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? for breastfeeding moms...
LO has been nursing now for over 8 weeks. I have also been pumping to build up my stash for when I go back to work, but I do not give him any bottles. Starting yesterday, he refuses to take my left breast. He just cries, screams, and takes himself off. He takes my right breast just fine. I do not feel engorged. I have no lumps, and my nipples are not cracked. When pumping I used to get between 2 and 5 oz on that breast. Now I'm only getting between 0.5-2 oz. Is my supply already starting to tank? He's starting to STTN, but only one feeding has been dropped. Anyone have any ideas on what's happening? TIA!
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Re: ? for breastfeeding moms...
We went through some times where he had no interest in my right side, I still have no idea why for the most part. I know when he had an ear infection he didn't want to be on that side, but he had plenty of times where there was nothing wrong at all and he just strongly preferred one side over the other.
I wouldn't think your supply is tanking so early, but I can see your concern. It is really difficult to nurse and pump at the same time. Personally, if I was having trouble pumping from that side and you are still not back at work where you absolutely have to pump then I would stop so that you can make sure there is plenty of milk for him when he does try to nurse from that side. Him nursing is going to be the best thing to bring your supply back up so I would just keep trying the left side. I don't know if you have tried this but maybe hold him in a different position. He is still little so maybe try the football hold or something so that he doesn't realize he is on that side from his position alone and start fighting it before he even begins.
They do weird things but it usually all works itself out and they get back to normal!
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From a mom who's had two girls refuse the bottle (either completely or only take it from one person), my first thought when I read your post was whether you mean you're not giving him a bottle at all -- is that the case? Is someone else giving him a bottle occassionally or are you waiting till you go back to work? I waited too long with DD#1 to introduce the bottle (6 weeks old) and she refused to take it and started reverse cycling instead. DD#2 will pretty much only take a bottle from our nanny except under extreme circumstances (DH has only been able to get her to take a bottle if I'm out of town and she cries for awhile waiting for me to come feed her -- and only once in the last 3-4 mo.).
My supply has fluctuated with pumping -- some days I get a lot (4 oz each side), other days only 2 oz. It depends on my stress level, how much I've drank and if my nursing schedule has changed. I would just keep trying to nurse to keep up your supply.
Thanks ladies for your help! I think I may have figured it out. I finally got him to nurse from the problem side for his last feeding of the day. Hopefully, its just not because he was tired and didn't feel like fighting!
We introduced the bottle really early on, like 3 days. I would pump so DH could give him a bottle at night. I really enjoyed that extra little bit of sleep! He was switching back and forth from bottle to breast just fine until about 3 weeks when we went to Charleston to visit family. He was getting the bottle more frequently down there and when I tried to nurse after the trip he was getting fussy during the feeding. So, we stopped the bottle for a couple of days to see if it would help him nurse better, and I think it did. So, he hasn't had a bottle since he was 3 weeks and he is now 8 weeks. I go back to work when he is 13 weeks. Should I start giving him a bottle now? When we were giving him the bottle early on, he would take it from anyone. Or should I just continue to nurse exclusively until I go back to work?