All Things Feeding

Christinaruth74

@LandJ13 it doesn't hurt to try! I'm mainly EPing right now, but we still work on BFing and her latch during times when she wants to comfort suck or is in cluster feed mode. I'm sure if you found a local LC or attend a BFing class at your hospital they could help you out a ton! Pumping definitely isn't for the faint of heart... I feel like 80% of my day is confined to the pump. 

ea301

@LandJ13 thats us! Started out EP and moving towards BFing after about 3 wks. I still pump at least twice a day but the other feedings are usually via boob. I have to use a shield (lc recommended for its firmness like a bottle, plus for my comfort) but it works well. Though i think she is on the less picky side - we use 3 kinds of bottles and 2 pacis with no problems. YMMV.

paulpaw

Thanks ladies! I'm gonna give it a go either tonight or tomorrow. Maybe pick up a shield when it's not so cold and we can get out.

kattyc-2

LO suffering from silent reflux. Only comfy on our chests or on her tummy. Won't sleep in Rock n Play anymore either. We see the pedi on Fri. I'm desperate to help her - has anyone had luck with probiotics for reflux? 

H4aPartyof5

@Gizmo1231, thanks!  He does have wet diapers overnight and first thing in the morning, so I think we're good.

@LandJ13, I'd vote to try switching to BFing if you can.  With my second, I was EP pretty much from the start and built a massive freezer stash early because of an oversupply issue too.  I can't imagine switching cold turkey from pumping to just nursing so maybe slowly wean away from the pump as you try to make the switch?  I'm sure a LC would probably have suggestions on how to make the switch over as painless as possible too.  

leksiL

@LandJ13 I would also give BFing a try. We EPd for 10 days to give my nipples a break and it was brutal - nursing is so much easier. I did not have success with the nipple shield but I saw a good LC who helped with latching and it was so worth it. If you feel like you aren't getting help from your LC find another one!! 

paulpaw

Thanks again ladies. This might be a stupid question but do I continue to use the LC the hospital provided or is this something I find on my own?

BabyRobbinsAdventure

@LandJ13 our pediatrician has an LC that we started meeting with. You might want to check with yours.
I also know the hospital we went to has breastfeeding support group that meets weekly with LCs present. You can look to see if they have anything like that.

paulpaw

@BabyRobbinsAdventure I will check with my pediatrician, I think I need more one on one help then a group class will provide. Thanks so much!

tinattt23

@LandJ13 Agree with checking with pedi. Ours also has one they work with. Going to the group may also be helpful. Most are led by an LC that you could then schedule one on one time with. Besides our hospital, a couple local baby stores also host groups. I was surprised how many (free) options were out there when I really looked. 

princesslockness

Check out your local WIC office. They should have a LC on staff or could give you the # for a local one.

ea301

@LandJ13 i got in touch with my lc thru my insurance! Completely covered the cost minus a travel fee.

Unrelated: pumping ladies, do any of your pumping batches come out super fatty/thick? And does the fat content impact your LO?  Im not sure if thats what is causing tonight's hissy fits or not.

leksiL

@ea301 my LC recommends breast massage before feeding or pumping to help homogenize the milk, which is suooosed to help with gas. I think it's helped us. 

princesslockness

@ea301 The more red meat I eat, the more fatty my milk 8-10 hrs later. Something I had to figure out with L as he was getting the 'salad' milk too often. Now E is getting the 'burger&fries' milk all the time.

penelope4612

@ea301- the "hind" milk will also be fattier than the first milk you express.  Supposedly it's good for the baby and more filling.

@LandJ13 - definitely contact your pediatrician and insurance.  Around here, many LCs don't take insurance so you have to pay them and then get reimbursed.  You are more likely to be able to use insurance if it's through your pediatrician or the hospital.

Christinaruth74

Think I've finally gotten my supply up enough to start bagging and freezing! I also managed to pump 5oz this morning which I feel insanely proud of at exactly 2 weeks in. I've been working so hard at this and needed to share my excitement somewhere relevant! 

zubenescamali

Christinaruth74 said:

Think I've finally gotten my supply up enough to start bagging and freezing! I also managed to pump 5oz this morning which I feel insanely proud of at exactly 2 weeks in. I've been working so hard at this and needed to share my excitement somewhere relevant! 

Great job!!!  

sourlemon

Christinaruth74 said:

Think I've finally gotten my supply up enough to start bagging and freezing! I also managed to pump 5oz this morning which I feel insanely proud of at exactly 2 weeks in. I've been working so hard at this and needed to share my excitement somewhere relevant! 

I'm 5 weeks and typically struggle to get 4oz per session (combined). Totally jealous! Lo eats 4oz at a time. If I pump and extra time each day I typically get to bag one. Otherwise it's just enough for the next day.

Christinaruth74

@sourlemon in full disclosure my average pump session usually only yields about 3.5-4oz  and I'm pumping every 2-3hrs but will stretch it to 4 hrs at night depending on her sleep schedule. But when I hit 5oz this morning it felt like I had won the boob milk lottery!

Lisa3379

I'm totally jealous of a lot of you. I was super stoked the other day to get 3 oz. 

Every time I store milk in the fridge, I recount how many ounces I have saved up total (including freezer bags). I'm like a kid that keeps opening the piggy bank to count her money. 

sourlemon

I have a whiteboard on the fridge that I track daily production and LO consumption. I always get kinda happy when I produce more than she drinks. Yesterday it was only half an ounce but yay! I also calculate my weekly averages. Yes, I'm a nerd. 

Christinaruth74

I've started tracking on my phone... each bottle feels like a little trophy. With DD1 I never produced enough to EP or even EBF and I had such a hard time with the mom guilt. This time around I was more determined but then the spinal headache set me back as we had to mainly FF. I've been working so hard at building and maintaining my supply ... it's been such a different experience this time around. 

princesslockness

sourlemon said:

I have a whiteboard on the fridge that I track daily production and LO consumption. I always get kinda happy when I produce more than she drinks. Yesterday it was only half an ounce but yay! I also calculate my weekly averages. Yes, I'm a nerd. 

I have a spread sheet going. I do individual pumps by side. I still the one from when I pumped for L.

jennbaylor12

sourlemon said:

I have a whiteboard on the fridge that I track daily production and LO consumption. I always get kinda happy when I produce more than she drinks. Yesterday it was only half an ounce but yay! I also calculate my weekly averages. Yes, I'm a nerd. 

I use the Feed Baby app for that...so much easier! I'm not good at spreadsheets, lol

sourlemon

jennbaylor12 said:

sourlemon said:

I have a whiteboard on the fridge that I track daily production and LO consumption. I always get kinda happy when I produce more than she drinks. Yesterday it was only half an ounce but yay! I also calculate my weekly averages. Yes, I'm a nerd. 

I use the Feed Baby app for that...so much easier! I'm not good at spreadsheets, lol

I didn't even think of an app. 

Christinaruth74

@jennbaylor12 I'm with you... spreadsheets intimidate me

ea301

Using feed baby right now! Much better than the one i had been using!

ashleaf2018

I read that the tip for BM storage is 5 hours room temp, 5 days in the fridge, 5 months in the freezer. So I usually will pump and leave BM at room temp before storing it in the fridge, and doing that I'm lucky to get 1.5 oz combined total over 4 hours. It makes me so frustrated because Rhett is awesome at breast feeding, no latch problems or anything, but I just can't pump anything at all to leave with him if we are separated. We have started him on Similac for Supplementation for when I do have to leave him and while I am kicking myself and feeling like a crap mom for having to do it, it is working well for us. Anyone else dealing with the unnecessary mom guilt? How do you deal with that? I know fed is best but I'm still angry about not being able to EBF.

Lisa3379

@ashleaf2018 we went through the exact same thing. Max maybe gets 2 ounces from me,  and then the rest is similac, and that's almost every meal for him. I felt awful about it, but yeah, as long as he's eating something, he'll be ok. Besides, he is getting mostly breastmilk, right? So he's getting all the good stuff! Keep doing what you're doing. The more I breastfeed and pump, the more milk I make. The progress is insanely slow, but it's going. 

tinattt23

Just started using my pump to try and build up a stash. LC recommended pumping 1 hour after morning feed. But LO eats every two hours and kept seeming unsatisified after his next feeding (like 45 minutes after the pump emptied the tanks) so we'd have to turn around and feed him what I'd just pumped. Now I'm pumping right after feedings (as many as I can). I'm not getting much, but if I keep it up I'll eventually get more, right? I desperately need to be able to have some milk stored up so I can take a break while FI feeds. 

Sharkey

In theory, yes, @tinattt23. 

Christinaruth74

@ashleaf2018 mom guilt is fierce. With DD1 I wasn't able to BF at all and would only pump maybe 3-5 ounces in and entire day. Needless to say we had to FF completely and I blamed myself and my body. But overtime you realize that we do the best we can with what we have. Rhett is healthy and fed and, most importantly, loved ... you're doing great!❤

penelope4612

@ashleaf2018 @tinattt23 - I'm in the same situation.  I have been trying to pump at least 3oz a day so DH can give the baby a bottle at night so I can get some sleep (DH is really adamant about doing this to help out since he's at work all day, I don't think he realizes how stressful it is for me to pump 3oz a day).  I basically have to pump 1 hour after LO eats bc I get nothing if I pump right after, but then end up in the same situation as @tinattt23 where I worry he's not getting enough at his next feed.  Sometimes he goes 1.5 hours between feeds and sometimes it's 4 (most often 2-3 though) so I never know if he's going to want to eat right away or not for hours.  I also have to do this twice to get the 3oz since I typically only get 1.5oz if I pump an hour after the last feed.  Sometimes I get lucky in the middle of the night and will be overfull bc baby had a bottle and he'll only take one side at the next feed and then I can pump the other side and get a couple of ounces.  But even though I'm pumping to get 3oz a day I have no freezer stash and can't fathom pumping a third time.

I have been trying to pump at least once in the mornings bc the LC told me you produce the most between 12am - 12pm so I figure I'll get more when I pump and hopefully replenish my supply faster for LO.  I also just ordered a Haakaa on amazon and am hoping that helps.  It's a suction type pump thing that you attach to the side you're not feeding on and it collects your letdown and it seems like it might also collect some additional milk bc of the suction but isnt a pump so it doesn't drain your breast, which I figure is good if LO decides to eat on both sides.  It also doesn't add any time to the process like pumping does, since you use it when BF anyway.  I figure I BF 8-10 times a day so even if it only collects a little each time, it will add up quickly.

zubenescamali

@penelope4612 the haakaa sounds interesting, much better than just holding a bottle under the nipple to collect let down, which is what I've done before. i hope it helps! 

sourlemon

Stupid question for pumpers: if I start leaking, should I pump even if it hasn't been 2/3 hours since the last time? Like does leaking mean full? 

Christinaruth74

@sourlemon do you have a hand pump? I'd maybe use one just to quickly express whatever's leaking in between pump sessions but that's just because I'm paranoid of wasting any of this liquid gold! 

sourlemon

I do have a hand pump. So far it's only been a few drops leaking so not like soaking or anything. I just don't wanna waste either lol 

gowenc

I got one of the suction things off amazon and it works well for gathering excess. If I use it on one side while BFing on the other I can gather close to an ounce. Be careful with the suction though--if it's too strong it hurts!

The one I got is the Zerlar silicone manual pump. The ounce measurements are off so don't go by the ones on the pump.

princesslockness

@sourlemon I would try to pump 1-2 times when leaking and see what you get. Just know that your body will get on a schedule and if you do pump 3-4 times at that time you will need to keep doing it.

paulpaw

@sourlemon I typically wait for the next pump time but I am constantly fighting oversupply and don't want to encourage more. I find that within 24-36 hours the over full feeling and leaking corrects itself.