October 2014 Moms

Breastfeeding Links & Talk

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Re: Breastfeeding Links & Talk

  • Maybe I'll start this conversation in here, and people can chime in..

    How does sending a breastfed baby to daycare work? I'm scared they will over feed her, run out, etc.
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  • class="Quote" rel="LightBright515">Maybe I'll start this conversation in here, and people can chime in..

    How does sending a breastfed baby to daycare work? I'm scared they will over feed her, run out, etc.

    If you are going back to work, I would introduce a bottle around 2-3 weeks. This goes against conventional wisdom of introducing a bottle around 4-6 weeks to avoid nipple confusion but if you are going back to work, having your baby not take a bottle is a lot more stressful than them not taking the boob. From lurking on the working moms board, the moms who have bottle problems usually waited too long to introduce a bottle.

    Since you are giving bottles, you should have an idea of how much baby would take but prepare breast milk bags with 1oz in them so that baby has extra if he/she is hungry.

    Talk to daycare about their policy if baby refuses a bottle - do they offer it at the next feeding? Will they offer it again in 15 minutes? Be sure that they understand breast milk storage and handling - it's different from formula.

    In terms of pumping, what you pump can be given to baby the next day. Fridays milk can be frozen and take milk from the freezer stash for Monday.

    Those are the big points but chime in if you have any more questions.

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  • One thing I wanted to add regarding bottles, not all slow flow nipples are the same. Test the flow by putting water in the bottle and see how quickly the water comes out of the nipple.

    I have both Tommee Tippee and Playtex nurser bottles and the Playtex ones have much slower flow than the Tommee Tippee ones so we are using those first.

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  • alfibet said:
    Is pumping supposed to hurt? I see people saying they pump instead of bf to give their nipples a break, but to me my nipples hurt worse from pumping. Then bf-ing shortly after pumping is Killer on them. Am I doing something wrong?
    It's the same for me. I get no pain from nursing DD but I started pumping 3 days ago and now my nipples are sore because of it and it does hurt when I pump. 
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  • vrj0522 said:


    alfibet said:

    Is pumping supposed to hurt? I see people saying they pump instead of bf to give their nipples a break, but to me my nipples hurt worse from pumping. Then bf-ing shortly after pumping is Killer on them. Am I doing something wrong?

    It's the same for me. I get no pain from nursing DD but I started pumping 3 days ago and now my nipples are sore because of it and it does hurt when I pump. 

    I tried pumping the first time this morning. It was a little uncomfortable with the suction but was actually a relief for my nipple. I think it will take a little time to get the pressure right but it will be a nice break from DD sucking 24/7
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  • alfibet said:
    Is pumping supposed to hurt? I see people saying they pump instead of bf to give their nipples a break, but to me my nipples hurt worse from pumping. Then bf-ing shortly after pumping is Killer on them. Am I doing something wrong?
    I sort of like pumping. Is that weird? I think it's comforting, and it makes me want to sleep. Actually, now that APurp latched onto me, I kind of think it's pleasurable as well. Does that make me a freak?
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  • vrj0522 said:
    alfibet said:
    Is pumping supposed to hurt? I see people saying they pump instead of bf to give their nipples a break, but to me my nipples hurt worse from pumping. Then bf-ing shortly after pumping is Killer on them. Am I doing something wrong?
    It's the same for me. I get no pain from nursing DD but I started pumping 3 days ago and now my nipples are sore because of it and it does hurt when I pump. 
    Did you check to see if you are using the right flange size? I ordered another size smaller, because one boob is smaller than the other. It seems to be ok, but really neither hurt. I just wanted the right fit. I'm on the tablet, but if you google flange size, Medela's site has pictures showing what the fit should be.
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  • Random science question: When discussing weighed feedings (we found a scale that goes up to 11 pounds and my husband fashioned a janky scale out of it for us to see, but we keep forgetting to weigh her first), he said "but, 1 liquid oz. does not weigh 1 oz." He then put 1 oz. of milk on the scale and it was .4 oz.

    My mind was blown, and I'm dumb and went to a shitty public school and majored in art. Is he right? So. How to weighed feedings work, if so?
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  • For those with pumping problems, I second the flange sizes. I had to go up to a large and it made a big difference.

    Same with the suction. If my nipples start feeling sore while pumping, I turn it down a bit and it helps a lot and doesn't affect milk production.

    I hope it gets easier for you!
  • SPurp13 said:


    alfibet said:

    Is pumping supposed to hurt? I see people saying they pump instead of bf to give their nipples a break, but to me my nipples hurt worse from pumping. Then bf-ing shortly after pumping is Killer on them. Am I doing something wrong?

    I sort of like pumping. Is that weird? I think it's comforting, and it makes me want to sleep. Actually, now that APurp latched onto me, I kind of think it's pleasurable as well. Does that make me a freak?


    I find nursing comforting too. I almost always fall asleep with DS when we side-lie.
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  • Oh and another question I meant to ask. Is it safe to nurse baby lying down flat? I know the side lying position is recommended and a favorite, but I thought baby's head always needed to be above their stomach elevation wise.

    Are you all propping them up a little at all?

    And thank you SO much Theresa, I have a lot of pumping to do. I work 12 hour days not including my commute to and from work.
  • Does anyone have any experience with thrush?
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  • Maybe I'll start this conversation in here, and people can chime in..

    How does sending a breastfed baby to daycare work? I'm scared they will over feed her, run out, etc.

    You've gotten great advice already but as someone who worked in a daycare I'll add... Definitely send at least one or two frozen bags for backup. Spills happen, no matter how careful daycare providers try to be and getting the call they are short always happens on a day you can't leave work early.

    And if you know your switching to bottles for work let your baby get experience taking them from a few people before hand - not just you and preferably not just DH. I saw so many moms drop off babies who weren't given a bottle until the weekend before mom went to work and wouldn't eat for the first few days. Introducing the bottle early enough makes such a difference for your stress level when you go back.
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  • Random science question: When discussing weighed feedings (we found a scale that goes up to 11 pounds and my husband fashioned a janky scale out of it for us to see, but we keep forgetting to weigh her first), he said "but, 1 liquid oz. does not weigh 1 oz." He then put 1 oz. of milk on the scale and it was .4 oz.

    My mind was blown, and I'm dumb and went to a shitty public school and majored in art. Is he right? So. How to weighed feedings work, if so?
    An ounce of water weighs an ounce. Thats how a fluid ounce is defined. Milk shouldn't have a density that much different than water...I question the accuracy of that scale.
    I think this is the sort of stuff he is meaning, but I'm dumb: LINK
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  • So, I was having a great day, and now I have a milk blister. If it's not one thing, it's another. I'm so frustrated.

    I feel like this has been discussed, but when I searched, nothing really came up. I REALLY think it's been discussed in this thread (I wish we could search only in one thread--can we do that?!).
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  • Click in the search discussion box!

    I'm on mobile, so it might be on the side bar if you're on the laptop..
  • saraheh007saraheh007 member
    edited October 2014
    I'm getting very frustrated. I just feel like I can't get nursing down with DD. We have a couple of good latches and then it gets excruciating again. I have been in tears today because I dread feeding her because it hurts so bad. My nipples have started bleeding again. I'm just at a loss as I didn't have as much trouble with DS.

    I am going to contact a LC on Monday. I am hoping I haven't waited too long as DD will be 3 weeks on Monday. I have large, soft breasts and flat nipples which isn't helping. I am taking pain meds from my C Section only because my nipples hurt so bad. I know I can't keep this up.

    I have considered moving to exclusively pumping but I know I will regret that decision down the road because it is such a pain.

    I really hope a LC can get us straightened out. The good news is she is gaining like crazy (6 oz in 3 days this week!) so at least there is that. It is the only thing keeping me going right now.

    Sorry, no real question here. I just needed to vent. MH is totally supportive but he just doesn't get how awful it is. I'm sick of telling myself that it will get better when it feels like it is getting worse.
  • I'm getting very frustrated. I just feel like I can't get nursing down with DD. We have a couple of good latches and then it gets excruciating again. I have been in tears today because I dread feeding her bec

    Sounds very frustrating (and painful!). How old is LO? Have you seen an IBCLC for help?
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  • @SPurp13‌ Are you trying to do weighed feedings yourself, or did you get the scale just to weigh LO? Doing weighed feedings yourself is not usually advised for several reasons, but mainly because babies eat different amounts at different feedings, your supply varies throughout the day and the fat content of your milk varies throughout the day, and because it can cause the parents to obsess and worry more than they need to over how much baby is getting at each feeding. Weighed feedings are really supposed to be done just by an IBCLC.
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  • Does anyone have any experience with thrush?

    Yep. What are your symptoms? Or have you been diagnosed?
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  • @Emerald27‌ My original post got cut off - accidentally hit post while on mobile. I have edited it. Anyway, no I haven't yet contacted a LC but plan to do so on Monday. Every time I decided I had had enough and needed help, we would start having good latches again. Clearly it isn't sticking and I desperately need someone to point us in the right direction. I just hope it isn't too late to correct bad habits.
  • Is it safe to nurse baby lying down flat?

    Yes! Absolutely safe! It's even safe to "dangle feed," wherein baby is laying on his back and mom is leaning over, dangling her breast over baby.

    For side-lying nursing: Baby should be laying completely on his side, so that no part of his body is twisted away from you, but rather, he's laying up against your body. It's perfectly fine for his body to be level. :)

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  • @Emerald27‌ My original post got cut off - accidentally hit post while on mobile. I have edited it. Anyway, no I haven't yet contacted a LC but plan to do so on Monday. Every time I decided I had had enough and needed help, we would start having good latches again. Clearly it isn't sticking and I desperately need someone to point us in the right direction. I just hope it isn't too late to correct bad habits.

    What positions do you usually nurse in? The laid-back breastfeeding position can help baby get a deeper latch, and would definitely be worth a try. If you have trouble with it, you can ask the LC on Monday to help you get it right. Here's some info about it:

    https://www.llli.org/docs/0000000000000001WAB/WAB_Tear_sheet_Toolkit/01_laid_back_breastfeeding.pdf

    https://www.biologicalnurturing.com

    I would also ask the LC to evaluate LO for tongue and lip ties, which are notorious for making it difficult for baby to get a deep latch, or to maintain a good latch for very long.

    It is so great that LO is gaining weight!! That's a huge relief. To help speed healing for your nipples, keep them exposed to the open air as much as possible, and express breastmilk onto them and let it dry. You can also use lanolin ointment. ((Hugs))
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  • Emerald27Emerald27 member
    edited October 2014
    SPurp13 said:


    alfibet said:

    Is pumping supposed to hurt? I see people saying they pump instead of bf to give their nipples a break, but to me my nipples hurt worse from pumping. Then bf-ing shortly after pumping is Killer on them. Am I doing something wrong?

    I sort of like pumping. Is that weird? I think it's comforting, and it makes me want to sleep. Actually, now that APurp latched onto me, I kind of think it's pleasurable as well. Does that make me a freak?


    ------------------------------
    Definitely not a freak!!! That's the bonding hormone, helping you become attached to your baby. Breastfeeding causes oxytocin release. Enjoy it!!! :)
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  • edited October 2014
    @Emerald27‌ DS has white on his tongue but no bumps or anything anywhere else. I have shooting pains while nursing and what I think of as deep breast pain afterward. A chunk of my right nipple is missing. The nipple itself is pretty red.

    I have a pedi appt on Monday and I plan to ask her to look at his mouth but it hurts so much to nurse on that side, I dread it.

    ETA: I should clarify: it hurts like crazy when he latches then the pain stops. After ~15 minutes, I get the shooting pains.

    ETA 2: I actually am wondering now if it's just nipple blanching? This time around (DS just nursed for 30 minutes) it didn't hurt the way it has.
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  • Click in the search discussion box! I'm on mobile, so it might be on the side bar if you're on the laptop..
    I gave that a shot, but nothing came up for this board, only other boards for some reason.
    Emerald27 said:
    @SPurp13‌ Are you trying to do weighed feedings yourself, or did you get the scale just to weigh LO? Doing weighed feedings yourself is not usually advised for several reasons, but mainly because babies eat different amounts at different feedings, your supply varies throughout the day and the fat content of your milk varies throughout the day, and because it can cause the parents to obsess and worry more than they need to over how much baby is getting at each feeding. Weighed feedings are really supposed to be done just by an IBCLC.
    Nah, we just had a scale and were curious. Husband's aunt offered to bring the hospital scale. I said it wasn't necessary.
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  • Maybe I'll start this conversation in here, and people can chime in..

    How does sending a breastfed baby to daycare work? I'm scared they will over feed her, run out, etc.

    You already have so many awesome answers here that I'm sure this is redundant. ;) Just chiming in with some resources for you:

    Ways to avoid overfeeding at daycare:
    https://sdbfc.com/blog/2013/10/9/top-10-ways-to-stop-caregivers-from-overfeeding-your-breastf.html#.VExbOKb3bv4

    Info for Daycare:
    https://www.llli.org/docs/0000000000000001WAB/WAB_Tear_sheet_Toolkit/22_bfabreastfedbaby.pdf

    Also, nursing just before you leave baby and immediately upon your return is the best policy. It means he'll need less milk while you're away: if he's just nursed, it'll be a couple hours before he needs a bottle, and if you're going to nurse immediately when you pick him up, he won't need a bottle for the last hour or so of the day, and his caregiver can use other methods of comforting him during that time, so that he's hungry when you arrive. It also means that more of his total daily intake comes from the breast, which is best for your supply. :)
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  • Emerald27Emerald27 member
    edited October 2014
    SPurp13 said:



    Click in the search discussion box!

    I'm on mobile, so it might be on the side bar if you're on the laptop..

    I gave that a shot, but nothing came up for this board, only other boards for some reason.

    Emerald27 said:

    @SPurp13‌ Are you trying to do weighed feedings yourself, or did you get the scale just to weigh LO? Doing weighed feedings yourself is not usually advised for several reasons, but mainly because babies eat different amounts at different feedings, your supply varies throughout the day and the fat content of your milk varies throughout the day, and because it can cause the parents to obsess and worry more than they need to over how much baby is getting at each feeding. Weighed feedings are really supposed to be done just by an IBCLC.

    Nah, we just had a scale and were curious. Husband's aunt offered to bring the hospital scale. I said it wasn't necessary.

    -----------------------------
    I once helped a very sweet mother who weighed her LO before and after every feeding. The first time I went to see her, she was in tears when she met me at the door and she showed me the scale on her dresser. They had paid some enormous amount to purchase an accurate baby scale, like the ones you'd see at an IBCLC office. The poor mom was so frustrated and upset because she could not figure out why some feedings would go so well and others would not. She had become obsessed over weighing baby for feedings, and it was really taking away the joy of new motherhood for her. Once we identified and corrected the trouble they were having (and got rid of that scale...) she went on to have a rewarding and relatively worry-free breastfeeding experience.

    Every time I see someone mention wanting their own scale for weighed feedings, I cringe and think of that poor mother. ;) I didn't mean to come across critically...just don't want to see anyone else head down that road!
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  • @Emerald27‌ We typically use the football hold because it seems to be the only way I can control her head. I saw your recommendation for laid back feeding to others and tried it. It seemed to me that LO was smothered in my boob - I definitely want to explore that with the LC because it looks like a great way to relax and feed baby! I will keep you updated on how it goes and any tips I may learn.

    If I give LO a couple of bottles between now and when I can see the LC do you think that will really set us back? My husband gives her bottles so she doesn't associate them with me and he uses the paced feeding method and makes sure she latches properly. I just really need a break here and there to keep my sanity- but will forgo the bottle if it is better for us in the long run.
  • @saraheh007‌ The bottles question is a tough one. You could protect your supply by pumping whenever LO gets a bottle, but my concern would be that since breastfeeding is not well established, that is, her latch is not consistently good, it might be best to hold off on bottles until you overcome that challenge.

    BUT, if it makes a big difference for your pain level and sanity, and if you've already been giving some bottles and are seeing an LC Monday, it will probably be ok. Just make sure that you pump for every feeding she takes a bottle, and I would say to keep the bottles to a minimum for now. :)
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  • @Emerald27‌ Thanks. The bottle is definitely helping my sanity. MH gave her one this morning and is giving her one now but we will BF other than that. If I am still bleeding tomorrow I might have him give her one or two tomorrow but will try to avoid it if possible. The pain is just so bad. I keep reading and rereading tricks to latching to try and psych me up for the next feeding but it is all that more disappointing when it isn't a successful latch. Really hoping the LC can help us! Thank you for your advice and encouragement.
  • sabby2sabby2 member
    edited October 2014
    I think I'm going to have to work with the LC again. DD has been doing much better without the nipple shield except when I'm super engorged but she's been really hit or miss with keeping a good latch. I've noticed pain and odd shaped nipples after feeding her and what I'm pretty sure is vasospam pain.

    I did a brief search on kellymom but do you lady's have any tips until I can work with the LC? I've sometimes resorted to the nipple shield when she won't latch well repeatedly or when it hurts too much. I've noticed that she is still sucking in her bottom lip quite often.
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  • I'm having a hard time. DS keeps having these marathon feeding sessions. We started at 9 p.m. and bssically went until 11, when I was pretty much out of milk. My H took him for a few minutes, and then he fed again off and on for the past hour. I'm so tired, my nipples are sore and I'm just really frustrated. Anyone else dealing with this or have advice on how to cope?

    Cluster feeding sessions are the worst! I nursed my first for 10 months and during my cluster feeding session with DS2, almost decided to give up on breast feeding!

    Have you tried side lying nursing so that you can at least close your eyes and rest while nursing?

    One thing that might help is knowing that cluster feeding sessions (other than the 2nd night session) usually occur when baby is growing through a growth spurt and normally last only a few days. Stay hydrated while nursing and use plenty of nipple butter/lanolin to make sure your nipples don't dry out.

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  • @dorothyzbornak97‌ I don't really have any advice but I wanted to let you know that you're not alone. I have been cluster feeding my lo every night for the past several days to a week. Not sure how long exactly because the days have all run together. I hope your lo stops needing to cluster feed soon!!

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  • Hello all. FTM here and my son is only 6 days old. I'm by no means a bf expert but we are trying to get the hang of it. LO actually has a very strong latch, but I was having a hard time getting him to latch correctly while in the hospital. Because of that, I ended up with angry red spots around my nipples - the LC said it looked like he would latch in the wrong spot. Kinda like baby hickies that hurt like hades when he was on there but as a FTM I thought that was just the regular pain of bf'ing so I would just power through resulting in a lot of pain! The LC gave me a nipple shield to use for a short while to allow my boobs to heal. She also recommended olive oil or coconut oil as natural alternatives to lanolin, stating she prefers them as they have antiinflammatory properties. I've been using the shield and coconut oil with good results. Also, gel soothes in the fridge are amazing! No real question here. Just wanted to share my story in hopes that it might help others. And to mention the natural oils. I find this thread to be really helpful - encouraging and informative. Good luck to all my fellow breast feeding mamas!
  • I'm having a hard time. DS keeps having these marathon feeding sessions. We started at 9 p.m. and bssically went until 11, when I was pretty much out of milk. My H took him for a few minutes, and then he fed again off and on for the past hour. I'm so tired, my nipples are sore and I'm just really frustrated. Anyone else dealing with this or have advice on how to cope?

    Exactly what @ss265‌ said! This sounds like a growth spurt.
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  • Since yesterday afternoon DS doesn't seem to be eating as well. He'll latch on fine and eat for a minute or so, then his sucking changes and I can't hear him swallowing anymore. It seems like he's just using me as a pacifier at that point. Is there anything I can do to get him to actually eat longer? Or should I assume he's getting what he needs in that short amount of time as long as his diaper output stays the same?
  • I am majorly struggling. DS finally seems to latch on more instead of just sucking on the tip of my nipple. Now that he does, the pain is incredible. Last night I bawled through an entire feeding. I've been reading and I think it might be due to his lips being curled in. I try to take him off and attempt a new latch and/or roll his lips out. My nipples are so sore and bloody that I'm starting to dread every time he is hungry. His pedi appointment is tomorrow so I'm going to ask some questions and see what I can do. There is also an LLL meeting close by tomorrow night. I'm going to call for the time later today.

    I just put so much pressure on myself to do this right and I don't want to let him down. I'm not opposed to switching to formula, but I don't want to give up just because I'm in so much pain. It seems so selfish.
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