Does anybody have any experience with inverted nipples?
@eliseandbaby I have inverted nipples and was worried about being able to BF my DD but we were able to but only with a nipple shield. We were never able to get a good latch without it.
@eliseandbaby yes she latched just fine with the shield. The lactation consultant showed me how to remove the shield mid session after we got a good flow going but it always seemed to be more trouble than it was worth so I just always used the shield. I never NIP because it was too complicated having to use the shield but it was the only way I could get BF to work for us so I didn't mind.
Has anyone had a problem where they were getting a lot more milk on one breast and not the other? I'm pumping right now because my son is in the NICU. I get a lot more milk from my left breast then I do the right. For the last 2 days I've asked a lactation nurse to come down to the NICU to help me but they have yet to come. Just curious if this has happened to anyone else? I read online that sometimes if one breast is bigger then the other that can be a reason but that's not the case for me.
Yes. This happened with my first. It was because one breast was a different size from the other one. I tried getting different sized nipple guards to go with the pump and was never able to find the right size for my one breast. It didn't help that I was really sick from the emergency birth and my trips back and forth to the NICU, I just gave up. I know you say this isn't the case, but it just might be because u don't know any other reason why your pump would work on one breast and not the other. I would try s different size nipple guard in the one breast and see if that works.
Married - 10/10/2009
DS - Due 11/3/2012 born 9/28/2012 due to Severe Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome
DD - EDD 12/30/15
"I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou|| [url=http;//www.fertilityfriend.com]Ovulation Chart[/url|| <a href="http://www.fertilityfriend.com" style="font-size:smaller;" >Ovulation Chart</
I had a really hard time with sore/bleeding/raw just plan painful awful nipples when I was breastfeeding my daughter. I bought nipple cream this time around but I'm wondering if there's any other remedies? Or any advice? I only lasted a few weeks with my daughter due to how uncomfortable it was (I use to dread feeding her) and I definitely don't want it to be that agonizing this time around.
I went to a breastfeeding class and I have no experience (37 w 4 days) but the lactation lady said if there is a bad latch or not deep enough you will have more issues with that and that you should break a bad patch immediately and try again (by gently poking in a pinky, not by pulling off). A minor discomfort in the first 30 sec. To a minute can be normal but not sharp pain.
Oh and she also suggested contacting a lactation nurse right away if you are struggling. So you should look into whether your hospital or insurance covers those. ( mine does)
Are breastfeeding tanks necessary? I found a deal at ON but don't want to spend the money if they're just not worth it.
I posted a thread yesterday called "DIY nursing tanks". It might interest you. You can but regular tanks for super cheap wherever you like and then there's directions on how to turn them into a nursing tank. Super cheap and easy.
Breast feeding is not going so good for me i switched to formula 2 days after birth as he wont latch for longer than 2 seconds and wont latch at all on the left. We think its because he has to try to hard to get anything, my milk came in last night and i managed to get him on for a good minute so going to discuss combi feeding with my midwife when she gets here. Does anyone know if its possible to combine the two? Im new to breast feeding and its all starting to get to me. Surly even a little breastmilk is better than none, i have a pump so would consider expressing if he will take it.
Breast feeding is not going so good for me i switched to formula 2 days after birth as he wont latch for longer than 2 seconds and wont latch at all on the left. We think its because he has to try to hard to get anything, my milk came in last night and i managed to get him on for a good minute so going to discuss combi feeding with my midwife when she gets here. Does anyone know if its possible to combine the two? Im new to breast feeding and its all starting to get to me. Surly even a little breastmilk is better than none, i have a pump so would consider expressing if he will take it.
FTM here so I can't give specific advice, but I do know you can supplement with formula & BF at the same time. There is actually special formula for this. And you are right some breastmilk is better than none! You also might be able to transition over to solely BFing still if you want, it's not too late, but you have to do what works best for you. I'm sure the midwife will be able to help with this. There is also a BFing board here on the bump where you can get help, or your hospital might have a support group. You can also check out la leche league website & see if there's a local chapter or doula nearby who can help. Good luck!
Thank you. To be honest i went into it thinking it would be so easy! How wrong was i. Everytime i bring him to the breast he just gets so frustrated he ends up frantic, i seen my midwife and managed to express a few ounzes so im going to go down the route of formula/express hopefully the more i express we can start to ween out the formula, i feel alot better knowing hes getting some of the health benefits even if it is only a little. I will check out the breast feeding board thanks for the advice @LMJL
Breast feeding is not going so good for me i switched to formula 2 days after birth as he wont latch for longer than 2 seconds and wont latch at all on the left. We think its because he has to try to hard to get anything, my milk came in last night and i managed to get him on for a good minute so going to discuss combi feeding with my midwife when she gets here. Does anyone know if its possible to combine the two? Im new to breast feeding and its all starting to get to me. Surly even a little breastmilk is better than none, i have a pump so would consider expressing if he will take it.
We had trouble with breastfeeding due to complications of delivery. We supplemented formula with a dropper before nursing hoping to avoid nipple confusion. He didn't take any milk from me for a few days, but I did pump continuously and he was fed expressed colostrum, formula and milk when it came in. He had a couple of days where he latched and fell asleep or acted like he wasn't sure how to nurse. The lactation consultant and I came up with a plan to rent a hospital grade pump for a month to help establish my supply, most pumps are not efficient enough to empty the breast and build supply. I rented the Medela Lactina Select for $55 a month, it's the pump recommended to NICU moms who have babies that cannot nurse. You don't want to lose your supply and not many pumps do well helping you build it. She told me one month of using this pump is usually good enough and then switching to your regular pump is fine. Our next step was to get him latched more than a few minutes before using a bottle. Our goal was to get him exclusively breastfed either directly or with a bottle by week 4, this helped with the pressure and helped me relax. He was 3-4 days old and it was like a light switch went off, he latched and nursed for 45 minutes total.
I highly recommend looking into renting the Lactina Select to help keep your milk. Focus on that first and don't stress out about needing formula because that is perfectly fine, baby is getting nutrients and that's the most important thing. Is there anyone you can see about his latch? There are a ton of different holds and tricks to help. Search your local LeLeche Leaque or breastfeeding support groups in your area, if anything maybe local moms can help you out in person.
Thank you. To be honest i went into it thinking it would be so easy! How wrong was i. Everytime i bring him to the breast he just gets so frustrated he ends up frantic, i seen my midwife and managed to express a few ounzes so im going to go down the route of formula/express hopefully the more i express we can start to ween out the formula, i feel alot better knowing hes getting some of the health benefits even if it is only a little. I will check out the breast feeding board thanks for the advice @LMJL
My baby gets super frantic when he is hungry. Watch him closely for ques of hunger to avoid that happening, sucking on their fingers, smacking their lips, rooting on anything and everything close to their mouth. I found my baby does a lot of these in his sleep as he is waking up, but when he is finally awake he is frantic. If he gets to that point I express milk with my fingers and let it drip in his mouth and it settles him down enough to latch.
Yes i definatly need a decent pump! Mine is a crappy manual as i wasnt expecting to be pumping. Sorry to here you have been having trouble too but glad your lo is getting there its so frustrating isnt it. I dont think having a touch of the baby blues is helping me. Im in the uk and to be honest although they actively encourage breast feeding the nhs is incredibly stretched and they dont seem to have the time to sit and explain or help. My midwife was abit annoyed they hadnt helped more me at the hospital. Or explain because it was a csection 2 weeks early i may have a harder time with feeding. Im going to get my older son to bed and spend some time doing skin to skin and see if he will latch by himself.
Yes i definatly need a decent pump! Mine is a crappy manual as i wasnt expecting to be pumping. Sorry to here you have been having trouble too but glad your lo is getting there its so frustrating isnt it. I dont think having a touch of the baby blues is helping me. Im in the uk and to be honest although they actively encourage breast feeding the nhs is incredibly stretched and they dont seem to have the time to sit and explain or help. My midwife was abit annoyed they hadnt helped more me at the hospital. Or explain because it was a csection 2 weeks early i may have a harder time with feeding. Im going to get my older son to bed and spend some time doing skin to skin and see if he will latch by himself.
Since it was 2 weeks early and a c-section that may be your biggest obstacle. Mine was 3 weeks early and an emergency c-section, we had no skin to skin bonding time until he was 8 hours old. We attempted before then but I was so nauseous I kept giving him back. I didn't want to vomit on my brand new baby lol. As soon as we could we did as much skin to skin contact, even if baby is sleeping it's still the best you can do. Get comfortable and relax, hopefully nature will take its course
This might be a strange question but how do you know when to switch breasts, how can you tell if it's empty? Nursing went horrible with my first and I ended up EP after 3 days and even then I never knew when my breast was empty. I let him nurse for as long as he pleased but it turned out he was using me as a pacifier and not actually eating the whole time, add in a poor latch and bleeding nipples and pumping it was. Hoping it goes better this time!
try to ensure holding the babe at the breast at first to ensure the latch stays deep and they don't just nipple suck. Milk transfer won't be effective this way and it will damage the nipple. For knowing when your breast is empty, at first try to have babe eat 10-15 on each side. Most newborns latch on and off and get frantic at times when feeding, totally normal. Once your milk is in you can start to feel the full to empty breast easier. If babes are born a bit early it can be a bit more challenging, some don't have as much energy to feed as long and some can't open quite wide enough to establish a deep latch at first. It will get better though! Breastfeeding is like 90% perseverance. Best of luck!
This might be a strange question but how do you know when to switch breasts, how can you tell if it's empty? Nursing went horrible with my first and I ended up EP after 3 days and even then I never knew when my breast was empty. I let him nurse for as long as he pleased but it turned out he was using me as a pacifier and not actually eating the whole time, add in a poor latch and bleeding nipples and pumping it was. Hoping it goes better this time!
Of all the research I've done, some women just can't feel it. I don't! My breast don't feel any different from when they're full vs. empty. I also don't feel my let down happening at all when it does.
There is a Facebook group called "la leche league" which is a breast feeding support group for all your questions and concerns. They also have regional groups and meetings too.
Nipple shield... I went through the same thing for a couple months, then finally grabbed one and it worked miracles... After a couple months I slipped it off and by then she had the hang of the proper latch.
Has anyone had their doctor recommend they start to "toughen up" their nipples? Mine mentioned this today at my 38 week appointment...
This is really outdated advice. I would check out websites like la leche league, or Kelly mom for breastfeeding support. No certified lactation consultant would suggest doing this!! Breastfeeding the first few weeks is hard enough you don't need sore achy nipples straight out of the gate for no reason.
I have heard though that at about 38 weeks you should stop using soap in the shower on your nipples. Your body starts to produce something that 'toughens them up' naturally around now and you should try not to wash it off. Via "So That's What They're For"
I have heard though that at about 38 weeks you should stop using soap in the shower on your nipples. Your body starts to produce something that 'toughens them up' naturally around now and you should try not to wash it off. Via "So That's What They're For"
I have heard though that at about 38 weeks you should stop using soap in the shower on your nipples. Your body starts to produce something that 'toughens them up' naturally around now and you should try not to wash it off. Via "So That's What They're For"
Anyone buy and use a pumping bra yet? Any recommendations? I just watched the video for my breast pump and it looks rather uncomfortable to dual pump while needing to hold the pump to both breasts.
Anyone buy and use a pumping bra yet? Any recommendations? I just watched the video for my breast pump and it looks rather uncomfortable to dual pump while needing to hold the pump to both breasts.
I bought one at target, the lanisoh brand, works great! Way faster and easier than holding it.
Anyone buy and use a pumping bra yet? Any recommendations? I just watched the video for my breast pump and it looks rather uncomfortable to dual pump while needing to hold the pump to both breasts.
I bought one at target, the lanisoh brand, works great! Way faster and easier than holding it.
As soon as I'm cleared to drive I'm headed to Target for a couple hands free bras. Pumping is so much more productive and quick if I massage my breasts during pumping sessions, so I've had to pump one at a time. Resting heat packs on them works very well to help empty them, as well.
I bought a pump ease! They're pretty cute, like a bandeau. But about $38. I'm only going to buy the one though... lots of people just cut holes in a sports bra
DD was born 6lbs6oz and was latching fine. However she was Coombs positive and developed a bit of Jaundice so that made her sleepy and weak. During two days she would latch and kind of suck but not strongly enough. Her pediatrician recommended going on a two hour schedule (4 at night) so that she can grow, gain (she lost a whole pound in a day I freaked out!) and get rid of that extra bilirubin. We ended up renting the hospital grade pump and that was the best decision ever. We are feeding her with a dropper since the lactation nurse recommended it to avoid nipple confusion. So we try to BF (she is getting stronger so doing better every day) and then I feed her with the dropper to make sure she has had enough. Then I plug that bad boy up and pump for 20-25 mins. I have to say as a FTM, if you are having problems with feedings and want to commit to the schedule rent the pump. Totally worth it and not that expensive (our hosp. rents it for $70 for a month). Right now I just finished pumping and actually pumped a whole ounce for the first time. So psyched! Aftr this month I'll start using my regular pump and hopefully she will be BF enough on her own.
I'm bfing my DD and it's going ok. My nipples are pretty damages from not knowing what to do the first few days. She has a good latch but it feels like it takes a while for her to connect. Ive tried pumping but only get a few drops but know there's way more in there any pumping tips.
I haven't seen this mentioned yet and thought I'd share since it's been a huge help with both my kiddos. A lactation consultant showed me this tip in the hospital with DS. If you're struggling to get baby to open wide enough, use the tip of your finger and gently run it along their gums. On the sides let them kind of bite down on your finger. It seems to help a lot with getting them to relax their jaw.
Just want to share because I'm so excited, but eating steel cut oats doubled my supply! And they actually taste really good if you put brown sugar in them. They are chewy though
@sunny2015 congrats! I struggle with regular oatmeal but I LOVE steel cut oats, I make 3-4 days worth at a time and just refrigerate and reheat as needed since they take so much longer to cook. *typo
@kdoak2015 when I rented the pump the Lactation nurse went over a few tips with me for pumping. 1) drink water while pumping and make sure you are SUPER hydrated. 2) make sure the nipple is straight in the middle of the funnel thing i.e., not leaning left or right or up or down so the suction takes. 3) lean down and let gravity help with the let down. She said you don't have to lead down ALL the time but every once in a while lean down and it will help. 4) gently massage the breast while you pump. Since I'm using a double pump I hold up the bottles when it's stuck on and massage with the bottles and then lean down. That seems to help ALOT. I think the other thing that is helping me is the schedule. I mean I'm super tired but I'm seeing results and she did say consistency is key cause your breasts get used to pumping a certain amount at a certain time. I will call them Monday though cause my right breast is now making me an ounce (one in every of the two times I've pumped today) but the left is only making me 10ccs. It's kinda hilarious but I wonder if I'm getting a clogged duct. I hope not cause I hear that hurts like a mother.
I breastfed my first child for about 15 months and loved it even though it certainly can be challenging. I can't wait to nurse again.
My main advice would be to connect with a lactation consultant before you give birth so that you know who to call for help when/if you become concerned about your child eating enough.
Also, I loved earth mama angel baby nipple butter. I couldn't stand the feeling of lanolin so this was a great alternative (though it is greasy and can stain clothes, just a warning).
Re: Breastfeeding advice, questions, ect
Personally, I loved mine with my first. I lived in them the first couple weeks and at nights, they just made it so much easier!
Married - 10/10/2009
DS - Due 11/3/2012 born 9/28/2012 due to Severe Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome
DD - EDD 12/30/15
"I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou|| [url=http;//www.fertilityfriend.com]Ovulation Chart[/url|| <a href="http://www.fertilityfriend.com" style="font-size:smaller;" >Ovulation Chart</
Oh and she also suggested contacting a lactation nurse right away if you are struggling. So you should look into whether your hospital or insurance covers those. ( mine does)
Our next step was to get him latched more than a few minutes before using a bottle. Our goal was to get him exclusively breastfed either directly or with a bottle by week 4, this helped with the pressure and helped me relax. He was 3-4 days old and it was like a light switch went off, he latched and nursed for 45 minutes total.
I highly recommend looking into renting the Lactina Select to help keep your milk. Focus on that first and don't stress out about needing formula because that is perfectly fine, baby is getting nutrients and that's the most important thing. Is there anyone you can see about his latch? There are a ton of different holds and tricks to help. Search your local LeLeche Leaque or breastfeeding support groups in your area, if anything maybe local moms can help you out in person.
As soon as we could we did as much skin to skin contact, even if baby is sleeping it's still the best you can do. Get comfortable and relax, hopefully nature will take its course
Ive tried pumping but only get a few drops but know there's way more in there any pumping tips.
*typo
My main advice would be to connect with a lactation consultant before you give birth so that you know who to call for help when/if you become concerned about your child eating enough.
Also, I loved earth mama angel baby nipple butter. I couldn't stand the feeling of lanolin so this was a great alternative (though it is greasy and can stain clothes, just a warning).