S/O breastfeeding

jennype

I always hear people say they were not producing enough milk based on how much they were pumping. I really don't understand this. The amount I pumped in no way was a measurement of how much milk I was producing. I could have full breasts and not get an ounce of milk from the pump and turn around to nurse my boys and they can't swallow it fast enough. I just think the breast pump can be evil sometimes and hurt new moms by making them feel they are not able to feed their babies. That is all

ColleenS629

I agree... some people don't respond well to the pump and babies are much more effective at getting milk out. Even with the same pump, pumping at the same time, sometimes I get more than 12 oz... today I got 2 1/4 oz from one side and 1/2 an oz from the other on my hospital grade pump. I could feel that there was still milk in there but the pump was not getting it out.

Temp123197812503460

Yes! I think there is a lot of misinformation out there about bf. Another one is when people are worried because their babies seem like they aren't getting enough to eat, especially in the evening. It's totally normal for babies to be fussy at the breast, latch on and off over and over again, etc. It is even one way they increase your supply. But I know moms who started supplementing because they thought the babies weren't getting enough.

jalaiaa

I agree wholeheartedly with you and with pp statemt too. My babies were acting hungry all the time early on and I thought they weren't getting enough ( despite the fact that they were making plenty of wet diapers and gaining weight the mom in me just worried). When I went to a store to rent a hospital grade pump the lady suggested a scale instead. Just so I could see. Of course they were taking in plenty and the scale was an unnecessary rental but it made me feel better. I think it is hard because in general we are not surrounded by women who have bf so we don't know what normal is. We think the fact that our babies want to nurse every couple of hours is a sign that they're not getting enough Instead of just the normal process of babies increasing supply through demand. 

lmydogally

When we were in the hospital we couldn't bring them home until they were drinking X amount.  The 4 days we were there all we did was work to get them to certain goals everyday.  When we left they basically made it sound like they were going to repo our babies if they found out they didn't get to 70ML's by the weekend.  Therefore, all we did was focus on measuring intake.  When I got home, I tried to tell myself that it was ok, that I couldn't measure Breast Milk but I couldn't make the mental transition.

 So when I was pumping and only getting very small amounts and the babies were never satisfied after an hour of BF, I could help but feel like I was only producing what I was pumping.  I had read that the pump would never be as efficient as the baby, but I couldn't measure it and that's what had been engrained in me at the hospital.  

I have a feeling this is what most MOM run into with preemies and why so many of us quit.  Especially those of us that are first time moms.   

jennype

lmydogally:

When we were in the hospital we couldn't bring them home until they were drinking X amount.  The 4 days we were there all we did was work to get them to certain goals everyday.  When we left they basically made it sound like they were going to repo our babies if they found out they didn't get to 70ML's by the weekend.  Therefore, all we did was focus on measuring intake.  When I got home, I tried to tell myself that it was ok, that I couldn't measure Breast Milk but I couldn't make the mental transition.

 So when I was pumping and only getting very small amounts and the babies were never satisfied after an hour of BF, I could help but feel like I was only producing what I was pumping.  I had read that the pump would never be as efficient as the baby, but I couldn't measure it and that's what had been engrained in me at the hospital.  

I have a feeling this is what most MOM run into with preemies and why so many of us quit.  Especially those of us that are first time moms.   

I was so lucky to be at a very pro breastfeeding hospital. Surprising, since I was in one of the states with the lowest % of breastfeeding mothers. They never made me worry about the babies losing weight or tried to push me to pump. They just helped me put both babies on the breast as often as possible. It was so hard and one of my boys had a very hard time latching. They had jaundice and had to wear the "glow jackets" but I was never pressured to supplement. I thought I would never make it through the first 3 months. Here I am, 6 months later, and I am so thankful I stuck it out. Breastfeeding has been such a special time for me. I know it does not work the same for everyone. However, I feel like bf has given me that that individual bonding with each of my boys that so many of us MOMs feel we mis out on.

Temp123197812503460

I also found that the medical professionals were not super helpful, and sometimes harmful. I know they are just trying to make sure no babies are harmed but I totally agree that they give people anexity over how much food the babies are getting. We were lucky to have two doctors who weren't like that but we got a lot of it from nurses, and even the LC. Like you said it can be really hard for a ftm who just wants to be sure their babies are ok.

amanda31H

I absolutely agree - and I also bought a scale to keep track. 

I was never able to be a super pumper like some women.  But once I got the scale I realized that my girls were getting enough.  It set my mind at ease!