@paigeed I actually use the Medela hands free bra and noticed I have a better supply when I wear the bra than if I just hold the phalanges. I don't know if the bra creates a certain pressure on my boobs that favors production/flow or what. That's just my experience though, I don't know if that's normal or not.
How does your bra fit? Mine fits pretty tight, but I have huge (DD+) boobs. I'm not an expert but maybe it's the fitting?
I don't know anything about the Freemie cups though, sorry.
@paigeed have you tried the rubber band trick? (Two rubber bands attached in a figure 8, one around the phalange and one hooked to the bra.) That's how I do hands-free
I'm About an F or G now... the bra fits well, but maybe I'm just having an off supply day. I also think I push hard with the phalanges and the bra just holds it nicely in place instead of pushing hard. Maybe that's the deal.
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
My boobs are small enough that if I want to pump hands free, I can just stick the flanges through the nursing bra lol. At least I have boobs now. I went from an AA/A to a B/C.
Anybody's LO furiously rub their open mouthed face all over your nipple for a bit before clamping down?
@leslie1331 I know you've already gotten a lot of great advice from PPs but I just wanted to say I've been having a similar problem.
TLDR version: don't give up offering your baby the breast. They might just take to it unexpectedly one feeding. Though don't try too long and just frustrate them. I was doing 10-15 min before giving him a bottle. Sometimes shorter if he was already frustrated.
Long version: Due to our fevers after delivery Ridley and I missed that initial breastfeeding and he just had no interest in my boobs at the hospital. He'd push them away each time. I think it was partly because he had a glucose IV drip for his first day and he wasn't hungry enough to try. When he did get hungry it was just too hard for him to get anything out and I worked with the LC and we tried the nipple shield and he hated that too. So I just pumped colostrum for him and we had a routine. I'd try breast first for 10-15 min. Get rejected (man they don't tell you how bad that feels!) then DH would give him the colostrum from my last pump while I pumped. By day 3 he wasn't getting satisfied so we had to supplement with formula. I thought for sure when he got his first bottle he'd never go to breast but we kept up our routine. I could pump enough milk for him in a couple of sessions since I could only get an ounce or so. The rest were formula supplements.
Then Monday at like 6am he was hungry again and I grabbed the nipple shield ready to be rejected again. However he latched right on! We've been EBF since then. We're still getting used to it. His latch isn't the best, it's a bit painful and he falls asleep during every feed but we will go see a LC either Friday or Monday prob.
Me: 33 | DH: 34 Married: October, 19, 2015 EDD 2/22/17 DS1 born on 3/2/17 EDD 3/8/20 DS2 born on 3/10/20 EDD 11/24/23 (Formerly Marriedhamstermom Feb ‘17)
I'm finding feeding overwhelming. I don't think all of my milk as come in yet. I do the ever feel engorged or full or anything. If I have time to pump I get about 1-2 oz total and then after that I barely get anything. We are supplementing with formula but for the last 2 days Wyatt has been acting so hungry. I'm 11 days PP I feel like I should have more milk than I do now.
@jlellis603 any way you can get to a lactation support meeting (mine are offered through the hospital I delivered at) and do a weighted feeding to see how much he is getting when he feeds? I found those SUPER helpful to ease my mind about how much my LO was getting and how much I was pumping.
@FerForShort my hospital does offer LC services, Im not sure what they entail though. I guess it's time to give them a call. Were you having the same concerns/issues?
@jlellis603 I had concerns with EVERYTHING haha. Lots of anxiety around breastfeeding. Her latch wasn't great which was my biggest issue. I've had oversupply issues, but I also had NO idea how much she was taking at the breast because she only liked to nurse for 5 minutes at a time. Getting the weighted feed was awesome because she took 3oz in 5 minutes when she was 3 or 4 weeks old. They were able to help me get her latch straightened out and I got reissurance that she was getting enough. I've been going every week just to get a weighted feed because I like to know how much to make her bottles (we bottlefeed at bedtime and when in public). I can't recommend it enough.
@jlellis603 I had concerns with EVERYTHING haha. Lots of anxiety around breastfeeding. Her latch wasn't great which was my biggest issue. I've had oversupply issues, but I also had NO idea how much she was taking at the breast because she only liked to nurse for 5 minutes at a time. Getting the weighted feed was awesome because she took 3oz in 5 minutes when she was 3 or 4 weeks old. They were able to help me get her latch straightened out and I got reissurance that she was getting enough. I've been going every week just to get a weighted feed because I like to know how much to make her bottles (we bottlefeed at bedtime and when in public). I can't recommend it enough.
You sold me! I'm calling them to try to get in on Friday after his 2 week check up. Thank you
@lfrank12 1-2 oz pumping is totally normal-- esp if you are also breastfeeding full time! If you are concerned abt supply have you tried to boost it naturally? Like, drink lots of water, eat oatmeal. drink mother's milk tea, make lactation cookies or a smoothie?
Why do you think it is thrush? If your boobs are stinging it may be your letdown or a bad latch. I second PP, though-- get thee to an LC!
@homemake They don't sting when she feeds, just on and off randomly
Mine sting when I bend over bc gravity is making them think milk should come out and my let down stings. So I get it randomly throughout the day and after a few seconds when he's nursing. I think this is normal.
@lfrank12 If it's on and off like closer to the next feeding time, I call that my ding the milk is done feeling. Thrush hurts a ton while you are nursing and baby is latched.
Married - 7/29/06 Ben and Maggie - 4/10/09 Mia - 6/16/11 Surprise! due 2/23/17
@homemake Thanks! That's good to know. I'll just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get worse at all (since I'm currently on antibiotics my chance of thrush is increased)
@homemake They don't sting when she feeds, just on and off randomly
Mine sting when I bend over bc gravity is making them think milk should come out and my let down stings. So I get it randomly throughout the day and after a few seconds when he's nursing. I think this is normal.
Holy cow mine do this when I bend over but I never put it together that it was gravity. I feel like a light bulb just went off. Boobs are weird.
+1 for the Medela hands free pumping bra. I seem to get better output using it vs. holding the flanges.
@lfrank12 my nips sting occasionally. I find a warm compress and lanolin help. It happens more when Teddy gets lazy with his latch. Probably not thrush (other symptoms would include sharp, stabbing pains through your breast, shiny red, itchy nipples and areolas OR blanching, and redness on your breasts). I was worried I had thrush, and my MW said I'd know if I had it, it's pretty painful.
@sadiec92 yep, mine also rubs his face all over my boob before finally latching (while making a growling noise). It's pretty cute.
Any solutions/tips for leaky boobs? The leaks seem to come out of nowhere, whether it's time to feed or not... I'm very thankful for H&M's cheap nursing tank tops - no guilt about clothing being ruined.
@die frau I don't think there's any solution to leaking boobs. I would buy some nursing pads, they keep me from leaking on most my stuff.
Does or has anyone experienced a breast that doesn't supply much milk? If so, have you been able to get it to catch up to equally produce with the other one? My left side only produces 1-2 ounces every 3 hours. My right side produces about 5 ounces every 3 hours. I pretty much exclusively pump. But I was thinking of trying to pump the left one double the times as the right one, if it fits in my day. Like pump the left one every 1.5 hours and still pump the right one every 3 hours. I'm hoping that could help, but I'm not looking forward to the poor sore nip from doing it. Is there something else I could try doing? Or something that someone would suggest to try doing? I have tried letting the LO feed off the left side before I pump, and sometimes he latches well, but he still only nibbles and falls asleep, if I wait until he's rather hungry, he gives up quickly, I assume from the slower flow than he gets from the bottle.
Any solutions/tips for leaky boobs? The leaks seem to come out of nowhere, whether it's time to feed or not... I'm very thankful for H&M's cheap nursing tank tops - no guilt about clothing being ruined.
Any solutions/tips for leaky boobs? The leaks seem to come out of nowhere, whether it's time to feed or not... I'm very thankful for H&M's cheap nursing tank tops - no guilt about clothing being ruined.
Ruined? Just throw them in the wash!!
+1 to nursing pads
This! reusable or disposable nursing pads during the day. I throw a hand towel down my top at night
I've found that if milk leaves marks on my tops, treating it with some oxyclean or stain treatment usually lifts it up. The hindmilk is quite fatty so I think the stains are from fat not getting broken up in the wash - treat it like an oil or grease stain from cooking and it lifts out.
I have to say I had a pretty underwhelming LC visit today
I called this morning and they gave me some advice over the phone like herbal supplements, pump as much as I can,and increase the formula supplementation. They said to come in this afternoon and they did a weigt, feed, weight. But other than that, they didn't really offer anything different than what they gave me over the phone. I guess my expectations were a little too high. But I don't feel like my milk is fully in. My boobs dont feel or look different. I'm going to try some herbal supplements and increase my oatmeal intake and TRY to find the time to pump more - and hope for the best. Man breast feeding is hard
@jlellis603 this is exactly how I feel! My boobs are pretty much the same size, they are a little harder, but not much. No leaking. No real pain. No fullness when I get close to needing to feed/pump. I'm 8 days out and I feel like I should have more going on. I've been drinking a ton, eating the cookies and oatmeal, feeding/pumping every 3 hours around the clock.
Sorry to hear you are unsure about your supply too @leslie1331 ! Mine felt sore/hard for a day and that was it. I'm 12 days out and I just don't get it. Do some people just not get a supply? Have you gone to see a LC? Did they offer any other advice?
Semi boob related but not sure where else to post this question. Do any of you feel like you haven't had much of an appetite since giving birth? Pre-pregnancy I was always a very hungry person, and sometimes downright ravenous while pregnant. But ever since labor I haven't had much of an appetite. I still want to eat but I'm not getting hungry at all until I end up going a really long time without food. I guess I figured with breastfeeding I would be super hungry all the time so I'm a little confused by it
@lfrank12 Yes, I've been the same way. I'll sometimes completely forget to eat lunch because I don't get the feeling of being hungry. I was really not expecting that considering how they say you need 500 extra calories when breastfeeding, which sounds like a lot.
@MommaBean he seemed to get some from me. Just under 2oz total after about 20 ish mins of nursing (I did both sides). After dropping a bunch of weight after discharging, he was gaining again. But he's only gained half an ounce this past week even with formula supplementing
Re: The Boob Thread
How does your bra fit? Mine fits pretty tight, but I have huge (DD+) boobs. I'm not an expert but maybe it's the fitting?
I don't know anything about the Freemie cups though, sorry.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
Baby Boy M - 08/01/2013
Expecting Baby Bean February 2017
Ben and Maggie - 4/10/09
Mia - 6/16/11
Surprise! due 2/23/17
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me
Anybody's LO furiously rub their open mouthed face all over your nipple for a bit before clamping down?
TLDR version: don't give up offering your baby the breast. They might just take to it unexpectedly one feeding. Though don't try too long and just frustrate them. I was doing 10-15 min before giving him a bottle. Sometimes shorter if he was already frustrated.
Long version:
Due to our fevers after delivery Ridley and I missed that initial breastfeeding and he just had no interest in my boobs at the hospital. He'd push them away each time. I think it was partly because he had a glucose IV drip for his first day and he wasn't hungry enough to try. When he did get hungry it was just too hard for him to get anything out and I worked with the LC and we tried the nipple shield and he hated that too. So I just pumped colostrum for him and we had a routine. I'd try breast first for 10-15 min. Get rejected (man they don't tell you how bad that feels!) then DH would give him the colostrum from my last pump while I pumped. By day 3 he wasn't getting satisfied so we had to supplement with formula. I thought for sure when he got his first bottle he'd never go to breast but we kept up our routine. I could pump enough milk for him in a couple of sessions since I could only get an ounce or so. The rest were formula supplements.
Then Monday at like 6am he was hungry again and I grabbed the nipple shield ready to be rejected again. However he latched right on! We've been EBF since then. We're still getting used to it. His latch isn't the best, it's a bit painful and he falls asleep during every feed but we will go see a LC either Friday or Monday prob.
Married: October, 19, 2015
EDD 2/22/17
EDD 3/8/20
EDD 11/24/23
(Formerly Marriedhamstermom Feb ‘17)
ETA: Google suggests thrush. Anyone who has had it, are there any other symptoms? LOs mouth doesn't have any spots
Why do you think it is thrush? If your boobs are stinging it may be your letdown or a bad latch. I second PP, though-- get thee to an LC!
Good luck!
Ben and Maggie - 4/10/09
Mia - 6/16/11
Surprise! due 2/23/17
@lfrank12 my nips sting occasionally. I find a warm compress and lanolin help. It happens more when Teddy gets lazy with his latch. Probably not thrush (other symptoms would include sharp, stabbing pains through your breast, shiny red, itchy nipples and areolas OR blanching, and redness on your breasts). I was worried I had thrush, and my MW said I'd know if I had it, it's pretty painful.
@sadiec92 yep, mine also rubs his face all over my boob before finally latching (while making a growling noise). It's pretty cute.
Does or has anyone experienced a breast that doesn't supply much milk? If so, have you been able to get it to catch up to equally produce with the other one? My left side only produces 1-2 ounces every 3 hours. My right side produces about 5 ounces every 3 hours. I pretty much exclusively pump. But I was thinking of trying to pump the left one double the times as the right one, if it fits in my day. Like pump the left one every 1.5 hours and still pump the right one every 3 hours. I'm hoping that could help, but I'm not looking forward to the poor sore nip from doing it. Is there something else I could try doing? Or something that someone would suggest to try doing? I have tried letting the LO feed off the left side before I pump, and sometimes he latches well, but he still only nibbles and falls asleep, if I wait until he's rather hungry, he gives up quickly, I assume from the slower flow than he gets from the bottle.
+1 to nursing pads
@lfrank12 I find I go a long time without eating and might not feel hungry but then when I do finally eat I'm ravenous and eat crazy fast