My LO has been crying and feeding all day today. Cross posted in nighttime sucks, but what I want to talk about here is - he has literally drained the girls dry today. And gone back on the boob for more, but there wasn't more to be found, I'm sure (both boobs had that real soft flabby feel). Its bringing back my supply concerns. on the other hand, maybe so much nursing will bring up supply since he demanded all day. We'll have to see what tomorrow and the next day holds.
Anyone have any tips on getting LO to accept a bottle for some feedings? We are 100% BF and I need to get her to accept bottles for some feedings for when I go back to work/babysitting/husband feeds. 4 weeks old! Thanks!
@neuronurse try having someone else give the bottle and leaving the room. Some babies will not accept a bottle with mommy around. Also, id suggest looking up the paced bottle feeding video on YouTube to prevent bottle preference. Find a nipple that is most shaped like yours and the slowest flow possible. We use the Dr. Browns bottles with the preemie nipples. Don't get discouraged if LO won't accept it the first try. Just keep trying! In the meantime if you have to be away and babe won't take a bottle, you can always spoon feed the milk or use a cup.
@mellymar Did you try hand expressing? Sometimes my boobs feel so soft and flabby after a feed I'm so sure I'm completely drained but then I try hand expressing and yep... Still milk there. It should at the very least bring up supply, though!
Anyone have any tips on getting LO to accept a bottle for some feedings? We are 100% BF and I need to get her to accept bottles for some feedings for when I go back to work/babysitting/husband feeds. 4 weeks old! Thanks!
Try a simple bottle first. Only then try the breast-like ones if she won't take it. They are more expensive and have 9000 pieces that are hard to clean and easy to lose.
@mellymar Did you try hand expressing? Sometimes my boobs feel so soft and flabby after a feed I'm so sure I'm completely drained but then I try hand expressing and yep... Still milk there. It should at the very least bring up supply, though!
I did try. I had to explore all the vastness of boobs, and found nothing except finally got a drop or two out. I had been hand expressing while he was on nursing to make sure he got it all, and he pretty much did! Should be good for supply, tho, yeah
@mellymar how old is your LO, mine is Doing the same thing, she just turned 7 weeks yesterday, I'm hoping it's the growth spurt everyone talks about lol
@house86 I'm behind you by two weeks. He is 5 weeks today. Good to know I have your growth spurt coming up, and the 8 week one, and who knows how many others.
Who else is counting down to 3 months when it all supposedly gets better?
LO has been up and hungry for almost 4 hours straight.
sidenote: all ive eaten is a giant muffin and DH is coming home in a few minutes and im sure he will think ive done nothing but watch anime/lounge around. b-(
@mellymar I was literally just thinking about how glorious 3 months is gonna be. Last night I was looking up sleeping habits of infants to see when she will start sleeping through the night. Today my sister texted me that my six-month-old niece slept 11 hours last night. And yet some of my friends say that I'm going to miss this newborn phase. I'm not so sure.
I do have to say..even though this leap is a bitch and LO is super clingy, it's nice to have more snuggles than her stank-self gives me nowadays. She's too squirmy and busy for cuddling... (
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 do have to say..even though this leap is a bitch and LO is super clingy, it's nice to have more snuggles than her stank-self gives me nowadays. She's too squirmy and busy for cuddling... (
This is what I remind myself of when she's wiggly & fussy. She will only want to be cuddled and fall asleep on me for a little bit. She LOVES that freaking swing & I'm feeling snuggly & she wants to swing & watch her bears (the mobile). Ugh
I think I'm getting mastitis. I woke up and my right breast really hurt. I pumped, which also hurt. Now it's swollen and the last let down brought me to tears. And I feel like shit. But before I figured it out, I took an NSAID this morning so no fever. Fun.
I think I'm getting mastitis. I woke up and my right breast really hurt. I pumped, which also hurt. Now it's swollen and the last let down brought me to tears. And I feel like shit. But before I figured it out, I took an NSAID this morning so no fever. Fun.
Sorry, I was thinking out loud and didn't finish my thoughts because of a hungry LO. How fitting.
I'm most worried LO isn't going to agree with the supplementing. She strains sometimes when popping and has had some episodes of gas pains so overall she's doing good on BM. I'm worried formula is going to mess that up. Am I crazy?
I need to bite the bullet soon because I go back to work mid September and won't be able to pump comfortably. I'm EP now and don't have much of a stash built up unfortunately.
@katyqv I am in the exact same position. We got the Similac Supplement formula, and I was giving LO one 4oz bottle each night for the MOTN feeding. He was super fussy the next day with gas pains and a bellyache. After a few days, I stopped giving formula and his fussiness drastically reduced.
I am also mostly pumping, as LO has a bad latch and is a lazy sucker, even meeting with a LC didn't help. I want to supplement so that I can build a freezer stash.
I think I am going to just have to re-introduce the formula slowly... Start with a half ounce, and gradually increase the amount each day, and hope that it works better this way. Friends of mine said that gradually introducing it is the best way, and that if fussiness continues to try a different brand.
@kristenk727 thanks! good to know I'm not the only one worrying about this. We bought the 2oz ready to feed bottles so I'm planning to start with that for her MOTN feeding. We'll see how it goes!
Ugh. Brought in Master P for a weight check since we struggled so much in the beginning, and he has gained, but not as much as he should have. So hard to know how much food he gets when he is bfing. More plans for how to feed him, tho the Dr is still supportive of bfing, need to monitor and be vigilant about him getting his formula, too. So, even if he seems full off of the breast, he still needs to be offered a bottle. He needs calories. Just want my little guy to grow up big and strong. :-S
@house86 I'm behind you by two weeks. He is 5 weeks today. Good to know I have your growth spurt coming up, and the 8 week one, and who knows how many others.
Who else is counting down to 3 months when it all supposedly gets better?
@mellymar do you have a lactation meeting near you or a lactation consultant you can contact to see if they have a scale you can check out? I went to a meeting in the beginning and you weigh the baby naked, feed, then weigh again. This will tell you how many oz LO is ingesting. Good luck! This whole BFing thing is stressful at times. This will all work out in the end and Master P will grow up big and strong. \:D/
I need advice about giving LO a bottle. I'm EBF and have been pumping for a week after the morning feed. LO is 4 weeks and we've given her four bottles. One every few days. My husband gives it to her and I leave the room but she wants my breast 10-30 min later for comfort nursing I think. Tonight I actually left the house and sat outside but my husband texted and said she's fussy and crying after the bottle. Any advice on how to make this easier/ smoother for her. We are leaving her alone with MIL for 4-5 hours and I want her to be okay
Need help. Noticed since yesterday my LOs poohs more green and what I've researched said that's not okay. She's almost 5 weeks. She EBF and never taken a bottle and has been spitting up more past few days. When she eats, she doesn't eat for very long - maybe 4-5 minutes on each side and her new thing at some feedings is she bangs her mouth and head around my nipple and head as if she's trying to find it but she knows it's there. I took it as she's full and burp her but she doesn't want to eat again.
I've googled and it seems like she's getting too much foremilk vs hind milk or maybe my let down is too much for her to handle? I don't think I am too over supplied...anyone else have this issue at some point? thinking I'll call either a LC or her dr tomorrow.
Need help. Noticed since yesterday my LOs poohs more green and what I've researched said that's not okay. She's almost 5 weeks. She EBF and never taken a bottle and has been spitting up more past few days. When she eats, she doesn't eat for very long - maybe 4-5 minutes on each side and her new thing at some feedings is she bangs her mouth and head around my nipple and head as if she's trying to find it but she knows it's there. I took it as she's full and burp her but she doesn't want to eat again.
I've googled and it seems like she's getting too much foremilk vs hind milk or maybe my let down is too much for her to handle? I don't think I am too over supplied...anyone else have this issue at some point? thinking I'll call either a LC or her dr tomorrow.
I only nurse one side per feeding. LO usually nurses for 10-15 minutes total. Maybe if you left her on one side per feed that might help. Also, I have a strong let down. When I feel it I pull LO off, let it squirt into a burp cloth until it's done (I literally have a stream that sprays out for 30 seconds to a minute), and then I put him back on. He cries when I take him off, but I've noticed he spits up much less.
@lovethatcolosun there is a bf support group that meets once a month and I want to try to go next week, but DH is on duty and its much harder to leave the house when I'm on my own (provided I remember there is a meeting in the first place). I do want to try that scale thing, tho. That might be helpful. If nothing else I'll get out of the house for a little while
I need advice about giving LO a bottle. I'm EBF and have been pumping for a week after the morning feed. LO is 4 weeks and we've given her four bottles. One every few days. My husband gives it to her and I leave the room but she wants my breast 10-30 min later for comfort nursing I think. Tonight I actually left the house and sat outside but my husband texted and said she's fussy and crying after the bottle. Any advice on how to make this easier/ smoother for her. We are leaving her alone with MIL for 4-5 hours and I want her to be okay
I had the same problem. I asked my pedi about this for daycare (since at home I can just pop her on for a top off). She said to have some 2oz bottles ready bc maybe the pump wasn't as efficient as baby & she was getting more from the breast. We tried that a couple times this week & it worked much better! Hope that helps!
Whoever created the phrase, "don't cry over spilled milk," clearly never dropped a bottle of freshly pumped milk all over the kitchen floor at 4 in the morning.
Once with DS1 I came home from work at 9pm and was so tired I poured the milk down the sink while dumping the pump parts to clean. Definitely cried.
Came home tonight at 9, starving. Hadn't eaten since I left the house at 11. DH made me a cheeseburger even though I am dairy free for LO. Asshole. I ate it anyway. My baby is currently yelling at me. So weird, he's crying and really mad but seems in control of his anger. Shrieking with gas/reflux pain, then calming. I broke mellow man. I feel terrible. I actually thought it might be good to expose him to more casein. He's so big I feel like I forget he's only 9 weeks. My sister couldn't reintroduce dairy until 25 weeks. Ugh. Staying up after every feed is motivation to back away from the ice cream!
Whoever created the phrase, "don't cry over spilled milk," clearly never dropped a bottle of freshly pumped milk all over the kitchen floor at 4 in the morning.
I'm not able to pump that much (hardly at all, even) so when I read your guys stories like this I totally cringe. To me the idea of spilling 4oz of pumped breastmilk is like spilling liquid gold. Dancegurl is right, its absolutely devastating. Sorry gal.
Mastitis sucks. My right side is producing next to nothing but is completely swollen. Anyone have the same issue? Will I be able to rebound?
Stay in bed, rest. Can you get help with your toddler? I found it did stop producing as much if i didn't clear the mastitis quickly. It came back but slowly. Don't stress over it, it won't help, just try to rest and nurse on it as much as you can stand it.
My pediatrician told me to quit cluster feeding. That I need to let him cry it out until it's been 2 hours. He's 3 weeks old today. Anyone else gotten this advice? I hate seeing him cry with hunger cues.
My pediatrician told me to quit cluster feeding. That I need to let him cry it out until it's been 2 hours. He's 3 weeks old today. Anyone else gotten this advice? I hate seeing him cry with hunger cues.
I got the same advice from my pediatrician. I took it with a grain of salt because I don't personally think they're that knowledgable about breastfeeding. Cluster feeding in these early weeks helps regulate milk supply. I can't let my boy just cry it out either. I feed on demand. When he's hungry he eats and the pedi just has to deal with it.
@JessHeppell that pediatrician is an idiot. Let your baby cluster feed: he's not even a month old!!!!! He will eventually get better about feeding. It's too early yet.
Re: Feeding your baby...support and concerns 7/20-7/26
Who else is counting down to 3 months when it all supposedly gets better?
sidenote: all ive eaten is a giant muffin and DH is coming home in a few minutes and im sure he will think ive done nothing but watch anime/lounge around. b-(
I'm most worried LO isn't going to agree with the supplementing. She strains sometimes when popping and has had some episodes of gas pains so overall she's doing good on BM. I'm worried formula is going to mess that up. Am I crazy?
I need to bite the bullet soon because I go back to work mid September and won't be able to pump comfortably. I'm EP now and don't have much of a stash built up unfortunately.
I am also mostly pumping, as LO has a bad latch and is a lazy sucker, even meeting with a LC didn't help. I want to supplement so that I can build a freezer stash.
I think I am going to just have to re-introduce the formula slowly... Start with a half ounce, and gradually increase the amount each day, and hope that it works better this way. Friends of mine said that gradually introducing it is the best way, and that if fussiness continues to try a different brand.
Hope it works out for you!
I've googled and it seems like she's getting too much foremilk vs hind milk or maybe my let down is too much for her to handle? I don't think I am too over supplied...anyone else have this issue at some point? thinking I'll call either a LC or her dr tomorrow.
Came home tonight at 9, starving. Hadn't eaten since I left the house at 11. DH made me a cheeseburger even though I am dairy free for LO. Asshole. I ate it anyway. My baby is currently yelling at me. So weird, he's crying and really mad but seems in control of his anger. Shrieking with gas/reflux pain, then calming. I broke mellow man. I feel terrible. I actually thought it might be good to expose him to more casein. He's so big I feel like I forget he's only 9 weeks. My sister couldn't reintroduce dairy until 25 weeks. Ugh. Staying up after every feed is motivation to back away from the ice cream!
I got the same advice from my pediatrician. I took it with a grain of salt because I don't personally think they're that knowledgable about breastfeeding. Cluster feeding in these early weeks helps regulate milk supply. I can't let my boy just cry it out either. I feed on demand. When he's hungry he eats and the pedi just has to deal with it.
Let your baby cluster feed: he's not even a month old!!!!!
He will eventually get better about feeding. It's too early yet.