The Great Big Breastfeeding Thread

Dixon813 · May 2014

rockstarlaw said:
When does the toe-curling pain from latching go away? I can tell it's getting better on one side, but I still have that "breathe!" Moment. LO is only 10 days old. I just need to know when I can expect this to get better!

I remember feeling the exact same way at 10 days and now at 4 weeks I don't. I don't remember it exactly when (another thing that you "get used to" then it changes...) but if say it was probably between 2nd - 3rd week.

maelic · May 2014

She just slept for 6 hours! In a row! Omg.

Thing is, she's a one sided feeder so I'm going to have to go pump the other boob so I don't explode in the next couple of hours...

ksulli · May 2014

^^ jealous! Mine hasn't slept more than 2.5 and is 6w/11lbs!

mamahann · May 2014

rockstarlaw said:
When does the toe-curling pain from latching go away? I can tell it's getting better on one side, but I still have that "breathe!" Moment. LO is only 10 days old. I just need to know when I can expect this to get better!

As everyone else said it does get better! LO is almost 7 weeks and it's so much easier now. I rarely have to re latch her and when I do it's usually one of our night feedings when she's sleepy and a little lazy.

hordol · May 2014

AllyxCore85 said:

hordol said:

AllyxCore85 said:
I haven't posted on this thread yet but I have been reading it a lot and found lot's of helpful advice.

Liam is 3 weeks today and so far he has been a pretty good feeder from the start. He latches good and goes about 10 min on each side a feed. During the day I feed on demand about every 3-4 hrs and then at night DH gives him a bottle of pumped milk and he usually wakes twice in the middle of the night and I feed him.

Well yesterday idk if he had a growth spurt or what but he was wanting the boob every hour from 11am to 8pm and he was screaming unless he was being fed or I was holding him. I was about to lose my mind. He actually slept good last night which I'm assuming is cause he was exhausted from not sleeping all day, but is there anything else I could have done for him? I tried changing his diaper, rocking,burping, the swing, the bouncer, nothing made him happy unless I fed him or held him.

Sounds like you just what you should do. As frustrating as this is, it's very normal behavior for a 3 week old baby. It's a common growth spurt time and babies are very needy during growth spurts. He should go back to normal after a few days.

Thanks @hordol! He has been better and good to know its normal.

No problem, my baby just went through this too. These babies sure do throw us for a loop!

thejewelster · May 2014

Ugh. I woke up with a sore throat and sweat like a mad woman all night. Am breastfeeding through it so lo gets my antibodies but just plain ugh. So hope this is not a cold for the whole house. Dang germs. Can I get some cheese with my whine?!

Emily041285 · May 2014

Bump

Emily041285 · May 2014

DD cluster fed for almost two hours before going to bed tonight. According to wonder weeks she is going through a leap and is probably hitting the 6 week growth spurt too. I had plans to give her a bottle of my pumped milk tomorrow night at an event. I know the point of clustering is to increase my supply. Should I skip this bottle then?

Dixon813 · May 2014

Emily041285 said:
DD cluster fed for almost two hours before going to bed tonight. According to wonder weeks she is going through a leap and is probably hitting the 6 week growth spurt too. I had plans to give her a bottle of my pumped milk tomorrow night at an event. I know the point of clustering is to increase my supply. Should I skip this bottle then?

Ideally you want to pump every time you give a bottle to tell your body that LO is eating/needs milk. That being said, I had an event for work the other night that I was going to be gone for 3-4 hours. I fed DS right before I left, DH gave him a bottle while I was gone then I fed him as soon as I got home. Not ideal, but we had gone that long between feedings at night, And this was a one time thing. We weren't in a growth spurt/cluster feeding though.

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

I don't think one bottle is going to make or break you.

I think foamy poop means gassy? It wouldn't bother me as a one off but if it was ad regular thing id treat it as gas.

rockstarlaw · May 2014

Not an answer to your thrush question, but the nurse at the hospital suggested I go topless as much as possible in the house. I basically spend most of the day like this. I'm sure the neighbors love it if they catch a glimpse of me through the side window of the front door but I could give a fuck. I can't handle thrush on top of the mastitis I'm already dealing with! Maybe go topless for a while if that's an option for you?

justxlaugh · May 2014

Is there a specific nipple shield that you can use just to wear under clothing?? They rub so much and I feel like they will heal so much faster if something was protecting them. I was told a nipple shield would help with that but the only ones I can find are the ones you wear for latching. Do I just get those?

Edit: Nvmd I just found them! Breast Shells!!!!

adheaton1387 · May 2014

justxlaugh said:
Is there a specific nipple shield that you can use just to wear under clothing?? They rub so much and I feel like they will heal so much faster if something was protecting them. I was told a nipple shield would help with that but the only ones I can find are the ones you wear for latching. Do I just get those?

I've seen next to the nursing nipple shields these things called "shells" that are supposed to protect them. Haven't used them but they look like they would help!

ksulli · May 2014

FYI the shells are a gift from the BFing gods.

Dixon813 · May 2014

How long after EATING would LO be affected? Meaning how could you tell if LO is affected by certain foods (onions, spice, etc. )? My mom told me she had to avoid onions, garlic and chocolate when she was nursing me brothers and I. I haven't cut any foods out, but was wondering when our LOs "get" the food we eat.

Maybe this doesn't make any sense - just something I was thinking about.

Rachnan · May 2014

If I bring refrigerated pumped milk out and don't use it, can I stick it back in the refrigerator?

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

Milk can be at room temp for 4-8 hours. Depending on the actual temperature of the room. That time is cumulative. So say you pumped it and left it on the counter for an hour, then stuck it in the fridge. Then a couple days later pulled it out again, that milk now has 3-7 hours it can safely be at room temp. It can go back in the fridge and then out however many times, as long as it doesn't get more time at room temp than 4-8 hours total.

charlyp86 · May 2014

Dixon813 said:
How long after EATING would LO be affected? Meaning how could you tell if LO is affected by certain foods (onions, spice, etc. )? My mom told me she had to avoid onions, garlic and chocolate when she was nursing me brothers and I. I haven't cut any foods out, but was wondering when our LOs "get" the food we eat.

Maybe this doesn't make any sense - just something I was thinking about.

I read something the other day that it was after 4 hours.. Don't remember the source

mamahann · May 2014

Is there a way to tell if my supply is dropping other than weight gain/ diapers? LO will be 7 weeks tomorrow and the last few days have been awful. I thought we finally got to a great point and she's been crying and fussing every time she nurses and has increased her sessions from 10 minutes a side to 18-25. I burp her every time she unlatched herself and it doesn't help. I started the mini pill a week ago and I'm nervous it's affecting my supply.

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

That can be totally normal behavior. If diapers are ok and baby is gaining weight than your supply is probably good. Ask your ped or a lactation consultant for a weighted feeding if you want your mind put at ease.

macynsnoop · May 2014

@Ashleyahann, according to the wonder years app she could be going thru her second leap. This makes them more clingy & fussy, something to consider as well.

ksulli · May 2014

@Dixon813‌ FWIW I read on kellymom that there are very few foods that pass into our milk in such a quantity to impact baby and it's sort of OWTs that onion, garlic, etc will impact baby.

Dixon813 · May 2014

ksulli said:
@Dixon813‌ FWIW I read on kellymom that there are very few foods that pass into our milk in such a quantity to impact baby and it's sort of OWTs that onion, garlic, etc will impact baby.

Thanks @ksulli‌! I've been eating everything like normal, but was just curious if any of his recent fussiness could be tied to my food choices - we like things full of flavor at this house!

Emmynetty · May 2014

I went back to work yesterday

But I had to share that today during my morning pump I pumped 10 oz in 6 minutes! Just about overflowed the bottles.

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

Green poops can be normal. They're not always a sign something is wrong. Especially if they're not also frothy and accompanied by other symptoms.

TallaB · May 2014

I'm sure this has been answered, but i'm not going back 58 pages.

My supply is greatly uneven, and I fear i will become lopsided! The left has always pumped less milk, but it seems to be becoming less and less. Today right was almost 6 oz, left 1.5oz (and that was after she last ate on the R). She feeds off both sides, i've been trying to encourage L then R then L again. I only pump once a day, if that. Should I be concerned in the difference? Can I do anything to bring up the supply on the L?

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

It's a cosmetic problem, if anything. It's very normal, and you probably can't do much about it. The only advice I've heard is to do what you're already doing, start and finish with the weaker side.

CalinAZ · May 2014

So, I'm almost 4 weeks out, and still having some nipple pain. No external damage (they look normal), but hurt most of the time. I'm pretty sure there are two causes - LO doesn't have the best latch (though it's getting better) and, what I'm hoping for advice about, LO likes to pull his head back while eating without unlatching.

I've tried to keep him from pulling by putting my arm behind his head and have tried to catch him when he starts pulling and delatching him with my finger, but all this pulling on my nipple is killing me and I don't know how to get him to stop.

Any advice?

macynsnoop · May 2014

@CalinAZ No advice here but I'm interested in this. My little guy does this too & all I can do is shove his head into my boob so he doesn't rip the nip off! He doesn't do it every feeding, just in the early morning & late evening.

rockstarlaw · May 2014

My LC told me today that the most recent research suggests no real difference between front & hind milk and I shouldn't get too caught up in worrying about that. Thoughts?

I'm obviously just parroting what I was told - I have no real idea & haven't done the research myself. Just found that very interesting.

ksulli · May 2014

^^ not sure I totally buy it. LO is mostly a one boob eater, but then I pump both once a day- the one she just at off is much thicker & the one that's not been used lately is watery. Visa me difference IMO.

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

There is a difference between the milk early in a feeding and later. Anyone can see that. But fore milk/hind milk is still kind of misunderstood. It's a gradual transition where your milk gets more and more fat mixed in, not like a switch that gets flipped and suddenly your baby is getting hind milk instead of fore milk. So it's a bit of a false distinction. Saying something like "I don't think my baby is getting hind milk" kind of doesn't make sense.

For most women (short of a true and large oversupply) you really don't need to worry about what the baby is getting. They'll get the right mix for them.

littlesocks · May 2014

I'm going back to work in 4 weeks and wanted to start giving my DD a bottle (of bm) more often so the transition wouldn't be so hard and so I could learn how much she typically eats in a sitting.
This morning my husband tried giving her a bottle and it didn't go well. She really fought it off even though she was hungry. I made myself sparce by going downstairs. Eventually I tried giving her the bottle and she took it somewhat reluctantly.
She still seemed hungry so we tried giving her more but she fussed and cried. I stopping trying and calmed her down but she still seemed hungry. I ended up letting her nurse. Honestly the whole process broke my heart. I could almost tell she was looking at me wondering why she had to have a bottle. When I held her to calm her down she snuggled so close.
I'm sitting here crying as I let her comfort suck. I just feel so bad for her

She also doesn't like any pacifier I've given her (mam, soothie, dr.brown, etc.) And she tends to comfort suck on me (a lot) until she falls asleep.
I guess my question is... Does anyone have any tips for transitioning their baby to a bottle? We're going to have a nanny that will need to be able to feed her.

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

Some babies are reluctant to take a bottle, but when oush comes to shove it always works out. My daughter was a major boob lover. She would drink very little while at daycare (4-6 ounces the whole day) and then make up for it once we got home. IT was only a problem for me and the housework, not her

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

Also try holding her /positioning her different ways. My daughter had to be held totally different for a bottle than nursing. For a bottle she liked to be out front of you facing you and kind of upright.

littlesocks · May 2014

mamrotu73 said:
What type of bottle did you use? Some more closely replicate breastfeeding than others.

I used a doctor browns.
I had tried the tommy tippee but she seems to like the dr. Browns better.
We also have some advent which we haven't tried yet

littlesocks · May 2014

I just don't want her to be miserable all day.
Plus I work from home so I know if I can hear her crying during the day I'm going to want to run out and nurse her but I can't do that.
I had no idea trying to give a bottle would be so hard (on her and me...)!

Dixon813 · May 2014

Amsull324 said:
I just don't want her to be miserable all day.
Plus I work from home so I know if I can hear her crying during the day I'm going to want to run out and nurse her but I can't do that.
I had no idea trying to give a bottle would be so hard (on her and me...)!

As others have said, try different bottles and positions. Perhaps try giving her a bottle after she's nursed a bit, so she's calm, relaxed and already eating??? I don't know, maybe that's a bad idea, just thinking of what I would try. (DS takes a bottle - Tommee Tippee and Breastflow - easily from DH. I haven't tried giving him one)

michaelad3 · May 2014

I'm so paranoid DD is not getting enough to eat. She is still having plenty of wet diapers as of now, and I'm not sure of weight gain since she hasn't been weighed since her last appt on 5/6, and she doesn't have another appt until 6/23. She has just been a lot lazier of an eater lately. Sometimes she'll act hungry and then only nurse for 2-3 minutes before unlatching and passing out. I try to wake her to feed more, but sometimes it's impossible. Her longest feeds lately are one sided for about 15 min, but she's averaging 10 min or less. I'm just worried and don't know how to get her to eat more. This caring for another human business is so hard

Rrrrrachel · May 2014

She's probably just getting more efficient at eating and so it doesn't take as long. I know it can be worrisome but really it's a good thing!

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