Breastfeeding & Pumping Check-In

[valie]

Good thinking kelltothekell

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas? It's going just fine. DD is majorly distractable and it's hard to get her calories in some days. I pay for it those nights.

Anything new you've noticed? She latches with no problems now. She's started clamping down sometimes and I need to nip that in the bud before she has teeth.

Still have a goal length in mind? I'd like to do 2 years. I've started doing don't offer, don't refuse (wake-up, nap wake-up, bedtime) with DS and he's still going strong. At some point I'd like to be done with both.

Also... I like the nursing necklaces. Mine was used more as a chew toy by DS, but that's fine too!

[kcrkcs]

Going ok-ish. Left boob is totally worthless. Which makes me use it less which has made it worse. So the question in my mind- can you get it back? If I pump it, nurse it, feed it oatmeal, and everything else a boob wants can I revive it? Or do I put all my eggs in right's basket?
My supply is definitely lower in general, although it did come back a bit post period.
I planned to go a year. At this point I hope we can go that long. I didn't know how I would feel about nursing while I was preg. It is sometimes annoying but in general the most wonderful thing and I will miss it when we are done.

[tinydancer]

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas? It's still going well. I was dealing with a milk blister that caused a clogged duct and came back a couple times, and so that side was a bit tender and my supply on that side was a little lower. I'm hoping it passed though, and things seem to be rebounding.

Anything new you've noticed? My LO has gotten much more efficient with eating, but he still loves to hang out on the boob. :-)

Still have a goal length in mind? I definitely want to make it to one year and even longer, but I would like to stop pumping after one year. We'll see. After we move this fall I'll be working from home all the time, so if we have a nanny again maybe I'll be able to nurse all the time. I work from home one day a week now and it's been nice to nurse instead of pump on that day.

kelltothekell, I'm away from my LO from 8:30-5:30 and he eats about 10-12 oz during that time (I just leave whatever I've pumped the day before). I've heard LCs say that babies should eat 1-1.5 oz for each hour they're away from mom, so you're on the low end or maybe a little under that, but not too far out of range. I think more than 12 oz would be quite high for most people.

My LO is a grabber too. He'll usually get my shirt or bra strap if it's available, but he's gotten skin before and left bruises. Maybe I should look into a nursing necklace...

[tinydancer]

kcrkcs, I think you can increase your supply in general, but I'm not sure if you can increase supply on one side only. But I would definitely keep nursing on that side so that it keeps emptying and refilling.

I, too, love nursing. I wasn't sure if I would, and it was hard at first, but it's such a nice way for me to get my snuggles now.

[valie]

tinydancer, I'm totally with you on quitting pumping at a year. I don't even pump regularly and I'm so over it. By a year your supply should be pretty regulated and LO should be able to have WCM. I was all weepy about not being able to pump enough for DS at daycare when he was 11mos and them asking to give him WCM instead. It won't happen this time. BFing when I'm there and WCM when I'm not is so freeing. I may bring out the pump if I manage to get away for a couple days without the LOs but that's it. I swear. lol I have feels on this you see

[thebanich]

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas?

It's going pretty well. She gets a few ounces of formula on days that I don't pump enough. I have supply issues on the left. But I will say this is the longest I've gone without having to use formula everyday.

Anything new you've noticed?

My supply on the right seems to be increasing and the left decreasing. :/

Still have a goal length in mind?

1 year for pumping at work. I'll nurse in the morning and at night but pumping is a major time suck.

[lucanjo14]

How is it going? Going ok; like kcrkcs I have a pretty much useless boob. I've kind of given up on it and always offer the good boob first.
Any issues? Supply. My supply is definitely lower; some days it's fine, others I think DD wants more than I have. I don't know how to increase it- I have added in one pump session but feel like I haven't noticed much increase, and it def is lower too after I work.
Anything new you've noticed? So much scratching/pushing on my boob. Also we still do football hold and I think I may need to try something different because her legs get kind of smushed.

Still have a goal length in mind?
Right now it's 6 months. My long term goal was a year but with my supply issues I'm not sure we will make it that long. Out of my 3 kiddos this is the first one I've been able to breastfeed so I'm hopeful we can keep it up.

[scorpioscuba]

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas? It's going well. I hate pumping though and only do it when I'm at work away from DD. I would love to have the motivation to pump at least once every night to try to build up an emergency freezer stash but I really hate being hooked up to that thing. DD drinks on average an ounce for every hour I'm gone and I'm pumping more than that so that's about all I'll be able to store extra.

Anything new you've noticed? DD gets fussy sometimes about WHERE she will nurse. I like side lying with her so I can relax too but sometimes she will fuss and not latch either side. Then if I take her to her room and nurse her in her glider she'll be fine. So weird. She is back to consistent side lying though. I love coming home from work and cuddling up with her in our bed to nurse. It's the best way to come home to her. The added benefit is if she falls asleep I can easily extricate myself and not have to transition her anywhere so she'll keep napping. Or I'll take a nap with her!

Still have a goal length in mind? I nursed DS until about 15 months I think? Towards the end it was just before bad and when he woke up. I'd like to do the same for DD. I'm open to going longer if we are both up for it. We'll see. Definitely going to keep going up to 12 months at a minimum.

[sjames2015]

Jun 16, 2016 16:22:51 GMT -5 kelltothekell said:

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas?
Going good I guess. She's gaining weight and has plenty of wet diapers a day. The last few days she's started nursing on both sides or 3 times in an hour a few times a day which has me a bit worried. I only have been pumping if I'm extremely engorged. I would like to pump once right before I go to bed to get more of a stash going. (I had too big of a stash with DD1 and she refused bottles).
Anything new you've noticed?
All the scratching, pinching, grabbing, clamping down on my nipple then pulling off.. Due to that she's caused a sore on my nipple that I've had for 2 months. I'm working on her latch to help even more.
Still have a goal length in mind? I nursed DD1 till she was 2.5 and DH said I need to give DD2 the same opportunity. I only stopped because it was too painful during pregnancy.
I did buy all the stuff for lactation cookies to try them out.

[Lsquared]

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas?
Going pretty well! He loves food more than nursing sometimes so he will get pissed occasionally that it's not coming fast enough. So he latches, pulls off, cries, repeat x 30 times. Then I get frustrated and end it.

I occasionally have to supplement with formula and it's bothering me far less than it did when I was nursing DD.

Anything new you've noticed?

Still have a goal length in mind?
No. I have zero expectations for this infancy. I nearly killed myself with trying too hard with DD when my supply dropped around 6-7mo so I've been trying to relieve myself of that this go around.

[NellieOleson]

It's been two months since the last check-in!

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas?

Going well! Other than breastmilk makes my baby throw up constantly... I also get a supply drop before my period, but we've managed okay so far, just s little more fussiness than usual.

Anything new you've noticed?

Lots of clamping down and pulling towards the end of nursing sessions lately. I stop nursing her immediately and tell her "No" in a firm voice when she does that, so hopefully she gets the message soon. Ouch.

Still have a goal length in mind?

At least a year, probably closer to two, unless I get pregnant before that. I had very bad nursing aversion when I was pregnant with dd2 and still nursing dd1, so I'd rather not go through that again.

[dizzycooks]

How is it going? Any issues? Any questions for the other mamas?
It's going well over all. She's more efficient, she's super content to nurse, and I'm way more comfortable nursing in public than I was with the other two.

Anything new you've noticed?
I've had multiple clogged ducts recently and I don't know why, but it seems to line up with when I pump so she can try to take a bottle.

Still have a goal length in mind?
One year is my goal. I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip when she's about 13mo and I decided not to because I assume we will still be nursing. I nursed the others on demand until 15/16 months. Being that I'm sah this time around I assume we will go at least that long.

[NellieOleson]

kcrkcs - My left was always much lower output when I was nursing dd1. When I would pump at work is only get about an ounce out of that side at a time. Eventually I stopped nursing her on that side altogether and just gave her the right side, that was closer to a year old IIRC, though.

Oddly enough dd2 seems to prefer that side. I don't pump often enough to know if the supply is better this time around or if she just likes a smaller amount since she is always having tummy issues.