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May 2011 Moms
Lisa Frank
member
Breastfeeding Check-In
Lisa Frank
member
I know not everyone has outside babies, but we're close enough and I want to know how it's going for everyone!
So, who is still in it? How's it going? Struggles, triumphs, concerns??
I have to be honest and say that I'm completely exhausted. I still can't believe I did this for 6 months with my DS. Some days I don't think I'll last that long, and then I realize that's probably the first 6 weeks talking and I need to buck it up. 
She's a very good eater and I didn't have any issues with latch like I did with my DS. /brightside 
How are you doing?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Breastfeeding Check-In
I'm just about 2 weeks in and doing good. August is a great eater and so far no pain issues to contend with. My biggest issue is that he goes through a period each day where he just wants to suck, and he's not wild about a pacifier. He'll suck long enough to get my milk to let down, then he pulls off in frustration because he's not actually hungry. Eventually, he'll take a paci and fall asleep, but it takes a good amount of work to get him to that point.
I nursed for 11 months with Lily, though, and this time around I'm really feeling the pinch of being tied to the house in case DS wants to eat. I'll start pumping today or tomorrow, which will help. I'm also dying to drink a BIG glass of wine, but can't seem to figure out DS's eating schedule enough to feel comfortable doing so.
4 weeks in and it is the polar opposite of my experience with DD. He latches great, empties a breast in 5-10 minutes, burps and goes for numero dos.
Plenty of wet and dirty diapers.
He doesn't burp at night so I've completely quit trying.
Did a dreamfeed last night and he slept from 8PM-2AM
NICE!
**Kelly***
It took a long time for my milk to come in and we started supplementing with formula when the pediatrician was concerned about Colins weight. Now he won't latch well because he likes the bottles a lot better so I am pumping and supplementing. He will latch sometimes after I pump when my nipples are all stretched out and the milk has already let down but it hurts even when he is all the way on, I think he is biting with his gums?
DS1 Born Apr 29 2011
DS2 Born Nov 5 2013
Pregnant with #3 Dec 24 2014, MMC found at 10w, D&C Feb 10th 2015
Cautious BFP May 25th 2015 EDD Feb 6 2016
Im only 5 days in, but DD (I love typing that!) is a superstar! Only thing I can complain about are my sore nips. But it's them still getting used to it, and the occasional bad latch. *knock on wood* We've been lucky, and she's been latching like a pro since the very first feeding right after birth. My milk came in two days ago, and my boobs are HUGE - so she's having some difficulty getting a good latch since they're so full. I had to pump for a few minutes last night to get them a little deflated so she could latch on appropriately.
We're both happy so far with bfing, and I'm hoping it stays that way.
I'm a breastfeeding, baby wearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, anti-CIO Mommy
Raising Bean
Wives Unscripted
Married my hero on 10-11-08
Our bean was born on 05-19-11
Almost 2 weeks in here!
Loving every second. I am happy to say that aside from having mastitis this weekend, all has been super easy and going really well. Avery is pretty consistent with feedings, normally every 2 hours. She does like to snack occasionally.
With Addyson it was so difficult from the start, it's such a blessing to have an easy time with #2!!!
I'm still going... I have lots of milk and DS seems to be latching well now. As I've posted before, I have some nipple damage due to some bad latches in the beginning and I am still recovering from that. My breasts are also huge and I think I'm getting engorged. It's a lot more painful than I thought (not the latch, the engorging boobs). If I even just knock my breast with my arm, I start leaking.
I'm going to try and keep with it for as long as possible. But I think I might start pumping a little bit extra after each feeding just to have a stock pile. DS doesn't seem to finish the boob completely after each feeding. He falls asleep a lot at the breast.
I find myself reading about breastfeeding every spare moment I get... I really should have done more research/reading before baby arrived. I feel like I have no idea what is going on and if everything is going the way it should be.
Baby #2 on the way!
DS eats much more than DD ever did and I sometimes feel like he is permanently atttached to my boob. He's gaining more than enough weight (9lbs15oz at his two week appt today) so I'm not worried about weight gain at this point.
I'd like to introduce a bottle sooner with DS than with DD but I'm not sure when. I've already begun to freeze my breast milk in anticipation of the day. I BF DD without ever even using a bottle until she was about 6 months and it made me resent her at times because I was really the only one who could take care of her. This time, I'd like to be able to get my hair cut/color or go to a movie once in awhile and that was just out of the question last time.
We've been at it just over 2 weeks, and I think it's going really well. I think I've got a forceful letdown, and I get a bit engorged which is frustrating us both a bit. I have to smush my breast flat to get him to take it, and then he gulps and gulps for the first bit to try to catch up. When I'm awake, it's a bit funny to hear him growl at my boob. When I just want to sleep, it's a bit much to deal with. He's eating lots, though, and I'm not worried.
We have tried a few "taster" bottles - I'm not pumping much and don't really intend to have a freezer stash, but I want him to be able to take a bottle so I can take care of some medical and dental appointments, and maybe get some extra sleep here and there. So far, no problems taking the bottle, no problems going back to the boob. He has zero interest in the pacifier, though. I try now and then, and so does DH and Owen just looks at us like "WHY WOULD THERE BE A NIPPLE WITHOUT MILK?!!"
Natural Birth Board FAQs
Cloth Diaper Review Sheet
DD2: February 2014
I lost my angels 07/2010, 04/2017, 10/2017
Meimsx no more
We had a rough start and DS had lost weight and was tongue tied. I was so stressed out that he was not going to weigh enough at his appt. today, but he is almost back to birth weight and has gained 1 oz per day since he had his frenulum clipped last week! The Dr. said he is doing great, which gives me the motivation to keep going.
In addition to bf'ing him every 2-3 hours, I've been pumping about 1 bottle a day and giving him about 2 oz. of formula/day through a feeding tube but I'm going to stop the formula now that he is back on track. He doesn't seem to have any nipple confusion from the 1x/day bottle or me using the nipple shield half the time. He liked the paci for about 2 days and now hates it.
We have another appt. with the lactation consultant next week and I am still having some pain. I don't think DS has figured out how to bring his tongue forward enough yet. I knew it was going to be difficult, but nobody told me it would be this hard. It is getting easier each day, though.
first of all- congratulations and hooray for all the pumping/breastfeeding mamas on here. it's tons of work and i always feel like you should be cheered on for it every day that you keep it up!
on our end, all is well. after having pumped for weeks when ds was in the nicu, i realized i had no idea about nursing from day one with a new babe, so we have had a few rough spots. i thought i was going to expolode in the hospital when my milk came in since my little 5-pounder was only nursing a tiny bit each time. with ds i had only been pumping at first, so i had no idea how much it sucked to have giant engorged boobs. yikes.
that got under control and then it was fun with cracked and bleeding/scabbing nipples for a week, but i think dutiful lansinoh use has finally kicked that.
dd doesn't always have the greatest latch, but i'm able to unlatch her and get her to reposition and i'm nursing her on demand, so we go anywhere from 30 min sometimes during the day (she's an eating machine) to an almost 4 hour! stretch at night lately. i also started to pump just a tiny bit (like 2-4) ounces each morning to freeze away- i'm not going back to work, but i figured it would probably come in helpful at some point.
good luck to everyone!
We're still doing well. Our latch is good, he's eating plenty, and I'm not in pain. I started pumping yesterday so my husband can feed him and so we can eventually leave the house. (I'm not entirely comfortable nursing in public). I was a little surprised at how little comes out during a pumping session, but I guess that's normal.
I'm counting down the days until I feel comfortable introducing a pacifier and crossing my fingers that he likes it. He's such a little sucker.
The only thing we can't get a handle on is burping. We have a hard time getting him to burp, so he spits up a lot. I feel so bad when he does it.
110% easier and better than with DS. 10 days in and it is going very well. I had some soreness because DD is very vigorous but she is back past her birth weight and I have been able to freeze milk every day. Woo!
(Jack would not latch for more than a few seconds in the first few weeks, and was never a good eater).
So far so good. DS latched on 15 mins after delivery and has continued to do well. I didn't get anywhere near as engorged as I did with DD, barely a day and no where near as uncomfortable. The weird thing is I can feel my letdown this time, where I really didn't feel anything with DD. Started pumping today to build a stash before I go back to work, but not stressing about it. I need to have DH try to feed him a bottle, which was the hardest thing with DD since she was so picky. Hoping he has no issues since he will take a pacifer fine.
My son would not latch on at all for the entire first week. After 74 hours of labor, he was exhausted for a few days and could not be roused. I had to start pumping and supplementing pumped breast milk in a bottle.
A week ago the LC's got him to latch for the first time and nurse. Since then it has been hit or miss and he doesn't have the greatest latch so I am in a lot of pain. It does seem to have gotten better. I am going to meet with the LC again this week or early next.
So for now I am nursing him when I can, pumping all the freaking time, and hoping to make it at least a few months without formula.
well, 5 days in and doing well. I nursed minutes after he was born. The usual in the beginning- fiery nipples, baby had a hard time getting anything, the contractions (holy fuuuck), the lack of sleep, but we forged ahead.
it is easier this time since I knew the challenges and was prepared. Just keep going girls, it is hard but do your best.
DS is 5 days old and I've turned to pumping. He had a horrible latch that caused excruciating pain, and given my very large breasts, it was hard for me to see his latch to correct him. And he would scream everytime I brought him near my breast. It would take a good twenty mintues to get a latch at all.
However, pumping is going great. Hoping to start a freezer stash soon as we get our freezer fixed, since right now I'm pumping way more than he eats and am having to throw a lot of it out since I can't refrigerate it or freeze it.
On the bright side, to be honest, I prefer pumping, and he seems to love the botte a lot more than the breast. My goal is to make it to August when I go to back to work. Pumping at work is not really an option and I have this thing about popping out boobs in public. I think I'd prefer to pump in a bathroom than pull out a boob and start breastfeeding in public.
You are seriously an inspiration. I don't think I could handle it.
I lost my angels 07/2010, 04/2017, 10/2017
Meimsx no more
I am 6 days in, and I think it is going well. Allison was back to her birth weight before we left the hospital, so I know she is gaining, which means she's eating well.
I have very sory nips, cracked/bleeding, so that doesn't help matters, but I am hoping that it goes away soon. I am also very engorged, and I am sooo tempted to pump, but I don't an oversupply, so I am going to try and wait another week to start some pumping.
I was able to BF Jacob for 8months, no issues, so I am hoping to do the same, if not longer for her.
DD due April 2, 2014
I know this feeling well. Ankaret used me as a human pacifier more often than I care to remember.
We're doing pretty well, Kaitlin nursed within minutes of birth and has been nursing well since. She gets really upset when she has a gas bubble but doesn't want to stop to burp. This causes a few fussy feeds, but once we manage to get the air out it's all good again.