Tata Tuesday 8/13, 1-3pm ET with Nancy Mohrbacher (LC Nancy)

BumpJackie · August 2013

Happy Tata Tuesday!

Today, from 1-3pm ET, Nancy Mohrbacher will be in THIS thread to answer all your breastfeeding questions! Her username is LC Nancy.

By taking part in the conversation on this thread, you'll automatically entered to win! We’ll pick two winners per week, and here’s what you’ll take home:

Baby K’tan K’tanCloth 3-in-1 Nursing Cover;
aden + anais serenity star;
Bravado Essential Embrace nursing bra;
Medela Quick Clean Soap;
Medela Tender Care Lanolin Tube

A little bit about Nancy:
Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA, is author of the 2010 book for breastfeeding specialists, Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple: A Guide for Helping Mothers. She has written for many publications and spoken at breastfeeding conferences around the world. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Breastfeeding USA and the Leadership Team of the developing Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes.

See you at 1pm EST!

telicious2 · August 2013

I may not be able to make it so I hope I can post my 2 questions now.

1. How can I make sure I am producing enough milk for when my son goes through a growth spurt? Since a baby is more efficient than a pump.

2. My son sleeps through the night and he is asleep when I leave for work in the morning. I pump when I get to work. So on the weekends, will my supply be affected if I don't pump the breast he doesn't eat from when he wakes?

Thank you!

eroplane · August 2013

Im early too! Thanks for answering our questions!!

My LO is 4 months old now and my letdown reflex has been present the entire time. Now it's a more intense feeling, maybe more painful, but definitely more noticeable. Does this mean anything? Am I doing something to cause it?

Thanks again!!

familyhoward · August 2013

This is exciting!!!

kmvw · August 2013

I am going back to work in two weeks and am concerned that LO isn't on any real schedule as far as eating. I bf and pump to start building up my reserve, she does get a bottle every once in a while so she is used to eating from a bottle. At times she goes three hours between feeding and other times its like any hour, hour and a half. Is there any way to know how many bottles/ ounces she will go through in a day? How do I go about getting her on more of a schedule? LO will be six weeks on Thursday, thank you!

catskitch · August 2013

is it normal for the baby to only want to latch on to one side? He favors the left, and never the right. I'm pumping right now as well and I see that I'm getting more from the left.

I waiting for the arrival of a nipple shield, would that help?

Kmansmomma · August 2013

I am having a problem with clogged ducts in one of my breasts. This breast does not seem to respond to pumping for whatever reason. I went out to dinner for my anniversary last night and am paying the price today with a seriously engorged breast because i missed a feeding. i tried pumping before i left for dinner and after i got home. I was not able to get any milk out of that breast and am in pain today trying to get relief. I am very frustrated because if I can't get relief through pumping it could prohibit me from being able to leave the house without DS (he is 2 weeks old). I don't want to quit BF but if this continues and I can't get my breast to respond to pumping I may not have a choice. As a side note, this is my second child and I did not have this issue with the first. Is there anything I can do to get this breast to respond to the pump? Thank you!!

smash1228 · August 2013

OK so I finally defrosted one of my bags of frozen milk to see if it was still ok. Coming up on 3mo of being frozen for some of them and was going to go ahead and use them before the time limit was up. Well it had this really sweet funny smell and I tasted it and it tasted like soap. So I know that means that I have too much lipase in my milk. I defrosted a bag that was pumped 3 days ago and it had no smell at all but did have the soapy taste. DD drank 5 oz of it with no issues. I am going to start scalding my pumped milk before freezing it from now on incase her tastebuds change and she decides she no longer likes the soapy taste.
My question is....I usually pump in the morning after her fist nursing session around 7am and then again at night about 2.5 hours after she goes to bed. Do I need to scald the milk after each pump session or can I do it at the end of the day with all the milk at once? Also, I read to only scald until you see small bubbles and then remove from heat. I am so scared that I will let it get too hot, is there any signs that the milk has gotten too hot? Will the milk be bad if it does get too hot?
Thanks!

LCNancy · August 2013

Thanks! I'm glad to be here to answer questions in honor of National Breastfeeding Month. I appreciate being invited by The Bump.

bikegirl18 · August 2013

My son is 6 months old and I have recently started experiencing cracked nipples and a little bleeding, which I did not experience before. Are there any factors that could have resulted in this sudden change? Could this be due to him teething?I have been putting lanolin on it. Do you have any other suggestions to help with the dryness? Thanks!

ndlitke · August 2013

My baby is 3 months old and has been eating at least 4 more ounces a day that I can pump at work. I have started pumping after evening feedings and am still not making as much as she eats during the day. On the weekends she seems to be getting full from the breast and can go between 3 to 4 hours between feedings. Any suggestions on how to increase my milk supply to keep up with her needs at daycare? Thank you

hoffer030 · August 2013

Best methods to increasing milk supply? My boobs seem to only produce 4 oz each... ive tried strickly pumping, feeding then immeditely pumping. I just cant seem to produce more!

LCNancy · August 2013

Teething could most definitely play a role in your cracked nipples and bleeding. The most important way to help prevent this is to make sure your baby latches deeply. Take special care that he opens wide when latching and stays on deeply throughout the feeding.

Sherrie113 · August 2013

My due date is tomorrow and I am hoping to breast feed exclusively even when I go back to work. My question is how long can breast sit in just a cooler while at work,before posing any risk of spoiling? Also is there a sure fire way of getting a baby to latch onto the breast,I have a few friends that gave up because they said breast feeding was just too difficult. Thanks!

LCNancy · August 2013

The best way to ensure you have enough milk for your baby is to breastfeed whenever your son indicates a need by rooting, putting his hands in his mouth, and fussing. Even when your baby is in a growth spurt, be confident you have enough milk, because your breasts make more milk than your baby takes. Most babies take only about 2/3 of the milk in the breast, so by giving him each breast more than once, he'll continue to get milk. In answer to your second question, no you don't have to pump when you're at home. Your pumping at work is a substitute for your baby's nursing, so just nurse him at home whenever he wants.

Hope this helps! Happy National Breastfeeding Awareness Month!

rea1687 said:

I may not be able to make it so I hope I can post my 2 questions now. 1. How can I make sure I am producing enough milk for when my son goes through a growth spurt? Since a baby is more efficient than a pump. 2. My son sleeps through the night and he is asleep when I leave for work in the morning. I pump when I get to work. So on the weekends, will my supply be affected if I don't pump the breast he doesn't eat from when he wakes? Thank you!

StfneTm · August 2013

LO definitely favors my left side over the right, and now there is a noticeable difference between the two for size and supply. Whenever I put her on the right side first, she will fuss and cry after a couple of minutes until I switch her to the left side. Any advice on how to fix this?

familyhoward · August 2013

I am pregnant right now with baby #4. I have always had issues with flat nipples and have never successfully nursed long term. (Exclusively pumped with my 3 kids for 6-8 months each) What are the chances of not having those issues this time around? Or is there anything I can do to make my chances for latching better?

LCNancy · August 2013

eroplane said:

Im early too! Thanks for answering our questions!! My LO is 4 months old now and my letdown reflex has been present the entire time. Now it's a more intense feeling, maybe more painful, but definitely more noticeable. Does this mean anything? Am I doing something to cause it? Thanks again!!

Your letdown being more noticeable is nothing to be concerned about. It is probably related to the natural changes in hormones that occur as babies grow. You didn't do anything to cause it. Your perception of it may continue to change as your baby matures, but this is not a reason to worry.

cjoyand · August 2013

Hi Nancy! My son is almost 9 months old. He doesn't have much interest in nursing long enough to get a full meal (what I consider 5oz). He nurses for about 5 minutes total during 3 nursing sessions. Then his 4th and final nursing session he nurses for about an hour to fall asleep at night. I have to supplement with bottles of breastmilk after he nurses during the day to ensure he is getting enough breastmilk. I also give him about a 2oz bottle following two meals to make sure he gets close to 24oz a day. I am happy to continue nursing but it is becoming more difficult as I have to continue to pump. Having to prepare a bottle following a nursing session is getting more stressful too. He will accept the bottle immediately and finish 2-3oz from a bottle after nursing. He is quick to finish nursing and sit up to see what's going on around him. He complains when I sit down in the rocker to nurse him. He seems to be ready; to give up the breast. What is the best method for my son and for myself to begin weaning? Could I continue nursing just at bedtime? How long should this process take? Thanks!

capinjen152 · August 2013

Glad to have a LC available. Can you tell us what paths to take to become a lactation consultant? We only have one in my area (rural) and think we could benefit from adding more, especially bilingual support.

katiejones07 · August 2013

i have a question which i hope that you can answer for me. when i was younger i had my nipples pierced. they are out and healed (have been for 4 years) but now that i am about to give birth to our first child, i'm a little nervous that something might go wrong. have you encountered this before? and if so, did any milk come out of the old scars? could i be at a higher risk for getting thrush or other bacterial infections?

LCNancy · August 2013

kmvw said:

I am going back to work in two weeks and am concerned that LO isn't on any real schedule as far as eating. I bf and pump to start building up my reserve, she does get a bottle every once in a while so she is used to eating from a bottle. At times she goes three hours between feeding and other times its like any hour, hour and a half. Is there any way to know how many bottles/ ounces she will go through in a day? How do I go about getting her on more of a schedule? LO will be six weeks on Thursday, thank you!

Very few babies this age breastfeed at predictable intervals. They are not mature enough yet to do this comfortably. Also, it's important to breastfeed whenever you baby wants to help ensure your milk production is exactly where it needs to be for the long-term. The way babies adjust your milk as needed is by feeding more often and for longer. Draining your breasts more fully more often tells your body to boost milk supply. To calculate how much milk she'll need during your workday, estimate she'll probably be taking about 30 oz/24 hours. If you're away from her for 8 hours (1/3 of a 24 hour day), she'll probably need about 10 oz. If you're away 12 hours, it would be closer to 15 oz.

LCNancy · August 2013

eroplane said:

Im early too! Thanks for answering our questions!! My LO is 4 months old now and my letdown reflex has been present the entire time. Now it's a more intense feeling, maybe more painful, but definitely more noticeable. Does this mean anything? Am I doing something to cause it? Thanks again!

catskitch said:

is it normal for the baby to only want to latch on to one side? He favors the left, and never the right. I'm pumping right now as well and I see that I'm getting more from the left.

I waiting for the arrival of a nipple shield, would that help?

LCNancy · August 2013

is it normal for the baby to only want to latch on to one side? He favors the left, and never the right. I'm pumping right now as well and I see that I'm getting more from the left.

I waiting for the arrival of a nipple shield, would that help?

It is not unusual for a baby to prefer one breast. It may be that the breast he is struggling with is a little different than the other. Maybe the nipple sticks out less or is larger, maybe that breast is fuller/tauter, or maybe you are just more comfortable holding him on the other side. I would suggest trying latching in a laid-back breastfeeding position, where you're semi-reclined and he is resting tummy down on your body. In those kinds of positions, gravity works with your baby's feeding reflexes to help him latch more easily. You can also shape your breast for him with your fingers running parallet to his lips. That might make that breast easier to take. Best of luck!

garzar888 · August 2013

Hello!

One of my breasts is a full cup size larger than the other and produces about 5oz while the other produces only 2oz. Is this normal and is there a way to even myself out?

Thanks for all your help!

LCNancy · August 2013

ndlitke said:

My baby is 3 months old and has been eating at least 4 more ounces a day that I can pump at work. I have started pumping after evening feedings and am still not making as much as she eats during the day. On the weekends she seems to be getting full from the breast and can go between 3 to 4 hours between feedings. Any suggestions on how to increase my milk supply to keep up with her needs at daycare? Thank you

There are a number of different approaches to this situation. One is to make sure your baby is fed with a slow-flow nipple, as slower milk flow may help him to feel full on less milk. The caregiver can also promote this by "pacing" bottle-feeds, or giving him little breaks during the feeding to let his appetite control mechanism take effect. Another approach is for you to try hands-on pumping techniques, which some women find yields more milk. You can read about this on the breastfeedingusa.org website under the Breastfeeding Information tab. The link to this article is: https://breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/pump-more-milk-use-hands-pumping. A third approach is to breastfeed more often when you're together. Every breastfeeding you do will mean 3-4 oz. less he will need while you're apart. Babies need about 30 oz/day and if they don't get it while you're home, they have to make up for lost time while you're at work. Best of luck! :-)

beccah480 · August 2013

I am due in October and plan to breastfeed for at least the first year, assuming all goes well. Between book, classes, webinars, etc. can you recommend the most effecient, affordable, worth-while ways to a first-time mom like myself to prepare for breastfeeding? What are the best tools to have on hand once the baby is born (book names, websites, etc.)? I luckily have a great network of nursing moms within my friends and family. Also, it seems like each nursing mom that I know goes through a period of just extremely trying time in the first few weeks of nursing. It almost seems like unless you are absolutely deteremined or know to contact a consultant, you have a high likelihood of giving up during this period. Is this common outside of my circle too? Is there anything that can be done to prevent/avoid going through this rough time?

Jillsee · August 2013

Hello! Thanks for being here!

I have two questions....

1. My little one is 11.5 weeks old. We have exclusively breastfed the entire time (he has only had 4 bottles ... Of breastmilk) my question is regarding let down. For some reason around a week or so ago I've not been feeling a letdown. I can tell from his sucking and swallowing that it is occurring, but for some reason the sensation is no longer occurring. Is this of concern?

2. I have a wedding to attend and my mother in law will need to give my little guy a bottle while I am away, possibly two bottles. I pump well and have been blessed with a decent-great supply. My question is regarding fore and hind milk. It seems that when I pump (typically at night and overnight) I get around 5 ounces each time (averaging 8-12 ounces a day which I freeze) . When I go to store the milk it has naturally separated. Should I be concerned, or is there a way to adjust the fore/hind milk balance. It just appears that there is SO much more fore milk.

Thank you in advance!

LCNancy · August 2013

Kmansmomma said:

I am having a problem with clogged ducts in one of my breasts. This breast does not seem to respond to pumping for whatever reason. I went out to dinner for my anniversary last night and am paying the price today with a seriously engorged breast because i missed a feeding. i tried pumping before i left for dinner and after i got home. I was not able to get any milk out of that breast and am in pain today trying to get relief. I am very frustrated because if I can't get relief through pumping it could prohibit me from being able to leave the house without DS (he is 2 weeks old). I don't want to quit BF but if this continues and I can't get my breast to respond to pumping I may not have a choice. As a side note, this is my second child and I did not have this issue with the first. Is there anything I can do to get this breast to respond to the pump? Thank you!!

This is definitely a fixable problem. Over time, as mothers breastfeed and pump, their nipple diameter increases in size. The better pump brands offer different size nipple tunnels to accommodate these size changes. Check with your pump manufacturer and see if you can buy a larger diameter nipple tunnel for that breast. My guess is that's your solution.

Kim731 · August 2013

I'm currently exclusively pumping every 6 hours and get between 40-45 oz per day. My son's needs are around 30-35 oz per day, so I've got about a 10 oz oversupply. I've already filled an entire freezer with pumped milk, so I have little need for the excess. Would spacing pumping sessions out to 7 or 8 hours help in reducing my total output? Or would it be better to continue at 6 hour intervals but reduce my time per session?

Buchanana · August 2013

I am heading back to work and my daughter is breasted. The day care warmed her milk the other day because she won't take it unless it is very warm. She didn't take the first bottle so they poured all 4.5 oz out. Could they have refrigerated the milk to use another feeding??

Dlrbills4me · August 2013

I work full-time and have used up any extra bags of milk I accumulated while home on maternity/family leave. What is the best way to go about establishing a stock pile of extra bags of milk, so that I can have them available for unforeseen circumstances?

Also, I have read conflicting articles, but I would love to know the details of when it is safe to nurse after having a glass of wine.

Thanks!

LCNancy · August 2013

hoffer030 said:

Best methods to increasing milk supply? My boobs seem to only produce 4 oz each... ive tried strickly pumping, feeding then immeditely pumping. I just cant seem to produce more!

Milk production is a fairly simple dynamic. The more times each day and the more fully you drain your breasts (either by breastfeeding or pumping), the more milk you produce. the opposite is true, too. The fewer times per day you drain your breasts, the less milk you produce. For most mothers, 6-8 milk removals/day will maintain their milk production. Fewer than that will cause it to decrease and more than that will cause it to increase. By breastfeeding or pumping more than 8x/day, you should see a gradual increase over time. The more times per day you remove the milk (and it doesn't have to be at regular intervals, so you could do it every hour during your waking hours), the faster your milk should increase.

LCNancy · August 2013

smash1228 said:

OK so I finally defrosted one of my bags of frozen milk to see if it was still ok. Coming up on 3mo of being frozen for some of them and was going to go ahead and use them before the time limit was up. Well it had this really sweet funny smell and I tasted it and it tasted like soap. So I know that means that I have too much lipase in my milk. I defrosted a bag that was pumped 3 days ago and it had no smell at all but did have the soapy taste. DD drank 5 oz of it with no issues. I am going to start scalding my pumped milk before freezing it from now on incase her tastebuds change and she decides she no longer likes the soapy taste.

My question is....I usually pump in the morning after her fist nursing session around 7am and then again at night about 2.5 hours after she goes to bed. Do I need to scald the milk after each pump session or can I do it at the end of the day with all the milk at once? Also, I read to only scald until you see small bubbles and then remove from heat. I am so scared that I will let it get too hot, is there any signs that the milk has gotten too hot? Will the milk be bad if it does get too hot?

Thanks!

You should be able to do the scalding of the milk all at once without it being an issue. However, keep in mind that if your baby doesn't have a problem with the milk, you don't need to go to all this trouble. You will know the milk is too hot if you see more than bubbles around the edges and it has reached a rolling boil.

ds3644a · August 2013

Current 26 wks pregnant and still breastfeeding my 23 month old son. I have read that as you enter the third trimester your milk supply will dry out. Is this true?

LCNancy · August 2013

hoffer030 said:

Best methods to increasing milk supply? My boobs seem to only produce 4 oz each... ive tried strickly pumping, feeding then immeditely pumping. I just cant seem to produce more!

As an FYI, breastfed babies typically only take 3-4 oz total at a feeding. Getting 4 oz from each breast is twice that, so you're already way above average in terms of what you're pumping. You might enjoy reading the How Much Milk Should You Expect to Pump? article at: https://www.nancymohrbacher.com/blog/2012/11/27/how-much-milk-should-you-expect-to-pump.html

jackersCU · August 2013

My little girl is 14 weeks old and she still likes to nurse every 1.5-2 hours. Is she nursing for comfort or for food if it's that close together? I don't really mind but just curious. Thanks!

courtneyheiser · August 2013

My son is four weeks now and breastfeeding has been a struggle, as it was with my first son as well. He lost a lot of weight at the beginning so I started pumping and bottle feeding on top of nursing because I did not want to supplement with formula. Now I mostly pump and bottle feed throughout the day and nurse at night but I still do not seem to produce enough to keep up with him. If I pump every two hours I usually get around 2 oz total but he can take a 4 oz bottle every 3(ish) hours! Is it normal for him to be eating this much? Also, I am going back to work in two weeks and I know I need to start storing BM, but everything I pump, he eats. I am taking fenugreek but haven't noticed a huge difference. Is there anything else I can be doing to help with production? Thank you for the help!

LCNancy · August 2013

Sherrie113 said:

My due date is tomorrow and I am hoping to breast feed exclusively even when I go back to work. My question is how long can breast sit in just a cooler while at work,before posing any risk of spoiling? Also is there a sure fire way of getting a baby to latch onto the breast,I have a few friends that gave up because they said breast feeding was just too difficult. Thanks!

One study found that milk at around 60 degrees (which your cooler should be able to maintain if you start the day with your freezer packs frozen) was good for at least 24 hours. Regarding latching, the best way to help make early latching easier is to use laid-back feeding positions. You can read more about this and see some line drawings showing it at: https://www.nancymohrbacher.com/blog/2010/10/11/some-ins-and-outs-of-laid-back-breastfeeding.html In these positions, gravity works in harmony with your baby's inborn feeding reflexes and makes it possible for him to take an active role in latching. It also makes the whole process easier and more relaxing for you, because you don't have to micromanage the latch or support your baby's weight through the feeding. Breastfeeding is a lot less work this way.

LCNancy · August 2013

StfneTm said:

LO definitely favors my left side over the right, and now there is a noticeable difference between the two for size and supply. Whenever I put her on the right side first, she will fuss and cry after a couple of minutes until I switch her to the left side. Any advice on how to fix this?

Ultimately, it doesn't matter from your baby's perspective if one breast makes more milk. What matters to her is that she gets enough milk overall. One study found that 75% of mothers produce more milk on one side. But if you want to put some time and effort into evening out your breasts, you can pump the right breast at least 3-4x/day.

JenniferW268 · August 2013

I am so glad that I checked this board today. I think it's about time to give up

I am a little over 9 months pp and have been BFing/pumping at work/supplementing with one bottle per day for 2 months because my supply is tanking. I tried upping my supply by increasing the amount of pumping sessions/drinking more water/drinking mother's milk tea/taking fenugreek and it is not doing a thing. Yesterday I pumped a total of 6oz while at work (4 pumps!!!) just now I pumped 1/2oz from each side and the last pump was 3 hours prior. Even when she BF at home she seems uninterested, unless it is her bedtime nursing session, then she is happy to take comfort in it before bed. I have felt in the past few months that it has been time to give it up, but I pushed through because I really want to get to a year. I just think now there is nothing more I can do . . . 1/2 oz out of a pumping session, it's almost hard to justify the time/frustration/bags that I have to lug to work/stress. Any help is appreciated, even if the answer is that it's time to give up.

Want a personalized experience?

Tata Tuesday 8/13, 1-3pm ET with Nancy Mohrbacher (LC Nancy)

Re: Tata Tuesday 8/13, 1-3pm ET with Nancy Mohrbacher (LC Nancy)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards