how long to exclusively nurse? - Page 2

[I Believe in Fairies]

Allie, do you feed your baby on demand?

[Firemom]

I had a small baby too who is now 5 years old. but mine only weighed about 14 lbs at 6 months of age. As long as your baby is growing even if slowly, there really should be no problem.

3 months is much to young for solids.

[stafl]

Allie, I was in a similar situation to yours, though my reasons for supplementing were different - dd was physically unable to nurse because of tongue-tie. I wouldn't recommend cutting out the supplements all at once (but if your baby is a strong nurser, you could try dropping a few ounces each day, gradually cutting out the supplements). What I did was pump after every feeding with a hospital grade pump (Medela Lactina was the only pump that would work for me, and I used the double pumping kit), and again after dd went to sleep and if I woke up before she did. The point is to pump as often as possible, and for as long as possible. I was finally able to supplement with 100% mommy milk and drop the formula altogether. If you can manage to drop all the artificial supplements, that means your supply is plenty good enough. It's hard work, but soooo worth it. Try the pumpmoms list at yahoogroups.com if you need help with pumping. For me, it meant I had to pump long enough for two letdowns each session, which usually took about 40 minutes. Since your baby is able to nurse, your supply should increase a lot faster than it took me. Do a search for relactation, and you'll find a lot of good advice, too.

The thing with solids is that you don't want to replace any of the milk with solids, it's in addition to the milk. I believe that if solid food takes the place of milk, you are giving too much solids, at least in the first year.

[Allie]

Originally posted by ElizabethMcKeeman
Allie, do you feed your baby on demand?

Elizabeth,
I feel like I feed her on demand. She ususally makes her hungry sound and I offer her the breast. As I think back, I have at times, given her a bottle if I breastfed her in under 2 hours because I didn't think I would have enough milk (as through experience). Since reading your posts, today, I am offering the breast every single time she seems hungry or even if we are playing. I will also sleep with her tonight to see if she wakes in the middle of the night. She has been a sleep-through-the-night baby since the beginning though, sleeping until 8-9am. Unheard of I know... I guess after doing this, my concern is when do I give her a bottle if she is pulling away (no milk) and is hungry. Today, I nursed her all morning and didn't give her a bottle until around 1pm. She nursed after that again frequently but she was very hungry when I gave her a bottle again at 5 or 6pm. I think she had 3 bottles today. I will do just as I have learned and the goal is to wean from bottles altogether. Also, I really have done so much and will continue to do so. My mother in law has told me so many times that I am doing WAY more than she ever did or would. "Give her some rice cereal", which I won't from what I have heard. So, the final questions are, what do I do when she isn't getting enough until my milk builds with more frequent nursing and I think I did ask this question earlier, when and what solids do I give her next? Thank you Elizabeth and all who have responded. I appreciate it SO much!

[I Believe in Fairies]

I do know what it's like to have a sleep through the night baby. Annabelle did from her third night home. It took her a while to be able to find my boob while sleeping, but now she does it without either of us waking up.

If I were in your situation I would offer her the boob first, and at least every hour. It shouldn't take too long to get your milk supply up to where your daughter needs it to be. Just make sure you're drinking water all the time. Also, check any supplements that you're taking and make sure they are okay for breast feeding. I know of a midwife that told all her mothers to take a chinese herb that is know to reduce milk supply. *sigh*

Have you gone to any LLL meetings? They might be able to help more than me or anyone here. The meetings in SF are only once a month and I just never went to them. Annabelle is the queen of the "nip and nap" and would have happily just had my boob in her mouth all the time until she was five months old and could sit up.

You will have to do some bottle feeding, just to make sure she's getting enough food while your milk supply gets established. I'd say always offer the boob first and if she keeps popping off and on and off an on that would mean the boob is pretty empty and offer the bottle.

I'm not a professional and I've only breast fed one baby (well, two but not all the time). I really hope this helps you both
: )

As for the MIL, my Mom says stuff like that too. My mental response is to think "How could you not take all this time with a baby?!?!?"

[Allie]

Thanks again, we are improving already!

Elizabeth, Thanks again. I think it's true, "It takes a village to raise a child". It is so wonderful to connect with all the mothers on this site because we have a similar mind-frame to wanting to do what is natural, healthy and even the hard work of feeding and caring for our babies. By the way, I tried co-sleeping last night. My husband is a BIG man and when he wonked her a little with is arm when turning over, I put her in her crib. Tonight she will start off on daddy's chest. That is the way he has slept with her before and is very aware of her. We're going to try it out.

Allie

[I Believe in Fairies]

When we first brought Annabelle home, I would put the body pillow I had under her feet as in after her toes, ont her feet *on* the pillow. It helped Darren and I "know" that she was there since she and the pillow took up an adult space : )

HTH!

[kakies]

Allie,


I am glad to see that there has been some improvement. When we started to co-sleep my husband wasn't too aware of dd being there. We decided to get a mesh bed rail and have the baby sleep next to me and I would sleep in the middle (much better). On the nights when I would stay up later reading a book or something, I would put dd in the middle and watch my husband as he slept. If he was about to knock the baby's head with his elbow for example I would shake him and remind him that the baby was there. It took a while but now he can sleep next to her and I don't have to worry anymore. We try not to turn our back to the baby while we sleep.

I want you to know that playing with your daughter while staying completely topless is also a good way to help your milk production because baby will tend to nurse on and off when thirsty.

Oh, and don't worry if it has only been 2 hrs since she nursed. My daughter is 8mo and sometimes she will feed again after an hour. Remember bmilk is much easier to digest frequent nursing is the norm. Milk is constantly being produced therefore you are never truely empty even though it might seem that way when you use the pump and nothing comes out--- the pump only gets about 40% of your milk out and leaves the other 60% inside. That is why baby's suction is so important.

One question...How long does she nurse on each breast?

[echodonn]

T
How can I put this? I feel I need help with advice on eradicating false opinions on how long to nurse and when to initiate suplimental diet and it turned into an Elizabeth and Allie conversation. Even though it is also helpful for later, I would have preferred that you both e mailed each other or started a new post "building up breast milk" I don't mind looking like a twit because I need help with a different topic that I initiated.

Back to subject.
Ana nurses all the time she is growing wonderfully and I am blessed to have reinforcement that I know in my heart is right from the forum.

IN Peace, Eileen

[I Believe in Fairies]

Sorry!

[echodonn]

did I offend you?
:
because I don't mean to

[I Believe in Fairies]

Nope, not a bit : )

Maybe *we* should take this to PMs?

[kakies]

ONLY BREASTMILK IS NEEDED DURING BABY'S FIRST YEAR

Echodonn,


A baby doesn't need solids until after the first year if he is breastfed. Breastmilk has all the nutrients needed for a healthy growth during the whole first year of life.

I didn't just read this on some magazine... well I did. "BUT" I also read it in a Dr. Sears book. I still was skeptacle so I asked my daughter's pediatritians (2). They are both Certified Lactation Consultants and don't always agree on everything (vaccines for example). But they said that 'breastmilk only' for the first year is the best choice. I also mentioned it in a 'Breastfeeding Support Group' and the Lactation Consultant who happens to also be a nutritionist (or Dietarian Doctor) confirmed the same thing.

The idea of supplementing with babyfood after 6mo was intended for formula fed babies. Breastmilk changes along with the babies needs for nutrients. This means that as the baby grows and has different nutritional needs....the breastmilk will get adjusted to those needs automatically. Isn't that great!!!

Only formula fed babies need to drink water and need to have feeding schedules, because babies digestive systems aren't designed for formula. They also need babyfood after they are 6mo because formula doesn't self-adjust itself.

Before the first 6mo the baby's digestive system isn't developed enough to easily digest things like cereal or babyfood. When a baby is given something other than breast milk (like solids or formula) his body will have to work harder to digest it and the baby will have longer stretches between feedings--- not because he is eating better but because he is having a harder time to decompose the stuff. This can end up messing up a baby's delicate stomach.

By waiting until my daughter is 1yo I am avoiding possible food allergies, digestive problems, asthma, breastmilk-supply reduction and other no goodies. That's the only thing she will be missing out on!

Cow's milk for example is made for baby cows. A baby cow will get up and walk shortly after he is born--human babies don't. Formula has cow's milk in it. Cow's milk might be higher in proteins and calories but these are proteins and calories that a human baby just dosen't need. That is why formula fed babies diapers are smellier than the brestfed babies.


Breastmilk is much easier on babies stomach and is fully absorbed quicker. So frequent feedings in a shorter period of time are common.

Okey, a lit'l off topic....maybe. But I'm just trying to be helpfull to all.

Alley are you reading?

[mamabean]

My ds is 17 months and 16 pounds and he's thriving-little is good!

[Allie]

Re: ONLY BREASTMILK IS NEEDED DURING BABY'S FIRST YEAR

Alley are you reading? [/B][/QUOTE]

Yep, I read it, thanks so much. Here's a question. Right now, I am supplementing my daughter with formula because my milk supply is low. It has been since she was around 2 months for many reasons. I am working on getting to 100% but if I don't, then what do I do? Any ideas? Thanks for taking the time and care to help with suggestions

[echodonn]

firstsix months now a year...it just keeps getting better all the time(Beattles)
I promise to do my reading
It is too easy to nurse! I noticed that when I have been feeding Ana the last couple weeeks I was just feeding her on one breast for 5-10 minutes about every 45- 60 minutes. Now I am feeding her 5- 10 minutes on each breast on demand and my milk supply is incredibly stronger. I think I am also worried about how many ounces she is eating. I wish there was a way to tell. But she is not getting any formula or cereal so we are both much happier people!

[kakies]

Echodonn,

I know what you mean about not knowing how much milk the baby is getting, but I stopped worrying about this looong ago. We can't see how many ounces they drink but we can count how many diapers they wet. As long as you are changing a good amount of wet diapers daily you're okay. Soiled diapers don't have to be daily with an exclusively breastfed baby -----> But only AFTER the baby is 2 months old (NOT BEFORE). After 2mo it can even take as long as 2 weeks without a soiled diaper... and it will still be okay (only for exclusively breastfed babies) .

Just make sure that your baby is growing and gaining wait accordingly. " Accordingly" as in according to her stage and what the doctor says --- and NOT according to cousin Joe and aunt Elma, for example. Avoid comparing your baby with other babies...we are all different. If your baby is healthy and happy, there isn't much to worry about.





Allie,

I don't see why your milk supply wouldn't improve if you try some of the advice mentioned in the other posts. You may continue having problems but they may be caused by incorrect sucking on the baby's part or some kind of biological problem on your part---- other than that I'm sure you will be having more milk coming in, trust me.

Let's say you do have some kind of problem (which is very rare) I don't know whether you should continue supplementing with goat's milk or babyfood. I would check the labels to see which offers the nutrition your daughter needs at this stage. Talk to a lactation consultant or a doctor to make the best decision.



To both....
Let us know what happens & happy nursing!!!

[echodonn]

Last night I attended LLLI Ana goes to sleep at 7pm so I couldn't bring her to 7:30 pm meeting but other than one womans baby she seemed right on target. I think that all babies come in different packages. It's really exciting to see my baby doing so well. She is so beautiful to me. I love nursing her. Now that I take longer and nurse on each side Ana and I have really found our groove!

[kakies]

Echodnn,

I am so happy to see that you and Ana doing well. It is a good thing you went to the LLLI meeting. Now that you met other nursing mothers and saw a professional consultant I am sure you feel much more relieved. That is why it's sooo important to go to the meetings because even if you know all the "theory" you sometimes get confused by what other people tell you and they make you doubt what you are doing.

Once in a while all we need is a little reasurance to let us know that we are doing the best for our babies.

You are a good mommy--- so keep up the good work!