@Jkp7749 I didn't nurse them at first since we had weight issues with DD and had to monitor her intake closely. We were given the go ahead to nurse at 4 months though and I preferred 1 at a time. I felt like the BFing multiples community is pretty split, some love tandem nursing, some hate it. I usually only tandem fed in the mornings when they first woke up demanding food. I switched at the next sessions, I started with designated boobs and was a whole cup size uneven (my mistake, lesson learned). My supply always kept up, I do think its harder if your away from them more.
What ever you do get/keep them on a schedule! This is so important for first year survival. 1 up, both up. 1 eats, both eat. That really will save your sanity I promise.
@nda_roxybabe just a general reply to building a stash. Most women who are trying to build one who bf successfully will pump after their first morning feed because that is when you have the most in the tank. So you would feed baby then pump immediately after and freeze that and build bag by bag day by day for when they go to daycare. As to your actual question. Some women are fine dropping the mid night feeds some are not. Your supply is regulated by hormones for the first 12 weeks and then it is supply and demand after 12. This means that your body is kinda on autopilot for the first twelve with the baby guiding and afterward you get what you loose and really cannot affect the supply that strongly unless you get mastitis or something i wish I knew a way to say what i just said more eloquently but google supply regulation and that will help with what I said. The most milk production is done between 1 and 5 am so it is suggested you have a feed or a pump session during that time to keep up supply. As to how long bm can last out- some women's milk lasts out longer than others. Mine could go over twelve hours out and still be good for baby. You will know when your milk is foul it is a strong odor. If you leave fresh milk out for several hours you should be fine to put in fridge when you get up in the morning but that all depends on how you feel your milk is doing out. Now the rules change if you have previously refrigerated it or if it was previously frozen. Frozen must be used within 24 hours of thawing. Refrigerated again lasts depending on you 3 or 4 days in the fridge is average ok, mine could go 8 but I only found this out by loosing a bottle in the fridge and being such a crazy and trying it to see if it was still fresh. Also do a test before you start building this huge supply of frozen milk, some babies will not drink frozen milk. Some women have something called high lipase and you must scald your milk prior to freezing to make it more palatable to the baby after thawing.
@Jkp7749 DD1 has a milk protein allergy and DD2 has NO allergy! I'd just refresh yourself on signs to watch out for regarding the allergy so your more aware in the beginning!
Married 03.09.09 Sweet Baby H 12.21.11 Sassy Baby P 03.26.14 Little Brother Due 05.22.17
@nda_roxybabe RE building your stash, I second the first morning pump feeding as the best supply opportunity. When we were well established in our routine, I would pump on one side and feed baby on the other side for first morning session. But that was at the point that I knew baby would only take from one breast and be full. Also, Kellymom.com has some pretty resourceful refrigeration/room temp charts so you can see how long breast milk can be left out for!
Kellymom.com is the BEST resource. Add to your favorites now!
Married 03.09.09 Sweet Baby H 12.21.11 Sassy Baby P 03.26.14 Little Brother Due 05.22.17
I feel like a lot of what I would say has been covered but I want to thank everybody who has shared their less than positive experiences. I hated nursing for all 15 months I did it and had a miserable time for the first couple months. I didn't give myself the option of trying formula and as a result I kind of resented my kid for the first 4 months. And that feels super shitty.
I will give it a go again this time since I do know more going into it but the big thing for me is giving myself options whether that be EP, combination feeding, or just formula. I would suggest anyone trying it for the first time to cut themselves some slack too.
Do people prefer lanolin? @Yiggle09 mentioned using her milk or coconut oil, as well. I'm just curious what everyone liked best. I see a lot of various "nipple butters" out there.
Do people prefer lanolin? @Yiggle09 mentioned using her milk or coconut oil, as well. I'm just curious what everyone liked best. I see a lot of various "nipple butters" out there.
I got lots of little sample tubes of lanolin and that's what the hospital gave me so that's what I tried first. I had no issues with it so I continue to use it!
Married 03.09.09 Sweet Baby H 12.21.11 Sassy Baby P 03.26.14 Little Brother Due 05.22.17
@starphish18 I preferred coconut oil, the only brand of lanolin I liked was medela, the others were thicker than I liked. Coconut oil is great to put in your flanges for more comfortable pumping too.
What an awesome thread! I don't have a ton to add, there is already so much great advice in here. Between Kellymom.com and my last BMB, I feel like I had great resources to help through the struggles.
Like someone mentioned, I wasn't ever sure I even wanted to BF but then once he was born I dedicated far more time and energy to it than I ever imagined. We only lasted about 5 months, trying to pump at work eventually put an end to things as my supply just couldn't keep up. I was much more emotional than I ever thought I would be about stopping so early and honestly really resented my job. Those hormones are no joke!
I found lanolin super sticky and my favorite by far was the nipple butter by Earth Mama Angel Baby. It's great for lips too!
I'm signed up for a breastfeeding class (as well as a labor and delivery class and newborn care class). My husband asked me if he attends that one and I just said yes. No questions asked.
I'm also wondering if someone could explain the basic logistics of pumping while BFing. I'm hoping to BF, but also plan on pumping in case we have trouble, as well as so H can be involved with some feedings. I'm just not quite understanding when you'd pump, how much a day, etc. I assume there's a little variation there, but just a "this is kind of how it works" explanation would be appreciated.
I already recommended taking DH to a class. I should have also included that it might be necessary to talk to your DH about not becoming a lactivist after he goes to class. My DH became very judgey and pro-bfing and I had to have a talk with him about not joining the mommy wars.
Whether you BF or not, I highly recommend joining the "Breastfeeding, Formula Feeding, and Supplementing - Evidence Based Support" Facebook group. There is a lot of misinformation out there about BF'ing and this offers a lot of scientific evidence for feeding your kid.
I would bf and then pump. If baby was given a bottle I made sure I pumped during that time as well. I was able to build up a nice freezer stash and I was so happy I did. When baby was a couple months old I ended up being in the hospital for several days and since I had anesthesia and pain medicine I couldn't use my milk at the time.
I used the bamboobies nipple cream. Its the only one I've used so I don't have anything to compare it to. I thought it was good, smelled like olive oil though.
I'm also wondering if someone could explain the basic logistics of pumping while BFing. I'm hoping to BF, but also plan on pumping in case we have trouble, as well as so H can be involved with some feedings. I'm just not quite understanding when you'd pump, how much a day, etc. I assume there's a little variation there, but just a "this is kind of how it works" explanation would be appreciated.
It depends on how much you are looking to store. Like pp stated, initially your body produces on demand and by 12 weeks production stabilizes to baby's demand, so if you want to store more you would pump longer and/or more often and you have to do it consistently so that it becomes part of your body's daily demand. You probably want to start pumping 2-3 weeks after baby is born.
Pumping after morning's first feeding is best because that's when you have the most supply available. Supply usually slows down as the day progresses so during growth spurts, you will notice that you struggle the most in the evenings to provide full feedings and you might not have much of anything more to pump.
Me: 38 DH: 36 Married 8/27/2011 BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012 BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014 BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017 BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
Are there ever issues with pumping causing you not to have enough to BF?
Unlikely if you are consistent because your body will produce about the same amount everyday. However, during growth spurts you might not be able to pump as much. If you are one of the unlucky ones that gets a regular period in spite of EBF, you might also see a dip in supply for 2-3 days of your period and birth control, even the mini pill, can also cause a bit of a dip. Usually when you see those you want to add pumping sessions over 2-3 days and your supply should go back up due to the added demand. Pumping is usually a way to increase supply/demand so it would be rare to have it take away from your supply unless it's not consistent.
Me: 38 DH: 36 Married 8/27/2011 BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012 BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014 BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017 BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
@starphish18 I could be mistaken, but your going to be a SAHM right? I just pumped once in the morning while feeding baby on the other side and then at night after baby was in bed to build a "small stash". I wasn't going back to work so I didn't need to build up a large stash for everyday at daycare.
Married 03.09.09 Sweet Baby H 12.21.11 Sassy Baby P 03.26.14 Little Brother Due 05.22.17
@hp_momma Correct, I will be home most of the time (I may continue working a tad, but I'm still working out those details with work). So, I don't anticipate needing a large stash for daycare or anything.
@hp_momma Correct, I will be home most of the time (I may continue working a tad, but I'm still working out those details with work). So, I don't anticipate needing a large stash for daycare or anything.
Then I would say don't stress about building a stash right away. Wait until baby and you are used to breastfeeding and you have a routine down. And then just add one or two pump sessions a day.
Married 03.09.09 Sweet Baby H 12.21.11 Sassy Baby P 03.26.14 Little Brother Due 05.22.17
@hp_momma Correct, I will be home most of the time (I may continue working a tad, but I'm still working out those details with work). So, I don't anticipate needing a large stash for daycare or anything.
I was the same. I just pumped once a day after the first morning feeding. I would usually end up with an extra 4-6 oz per day so in the end, I had a pretty nice stash. If I ever went out with DH on a date or was away from DD for whatever reason during a feeding, I would leave a bottle and pump to replace the bm I wasn't breastfeeding her once I got back home. So for example say we went to the movies, I would leave a bottle for her and when I came home I would bf her and then pump. It was nice to have the extra stash plus it took away from the pressure of producing enough day to day.
Me: 38 DH: 36 Married 8/27/2011 BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012 BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014 BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017 BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
@Jkp7749 the predisposition to have allergies is genetic, what the specific allergies are isn't! Older daughter has severe egg and fish allergies, younger daughter had dairy/soy allergy which thankfully she outgrew by the time she turned one. On the other hand, I have many allergies, and my 5siblings have none! So, it's a possibility with this little one, but not guaranteed. As @hp_momma said, this time you will know the signs to look for for allergies, so that's great! It should make it a lot easier for you this time around.
I have a question for those with 2 or more kids already. I didn't BF DS1, beyond the time in hospital anyway. I feel like I want to a bit more this time, I'm not a scared 18yr old this time and feel like I could handle it more, but my question is if you BF #2 did you feel like you had less time to spend with #1?
I just feel like BF would leave me more "trapped" especially if cluster feeding etc and I won't have the ability or time to play with my toddler still. Whereas with FFing I could hand off to H or my mum or something so I could spend time with DS1 still, Plus I feel like it's easier to rip a bottle away and throw the bottle down to retrieve the toddler from something they're not supposed to be doing.
I kind of feel like I'm worrying about nothing and I'll figure it out at some point, but I also remember how much easier I found FFing than BFing and how much easier it was for me than it is for SIL who is at the moment EBFing
Me - 22 | DH - 32 | Married - 24 May 2014 DS - January 2014
TTC#2 - December 2015
BFP - 6 March 2016 | MC Confirmed - 21 March 2016 TTCAL | April 2016 CP | June 2016 CP | July 2016
@PartiallyDomesticated Baby #3 on the way here! I feel like you just get used to breastfeeding in different places. There were plenty of times I sat on the floor and did a puzzle with DD1 while breastfeeding DD2. Of DD1 would bring me a book to look at. Or I'd try to schedule some snack time while I was breastfeeding so I could sit with DD1 and talk. You just learn to "juggle" more!
Married 03.09.09 Sweet Baby H 12.21.11 Sassy Baby P 03.26.14 Little Brother Due 05.22.17
@hp_momma Thanks for that, it really helps to hear others experiences, I still think I will prescribe to the "I'll give it a go and see what happens" theory. I mean I have everything here incase BFing doesn't work out (bottles, steriliser, formula) and I'm not opposed to FFing if necessary so I suppose I will just go with the flow.
Me - 22 | DH - 32 | Married - 24 May 2014 DS - January 2014
TTC#2 - December 2015
BFP - 6 March 2016 | MC Confirmed - 21 March 2016 TTCAL | April 2016 CP | June 2016 CP | July 2016
I have a 2.5 yr old that I'm still breastfeeding, although in the process of weaning. In the beginning, it was tough in terms of having some nipple pain for the first 8 weeks or so. DS did not have a great latch, but no amount of me repositioning him or asking for help from LCs was really doing much to fix that. He did not have any lip or tongue ties as far as anyone could tell. I hate when people say that breastfeeding should never hurt or you must be doing something wrong because I don't think that's necessarily true. Honestly, I think it just takes some babies a while to figure out how to latch on better or they just need time to grow a bit more (ie mouths get bigger) before they can achieve a better latch. In the meantime, if you really want to breastfeed, you may just need to grin and bear it for a while. But after 8 weeks or so, it was much better for me. I am a stay at home mom so for me it was much easier to just breastfeed baby day or night when hungry than to deal with bottles all the time. I also had the issue where DS would often fall asleep on the boob and it would be a struggle to keep him awake to get through a feeding session. It got better once he was a bit older and sleep cycles became more established with more regular naps.
I will say that clusterfeeding can be particularly bad around weeks 6-7, and at times it will seem like you can't satisfy your baby's hunger or need to nurse. That doesn't mean you are having supply issues or something is wrong. Remember that as long as your baby is gaining weight appropriately and having the appropriate amount of wet diapers, nursing is going well. During those major growth spurts, baby feeds frequently and often, particularly in the evening, and this is actually a good thing because it's helping to stimulate your supply and maintain supply in the long-term. It's just not very pleasant to go through for mom or baby. By the end of week 7 with DS, things had settled down quite a bit and he even started sleeping longer stretches at night (for a couple weeks, anyway, but his sleep issues are a whole other can of worms) so there is light at the end of the tunnel.
For pumping to keep a stash, I'd feed him first thing in the morning and then pump during his first nap. Supply is supposed to be higher in the morning so that's why I chose that time. Also, generally the morning nap was the first consistent nap to develop after a while, so I could rely on that more. If I needed to increase my stash more quickly I'd try to find another time when he was asleep to fit one in. I didn't really produce much more than my baby needed so it took some time to get the stash going. But at least it you get your body used to having an extra session or two per day, your body should adjust and increase production to account for those times after a while. It just might take a few or several days to get your body responding well to the pump, so plan far enough ahead for when you need that stash.
Married since 8.2.08 DS born 8.11.14 BFP #2: 9.14.16, EDD: 5.24.17
With DD I (naively) thought "boobs only! No pacis no nothing!" She loved nursing (only with a nipple shield, which I eventually gave up trying to wean her off of) so when she was really little I held her through all naps and she would keep me in her mouth the whooooooole time. Definitely not doing that again!
I guess my my advice would be "when in doubt, try the breast" (or other sucking comfort). And don't fear the paci. Also if anyone is nervous about nursing in public, don't be afraid to give it a try. In general I found people to ignore me, and after a while I was pretty much nursing everywhere (coverless). Practice in front of a mirror like in a dressing room. I also didn't have a pump besides my small manual one, so I didn't have the luxury of bringing expressed milk on outings, so NIP came with the territory. I didn't do it thought after 12 months.
I'm late chiming in, and so I really just second what all the other ladies have saiId. Just a couple Of extra things that I would add - if you feel like you're having trouble getting the hang of everything, or are experiencing pain beyond the first couple of weeks. see an LC!!! Insurance will often reimburse/cover the cost. Pediatricians usually have references. Ours even came to the house which was amazing. Also, my little dude was diagnosed with colic and reflux. He ate every 1.5 hours, rarely napped longer than 30 mins and screamed 90% of his awake time. Reflux meds didn't seem to help, and neither did formula which can be easier on their tummies. Our first LC diagnosed him with "mild tongue tie that would stretch out on its own over time". I changed LC's after about a month, and ended up seeing an amazing group of women who determined that the tongue tie was connected to bone and couldn't stretch, and that he also had tip toe. The colic and reflux symptoms were all from the ties. We got them corrected at 3 months and it was like having a new baby. He immediately stretched feedings to every 3 hours and started napping 1.5 hours.
That was a really long way of saying if things don't seem right - see a different LC!!! You'd be surprised the different viewpoints that exist in the same community and might be able to find solutions.
@JCWhitey my aunt hadn't mentioned to me that her midwife told her to drink a stout with dinner to help her supply. I will definitely try this.
When you drink one drink would you "pump and dump" or can you wait for the alcohol to leave your system, or would you always have backup milk for times that you drank? Drinking and breastfeeding really confuses me. I've just started reading Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding and I'm sure it'll come up but I'm really about that anecdotal evidence lately.
Question for the plus size mums! I read yesterday that if you are overweight it can take longer for your milk to come in and my heart kind of sank. Have you guys found this to be true?
@laurapalmier I'm overweight and it took about 4 days to pump about 4oz in a total session, before that I was getting 2ish oz during each pumping session.
No need to pump and dump. If you are sober enough to drive, you can BF. Alcohol hits breast milk the same as blood alcohol content. So even if you had too much to drink, the amount of alcohol in your milk would be minimal and you could always dilute it with milk from when you were sober.
No need to pump and dump. If you are sober enough to drive, you can BF. Alcohol hits breast milk the same as blood alcohol content. So even if you had too much to drink, the amount of alcohol in your milk would be minimal and you could always dilute it with milk from when you were sober.
Also, if you are actually drunk (i.e. you didn't drive and it was a good bit more than one drink), as long as you wait until you sober up, you're fine to breastfeed or pump and use that milk, even as you get more engorged and produce more. The alcohol that was in the early milk just goes back into your body, even as the milk stays in there and you get more engorged. The only reason to pump and dump is if you are drunk AND engorged.
This is so helpful! Loving this thread, thanks mamas!
I did want to mention that some believe lanolin is not the best nipple butter, and there are so many choices! Here's an article on the "safest" nipple butters. (I know this is the crunchier granola opinion, not trying to debate, just sharing something I came across.)
Question for the plus size mums! I read yesterday that if you are overweight it can take longer for your milk to come in and my heart kind of sank. Have you guys found this to be true?
I'm considered morbidly obese and I've been leaking since like week 12. I had an oversupply with DD. I had full on milk when I gave birth to her. @laurapalmier
I'm not sure where you read that but from everything I've seen, your body size/breast size is no indication of your milk supply.
This is so helpful! Loving this thread, thanks mamas!
I did want to mention that some believe lanolin is not the best nipple butter, and there are so many choices! Here's an article on the "safest" nipple butters. (I know this is the crunchier granola opinion, not trying to debate, just sharing something I came across.)
I love Earth Mama Angle Nipple butter. My mom has a wool allergy so I just stayed away from Lanolin. Although I read somewhere it should be fine even with a wool allergy.
No need to pump and dump. If you are sober enough to drive, you can BF. Alcohol hits breast milk the same as blood alcohol content. So even if you had too much to drink, the amount of alcohol in your milk would be minimal and you could always dilute it with milk from when you were sober.
Also, if you are actually drunk (i.e. you didn't drive and it was a good bit more than one drink), as long as you wait until you sober up, you're fine to breastfeed or pump and use that milk, even as you get more engorged and produce more. The alcohol that was in the early milk just goes back into your body, even as the milk stays in there and you get more engorged. The only reason to pump and dump is if you are drunk AND engorged.
Just to add to/change this the most recent studies and guidelines actually say you never need to pump and dump, that even if you are drunk, the alcohol that ends up in your milk is the equivalent of you drinking a mouthful of beer, not even enough to worry LO.
Me - 22 | DH - 32 | Married - 24 May 2014 DS - January 2014
TTC#2 - December 2015
BFP - 6 March 2016 | MC Confirmed - 21 March 2016 TTCAL | April 2016 CP | June 2016 CP | July 2016
Re: Breastfeeding--Comments, Questions, Thoughts...
What ever you do get/keep them on a schedule! This is so important for first year survival. 1 up, both up. 1 eats, both eat. That really will save your sanity I promise.
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
As to your actual question. Some women are fine dropping the mid night feeds some are not. Your supply is regulated by hormones for the first 12 weeks and then it is supply and demand after 12. This means that your body is kinda on autopilot for the first twelve with the baby guiding and afterward you get what you loose and really cannot affect the supply that strongly unless you get mastitis or something i wish I knew a way to say what i just said more eloquently but google supply regulation and that will help with what I said. The most milk production is done between 1 and 5 am so it is suggested you have a feed or a pump session during that time to keep up supply.
As to how long bm can last out- some women's milk lasts out longer than others. Mine could go over twelve hours out and still be good for baby. You will know when your milk is foul it is a strong odor. If you leave fresh milk out for several hours you should be fine to put in fridge when you get up in the morning but that all depends on how you feel your milk is doing out. Now the rules change if you have previously refrigerated it or if it was previously frozen. Frozen must be used within 24 hours of thawing. Refrigerated again lasts depending on you 3 or 4 days in the fridge is average ok, mine could go 8 but I only found this out by loosing a bottle in the fridge and being such a crazy and trying it to see if it was still fresh. Also do a test before you start building this huge supply of frozen milk, some babies will not drink frozen milk. Some women have something called high lipase and you must scald your milk prior to freezing to make it more palatable to the baby after thawing.
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
Also, Kellymom.com has some pretty resourceful refrigeration/room temp charts so you can see how long breast milk can be left out for!
Kellymom.com is the BEST resource. Add to your favorites now!
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
I will give it a go again this time since I do know more going into it but the big thing for me is giving myself options whether that be EP, combination feeding, or just formula. I would suggest anyone trying it for the first time to cut themselves some slack too.
May '17 labor memes
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
Like someone mentioned, I wasn't ever sure I even wanted to BF but then once he was born I dedicated far more time and energy to it than I ever imagined. We only lasted about 5 months, trying to pump at work eventually put an end to things as my supply just couldn't keep up. I was much more emotional than I ever thought I would be about stopping so early and honestly really resented my job. Those hormones are no joke!
I found lanolin super sticky and my favorite by far was the nipple butter by Earth Mama Angel Baby. It's great for lips too!
Human sons: 11/2015 & 05/2017
*formerly kayemjay*
If you plan to pump at work, I recommend keeping a second set of parts at work in case you forget something. I needed this Medela kit about 5x in the year I pumped. (https://www.amazon.com/Medela-Breast-Pump-Accessory-Set/dp/B00092A7E8/ref=sr_1_12_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1486153404&sr=1-12&keywords=medela+pump+parts)
I already recommended taking DH to a class. I should have also included that it might be necessary to talk to your DH about not becoming a lactivist after he goes to class. My DH became very judgey and pro-bfing and I had to have a talk with him about not joining the mommy wars.
Whether you BF or not, I highly recommend joining the "Breastfeeding, Formula Feeding, and Supplementing - Evidence Based Support" Facebook group. There is a lot of misinformation out there about BF'ing and this offers a lot of scientific evidence for feeding your kid.
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
I used the bamboobies nipple cream. Its the only one I've used so I don't have anything to compare it to. I thought it was good, smelled like olive oil though.
Pumping after morning's first feeding is best because that's when you have the most supply available. Supply usually slows down as the day progresses so during growth spurts, you will notice that you struggle the most in the evenings to provide full feedings and you might not have much of anything more to pump.
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
I just pumped once in the morning while feeding baby on the other side and then at night after baby was in bed to build a "small stash". I wasn't going back to work so I didn't need to build up a large stash for everyday at daycare.
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
On the other hand, I have many allergies, and my 5siblings have none! So, it's a possibility with this little one, but not guaranteed. As @hp_momma said, this time you will know the signs to look for for allergies, so that's great! It should make it a lot easier for you this time around.
I just feel like BF would leave me more "trapped" especially if cluster feeding etc and I won't have the ability or time to play with my toddler still. Whereas with FFing I could hand off to H or my mum or something so I could spend time with DS1 still, Plus I feel like it's easier to rip a bottle away and throw the bottle down to retrieve the toddler from something they're not supposed to be doing.
DS - January 2014
TTCAL | April 2016
CP | June 2016
CP | July 2016
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
DS - January 2014
TTCAL | April 2016
CP | June 2016
CP | July 2016
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
https://www.romper.com/p/the-ben-jerrys-flavor-that-could-increase-milk-supply-34752?utm_medium=owned&utm_campaign=romperbf&utm_source=facebook
I will say that clusterfeeding can be particularly bad around weeks 6-7, and at times it will seem like you can't satisfy your baby's hunger or need to nurse. That doesn't mean you are having supply issues or something is wrong. Remember that as long as your baby is gaining weight appropriately and having the appropriate amount of wet diapers, nursing is going well. During those major growth spurts, baby feeds frequently and often, particularly in the evening, and this is actually a good thing because it's helping to stimulate your supply and maintain supply in the long-term. It's just not very pleasant to go through for mom or baby. By the end of week 7 with DS, things had settled down quite a bit and he even started sleeping longer stretches at night (for a couple weeks, anyway, but his sleep issues are a whole other can of worms) so there is light at the end of the tunnel.
For pumping to keep a stash, I'd feed him first thing in the morning and then pump during his first nap. Supply is supposed to be higher in the morning so that's why I chose that time. Also, generally the morning nap was the first consistent nap to develop after a while, so I could rely on that more. If I needed to increase my stash more quickly I'd try to find another time when he was asleep to fit one in. I didn't really produce much more than my baby needed so it took some time to get the stash going. But at least it you get your body used to having an extra session or two per day, your body should adjust and increase production to account for those times after a while. It just might take a few or several days to get your body responding well to the pump, so plan far enough ahead for when you need that stash.
DS born 8.11.14
BFP #2: 9.14.16, EDD: 5.24.17
I guess my my advice would be "when in doubt, try the breast" (or other sucking comfort). And don't fear the paci. Also if anyone is nervous about nursing in public, don't be afraid to give it a try. In general I found people to ignore me, and after a while I was pretty much nursing everywhere (coverless). Practice in front of a mirror like in a dressing room. I also didn't have a pump besides my small manual one, so I didn't have the luxury of bringing expressed milk on outings, so NIP came with the territory. I didn't do it thought after 12 months.
Of extra things that I would add - if you feel like you're having trouble getting the hang of everything, or are experiencing pain beyond the first couple of weeks. see an LC!!! Insurance will often reimburse/cover the cost. Pediatricians usually have references. Ours even came to the house which was amazing. Also, my little dude was diagnosed with colic and reflux. He ate every 1.5 hours, rarely napped longer than 30 mins and screamed 90% of his awake time. Reflux meds didn't seem to help, and neither did formula which can be easier on their tummies. Our first LC diagnosed him with "mild tongue tie that would stretch out on its own over time". I changed LC's after about a month, and ended up seeing an amazing group of women who determined that the tongue tie was connected to bone and couldn't stretch, and that he also had tip toe. The colic and reflux symptoms were all from the ties. We got them corrected at 3 months and it was like having a new baby. He immediately stretched feedings to every 3 hours and started napping 1.5 hours.
That was a really long way of saying if things don't seem right - see a different LC!!! You'd be surprised the different viewpoints that exist in the same community and might be able to find solutions.
Married:09/14/13
Baby 2 - Due: 5/4/17
@JCWhitey my aunt hadn't mentioned to me that her midwife told her to drink a stout with dinner to help her supply. I will definitely try this.
When you drink one drink would you "pump and dump" or can you wait for the alcohol to leave your system, or would you always have backup milk for times that you drank? Drinking and breastfeeding really confuses me. I've just started reading Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding and I'm sure it'll come up but I'm really about that anecdotal evidence lately.
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
https://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/12/breast_feeding_and_alcohol_it_s_fine_to_drink_while_nursing.html
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
I did want to mention that some believe lanolin is not the best nipple butter, and there are so many choices! Here's an article on the "safest" nipple butters. (I know this is the crunchier granola opinion, not trying to debate, just sharing something I came across.)
@laurapalmier
I'm not sure where you read that but from everything I've seen, your body size/breast size is no indication of your milk supply.
DS - January 2014
TTCAL | April 2016
CP | June 2016
CP | July 2016