What does J13 think? : Dry Nursing

ljs4117 · January 2014

What's your opinion on nursing despite not having milk? Does your opinion depend on if baby was FF or BF?

I ask because sometimes DD rolls towards me when she's trying to go to sleep and tries to nurse (she has been FF for 4 months now). I usually let her because I see it as a comfort thing but DH seemed slightly weirded out by it. He has no issues with BF but I guess it seems weird to him to let her nurse since there's no milk.

So I guess I'm just seeing what you ladies think. Maybe it will be an interesting discussion?

((also, I haven't seen this posted about but if I'm sounding like a broken record I'll gladly read through an old linked thread

))

jackson290721 · January 2014

I'd do it. Don't always have a pacifier around, boobs I can't forget.

bumpuser8571475 · January 2014

I don't see anything wrong with it.

opheliainwaders · January 2014

Eh, seems normal to me. DD nurses all the time for comfort, even if she's not hungry, so it's definitely not always a "food" thing.

Lelo2006 · January 2014

Before having a baby, I would have thought it was weird. Now, nipples for all!

kmc217 · January 2014

Doesn't bother me at all. My LO comfort nurses all the time. No place he'd rather hang!

yelyah4826 · January 2014

Sometimes I wish LO would comfort nurse a little bit more just so I can be lazier and sit down rather than pace around. You both enjoy it so go for it!

Erinm278 · January 2014

After my milk dried up I continued to use the breast to soothe for a few weeks. There were only drops coming out but sometimes it was the only thing that calmed her.

ljs4117 · January 2014

Yay, thanks for the reassurance. I sort of have this hope that I'll be a regular ol' milk cow once new baby is here and that I can let DD have some of the milk she missed out on

Don't know how beneficial it would be and if she would even want it when that happens... we will see.

Pink724 · January 2014

Agreed. Many times LO nurses for comfort when there's not much there (and doesn't care if she's getting anything or not)... Don't see much of a difference.

FancyFrenchie · January 2014

I don't find it weird and if she wants. It I'd do it!!

Stacey099 · January 2014

If it makes baby happy than go for it! Not weird at all

atlvol · January 2014

I don't find it weird at all.

PrimRoseMama · January 2014

If you are comfortable & LO doesn't mind no milk I say have at it. I'm not sure DS wouldn't spazz if his efforts didn't produce milk. Then again he doesn't like to comfort nurse.

ljs4117 · January 2014

LO never took a pacifier so I'm kind of surprised she has taken to comfort nursing lately. I assumed it was because it wasn't productive. Maybe she's teething or something...

heyhaylee · January 2014

I never got milk in, but my LO has always tried to nurse, so I tried it, and sometimes she does. She did it a lot when she was littler.

gutsymama · January 2014

I thought I would do this once I stopped pumping. Luke hasn't seemed the least bit interested so I haven't pushed it at all, but if he wanted to I would do it all the time.

Not weird. Enjoy that time with your baby while you can.

valstulas · January 2014

Chances are that even if you couldn't express or pump milk, your LO may be able to transfer a small amount of milk still.

Babies want to suck for comfort. Nothing wrong with it. Let that baby go on and baby.

jegoffin · January 2014

ljs4117 said:
Yay, thanks for the reassurance. I sort of have this hope that I'll be a regular ol' milk cow once new baby is here and that I can let DD have some of the milk she missed out on Don't know how beneficial it would be and if she would even want it when that happens... we will see.

Are you open to placenta encapsulation? I swear it made all the difference in being able to bf #2 vs #1. I still have about 20 pills left and they are my lifesavers whenever my supply needs a boost.

je2161 · January 2014

Now that I have kids I don't think it's strange.

emandia · January 2014

I would do it if he liked it! Not weird at all.

KTZ17 · January 2014

I have a really low supply and DD comfort nurses frequently. She can't be getting much. I think it's fine! And like PPs have said, she might start getting something!

themargo · January 2014

I think it's sweet that she wants to and that you are comforting her in such a natural way.

heatherbrownm · January 2014

Not weird at all!

kaylakim · January 2014

I also don't think it's weird. If it's comforting to your child then go for it!

shara3333 · January 2014

Before I had a baby and breastfeed I might have thought it was, but definitely not now. Though I'm sure my husband would find it weird too. Men just don't "get" all this mommy hood stuff sometimes.

martyn17 · January 2014

Go for it

[Deleted User] · January 2014

The user and all related content has been deleted.

maryoosa · January 2014

As an adoptive mom who did not induce lactation but who nursed with a supplemental nursing system for a few months, my son is still prone to nurse for comfort. He's clearly not get anything outta me- but nursing and the nursing relationship is about far more than food.

Dtams13 · January 2014

I would do it. LO comfort nurses all of the time.

ljs4117 · January 2014

jegoffin said:

ljs4117 said:
Yay, thanks for the reassurance. I sort of have this hope that I'll be a regular ol' milk cow once new baby is here and that I can let DD have some of the milk she missed out on Don't know how beneficial it would be and if she would even want it when that happens... we will see.
Are you open to placenta encapsulation? I swear it made all the difference in being able to bf #2 vs #1. I still have about 20 pills left and they are my lifesavers whenever my supply needs a boost.

@jegoffin - Not sure.. I think I could get on board with it. Really depends on how big the pills are and how weak my stomach is PP.

ljs4117 · January 2014

ramy3695 said:
@ljs4117 my placenta pills were in purple, grape flavored capsules and were smaller than my prenatal vitamin. I never struggled to take them. And they made a huge difference in my PP experience this time compared to after my first was born.

@ramy3695 - so, I'll be looking this all up but... Who encapsulates placentas?

cuterusaurus · January 2014

@ramy3695 said:
Not weird at all. I did some research on adoptive breastfeeding when I was in grad school and there are some cases where adopted children who have never been breastfed try to nurse from their adoptive mother for comfort and bonding.

I love this. :x

[Deleted User] · January 2014

I don't think it's weird. I was actually wondering the other say if Haddock remembered how to nurse and if I could start to breastfeed again.

ljs4117 · January 2014

@ramy3695 - ygpm

ljs4117 · January 2014

@llmg0715 - yeah, that's how I feel too. She just seems so happy when I let her do it.

jegoffin · January 2014

ljs4117 said:

ramy3695 said:
@ljs4117 my placenta pills were in purple, grape flavored capsules and were smaller than my prenatal vitamin. I never struggled to take them. And they made a huge difference in my PP experience this time compared to after my first was born.
@ramy3695 - so, I'll be looking this all up but... Who encapsulates placentas?

Mine were way smaller than a prenatal. They were the size of an antibiotic capsule. A lot of doulas will do it and if they don't-they probably know someone who does. Also, your local LLL leader may know someone. Our LLL leader did mine. Best decision I made in regards to this pregnancy/recovery. Just don't tell most people you are doing it/did it if you are easily swayed by others' opinions. My DH was way grossed out by the idea at first but now he tells people about it because he could see how much of a difference it made.

pantsarella · January 2014

Iand LoveandYou said:

I think it's weird, but to each his own. It's nobody's business but yours. When I had all my supply issues, the LC told me even if I didn't have milk to still put the baby to breast for bonding. She said it's still good for you and baby. Whatever makes you and baby happy.

I'm in this camp. Not for me, but I wouldn't judge you for it.

That said, DD had to be FF since day 2 because she would SCREAM when I tried to BF her. She was not into doing all that work. To this day she's still a lazy eater. She's been on higher calorie formula for months and when we switched her to it she just starting eating less. It's like she has an internal maximum daily calorie intake and will not go over it. It's so frustrating.

I support whatever keeps baby fed and happy.

kmvw · January 2014

Thanks for asking this because I've wondered about dry nursing. LO is sick right now and to me it seems like the most natural way to comfort her, but I wasn't sure since I've stopped nursing a month ago.

equinus · January 2014

I don't think it's weird either, breastfeeding is about more than just food! If you keep letting her, then she probably will start to get something (at least colostrum) towards the end of your pregnancy, and lots of moms tandem nurse babies, it will be good for both babies!

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