How's breastfeeding going? « Back to Group Discussions

[MamaInTheDesert]

For the mamas that are breastfeeding, I wanted to know how it's going.

I'll go first:

Donovan has been eating like a champ. Usually at night and the afternoons he'll go three hours inbetween feedings. But in the mornings and evenings he has these stretches where he'll go between 2 hours to 6 hours of nonstop eating. I know it's not a supply issue as he's making tons of pee and poop diapers. Plus he gained his birth weight back by day 10. (we're on day 16 now) My midwife seems concerned about the long nursing sessions, and had me do a phone consultation with a lactation consultant. She thought it might be a gut issue and reccommended gripe water and probiotics.

The other issues We've been having is that Donovan has little yeasty patches under his armpits that we've treated with diluted vinegar. (They're getting better.) Also, he has been very gassy and has hiccups a lot. Additionally, When he does these longer feedings, he gets really fussy and pops on and off the breast. Finally his poops are staining the diapers yellow, but the actual piles are more golden brown. (sorry if tmi..) The midwife seemed more concerned about the color of his poops than the LC though.

So, of course, since both my midwife and this acclaimed LC both seemed concerened I've been googling like mad. I've found everything from this being completely normal, to signs of internal yeast infection, to possible foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. I've been feeding Donovan on one breast for each feeding, but have been thinking about going to one breast for two feedings before switching. I don't want to ruin my supply though so I'm reluctant.

What do you guys think about all of this? Am I worrying myself over nothing, or does this seem like something I should be concerned about? TIA

[kjourdan]

Is he just staying on that long for comfort, maybe?  Have you tried giving him your pinky or a pacifier to see if he needs some non-nutritive sucking?

Every nursing book I have says all shades of yellow/gold/brown are fine.  I think the issue would be if they were still brown/green and didn't show any gold.

I think as long as his output is good, you should try and stay calm!

[KristaDJ]

Sounds like it may be an intolerance to something you are eating. I would cut out dairy, soy, and eggs, in that order seeing if it improves with any of those out of your diet. 
Foremilk/hindmilk imbalance makes green, frothy poop. 

[MamaInTheDesert]

I've used a paci just so I can have a break sometimes during the longest of feedings. Sometimes he takes it other times he fights it. Mostly DH will try to calm him for a few moments with it so I can go to the bathroom or shovel some food down. But he stays wide awake during the long feedings and very fussy. I still have to take my break and then come back and feed him til he gets that drunk passed out look.

As far as food intolerance possibilities, I don't really eat soy, and had my first eggs since giving birth yesterday before reading your post. Of course I could have missed them as "hidden" ingredients, but going over what I've eaten the last couple of weeks, I don't think so. So that just leaves dairy. Mmm... Cheese will be a hard one for me.

I think I'm going to try and chill out about it somewhat. We'll see how that goes! Haha.

What about everyone else? Any other mamas nursing? Any good breastfeeding stories to motivate me? How often is everyone elses LOs nursing?

[FaithHopeLove29]

4 weeks in, and we're doing pretty well here - the only problem we really had to overcome was slightly flat nipples so I used a shield for the first day and a half until he was able to latch without it. He gained almost a pound over his birth weight by his two week visit, and lots of wet/dirty diapers, so everything's good. He's started sleeping three hours together twice during the night, spacing out his night-time feedings to about 4 hours, and then he eats every 2-3 hours for most of the day.

However - around day 7, then around day 14, and again around day 21 he had these unstoppable feeding marathons... Home alone, all day, with a fussy dog and sore nipples and a baby that will.not.sleep and only wants to feed was pretty miserable! they lasted for a day or two, never at night just mid-morning to mid-afternoon (sometimes well into evening...). His poop occasionally got a little greener, but still mostly yellow. I think they were growth spurts after talking to a LC and as soon as my supply changed to meet his new demand, we were fine (or that's the theory). Also, I notice he sometimes has gas that he seems to be able to get rid of when he's nursing (but not when he's using a paci or my finger or anything - has to be nursing), my mom seems to be able to bounce it out of him, but my husband doesn't have the patience and with me all he wants is to nurse. Anyways, that might have been why too, but I never figured out if it was anything I was eating that caused the problem. I have a very consistent diet and it wasn't a consistent problem.

One thing I don't love about nursing is that I feel like I'm always questioning - is he getting enough? (diapers and weight gain are good, but...) or is he getting too much? (they say bf-ing babes don't over eat but he spits up a ton...) is he getting the right mix of fore/hind? am I giving him gas? my list goes on... I'm trying to be laid back about it but I'm finding that really hard.

Anyways, he still has one or two times most days when he wants to feed for most of 2-3 hours... This might be clusterfeeding, but I think this is more to do with him fighting sleep for some reason than actually being that hungry. when someone else is around, they can usually soothe him to sleep but when it's just me, I let him eat until he passes out "milk drunk".

I'll be chatting with the LC again this week - I'm going to try to start pumping soon, and worry about messing up my supply... Anyone else going to be pumping?

[phathui5]

John is 4 weeks, 3 days today and breastfeeding is going really well. For the first two weeks, he was spitting up pretty often. I started using one breast per feeding him and being vigilant about burping him and it's down to once every day or two.

[wanderinblues]

Reuben is 1 week old and breastfeeding is going well so far. i had sore, sometimes scabby nipples pretty much until yesterday so it was kind of tough when it hurt to feed him. they are feeling way better now though. he is gaining weight like crazy and is half a pound over his birth weight already, his poops are normal looking so i think we're good :)

i recently figured out how to nurse him side lying and it's so awesome. i got so much sleep last night!

sometimes he wants to nurse over and over again for an hour or so, sometimes he will go 3 hours between feedings. i just go with it and try to keep him happy :)

[tri31]

MamaInTheDesert- nursing like a champ and making plenty of wet/poopy diapers, sounds good.

Our LO will be 2 weeks tomorrow. Nursing is going really well, our pediatrician mentioned that she looks a little tongue tight. So I had he evaluated by the ear nose and throat specialist and he says that if she is nursing well that it isn't an issue. Now of course, I have a more heightened sense of awareness and I find myself taking a double take, is her latch okay? Everything is fine, and  of course it has been gloriously hot since she was born, so I am vigilantly aware of the contents of each diaper. I just have to remember the potential for concern, isn't exactly the same thing as a problem. She is gaining well, and is content, so I guess I can be too.

[sraplayas]

thankfully, everything seems to be going really well!

once i figured out DS's nursing style and remembered some tricks from DS1's newborn stage it helped a great deal. also, getting past the engorgement stage and almost-mastitis---what a relief!

DS2 is a sleeper and is not bothered by wet/poopy diapers so I have to work to wake him. he sleeps stretches at night, too. However, he has alot of wet and poopy diapers and is really filling out (he's not quite 2 weeks), so I think we are doing just fine. :)

[frioct3]

Reid is 3 1/2 weeks and things are going pretty well here.  At our appointment last week he was up almost a pound over his birth weight.  We haven't figured out how to nurse lying down so the nights are tough, but it's getting better now that he seems to only be up 2-3 times each night.  Does anyone have tips on nursing while lying down?  I find it hard to get him latched on well without seeing how open his mouth is and it's hard to see past his head when he is parallel to me.

[FaithHopeLove29]

nak - any advice? i am totally lopsided! i thought i was doing a good job alternating breasts, but i think the feeding marathon on monday involved more left than right. my left breast now feels engorged and is obviously larger... i have been trying to have C nurse on the right side more all night/morning, just wondering if anyone else has experience. tia!

ETA: just talked to a LC and she said to start every feeding on the smaller side until i even out. i thought i'd leave the post in case anyone else has this problem.

Edited by FaithHopeLove29 - 7/5/12 at 10:44am

[FaithHopeLove29]

fri - just saw your question. i judge the latch by feel when lying down, since it is hard to see... i have to restart a couple times if he isn't latching well, but usually it works pretty well. i just have to be sure we're facing each other and my shoulder isn't on a pillow. not sure if that helps at all.

[Calycanth]

Does anyone have any advice about feeding with cracked, bleeding nipples? I saw an LC on Tuesday who helped us with our latch, and then I took a "pump break," but they're still bleeding and I am in pain every time I feed her. Cara also likes to adjust her latch while on the breast, and her adjustments usually cause me pain. I'm not sure how to get her to stop doing that.

I'm waiting for a call back from the LC, but I thought I'd ask you wise mamas, too.

[FaithHopeLove29]

Sorry you're in pain - I hope it passes quickly for you! I'm sure you're already using lanolin, but I also love soothies, gel pads made by lansinoh - soooooo helpful between feedings those first two weeks for me. I'm sorry I'm not much help, but good luck!

[PrincessSputnik]

Originally Posted by Calycanth 

Does anyone have any advice about feeding with cracked, bleeding nipples? I saw an LC on Tuesday who helped us with our latch, and then I took a "pump break," but they're still bleeding and I am in pain every time I feed her. Cara also likes to adjust her latch while on the breast, and her adjustments usually cause me pain. I'm not sure how to get her to stop doing that.

I'm waiting for a call back from the LC, but I thought I'd ask you wise mamas, too.

I can't say I really have any good advice for you, but I totally know what you're going through. Babe doesn't like to open up very wide, and when she does get a good latch, she gets lazy after a few minutes and pulls back so she's getting mostly nipple. Hurts like hell. I've gotten past the cracked, bleeding nipple phase with lanolin and ice packs, and also try to let my boobs air dry after nursing and try not to have them stuffed into a bra all day (tough when you're leaking like crazy). 

I do find that when I have the patience to pop her off and have her re-latch until she does it right that the soreness goes away fairly quickly. My midwives have told me to be persistent and not let her hurt me by popping her off and having her re-latch. I can't say she's "learned" the right way of latching on yet, but I have hope!

[Calycanth]

PrincessSputnik, yes, that's exactly what Cara does! I usually try relatch her, but then she squirms and cries. Ugh, glad to know I'm not the only one. I'm using lanolin, gel pads, and rubbing milk into my nipples and letting them dry between feedings.

I've gotten to the point that I dread nursing, which is really unfortunate. I'm so disappointed that breastfeeding isn't more enjoyable. 

[CA Country Girl]

Caly- It really will get there.  I know it is hard to imagine at the moment.  If you stick it out for another week or so, the nursing will get much better.  I nursed my DD for two years and it really is just the first weeks that are this hard.  Right now, though, I can totally sympathize with the sore nipples.  I have one scabbed nipple on the more engorged breast, which makes it harder for both of us.  Hugs, and hope it get better fast.

We have been doing ok since my milk came in night before last, but I think it is funny that the LCs always say that it shouldn't hurt at all.  My experience is that unless you have been continuously BFing, that your nipples just have to toughed up a little, even if your baby has a pretty good latch.  According to the LC, I have big nipples, and have to work hard to make sure she gets more than just nipple in her mouth, but she does do that pulling back thing that Caly and Sputnik are talking about.  She also has a pretty good clamp, which makes popping her off to relatch kind of hard.   She has been in the marathon nursing session's of the first few days of milk too, so my breaks between feedings are not that long.  

Question about BF baby poop.  My little girl pooped up a storm before the milk came in, but has slowed a lot since.  She has plenty of wet diapers, but way fewer poopy ones.  Anyone know about this?

BTW, my doula said that to promote the easiest breast feeding I should be laying in bed with my shirt off and the baby skin to skin as much as possible, drinking lots of water, and eating plenty.  Might not help sore nipples too much, but a good reminder, since I feel good and not like I need to lie in bed all the time. 

[FaithHopeLove29]

Caly - I was totally feeling the same way, wishing nursing was more enjoyable, the first couple weeks. I think I'm getting there - pain is gone and it's going much easier now for us. I hope it's getting easier for you.

CA Country Girl - I only have one experience, but with my son, he had lots and lots of dirty diapers on days 1 and 2, a bunch the morning of day 3, and then nothing for two days. My milk was coming in around then, the pediatrician said it wasn't a problem. When he did start having dirty diapers, as long as there was no blood and it looked kind of seedy-consistency it was ok. I guess if it was more pellet-like (someone mentioned rabbit pellets), that indicates constipation. The doctor was more interested in wet diapers at his day 4 checkup, and weight.

[iowaorganic]

Well this being my 5th- I will say that it does get much much easier.  With my first it took about 6 weeks for things to start going good.  I have found that lanolin, soothees, and Lanacare wool pads make for a better experience.  that and lots of patience and someone who will keep the glass of ice water full :)  

For anyone who has had mastitis (and I have had it sooo many times with my other little ones)- I will say this- it is due to doing too much.  If you think you are coming down with it you need to slow way down, soak your breast and go to bed with your baby.  Rose hip tea, garlic and echineacea will help immensely as well.  I prefer this cure to shots and antibiotics because it just works so much faster and better!  It generally isn't caused by random bacteria....  Also this is where I love the wool pads :)  They really won't make you hotter either!

If you think your baby has yeast- start putting probiotics on the babies tongue and cut back on your sugar intake.  It will make a huge difference- I fought yeast with my last little one- but a month of probiotics on his tongue after every feeding and me taking probiotics and cutting sugar cured it.  

I wouldn't worry too much about the poop issue- most of the time it is just something else to worry about :)

[redbird77]

Originally Posted by frioct3 

Does anyone have tips on nursing while lying down?  I find it hard to get him latched on well without seeing how open his mouth is and it's hard to see past his head when he is parallel to me.

I wrap a headlamp in a little white recieving blanket so it glows ~ I can just switch this on for the latch. I also prop him and myself up from behind with pillows, so we're belly to belly. Seems to work great!