LO is two weeks old today & breastfeeding is not getting better. It makes me want to cry. I hate this. I want to do it so bad though but I can't keep this up
I'm sorry girl! This is where I was a month ago. I was miserable BF. I started introducing formula and now exclusively on it and I feel a huge weight of my shoulders. I was definitely becoming depressed. BF is so hard. But you need to do what's best for you. You can still do a combo of both BF and formula too! That's what we did for a while and I started to actually enjoy BF so much. We ultimately started exclusively feeding formula though. You have to take yourself into consideration. I have heard though from other BF moms that it gets better. I do believe that there's a huge hump you do need to get over and maybe if you stick it out for another week or two it'll start to get easier. I noticed at 3 weeks it did so maybe it could for you? Just don't feel guilty for any decision you make. As long as baby is getting fed and happy that's all that matters
Thank you so much! I'm trying to make it one month to see if it'll get better. I did give her a formula bottle today though to see how it affected her
Blah I think I have food poisoning or a stomach bug. I cannot get out of the bathroom. I feel awful, and of course LO is up needing to feed. Ughhhhh wish I could take the miracle drug that is pepto...
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.
bad a really good latch earlier.. but i guess LO didnt like it as he broke it after like 6 sucks. I honestly feel like im going to cry this has become so uncomfortable. he just cant seem to lock his mouth around the boob. even when i stuff a whole bunch in there he manages to close his mouth before the seal is made.
and of course after his 45 minute "feed" he woke up like 30 minutes later and was hungry again so im feeding from the same side again because its starting to get solid and the 45 minute one is still nice and soft. i was hoping he would sleep for like 4 hours.. i just cant wait till everything is regulated and doesnt suck -_-
ETA: sorry if im posting too many times.. >.< i have no life and dont get much rest.
@JessHeppell no worries gal! We all been there. I hope your LOs latch improves, or you guys find a groove soon. I know it took a couple of days before I began to feel 'comfortable' bfing. Hope this next feeding went well and LO was able to deflate your boob
@JessHeppell We've all been there, no need to apologize! It takes a couple weeks for things really to settle down so hang in there. I have two mantras when things are really tough: "This too shall pass" and when parenting a young child, "The days are long but the years are short."
Just keep it up, you're doing great. And please vent as needed! That's what we're here for!
For those of you who are frustrated with LO's latch, a friend of mine suggested using a Q-Tip to adjust lo's lips. I haven't needed to do this yet, but she swore by it.
@JessHeppell someone else might have said this but my LO really had a tough time with a latch when my milk came in-there were a lot of tears for me and he just couldnt get it because my boobs were so wet and round. But things got better, and we hit our strides, like pp have said. Hang in theere it will get easier! You're doin great!
I swear one of my 8 week old twins is on a hunger strike. I EP and she downs 5-6oz (with some formula mixed in, per docs instruction to gain weight) like its nothing, but when I give her a straight formula bottle, she eats about 1oz and fights tooth and nail about the rest. We've pretty much been using the same formula since day 1 (except for one tub where we tried similac sensitive) so I know it's not really a formula tolerance issue. Seriously hoping this is a phase that will pass soon, I feel like I'm hooked up to my pump 24/7 to make enough food!
LO is 2.5 weeks and I have been EBF with nipple shield due to latching issues. It has been a life saver and supply has been fine. Now I'm trying to start pumping after feedings to start freezer stash for back to work. Can anyone who is breastfeeding and pumping share their schedule? Do you pump after ever feeding? I pumped this morning after feeding and got about 2 oz total. Not discouraged yet, but want to increase as soon as possible.
I pump after our night feeding when I am most engorged (she's sleeping about 4-5 hours at that point) and get about 5 oz. Then I pump again after a feeding in the AM for another 2-3 oz (this assumes she's cooperating and napping!). Sometimes if I get 2.5 oz I save it for a bottle feed at night so that I can pump for the missed feeding and get about 4 oz (basically robbing Peter to pay Paul for more to freeze lol)
It took awhile for me to be able to pump that volume. I used to get about an oz to 2 oz total but once we got into our BF groove I was able to find when id get the most milk. LO is 6 weeks old.
I figure I'll have about 300 oz frozen by the time I go back in September, and then it'll all be eaten very quickly because she will be eating frozen milk and not BF for 24 hours 3x a week and my job is not very forgiving for pumping (can't leave a patient about to push her baby out to pump!)
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.
I pump after our night feeding when I am most engorged (she's sleeping about 4-5 hours at that point) and get about 5 oz. Then I pump again after a feeding in the AM for another 2-3 oz (this assumes she's cooperating and napping!). Sometimes if I get 2.5 oz I save it for a bottle feed at night so that I can pump for the missed feeding and get about 4 oz (basically robbing Peter to pay Paul for more to freeze lol)
It took awhile for me to be able to pump that volume. I used to get about an oz to 2 oz total but once we got into our BF groove I was able to find when id get the most milk. LO is 6 weeks old.
I figure I'll have about 300 oz frozen by the time I go back in September, and then it'll all be eaten very quickly because she will be eating frozen milk and not BF for 24 hours 3x a week and my job is not very forgiving for pumping (can't leave a patient about to push her baby out to pump!)
My pumping schedule is basically the same. Morning when I get a round to it, sometimes an evening pump, and always a middle of the night pump. The MOTN pump is easily the most fruitful.
so.. my left nipple is like twice the size it normally is and its hand of hard and behind it is quite hard as well, i had DH run to the store and get me a hand pump to see if that would help but so far its still swollen and painful to the touch. th rest of my breast isnt solid or what i expect to be engorged, but "nipple engorgement" doesnt have anything on google. HAVE ANY OF YOU GUYS HAD THIS? what do i do.
We've been doing pretty well with breastfeeding. We had to use a nipple shield for the first two weeks, but now she latches on her own. The only issue we've had lately is that sometimes she will unlatch mid-feed and start crying and struggling to relatch. She'll have her mouth wide open, frantically pecking at my nipple. All she has to do is close her mouth! At that point I usually break out the shield. It seems to help. Anyone know why she is doing this though?
so.. my left nipple is like twice the size it normally is and its hand of hard and behind it is quite hard as well, i had DH run to the store and get me a hand pump to see if that would help but so far its still swollen and painful to the touch. th rest of my breast isnt solid or what i expect to be engorged, but "nipple engorgement" doesnt have anything on google. HAVE ANY OF YOU GUYS HAD THIS? what do i do.
I used to have this same problem. Same side too. Have you tried hand expressing a little before feeding? Sometimes it's better than a pump. I hope you find relief soon!
We've been doing pretty well with breastfeeding. We had to use a nipple shield for the first two weeks, but now she latches on her own. The only issue we've had lately is that sometimes she will unlatch mid-feed and start crying and struggling to relatch. She'll have her mouth wide open, frantically pecking at my nipple. All she has to do is close her mouth! At that point I usually break out the shield. It seems to help. Anyone know why she is doing this though?
My LO has been crying at the breast too. Sometimes in the middle of a nursing session. I don't know why either so I don't know if I'll be much help. Lol. If it happens I'll switch sides which sometimes does the trick or I'll take him off and rub his belly or burp him. Whenever he cries during feedings it could either be gas related or it has to do with milk flow. I also noticed that my LO sometimes favors one side over the other.
We've been doing pretty well with breastfeeding. We had to use a nipple shield for the first two weeks, but now she latches on her own. The only issue we've had lately is that sometimes she will unlatch mid-feed and start crying and struggling to relatch. She'll have her mouth wide open, frantically pecking at my nipple. All she has to do is close her mouth! At that point I usually break out the shield. It seems to help. Anyone know why she is doing this though?
When my LO does this, i unlatch him, burp him, then restart. But with my guy it's pretty obviously the trouble, so maybe that's not the same with your LO.
Re: Feeding Check-In & Support 7/6-7/12
and of course after his 45 minute "feed" he woke up like 30 minutes later and was hungry again so im feeding from the same side again because its starting to get solid and the 45 minute one is still nice and soft. i was hoping he would sleep for like 4 hours..
i just cant wait till everything is regulated and doesnt suck -_-
ETA: sorry if im posting too many times.. >.< i have no life and dont get much rest.
Just keep it up, you're doing great. And please vent as needed! That's what we're here for!
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It took awhile for me to be able to pump that volume. I used to get about an oz to 2 oz total but once we got into our BF groove I was able to find when id get the most milk. LO is 6 weeks old.
I figure I'll have about 300 oz frozen by the time I go back in September, and then it'll all be eaten very quickly because she will be eating frozen milk and not BF for 24 hours 3x a week and my job is not very forgiving for pumping (can't leave a patient about to push her baby out to pump!)
My pumping schedule is basically the same. Morning when I get a round to it, sometimes an evening pump, and always a middle of the night pump. The MOTN pump is easily the most fruitful.
2nd round exp 8/20/18.
Edit for "back to work earlier"
I started pumping at .5 weeks, and go back part time at 5.5 weeks.
2nd round exp 8/20/18.
HAVE ANY OF YOU GUYS HAD THIS? what do i do.
BF and pumping
We've been doing pretty well with breastfeeding. We had to use a nipple shield for the first two weeks, but now she latches on her own. The only issue we've had lately is that sometimes she will unlatch mid-feed and start crying and struggling to relatch. She'll have her mouth wide open, frantically pecking at my nipple. All she has to do is close her mouth! At that point I usually break out the shield. It seems to help. Anyone know why she is doing this though?