Breastfeeding Support

adiaz132003 · June 2016

A thread for all things breastfeeding. Questions, rants, tips, ect.

laylahsmomma · June 2016

Exclusively breast feeding my 11 day old son ♡ but he's currently on a cluster feeding craze, I feel like all I do is feed him. He's up every 2 hours to eat, & sometimes he doesn't even go to sleep because he's too busy fussing & eating. I'm up with him ALL night / morning with absolutely no help (single momma), then I have to get up with my 2 y/o DD & stay up with her all day long. I feel like a zombie, somehow living off of 1-3 hours of sleep every night

adiaz132003 · June 2016

How do you know when milk fully comes in? Right now I'll have like really watery milky stuff and golden thick cream flow out. Basically my LO will nurse for 10 then need a burp and I wonder if I should put him on the same breast to drain it or switch sides to increase supply.

laylahsmomma · June 2016

The golden stuff is colostrum, it's packed full of the good stuff your baby needs. & the watery milk is transition milk, it's the milk your body makes before it starts producing the "real" milk. Just let your LO nurse as much & as long as he wants, my little guy eats ALL day long so you'd think he wasn't getting enough, but he's really just cluster feeding, which is him trying to get my body to make more milk. & my lactation consultant said instead of switching breasts every 10-15 minutes just let them completely drain one breast before you offer the other one, that a way they can get the fatty hind milk which helps them gain weight

laylahsmomma · June 2016

& I always knew my "real" milk was in when my breasts got super swollen (engorged), & while my DD & DS nurse on one breast, the other one starts leaking. Hope I answered some of your questions!

huskypuppy14 · June 2016

Anyone else have a sleepy baby? My baby was 3 weeks early, so the lactation cunsultant and pediatrician said he will be more sleepy than a full term infant. I have to wake him up to feed and I've also been pumping after every feed if not just pumping because he falls asleep. It's hard to know
If I don't pump if he gets enough and pumping is more efficient because if I breastfeed then pump it takes an hour or an hour and a half. Whereas pumping takes 15 minutes and then anyone can feed him.

adiaz132003 · June 2016

huskypuppy14 said:

Anyone else have a sleepy baby? My baby was 3 weeks early, so the lactation cunsultant and pediatrician said he will be more sleepy than a full term infant. I have to wake him up to feed and I've also been pumping after every feed if not just pumping because he falls asleep. It's hard to know
If I don't pump if he gets enough and pumping is more efficient because if I breastfeed then pump it takes an hour or an hour and a half. Whereas pumping takes 15 minutes and then anyone can feed him.

My friend had this exactly. About 3 1/2 weeks early and they could not wake her. If we did manage to get her to latch she just fell asleep. What I told her was let her latch so she at least has practice with it and then after 10-15 min she took her off to pump and gave her what she could. She would produce colostrum she gave her that. My midwife have me the tip that if DS wasn't latching (he was also sleepy but just for a day) to self express into a spoon and fill it up and just spoon feed him, and that should be plenty. Soon my friend's LO was having more wake time and got the latch down so she didn't have to pump as much.

adiaz132003 · June 2016

Ok question for STM's or momma's past the one week mark.

When your LO came home did you find that there was a lot of cluster feeds in the first few days? When do they get to the point where they will eat that 2-3 hours everyone talks about. The first few days there are times when he will eat every hour and never settle down. Lucky for us the last two night he sleeps for 2- 2 1/2 hours between feeds and doesn't wiggle and fuss or cry. But in the evening and sometime during the day he cluster eats for short amounts of time, like 5-10 min feeds as opposed to the nice 15-20 min feeds that get him milk drunk and sleepy. I know it's normal but I'd like to know about when it will regulate so that we can get better sleep. Poor DH wants to help and be on diaper/comfort the baby duty but he goes back to work next week and he needs his rest. We cosleep so he hears every cry.

laylahsmomma · June 2016

My son is 2 weeks old today, & is still cluster feeding. Most days he's up from 2am - 6am everyday crying & wanting to eat lol his pediatrician said that usually around 3 weeks they'll start spacing their feedings out more. Fx that this is true lol

Goocran17 · June 2016

Overnight is a cluster feeding nightmare! She can eat every 2-3 hours and sleep all day but 10 pm rolls around and she's up all night eating, falling asleep, and fussing 30-60 minutes later for more. I look forward to the days I can sleep more than an hour at a time!

laylahsmomma · June 2016

@Goocran17 I totally feel your pain. Somehow I've managed to survive off of 1-3 hours of sleep a day while also caring for my 2 y/o DD. I do indeed look like a zombie from the Walking Dead tho

arteduc8 · June 2016

I'm so glad I'm not alone with the fussy crying nightmare at night. DD eats every 2-2.5 guys during the day and sometimes we get a 3 hours stretch at night. But then after a good stretch or 2, about 2 minutes after putting her down she loses it. We think it's gas, sometimes she farts or burps or spits up, but after getting through that she is still inconsolable and screams like a banshee. DH and I have had to take shifts on that for our own sanity. He stayed up holding her after the last feeding and fit and now I have her. I hope that phase passes soon because we are both sleep deprived and he starts work again today.

Bear14+ · June 2016

A tip that worked over here last time is to make days super bright and loud and nights dark and quiet. Babies come out with days and nights reversed, might help them to figure it out and maybe eventually you will get better sleep.

lm45678 · June 2016

arteduc8 said:

I'm so glad I'm not alone with the fussy crying nightmare at night. DD eats every 2-2.5 guys during the day and sometimes we get a 3 hours stretch at night. But then after a good stretch or 2, about 2 minutes after putting her down she loses it. We think it's gas, sometimes she farts or burps or spits up, but after getting through that she is still inconsolable and screams like a banshee. DH and I have had to take shifts on that for our own sanity. He stayed up holding her after the last feeding and fit and now I have her. I hope that phase passes soon because we are both sleep deprived and he starts work again today.

FTM here (and still pregnant) but my good friend had a baby 2 weeks ago and said that the little remedies gas drops were a life saver. They were recommended by her pediatrician. May be worth a shot??

HeartLikeMine3 · June 2016

My LO cluster feeds from like 4pm till 9pm luckily it's not in the MOTN but it sure makes it hard to entertain my 3 yr old or cook dinner. I just have to remember everything in the first year is a phase they never last long.

alcermack · June 2016

Try proping baby at a 45 angle. New babies get acid reflux really easy and being laid flat may be what's causing the gas and throwing up. Look up colic and possible ways to help prevent babies pain.

Rawa1416 · June 2016

HELP!!!! Baby is 5 days old and nursing has been going fine. All of a sudden tonight he won't latch. Gets his mouth around it but won't suck and gets very frustrated. I've tried several different positions and nothing is working. What do I do?!

lac1252 · June 2016

Have you tried holding him by the back of the neck and guiding him right to the nipple while simultaneously pushing downward on your breast above the nipple? I've found this to be most effective when DD is having trouble latching.

if it persists you could always try a nipple shield. I had to use one in the hospital for a few days and it really helped with her latch.

adiaz132003 · June 2016

My LO won't latch right away! We were doing do great the first week and now he suddenly is putting g his hands in the way and playing with the nipple before eating. I have a heavy letdown and the second he messes with it I make a mess everywhere. He just will wiggle his head side to side and put his lips on the nipple bit never latch not suck and get upset if I try to guide him on and will push back. Eventually, he'll latch on his own and nurse like he used to. Not ideal for feeding in public.... he's just over a week old now. Wth?

HeartLikeMine3 · June 2016

Feeding in public will get so much easier when our babies have some head control and can latch on and off by themselves. I cannot wait to be able to nurse sidling in bed it's so much more comfortable!

HeartLikeMine3 · June 2016

Rawa1416 said:

HELP!!!! Baby is 5 days old and nursing has been going fine. All of a sudden tonight he won't latch. Gets his mouth around it but won't suck and gets very frustrated. I've tried several different positions and nothing is working. What do I do?!

Are you nipples kinda on the flat side? I've noticed if I use the hand pump to get mine to stick out a little more for just a second LO can latch better.

annaf2011 · June 2016

adiaz132003 said:

My LO won't latch right away! We were doing do great the first week and now he suddenly is putting g his hands in the way and playing with the nipple before eating. I have a heavy letdown and the second he messes with it I make a mess everywhere. He just will wiggle his head side to side and put his lips on the nipple bit never latch not suck and get upset if I try to guide him on and will push back. Eventually, he'll latch on his own and nurse like he used to. Not ideal for feeding in public.... he's just over a week old now.

*Stuck in box*
My little guy has been doing almost exactly the same thing these past couple of days. He constantly has his hands right in front of his mouth when we're trying to latch, and then gets really frustrated. it seems to be a combination of him getting a little bit stronger but not yet having control over his hands and arms. Last night, I put him in the swaddle to feed him, and it seemed to help him calm down and latch. I don't like to have him swaddled all day, but it was a big help for motn feeding.

purplefan1 · June 2016

My sweet girl has been struggling with days and nights as well. Pediatrician and LC recommended waking her up every two hours in the day and feeding with the hopes that she will start being awake more then and sleep through the night. She has also been cluster feeding but thankfully more in the evenings than MOTN like when she was first born. If I've fed her often and she still seems hungry, we try a bottle of pumped milk as well. That seems to really satisfy her and calms my mommy worries about whether or not she is starving. The cluster feedings are tough though. Heck, eating every two hours is tough! She spends 15-20 minutes on a boob, we have to wake her back up by changing her and playing with her and then offer the other boob which she then nurses at for 15-20 minutes then I'm supposed to pump for 15 minutes. So if we start at 2am we are usually done by 3am. Then clean all the pumping parts and the nipple shield. Then it is supposed to start all over 2 hours after she started. So I get maybe an hour sleep then we are back at it. Exhausting!

lyoash31 · June 2016

A tip for those who are pumping after feeds in the middle of the night: you can put your pump parts in a Ziploc bag and place in the fridge between sessions instead of washing them each time. Then you can get back to sleep sooner.

egirl1025 · June 2016

I am a FTM and my little one just fed for a solid 20 minutes on one side and then after about 20 minutes, in the middle of his diaper change started choking and spit up a considerable amount of clear mucus, with small milk chunks. Not a substantial amount of milk at all. It was very scary and I used the bulb syringe to clear out his mouth afterwards, but wondering if I should be concerned and call the doctor's office... He will be 2 weeks tomorrow and he came 3 weeks 2 days early.

purplefan1 · June 2016

Ok. Cluster feedings. Is baby really this hungry? Is it a growth spurt, comfort, is she getting enough, is there such thing as too much? They keep saying feed on demand so if she cues I offer the boob. She ate 20 minutes+ from each side, hung out while I pumped for 15, and by time I was getting ready to wrap up the pumping she was fussing to get back on. No vigorously going at it again. Do I let her keep breastfeeding or supplement from expressed milk in case she isnt "getting enough", any advice?? She seems otherwise happy and content so I'm inclined to just let her keep eating as much as she wants from the breast right now.

Rosehip15 · June 2016

June2016BabyW said:

Ok. Cluster feedings. Is baby really this hungry? Is it a growth spurt, comfort, is she getting enough, is there such thing as too much? They keep saying feed on demand so if she cues I offer the boob. She ate 20 minutes+ from each side, hung out while I pumped for 15, and by time I was getting ready to wrap up the pumping she was fussing to get back on. No vigorously going at it again. Do I let her keep breastfeeding or supplement from expressed milk in case she isnt "getting enough", any advice?? She seems otherwise happy and content so I'm inclined to just let her keep eating as much as she wants from the breast right now.

Can I ask why you're pumping? If you weren't pumping after nursing, this might be a bit less maddening.

But (third time mom), I'd say causes are growth spurts, hunger, comfort and a baby's instinct to increase your supply in no particular order. I wouldn't supplement unless you have true reason to believe she cannot get enough by nursing - not enough wet/dirty diapers, signs of dehydration, or an LC/knowledgable doc has told you to do so. That may just get you into a loop of your supply being out of sync with baby's needs, plus extra work. Just my thoughts.

The cluster feeds do end - I remember sobbing and totally being at the end of my rope with them with my first, thinking it would NEVER end. But they DO end, I promise!!! She's now 11 years old and feeds herself - hee hee:)

purplefan1 · June 2016

Rosehip15 said:

June2016BabyW said:

Ok. Cluster feedings. Is baby really this hungry? Is it a growth spurt, comfort, is she getting enough, is there such thing as too much? They keep saying feed on demand so if she cues I offer the boob. She ate 20 minutes+ from each side, hung out while I pumped for 15, and by time I was getting ready to wrap up the pumping she was fussing to get back on. No vigorously going at it again. Do I let her keep breastfeeding or supplement from expressed milk in case she isnt "getting enough", any advice?? She seems otherwise happy and content so I'm inclined to just let her keep eating as much as she wants from the breast right now.

Can I ask why you're pumping? If you weren't pumping after nursing, this might be a bit less maddening.

But (third time mom), I'd say causes are growth spurts, hunger, comfort and a baby's instinct to increase your supply in no particular order. I wouldn't supplement unless you have true reason to believe she cannot get enough by nursing - not enough wet/dirty diapers, signs of dehydration, or an LC/knowledgable doc has told you to do so. That may just get you into a loop of your supply being out of sync with baby's needs, plus extra work. Just my thoughts.

The cluster feeds do end - I remember sobbing and totally being at the end of my rope with them with my first, thinking it would NEVER end. But they DO end, I promise!!! She's now 11 years old and feeds herself - hee hee:)

We didn't realize (despite two LC consults in hospital) that she wasn't latching at all. Went to an LC first full day home from hospital and learned a new latch technique but it would only work at a few feedings and was really complicated (husband had to pinch my nipple just right to get baby to latch and then hold it the whole time she was eating.) She was rapidly losing weight to the point where they were going to recommend formula supplements. Went back the next day to the LC again and discussed a nipple shield. It works like a charm thankfully and she latched and happily eats every time now. However with the nipple shield my nipples don't get stimulated like normal and without pumping I would run a risk of losing supply. So the LC and pediatrician recommended feeding on demand or at least every two to three hours and pump every two. Then supplement with expressed milk bottles when necessary to get her weight back up. She lost 9% of birth weight 3 days after birth. We are getting it back up now though! Hoping when we go for two week check up next Wednesday that she will be gaining appropriately and they can make new recommendations for how often I should pump. Will be doing weekly weight checks for awhile at breastfeeding resource center and working with them to see if we can eventually lose the nipple shield.
ETA: we also noticed she did now have any bowel movements after leaving hospital and only had one while there with a lot of anal stimulation from the nurse. And her wet diapers were turning in to just concentrated urine. So she definitely wasn't getting really anything. I've never been so happy to see poopy and wet diapers!! As of now I actually love changing her diapers because that means she is actually getting her nutrition in!

Rosehip15 · June 2016

June2016BabyW said:

Rosehip15 said:

June2016BabyW said:

Ok. Cluster feedings. Is baby really this hungry? Is it a growth spurt, comfort, is she getting enough, is there such thing as too much? They keep saying feed on demand so if she cues I offer the boob. She ate 20 minutes+ from each side, hung out while I pumped for 15, and by time I was getting ready to wrap up the pumping she was fussing to get back on. No vigorously going at it again. Do I let her keep breastfeeding or supplement from expressed milk in case she isnt "getting enough", any advice?? She seems otherwise happy and content so I'm inclined to just let her keep eating as much as she wants from the breast right now.

Can I ask why you're pumping? If you weren't pumping after nursing, this might be a bit less maddening.

But (third time mom), I'd say causes are growth spurts, hunger, comfort and a baby's instinct to increase your supply in no particular order. I wouldn't supplement unless you have true reason to believe she cannot get enough by nursing - not enough wet/dirty diapers, signs of dehydration, or an LC/knowledgable doc has told you to do so. That may just get you into a loop of your supply being out of sync with baby's needs, plus extra work. Just my thoughts.

The cluster feeds do end - I remember sobbing and totally being at the end of my rope with them with my first, thinking it would NEVER end. But they DO end, I promise!!! She's now 11 years old and feeds herself - hee hee:)

We didn't realize (despite two LC consults in hospital) that she wasn't latching at all. Went to an LC first full day home from hospital and learned a new latch technique but it would only work at a few feedings and was really complicated (husband had to pinch my nipple just right to get baby to latch and then hold it the whole time she was eating.) She was rapidly losing weight to the point where they were going to recommend formula supplements. Went back the next day to the LC again and discussed a nipple shield. It works like a charm thankfully and she latched and happily eats every time now. However with the nipple shield my nipples don't get stimulated like normal and without pumping I would run a risk of losing supply. So the LC and pediatrician recommended feeding on demand or at least every two to three hours and pump every two. Then supplement with expressed milk bottles when necessary to get her weight back up. She lost 9% of birth weight 3 days after birth. We are getting it back up now though! Hoping when we go for two week check up next Wednesday that she will be gaining appropriately and they can make new recommendations for how often I should pump. Will be doing weekly weight checks for awhile at breastfeeding resource center and working with them to see if we can eventually lose the nipple shield.

Wow, huge kudos for determination & figuring it out! I know how frustrating BFing troubles can be - I had a month of agony with my first, though I didn't have the worry that she wasn't getting enough.

It sounds like you've found great support and are on your way to success!! Brava:)

HeartLikeMine3 · June 2016

egirl1025 said:

I am a FTM and my little one just fed for a solid 20 minutes on one side and then after about 20 minutes, in the middle of his diaper change started choking and spit up a considerable amount of clear mucus, with small milk chunks. Not a substantial amount of milk at all. It was very scary and I used the bulb syringe to clear out his mouth afterwards, but wondering if I should be concerned and call the doctor's office... He will be 2 weeks tomorrow and he came 3 weeks 2 days early.

My LO did that in the hospital multiple times. The nurses said the clear mucous was amniotic fluid swallowed at birth. They said most babies will cough it up on their own but since mine had multiple near choking incidents lips turning blue they said they could suction it out. Since they removed it she hasn't done it since. Sounds like your LO hot hers our but if she sounds spity/gurgly or does it again I'd for sure call and see what they suggest.

adiaz132003 · June 2016

Anyone else have their newborn go from taking 20-30 min to drain a breast to suddenly draining it in like 5-10 min then wanting the other side? DS is only 10 days old, isnt that a little early to be able to drain me that fast?

purplefan1 · June 2016

Mine sometimes feeds for awhile and sometimes feeds in short spurts. I don't think she is "draining" per say, especially because she could nurse as long as she wanted and I would just keep making milk. Maybe he prefers one side over the other? Do you switch up which boob he starts on each time? I find when mine is doing short feedings she feeds more often as well.

adiaz132003 · June 2016

June2016BabyW said:

Mine sometimes feeds for awhile and sometimes feeds in short spurts. I don't think she is "draining" per say, especially because she could nurse as long as she wanted and I would just keep making milk. Maybe he prefers one side over the other? Do you switch up which boob he starts on each time? I find when mine is doing short feedings she feeds more often as well.

Yeah, once he slows to a stop I try to burn. Then I'll offer the same breast and he may suck for a few seconds then let go. Then I'll offer the other side and he'll start eating like normal.

HeartLikeMine3 · June 2016

My LO is becoming a faster more effecient nursery as well. They only time she nurses for long periods is when she's really sleeping and just keeps sucking.

purplefan1 · June 2016

So far today baby has spent a little over 5 hours on my boobs eating and I've pumped for a little more than an hour and a half. And this time of the day is her fussy time where she likes to cluster feed pretty nonstop. Exhausting!

arteduc8 · June 2016

Anyone else dealing with a potential growth spurt right now? DD is 2 weeks old today and she's feeding every hour. She was doing every 2-2.5 hours before. DH is at work this morning and I'm utterly exhausted. No sleep last night now coupled with cluster feeding, diaper changes, and crying. I haven't been able to put her down all morning.

Rawa1416 · June 2016

arteduc8 said:

Anyone else dealing with a potential growth spurt right now? DD is 2 weeks old today and she's feeding every hour. She was doing every 2-2.5 hours before. DH is at work this morning and I'm utterly exhausted. No sleep last night now coupled with cluster feeding, diaper changes, and crying. I haven't been able to put her down all morning.

We're there too at 1 week old. No sleep last night and he cluster fed from 11-1 this afternoon. Hang in there!!!

purplefan1 · June 2016

Rawa1416 said:

arteduc8 said:

Anyone else dealing with a potential growth spurt right now? DD is 2 weeks old today and she's feeding every hour. She was doing every 2-2.5 hours before. DH is at work this morning and I'm utterly exhausted. No sleep last night now coupled with cluster feeding, diaper changes, and crying. I haven't been able to put her down all morning.

We're there too at 1 week old. No sleep last night and he cluster fed from 11-1 this afternoon. Hang in there!!!

Is it sad that knowing you guys are also going through this brings me some sanity? Solidarity ladies.

adiaz132003 · June 2016

June2016BabyW said:

Rawa1416 said:

arteduc8 said:

Anyone else dealing with a potential growth spurt right now? DD is 2 weeks old today and she's feeding every hour. She was doing every 2-2.5 hours before. DH is at work this morning and I'm utterly exhausted. No sleep last night now coupled with cluster feeding, diaper changes, and crying. I haven't been able to put her down all morning.

We're there too at 1 week old. No sleep last night and he cluster fed from 11-1 this afternoon. Hang in there!!!

Is it sad that knowing you guys are also going through this brings me some sanity? Solidarity ladies.

Not sad at all. My LO cluster feeds during his switching hours in the evening. And the sheer number of diapers is insane!!!! It's like he's just always wet.

arteduc8 · June 2016

Ugh, my DD nursed every hour or less for an entire 24 hours. I nearly lost it last night. Thank goodness for my DH helping with diaper changes and burping her. She's at about every hour and a half the past few hours, so I'm praying she's done and maybe will finally have longer stretches of 3-4 hours. Any hope that she might start that soon? I miss sleep.

HeartLikeMine3 · June 2016

arteduc8 said:

Ugh, my DD nursed every hour or less for an entire 24 hours. I nearly lost it last night. Thank goodness for my DH helping with diaper changes and burping her. She's at about every hour and a half the past few hours, so I'm praying she's done and maybe will finally have longer stretches of 3-4 hours. Any hope that she might start that soon? I miss sleep.

So sorry I can't imagine this for 24hrs straight. My LO sleeps like a dream for the most part all day me waking her to eat but at night the has terrible gas and it crying and inconsolable all night. I only sleep during the day if all the stars align with my 3 year olds nap and hers this is rough. But it's only a phase and you will make it through!

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