Questions from a Nooby Booby Feeder

[zenproof]

Hi guys! I have a few questions I'd just ask my LC, but its too late - so I figured I'd ask you all.

1) as my son starts sleeping longer stretches at night (ie: from 1/2hrs - 3/4hrs) my boobs are getting harder and harder at every feeding. they aren't painful (so is this engorgement?) though. we have had our challenges with BF'ing thus far (high palate, posterior tongue tie, quasi-inverted nips - had to use nipple shields for awhile...) so our latch is still a work in progress but getting better every day - only AT NIGHT when they are so full - the latch is near impossible. it takes us several tries, and i have to manually express quite a bit in a towel and really prime/soften my nips to get them out for him. my question is - last night i decided to pump a little beforehand for maybe a couple minutes (about an 1oz), and this helped. is this okay, or will it exacerbate the 'fullness'? also, can i collect these mini pump sessions and store in the freezer for down the road..or will that milk not be good b/c its primarily foremilk???

2) Because of our BF'ing challenges - my right nip has FINALLY begun to heal - although my left one - no joke - has a mofo'ing HOLE in it. like a crater. it looks like he sucked a plug straight out of the center of it. Its GNARLY. id post a picture if i could ;-) i have done everything from salt water/lansinoh/ a generic mixture of APNO (but only for a day)/nip shells/nip shields/earth mama nip butter/polysporin/air drying/hydrogel pads - you name it. But nothing consistently - b/c nothing appears to be working. recently ive decided to stick with the lansinoh and have been on that religiously for the last 3 days. it seems like MAYBE its getting better - and while it hurts like a BEYOTCH when he nurses on it (mainly at latch on) - i am really concerned this whole (which is very rigid and deep looking) - will not fill up/heal ever. and i'll be scarred. which bumms me - b/c i REALLY LIKED MY BOOBS. i also now have red stretch lines/marks on my boobs - which blows. didn't get a single stretch mark on my belly - but several on my once sexy bosoms. good friggin times. anyway - has this happened to anyone before (HOLE IN NIPPLE?) - if so, what helped, and did it heal? I know i could pump on that side - but i really dont want to do bottle feedings with him yet, since we are still owrking out the BF'ing.

3) i don't think my babe knows how to 'pop off'. i have to unlatch him every time. will he ever figure this out?? also - he is very gassy (they all are!) - and i have noticed that when either my milk is coming too fast/too slow/or he is having gas pains - he will throw his head back and grunt with my nipple in it and it HURTS!!!!!!! i wish he would just let go when he is uncomfortable, or drowning in milk!! anyway is there any way i can coach him to do this 'popping off' business??

THANKS!

*oh! one last question

4) *i have a 5wk old. for the record. i block feed (per my LC instructions) - and like clockwork he nurses the first go round quite intensly for 7-10mins and then nodds off (we're talking swallows with every suck). i burp him and put him back on same boob - and he'll go MAYBE another 7-10mins - and does a fair bit of lolligagging. my boob is usually pretty drained. he went from 6lbs 3oz at birth - to 8lbs 11oz at his 4wk appt. he has great diapers. clearly he is thriving. does this just mean i have an efficient nurser??

[liberal_chick]

I can't help you with anything other than #2. I had a huge, gnarly crack in one of my nipples (I called it the grand canyon) and one thing that helped it heal was nursing in different positions all the time. I'd nurse cradle for one session and football for another and that seemed to change the pressure point enough for healing to start. I also would either put lanolin on it or breastmilk on it and I kept it uncovered as much as possible.

[notjustmamie]

I can't answer any of your questions, but I had to tell you I love your thread title!

[lifeguard]

1. I would totally capture that pumped milk & freeze it. Pumping a little might affect your supply some (ie. increase it) but if it's what you need to do to get the little guy latched on then that's what I would do. I have more than once had to relieve the pressure by hand expressing a little - especially when ds was smaller.

2. Not sure.

3. I've never had a comfort nurser but I would think that maybe that is what he is doing. He may be done eating but he is still enjoying the sucking. Especially as it sounds like he is a pretty efficient eater. Can you support his head more so he can't throw it back so aggressively?

4. Sounds like he's thriving! Lucky boy!

[mosesface]

i also had a huge, horrific, thought i'd be permanently scarred crack in my nipple back in the day. it did heal and left no scar (dd is 20m and still bf).

the pain you feel when your babe latches on is likely the scab pulling away. if you soften the scab by expressing a little milk and letting it soak in the crack for just a minute before feeding, the pain will be reduced immensely!

it's kinda two steps forward, one step back. keep it clean, manage the pain as best you can, and your boobies will be back to their lovely selves eventually!

[GoGoGirl]

Mama, you are a trooper! DD had posterior tongue tie and high palate too, and it HURT until we got her TT fixed (at 6 weeks). Good for you for sticking it out!!

I just wanted to say that I got those red lines/stretch marks too, and now (DD is 7 months) they're totally gone. Now if only I could say the same about the ones I got everywhere else!

[Greenmama2AJ]

Congrats with sticking with breastfeeding, well done!

1.) When DS reduced his night feeds I used to pump a feeding if my bb's became too full. It was fine. And not to scare you, but he may start waking again and want that feed anyway - still lots of growth spurts coming over the next few months - it won't hurt to have a little extra on hand.

2.) Definetely try switching up the hold and lather on that lanisoh to keep the nipple moist. This will encourage wet healing (like having a bandaid on your bb, only better). I loved the football hold.

3.) It sounds like he might have a little bit of silent reflux happening. If he pulls off when you have heavy let down then maybe try sitting him more upright while he feeds, it helps them breathe and drink a little easier, while keeping the ouchy acids in their stomach. My little guy pulled off regularly and I had to keep a little finger in waiting, just incase, during those first months.

4.) It sounds like he is doing great! It sounds like you have a great supply and letdown - and he is just trying to keep up at the moment. My feeds would literally take about 5-10 minutes - I just had heavy letdown and he coped. A lot of the issues you have are related to the fact your little one is so tiny at the moment. Tongue ties, flat nipples, over supply, silent reflux etc are only really issues in the first 3 mths, at about 5-6 mths his mouth will have grown and he will be nursing like a champ.

Good luck with sticking with it!