December 2016 Moms

All Things Feeding

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Re: All Things Feeding

  • maamawaabangimaamawaabangi member
    edited December 2016
    For sidelying position ... Sometimes it's easier to get them latched while sitting up, and then lay down slowly (or sort of slide down while holding them with opposing cradle arm) when they are quite small. Keep practicing, it gets easier and it's divine once you master it! 

    Due December 27th with baby #7




  • Any advice for treating a plugged duct?  I think that's what I have going on, pumping after feeding didn't help too much.
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  • Most days DS is getting some BM and mostly formula. I have seen 2 LC and it has come down to me having a low supply, although DS seems to get more from my right boob nursing than I do get from pumping. Lefty is usually the milk producer, so I tend to go more with that one when nursing. Latching can be an issue... some days good and some days bad.

    We do supplement, and do seem to do that more. But, we know that he has been gaining weight after dropping 8% of his birth weight after birth... he's up a pound 3 weeks PP! I don't know what I'll do once I go back to work and he's at daycare, but probably forumla and then I'll just pump during the day and nurse in the morning and at night so he's getting some BM and the benefits, so he is at least getting some of that.

    Maybe I am just doing it wrong, but this works for us right now and DS is still getting what he needs to grow.
    Me: 37 years old
    DH: 39 years old
    Married: October 17, 2014
    TTC Since: November 2015
    BFP: March 31, 2016
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  • @sourlemon I seem to alternate days. Have one day that's awesome, then the next is mediocre.

    @karmba Heat, massage, and empty as much and as often as possible. I will shower and massage, then pump/nurse until empty 2-3 times in that side:


    Formerly known as Kate08young
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  • This could probably go in the stupid questions thread but...

    Babies just naturally start spreading out feedings right? Scarlett is a month old, and still going 2 hours around the clock. She will occasionally go 3 hours in the afternoon if I'm holding her for a nap. When we first brought her home we had to wake her to eat, but after her weight check up we got the okay to stop that, but she's still going every 2 hours. 
  • I don't think its a stupid question. I am wondering the same. Right now she's fussing to eat between 2-3 hours... i assume eventually she will STTN and itll start spacing out?
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  • sourlemonsourlemon member
    edited December 2016
    Yeah eventually they eat more at one sitting which allows spacing out. I think with dd1 it was 3 hours until she took 4oz (formula) at a time then we got to 4 hours betweem. But that was at 2 months or so. 

    This kid is varying between 2-4oz of breastmilk each feed. Sometimes supplemented with formula. No matter what she seems to be up every 2-3 hours. 


    My question: dd2 doesn't seem very satisfied after a pure breastmilk bottle but if an ounce of formula is mixed in she's much happier. I know it's normal for BF babies to eat more often but she's unsatisfied from the very beginning. Can there be a problem with my milk or something? This is discouraging. Who's the right person to call (LC, pedi, my dr)?
    DD1 5/23/14, DD2 12/5/16   Baby #3 on the way!


  • @sourlemon - I'm not sure how useful this info will be as my little guy is only 5 days old.  But on the first day we had to supplement with formula bc he had low blood sugars. On the second day we took away the formula and did only BM and he was feeding constantly and it seemed like he was never satisfied and I felt like I was starving him.  The LC saw us and said that his latch was fine and in the second day of life, feeding that frequently (like, every hour for 45 mins) was normal.  I have no idea how much he was getting in terms of quantity though.  He does seem to be doing fine overall right now but still cluster feeds in the mornings for several hours.  I would consider reaching out to a LC if you have access to one and seeing if they can answer the question, and if you can't access one or they don't know, I would call the pedi (or you can call the pedi first and ask if they know the answer or if you should call a LC).  

    My question is - any good ideas for back pain? I have a my breast friend pillow, which is great, but I am still stuck hunching over this little guy when we do football hold (which is the only way he will take my right breast).  
  • @penelope4612 you don't have to be hunched over to do the football hold. I do it in both my rocker and my bed and my lll leader said always to bring baby towards you so you aren't hunched over like that. 

    Have you tried the laid laid back position? Once you get a hold of it that one is really good for relaxing too. 

    https://www.llli.org/faq/positioning.html
    Me: 38, DH: 36 
    Married Jan 2008 
    DD Baby Bells born Dec 2016 5 lbs, 12 oz, 18" <3 so in love <3
    Due with #2 Baby Arya EDD February 2020


  • I always have neck, back and even wrist issues when adjusting back to nursing. Last time I pinched a nerve in my neck while latching on one time... so badly it effected milk on that side. Horrible pain constantly for about 3 days!!! I ended up seeing a chiropractor (1st time) and fixed it. I also can't carry the bucket car seat hanging down because it (and nursing) gives me tendinitis in my arms/wrists. All of our muscles and stuff are still effected by relaxin and it can cause injury if we aren't careful. I either nurse with a ton of pillows supporting me (not hunched on a couch) or laying down on my side to protect my back/core/neck. Postpartum is a jerkball sometimes! 

    Due December 27th with baby #7




  • karmbakarmba member
    edited December 2016
    @penelope4612 I bought an Infantino Elevate nursing pillow and it's amazing.  You can adjust the pillow height so it's higher on one side.  It's been great for keeping his head above his stomach and reducing gas (I think).

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0185AH022/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    ETA:  I forgot to say that since you can adjust the height, it's easier to find a good position so that you don't have to hunch.
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  • @maamawaabangi - I didn't even Think about the relaxin effect and it still being in our system!! Brilliant. That's def a factor
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  • @sourlemon it sounds to me that everything is fine with your milk- BF babies rarely go more than 3 hours at a time for the first while. BM digests so much more quickly than formula in their system which is why they want it more often. 
    Kellymom.com is a great resource I use a lot!
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  • edited December 2016
    @sourlemon E goes 3oz every 2.5 hrs during the day, but we get 6hr then 4 hr between midnight and 10am.

    ETA: she is 1month today.


    Formerly known as Kate08young
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  • Hi all!  With #1, we exclusively pumped because she wouldn't latch, maybe a tongue tie?  So this is a new ball game to me.

    My Brest Friend pillow = awesome.  I didn't get to use it last time, but now I have it on for almost every feeding.

    Bras:  I have two wireless Bravado bras and two of their camis.  I lived in them last time.  I also have 2 strapless pumping bras, which I just put over my Bravado during pumping.  I haven't slept in them yet, but my milk came in today, so I probably will soon.  I have reusable breast pads from last time.

    Pumping/feeding:  She latched almost every hour to 1.5 hours the first day, but has slept 3-4 hours at a time since and today my milk came in and she wouldn't latch or eat, as she was too sleepy, so I pumped.  I had it on the letdown phase, not even to the pump phase, and already filled the tiny 2 oz container, so I had to get up and find some bottles to pump into!!  I am going to try to avoid bottles until I go back to work, so I put it right into the freezer.  I worry that she is not eating often enough, but she is having tons of dirty diapers, so we will see.  When she does eat, she spends at least 20 minues on, but we have had several feedings of 45 minutes.
    *SIGGY*
    Baby G born 6/6/14, 37 weeks 1 day due to preeclampsia.  5lb12oz 19"
    #2 due Christmas 2016. 





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  • @1982Babies - i wouldn't avoid bottles until you go back to work, because by then she might not take one when you need her to, which can be very stressful!... my doula suggested to give a bottle a day around 4 weeks and worked well last time! However each baby is different, my late preterm DD2 is a week + old and is already happy to take bottle or breast!
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  • @1982Babies after 6 days of exclusive bottle feeding due to some suck/swallow issues she had to work through, my DD is now taking the breast and bottle interchangeably with no problems. Well, except my boobs/nipples which got used to pumping and now have to deal with both. But DD is getting the hang of it all. She's now 13 days.
    DD1 5/23/14, DD2 12/5/16   Baby #3 on the way!


  • Ben is latching just fine, when he wants to. I find he prefers my right side to my left. He'll latch onto my left but I'll need to encourage him to suck. My right he goes to town. He was on for 15 minutes this morning! Now our issue is getting him awake for feedings. I've been trying to get him to go for almost 2 hours now. He'll latch, then fall back asleep. And nothing wakes this kid up.
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  • @Toller - good thinking!  I actually have a Facebook friend whose baby won't take a bottle and she has to go back on her medications, so they're having a tough time.  I don't have a maternity leave, so going back to work could be any day, really.  But it's just a few hours here and there.  I can do most work from home.

    @sourlemon Have you cut down on pumping since being able to feed?  
    *SIGGY*
    Baby G born 6/6/14, 37 weeks 1 day due to preeclampsia.  5lb12oz 19"
    #2 due Christmas 2016. 





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  • Looking for insight on quantity of food... so the babies are still getting both expressed milk and formula (as I wean from pumping - and I have a pretty hefty freezer stash so we'll do this for probably another month).

    I started mixing formula I prepared with breastmilk in a pitcher (so it's 50% prepared formula and 50 BM) and using that for bottles when my parents watched the babies on Friday so they didn't have to keep track of type of milk.  Twice now when just giving BM Ethan has freaked out after 3 oz and ate 4+ after I topped him off.  We just finished using up our high calorie preemie formula... 

    Do you think he could be more hungry because it's not mixed with formula?  Or because when it is mixed with formula it's regular 20 calorie and not high calorie?  I just assumed that the belly gets full regardless of calories like an adult, but maybe I'm wrong.  I don't want to over-feed him, which I know can happen with bottle fed babies.  But, when my baby is screaming for food, I'm going to give it to him.  Any thoughts? 
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  • @DiFazette could it have something to do with how quickly and easily BM is digested? So like he is missing the 'weight' of the formula mixed in?


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  • @Kate08Young anything is possible!  I just thought if it was calories or ease of digestion he would be hungry sooner, not for more at one sitting.  Who knows!  I'll ask the ped but we don't go for another 3 weeks if all goes well.
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  • sourlemonsourlemon member
    edited December 2016
    @1982Babies if it feels like I'm drained (or close) after nursing then I won't pump unless the other side needs it. DD has only gone both sides once so typically only 1 side is drained. After she feeds each side I'll pump no matter what. 

    I guess....I probably pump 1 or 2 less times per day total. But I only pump at night and she gets a bottle of 2/3 breastmilk and 1/3 formula otherwise she doesn't sleep at all.
    DD1 5/23/14, DD2 12/5/16   Baby #3 on the way!


  • Anyone else exclusively pumping? I have been doing so now for 10 weeks and still going strong. We are still trying to latch and just started using a shield but the attempts have given me my worst clogged duct yet and I'm feeling schmoopy. 
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  • ^I am. Not for the same reasons as you, but I am. So far so good. I have been able to put 5-10 oz a day since my milk came in.


    Formerly known as Kate08young
    August '18 Siggy April Showers:






    Me: 28 H: 24
    Married: 7/22/14
    Baby L: 8/4/2015  August 2015 Moms
    Baby E: 11/18/2016   December 2016 Moms
    TTC #3 08/2017  BFP 11/27/2017. 
    Twin B lost 11/22/2017, Twin A doing well. 


  • @Kate08Young -- yeah, I was just talking to a nurse today about how quickly BM is digested, so that would make sense to me!

    So, I'm a dumb-dumb FTM, so this might be obvious to others, but.... my LO seems to be spitting up a LOT. He is breastfed only, except when my hubby feeds him a bottle of BM occasionally. The volume he spits up in no way measures up to how much he seems to be eating (hard to tell when BF obviously) and he is pooping and peeing constantly, so I'm not too worried about him getting enough nutrition. I guess I just don't know what "normal" is. I know babies spit up a lot, but after every feeding? Hmm.

    I do know my flow is pretty quick (he sputters and coughs once while feeding on each side), so maybe he's downing a bit too much/the pressure is too great? Just concerned... not sure if that could mean a sensitive stomach over here. :0
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  • edited December 2016
    @silverfrost It could be from a fast/forceful let down. Maybe try having LO on your stomach and leaning back. Makes it so LO has to fight gravity to suck, so not as much as quickly. You can also try burping multiple times during each feed. Or you could hand express/pump a bit before latching -or - latching, then pull him off until after letdown - so that he doesn't get the full 'pent up' force of it.

    Edit: new phone=stupid auto corrects.


    Formerly known as Kate08young
    August '18 Siggy April Showers:






    Me: 28 H: 24
    Married: 7/22/14
    Baby L: 8/4/2015  August 2015 Moms
    Baby E: 11/18/2016   December 2016 Moms
    TTC #3 08/2017  BFP 11/27/2017. 
    Twin B lost 11/22/2017, Twin A doing well. 


  • @swhiddon33 I'm exclusively pumping again. I try to get lo to latch once a day but she uses it as a comfort thing...doesn't actually get much/anything. Sometimes she'll do it and calm down other times she flat out refuses. 
    DD1 5/23/14, DD2 12/5/16   Baby #3 on the way!


  • @swhiddon33 - exclusively pumping here. Wasn't the plan but it's working well for us right now. After the crazy cracked and bleeding nips, then the mastitis on top of that, pumping was a lifesaver. Plus, since I'm EP'ing, I've been able to start a stock and have 100oz frozen thus far so when I go back to work I'll have a head start 
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  • @silverfrost my first was a reflux baby. It always looks worse than it is because the milk mixes with other stomach liquid. 

    Mine would spit up after every meal and sometimes in between! We literally went through 10-12 bibs, burp rags, and/or outfits a day until she was 10 months old. 80% of the pictures of her between 1 and 10 months old has a bib lol. Luckily they do grow out of it eventually. 

    Is your lo refusing to eat? Arching the back during/after feeds? Super fussy after feeding? If so you should bring it up to your pediatrician because meds might help the pain of reflux. My experience...it doesn't stop the spitting...just lowers the acid so it hurts less. Of course there are risks with meds too so your pedi is the best to discuss it with. 
    DD1 5/23/14, DD2 12/5/16   Baby #3 on the way!


  • @Kate08Young Thank you! I will definitely try that different positioning. :)
    Type 1 Diabetic (high risk)

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  • @sourlemon Usually he doesn't outright refuse to eat. He is fussy after eating and a bit before too. Like I will put him on the boob and he struggles for a minute or two then gives in and sucks. Then we do have certain feeding sessions after which he cries and others where he is fine and falls asleep afterwards. Most of the time crying is fixed by trying to burp (hardly ever actually burps for me)/repositioning him.

    I am definitely going to bring it up to our pediatrician. In fact, as I was typing this out, he just projectile vomited on me, the couch, his outfit--everywhere, really. Poor guy. :/
    Type 1 Diabetic (high risk)

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  • id forgotten i have fire hoses. baby girl is doing an impressive job trying to keep up with the fast flow...
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  • I'm exclusively pumping while my nipples heal from the blisters and HATE it! It's twice as much work. Nights ever since have been so fussy. I am hoping we can switch back tonight. 
    Me: 38, DH: 36 
    Married Jan 2008 
    DD Baby Bells born Dec 2016 5 lbs, 12 oz, 18" <3 so in love <3
    Due with #2 Baby Arya EDD February 2020


  • @leksiL yup EP pretty much sucks! 
    DD1 5/23/14, DD2 12/5/16   Baby #3 on the way!


  • @leksiL yes- EPing is so much more work than just nursing!! DD2 will latch and nurse fine, but since I have to pump for DS, it's too much work to nurse AND pump....

    Question for EP'ers- how long do you keep up the pump every 3 hours/24 hours a day stuff without losing your supply? I imagine everyone is different to some degree, but just looking for a timeline to be able to get through this phase...
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  • Curious about others experiences too @Toller

    Right now I am pumping more like every 4-5 hours, and rarely even longer between pumps (damn holidays) but my supply seems okay. I'm also BFing sporadically as well, but more often than not I opt to pump.
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  • @Toller I go 4 hours at night but during the day it's 3. Except Monday when I'm going to see star wars...it'll be 4 hours then. I'm also interested in others response. I assumed so long as baby eats that often I need to pump that often. I plan to get to 4 hours during the day before I go back to work because I can handle once a day at work maybe 2ce if absolutely necessary...might have a hard time with 2/3 times.


    DD1 5/23/14, DD2 12/5/16   Baby #3 on the way!


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