Nursing Mama- Week of 10/1- 10/8 - Page 2

[curlyfry]

Originally Posted by Shell_Ell

Goldie, I think the window for bottles is 4-6 weeks and then it gets progressively harder to introduce. So you might be a bit past that window period?

hmmm...I've never given Lana a bottle (haven't had to for any reason) and never thought of this. I will eventually have to pump (when I leave her w/ my mom or someone else) and have someone else feed her. I wonder if she'll even take a bottle at that point? My LC told me NOT to give her a bottle for the first 4 wks. or so to prevent nipple confusion, so now I'm the one who's confused!

[wordgirl]

big spitup issues here too. i just hate to wake her up to get a few burps out, but am hating seeing all that milk wasted even more, not to mention the cleanup needed after a bad one. ick. i think she's sleeping good stretches, but waking up starved and overdoing it. just gonna try more frequent burping and if it wakes her up, so be it.

we have her 1-week exam schedules for tomorrow, so we'll see if and how she's gaining. i'm purdy sure she's doing fine, despite the spittings.

not doing well figuring out the whole tandem thing with ds (22 months) -- it'd be handy if i could figure out a position that works for both of them and doesn't kill my nips. trying to nurse millie in a football hold and jasper across my lap, but jasper keeps squirming and slipping down so i keep having to unlatch him or ask him to relatch. a few seconds later and same thing. i'm not sure if it's a tooth issue or if i need to get him cozied into a pillow or something so he's not so likely to squirm.

haven't even pulled out the slings yet to attempt to nurse there. never managed it before (boobs too big, nursing either requires a good pillow or 2 hands to keep baby lined up and latched) so i'm not optimistic i'll get the hang of it this time either.

::: lori

[Shell_Ell]

Originally Posted by curlyfry

My LC told me NOT to give her a bottle for the first 4 wks. or so to prevent nipple confusion, so now I'm the one who's confused!

No, your LC is right. I think you aren't supposed to give a bottle for the first 4 weeks and then you have weeks 4-6 to introduce a bottle. That's textbook anyway. My son hasn't had much of a problem recognizing the difference between a bottle and my breast. I think once you have a good latch established that's all that matters. Since we did, mine said it was okay.

[Shell_Ell]

Ohhhh I'm so happy! A family friend has lent me her Medela Pump-in-Style! It's worth a shot. I can't get anything with the Avent Isis (hand pump) so I'm hoping this will work. If it does, it will not only give me more breast stimulation, but I will also be able to give more bottles of EBM rather than formula. Cross your fingers that it works for me! I should have it in the next few days- it's at my mom's house and I have to go get it.

[curlyfry]

Originally Posted by Shell_Ell

Ohhhh I'm so happy! A family friend has lent me her Medela Pump-in-Style! It's worth a shot. I can't get anything with the Avent Isis (hand pump) so I'm hoping this will work. If it does, it will not only give me more breast stimulation, but I will also be able to give more bottles of EBM rather than formula. Cross your fingers that it works for me! I should have it in the next few days- it's at my mom's house and I have to go get it.

I've created a new vibe for you...

PPD (productive pumping vibe)

Seriously, I hope it works for you!

[mom2threenurslings]

Michelle...Great news about the pump - I hope it goes well for you!!!
About the latch - it can look GREAT from the outside, but no one can actually see what's going on in the inside of the mouth.

I happen to have a nursling who looks like he has perfect latch from the outside, but who pulls his tongue into the back of his mouth frequently while nursing, who doesn't pull the nipple all the way to the back of his mouth at times - but only one side (my nipples are different and he has latch issues on one side). My first nursling was the same way and at the time I had 2 LCs tell me his latch was fine, and another LC tell me that it LOOKED great, but she could tell by the little noises he made while he was nursing and the way he was swallowing that there was probably an issue. (He made clicking noises, chin didn't move up and down enough while nursing, and his gulping was different.) I did exercises with both nurslings to help them bring their tongues forward, open their mouths wide before latching, etc. and it helped a great deal.

OK...this post has taken forever to type, as I started out nak and toh ... then handed baby to Daddy and tandem nursed Zachary and Haley because they're going to bed...and now Coren is asking to nurse again....

[trijosie-mama]

so I tried to use the breast pump today, no good. It's the Medela double ease and it just wouldn't work! So I broke out the Avent hand pump I used with ds and got 4 ozs right away. I don't understand the electric one not working, it's like there is no suction and I won't let down while using it. With the hand pump I think I'm better because I can control the suction, strength and length. I'm just not sure how often i should pump, it's too tiring to pump after ever nursing, I've pump 3 times today, my milk was low during the next feeding so i think I'll wait to pump again untill tomorrow morning.

And holy spit up today!! She's never spit up so much, right down mommas back soaking my shirt and the couch behind me! She had trouble sleeping to so she's inthe sling now, she sleeps so well there. Still not sure about nursing while she's in it, I think there is a babywearing club in milwaukee and I should probably go so someone can show me how to get her in to nurse right.

my nips are sore from pumping, she seems t be latching better everyday. I've been opening her mouth more before the initial latch and that has helped tons!

Shell_Ell~ Good luck with pumping!!! you are a nursing inspiration, I wouldn't have held on as long as you have, you are giving your ds so much goodness!

[Autumn Breeze]

I finally get to answer my own questions :LOL

How is it going this week?

Going pretty well. She vomited yesterday afternoon. It's the 3rd time she's thrown up an entire meal. The first time was after hiccups, the 2nd, no idea why, but we were at least in the bathroom! And yesterday, she'd been crying while we were half way home (on the interstate) and then crying again during a diaper change as soon as we got home, then she nursed...before I could even finish snapping my bra she'd puked all over me. Oh well, she needed a bath anyway!

Where do you find that you nurse often?

Most often in this ugly little brown chair that swivles and rocks, the damn thing squeeks too. I wish I had a glider, I had one when ds was 3 months old..nothing nicer than a quiet rock, and a little boob.

How is the sleep coming at night?

Getting better! I have been giving her mylicon drops starting between 3 and 5 pm on through until we go to bed...at the beginning of each feeding. It seems to be helping a great deal! If she falls asleep before she's done eatting, then doesn't wake up when she is finished, she doesn't burp! And at 2 am, I guess I'm too lazy to change her diaper to wake her up and then burp her, mostly because it would mean spending an hour getting her back to sleep. But she sleeps better too, so I guess it isn't all bad. I need to pick up some gripe water, maybe I'd feel better about it if it were gripe water lol.

For a while there, I thought she was having a hard time sleeping on days I took her out, but I was out with her yesterday, through two feedings, and it didn't seem to throw off our night time schedual. It very well may have been what was throwing her off a week ago, but yesterday it made no difference! Ds and I are such the 'go out' team, so it will be nice to still be able to streach our shopping activities to span 3 days a week. I feel like if I don't get out of the house at least twice a week, I get a little crazy.

[Autumn Breeze]

Originally Posted by Shell_Ell

Ohhhh I'm so happy! A family friend has lent me her Medela Pump-in-Style! It's worth a shot. I can't get anything with the Avent Isis (hand pump) so I'm hoping this will work. If it does, it will not only give me more breast stimulation, but I will also be able to give more bottles of EBM rather than formula. Cross your fingers that it works for me! I should have it in the next few days- it's at my mom's house and I have to go get it.

YEAH! Oh that is so great! I was going to ask how pumping was going!! Or if you were pumping.

I"ll keep good thoughts for some major milk changes in the next few days for you!

[Autumn Breeze]

Amanda...Kate makes clicking noises when she nurses!! My MW asked me if she was doing that when she was 4 days old (I called her almost in tears from the nipple pain) but she WASN'T Clicking then...I've noticed it during a few feedings. Should I call my MW or my LC friend to ask for their help?

BTW...I forgot to add this in my first post...We have gotten the hang of nursing at night, in bed! YIPPIEE!! Now I just need to plug in the night light so I can turn off my bedside table light AND we still need to set the crib up side car so dh and I can get in bed together again. I miss him but we're both getting some sleep so I guess it's not too terrible.

[The Milk Bag]

Originally Posted by DoulaMommy

Amanda...Kate makes clicking noises when she nurses!! My MW asked me if she was doing that when she was 4 days old (I called her almost in tears from the nipple pain) but she WASN'T Clicking then...I've noticed it during a few feedings. Should I call my MW or my LC friend to ask for their help?

BTW...I forgot to add this in my first post...We have gotten the hang of nursing at night, in bed! YIPPIEE!! Now I just need to plug in the night light so I can turn off my bedside table light AND we still need to set the crib up side car so dh and I can get in bed together again. I miss him but we're both getting some sleep so I guess it's not too terrible.

Two questions - Are you still sore now? And when does the clicking occur - during the entire feeding or just during the initial letdown? If the clicking occurs the entire time and you are still sore, then the clicking is most likely at latch issue (tongue-sucking is one possibility). If it's just during let-down it is probably nothing to be concerned about. Lots of babies will break suction during each suck/swallow/breathe cycle during letdown if the milk comes too quickly. It helps them deal with the large amount of milk they are getting then. The breaking of suction causes the clicking noise. But this shouldn't cause you to be sore.

Both of my girls were clickers during letdown and I have an overactive letdown. It's how they both dealt with it (or deal with it still in Eva's case - Ellie doesn't have a problem keeping up with it, but she's two! hehe)

I hope that helps.

[The Milk Bag]

Michelle - I admire your dedication to giving your son breastmilk. It takes a mom who is adament about giving their child the best nutrition she can to stick with it like you have. Good for you!

I know it is so hard and frustrating for you right now. I hope you have luck with the electric pump. When you pump, try to relax and think about your baby. Most women tend to get the most milk when they don't watch while they pump as well.

As far as how long before you decide that your body just isn't going to do this - your body *is* doing it! Any amount of breastmilk that Riley gets will benefit him even if you always have to supplement with formula. But I do think partial breast feeding and partial formula will always be easier than exclusively bottle feeding with formula. My suggestion is that as long as you have milk - even if it is not enough - give it to him. It's so easy to put him on the breast even if you will have to give a little formula afterwards.

And you never know - your supply could come way up one day soon. I've seen it happen many times with nursing moms.

You are doing a great job, though. It's not your fault that you are having supply issues and you are making the best out of it that you can. Riley is lucky to have you for his mom.

[The Milk Bag]

How is it going this week?

Pretty well. Eva is gaining great. She was up almost 4 pounds from her birthweight at her 2 month appointment last week. She's still a tiny thing at 9lb4oz and 20.5 inches.

Where do you find that you nurse often?

Usually on the couch at the computer (NAK right now!) ;-)

How is the sleep coming at night?

Very well. She has been a great sleeper from the beginning. We go to bed around 10 and I usually don't nurse her again until 3 or 4. She is a bit restless after that first waking but I can't complain. I'm not sleep-deprived at all and wasn't even in the beginning.

[mom2threenurslings]

Originally Posted by The Milk Bag

Two questions - Are you still sore now? And when does the clicking occur - during the entire feeding or just during the initial letdown? If the clicking occurs the entire time and you are still sore, then the clicking is most likely at latch issue (tongue-sucking is one possibility). If it's just during let-down it is probably nothing to be concerned about. Lots of babies will break suction during each suck/swallow/breathe cycle during letdown if the milk comes too quickly. It helps them deal with the large amount of milk they are getting then. The breaking of suction causes the clicking noise. But this shouldn't cause you to be sore.

Yeah...what she said! :LOL

Coren is a tongue (and upper lip!!!) sucker. At least I got his tongue to the front of his mouth instead of pulled back... most of the time ... still working on it.

[Goldiemom]

Originally Posted by Shell_Ell

No, your LC is right. I think you aren't supposed to give a bottle for the first 4 weeks and then you have weeks 4-6 to introduce a bottle. That's textbook anyway. My son hasn't had much of a problem recognizing the difference between a bottle and my breast. I think once you have a good latch established that's all that matters. Since we did, mine said it was okay.

Hmm... with ds I did get him to take a bottle in that 4-6 week window, but I went MONTHS after that without giving him one. When we weaned at 9 months he took to the bottle much better than when he was 4-6 weeks. We shall see I guess. *shrug* So I guess to an extent that doesn't make any sense to me. You would think that an older baby especially if you are weaning for whatever reason would be able to figure out the bottle even if they had never had one before. Otherwise how would they ever be able to drink juice, or anything else? Am I wrong here? Maybe I am just really confused as well. :LOL

[Autumn Breeze]

Originally Posted by The Milk Bag

Two questions - Are you still sore now? And when does the clicking occur - during the entire feeding or just during the initial letdown? If the clicking occurs the entire time and you are still sore, then the clicking is most likely at latch issue (tongue-sucking is one possibility). If it's just during let-down it is probably nothing to be concerned about. Lots of babies will break suction during each suck/swallow/breathe cycle during letdown if the milk comes too quickly. It helps them deal with the large amount of milk they are getting then. The breaking of suction causes the clicking noise. But this shouldn't cause you to be sore.

Both of my girls were clickers during letdown and I have an overactive letdown. It's how they both dealt with it (or deal with it still in Eva's case - Ellie doesn't have a problem keeping up with it, but she's two! hehe)

I hope that helps.

It's not the entire feeding, so it must be a let down thing! I am only sore when she latches on wrong...and OWIE does she get one hell of a bad latch every now and then. Usually just one bad latch a day, and not even at night when neither of us are awake :LOL

Thank you! I was suddenly worried something was wrong...but nope!! She's just figured out away to deal with the OALD insead of stopping breathing, popping off and coughing, which she still does sometimes too lol!

[Shell_Ell]

The clicking thing... Riley does it for the first minute or so, and sometimes when he's swallowing.

IBCLC visit today. He's up to 7 lb 9.5 oz (gained 4.5 since Thurs) but I'm still only making .5 oz per feed. I made the point today that that quite possibly is a low-production time of day for me. Milk flows out of me, like it does in many women, at night. He feeds all night, a good 12 hour stretch and doesn't need any supplementation. He only needs it during the day. Is that a fair argument? In any case, I did wean down to 8 oz of formula the past two days, and he still gained. She says basically if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I'm leaning that way. But I go back and forth. I'm dreading going to my 2 week PP check (well it's actually 3 weeks but I put it off) Thursday. I just don't want to discuss this issue with my midwife anymore- I can't have a third person involved in this. It's hard enough with two people. So gonna try and dodge it.

Anyway. If this pump works it's magic maybe I won't have to give much formula at all. I might be able to supplement with bottles of EBM. I would be fine with that. Actually, I'm fine with formula too, so long as I can still BF half-time like I have been. But the ideal is breastfeeding 100%.

[Shell_Ell]

Originally Posted by The Milk Bag

Michelle - I admire your dedication to giving your son breastmilk. It takes a mom who is adament about giving their child the best nutrition she can to stick with it like you have. Good for you!

I know it is so hard and frustrating for you right now. I hope you have luck with the electric pump. When you pump, try to relax and think about your baby. Most women tend to get the most milk when they don't watch while they pump as well.

As far as how long before you decide that your body just isn't going to do this - your body *is* doing it! Any amount of breastmilk that Riley gets will benefit him even if you always have to supplement with formula. But I do think partial breast feeding and partial formula will always be easier than exclusively bottle feeding with formula. My suggestion is that as long as you have milk - even if it is not enough - give it to him. It's so easy to put him on the breast even if you will have to give a little formula afterwards.

And you never know - your supply could come way up one day soon. I've seen it happen many times with nursing moms.

You are doing a great job, though. It's not your fault that you are having supply issues and you are making the best out of it that you can. Riley is lucky to have you for his mom.

Thank you so much. That really made me feel good.

[wenat]

Ah yes, I'm now remembering that scary gurgle when you pick up the baby ... the one that precedes a HUGE spitup two to ten minutes later.

Now I remember why we had receiving blankets in every room in the house for DS1. I guess it's time to do it again for DS2. He was fine for the first 3 weeks, but for some reason this week has been especially moist.

This morning he spit into my cleavage. Missed my shirt entirely, and everything landed in my bra. And it was right after my shower, too. Oh well, I went from smelling like milk, to smelling like soap and shampoo, and then back to smelling like milk again, in 20 minutes. I guess that's just the way he likes me to smell.

He hit the bed last night as well. But it doesn't smell this morning, so maybe the receiving blankets managed to get most of the milk off the sheets.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one dealing with milk all over the place!

[danaan]

I'm struggling, because something is just off. I think it's mostly overactive letdown. I have SO much milk. I got measured for a bra last week - 34 G And she is so tiny. She gets very fussy most feedings, pulls off, needs to burp, spits up, screams.... I am so afraid that there is going to be a Pavlovian affect where she associates the boob with being frustrated. Everything I've read says hang in there, which of course I will because I am committed to BF, but I end up in tears so often. At least it doesn't hurt to nurse anymore...

I am trying all sorts of things - cutting out wheat and dairy, Gripe Water, burping, different positions, Acidopholis, moving around and taking breaks, cycling her legs...... She is just such a fussy baby, which I admit I was NOT expecting. My dh and I trade off being patient and being at our wits end.

Any suggestions from you with older kids????