Reverse nursing?

662 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Fiercemama, Apr 4, 2006

LoveMyLil'B

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2006

There is such a thing, right?

I think I remember hearing about it at a LLL meeting. Has anyone done it? What do I need to know about it?

I went back to work today, and DD took only 3 oz. the entire day! I was gone from 7-4. I pumped 11 oz. just to give you an idea of how much she was possibly consuming before today. My MIL was with my DC and she said DD didn't cry too much, she just slept most of the day and refused the bottle most of the time. Poor little thing, she had to be starving. We've never gotten her to take more than an ounce or two in the bottle. So she's been awake most of the evening, and nursing at least once every hour. I feel like there's nothing left! I have a feeling this will go on all night. We co-sleep,so I'll be right there for her, but still, I'm spoiled. She will usually sleep one good long stretch until around 2-4 am. So do I just plan to be the All-Night Boobie Buffett?

DS was not like this at all. He could go back and forth between the breast and bottle, and although he had his preference for the boob, he would take what he needed from the bottle.

I feel so bad for my little girl. She doesn't understand. She was probably waiting all day, hoping I'd come back.

As soon as I came home, she looked like one of those people going in for a pie-eating contest! Bless her little heart. I'll stay up all night feeding her if I have to. I feel like such a mean mommy for doing this to her. Any advice? Has anyone here done reverse nursing? Did your baby eventually figure the bottle out, or did you continue to nurse all night long?

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nonconformnmom

· #2 · Apr 4, 2006

Reverse cycling is common and normal. As with most things, it's different for every nursing couple. Don't feel badly about it; your baby can get her bonding and her nutritious breastmilk from you just as well between the hours of 5 pm and 7 am as for the daytime hours. She may stick with this pattern for a while and then move on to eventually taking more EBM from a bottle, or she may not. She's lucky to have a dedicated mama like you who is willing to give her the good stuff at the time she asks for it.

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Tori Gollihugh

· #3 · Apr 4, 2006

My DD did this when I went back to work for the first week or so. My Mom (babysitter) and DH kept trying to give her the bottle while I was gone and eventually she started taking more and more of it. She stayed on the boobie a LOT when I came home until she was around 10 months old. I quit working by the time she was 1 year and I'm very glad of it, but we were successful for almost a whole year.

GOOD LUCK! You're doing a GREAT job mama!!!

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Fiercemama

· #4 · Apr 4, 2006

Reverse cycling. Yup, its normal and lots of WOHMs experience it. Its usually a pattern that baby just falls into, if mama is willing and available during the time they're together. For me, it really made life easier. My DD would not take ebm in any form after the first month (I went back when she was 10 mos). After 11 mos, we continued to nurse freely when we were together (including through the night), and I didn't have to worry about leaving her ebm (or any other replacements). I just made sure she was offered lots of liquids when we were apart.

Also, it took us a week to 10 days for DD to get into a groove with what she would take while I was away. One day it was 4 oz, the next it was 10.

If your DC is younger, they may choose to sleep more, and be less active while you are apart. Depends on the child.

That first nursing session when we got back together at the end of the day was just about the most important one of the day. It really allowed me to decompress too.

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