Breastfeeding challenges - anyone want to share overcoming your challenges, or a general vent?

Sanibel21 · April 2014

I went to a breast feeding support group today and got some great encouragement and reassurance from the consultants. They think LO is spitting/vomiting from oversupply and fast flow. Gave me some good pointers and made me feel like less of a clueless fumbler. I was feeling bad there was something wrong with my milk or it was something in my diet or my lack of ability to burp her. Breast feeding onward.

MK1550 · April 2014

We went for our 2 week weight check today & Lily had gained 12 oz in a week! She's back above her birth weight which makes me feel so relieved because I feel clueless when breastfeeding - but she's gaining so now I don't have to wake her every 3 hours which has been very frustrating! Big weight off my shoulders!

teachermommy9967 · April 2014

LO is 3oz shy of his birth weight at 13 days old. Dr gave it till next week to see if his weight increases before telling us to start supplementing. So I went to a LC who checked his latch and said it was great and suggested I start taking fenugreek and another herbal supplement to increase milk supply and is saying I should start domperidon as well. I don't think supply is the issue my breast seem very full before he eats and much softer after. He eats and seems satisfied and sleeps great he is usually very alert and content. He isn't losing weight just gaining slowly...does that automatically mean he isn't getting enough milk.

ProudMommy030614 · April 2014

Just when I had an awesome pumping schedule and everything was going great a friggen growth spurt! Yikes he is a monster and I can't wait for it to be over!!! How long do they usually last? He is 3 weeks tomorrow.

Aturl · April 2014

Things have been great here except now LO is getting really posses when I letdown and it chokes him. He starts throwing a fit when it happens not sure what to do exactly. At least it isn't shooting him in the face like it did my other two when I nurses them. It just flows really fast and runs all out of his mouth. In the end we both are soaked in milk...

bumpuser1282882 · April 2014

I can't seem to figure out why some days I can pump a good amount and other days I barely get anything at all. I pump after feedings. Two days ago I got 50 ml in 10 minutes and yesterday I could barely get 10 ml in the same time. The nurse suggested that maybe LO is emptying me better before those times I get very little, but I'm not so sure. Does anyone have any advice?

lalaith50 · April 2014

teachermommy9967 said:

LO is 3oz shy of his birth weight at 13 days old. Dr gave it till next week to see if his weight increases before telling us to start supplementing. So I went to a LC who checked his latch and said it was great and suggested I start taking fenugreek and another herbal supplement to increase milk supply and is saying I should start domperidon as well. I don't think supply is the issue my breast seem very full before he eats and much softer after. He eats and seems satisfied and sleeps great he is usually very alert and content. He isn't losing weight just gaining slowly...does that automatically mean he isn't getting enough milk.

I think # of wet and dirty diapers (along with weight gain) is pretty much the gold standard for " is he getting enough?"

teachermommy9967 · April 2014

lalaith50 said:

teachermommy9967 said:

LO is 3oz shy of his birth weight at 13 days old. Dr gave it till next week to see if his weight increases before telling us to start supplementing. So I went to a LC who checked his latch and said it was great and suggested I start taking fenugreek and another herbal supplement to increase milk supply and is saying I should start domperidon as well. I don't think supply is the issue my breast seem very full before he eats and much softer after. He eats and seems satisfied and sleeps great he is usually very alert and content. He isn't losing weight just gaining slowly...does that automatically mean he isn't getting enough milk.

I think # of wet and dirty diapers (along with weight gain) is pretty much the gold standard for " is he getting enough?"

Ya that's the other concern he pees lots but only has a dirty diaper ever 24 hrs however my daughter was the same as was I when I was a baby and a number of other family members have issues in that area so I think that's more of a genetic issue.

bumpuser1282882 · April 2014

teachermommy9967 said:

teachermommy9967 said:

LO is 3oz shy of his birth weight at 13 days old. Dr gave it till next week to see if his weight increases before telling us to start supplementing. So I went to a LC who checked his latch and said it was great and suggested I start taking fenugreek and another herbal supplement to increase milk supply and is saying I should start domperidon as well. I don't think supply is the issue my breast seem very full before he eats and much softer after. He eats and seems satisfied and sleeps great he is usually very alert and content. He isn't losing weight just gaining slowly...does that automatically mean he isn't getting enough milk.

I think # of wet and dirty diapers (along with weight gain) is pretty much the gold standard for " is he getting enough?"
Ya that's the other concern he pees lots but only has a dirty diaper ever 24 hrs however my daughter was the same as was I when I was a baby and a number of other family members have issues in that area so I think that's more of a genetic issue.

What does your pedi say about the 1 poopy diaper per 24h?

wearebirds · April 2014

My supply seems to have taken a dive on my right side and I've got no idea why. It's so frustrating to have LO on the breast forever just to scream that she's still hungry. Ughhhh

jennbaylor12 · April 2014

I've been EBF for the last 3 weeks but have got to introduce pumping so that I can have a milk supply for feedings when I go back to work. I have read online and looked through all the threads here and there is so much conflicting information. I'll ask our pedi at the next appointment but I'm sure that will be yet another opinion. I can't figure out when I should pump - immediately after feeding, 30-45 minutes after feeding, pump the opposite breast that he doesn't eat from at each feeding...? I'm feeling so intimidated by this and I'm afraid to start for fear of doing it wrong and messing up what a great thing we have going :-/

LoveMoose85 · April 2014

@jennbay12. I was really struggling with this as well last week. I've come to find out that you just kinda have to do what works for you. There is all kinds of different ways to start building your stash and everyone does it a little different, there really isn't a way to screw it up. I only thing I can think of is overpumping to cause engorgement.

I started out pumping boths sides after a morning feed and an afternoon feed, but I was only getting barely an once doing it that way because LO would pretty much drain me. (You may be different and have a larger supply then I do though.) What I found works the best for me is pumping the side that LO is not feeding from at the time during the first morning feed of the day. I like it because having LO right there seems to stimulate a lot more milk for me and I can pump a full breast. If LO is still hungry I found that she can always get milk from the breast I pumped because babies are a lot more effienct. But most of the time the one breast is plenty for her. I also try to do this once in the afternoon also. Since doing this I have been able to stash a bottle a day.

I also found that you don't have to give LO a bottle everyday to get them used to it, which I was told to do by my LC. LO seems to have no problem with the bottle, so I have just been giving her one twice a week so she stays familiar, that way I can stash more. Hope this helps, I know it's confusing not my best advice is just to dive in and start finding what is gonna work for you and LO..

ETA: Holy novel...sorry.

teachermommy9967 · April 2014

stufie said:

teachermommy9967 said:

lalaith50 said:

teachermommy9967 said:

LO is 3oz shy of his birth weight at 13 days old. Dr gave it till next week to see if his weight increases before telling us to start supplementing. So I went to a LC who checked his latch and said it was great and suggested I start taking fenugreek and another herbal supplement to increase milk supply and is saying I should start domperidon as well. I don't think supply is the issue my breast seem very full before he eats and much softer after. He eats and seems satisfied and sleeps great he is usually very alert and content. He isn't losing weight just gaining slowly...does that automatically mean he isn't getting enough milk.

I think # of wet and dirty diapers (along with weight gain) is pretty much the gold standard for " is he getting enough?"
Ya that's the other concern he pees lots but only has a dirty diaper ever 24 hrs however my daughter was the same as was I when I was a baby and a number of other family members have issues in that area so I think that's more of a genetic issue.

What does your pedi say about
the 1 poopy diaper per 24h?

He said he should have 3 poopy diapers a day at his age and when paired with his slow weight gain makes him think there is a problem which is why he wants him on formula. However 2 years ago when my daughter would go a few days without poopy diapers he didn't day anything cause she was breastfed and supplemented with formula.

Obviously I will do whatever I have to to make sure he is healthy but I really don't feel like its a supply issue. But that's always what they jump to first.

pepperedmoth · April 2014

@bennieangel‌ have you tried swaddling him for feeds? The LC did that with me and LO today and it seemed to help chill him out and get him ready to eat.

@teachermommy9967‌ I always thought that EBF'd babies could have many fewer poopy diapers a day than FF babies and that was OK....?

teachermommy9967 · April 2014

Not sure the pedi and LC keep saying EBF babies should poop min 3 diapers per day at this age but can go down to 1 per day by 2 or 3 months old

pepperedmoth · April 2014

HUGS to you @OhioRiderEsq‌

Pankers · April 2014

@teachermommy9967‌, my LO s a month old has breast milk and formula (about 50:50) and we have 1 poopy diaper every 2 days. The pediatrician and LC are ok with this.

For those on supply issues. I'll share my progress to date (since the start of this post)

My supply has gone from drops to getting anything from 3-5 oz of pumped breast milk a day and we are reducing our formula intake too. I've been taking fenugreek (which is effing gross and I need to find a way to eat it because I'm struggling to swallow the 9 horse pills a day, drinking the mothers milk teas and using the mother love more milk plus/special blend drops. I also changed my pumping routine, my first LC got me just pumping the breast I fed from each time. I switched LCs and now I pump both sides regardless. I swear this has helped me up my supply. I don't think I'll ever get free if the formula but even getting to 50:50 has been an amazing accomplishment.

We also have an improved latch, ditched the nipple shield (still have the tongue tie) and gained nearly an ounce a day over the last week

.

Keep up the good work ladies, it does get better!!, I promise!

Pankers · April 2014

@teachermommy9967‌, my LO s a month old has breast milk and formula (about 50:50) and we have 1 poopy diaper every 2 days. The pediatrician and LC are ok with this.

For those on supply issues. I'll share my progress to date (since the start of this post)

My supply has gone from drops to getting anything from 3-5 oz of pumped breast milk a day and we are reducing our formula intake too. I've been taking fenugreek (which is effing gross and I need to find a way to eat it because I'm struggling to swallow the 9 horse pills a day, drinking the mothers milk teas and using the mother love more milk plus/special blend drops. I also changed my pumping routine, my first LC got me just pumping the breast I fed from each time. I switched LCs and now I pump both sides regardless. I swear this has helped me up my supply. I don't think I'll ever get free if the formula but even getting to 50:50 has been an amazing accomplishment.

We also have an improved latch, ditched the nipple shield (still have the tongue tie) and gained nearly an ounce a day over the last week

.

Keep up the good work ladies, it does get better!!, I promise!

jennbaylor12 · April 2014

OhioRiderEsq said:
I am so frustrated. We started out bfing well (LO is onlt 10 days old and my milk just came in about 5 days ago). I could also pump an ounce at a time. Then last night, NOTHING. Just nothing. LO nursed but was still clearly hungry. I pumped throughout the night and got absolutely nothing. And today, absolutely nothing. I supplemented today. I don't now what happened and I feel like my body has failed me again.

I called my doctor ands she prescribed a prescription drug that's supposed to increase milk supply and suggested that I take fenugreek. I'm worried about the big scary depression side effect of the drug as I'm still pretty down about my c section (and even more down with the bfing setback). I feel really low right now. I feel like nothing has gone right since I got pregnant. Except that I have a beautiful, healthy baby boy. I'm trying to focus on that. Ugh!

Hugs!! I'm so sorry, that is so frustrating

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Breastfeeding challenges - anyone want to share overcoming your challenges, or a general vent?

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