February 2017 Moms
poetryandoceans
member
The Boob Thread
poetryandoceans
member
Our sweet little beans are starting to arrive. What wonder, what joy, what... wait, we have to figure out how our boobs work? While on no sleep? What?
Come here for advice, support, commiseration. Note I called it the Boob Thread because I want to make sure our EP ladies don't feel excluded. If you're feeding your kid with your tit and want to talk about it, this is the place to do it.
Come here for advice, support, commiseration. Note I called it the Boob Thread because I want to make sure our EP ladies don't feel excluded. If you're feeding your kid with your tit and want to talk about it, this is the place to do it.
Re: The Boob Thread
Anyone found any actual nursing tops they love?
First off, two tips I've acquired as a FTM who has been at this for exactly a week. So, grain of salt. But first: if you're using a BF pillow, they are NOT all created equal. I registered for one in Toys'r'us because it looked cute and was one of two models in the store, and called it good. SUCH a mistake. When I got home from the hospital and tried to use it, I wanted to light it on fire. I sent my poor husband to the local baby superstore (why I didn't go there instead of Toys'r'us to begin with, I cannot tell you) with the instruction to talk a salesperson and bring home the highest recommended pillow on the market, while I curled in a ball and cried at home... He came back with the "My Brest Friend" and it is amazing. The POS I got from Toys'r'us shouldn't be allowed to consider itself in the same class as this pillow. It's brilliant.
Also, Soothies. All the Soothies. And lanolin before and after each feed. I was putting it on after each feed, and since my doula told me to do it before and after, a lot of my little injuries have started to heal. LO seems to find the first touch of the nip with the lanolin on it a little odd, but he quickly gets distracted by BOOB.
MY QUESTION is to the pumpers among us: I seem to be blessed with a ton of supply, one week in. I've been considered starting to pump to develop a stash so that when we intro a bottle at 4 weeks, I've got some resources to draw on. But I've heard all this stuff about foremilk vs hindmilk and when your boob produces what, and so I'm not sure how to start going about this so my LO has a consistent stash. I was considering just letting him drop off the boob when he's full, because I've been making him keep going until I was closer to empty, and just pumping off the remainder... but that would make my supply unbalanced, right? Is there a way to fix this? Am I overthinking it and should just strap on the pump and get to freezing?
Plenty of boobie shots, while we're at it:
But since moving closer to family, I expect to have more visitors and house guests this time. I'd invest in cute nursing tops this time, but I'm not sure such a thing exists!
And the initial soreness does go away (I promise) so eventually you'll feel ok wearing clothes again.
@FreshBakedBrownies I don't like the tanks with shelf bras because I have huge boobs and want people to look at my face when I talk. I bought some of these at 40% off and really like them.
https://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=7275&vid=1&pid=213708022
@poetryandoceans you want to pump before you nurse not after to get your baby the better milk now. But honestly if you don't have to pump don't do it. Your boobs will figure it out. I am heavy leaker and over producer and it took me almost 5 months last time to be able to not daily leak through my shirt.
In general, I'm also looking at different options for storage. I've been considering buying a silicone ice cube tray and freezing all milk into one ounce portions, then storing those portions in ziplock baggies, to be thawed as needed. I figure that's a way to make sure we only thaw what we need, no more. Does that make sense?
Idea option 1.
I would let the baby eat off of only 1 or the other boob. Then once the baby is satified, pump out the remaining milk plus pump out the other breast to remove all of that milk. Then next time you feed baby, switch boobs and let the baby eat off the other breast until satisfied and repeat the process. (I believe this to get the best stash started because the oversupply will still drop down after a few days/weeks)
Idea option 2.
or if you'd prefer to not do it that way, you could let baby eat from one boob and only pump the other boob...(but you might not have as big of an initial stash since milk production will adjust to supply and demad) then switch boobs the next feeding.
Since I EP I try to stash as much as possible and 100% drain both boobs. In the beginning with oversupply, I get bottles/storage bags that look completely different because of the "watery" milk vs the "fatty" milk. But I would date the milk and use it in order. My kids were always healthy and put on weight just fine, even though some feedings they got watery milk and others they got a lot more of the fatty stuff.
Idea option 3 for mixing milk
Oh but if it has you concerned... milk can stay in the fridge for a few days so you could always pump however you want (like option 1 or 2 or something different) and store in the fridge, then at the end of the day mix all the milk together from the day and then divide it back out into the proportions you are wanting to freeze... that way it will be mixed together when you go to pull from your stash.
Edit, I was thinking more for someone wanting to get the maximum stash from the initial oversupply.
Today I stopped pumping entirely unless I miss a feed and have to do that feed 100% bottle. I'm hand expressing before each feed to try and soften everything up a bit, but this last feed she was so frustrated and mad I threw in the towel and gave her a bottle. I think my letdown is too strong and she's drowning in milk.
Is there anything I can do other than what I'm doing? Or is this just something that happens to everyone and it will pass?
edited for words
With DD and now DS I usually wear a nursing tank under a regular shirt or a cardigan. With both kids, I have been back in pre-pregnancy clothes within a few weeks, but I like the tummy coverage that the nursing tank provides while I pull the regular shirt up for feeding. I will sometimes wear just a nursing bra under a regular shirt. And I'm from the IBT crowd when not pregnant or nursing. My sized nursing bras are a 36 D so some of my more fitted shirts aren't great now but most work ok.
IMO: you don't need to start pumping now for the supply you want to have in a few weeks - your boobs will respond to the demand, so just add in that pumping session when it's closer. Disclaimer: I've only done this once before, so I claim no actual expertise!
TTC #1: 3/2016
Me 39 - DH 44
BFP 5/27/16 EDD 1/30/17
DD born 2/3/17
Are you an LLC?
that kettle got *really* boiled, you guys. I'm so tired.
TTC since January 2016
BFP - 3/12/16 - MC 4/5/16
BFP - 6/11/16
one thing that helped was kinda a blessing in disguise: my LO came out really stunned and refused to suckle for the first 8 hours (all the emotions around that). My mother/babe nurse said it was no big deal, but that I should hand express all the collustrum I could and we'd give it via eyedropper. I sat there with this little cup and my hands for a half hour, and literally only came up with .2 mL. again, I was crushed. But the mother/babe nurse said it was no big deal, that as long as baby got something, it would kickstart the process. I didn't believe it at the time, but the massive boobs on me now, and my LO back to birthweight after just 4 days says she was right. Same thing can/will happen for you.
The fact your LO is playing smooshy face and interested in your nipple is great. When the hospital LC set you up with the pump, what instructions did you get?