I am home! It is such an amazing feeling... LO has been sound asleep since I got home so I haven't tried to nurse yet... Hopefully she transitions back with ease!
I am home! It is such an amazing feeling... LO has been sound asleep since I got home so I haven't tried to nurse yet... Hopefully she transitions back with ease!
I am home! It is such an amazing feeling... LO has been sound asleep since I got home so I haven't tried to nurse yet... Hopefully she transitions back with ease!
Yay! Super happy for you momma! Good luck with first nursing home!
Update: LO nursed with some expected frustration but is sleeping well after... I am anxious about all of the antibiotics I was on and am currently taking and the potential to develop some kind of yeast infection. LC has me rubbing both nipples with a water and vinegar solution following each feeding as well as changing nursing pads after every feeding (ugh and they cost money!!)... I will be off antibiotics in a week and hopefully done with all these extra steps that make nursing so much more stressful.... Also taking culturelle... Anyone have any experience with probiotics?
My LO acts like he doesn't want to eat anymore. He latches on then let's go and makes a face like it tasted disgusting??? Idk what to do. Its making it to where he eats every hour or so and I dint have time or enough of a supply to pump. It's making me crazy not nie ng what to do and my crap LC has no advice and my aunt (LC) says to push through. I've not slept in two days.
My LO acts like he doesn't want to eat anymore. He latches on then let's go and makes a face like it tasted disgusting??? Idk what to do. Its making it to where he eats every hour or so and I dint have time or enough of a supply to pump. It's making me crazy not nie ng what to do and my crap LC has no advice and my aunt (LC) says to push through. I've not slept in two days.
LO is two weeks tomorrow...maybe it's a phase?
Do you have a clogged duct? LO was doing that right before my mastitis formed... Currently still working out the clogs... Maybe try heating pads to see if they help ( at the very least the feel good!).
@devyns2nd LO did that for a full day after we introduced a paci the first time. I was crushed but he eventually went right back to normal and we found a different kind of paci that didn't cause any confusion.
Hooray @ElRuby !! And I'm so inspired by your commitment to BF. You're doing great, hang in there!! Thanks for sharing your journey, too. Seriously inspiring me to keep at it.
Anyone else exclusively pumping? Just would like to see how it's going for you!
Me!!!
My twins were born at 37 weeks, and they were small (5 lbs 3 oz and 5 lbs 10 oz). They both lost more than 10% of their birthweight when my milk hadn't come in, so I had to supplement with formula and pump while trying to BF.
Did formula at every other feeding for a week.
We're at 18 days old today. We are now eating 100% breastmilk out of a bottle, and have been for a while. I still try once a day to breast feed, but they don't latch that great. Plus, it's so much easier and faster to bottle feed while I'm pumping. DH always feeds one while I feed the other. And if grandparents are over they can feed one. I also like knowing how much they get out of a bottle.
I've got a freezer stash started too.
I actually really like the system we have going. I'm not tied down to the house every 3 hours (even though I'm mostly home anyway--if I'm running an errand and I'm 15 min late for a feeding they can start without me).
I'm not exactly giving up on breast feeding, but this seems to be working so great.
My LO acts like he doesn't want to eat anymore. He latches on then let's go and makes a face like it tasted disgusting??? Idk what to do. Its making it to where he eats every hour or so and I dint have time or enough of a supply to pump. It's making me crazy not nie ng what to do and my crap LC has no advice and my aunt (LC) says to push through. I've not slept in two days.
LO is two weeks tomorrow...maybe it's a phase?
Do you have a clogged duct? LO was doing that right before my mastitis formed... Currently still working out the clogs... Maybe try heating pads to see if they help ( at the very least the feel good!).
You saved my life!! I used a heating pad before nursing and I feel empty for the first time in days.
I appear to be one of those rare super healthy women that just don't produce (or something wrong we don't know about) I am seeing the two best IBCLC's in our area and they are basically telling me that after pumping and taking many different supplements, that I should take a black market drug ... Domperidone. I really don't want to but super sad about this as the original plan was to breastfeed til like 2 Using a supplemental nursing system with donor milk right now from friends and family and a tiny bit of mine
Black market? My OB wrote me a prescription for it....
I appear to be one of those rare super healthy women that just don't produce (or something wrong we don't know about) I am seeing the two best IBCLC's in our area and they are basically telling me that after pumping and taking many different supplements, that I should take a black market drug ... Domperidone. I really don't want to but super sad about this as the original plan was to breastfeed til like 2 Using a supplemental nursing system with donor milk right now from friends and family and a tiny bit of mine
Black market? My OB wrote me a prescription for it....and it worked wonderfully.
Update: LO nursed with some expected frustration but is sleeping well after... I am anxious about all of the antibiotics I was on and am currently taking and the potential to develop some kind of yeast infection. LC has me rubbing both nipples with a water and vinegar solution following each feeding as well as changing nursing pads after every feeding (ugh and they cost money!!)... I will be off antibiotics in a week and hopefully done with all these extra steps that make nursing so much more stressful.... Also taking culturelle... Anyone have any experience with probiotics?
Yes. I did all these things after antibiotics for GBS this time. I had thrush for months with my first and I think it was the 3 doses of antibiotics for GBS and the following doses for mastitis and using washable cotton nursing pads. This time I declined the 2nd dose of IV antibiotics (with doctor support). I am taking culturelle and using disposable pads which I don't change every feeding but I do change any time they feel damp at all. So far so good. I'd add to air dry nipples as much as you can and I've read it can help to dramatically cut sugar intake so yeast has nothing to feed on. Just ate family size bag of mint m&m's so nope not gonna happen!
You guys, this thread is really long and I should've been reading it since it started (I did try, but fell behind) but its so long now I can't read all the posts. I'm looking for some advice. Since LO is only 2 days old of course I don't have milk yet. But he is so much always wanting to suck! I mean it! Even at the hospital he would suck a lot but today he just cries and cries and won't stop crying unless you stick something in his mouth. The LC teaching the class I took said when they do this, to just 'give the boob' but 1) he's constantly twitching it out (not his fault, I know, reflexes developing) and 2) I've spent literally all day stuffing my boob back into this kids mouth. I'm not kidding, all day. I can't even 'sleep when he sleeps' cause he won't sleep unless he's been sucking the boob for a while but since he keeps breaking latch with his twitching he's not really sleeping. Also, I can't eat cause I am constantly sticking boob back in his mouth. Its like the constant crying he did at night at the hospital, but now its during the day and what was working before (boob till he fell asleep for awhile) is not working now. Neither is swaddling, skin to skin, walking, bouncing.
Obviously I can't rush my milk. But am I really supposed to spend every single minute replacing my boob in his mouth? Wouldn't that be bad for my nipples to be in his mouth ALL day? (Not cause of chapped nips or cracking, but more from a standpoint of constant moisture, yeast, and thrush)
Same LC from the class said not to use pacifiers - 'just give the boob'. But he won't stop crying and thus sleep even a little unless he is sucking on something. I don't even know if there is a certain age you should wait till before giving a pacifier.
Please help me. If the answer is 'just let him cry' or 'yes, keep sticking your boobs back in his mouth', then that's what it is and I'll just deal with this until milk comes and hopefully he is more satisfied and will (hopefully) stop crying for a little while. But if there is a secret trick I am overlooking, I'd love to know it.
You guys, this thread is really long and I should've been reading it since it started (I did try, but fell behind) but its so long now I can't read all the posts. I'm looking for some advice. Since LO is only 2 days old of course I don't have milk yet. But he is so much always wanting to suck! I mean it! Even at the hospital he would suck a lot but today he just cries and cries and won't stop crying unless you stick something in his mouth. The LC teaching the class I took said when they do this, to just 'give the boob' but 1) he's constantly twitching it out (not his fault, I know, reflexes developing) and 2) I've spent literally all day stuffing my boob back into this kids mouth. I'm not kidding, all day. I can't even 'sleep when he sleeps' cause he won't sleep unless he's been sucking the boob for a while but since he keeps breaking latch with his twitching he's not really sleeping. Also, I can't eat cause I am constantly sticking boob back in his mouth. Its like the constant crying he did at night at the hospital, but now its during the day and what was working before (boob till he fell asleep for awhile) is not working now. Neither is swaddling, skin to skin, walking, bouncing.
Obviously I can't rush my milk. But am I really supposed to spend every single minute replacing my boob in his mouth? Wouldn't that be bad for my nipples to be in his mouth ALL day? (Not cause of chapped nips or cracking, but more from a standpoint of constant moisture, yeast, and thrush)
Same LC from the class said not to use pacifiers - 'just give the boob'. But he won't stop crying and thus sleep even a little unless he is sucking on something. I don't even know if there is a certain age you should wait till before giving a pacifier.
Please help me. If the answer is 'just let him cry' or 'yes, keep sticking your boobs back in his mouth', then that's what it is and I'll just deal with this until milk comes and hopefully he is more satisfied and will (hopefully) stop crying for a little while. But if there is a secret trick I am overlooking, I'd love to know it.
TIA so very much. </blockquote
We have been using a paci since day 1 in the hospital. They have a natural instinct to suck. We use the soothies brand. And they have different age groups so that the nipple on them for infants is softer then others. I BF and using a paci hasn't conflicted with it at all. For your sanity I would use one lol
Sorry I deleted something in yours that effected how my reply looks but its In there lol
Thank you! Cause the nurse gave us one at discharge so he would be quiet for a few minutes while we talked, but I wasn't sure if I gave it to him so we could get an hour of quiet if it would ruin the strides we made with latching (that class was SO one sided towards bfing). Of course I would still need to give him boob often so milk comes and he gets colostrum, but an hour with the paci, of it helps him sleep so I can sleep - that would be pretty fine.
Sorry I deleted something in yours that effected how my reply looks but its In there lol
Thank you! Cause the nurse gave us one at discharge so he would be quiet for a few minutes while we talked, but I wasn't sure if I gave it to him so we could get an hour of quiet if it would ruin the strides we made with latching (that class was SO one sided towards bfing). Of course I would still need to give him boob often so milk comes and he gets colostrum, but an hour with the paci, of it helps him sleep so I can sleep - that would be pretty fine.
I heart you so much right now :x
Haha yeah no problem! Sometimes I feel like those LC are pretty intense and have some strong views. But I think it'll work just fine! I know some babies don't like them but hopefully yours does!
You guys, this thread is really long and I should've been reading it since it started (I did try, but fell behind) but its so long now I can't read all the posts. I'm looking for some advice. Since LO is only 2 days old of course I don't have milk yet. But he is so much always wanting to suck! I mean it! Even at the hospital he would suck a lot but today he just cries and cries and won't stop crying unless you stick something in his mouth. The LC teaching the class I took said when they do this, to just 'give the boob' but 1) he's constantly twitching it out (not his fault, I know, reflexes developing) and 2) I've spent literally all day stuffing my boob back into this kids mouth. I'm not kidding, all day. I can't even 'sleep when he sleeps' cause he won't sleep unless he's been sucking the boob for a while but since he keeps breaking latch with his twitching he's not really sleeping. Also, I can't eat cause I am constantly sticking boob back in his mouth. Its like the constant crying he did at night at the hospital, but now its during the day and what was working before (boob till he fell asleep for awhile) is not working now. Neither is swaddling, skin to skin, walking, bouncing.
Obviously I can't rush my milk. But am I really supposed to spend every single minute replacing my boob in his mouth? Wouldn't that be bad for my nipples to be in his mouth ALL day? (Not cause of chapped nips or cracking, but more from a standpoint of constant moisture, yeast, and thrush)
Same LC from the class said not to use pacifiers - 'just give the boob'. But he won't stop crying and thus sleep even a little unless he is sucking on something. I don't even know if there is a certain age you should wait till before giving a pacifier.
Please help me. If the answer is 'just let him cry' or 'yes, keep sticking your boobs back in his mouth', then that's what it is and I'll just deal with this until milk comes and hopefully he is more satisfied and will (hopefully) stop crying for a little while. But if there is a secret trick I am overlooking, I'd love to know it.
TIA so very much.
As much as it sucks, the more he sucks on your nipples, the faster your milk will come in. You are close - hopefully in the next day or so. We did start using a pacifier because I was in the same boat and my nipples needed a break.
I just posted this in the soothing baby thread, but have you tried shushing? Make a loud shhhh next to baby's ear. I do this while bouncing or swaying and it has soothed every baby I've tried it on. Good luck, your milk will be in soon!
@mellymar pacifiers save your sanity and soothe LO... It's a win-win... Those LCs make me want to run away from breastfeeding with their single minded views!
@Sammy K @ElRuby thanks for replying! So it sounds like its OK to give him the pacifier for an hour, hour and half maybe and then go back on the boob so I can bring in milk (again, hopefully soon). May work out this way as I'm sure he wasn't getting any colostrum the other way - there was no chance for them to refill, we were just constantly latching and sucking for hours on end. At least this way he can suck on something and be happy, I may actually get a nap, and my boobs can refill.
That LC chick was something fierce with her anti anything but boobs.
I am not advocating for my approach, but just find it important to represent another view here in case I'm not alone: I am not using a pacifier until LO is at least a month old. I give him the boob, or when I know he can't possibly be hungry and I'm in pain, I give him to DH. That seems to stop the constant rooting.
I've also started using the vent over our stove as white noise. Our kitchen is tiiiny, so I basically just stand and rock LO right next to the hood on the stove. I also swaddle him, put his head on my bare chest, and if he doesn't stop crying in 5+ minutes, I nurse him. But he usually stops in about 30 seconds, especially if I'm moving.
Good luck, @mellymar ! Do what you gotta do to keep sane. We overthink this stuff, probably! xo
Melly let him suck.. Although it sucks (haha) but this is natures way of knowing how much milk to produce for him .. If he has a paci then it can impact your supply
I was adamantly against a paci the first month with DS and it worked fine. This time around LO would spend all day on my boob given the chance. I'm home alone all day so there is no one else to soothe LO. I use the paci when I need a break. It hasn't affected my supply at all - I have to pump every morning to drain what LO didn't eat overnight. The nursing for hours on end led to an oversupply that I'm still trying to regulate. I'm not saying use the paci all the time, but if you need a break, it's not the devil some LC's would have you believe.
We've been using a pacifier since day 4 or 5, and there's definitely no nipple confusion issues. He'll use the pacifier but he like fingers better and breasts best of all. My milk had already come in like mad by that stage so it definitely didn't affect supply, if anything I have issues with oversupply but I think that's much more to do with the way my body naturally is rather than anything I've done or not done.
LCs can certainly be a bit over enthusiastic. I did a breastfeeding class and they spent most of the time telling us about the benefits of breastfeeding. I mean seriously, we're all here because we want to breastfeed, you don't need to keep trying to sell us on it. It would have been much more helpful to work on feeding holds or to do a session on troubleshooting common problems.
A pacifier since night 2 did not affect my supply or create nipple confusion. Watching this child try and suck the rubber off a pacifier makes me cringe knowing it could be my nipple in there. Some babies just need to suck for comfort. To each their own, but that is my experience.
TTC: 1/2014
BFP: 9/24
EDD: 6/8/2015
Sorry for the poor man's siggy...ticker won't load regardless of how many tips I read.
Bfing has been really hard we use a pacifier I really don't think that is why bfing is hard. If anything it has helped. I also pump a lot so for me as long as lo is getting breasts ilk I don't care if it's bottle or boob. Your milk should come in super soon so I really wouldn't worry about giving him the paci for a day or 2.
Sometimes mine just wants to suck so when I give her the boob she freaks out when milk comes out haha so I am relieved to offer the pacifier. At first I was worried that she was crying because there was no milk but it was the opposite issue!
Thanks for the help, y'all. We ended up giving him about an hour and half with the pacifier then trying various bfing positions and tricks for about another hour and half. He was still being so fussy. You could tell he was so tired he couldn't sleep. Then all of a sudden, bam! He attached to the boob and fell right asleep. He hadn't slept hardly at all, all day yesterday. So instead of trying to get him to finish I just let him sleep for a little, boob fell out of his mouth, but he stayed asleep. Stayed like that for an hour until I had to get up to pee, but after that we had two good 'feeds' followed by sleep. He's fussing a little again this morning, but at least he is on the boob right now without constantly having to relatch every minute. Hopefully we broke the pattern last night.
Thanks so much for helping me not feel guilty about using the pacifier for a break.
Domperidone was very helpful with my first baby. I'm not a candidate for mess this time bc my prolactin is good. Have you had that checked? Reglan is another med to read about too. I too just don't make enough, it's so frustrating!
How long do you keep breast milk in the Fridge? Guidelines range from 3-8 days... I have been comfortable with up to 5 days but 8 sounds like a long time!
Re: Breastfeeding sucks (but it gets better) - A support thread
Glad you're back home with LO!
LO is two weeks tomorrow...maybe it's a phase?
LO did that for a full day after we introduced a paci the first time. I was crushed but he eventually went right back to normal and we found a different kind of paci that didn't cause any confusion.
My twins were born at 37 weeks, and they were small (5 lbs 3 oz and 5 lbs 10 oz). They both lost more than 10% of their birthweight when my milk hadn't come in, so I had to supplement with formula and pump while trying to BF.
Did formula at every other feeding for a week.
We're at 18 days old today. We are now eating 100% breastmilk out of a bottle, and have been for a while. I still try once a day to breast feed, but they don't latch that great. Plus, it's so much easier and faster to bottle feed while I'm pumping. DH always feeds one while I feed the other. And if grandparents are over they can feed one. I also like knowing how much they get out of a bottle.
I've got a freezer stash started too.
I actually really like the system we have going. I'm not tied down to the house every 3 hours (even though I'm mostly home anyway--if I'm running an errand and I'm 15 min late for a feeding they can start without me).
I'm not exactly giving up on breast feeding, but this seems to be working so great.
I'm looking for some advice. Since LO is only 2 days old of course I don't have milk yet. But he is so much always wanting to suck! I mean it! Even at the hospital he would suck a lot but today he just cries and cries and won't stop crying unless you stick something in his mouth. The LC teaching the class I took said when they do this, to just 'give the boob' but 1) he's constantly twitching it out (not his fault, I know, reflexes developing) and 2) I've spent literally all day stuffing my boob back into this kids mouth. I'm not kidding, all day. I can't even 'sleep when he sleeps' cause he won't sleep unless he's been sucking the boob for a while but since he keeps breaking latch with his twitching he's not really sleeping. Also, I can't eat cause I am constantly sticking boob back in his mouth. Its like the constant crying he did at night at the hospital, but now its during the day and what was working before (boob till he fell asleep for awhile) is not working now. Neither is swaddling, skin to skin, walking, bouncing.
Obviously I can't rush my milk. But am I really supposed to spend every single minute replacing my boob in his mouth? Wouldn't that be bad for my nipples to be in his mouth ALL day? (Not cause of chapped nips or cracking, but more from a standpoint of constant moisture, yeast, and thrush)
Same LC from the class said not to use pacifiers - 'just give the boob'. But he won't stop crying and thus sleep even a little unless he is sucking on something. I don't even know if there is a certain age you should wait till before giving a pacifier.
Please help me. If the answer is 'just let him cry' or 'yes, keep sticking your boobs back in his mouth', then that's what it is and I'll just deal with this until milk comes and hopefully he is more satisfied and will (hopefully) stop crying for a little while. But if there is a secret trick I am overlooking, I'd love to know it.
TIA so very much.
I heart you so much right now :x
I just posted this in the soothing baby thread, but have you tried shushing? Make a loud shhhh next to baby's ear. I do this while bouncing or swaying and it has soothed every baby I've tried it on. Good luck, your milk will be in soon!
That LC chick was something fierce with her anti anything but boobs.
I've also started using the vent over our stove as white noise. Our kitchen is tiiiny, so I basically just stand and rock LO right next to the hood on the stove. I also swaddle him, put his head on my bare chest, and if he doesn't stop crying in 5+ minutes, I nurse him. But he usually stops in about 30 seconds, especially if I'm moving.
Good luck, @mellymar ! Do what you gotta do to keep sane. We overthink this stuff, probably! xo
LCs can certainly be a bit over enthusiastic. I did a breastfeeding class and they spent most of the time telling us about the benefits of breastfeeding. I mean seriously, we're all here because we want to breastfeed, you don't need to keep trying to sell us on it. It would have been much more helpful to work on feeding holds or to do a session on troubleshooting common problems.
Thanks so much for helping me not feel guilty about using the pacifier for a break.