I don’t want to sound like a broken record but I did learn a lot from the La Leche book called The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. (Great title—right!?) I mentioned this book in another thread. I call it the boobie bible. What I learned helped me get through the difficult first few weeks of learning how to BF a newborn when DD was born. I also met with the hospital lactation consultant a few times (3-4 times maybe?). I BF DD #1 for 13 months and only had to supplement at 11 months when I began weaning her. I might have been lucky too but I attribute much of our success to that book. I highly recommend it. And I’ll be rereading parts of it in preparation for DD#2. BF is not easy and both Mom and baby are learning how to do it. Make sure to relax!! (Stress will reduce your supply—but don’t let that stress you out and further impact things!) Be patient and give yourself grace too!
Thanks everyone for all of the advice for my original questions. Things are starting to get a lot better, although it's still quite an exhausting process. For whatever reason, the pump is just not effective in expressing milk from me, but it seems like the supply is there. I started fenugreek yesterday so hopefully that really amps things up.
Yes to the LLL book Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. It is a great resource. I have to say that I am kind of spoiled by my hospital. Every nurse on the Mother Baby unit is a certified LC. There's never any waiting for one if you are having issues. I was fortunate that DD latched right away and was a great nurser- we nursed 26months ( just weaned last month). But I am nervous about baby boy. I have heard from LCs that boys are harder to get the hang of it. My friend who has 2 boys EP with both of them because neither of them would latch properly. I know her experience is her own but pumping is so exhausting I'm going to try everything I can to get him to nurse.
I just joined an exclusively pumping Facebook group to get some tips and already found a few really good ones. I thought I would share a couple here in case anyone is interested (@hkom, you might be interested in the group too): - pump to empty, not on a timer. This will help establish supply and you are less likely to get blockages. - massage your breast as you pump to help express 100% of the milk. This is very important as even the best pumps may only be able to get only 70% out. - there is a method of pumping for 10 minutes, leaving it alone for 10 minutes and repeating as many times as you can handle. Apparently it mimics a baby's growth spurt and can help get more supply.
@gorgeousariel That is awesome about all the nurses being LC’s! I also didn’t realize/had never heard the thing about boys taking longer to get the hang of BF. There was definitely a learning curve for us, but then eventually I realized one day that he hadn’t had trouble latching on for as long as I could remember.
One very helpful thing I was told before we left the hospital was the word “organize!” So sometimes A would be hangry and crying and of course impossible to latch on — he needed to organize his sucking (I guess?). So I would give him a pacifier just as a means of calming him and getting him sucking, then do the old switcheroo as soon as he seemed content and ready. Worked like a charm.
Me: 31 | DH: 31
Together since 2003 | Married 2010 TTC #1 January 2016 BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016 Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018 BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
*jots notes* Give angry baby a boobie surprise. Kk.
NTNP since Dec 2012 | TTC since Jan 2016 Dx: Unspecified IF BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
@PensiveCrayon thanks I'll have to remember that. DD never took a pack so idk if he will but it's worth a shot. Getting an angry baby to latch is next to impossible. Tip to everyone: learn baby's cues and feed them before they realize they are hungry
After I returned to work, DD got more frustrated with how long it took for my let down to happen, especially at night before bed. In order to avoid the eventual meltdown and refusal to feed in general I would pump for one minute or whatever to get my letdown and then have her latch. Our breastfeeding journey was so fragile, so I really did whatever I could to keep it going. It really was such a blessing and a curse that I dried up when I got pregnant. My only “regret” is that the last time we nursed, I didn’t realize because she just started refusing and I didn’t really get any closure.
Random thought to add: variations in letdown + baby's "efficiency" = different session durations for everyone. Some babies nurse in 10 minutes, others 20, others half an hour.
@hoosiermama-2 good point! I forgot about that. My ds fed in 30 min intervals. I knew i wasnt making enough when it got to where i would feed him 40-60 min and 10 min later he would scream like i never fed him. I gave him a formula sample one day after feeding him on and off for 4 hours, he drank 6oz and passed out. I felt so bad.
@lavenderlisa Same happened to me, only dd always fed for an hour or more. One night after “cluster feeding” for over five hours she was still acting like she was starving and screaming her head off every time I tried to take her off the boob. That’s the night I started supplementing.
I'm sorry guys, I'm usually more of a "lurker" and trying to break that habit.
@lexidawg I am not breastfeeding and will be going straight to fomula. I've had to go through many lectures from my doctors and listen to people say "breast is best" when I think fed is best... i agree and appreciate what @omnommer said, you need to do what is right for you and family.
Re: The Feeding Thread
- pump to empty, not on a timer. This will help establish supply and you are less likely to get blockages.
- massage your breast as you pump to help express 100% of the milk. This is very important as even the best pumps may only be able to get only 70% out.
- there is a method of pumping for 10 minutes, leaving it alone for 10 minutes and repeating as many times as you can handle. Apparently it mimics a baby's growth spurt and can help get more supply.
One very helpful thing I was told before we left the hospital was the word “organize!” So sometimes A would be hangry and crying and of course impossible to latch on — he needed to organize his sucking (I guess?). So I would give him a pacifier just as a means of calming him and getting him sucking, then do the old switcheroo as soon as he seemed content and ready. Worked like a charm.
TTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
Dx: Unspecified IF
BFP#1 Nov 2017 • Blighted Ovum + MMC • D&C at nine weeks
BFP#2 Apr 2018 • It's a boy! • Born 13 Dec 2018
Tip to everyone: learn baby's cues and feed them before they realize they are hungry
TTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
@lexidawg I am not breastfeeding and will be going straight to fomula. I've had to go through many lectures from my doctors and listen to people say "breast is best" when I think fed is best... i agree and appreciate what @omnommer said, you need to do what is right for you and family.