How's Breastfeeding going? - Page 2

[Lyss]

Katroshka, that's so cute!  I get letdown when my 3yo cries or when I look at sleeping baby.  So irritating!

[mylilmonkeys]

Adrienne - do you hear her swallowing?  She should have periods of suck, suck, suck, pause, swallow, and then repeat.  That's when the letdown happens, even if you don't feel it.  Her poop sounds good.  Do you know if she is gaining?  The clicking noise happens when the babies tongue slips off the nipple.  It can be really hard on your nipple, and it's a good idea to break the latch and try again.  That said, I have had a couple babies that did this constantly and nothing helped.  My nipples eventually got used to it.  

I like Dr. Newman's site for breastfeeding help: http://www.drjacknewman.com/

He's got videos that demonstrate the suck, suck, pause pattern, and lots of other useful information.  He's also quite responsive if you have a question you don't see addressed, you can email him.  I had recurrent mastitis and a persistently plugged duct, and wasn't thrilled with the medical advice I was getting.  His input really helped. 

[Virginia884]

This is the hardest time to feed, for me. She wakes up repeatedly and I feel like she's sucked me dry. Maybe she's just too tired to actually nurse or maybe my supply is really low, but whatever it is, it is frustrating beyond belief.

Add on top of that the fact that I think I may have a yeast infection (thus the pain, cracked nipple, and all day soreness) and I really feel screwed in the nursing department!


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[forest~mama]

Virginia - is baby doing growth spurt? Can't remember how old she is. My baby started hers at 7 days and today (11d) she's almost back to regular with nursing. Even though I've been through this before, I still hadto call my midwife for reassurance that my deflated feeling breasts were really feeding Finley.

[Virginia884]

Went to see a lactation consultant today after I called my midwife in tears yesterday. It was a great hour. She pointed out slight adjustments to my latch, worked with us on different positions and weighed Harper repeatedly to make sure she was getting enough. She ate 2.2 ounces in about 45 minutes! The LC doesn't think that I have Thrush, but my nipples are still in pain. I'm hoping its residual from the bad latch and will go away with the adjustments.

Thanks everyone for your support and guidance. Being a first time mom feels so natural at times, but can feel so overwhelming as well. Little by little we are getting the hang of things!


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[Sandrine]

So glad that you had a great appt with the lactation consultant. I know for me, my nipples are in pain or slight pain until min 6wks. For me, it's when their mouth become bigger and able to take in more of the nipple than just the tip like when they are newborn.

AFM: my nipples are healing and they look better. I still have some pain when he latches on but I know that it will get better. It was like this for the big girls too. He's nursing about 30-45min and he gives me a hard time to burp at times. If he doesn't burp well, he will spit-up. :\

[Lyss]

So glad you had a good appointment with a good LC (bad ones are NOT helpful).  It's hard at the beginning.  I don't think DD1 could latch by herself until maybe 3 mo.  DD2 at 2+ weeks still needs to be popped on and off several times, especially after a pacifier.

Sounds like she's getting plenty of milk.  Good job!

Also, yeast after a while feels like tiny fireworks of pain inside your boobs.  I'm sure it's a terrible thing to do, but rather than messing around with various dr. appts, LC or prescriptions, I've used a dab of lotrimin on each nipple 2 x a day for a couple days, and then wipe it off with a wet tissue before baby nurses.  You're probably not supposed to do it, but it clears up the yeast for me.

Sandrine, glad it's getting better.  I had started using all our burp cloths as cleaning rags, and so have nothing to wipe up spitups with.  I really need to get something.  Burping is more art than science, I think.

I am off dairy, soy and gluten.  DD has had a lot of stomach pain, and last night I saw a tiny spot of blood in her diaper in a yellow mucousy poop that had some seeds.  Ugh.  My other two didn't have blood in their diapers this early.  I guess either chocolate or nuts are next.  Sigh.  I've been eating LOTS AND LOTS of dark green leafy veggies to try to heal myself if it's my leaky gut that's messing her up.  I would really like a donut and a coffee right about now . . .

[jcregan]

I also don't feel anything for a letdown and did not with DD either.  My occurs pretty quickly I think... when I pump it starts within a minute or two.  If it has been awhile between feedings I also have a side that squirts a lot during letdown and DS lets go and I end up spraying him in the face.  After being engorged it is kind of scary when suddenly your breast get deflated.  Like - hey, where did the milk go?  Milk is still there, it is just the rest of your breast that is no longer inflamed.

DS nursed when I was laying down this morning -    Yeah!  We had not gotten that to work yet and I have  been looking forward to it.

Max also typically won't eat for about 8 hours at night!!  He will get squirmy and grunty after about 4 hours, I change him and try to feed him but he purses his lips and stays basically asleep.    He is a loud sleeper after that though and grunts and squirms and grunts so I don't sleep great during the 2nd half of my 8 hours.  I am thankful though cause DD did not sleep through the night until she was like 2 years old and the first week we had almost no sleep, so I can't complain!  

I have been co-sleeping with him but I am considering trying him in the co-sleeper more (sounds good during the day, hard to follow through at night), maybe swaddling would help with the squirming and grunting etc.?

[Virginia884]

The LC that we saw said most women don't feel let-down until baby is 6 weeks old. I wonder if it is earlier with 2nd, 3rd, children.

Jcregan, we do skin to skin when we nurse usually and if she gets too frustrated (oh does she get frustrated!) and starts squirming and flailing then I swaddle her and that helps.

[Sandrine]

Ds is having a growth spurt. Nursing often and then falling asleep for the rest of the time.

When ds squirms too much, which he does at the first few minutes, I usually try to burp him. Yes, he gets frustrated but then once I put him back to the breast, he is ready to nurse well.

[Aliy]

he is such a boobie baby i feel some days that he never leaves. since he has been sick he nurses so much during the day. but he has   been having a bit better sleeps at night

[Nitenites]

Thrush. That's all I need to say. 

[jcregan]

Originally Posted by Nitenites 

Thrush. That's all I need to say. 

oh no!  Sorry to hear that. 

A friend swore by using plain yogurt to help... it was a long time ago so I can't even remember if she applied it or just ate it or what. 

I hope you are getting some good information/advice and that you can get it treated soon!  Just in case you don't have good info I have always like kellymom.com for good help:  http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/thrush/thrush-resources.html

Hope it clears up soon!