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Breastfeeding
ab&jim (or other nipple shield users)
I saw your lanolin post and saw that you use a nipple shield full time. ?My baby (now 3 weeks - need to update the ticker) was a small for gestational age baby and only 5 pounds 8 ounces. ?He couldn't latch onto me without a shield - and even that didn't go well at first, though it's going better now. ?My question - did you pump/supplement in the beginning weeks to preserve supply? ?I've been seeing and LC basically since I left the hospital, and I was pumping 8-12 times a day, now 7-8, and still supplementing him (with EBM) about 2 oz each feed, no matter how much he takes at the breast. ?I think my LC is taking a "better safe than sorry" approach on the supplement because of his size - just wondering when it might be appropriate to lower or ditch the supplement, even if he's still nursing from the shield. ?I'd also love to start ditching some pumpings - since the nursing-supp-pumping schedule is getting a little insance.
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Re: ab&jim (or other nipple shield users)
I had my LO on 1-6-09 and started pumping on 1-13-09. I would try to pump just one time per day in the beginning. Usually after the morning feed b/c I found I was most full at that time. As she got older and would eat only from one side before falling asleep for the night I would pump the other side before I went to bed to help prevent waking up in the middle of the night just to change my bra and sleep shirt. I pumped to build a freezer stash, never with the thought that I needed to preserve my supply.
We have been lucky to never have to supplement, but it wasn't until after I started to use the nipple shield that I was able to feed her for more than 10-15 minutes per side. This kind of schedule, that I found out later was out of date, is what led to lots of lost sleep for us. Once I started using the nipple shield my nipples were given the opportunity to heal and I could nurse her for longer and longer (w/o crying or feeling like I was going to crush her head b/c of the pain during the feeding) and she was able to start sleeping longer stretches. It got to the point where I would nurse her for 30 minutes per side b/c that's what she seemed to want. This was a long time, but would consistently go 3-4 hours between feedings (counting from the beginning of my hourlong feeding). It has kind of backfired on me a bit b/c she will not take less than 6 oz in a bottle anymore and she's only 3 months old!!! She is definitely growing and I see no problems with her diapers, so I'm going to assume she's getting enough (as much as anyone knows their EBF baby is getting enough).
I would think that if your LO has reached their birthweight and is having the right number of wet/poopy diapers, you could drop the supplementing and just do the breastfeeding with or without the shield. My supply never diminished due to using the shield and if you think yours is adequate then the supplementing might not need to continue.
I know it's nervewracking to want to do the best for your child and not knowing for sure, but have confidence that you are doing something wonderful for your child. Even though feeding with the shield is not ideal, it's still getting the job done and at some point isn't that more important than an alternative you might not be happy with?