January 2016 Moms

Breastfeeding check-in

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Re: Breastfeeding check-in

  • We are at 10 weeks of EBF! I am so happy since breast feeding didn't work out for my first. She takes a pacifier and a bottle once a day to get used to having to take a bottle when I go back to work in 4 weeks.  I have about 50 oz in the freezer in 2oz bags.  I am loving the ease and convenience of being with her and being able to breast feed but not looking forward to being back at work.
  • Hanging on by a thread with partial breastfeeding (partial due to very low supply) but hanging in there!  7weeks and one day so far.  I was pretty much pumping every 3-4 hours and feeding LO bottles of the 7-8 oz a day I would get via pumping, and the rest formula.  That was going great until recently. She's been going through a growth spurt and peak fussiness and will not nap at all unless it's on me.  She will not tolerate napping on me while I pump (kicks the pump equipment, screams, etc.  Fun!) so, I've had to alter my approach.  Now I'm pumping only when my husband is home and then breastfeeding her as often as possible during the day, even though LO is a lazy eater at the breast (she falls asleep or gets frustrated after about 5min) and it's not as stimulating as the pump - at least it's something.  My pumped supply has dipped to about only 4oz a day and I'm not sure how much she's getting from direct feeding (at the weighted feed we did at the lactation consultant's office it was only .2 oz :/)  But I'm hoping it's 6-8 oz total each day.  It's been challenging and tiring because my husband works long hours on an irregular schedule so I have no rhythm when it comes to pumping or rest. 

    My husband and my dr both have encouraged me to quit whenever I want (it is a lot of work for very little milk and I've had some issues with postpartum anxiety and depression that they think would be helped by more rest, less pumping) but I'm hoping to continue until 3 months and reevaluate then.  I have no problem with formula and LO is thriving on it, but I like having breastmilk on hand because it helps when she's having trouble pooping, and I like being able to breastfeed even for a few minutes because sometimes it calms her when she's cranky and puts her to sleep.  Also, I've had a really, really hard time emotionally  dealing with my supply issue and not being able to EBF, so making it at least to the 3 month PBF goal would help me feel better (I think/hope), even though I know logically it's not my fault and that I've tried everything to make it work.

    Anyway, I feel conflicted about continuing on past the 3 month mark in terms of effort/reward, but I'm just hoping to make it to that goal and try to feel proud of myself and less depressed.
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  • @maureenmce you're doing great!!! It sounds like you're doing everything you can to make sure your LO is happy and healthy! I've tried a few times to pump and breastfeed at the same time and it's a hot mess. Have you tried to do a football hold instead so she can't kick the equipment? 
  • @dobes1020 - Yes, she hates that hold for some reason!  She acts really fussy and won't latch.  I have a picky and feisty little lady.  ;)
  • @maureenmce I put mine in the boppy on the floor in front of me for his bottle while I pump.  It kills my back, but he can't kick me in the boobs from there
  • @nackie That's a great idea!  I'll have to try it tomorrow.  
  • It's getting better everyday but still not ideal. She lost 13% of birth weight and took a month to get back up to birth weight. Had a TT clipped at 11 days; a month of speech therapy. I'm on Dom & Fenugreek and still a little under producing (supplementing about 6 oz a day when nursing at home; I get slightly less than 1 oz/hr I'm away at work, so she takes about 30 oz a day I'd guess). She's little, 16%ile, but growing. No more weight checks until her well child at 4 months (thank God!). I really wanted to be an over producer so I could donate but I guess it was not meant to be. Just glad I make what I do and we can keep going with breast feeding. Luckily I don't have clogged ducts or mastitis since I underproduce!

    Me: 35, Hubbie: 33
    Married DH: 2013
    DD: Dec 2015
    BFP 8/14/17 --> Due 4/27/2018

    Babysizer Geeky Pregnancy Tracker

  • nanamp said:
    @beccanforrest22 - I'm trying to figure out whether it's the antibiotics or the mastitis itself that causes a drop in supply. How long did it take to bounce back? 
    It was about 2-3 days of antibiotics before supply was back up. As for which caused it, Idk. I did read that in extreme cases mastitis can permanently damage your milk production. 

    Anybody have tips for engorgement? Baby is sleeping 6 hrs, then 4 hrs at night. And I wake up with bolders for boobs! I don't want to just pump it all out because then I'm telling my body I need that much. I still get engorged if he goes longer during the day. Any advice? 
  • kaym6kaym6 member
    @beccanforrest22 I have been told to help with engorgement to pump just enough to make yourself comfortable and eventually that should be less and less until your supply regulates however with that you risk mastitis and clogged ducts. I already had mastitis once and was the sickest I've ever been so I am currently waking up in the middle of the night am pumping, it's not ideal because there are times my baby sleeps through the night and I'm still up to pump but I'm terrified to get mastitis again 
  • kaym6kaym6 member
    How often are yall giving your babies bottles? Mine is 3 months old and it's pretty impossible to get him to take one... He took one early on around 6 weeks just fine and I wasn't consistent with them at all. I tried today and he basically refused all efforts. I know I need to be consistent and keep trying but I don't feel like it at all! Haha I would rather just breastfeed but worry about it if I want to go somewhere in the future 
  • kaym6 said:
    How often are yall giving your babies bottles? Mine is 3 months old and it's pretty impossible to get him to take one... He took one early on around 6 weeks just fine and I wasn't consistent with them at all. I tried today and he basically refused all efforts. I know I need to be consistent and keep trying but I don't feel like it at all! Haha I would rather just breastfeed but worry about it if I want to go somewhere in the future 
    This is me! I'm so inconsistent! Last night she refused dad but took a whole bottle from me but it broke my heart seeing her so upset
  • kaym6kaym6 member
    @Firsttimer16 I know I need to be consistent for him to take them but he would rather be breastfed and I would rather breastfeed so that's what I always do. He gets so upset about it which is why I think I don't really push it that much. Luckily I'm staying at home and don't have any huge plans that I need him to take a bottle for but ill screwed if I do! Lol 
  • klbhklbh member
    We aim for about three a week to keep him used to it. I just go to the gym and out to lunch, or see a movie, or have a drink with friends. It's really nice to have the built-in periods to myself. 
  • kaym6kaym6 member
    @klbh when he is taking a bottle do you pump in place of that feeding to keep your supply regulated? That's another reason I think I didn't introduce them a lot is because I didn't want to pump, I definitely should have done them more and will have to 
  • I give my daughter a bottle once a day usually. Some days it is too much to have to bottle feed and pump but most days we do.  I go back to work in 3 weeks so I need to know that she will take a bottle then.  I do pump every feed she gets a bottle to keep up supply 
  • claireloSCclaireloSC member
    edited April 2016
    I've read to give them a bottle 3 times per week to keep them from refusing. DW was giving bottles often at night but since LO has been STTN she's stopped so we make more of an effort to give her a bottle often enough now so she'll be ok when I go back to work. She definitely prefers BFing though and eats less from bottles than from me. @kaym6 I will pump if I'm gone more than like 3 hours, otherwise, I don't worry about it.
    Baby Birthday Ticker TickerMarried DW <3 08.2013; AI 2x; IUI 6x; IUI #7 05.2015; DD born 2.2016 o:); Reciprocal IVF FET #1 on 11.18.2020 
  • klbhklbh member
    @kaym6 yep, I typically feed the kid, wait about an hour, pump, and then head out. Once I get back, he's usually ready to nurse again, so I'm not too worried about supply issues. But I haven't left for more than about 3.5 hours.
  • kaym6kaym6 member
    Thanks ladies! He's a picky little man so perhaps I'll try a few more times with this brand bottle and then if it's still a no go I'll have to try some others. 
  • EBF and LO is 12 weeks now. Things are going well. I am with her round the clock so I chose not to do bottles or pacifiers. I have a lot more milk in my left side and a hard let down so we are working on that to help her not choke while feeding. 
    This is my third EBF baby and it is interesting to look back on how different each experience was. With my first, my milk came in while I was still in the hospital, had an extreme over abundance. I used to wake up night after night engorged and soaked in milk. But all regulated itself with time and we went on to BF for 2 years.
    With my second baby my milk didn't come in until 8 days post partum. I was getting worried but just kept on and it finally appeared. I had the most trouble with plugged ducts and mastitis with this baby but we also continued for 2 years of breastfeeding.
     Now with my third, I haven't had any engorgement issues and my milk came in a day after being home from the hospital. She does some mild clicking when she nurses but I'm not concerned because she's not gassy and weight gain is great. At first she had so much trouble learning to latch. It really surprised me because I wasn't even thinking about an issue like that since it was my third time. But all is going well now, and she's a happy little nurser! I'm looking forward to hopefully at least another couple years of breastfeeding her. So far I've spent 4 years and 2.5 months of my life breastfeeding and while it has been one of the most challenging things I've ever done at times, it has also been the most rewarding. I'm very grateful to be able to nurse my babies. 
  • kaym6kaym6 member
    Is it possible to have a clogged duct with no lump? According to my research it looks like it is but then what do I massage and how do I know when it's gone? The side of my breast kind of under my armpit is soooo sore. This is how my mastitis started last time so I'm terrified :neutral: 
  • @kaym6 If it's sore but no lump, maybe it's just the beginnings of a clogged duct? It's happened to me. Treat it the same - nurse that side first, try to change up positions when nursing, heat, massage. My LC told me to not over massage though since that can make things worse.
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