July 2016 Moms

Feeding Your Baby

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Re: Feeding Your Baby

  • @TiffRox81 my LO is 5 weeks old and we pretty much feed her on demand. She tends to eat less in the am and eats a lot towards the end of the day. I haven't paid much attention to how much she eats, but she is gaining well. 
  • @TiffRox81 I had been feeding her on demand (10 weeks now) every 1.5 to 2 hours, but the last few days we've been stretching it to 3 hours between, and it has really helped both of us! She eats more at a time, and I don't feel so tied down. I think my problem was that I was just feeding her every time she fussed, when she really didn't need to eat. 
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  • My daughter will be 7 weeks on Tuesday, and I'm still just feeding on demand which averages out to about every 2 hours still. I don't wake her from naps, and she typically only gets up once a night (2-3am) to nurse. She does tend to do a mini cluster feed in the late evening right before she falls asleep for her longest stretch. Now I'm wondering if I should be more focused on getting her into a schedule? @TiffRox81
  • Left boob - barely an ounce in 10 minutes. 
    Right boob - over 5 ounces in 10 minutes 

    Lopsided doesn't even begin to explain how I feel.

    I'm not sure if these work but they're delicious, filling, and an easy grab-and-go snack.

    https://premeditatedleftovers.com/naturally-frugal-mom/pumpkin-spice-lactation-cookies/
  • @LDSJM123 we're doing very similar things with our babies. Yes, I too am just trying to figure out how I can start getting a routine going, more so at night. For those of you doing the constant daytime feeding, what are your nights like? Are you getting stretches of 6hrs or longer? I know some mommas have mentioned already having babies sleeping around 7 hours. Just trying to figure out if it correlates to the more frequent daytime feeding. 
  • Yeah mine cluster feeds like crazy in the evening and has started giving us 6 hour stretches (5 weeks)
  • We nurse on demand during the day, usually every 2.5-3 hours and we tend to cluster feed a bit before bedtime just because he fusses a lot and it calms him and because nursing is part of our bedtime routine, so he always gets a little top-up right before bed. Then he'll sleep 7-9 hours in one stretch, up at 5am to nurse and usually goes down again until 7am. @TiffRox81 He's 10 weeks. 
  • I am exclusively pumping and have a question for others who have been there. I pump every 2-4 hours during the day for about 20-30 minutes at a time. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? It's not a big deal when DH is home but when it's just me caring for the baby it is so time consuming (plus I'm concerned for when I return to work). I'm using a Medela pisa (double electric). 
    Me (32) & DH (35)
    Married 10.10.10
    DD born 7.25.16 <3
  • I'm with @sboston06 it has started taking me close to an hour and I STILL have milk coming from my one breast (not fast but consistently) and I can't take that long to pump at work. I have a classroom and can't leave my co-teacher for that long 
  • I don't have a medela i have a spectra but i was able to speed things along a little by increasing the suction and the cycle rate 
  • sboston06 said:
    I am exclusively pumping and have a question for others who have been there. I pump every 2-4 hours during the day for about 20-30 minutes at a time. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? It's not a big deal when DH is home but when it's just me caring for the baby it is so time consuming (plus I'm concerned for when I return to work). I'm using a Medela pisa (double electric). 
    I hope you will have time to pump at work! I'm shooting to just bring my manual pump to release the pressure in short trips to the bathroom. I've found if I increase the time between sessions my let down is a lot quicker and tends to only take me about 15 mins to get 5 oz. 
  • I think I recall DD1 sleeping through the night around 3 months. DD2 is 6 weeks and sometimes wakes once 2-3 am after a dream feed around 10:30 or sometimes twice. We do have a pretty good schedule during the day...she eats at 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 then to bed. Can't wait to get more sleep at night. Also a bit jealous of DH...he pours concrete in the Missouri sun so I don't expect him to get up when I am on leave. 

    On another note...I think I need a smaller medela flange for my pump. I have been having trouble getting a let down even when I am very full and I have an article of her clothing. 
  • I feed on demand but it's still every 3 or so hours, sometimes more, sometimes fewer. He ends up eating for the last time around 11pm and then sleeps until about 7. I make sure to change him before feeding if possible so he can just calm down, eat, and get super sleepy, then I set him in his r&p next to my bed with his pacifier if he's not already totally asleep. But he's started to barely sleep at all during the day this past week so I thought we might be in for fitful nights again. Thankfully nights still are pretty consistent. But that's just how it works for us, every LO is different. Good luck! I hope you get a full nights sleep soon! We're at 10 weeks and he started sleeping through the night around 7 weeks I think. @TiffRox81
    Married 6/1/13
    BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
    BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
    BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
    BFP #4  4/2015 MC 7/1/15
    BFP #5 10/21/15  EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow! 
  • mnkennedmnkenned member
    edited September 2016
    My friend rented a hospital grade pump and said it was way faster - planning to do that when I go back.


  • I could rent a hospital grade pump. I'm a nurse so even though I'm required to get breaks, they don't often happen and I eat on the go. I definitely don't leave the unit for extended periods of time. I'm hoping to build a freezer stash in the meantime so I won't stress so much if I can't pump often. Hoping for just once a shift. 
    Me (32) & DH (35)
    Married 10.10.10
    DD born 7.25.16 <3
  • I have the medela electric pump and it worked fine with my daughter but I do think I could have done more to keep my supply up. I didn't know better but this time I am going to try to pump more than once a day and did get the smaller flange to see if that helps.

    I have been building my stash since she was born...1/2 an ounce at a time or sometimes when she sleeps through a feeding or even just relieving pressure. I think I have about 140oz saved. 
  • I was told that any non-hospital grade pump is meant to be used 2-3 times per day and anyone exclusively pumping should get or rent a hospital grade pump to use for more pumping sessions.  I have the medela pisa and I'm not super impressed by it...
  • Just wanted to share this lactation smoothie recipe I tried! It definitely worked, I was leaking rather profusely within minutes of finishing it and I was able to pump 5 Oz from one side in ten minutes which is way more than I usually get, especially in the afternoon! 

  • Just wanted to share this lactation smoothie recipe I tried! It definitely worked, I was leaking rather profusely within minutes of finishing it and I was able to pump 5 Oz from one side in ten minutes which is way more than I usually get, especially in the afternoon! 

    I've been meaning to try this, glad to know it works! I'll be making it my breakfast tomorrow. 
  • Will you take a picture of the brewer's yeast and flax?
  • I got my flax at Aldi if you have one near by, best price I could find!


  • I have no idea how or what happened, but my baby dropped from the 50th percentile in weight to the 17th!! The pediatrician said she was concerned, but not enough to give me any advice and said to wait until her 4th month appointment. I really don't like this pediatrician (my normal one was gone because her child was sick) and I just don't trust her as much. I feel kind of lost right now. She is EBF and is happy in between feedings. She had to take bottles today because I had oral surgery, and she did sleep really really well. We have been struggling with naps. I'm now really worried she isn't eating enough when nursing! She does pop on and off quite a bit. A lot of times I can tell she is just distracted and we move to a dark room, but other times she just cries for no reason. I end up just switching her back and forth until she won't latch anymore. This happens more in the evenings during her witching hour. When I pump I get 2-3 ounces but I can still hand express quite a bit after and I feel full. She eats 3-4 ounces from bottles. I don't think it is a supply issue for this reason, but I don't really know. Anybody have any similar experiences or tips? I'm not quite sure what is wrong. I am going to get an appointment with a lactation consultant but I would welcome any advice in the meantime! 
  • Did the pediatrician check for a tongue or lip tie?  You can have the LC check for a lip or tongue tie.  My son would frequently pop on and off and we found out it was because of a lip and tongue tie- he couldn't hold onto the latch once he got on.  I was told 2-4 ounces is an average amount that women can pump.  It sounds like you have the milk there, maybe your LO is just having trouble transferring the milk?  (I am just guessing here).  Anyway I think it's a good idea you are getting checked out further on this and good luck @shaylalr
  • Yeah. I went to the lactation consultant when she was 4 days old and they checked for everything. She was great and had no issues. No lip or tongue tie.  Her one month appointment she had been gaining fine. I can hear and see obvious gulping. I have no clue! 
  • I'm a STM so I'm a bit more lax.. But I've always been told that an EBF baby should be gaining 4-7 oz a week. So as long she is doing that, and she seems satisfied after you're done nursing, I wouldn't be too concerned with the percentile. Also, I know it's been said 100x but pumping is not an accurate depiction of your supply. So don't let that psyche you out! @shaylalr
  • So my baby sleep through the night last night for the first time. I woke up feeling engorged and I had leaked through my nursing pads and it was all over the bed. I don't see how you other mamas can last all night without nursing. He just turned 3 months and I feel like he's taken a 180 on me. The whole day yesterday he only wanted to eat 6 times and since he was waiting so long to eat I was producing a lot at each feeding and it was causing him to spit up a good amount when I burped him. I'm worried his tummy can't handle what his body is trying to do. 
    sahm.
    frequent lurker.
    married: 08-09-2013
    baby boy: 06-16-2016 at 34 wks.



  • @karabby The first time my guy slept for 5 hours straight I woke up soaked and super engorged and a week or so later when he slept 8-9 hours I ended up with a plugged duct and milk blister. It took a few days but my production adjusted and so did his belly. I guess I keep reminding myself that while it may be a little uncomfortable in the moment, this is how babies develop, and learning to sleep through the night and space out feedings is part of that. And the great thing about breastfeeding is that your body knows how to adjust to your baby's needs.  

    If you're worried he's getting too much at once maybe try popping him off and burping him in the middle of a feeding? It gets the extra air out and slows him down for a minute.
  • @jennyleigh16 thanks that does make me feel better. Hopefully I won't get a plugged duct, that sounds awful :(
    sahm.
    frequent lurker.
    married: 08-09-2013
    baby boy: 06-16-2016 at 34 wks.



  • @karabby I had an awful time with engorgement and plugged ducts the first 2 months while my body was trying to regulate supply, but now I can get through the night most nights without waking up soaked and in pain. It does happen eventually! When he first started sleeping through the night I would get up when my boobs just couldn't take it anymore and would pump just enough to relieve the pressure to make it a few more hours. I'd say it took about 2 or 3 weeks to make it comfortably through the night and not get plugged ducts (though I'm apparently super prone to get those...ugh.) 
    Married 6/1/13
    BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
    BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
    BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
    BFP #4  4/2015 MC 7/1/15
    BFP #5 10/21/15  EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow! 
  • @karabby the first time DS slept through the night I thought my boobs were going to explode! It got better each time. And now (about 4weeks in of consistent 8-10 hours at night) I'm full but not leaking or in pain. It gets better!! 
  • Anyone else doing dairy free? Just started Friday and also essential oils for digestion and I think we see the light!
  • I like the nights my daughter sleeps all the way through because when I wake up and realize she's still asleep, I'll pump 1 side. It's an easy way for me to build a small freezer supply and relieve myself. This morning I got 6 ounces in 9 minutes. Blew my mind. Hahaha  @karabby

  • @LDSJM123 I've been wanting to start a freezer stash but we're moving across the country next month so there's no way I can keep it frozen.
    sahm.
    frequent lurker.
    married: 08-09-2013
    baby boy: 06-16-2016 at 34 wks.



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