feed and pump exclusively but it's so frustrating.
Any tips mamas? I'm gonna try to drink way more water and make some lactation cookies but I don't know what else to do.
Agree with PP about pumping while looking at your baby. Pumping around the same time everytime helps too. And of course that you are following the instructions on your pump correctly.
Whoops. Tried pumping because I thought I was too full since Zeke wasn't latching too well... Then I must have pumped too much because he's getting angry because he has to work harder to get any milk. I think I've managed to screw too much with my supply this weekend since he's gone longer between feedings and I should have pumped then but didn't (because I thought for sure he'd want to eat sooner than he did)... Hopefully I can fix the imbalance
Whoops. Tried pumping because I thought I was too full since Zeke wasn't latching too well... Then I must have pumped too much because he's getting angry because he has to work harder to get any milk. I think I've managed to screw too much with my supply this weekend since he's gone longer between feedings and I should have pumped then but didn't (because I thought for sure he'd want to eat sooner than he did)... Hopefully I can fix the imbalance
Sounds like you just waited too long after nursing, so you didn't have time to "recharge" before your next session. Nothing to worry about, though it can definitely be frustrating when that happens.
I know pumping isn't any indication of supply issues but I'm feeling so defeated. I'm pumping so I can have bottles on hand for night time feedings and I'm just getting nothing. I'm lucky if I get an ounce total.
I just don't know what to do. I'm trying not to give up because I so desperately want to be able to breast feed and pump exclusively but it's so frustrating.
Any tips mamas? I'm gonna try to drink way more water and make some lactation cookies but I don't know what else to do.
Agree with PP about pumping while looking at your baby. Pumping around the same time everytime helps too. And of course that you are following the instructions on your pump correctly.
I second making sure the pump is working properly. I had trouble getting the let down to happen with my Almeda Purely Yours, and it took a few tries to figure it out. I also noticed I did not pump as much when the valves or bladders were wearing down and needed replacement every few months.
I know pumping isn't any indication of supply issues but I'm feeling so defeated. I'm pumping so I can have bottles on hand for night time feedings and I'm just getting nothing. I'm lucky if I get an ounce total.
I just don't know what to do. I'm trying not to give up because I so desperately want to be able to breast feed and pump exclusively but it's so frustrating.
Any tips mamas? I'm gonna try to drink way more water and make some lactation cookies but I don't know what else to do.
Agree with PP about pumping while looking at your baby. Pumping around the same time everytime helps too. And of course that you are following the instructions on your pump correctly.
I second making sure the pump is working properly. I had trouble getting the let down to happen with my Almeda Purely Yours, and it took a few tries to figure it out. I also noticed I did not pump as much when the valves or bladders were wearing down and needed replacement every few months.
I would also check the size of your breast shields. Medela has a good picture in the instruction manual to help you know if the shields are the correct size. A LC can also help you size them.
I know pumping isn't any indication of supply issues but I'm feeling so defeated. I'm pumping so I can have bottles on hand for night time feedings and I'm just getting nothing. I'm lucky if I get an ounce total.
I just don't know what to do. I'm trying not to give up because I so desperately want to be able to breast feed and pump exclusively but it's so frustrating.
Any tips mamas? I'm gonna try to drink way more water and make some lactation cookies but I don't know what else to do.
No tips for you, just wanted to let you know you're not alone. Mine is breastfeeding fine but I want to start pumping now for when I go back to work and I seriously get next to nothing!! I did a happy dance last week when I collectively pumped 1 freaking ounce, and have not been able to replicate that since, it's depressing. Unless I can figure this out we'll have to switch to formula for some feedings. I've done everything I can think of, next step is to get some smaller flange sizes because I feel like mine don't fit right.
I know pumping isn't any indication of supply issues but I'm feeling so defeated. I'm pumping so I can have bottles on hand for night time feedings and I'm just getting nothing. I'm lucky if I get an ounce total.
I just don't know what to do. I'm trying not to give up because I so desperately want to be able to breast feed and pump exclusively but it's so frustrating.
Any tips mamas? I'm gonna try to drink way more water and make some lactation cookies but I don't know what else to do.
No tips for you, just wanted to let you know you're not alone. Mine is breastfeeding fine but I want to start pumping now for when I go back to work and I seriously get next to nothing!! I did a happy dance last week when I collectively pumped 1 freaking ounce, and have not been able to replicate that since, it's depressing. Unless I can figure this out we'll have to switch to formula for some feedings. I've done everything I can think of, next step is to get some smaller flange sizes because I feel like mine don't fit right.
Try changing the intensity of the pump. For me if I turned it up too high I pumped less then when the intensity was lower. Try hand expressing also. I hand expressed for a few days, then the pump worked much better. Some PP mentioned holding your LO when pumping, l found just flipping thru pictures of DD helped too. When I first started pumping for DS when he was about a month old I got very little. I stuck with pumping once most nights after DS went to bed and by the time I went back to work I was pumping enough at work for his day at day care. Don't panic yet if pumping is not going well, I think it can take a bit for your body to get used to the pump sometimes.
I was having this problem and my poor baby was choking and sputtering it seemed like just a few seconds into nursing. Best thing that worked for me was putting her so she was nursing against gravity - sitting up nearly in football hold or just propped up in my arms (thank goodness for pillows!). It went away after a few days!!
So LO hates the right boob. My nipple is a little flat on that side and so I have to play with it to get it hard for him to suck. It's really difficult because it flattens back out within seconds. My sister suggested pumping just the right and feeding with the left... Has anyone tried this? Or can anyone offer advice please
So LO hates the right boob. My nipple is a little flat on that side and so I have to play with it to get it hard for him to suck. It's really difficult because it flattens back out within seconds. My sister suggested pumping just the right and feeding with the left... Has anyone tried this? Or can anyone offer advice please
Have you tried different positions? My daughter had issues latching on my right side and it was the way I was holding her I had to do side lying or football hold and if I did football I had to be sitting straight up in a chair. Then because of a bad latch I got s horrible blister on that side. I had to use those positions and a nipple shield and with in a few days it got better and by a week we could use any position and started losing the shield.
You can try pumping for now. Just to keep the supply up. But I would play around with it. And get in to see an LC. They might have better ideas.
So nipple shields - how are you ladies getting them to stick? The little newborn hands make short work of that thing staying put. I have a medela one but I'm open to different brand suggestions.
So nipple shields - how are you ladies getting them to stick? The little newborn hands make short work of that thing staying put. I have a medela one but I'm open to different brand suggestions.
I kind of hold it there with 2 fingers until he latches. As soon as he starts sucking it stays put. Of course this is most difficult in the middle of the night when lights are low and I can't see and LO thinks he's about to die of starvation so he's screaming like a banshee. Never mind that he had literally just eaten for 20 minutes on the other boob...
@rachswi I have an appointment with LC later this week so hopefully that will help. @Pontot31 I have tried football and the usual side hold and the football hold caused death screams haha I don't know much about Nipple shields but my sister has been helping a lot and I'm sure the LC will help too. So hopefully they can help me get him to latch better
So nipple shields - how are you ladies getting them to stick? The little newborn hands make short work of that thing staying put. I have a medela one but I'm open to different brand suggestions.
This video helped me a lot with how to get the nipple shield on as well as getting the most amount of nipple into the shield:
@mrsaragon - you could try a nipple shield. It makes it a lot easier for your LO to latch. Of course now I'm at the point where I'm not certain my LO will latch without the shield but considering how much difficulty and pain we had prior to the shield I'm not sure I'm ready to go without yet anyway.
We went back to the LC today and she actually gave me a nipple shield to try since over the weekend we had no more luck with getting him to latch. It worked like a charm but I'm worried, like you, he won't want to eat without it after a while. She thinks his mouth just isn't big enough right now to get a deep enough latch so we'll give it a few weeks and try it without it! I'll take what I can get for now since it's not feeding him with the syringe. And it feels so much better to feed him with it. Barley any discomfort which I'm so thankful for. His latch was so poor before I had scabs and cracks
@mrsaragon - you could try a nipple shield. It makes it a lot easier for your LO to latch. Of course now I'm at the point where I'm not certain my LO will latch without the shield but considering how much difficulty and pain we had prior to the shield I'm not sure I'm ready to go without yet anyway.
We went back to the LC today and she actually gave me a nipple shield to try since over the weekend we had no more luck with getting him to latch. It worked like a charm but I'm worried, like you, he won't want to eat without it after a while. She thinks his mouth just isn't big enough right now to get a deep enough latch so we'll give it a few weeks and try it without it! I'll take what I can get for now since it's not feeding him with the syringe. And it feels so much better to feed him with it. Barley any discomfort which I'm so thankful for. His latch was so poor before I had scabs and cracks
I feel like I'm just in the "do whatever it takes" stage. He won't eat without the shield. So I'll use the shield. He often wants to eat for hours at a time. So I get comfy for the long haul. He won't sleep without being held. So I hold him. And I remember that all this is a phase. He's too young to spoil. He just needs mommy.
So LO hates the right boob. My nipple is a little flat on that side and so I have to play with it to get it hard for him to suck. It's really difficult because it flattens back out within seconds. My sister suggested pumping just the right and feeding with the left... Has anyone tried this? Or can anyone offer advice please
Like others said it's probably worth looking into other options like the shield, but don't stress over it. A friend of mine nursed her son for almost two years on just one side bc the other was too difficult. Also, once LO is a little older it might be easier to get him to latch on that side.
So nipple shields - how are you ladies getting them to stick? The little newborn hands make short work of that thing staying put. I have a medela one but I'm open to different brand suggestions.
I just tried putting some lanolin on my nipple before I put the shield on and that seemed to help it stick. I have the medela one as well
So still trying to figure out how to ween DD off the shield. I can start her on shield then quickly take it off and she will latch after minor fussing but after burping have to restart the whole process. I can't get her to latch without shield on the left.
Anyone else producing way too much milk? I've been feeding baby on demand and pumping every 2-3 hours yet I'm still beyond engorged. The milk in the fridge is sitting so long I'm afraid it will expire and I've been freezing most of it. Ugh I need help...
I know they can be cluster feeding now, but is HOURS on the breast without really taking a break (minus mandatory diaper changes) normal?! I swear this kid has been on me from 9:30 this morning until now. With maybe an hour or two where I changed him and took a shower. I can't imagine him eating this whole time but whenever I try to take him off to burp him or put him down he starts rooting it looking for it and crying until he's latched back on and eating.
Had my little yesterday and due to flat nipples she wasn't eating was screaming and not voiding at all so we are supplementing with formula..I have a pump and tried it tonogjt the only problem is that it made my uterus contract so badly I felt like I was in labor again. How do you get through breast feeding while our bodies are trying to get back to normal without the excruciating pain??? I want to be able to breast feed but she won't eat from me and I don't want my milk to not come in bc I'm not expressing my colostrum..
Anyone else producing way too much milk? I've been feeding baby on demand and pumping every 2-3 hours yet I'm still beyond engorged. The milk in the fridge is sitting so long I'm afraid it will expire and I've been freezing most of it. Ugh I need help...
You're producing too much because you're pumping in addition to feeding the baby. By pumping extra you're signaling your body to produce more. Just feed on demand and stop the extra pumping to regulate your supply. You're making yourself engorged. It'll take a few days to regulate.
I know they can be cluster feeding now, but is HOURS on the breast without really taking a break (minus mandatory diaper changes) normal?! I swear this kid has been on me from 9:30 this morning until now. With maybe an hour or two where I changed him and took a shower. I can't imagine him eating this whole time but whenever I try to take him off to burp him or put him down he starts rooting it looking for it and crying until he's latched back on and eating.
That pretty normal. Especially for a growth spurt, which happens a lot in the first few weeks.
Thank you ladies. @NovemberSno oh I'm annoyed with him too... he's a little weird. He's some kind of retired military, very short with answers, and he uses the metric system. The nurse told me LOs temperature in celcius and I was like sooo what is that in Farenheit? My SIL referred me to her pediatrician but he isn't taking new patients until December 1st. This is the pediatrician LO saw in the hospital so we're just using him until we can get in at the other one.
Ahhhh I see. Geeze some doctors man! Hopefully you guys will get the new one soon!
I'm having the same issues with nipple shields. I have an appointment with a LC on Tuesday, but the General way to wean them from it is to just keep offering your nipple from time to time?
I knew BFing was going to be hard but I wasn't expecting the soul crushing difficulty honestly.
Couldn't have said it better! Between bleeding nipples and having to result to EP I'm so sad. just when I started to try and get her back on the breast now my right breast hurts so bad just to touch it. No lumps just so sore on the right side under the armpit area. I am trying to resolve this now. I cried alot day today for every little thing. Mostly because this breast feeding thing has me torn up!!!! Then to top it off I came to pump while I was boiling some chicken. Normally I would've waited but my breast is in so much pain and I thought it'd help...it didn't. AND of course the freaking chicken catches fire in the kitchen. Ugh. At that point I broke down and did the Oprah cry! I feel like I want to give up BF but I wont! My boobs may have won this battle but they will NOT win the war!!!!
I'm having the same issues with nipple shields. I have an appointment with a LC on Tuesday, but the General way to wean them from it is to just keep offering your nipple from time to time?
I knew BFing was going to be hard but I wasn't expecting the soul crushing difficulty honestly.
Couldn't have said it better! Between bleeding nipples and having to result to EP I'm so sad. just when I started to try and get her back on the breast now my right breast hurts so bad just to touch it. No lumps just so sore on the right side under the armpit area. I am trying to resolve this now. I cried alot day today for every little thing. Mostly because this breast feeding thing has me torn up!!!! Then to top it off I came to pump while I was boiling some chicken. Normally I would've waited but my breast is in so much pain and I thought it'd help...it didn't. AND of course the freaking chicken catches fire in the kitchen. Ugh. At that point I broke down and did the Oprah cry! I feel like I want to give up BF but I wont! My boobs may have won this battle but they will NOT win the war!!!!
Just for laughs though ladies. Imagine me running from the bedroom with the bottles hanging from my nipples (i didn't have time to take my homemade nursing bra off) and trying to blow out a fire while my right breast feels like it's about to explode. And my two daughters 7 and 5 with a look on thier faces that says it all. I think they were contemplating who to call; the firemen, daddy, or the psych ward. Lol.
I'm having the same issues with nipple shields. I have an appointment with a LC on Tuesday, but the General way to wean them from it is to just keep offering your nipple from time to time?
I knew BFing was going to be hard but I wasn't expecting the soul crushing difficulty honestly.
Couldn't have said it better! Between bleeding nipples and having to result to EP I'm so sad. just when I started to try and get her back on the breast now my right breast hurts so bad just to touch it. No lumps just so sore on the right side under the armpit area. I am trying to resolve this now. I cried alot day today for every little thing. Mostly because this breast feeding thing has me torn up!!!! Then to top it off I came to pump while I was boiling some chicken. Normally I would've waited but my breast is in so much pain and I thought it'd help...it didn't. AND of course the freaking chicken catches fire in the kitchen. Ugh. At that point I broke down and did the Oprah cry! I feel like I want to give up BF but I wont! My boobs may have won this battle but they will NOT win the war!!!!
I was having a lot of pain underneath my armpits as well. I tried nursing with my LO in the traditional cradle hold (we'd been doing the football hold) and I could literally feel all of the milk being let down from underneath my arms. It was such a weird feeling. Anyways, the pain is gone now. I know you said you were EP but it might be worth it to try to get your LO to nurse from the breast to stimulate milk ducts that your pump isn't for whatever reason.
Couldn't have said it better! Between bleeding nipples and having to result to EP I'm so sad. just when I started to try and get her back on the breast now my right breast hurts so bad just to touch it. No lumps just so sore on the right side under the armpit area. I am trying to resolve this now. I cried alot day today for every little thing. Mostly because this breast feeding thing has me torn up!!!! Then to top it off I came to pump while I was boiling some chicken. Normally I would've waited but my breast is in so much pain and I thought it'd help...it didn't. AND of course the freaking chicken catches fire in the kitchen. Ugh. At that point I broke down and did the Oprah cry! I feel like I want to give up BF but I wont! My boobs may have won this battle but they will NOT win the war!!!!
I was having a lot of pain underneath my armpits as well. I tried nursing with my LO in the traditional cradle hold (we'd been doing the football hold) and I could literally feel all of the milk being let down from underneath my arms. It was such a weird feeling. Anyways, the pain is gone now. I know you said you were EP but it might be worth it to try to get your LO to nurse from the breast to stimulate milk ducts that your pump isn't for whatever reason.
Anyone else producing way too much milk? I've been feeding baby on demand and pumping every 2-3 hours yet I'm still beyond engorged. The milk in the fridge is sitting so long I'm afraid it will expire and I've been freezing most of it. Ugh I need help...
You're producing too much because you're pumping in addition to feeding the baby. By pumping extra you're signaling your body to produce more. Just feed on demand and stop the extra pumping to regulate your supply. You're making yourself engorged. It'll take a few days to regulate.
Well I EBF for the first week but now that I'm getting ready to go back to work I need to stock up for the sitter. That means I need to pump to freeze and continue to feed baby. Which I know will make me produce extra obviously but I'm producing SO MUCH.
Anyone else producing way too much milk? I've been feeding baby on demand and pumping every 2-3 hours yet I'm still beyond engorged. The milk in the fridge is sitting so long I'm afraid it will expire and I've been freezing most of it. Ugh I need help...
You're producing too much because you're pumping in addition to feeding the baby. By pumping extra you're signaling your body to produce more. Just feed on demand and stop the extra pumping to regulate your supply. You're making yourself engorged. It'll take a few days to regulate.
Well I EBF for the first week but now that I'm getting ready to go back to work I need to stock up for the sitter. That means I need to pump to freeze and continue to feed baby. Which I know will make me produce extra obviously but I'm producing SO MUCH.
Maybe try dropping one pumping session, or pump just until you have enough for a feeding instead of emptying your breasts. When I pumped at work for DS I got an oversupply, it did become more comfortable with time. I would just pump once or twice a day if I was also feeding DS.
Anyone's back start hurting really bad when they feed/pump? The middle of my back starts aching really bad when I pump or breastfeed. I know with my breasts being bigger and heavier now a backache is a given but it doesn't hurt unless I'm doing this
Anyone's back start hurting really bad when they feed/pump? The middle of my back starts aching really bad when I pump or breastfeed. I know with my breasts being bigger and heavier now a backache is a given but it doesn't hurt unless I'm doing this
I have to recline in order to avoid back pain, if I sit up straight I last about five minutes.
I know they can be cluster feeding now, but is HOURS on the breast without really taking a break (minus mandatory diaper changes) normal?! I swear this kid has been on me from 9:30 this morning until now. With maybe an hour or two where I changed him and took a shower. I can't imagine him eating this whole time but whenever I try to take him off to burp him or put him down he starts rooting it looking for it and crying until he's latched back on and eating.
This has been my day! I'm getting frustrated. I slept very little last night becaus DS has been cluster feeding since 4am. I got a 45 minute break and I took a shower and I got 15 minutes so I ate lunch.
DH Is home and has done nothing all day except play video games and he has been napping for the last hour and a half. When I woke up this morning he wanted to know why I didn't wake him up to help with the baby. I get more frustrated waking him up in the middle of the night because I have to spend 5 minutes waking him up, it's easier for me to just get the baby myself.
LO keeps falling asleep on my boob, but when I try to move him he immediately wakes up and starts rooting. So tired and frustrated!
Anyone's back start hurting really bad when they feed/pump? The middle of my back starts aching really bad when I pump or breastfeed. I know with my breasts being bigger and heavier now a backache is a given but it doesn't hurt unless I'm doing this
Pay attention to how you're sitting. You're probably hunching over. Try to relax as much as possible and recline back some.
Anyone else producing way too much milk? I've been feeding baby on demand and pumping every 2-3 hours yet I'm still beyond engorged. The milk in the fridge is sitting so long I'm afraid it will expire and I've been freezing most of it. Ugh I need help...
You're producing too much because you're pumping in addition to feeding the baby. By pumping extra you're signaling your body to produce more. Just feed on demand and stop the extra pumping to regulate your supply. You're making yourself engorged. It'll take a few days to regulate.
Well I EBF for the first week but now that I'm getting ready to go back to work I need to stock up for the sitter. That means I need to pump to freeze and continue to feed baby. Which I know will make me produce extra obviously but I'm producing SO MUCH.
I understand wanting a freezer stash but you should only have to pump once or twice a day. Every 2-3 hours is causing your body to way over produce.
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Try hand expressing also. I hand expressed for a few days, then the pump worked much better. Some PP mentioned holding your LO when pumping, l found just flipping thru pictures of DD helped too.
When I first started pumping for DS when he was about a month old I got very little. I stuck with pumping once most nights after DS went to bed and by the time I went back to work I was pumping enough at work for his day at day care. Don't panic yet if pumping is not going well, I think it can take a bit for your body to get used to the pump sometimes.
I was having this problem and my poor baby was choking and sputtering it seemed like just a few seconds into nursing. Best thing that worked for me was putting her so she was nursing against gravity - sitting up nearly in football hold or just propped up in my arms (thank goodness for pillows!). It went away after a few days!!
My sister suggested pumping just the right and feeding with the left... Has anyone tried this? Or can anyone offer advice please
You can try pumping for now. Just to keep the supply up. But I would play around with it. And get in to see an LC. They might have better ideas.
@Pontot31 I have tried football and the usual side hold and the football hold caused death screams haha I don't know much about Nipple shields but my sister has been helping a lot and I'm sure the LC will help too. So hopefully they can help me get him to latch better
We went back to the LC today and she actually gave me a nipple shield to try since over the weekend we had no more luck with getting him to latch. It worked like a charm but I'm worried, like you, he won't want to eat without it after a while. She thinks his mouth just isn't big enough right now to get a deep enough latch so we'll give it a few weeks and try it without it! I'll take what I can get for now since it's not feeding him with the syringe. And it feels so much better to feed him with it. Barley any discomfort which I'm so thankful for. His latch was so poor before I had scabs and cracks
I was having a lot of pain underneath my armpits as well. I tried nursing with my LO in the traditional cradle hold (we'd been doing the football hold) and I could literally feel all of the milk being let down from underneath my arms. It was such a weird feeling. Anyways, the pain is gone now. I know you said you were EP but it might be worth it to try to get your LO to nurse from the breast to stimulate milk ducts that your pump isn't for whatever reason.
Going to try it right now!!!!!
When I pumped at work for DS I got an oversupply, it did become more comfortable with time. I would just pump once or twice a day if I was also feeding DS.
DH Is home and has done nothing all day except play video games and he has been napping for the last hour and a half. When I woke up this morning he wanted to know why I didn't wake him up to help with the baby. I get more frustrated waking him up in the middle of the night because I have to spend 5 minutes waking him up, it's easier for me to just get the baby myself.
LO keeps falling asleep on my boob, but when I try to move him he immediately wakes up and starts rooting. So tired and frustrated!