No more nursing?

Angel0423 · September 2011

I think it's official. I will be an exclusively pumping momma before I know it. I went back to work when lo was 6 weeks and she did fine with dad with the bottle and nursed evenings and weekends when I was home. The past few weeks she will only nurse during night time feeds, and the last few nights she has fought me on those, wanting a bottle instead. Initially I was trying to push the boob on weekends, but it was really stressful for both of us, and seemed silly to me as she would have to go back to the bottle come monday anyhow and it hardly seemed worth the fight. Besides, that's not how I wanted to spend my weekends anyhow. So now I pump in.the.middle.of.the.night. It's reaking havoc on my sleep as it takes much longer than nursing, and she doesn't drift gently back to sleep like she does on the bewb and I have to rock her.

I know it might sound silly, and I know she's getting my milk either way, but I much rather have my lo squirming in my lap, pulling my hair, and tangling my necklaces while I nurse then to be stuck to this cold lifeless plastic pump several times a day. tear.

JUSTBEYOURSELF · September 2011

Can I just let you know that around this age it is normal for them to squirm around a bit. maybe try changing your position. I know with my little one what works for us is when she starts to squirm too much I pull her off and give a bit of a time out and usually she goes back on without any problems.

do what is right for you. If nothing else works the you have to go with your gut and do what works for your sleep and your family.

good luck

Angel0423 · September 2011

JUSTBEYOURSELF:
Can I just let you know that around this age it is normal for them to squirm around a bit. maybe try changing your position. I know with my little one what works for us is when she starts to squirm too much I pull her off and give a bit of a time out and usually she goes back on without any problems.
do what is right for you. If nothing else works the you have to go with your gut and do what works for your sleep and your family.
good luck

I think you are missing my point. I'm not making a choice. She will not nurse from me. She screams her head off until I give her a bottle. Won't even attempt to latch. I much rather nurse than pump, that's what I'm saying, but she won't do it.

I know it's normal that they squirm, I have no problem with that. I am missing out on that because she won't nurse.

JUSTBEYOURSELF · September 2011

have you tried maybe expressing some milk out on your nipple? this might sound like the early days but that might get her back on track.

I am sorry that you are going thru this. I was only saying that you have to do what is right for you so that you do not beat yourself up. you can only do what you can do kwim? I meant no harm.

maybe set the scene for her too of where you are nursing her. Some babies like it dark some like to look around.

also about the screaming and giving her a bottle maybe just holding her close to your bare chest and giving her a bit of time to cry it out she will come to realize that your boobs are where the milk comes from.

good luck and again I hope everything works out for you and your little one.

andigurl · September 2011

LO has only nursed twice this week, and not even for full feedngs....he nurses for a few minutes and then gets annoyed or whatever with the bewb an makes it clear that it's bottle time. Pumping is the pits, and it a real time killer since you have to pump and still feed the baby! Lol. I went back to work just this week and at this point it's my goal to make it 3 more weeks until LO's 4 month bday. I guess my point is just to commiserate.

You are not alone.

Angel0423 · September 2011

andigurl:
LO has only nursed twice this week, and not even for full feedngs....he nurses for a few minutes and then gets annoyed or whatever with the bewb an makes it clear that it's bottle time. Pumping is the pits, and it a real time killer since you have to pump and still feed the baby! Lol. I went back to work just this week and at this point it's my goal to make it 3 more weeks until LO's 4 month bday. I guess my point is just to commiserate. You are not alone.

I'm sorry that you are having the same troubles Sad my goal was to nurse until 6 months when we start solids and then pump as she would likely have teeth and I didn't know how that would all go! Who do these babies think they are?! lol! I guess it's a good thing that she's figured out that bottles are faster, I mean it speaks to her intelligence, right? Wink

Angel0423 · September 2011

JUSTBEYOURSELF:

have you tried maybe expressing some milk out on your nipple? this might sound like the early days but that might get her back on track.

I squirt it right into her mouth and she just continues to scream!

I am sorry that you are going thru this. I was only saying that you have to do what is right for you so that you do not beat yourself up. you can only do what you can do kwim? I meant no harm.

maybe set the scene for her too of where you are nursing her. Some babies like it dark some like to look around.

also about the screaming and giving her a bottle maybe just holding her close to your bare chest and giving her a bit of time to cry it out she will come to realize that your boobs are where the milk comes from.

I will try the bare chest, but we don't do CIO. The first night this happened she got so upset that she completely wore herself out and fell back to sleep. It was a 30 minute ordeal resulting in no eating and everybody upset. Now I offer, if she rejects I calm her and switch sides to offer again, if she rejects she gets a bottle. I hate for my baby to cry when I know exactly what it is she wants.

good luck and again I hope everything works out for you and your little one.

Thank you

alliejoe · September 2011

Do you think you can add a pumping session during the day, right after you put her to bed, or maybe some other time in the day so you have the milk for the night time feeding but you don't have to pump then? So, basically "trick" your body into thinking she's STTN and taking an extra feeding during the day instead.

Angel0423 · September 2011

right now I pump 7am, noon, 6p, and 10 pm, and have been nursing middle of the night. pumping at work is difficult hence the single session (noon). i have patients scheduled all day and if i pump twice it means i'm there even longer

it's a good idea, but i think i might have to just pump more frequently on weekends to get a day or so ahead

JUSTBEYOURSELF · September 2011

I did not mean CIO for a long period of time just enough for her to realize that the boobies make the milk. kwim?

when are the times that you nurse her? some babies like to have a full boobie and if it is not they are super fussy. maybe try pumping right after feeding her. I know alot of women say that has helped with their supply.

my friend Spencer is a LC and she is awesome. you can contact her thru i villiage a board that she runs for breast feeding moms

https://forums.ivillage.com/t5/Working-and-Pumping/ct-p/iv-ppworkpump

I can just say that she has helped me out with all my concerns about breast feeding. I hope she can help you too.

lizardknitter · September 2011

I have no real experience, but my reading indicates that maybe a nipple shield will trick your LO into thinking she is getting a bottle. Then maybe you could wean off of that. I'm sorry you are going through this. Hugs!

Angel0423 · September 2011

lizardknitter:

I have no real experience, but my reading indicates that maybe a nipple shield will trick your LO into thinking she is getting a bottle. Then maybe you could wean off of that. I'm sorry you are going through this. Hugs!

Well! I hadn't thought to try that! She did nurse once last night. I have to pull her from the crib before she gets herself all worked up, so she's still half asleep. If she's awake and alert it's a no go! There's a LC in my pedi's office, maybe she can size me for one...? They come in sizes right? lol!

lizardknitter · September 2011

Angel0423:
lizardknitter:

I have no real experience, but my reading indicates that maybe a nipple shield will trick your LO into thinking she is getting a bottle. Then maybe you could wean off of that. I'm sorry you are going through this. Hugs!

Well! I hadn't thought to try that! She did nurse once last night. I have to pull her from the crib before she gets herself all worked up, so she's still half asleep. If she's awake and alert it's a no go! There's a LC in my pedi's office, maybe she can size me for one...? They come in sizes right? lol!

I think so. I would definitely call an LC or contact LLL before I became a fulltime EP'er. That's a total buzz kill.

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