Extended Breastfeeding Check-in, 12/29

[vvvvvfee]

For the purposes of this check-in, we will define extended breastfeeding as breastfeeding beyond 1 year. Questions are repeated and suggestions are appreciated!

1. How old is your LO?
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse?
3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now?
4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical)

Pregnant & BFing Moms: How are you doing this week? Any issues with supply, pain, aversion? Questions for other moms?

Tandem Nursing Moms: How are you doing this week? Any current challenges? Questions for other moms?

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve?

[vvvvvfee]

1. How old is your LO? 17 months
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 4-5
3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now? Nope. He seems to be getting into a better pattern of STTN and not wanting to nurse in the MOTN (fingers crossed this continues!).
4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical) A pump that somehow sucked all the milk out of your boobs in about 30 seconds.

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve? No-- since kids we just go to bed early like any other night. I was never a big fan of going out on NYE anyway.

[seamonster]

1. How old is your LO? 22 months

2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 0-1. There was a 2 this week, but I was trying to get DS to fall back asleep after I woke him getting him out of the stroller. The sleep inducing powers are gone. 😢

3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now? Just boob pain if DS didn't nurse the night before

4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical). A pump that's comfortable and gets all the milk out within 5 minutes. Plus a pacifier that feels like a boob for babies who like to comfort nurse.

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve? Sparkling wine and TV. In bed by 10. We're wild.

[yummeecookee]

Hi everyone. I don't think I will be around here too much longer as we are starting to wean. But I'll check-in and post on the board as a whole for as long as I am still BF'ing. I am taking this at a snail's pace. I am prone to clogs and had a really rough time when I weaned my DD. I would like to not make the same mistakes this time around.

1. How old is your LO? 14mo
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 1-2
3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now? As mentioned above, I am weaning. I had a horrible, painful clog on Tues. I let LO nurse long enough to soften it up. I can feel some hardness on my leftie today again. =/
4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical)
Something that instantly breaks up clogged milk!

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve?
None at all. I am afraid those days are behind me. I doubt I will even be awake at midnight.

[kensie5226]

Just wanted to pop in and say we went cold turkey on weaning for IF treatment and it went really well. Best of luck to you all!!

[billyhorrible]

1. How old is your LO? 18 months

2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 2-4

3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now? nope

4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical)I love how everyone goes to the pump with this one! I'd love a pill to control supply. Then no pumping necessary. Just take however many pills you need for a session before nursing and voila, instant supply.

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve? yup. Going over to a friend's house and drinking/ eating/ watching movies with her family.

[vvvvvfee]

yummeecookee, sorry you're having trouble with clogs. are you taking lecithin? i really think it helps. take capsules up to 4x a day or 1 tbsp of granules per day.

also, what strategy are you using for weaning? if you're trying to cut out sessions entirely, you might be better off keeping all sessions in place, but gradually reducing the length of each until they disappear. then you'll be giving your body more time to adjust rather than just going cold turkey.

[yummeecookee]

Dec 30, 2016 13:31:11 GMT -5 vvvvvfee said:

yummeecookee, sorry you're having trouble with clogs. are you taking lecithin? i really think it helps. take capsules up to 4x a day or 1 tbsp of granules per day.

also, what strategy are you using for weaning? if you're trying to cut out sessions entirely, you might be better off keeping all sessions in place, but gradually reducing the length of each until they disappear. then you'll be giving your body more time to adjust rather than just going cold turkey.

I've been taking 2 lecithin capsules a day. I'll see how I do with 4.
And yes, I've just been dropping sessions. I have pumped for a short amount of time if I feel uncomfortably full. Some days that helps but as we all know, nothing is comparable to a nursing LO. I like the idea of reducing session time. I know already that I will need to let him nurse a bit tonight to get this one clog out.

[vvvvvfee]

yummeecookee, up it to 3 and see how you do. the recommended dose for clogged ducts is 4 capsules per day, but when i take that many it upsets my stomach. in the past i've done 2-3 per day.

if you haven't already, you can also try an electric toothbrush or vibrator on the area of the clog to help dislodge it. and/or a super-hot bath right before nursing LO.

[BabyStandish]

1. How old is your LO? 23 months (will be 2 in a little over a week! eek)
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 4-6
3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now? no supply on left side
4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical) breast pads that never leak and you never have to replace

Pregnant & BFing Moms: How are you doing this week? Any issues with supply, pain, aversion? Questions for other moms? pain on both sides, but particularly the left. Pretty sure it's due to no supply since he only lasts like 10 seconds on that side.

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve? might loop a local lake here with some running friends...besides that nada

[valie]

1. How old is your LO? 2.5
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 0-3
3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now? Low supply when pumping. I maybe get 2.5 ounces for my one pump at work.
4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical) Baby teleportation. So I can go on a kid-free vacation and teleport them in for feeds and then send them back to my parents. (I know I technically can go away without them, but I don't for longer than a day.)

Tandem Nursing Moms: How are you doing this week? Any current challenges? Questions for other moms? OMG I'm so effing tired. Everyone's been sick for four weeks. I have a sinus infection and I'm toast.

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve? I'm supposed to go out to a house party and probably will. I'll have two-days worth of antibiotics in me by then so I should be feeling better. No clue when I'm going to catch up on my sleep though.

[sunfrogger88]

13mo!
3-5x a day.
Only BF challenge is me. I'm dealing with early gingivitis so I'm really cognizant of my oral health. Woooo.
A pillow, with a tray, so you can nurse and still get shit done!

NYE plans : none! Bake. Plan. Drink. All at home, in my jamjams .

[sunfrogger88]

yummeecookee hugs!

[packmomma]

yummeecookee I'm really prone to clogged ducts and I've probably mentioned this before but using a wide toothed comb in a hot shower helped me relieve clogged ducts. I rubbed soap along the teeth and then just combed down towards the nipple. Hope you get some relief.

[packmomma]

1. 16 months
2. 6ish
3. It always gets really painful near my period but other than bf has been really great lately.
4. I like seamonster 's idea of a pacifier but to take it a step further I would want it to let me know if he was actually hungry so as a FTM I wouldn't be worried. I would also love to be able to telepathically transfer milk. Just think "I need 6 ozs" and your bottle would be full and breasts empty.

We are just going to catch up on shows and relax. We got Mexican food for dinner and I'll be mixing whipped cream vodka into various sodas.

[lilyelayne]

valie hope everyone in your household gets well & stays that way for a long time!

[lilyelayne]

1. How old is your LO? - he'll make 22 months on Thursday

2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? - uhhh I don't know? 3+?

3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now? - nope.

4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical) - something to reassure new moms that they have plenty of milk. I dunno, something that let you see inside your boob while it makes milk or something.

When I worked in ophthalmology we had models of the eye in every exam room so we could take it apart and show people what was going on in there, to help explain where problems were or whatever. There needs to be one for boobs that is shown to new moms so we understand how lactation works.


Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve? - my two college bffs came into town so we could do Christmas. We roasted s'mores over the fire in the backyard & then stayed up playing board games. Nothing to do with NYE per se but we were up at midnight!

[yummeecookee]

lilyelayne- a lactation boob model sounds like a great and idea and something that could actually exist!

[seamonster]

Jan 1, 2017 15:38:26 GMT -5 yummeecookee said:

lilyelayne- a lactation boob model sounds like a great and idea and something that could actually exist!

They do have them and have charts, but I haven't seen them outside my physiology courses or a breast specialist.

[geners]

1. How old is your LO? 13 mon
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 4-6ish and once MOTN
3. Are you dealing with any BFing-related challenges right now?The only real challenge I'd say is that he's pretty fixated on nursing right now, and where he used to fall asleep nursing, he will just nurse half asleep indefinitely. If I try to pull him off, he panics. If I don't, he will go on forever and that's not fun for me and not getting him good solid sleep. FX it's just a phase.
4. What BFing related item/gadget should exist, but doesn't? (This could be something realistic or totally magical) Not sure but when it becomes available on the market, I'd like to purchase billyhorrible's supply pill (though I would use to pump, too - I pumped way more than LO consumed for months, and now I'm pumping less) and sunfrogger88's pillow/tray

Non-BFing question of the week: Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve? Late on this, but MH and I had some fancy snacks and champagne after LO was in bed, and we watched music videos (a NYE tradition for us - we pull up YouTube on our TV and watch all our favorite music videos from the 80s etc. and our favorite new songs from the year, this year we focused on artists we lost like Prince, George Michael and David Bowie) until the ball drop, then went to bed.

[seamonster]

geners DS used to do that for naps and insist on nursing to sleep. I found it helped to start the routine for naps and bed before he started acting tired because being overly tired meant he wanted a lot of comfort.

[valie]

I love it!! Hi kelltothekell! Happy birthday to your LO!

[geners]

Jan 3, 2017 12:54:12 GMT -5 seamonster said:

geners DS used to do that for naps and insist on nursing to sleep. I found it helped to start the routine for naps and bed before he started acting tired because being overly tired meant he wanted a lot of comfort.

This is a good idea - thank you! We start bedtime later than I think we probably should. I have been thinking lately we should put him to bed earlier and eat dinner afterwards, instead of trying to eat first when we already get home from work kinda late. The evenings are so hectic and I think he's overtired.

Naps I can definitely start a little sooner. I have just had a heck of a time reading his cues lately though - not sure if he's trying to drop the second nap or what, but sometimes I have started too early and it takes forever to get him to settle, and it's almost like I swing too far the other direction next time and wait til he's overtired. UGH!

[seamonster]

Jan 3, 2017 15:16:02 GMT -5 geners said:

Jan 3, 2017 12:54:12 GMT -5 seamonster said:

geners DS used to do that for naps and insist on nursing to sleep. I found it helped to start the routine for naps and bed before he started acting tired because being overly tired meant he wanted a lot of comfort.

This is a good idea - thank you! We start bedtime later than I think we probably should. I have been thinking lately we should put him to bed earlier and eat dinner afterwards, instead of trying to eat first when we already get home from work kinda late. The evenings are so hectic and I think he's overtired.

Naps I can definitely start a little sooner. I have just had a heck of a time reading his cues lately though - not sure if he's trying to drop the second nap or what, but sometimes I have started too early and it takes forever to get him to settle, and it's almost like I swing too far the other direction next time and wait til he's overtired. UGH!

Some nights and naps it takes DS for very to settle, but he's OK if I come and go (now that we got past the hysterical crying part of sleep training). TBH, it was key for us to be able to wean for naps.

[aves0708]

I've missed this check in most of December I think, but we are still going strong!

1. 14.5 months

2. Lately it's been 4-6

3. No direct challenges. I am struggling with the idea of a child free trip this summer though. I'm pretty confident we'll still be nursing this summer and I have no idea how to make this trip happen without her and still maintain our BFing relationship.

4. I'm loving lilyelayne 's idea of something to give new moms more confidence.

For NYE we were visiting my family so after all the kids were to bed we made some appetizers, watched tv and drank wine and champagne. It was a nice low key evening.

[vvvvvfee]

Jan 3, 2017 13:16:03 GMT -5 kelltothekell said:

Question for other moms: We had a bad night last night sleep-wise. DD was up from 11:30-2:30 and was wired. She was wide awake. I had some snacks (sugar) and a soda in the afternoon. COuld this have been the culprit? I don't normally notice a difference but wondering if it was too late in the afternoon. I'm kind of grasping at straws because I don't want a repeat of last night tonight. SHe's also on an antibiotic (last day is today) and wondering if that could be it. She also has gained some new skills lately (standing, etc.) so wondering if it could be a developmental leap. Just looking for help. She's never been the best sleeper.

if your LO has never reacted to caffeine before, then i wouldn't think that would be it. my vote is for developmental leap. although maybe if the antibiotic is upsetting her stomach, perhaps that woke her up and she had trouble settling again. sorry-- it's brutal, but pretty normal. when DS2 (my relatively easygoing child) is wired at bedtime and has trouble settling, we usually just leave him to babble and bop around in his crib until he tires himself out (crib is in our room). with DS1 (high needs), usually DH would get up with him and either let him run around until he collapsed from exhaustion, or hold him while he played relaxing music until he conked out.