@PerraSucia, I recently looked up what those things are called- Montgomery glands. I had an infection in one last week that initially I thought was mastitis. Nothing like having pus come out of your nipple. They are sometimes just called areolar glands too. There's your trivia for the day
@concreteangell J likes to take frequent breaks. Breast compressions, football hold, and massaging his jaw all encourage him to speed up.
I do all of that but it still takes forever. She gets tired easily so even after being on the breast for an hour, I sometimes have to supplement with some of my pumped stash. it's just a little disheartening.
************* First BFP: 12/16/13 EDD: 08/23/14 Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
@concreteangell Riley was that way at the beginning. It's gotten SO much better though. I don't even have to take all her clothes off anymore to get her to nurse which was huge. Hang in there, it'll get better!
I follow Kelly Mom and la leche league general guidelines and advice for good breastfeeding practices but I have a questionnnn. It seems that the little guy is needing to suck for comfort when he doesn't need breastmilk. I can generally tell because I've fed him off both boobs for a long ass time and he's still fussing and rooting. I'll feed him more and then he'll spit up like a geyser of milk. This has happened 3 times. So basically I'm wondering, what are your guys thoughts on introing a pacifier this early? He's only just over a week and I really don't want to mess up our bfing groove but I feel like it might be beneficial in a few of these circumstances.
On the other hand my daughter never took a pacifier and he might hate it as well so this question could be for nothing.
also, who else has a letdown sensation if they bend over? I'll bend over and then grab my boobs to stop the milk from potentially flowing!
@homemake we were just talking about this yesterday. If your kid had a good latch and your supply is good I think it's fine. Felix does the same shit so I offer him a paci but I'd he is still hungry he spits it out and rages.
I am having a similar situation to @homemake. I think my letdown is too much for lo. she will start to eat, fuss, want more, fuss, want more, spit it all up, fuss, want more and then finally eat well and pass out at the boob. Am I drowning her or do we have a reflux issue?
I am having a similar situation to @homemake. I think my letdown is too much for lo. she will start to eat, fuss, want more, fuss, want more, spit it all up, fuss, want more and then finally eat well and pass out at the boob. Am I drowning her or do we have a reflux issue?
From that description it really doesn't sound like a reflux thing it sounds like the beginning of bfing where your boobs and your baby are trying to figure it all out. Hopefully it will regulate soon!
My little guy has a strong latch and is making lots of wet and dirty diapers. We busted out the paci Day 2. He is constantly trying to get his hands and fingers into his mouth and that comforts him too when he is successful. We have been using the soothie kind that too me looks more like my nipple anyway, and he really likes it.
If comfort nursing is painless, and you have the time, I would let them keep sucking when you can. My daughter was like that but I always figured it was good for supply too, and it made her happy. We are still working on latching and nursing without pain, so when the milk is out, he needs to stop to save these nipples of mine.
Married - 7/29/06 Ben and Maggie - 4/10/09 Mia - 6/16/11 Surprise! due 2/23/17
@homemake we were just talking about this yesterday. If your kid had a good latch and your supply is good I think it's fine. Felix does the same shit so I offer him a paci but I'd he is still hungry he spits it out and rages.
Both my kids will only take the mam brand.
I'm hoping this is what will happen, (spitting out the pacifier if he's actually hungry). He found my husband's nose last night and he was so content.
I've been doing a mix of nursing, pumping, and giving the pacifier. Little guy was nursed the first 12 hours, then mixed in pumping. Got a pacifier without my knowledge during a trip to the nursery for tests, and now gets it regulary. Since coming home he's nursed some, but mostly bottle eats, but basically he will cry until we find what "nipple" he's wanting. If he's just comfort sucking he won't take a bottle. He might take the boob, or he might refuse the boob and want the pacifier. If he's Hungry he spits out the pacifier and takes the boob or bottle. (I've noticed if he's super impatient to eat he wants the bottle, I assume from the faster flow vs the boob). For us he's been juggling between the 3 since the first day and has overall done well... (of course I'm ok with bottle feeding though.)
I follow Kelly Mom and la leche league general guidelines and advice for good breastfeeding practices but I have a questionnnn. It seems that the little guy is needing to suck for comfort when he doesn't need breastmilk. I can generally tell because I've fed him off both boobs for a long ass time and he's still fussing and rooting. I'll feed him more and then he'll spit up like a geyser of milk. This has happened 3 times. So basically I'm wondering, what are your guys thoughts on introing a pacifier this early? He's only just over a week and I really don't want to mess up our bfing groove but I feel like it might be beneficial in a few of these circumstances.
On the other hand my daughter never took a pacifier and he might hate it as well so this question could be for nothing.
also, who else has a letdown sensation if they bend over? I'll bend over and then grab my boobs to stop the milk from potentially flowing!
So I use pacifier on my baby and he still latches and loves the boobs. Also I have now how to introduce bottle after our LC appointment and still does well bfing. He seems to always prefer my boobs for feeding or for comfort but if someone else gives him pacifier or bottle he takes it but if I give it to him he does not always take it and just tries to bf.
@homemake we introduced the pacifier at about a week. He would just be on the boob for comfort ALL the time if we hadn't. A month out and he still takes the boob like a champ, and is really clear when he's hungry and the pacifier isn't cutting it. I was conflicted about using one until we introduced it, but I was just so happy to have my boob back! Being a food source is hard enough, having to be there whenever he was feeling fussy and just needed something in his mouth was getting impossible for me.
we tried to go with the nipple shaped ones to prevent confusion, but he was completely uninterested and only takes mam brand pacis. So if your baby rejects one, don't necessarily assume all pacifiers are off the table.
Can we talk nursing in public? I have only done it this week when we took him to the pediatrician. I have an infinity nursing scarf, which I ended up not using because I could not figure out how I was supposed to use it with him in a football hold. So, I just used his blanket to cover up.
The second time he got hungry was mid-doctor exam; I got pretty flustered and he was doing his occasional fuss before he latches routine, so it took me like 5 minutes to get him happily eating.
Nursing at home is easy because I don't need to worry with a cover, and all my pillows are just so to prop him up. What do you ladies do to make things easier in public? Is it just a practice thing?
@WinchesterGirl I use a canope to cover her. It's rather open at the neck area and so I can look down and see what I'm doing without having to use my hands to hold it up while I get her to latch.
I also often use the football or cross cradle hold and I've found that crossing my legs helps position her higher and i need to lean forwards a bit. It's not ideal but it works for us.
************* First BFP: 12/16/13 EDD: 08/23/14 Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
@WinchesterGirl nursing in public will eventually become so easy you won't even think twice. I remember being like "how do people do this?!" But as time goes on it becomes so much easier. I remember nursing my daughter in my ergo while taking pictures with family, completely hands free and no one had any idea. It definitely takes practice and time.
@WinchesterGirl I just got one of those covers too and they are legit hard to nurse in if you have a baby that needs help latching and/or unlatches frequently. The apron cover was easier by tenfold but not as cute or multifunctional. I don't ever football hold because it's the most awkward position for me unless I have twenty pillows and some rolled up towels but when I've tried to nurse with the cover I've gone in from the top to help him latch and used my arm to stretch the neck so I could see what I was doing.
Eventually the babies will get bigger and be less of a pain in the ass to get on. But I mostly just go to a less populous area and don't use the cover. For me bare nursing in public wouldn't be an issue but he doesn't stay on so it's a lot of my boob just being out and leaking all over while a tiny red ball of anger screams to announce its precense.
I also find the cover hard to use and I really only use it for other peoples' comfort. I have sometimes had to duck under it to arrange the nipple shield and get her latched. I'm hoping it gets easier!
@concreteangell Ahh! The leg crossing makes sense. Hopefully I'll be able to do that comfortably in the next few days. I was trying to use his diaper bag to prop him, which was moderately successful.
@PerraSucia Yeah, Dean definitely needs help latching, and I also need to hold the nipple shield in place. The cover meant I needed a 3rd hand... which was not available. He also does the "bare nipple alarm", which is super awkward.
@homemake & @lemieuxk I'm hoping that practice makes it much easier in time! Plus, eventually Dean will be better able to latch himself, or at least with less help.
+1 to having a baby who often unlatches. I have a pretty big letdown and so until she empties it out a little, it's a lot of work while trying to manage a canope in public. Definitely looking forward to those easier days ahead..
************* First BFP: 12/16/13 EDD: 08/23/14 Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
+1 to all of this. Baby unlatches constantly. We haven't gone "public" yet but I've tried to breastfeed with company in the house (father in law, male friend) and this baby HATES a cover of any kind
@WinchesterGirl In another thread you mentioned pediatrician recommended bf supplements. Care to share? Anyone else, feel welcome to join in.
Also, anyone have issues with one nipple hurting when breastfeeding? As far as I can tell, LO has a good latch (a bit strong though) and I'm over the mastitis, so it's not that...
@WinchesterGirl In another thread you mentioned pediatrician recommended bf supplements. Care to share? Anyone else, feel welcome to join in.
Also, anyone have issues with one nipple hurting when breastfeeding? As far as I can tell, LO has a good latch (a bit strong though) and I'm over the mastitis, so it's not that...
The latch probably isn't great on one of your boobs.... have you considered trying another position on the one where the nipple hurts? For us, after lots of trial and error, I realized it was easier for LO to latch football style on the right one and cross cradle on the left. I can then pretty much do whichever position once my boobs have emptied a good amount.
************* First BFP: 12/16/13 EDD: 08/23/14 Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
@FerForShort Seconded! I am not brave enough to breastfeed in public. Last time I breastfed at a friend's house (she's got a newborn too), I got distracted by a crying baby and forgot to do up my nursing tank for a good 15 minutes. Whoops!
What do you mean? Are you nursing and baby is eating?
I guess this was kind of a stupid question. I googled what let down meant. And I don't feel tingles or leak from one side while she feed on the other side. And I don't have large amounts of milk come out at any point
@srscott3 I couldn't feel my milk let down at first, it became more noticeable over time. Even if you don't feel it, though, at some point after latching you should notice baby's jaw opens wider and more slowly and you can see/hear gulps or swallows. That means your milk has let down even if you didn't realize it!
I know you've had concerns about the number of dirty diapers, but as long as she is gaining weight, pooping and peeing, etc then your milk is letting down!
@srscott3 not all woman feel a let down sensation. I did with my second, but didn't at all with my first. But he was gaining weight/peeing/ etc so he was getting his milk, I just didn't have any tingling
@FerForShort If it makes you feel any better, it was not a perfect attempt. I way flashed his doctor (she didn't seem bothered in the least, FWIW), I had a hard time getting him latched, and the nipple shield came off several times. But he did get fed.
@sadiec92 She recommended Vitamin D to help his jaundice (like @kswiger06's doc), omega 3s, a probiotic, and alfalfa for my swelling. She also put LO on a Probiotic powder twice a day since I had c/s antibiotics.
As for nursing in public, it will get easier once baby gets bigger and a better nurser in general.
I found that the BebeAu Lait muslin covers where the best for in public. They have a nice wide cover and are lightweight. They also have a wired top which gives you a peekaboo area to be able to look down on baby and help with latch etc. As my son got older he liked being able to see me while nursing which made this cover a life saver in public.
I nursed in public for the first time yesterday, DD is a month old. She doesn't mind a cover, so I use one of those muslin swaddle blankets since it's pretty breathable. I pray she's always ok with a cover since my nipples are the size of salamis
i also quit timing and logging every single feed, and damn that feels freeing!!
I nursed in public for the first time yesterday, DD is a month old. She doesn't mind a cover, so I use one of those muslin swaddle blankets since it's pretty breathable. I pray she's always ok with a cover since my nipples are the size of salamis
i also quit timing and logging every single feed, and damn that feels freeing!!
Is that a thing? I have been so caught up in tracking times & left/right; I hadn't even thought about what the steady state future might look like.
I've been considering letting the feed logging go, but I'm nervous. Kiddo seems to ignore/not show early hunger cues, so he goes from smiley happy baby to wailing and ravenous in a heartbeat. Since I lose track of time in my exhaustion, the app is the only thing that helps me keep track of when I should offer the boob next.
Semi-related, but I recommend the sprout app for feed tracking, especially if your partner is doing some bottle feeds, because it can sync between two phones. Even if your partner isn't doing feeds, it's a way for them to be more involved, and it means one less thing for you to do, if you can tell them "start a feed! right boob!" rather than juggling a baby, a boob, and a smartphone...
Edited to say that if I ever write a book about motherhood, I think I'm calling it "A Baby, A Boob, and a Smartphone"
I nursed in public for the first time yesterday, DD is a month old. She doesn't mind a cover, so I use one of those muslin swaddle blankets since it's pretty breathable. I pray she's always ok with a cover since my nipples are the size of salamis
i also quit timing and logging every single feed, and damn that feels freeing!!
Is that a thing? I have been so caught up in tracking times & left/right; I hadn't even thought about what the steady state future might look like.
I guess I hadn't realized how tied down to my BFing app I was, or nursing on one side because the app told me too. I tried without it for one day to see if it felt natural, and grabbing my boobs to see which side should be next seemed to work just fine I think time will tell if it works well long term.
i also didn't realize how much anxiety it caused me to stare at the timer each feed, like "ok it's been 22 mins I bet she's done." Now we just go with the flow and I haven't had anymore 'stacked' feeds (nursing 10 mins after I put her down). Nursing has finally become more intuitive, I just had to trust my body and trust my baby all along
Re: The Boob Thread
First BFP: 12/16/13
EDD: 08/23/14
Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
On the other hand my daughter never took a pacifier and he might hate it as well so this question could be for nothing.
also, who else has a letdown sensation if they bend over? I'll bend over and then grab my boobs to stop the milk from potentially flowing!
Both my kids will only take the mam brand.
If comfort nursing is painless, and you have the time, I would let them keep sucking when you can. My daughter was like that but I always figured it was good for supply too, and it made her happy. We are still working on latching and nursing without pain, so when the milk is out, he needs to stop to save these nipples of mine.
Ben and Maggie - 4/10/09
Mia - 6/16/11
Surprise! due 2/23/17
Married to my Soul Mate since 09/06/09
we tried to go with the nipple shaped ones to prevent confusion, but he was completely uninterested and only takes mam brand pacis. So if your baby rejects one, don't necessarily assume all pacifiers are off the table.
The second time he got hungry was mid-doctor exam; I got pretty flustered and he was doing his occasional fuss before he latches routine, so it took me like 5 minutes to get him happily eating.
Nursing at home is easy because I don't need to worry with a cover, and all my pillows are just so to prop him up. What do you ladies do to make things easier in public? Is it just a practice thing?
I also often use the football or cross cradle hold and I've found that crossing my legs helps position her higher and i need to lean forwards a bit. It's not ideal but it works for us.
First BFP: 12/16/13
EDD: 08/23/14
Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
Eventually the babies will get bigger and be less of a pain in the ass to get on. But I mostly just go to a less populous area and don't use the cover. For me bare nursing in public wouldn't be an issue but he doesn't stay on so it's a lot of my boob just being out and leaking all over while a tiny red ball of anger screams to announce its precense.
@PerraSucia Yeah, Dean definitely needs help latching, and I also need to hold the nipple shield in place. The cover meant I needed a 3rd hand... which was not available. He also does the "bare nipple alarm", which is super awkward.
@homemake & @lemieuxk I'm hoping that practice makes it much easier in time! Plus, eventually Dean will be better able to latch himself, or at least with less help.
First BFP: 12/16/13
EDD: 08/23/14
Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
In another thread you mentioned pediatrician recommended bf supplements. Care to share? Anyone else, feel welcome to join in.
Also, anyone have issues with one nipple hurting when breastfeeding? As far as I can tell, LO has a good latch (a bit strong though) and I'm over the mastitis, so it's not that...
First BFP: 12/16/13
EDD: 08/23/14
Baby BOY born: 08/29/14
I know you've had concerns about the number of dirty diapers, but as long as she is gaining weight, pooping and peeing, etc then your milk is letting down!
@sadiec92 She recommended Vitamin D to help his jaundice (like @kswiger06's doc), omega 3s, a probiotic, and alfalfa for my swelling. She also put LO on a Probiotic powder twice a day since I had c/s antibiotics.
My kid was a tit monster.
Not everyone feels it.
I found that the BebeAu Lait muslin covers where the best for in public. They have a nice wide cover and are lightweight. They also have a wired top which gives you a peekaboo area to be able to look down on baby and help with latch etc. As my son got older he liked being able to see me while nursing which made this cover a life saver in public.
i also quit timing and logging every single feed, and damn that feels freeing!!
Semi-related, but I recommend the sprout app for feed tracking, especially if your partner is doing some bottle feeds, because it can sync between two phones. Even if your partner isn't doing feeds, it's a way for them to be more involved, and it means one less thing for you to do, if you can tell them "start a feed! right boob!" rather than juggling a baby, a boob, and a smartphone...
Edited to say that if I ever write a book about motherhood, I think I'm calling it "A Baby, A Boob, and a Smartphone"
i also didn't realize how much anxiety it caused me to stare at the timer each feed, like "ok it's been 22 mins I bet she's done." Now we just go with the flow and I haven't had anymore 'stacked' feeds (nursing 10 mins after I put her down). Nursing has finally become more intuitive, I just had to trust my body and trust my baby all along