With DS, DH's grad happened when he was only 3 weeks old. I was nervous about feeding in front of people besides DH and my midwives but between military and college ceremonies and having tons of family around in our tiny apartment, it was a 3 day NIP crash course. After nursing at a military parade, I felt confident to do it anywhere haha. Good thing because we moved a few weeks later which meant feeding in front of moving guys, at airports, on planes, and in hotel lobbies.
Post by erinshelley21 on Apr 17, 2017 19:02:08 GMT -5
My supply struggles in the evening. After 6pm I can hardly hand express any. I think this is why DD eats so often because there's hardly anything there. It's been like this for a couple weeks. I usually have about 70oz of water drank by the time this happens. Is that too low? I'm thinking power pumping during the evening for a few days might be the answer along with drinking 100oz before 5? DD will be 6 weeks on Thursday and the soonest I could start power pumping is Saturday night when Dh will be home for 4 days straight.
I can't latch while covered unless I make a tent with my head and look ridiculous. I feel like it makes a huge spectacle.
A friend gave me her old nursing cover called "babe aulait" - it is basically a Muslin blanket with ribbing/boning in the top so it arches out. It's really nice because you can see down and help make the latch without being a tent head, but others can't see your boob unless they are like right over your shoulder. They are kinda expensive but would be easy to make if you had the time and a sewing machine.
A friend gave me her old nursing cover called "babe aulait" - it is basically a Muslin blanket with ribbing/boning in the top so it arches out. It's really nice because you can see down and help make the latch without being a tent head, but others can't see your boob unless they are like right over your shoulder. They are kinda expensive but would be easy to make if you had the time and a sewing machine.
I'm past the point of caring, but that is perfect! I can't believe I have never seen that before.
That and the silicone pump are both new to me. I love tcf!
I have one called an Udder Cover, and it's perfect for seeing the latch and checking on baby. I also feel like she tolerates it better because the top is an air vent of sorts. It was $10 on Amazon and I love it.
So with covers do you wrangle your crying baby while putting it on with the other hand? Why does it seem so complicated for me? Maybe because my baby doesn't nurse well . I don't know. It seems impossible to me.
It would be nice to use a cover for pumping though. I feel like the machine and flanges look so bizzare that I would get stares for sure if I was doing it on public without a cover.
erinshelley21 water always can help. Have you considered the shift of atmosphere, it is more stressful due to toddler bed time/ your H being home? Are you eating enough?
It doesn't matter if DH is home or gone. She is on the boob 6-9:30 every night. I think the lack of milk is what is making me have to leave her to cry when I put ds to bed when Dh is at work. Like right now I'm laying with him while he takes forever to fall asleep and she's in the other room crying her head off. I've tried several nights to get her down for at least a nap by 8 and it's not happening and the only thing I can think is she's not satisfied enough to sleep.
My supply struggles in the evening. After 6pm I can hardly hand express any. I think this is why DD eats so often because there's hardly anything there. It's been like this for a couple weeks. I usually have about 70oz of water drank by the time this happens. Is that too low? I'm thinking power pumping during the evening for a few days might be the answer along with drinking 100oz before 5? DD will be 6 weeks on Thursday and the soonest I could start power pumping is Saturday night when Dh will be home for 4 days straight.
No real advice, just solidarity. My supply is terrible in the afternoon/evening so that's when I'm supplementing most. I don't know what you do if you're not combo feeding. But power pumping sounds like a great plan!!
Today the LC told me not to let him just eat forever (when I can tell my supply is low sometimes he'll switch nurse for 2-3 hrs) bc she said then it's not giving my boobs time to replenish...so she has me trying to top him off with an ounce or two of formula after an hour max to give me a break. Maybe you could try this with pumped breastmilk? Not sure if it's good advice but seems to be working for me (with formula) so thought I'd throw it out there!
It doesn't matter if DH is home or gone. She is on the boob 6-9:30 every night. I think the lack of milk is what is making me have to leave her to cry when I put ds to bed when Dh is at work. Like right now I'm laying with him while he takes forever to fall asleep and she's in the other room crying her head off. I've tried several nights to get her down for at least a nap by 8 and it's not happening and the only thing I can think is she's not satisfied enough to sleep.
Are you willing to try some formula to see if your theory is true?
I like your plan of power pumping.
I don't think there is much else you can do that you aren't trying already.
Sorry love.
I might have too. I'm going to try the power pumping first then I'll try a couple bottles at night before I put ds to bed if that doesn't work.
Today the LC told me not to let him just eat forever (when I can tell my supply is low sometimes he'll switch nurse for 2-3 hrs) bc she said then it's not giving my boobs time to replenish...so she has me trying to top him off with an ounce or two of formula after an hour max to give me a break. Maybe you could try this with pumped breastmilk? Not sure if it's good advice but seems to be working for me (with formula) so thought I'd throw it out there!
I can see how this makes sense. After an hour and 15 minute break I leaked during letdown on the side she wasn't eating on.
Post by kristhegirl on Apr 17, 2017 20:22:32 GMT -5
erinshelley21 evening is the normal supply low point, so at least it's not unusual. Not a lot of comfort or help in that, though. I'll echo @justinslovo, are you eating enough?
I'd also try not continually nursing - how long is a typical day session? Set a cap, like 20 minutes per boob per session (or some approximation of a day session) and then - do you have a carrier? Even if she's not full, she's not starving. She might like just being close to you.
I'd honestly try a milk or formula bottle to see if it's really actual hunger before power pumping, but that's just personal preference.
Post by erinshelley21 on Apr 17, 2017 20:31:58 GMT -5
kristhegirl she's always been a quick nurser so she never goes longer than 20 per feeding during the day and motn. I'll try the carrier tomorrow evening and see if that helps. We'll be out at DS's practice so being away from home might help too.
I don't mind the power pumping. I'm not afraid of an oversupply. I had to fight to maintain a supply with ds plus I'm getting ready to go back to work in 3 weeks so getting a little ahead of the dip might not be a bad idea.
So with covers do you wrangle your crying baby while putting it on with the other hand? Why does it seem so complicated for me? Maybe because my baby doesn't nurse well . I don't know. It seems impossible to me.
It would be nice to use a cover for pumping though. I feel like the machine and flanges look so bizzare that I would get stares for sure if I was doing it on public without a cover.
I use a cover when around guy friends and would in public too, especially with pumping where the nipple is exposed completely. I'm a teacher and would be paranoid to have a student run into me with my boob on display. If I were in a different place on vacation I don't think I'd care. ANYWAY- in response to your question- I throw it on before grabbing baby, then just bring baby under the cover, pull out the breast and work on the latch. The ribbing on the cover makes that part easier.
Post by daisylola11 on Apr 17, 2017 23:55:51 GMT -5
erinshelley21 I agree with both pp about drinking more water and also the carrier. It always seems around the time my toddler goes to bed LO is fussy, doesn't want to be put down and roots like crazy. I have put her in the carrier read my son his bedtime story and put him to bed and she was sleeping the whole time. Hopefully it works for you, hearing baby cry while you tend to the older kid is so hard.
Also it was around the 6-7 week mark I experience an increase in supply, I didn't do anything on purpose to make this happened so maybe it's part of growth spurts and all the cluster feeding. Could be coming your way
daisylola11 my biggest problem is we have to lay with ds while he falls asleep. Not as issue when Dh is home but it is 3 nights a week when he isn't.
We lay down with DS1 for bedtime, too. I've just been taking the baby with me and nursing him in the bed while I read and sing to DS1. Any chance you can bring the baby?
daisylola11 my biggest problem is we have to lay with ds while he falls asleep. Not as issue when Dh is home but it is 3 nights a week when he isn't.
We lay down with DS1 for bedtime, too. I've just been taking the baby with me and nursing him in the bed while I read and sing to DS1. Any chance you can bring the baby?
I could I guess. I've been trying to save his bed time for one on one time.
We lay down with DS1 for bedtime, too. I've just been taking the baby with me and nursing him in the bed while I read and sing to DS1. Any chance you can bring the baby?
I could I guess. I've been trying to save his bed time for one on one time.
Yeah, it's definitely not ideal. It's really freaking hard to juggle 2 little ones. I hope find a solution that works for you!
Post by erinshelley21 on Apr 18, 2017 19:38:39 GMT -5
Tonight has been a little better. My water intake was at 90oz by 5:30 and DD went to SILs around then so I could have a beer with family. She took a 3oz bottle around 6 I think and didn't want to eat again until 7:45. I pumped for comfort around 7. She's been nursing since though.
I think I just have to ride this out until I go back to work and hope that we settle into a routine then. I still might start power pumping but not until Saturday probably.
Post by erinshelley21 on Apr 18, 2017 19:48:16 GMT -5
I tried giving her a paci a little bit ago after she nursed for a while and she was sucking on that really hard. Then I tickled her cheek when she started fussing a few minutes ago after I posted and she attacked it.
DS was like this. He loaded up and then passed out hard.
Post by moutonrouge on Apr 19, 2017 8:10:27 GMT -5
I thought we made some epic progress with the bottle situation. Our latest attempts have been with freshly pumped milk, an expensive bottle, lying down, and squeezing some milk into her mouth to get her interested. I thought she took a lot this am but when I picked her up realized she'd been letting it dribble out the other side of her mouth. Sigh. But the bottle was in her mouth and she latched on it a few times. So there's been some improvement!
Post by erinshelley21 on Apr 19, 2017 18:42:58 GMT -5
Carrier + more water for the win! She went 2 hours earlier without eating during the evening hours. I'm hoping this leads to her being a little more content while I put ds to bed soon.
I thought we made some epic progress with the bottle situation. Our latest attempts have been with freshly pumped milk, an expensive bottle, lying down, and squeezing some milk into her mouth to get her interested. I thought she took a lot this am but when I picked her up realized she'd been letting it dribble out the other side of her mouth. Sigh. But the bottle was in her mouth and she latched on it a few times. So there's been some improvement!
My cousin swears by the latch bottle from I think munchkin?
I've finally noticed a slight improvement in supply. Day 2 of having flax and brewers yeast with my oatmeal in the morning- either as my breakfast or late morning snack. I've also been taking domperidone for about a week now. Not a huge increase yet but enough to notice.
DS is still only latching occasionally during the day and never gets enough to satisfy himself. Sigh. It looks like we are mainly pumping for the rest of this year. I'm accepting this now and I feel ok about it. At least he is getting mostly breast milk and that's what was important to me.
mikaela20 your last 2 sentences are amazing. You are doing wonderful and are such a strong woman.
Thank you!
My H has been a huge support with this feeding/pumping and always encourages and helps me. He brings me snacks when I'm hooked up, fills my water and even cleans my pump parts when I'm dealing with baby. It's so sweet .
I thought we made some epic progress with the bottle situation. Our latest attempts have been with freshly pumped milk, an expensive bottle, lying down, and squeezing some milk into her mouth to get her interested. I thought she took a lot this am but when I picked her up realized she'd been letting it dribble out the other side of her mouth. Sigh. But the bottle was in her mouth and she latched on it a few times. So there's been some improvement!
My cousin swears by the latch bottle from I think munchkin?
If you've tried that bottle ignore me.
I haven't tried those - that's good to know! I've also heard I should try Dr. Brown's preemie.
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