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Breastfeeding your Newborn - Page 2

post #21 of 55
8/10/08 at 10:34pm
I've got some very painful clogged ducts. Hoping to ward off mastitis.
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post #22 of 55
8/10/08 at 10:45pm
I've got a blister on the left side that is killing me. It's so hard to nurse on that side. Reading kellysmom and dr. jack. So far I'm nursing the uninjured side first, so she's not as powerful on the hurt side, nursing on it as long as I can stand (which is just barely a few minutes), and then trying to pump to relieve some of the engorgement.

Kellysmom says something about epsom salts? I'll have to go read it again. I'm really hoping to get through this quickly as the pain right now is a lot to take on top of a pinched nerve, incision pain, and other recovery issues.

The right side is going great by the way. She's got a fabulous latch, I'm so proud of her. I really don't know why I got a blister on the left. It's a bummer. It isn't the pump because I just bought that tonight realizing that I wasn't emptying the breast nearly enough due to the pain. She's gaining so well and getting a nice triple chin!

Encouragement to everyone. If I remember correctly, holding on to 6 weeks is key. Once you hit 6 weeks, most issues are resolved or at least greatly improved.
post #23 of 55
8/11/08 at 12:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BakerALM View Post
Wondering how many wet & Poopy diapers your babe is having on a daily basis? My babe (who is 2wks) is having between 8-12 soppy wet diapers and 4-7poopy diapers. Also does your babe have EXPLOSIVE poops. I can hear it from across the house, seriously they are so loud!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know it is normal but wow they sound devastating from such a small being.
Sounds good mama! This was our exact situation with ds! We ruined our comforter because he shot poop across the bed several times!
Congrats!
post #24 of 55
8/11/08 at 12:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Astoria View Post
I've got a blister on the left side that is killing me. It's so hard to nurse on that side. Reading kellysmom and dr. jack. So far I'm nursing the uninjured side first, so she's not as powerful on the hurt side, nursing on it as long as I can stand (which is just barely a few minutes), and then trying to pump to relieve some of the engorgement.
Try switching to a football hold on that side, so that baby's upper lip is pressing on the opposite side of the blister. I would try epsom salts in a bath and just warm compresses and lansinoh. Those suckers hurt.
post #25 of 55
8/11/08 at 5:40pm
Where do you get lansinoh? At the pharmacy? Is it with the lotions?
post #26 of 55
8/11/08 at 5:54pm
I have seen it at most pharmacies in the baby supplies department (even some grocery stores). We got some at Target (if you have one) and I know you can order it online from drugstore.com
If you don't use it all save it for lanolizing your wool diapers
post #27 of 55
8/11/08 at 5:58pm
DD finally learned to latch on and she is doing great now. She's just going through a growth spurt so eating all the time.
post #28 of 55
8/11/08 at 7:10pm
Hi Monique, I also want to suggest to try nursing when he isn't hungry. When he is calm, just snuggle up topless and if he finds the breast great, if not offer and see what happens. You could try a warm bath with him too. I would just try to remain topless as much as possible! I also feel like it sounds like nipple confusion/preference. Keeping yourself calm too is essential. Maybe some rescue remedy or some tea while you guys are giving it a go. You are doing great!
post #29 of 55
8/11/08 at 8:05pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Monique,

I totally understand the situation you are going through right now with what really does sound like nipple confusion; my last DD ended up with it REALLY severely! You have received a lot of good advice here but if you need to talk to someone who has lived though it and become a wealth of knowledge on how to deal with the situation since we failed at getting her back to the breast I am here to chat. Just PM me. (You can read my signature for a bit of our story.)

The biggest offer of advice I can give in how to get your babe to the breast exclusively is TOSS the BOTTLES!!! NO artificial nipples (passifiers, bottles). Babies are SMART, really really SMART they learn fast that the bottle is easy and very consistly supplies milk with NO work. When the breast is offered as a subsitute to the bottle they don't like it cause it requires work and does not always stream milk. That is very hard to compete with so you need to toss the bottles so that the ONLY place to fufully their NEED to suck will be at the breast. That insitince in a very young baby is very primal and is on your side to get your babe to the breast.

KEEP your head up! you can do this, just commit to the very hard few days you will have without the bottle, your babe will be upset but in the long run it is for the good of everyone involved. !!!!!
post #30 of 55
8/11/08 at 8:16pm
Baby is 6 days now. I had to trust i had colostrum since i didnt see it. Milk came in friday.....ouch. But luckily i have a 1 1/2 year old to help after baby is done. Mr. J is so fussy and impatient. If milk doesnt let down yesterday he gets mad. He is a bit better today but i notice he is constantly wanting to snuggle and nurse. I know he is getting milk because he is having alot of poops and wet diapers, and looks like a milk vampire when he is done from the milk dribbling. I think he is just trying to increase my milk supply from what nurses said. He was terrible for latching well and then moving his mouth down to the nipple but has improved alot. I second the lanisoh....saved me in the early days with dd1 and dd2.
post #31 of 55
8/11/08 at 8:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by veronicalynne View Post
But luckily i have a 1 1/2 year old to help after baby is done.
I'm so jealous! I have considered calling a friend and asking to borrow her toddler!
I think the worst of it is over now though.
post #32 of 55
8/11/08 at 9:59pm
I am past engorgment now, yay! I had to pump 1 oz out 2x yesterday and I did cabbage leaves once & cold compress once. Feeling much better now.

County LC did a home visit today (free!) and weighed E before & after nursing. She only nursed on one side and took in 1.4 ozs. She is within an once of her birth weight now, at 6 days old. After struggling to nurse both of my sons initially, I can not express how freaking happy I am to have a baby that gets it from the beginning. It's a whole new experience for me.

For those of you that are struggling, I hope things start to improve soon! Breastfeeding is a learning experience for mother and baby and also one that requires a lot of faith. The rewards are so worthwhile in the long run.
post #33 of 55
8/12/08 at 12:17am
Obviously, not nursing a newborn here yet, but I just had to share that I expressed a few drops of colostrum from my right side just now. I can't wait to finally meet my little one!!
post #34 of 55
8/12/08 at 12:24am
My little dd3 has been a bf champ from the get-go...I guess 3rd time's the charm. She just started projectile spit-up, tho', and once it was bright yellow. I'm 99% it's caused by dairy. Ev. time it's after I've had ice cream, chocolate, or half n half. Sigh.
post #35 of 55
8/12/08 at 9:41am
Thread Starter 

What is BF baby poo supost to look like?

I have been paying closer attention to my babes poo and it seems to me that it has mucus in it. It is yellow, seedy and also has globs of what I am describing as mucus. If you fold the diaper together with the poo in it and then unfold it the mucusy bits stick together and streatch between the two sides of the diaper untiil they eventually break. Does that make sense? Is that normal? Logic is telling me that it is not. My first child has a dairy in tolerance so I am thinking this could be the same thing. what do you galls think?

THANKS
post #36 of 55
8/12/08 at 8:41pm
Thanks for all the advice. i took today off on breastfeeding so I'm going to try and pump tonight. Maybe he'll take it all then. Thanks again.
post #37 of 55
8/12/08 at 9:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BakerALM View Post
I have been paying closer attention to my babes poo and it seems to me that it has mucus in it. It is yellow, seedy and also has globs of what I am describing as mucus. If you fold the diaper together with the poo in it and then unfold it the mucusy bits stick together and streatch between the two sides of the diaper untiil they eventually break. Does that make sense? Is that normal? Logic is telling me that it is not. My first child has a dairy in tolerance so I am thinking this could be the same thing. what do you galls think?

THANKS
totally normal!
post #38 of 55
8/12/08 at 9:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BakerALM View Post
Hi Monique,

I totally understand the situation you are going through right now with what really does sound like nipple confusion; my last DD ended up with it REALLY severely! You have received a lot of good advice here but if you need to talk to someone who has lived though it and become a wealth of knowledge on how to deal with the situation since we failed at getting her back to the breast I am here to chat. Just PM me. (You can read my signature for a bit of our story.)

The biggest offer of advice I can give in how to get your babe to the breast exclusively is TOSS the BOTTLES!!! NO artificial nipples (passifiers, bottles). Babies are SMART, really really SMART they learn fast that the bottle is easy and very consistly supplies milk with NO work. When the breast is offered as a subsitute to the bottle they don't like it cause it requires work and does not always stream milk. That is very hard to compete with so you need to toss the bottles so that the ONLY place to fufully their NEED to suck will be at the breast. That insitince in a very young baby is very primal and is on your side to get your babe to the breast.

KEEP your head up! you can do this, just commit to the very hard few days you will have without the bottle, your babe will be upset but in the long run it is for the good of everyone involved. !!!!!
TOTALLY :
post #39 of 55
8/12/08 at 10:21pm
Breastfeeding for us has been an up hill battle. Within the first few days I had cracked nipples, a blocked duck, and MASSIVE engorgement. I was given nipple shields and I use them, but struggle with "having" to use them. I feel like I am some how inadequate for not being able to "teach" my baby how to nurse without a plastic fake "nipple" covering my own. DH could not understand who I was so upset and feeling like I was somehow inadequate over a piece of plastic...but he is a man and just does not get it.

All in all....we only ever did one bottle though through it all. Made a HUGE mistake of on a real fussy day giving a pacifier and it was a breastfeeding disaster for about 24 hours after that as she could not coordinate nursing. She really struggle with breastfeeding so no more nipples other then mine and the nipple shield for atleast another month.

I am happy as a clam though because we are slowly weaning away from the nipple shield...I would say we are at 50/50 right now...but for some reason she really struggles to nurse on the left side without it...and her latch still stinks so it is kinda painful for me...but we are plugging along and we will make it!!
Alicia
post #40 of 55
8/13/08 at 11:26pm
Just wanted to chare that breastfeeding has been going well for us overall. Natalie fought the breast at the beginning of every feeding and seemed to have a hard time settling down to nurse. I started feeding her very often so that she was never starving and had dh help me hold back her little hands until she was latched on well.

I also struggled to find a position that worked with my g cup breast. My fav by far is side-lying. It's great because I don't have to support the weight of my breast and she doesn't have to try as hard to stay latched on. We co-sleep so it also means that I can nurse without waking fully.

At Natalie's one weekk ped. appt. she was at her birth weight! We are thrilled that things are going so well.
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