lactation consultant surrey area

[Caittune]

hi there

My daughter is 3 weeks old and is a major nursaholic. Like I had 20 minutes total today where I wasn't nursing. She's gaining well if not a bit erratically. 5 oz her second week and 12 last week.

I don't know how long I can keep up this pace. I don't think supply per se is the issue looking at weight, and diaper output, but goodness I'm getting a little overwhelmed. My doctor is pushing supplementing even with her weight gain because of the frequency and duration of her feeding. I obviously am finding it nearly impossible to find time to pump and I'd rather not use formula.

So long story short, I'm looking for a lactation consultant who works in Surrey if anyone knows one to recommend.

I guess I'd just like some in person reassurance or advice.

[leoheart]

Hi Caittune,

Sorry you're having such a tough time. I would suggest calling La Leche - I see that the Surrey group meets the 3rd Thursday of the month - which would be in a couple of days. If you have concerns about latch or baby's milk intake they would be able to take a look. You can also call the leader before then if you don't want to wait, and she can probably either offer you advice/reassurance or give you the name of a local LC.

Best of luck!

[widemouthedfrog]

I would talk with LLL. As I have mentioned to you, dd was also a constantly on boob in arms 23.99 hours per day baby. She had (and still has) a very strong need to suck on things. She still puts things in her mouth that should not be there, just to suck on them. And yes, she did nurse until 4 1/2.

For a while she had to really work at it because we had lower supply and a lousy latch to start with, but after a number of weeks the health nurse and LLL both recommended a soother for my mental health. She ditched it at around 5 months, I think. Once she was able to grab for things and roll I think that I took her mind off the incessant nursing. I alternated between soother and nursing-as-pacifier.

Anyway, not promoting a soother just yet, but they aren't necessarily pure evil. I would check with an LC / LLL leader before doing it though.

ETA: Is there a reason that you're pumping too? That's a lot when you have a newborn who is nursing constantly. If it's concern about supply, won't her constant nursing move the supply up? I pumped at the beginning when dd wouldn't latch, and then I pumped at work, but I found it really hard to get the milk output that dd would get while nursing. That said, I am not a great pumper, I think.

And also, off the top of my head here but don't many babies lose weight after birth? Dd certainly did. So if she's gaining right off the bat, that's an excellent accomplishment!

[Caittune]

Ahh yes. LLL I looked them up a couple of weeks ago and discounted it cause the meeting wasn't until this week...and lookie the time has flown. LOL

I'm not exactly sure what my concern is except the fact that I feel like I'm neglecting my older daughter to nurse little one. She's been really acting out and I'm entirely convinced the acting out is due to the fact she's feeling put out.

I don't think that I'm low on supply at the moment. I take a medication that has been known to reduce supply so I started domperidone as a pre-emptive strike when we came home from the hospital.

I'm pumping because the doctor was suggesting supplement, and I don't want to supplement without pumping to replace the feeding she might have had from me.

I find it hard to believe she's hungry but even if I nurse right before the 20 minutes I spend putting older DD to bed, little DD will often absolutely freak out and the only way of soothing her is for her to eat. Luckily the 2 oz I'm able to get is enough to tide her over until I can come down and nurse again. He's given her an oz of formula when I couldn't pump because she really is absolutely inconsolable.

There's also been a couple of nights where I've gone to bed as soon as older dd is asleep and I've nursed little one, and asked DH to see to the baby so I can get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I've had bad bouts of depression in the past and lack of sleep can contribute to that for me.

We've even tried a pacifier for that 20 to 30 minutes, but she doesn't want it and I'm not too upset about that because I'd rather she not get hooked on it.

Thank goodness for cosleeping. The first few days we didn't and I was an utter wreck. She does nurse off and on throughout the night but at least I only have one child to look to then.

[Autumn Mama]

The time does fly doesn't it?! I wanted to encourage the LLL meeting idea too. I live in Fort Langley and have gone to that meeting a few years ago. The leader of the Surrey LLL, is a woman named Cynthia who has 4 daughters all older now, and she is lovely. Very helpful, easy to talk to.

In three more weeks this pattern may be shifting for you, and I found LLL to be such a welcome support and being with other mamas, some facing challenges, some not, to be very positive to my mothering overall. Keep us posted, mama.

[Caittune]

silly question but are older kids ok at the meetings? I'd have to bring both because dh is working and MIL who would watch dd is away.

er np I was thinking of one of the meetings that was during the day. Hrmm the evening one might be easier

[Autumn Mama]

As far as I know older kids are generally welcome at LLL meetings, one of the brilliant things about them really!

If you have a meeting directory, you could give the leader a call to clarify. The meetings I attended welcomed mine.

[widemouthedfrog]

I wish that I could speak from experience as a mom of two, but I can only speak from experience as a first child. I am sure that what Kayleigh is experiencing is normal. Even if she really, really wanted a little sister, it's still a major change in the family dynamic. Heck, Lauren is feeling needier and excited because she has a new cousin who doesn't even live in the same country!

She might take a soother in a few weeks, or a finger (yours). Can you nurse her in a sling at all - wrap for football hold or ring sling / wrap when she's on her side? I'd imagine that you're still sore and tired from birth, suffering from some lack of sleep and it's difficult to get into a pattern generally. Remember that is gets easier, even with a nurse-a-holic!

At our LLL meeting older children are welcome. It might be helpful for her to see that other kids have siblings with new babies too, but perhaps the first meeting you could go in the evening and discuss your concerns about older dd?

Oh, and I do think that sleep and mental health are a fine balance. As you know, our non-sleeper is the main reason we don't have another child, and much of that was due to my reaction to getting no sleep for 1 1/2 years and little sleep for 2 1/2. So pumping for a few hours of sleep in a row makes some sense to me. Is your doctor just trying to be proactive based on past experience? If your dd keeps on gaining, will that show him / her that your supply is currently fine? Perhaps LLL could give you some reassuarance about the supply too.

[Caittune]

I think my doc is a bit "old school" in that she says breastfeeding is great, but a little bit of formula won't hurt. She also made the comment that we can't measure what is in your breasts though I could have suggested a pre and post feed weigh. I'm not entirely sure how educated she is on the physiology of breastfeeding either. She has kids of her own, but probably either didn't breastfeed or never had problems. I'm guessing I'm odd to her in that I'm so determined to succeed. I nursed older dd til she self weaned at 2.5 cause my milk dried up.


Really I'm probably just a worry wart and Emily is gaining really well. She's alert and soaking diapers and pooping multiple times a day. I had such problems with my first that I think I'm remembering the major anxiety we had with her. She lost weight, didn't gain until we added formula. She was so incredibly sleepy I had to use icecubes to even get her to wake up enough to eat a little. There have been none of those issues with Emily. I had an unmedicated delivery and we were able to start nursing right away.

I do think I'd like to get to LLL. I just need to figure out how to get there. I might have to wait til the next meeting. I'm not sure where it is, but I don't drive so getting to and from without a ride is often a problem. DH would take me, but it is after DD's bedtime and I'm very protective of her sleep because it makes for a seriously cranky child if she stays up too late.

So far today is a better day. I've managed to get little one in the moby and was able to play with DD a bit. I keep having to remind myself that 3 weeks does not a lifetime pattern make. She's still learning to be a baby for goodness sakes, and I am guessing my milk supply is still regulating.

[widemouthedfrog]

I totally understand the lack of confidence, though. We also had a sleepy, poor latch newborn paired with a lousy milk supply. A second time, I'd be doubting myself too. Maybe after a few weeks this will pass, and when she keeps on gaining you and your doctor will both feel more confident that you can do it this time!

When I was weaning dd off the formula supplements the health nurse we had was wonderful. She encouraged me to go cold turkey and trust that Lauren would be ok if I could just nurse with no formula for 24 hours. By that point, dd's latch was getting a little better and my supply was going up. Then we weighed her, and she had gained, and I really felt like I could do it. It was hard to believe, though.