Mommy Milk Monday 6/1

[cougarette]

Nursing and pumping at work

Definitely ebf for six months and still continue for at least a year. In not sure how far past a year I'll go, though. No solids for us yet.

No AF, thank goodness

Over the weekends it's about the same. He seems to have an additional feeding in the evening, but it still ends up being about 7 feedings a day.

He sleeps great and I'm enjoying it now before the 4 month regression. He's been getting up for the day earlier than I'd like, but no real motn wake ups.

I struggle with the frequency. Sometimes it still feels like all I do is feed him. Even though it's only about 7 times a day, because he sleeps so much at night (yay) he will still eat about every 2 hours during the day (boo). It makes it hard to do things over the weekend because I'm still not super comfortable nip, though I do it all the time.

I'm looking forward to getting my chimparoo and wearing him more while we're out. I only have a moby and it's way too hot for that now.

[hollydfromtn]

Jun 1, 2015 14:21:52 GMT -5 junebugjam said:

Jun 1, 2015 14:16:14 GMT -5 toadandbuggie said:

misshart00, I have similar feelings. I don't love breastfeeding. I don't mind it either, but lately I wish I was unburdened from it, especially going back to work. Or when I want to have a few drinks.

Totally agree with all of this. I'm not a big drinker, but with summer here I would love a daiquiri. But since he won't bottle feed I can't even pump and dump. And it's so limiting to not be away from him for more than 2-3 hours. I don't even feel comfortable going to a movie with my H.

I am starting to lose my mind with DS' refusal of the bottle business. I'm glad I didn't start a big stash only to have him never drink it. We are on week 2 of trying to get him to take it again and he's had about an ounce and a half combined. I've had to pour out 7 ounces so far.

[lilyelayne]

osumegs how did the weight check go?
junebugjam it's normal for supply to be lower in evenings, but likely still enough for LO. And it's okay to have a drink (or so, depending on you) and still nurse. The general rule I've heard is okay to drive, okay to nurse. If you're really worried, drinking while nursing or immediately after gives the most amount of time for alcohol to clear out of your milk.
misshart00 sorry you're not having success with the bottle
michelle142 I can't wait til DS can sit unassisted either!
mommadozer hope your nips heal quickly
flyster matching Fourth of July outfits sound awesome!
hollydfromtn happy early anniversary!

[osumegs]

lilyelayne She was up to 11 lb 7 oz from 11 lb 3 oz last Monday. They were happy with her progress. She still is only at 8th percentIle (born at 82nd), but she is gaining not losing! Thanks for asking!

[krispy83]

EBFing, EPing, Supplementing, Combo? EBFing

How long do you wish to continue doing what you're doing? Any solids yet? I'm planning to BF until DD is 16-17 months (next summer). I BFed DS until that point and weaning gradually at the beginning of the summer worked really well for us, so that's my plan this time around. No solids until 6 months

Have you gotten your AF yet? No, but I went on the mini-pill at 8 weeks

Are you nursing the same, more, less? A little less - she went from 7 or 8 times a day to 6 or 7 (depending on if she wakes in the MOTN)

How is LO sleeping? I'm afraid to jinx myself because DS' sleep was always crap and I'm just waiting for DD's to go that way as well. But so far, really well. She goes down between 8:30 and 9 and about 50% of the time has one wakeup around 4-5, eats and goes right back to sleep. Then she's up between 7:30 and 8. Of course this will all shift a bit when I go back to work in August, but for now it's good. We're working on naps in the crib and that's been a bit of a struggle, but I want to get her used to napping there before we start to transition her at night.

Biggest struggle yet? Daytime naps where she's not being held/worn.


GTKY: What is something you are looking forward to? DH is out for the summer on Friday. I'm so looking forward to him being around more! Financially, it sucks sometimes that we're both teachers, but I love having so much family time during the summers.

[seamonster]

EBFing, EPing, Supplementing, Combo?
Nursing and pumping at work. Probably will need to start combo feeding again during the week because I'm not able to pump enough most days even with 5 sessions and as of today my freezer stash is gone. I'm over all my guilt about combo feeding and f the noise about pumping to replace the amount LO'd eat in formula ; if I could do that easily I wouldn't need to use formula.

How long do you wish to continue doing what you're doing? Any solids yet? I'd like to get to 6 months. Do not plan to nurse past a year. No solids until 6 months and then MH can go crazy (within limits) with all the foods he wants LO to try. I'm taking it one day at a time. I don't mind nursing, but hate pumping.

Have you gotten your AF yet?
Once at 6 weeks PP. Started the minipill at 10 weeks, but nothing since 6 weeks pp. Not clear how periods work on the minipill anyway.

Are you nursing the same, more, less?
Around 8 or 9 times a day. Go to sleep around 930 to 1030, sleep until 130 to 330, and then up every 2 to 3 hours after that. Evenings are sometimes clusterfeed central and sometimes not. Depends if I'm trying to indulge in an adult beverage or get things done. MOTN nursing and the first morning one take around an hour to an hour and a half because he sleep eats (I try to sleep feed). Too tired mist nights to pump after he's done.

How is LO sleeping?
Nights are ok. We've had a few 7 hour stretches, but mostly get one good 4 or 5 hour stretch. Daytime naps don't really happen. He gets maybe 4 or 5 half hour naps on someone or in his carseat or bouncer. He sleeps fine in his crib at night, just not during the day. Daycare and I continue to fight for crib naps.

Biggest struggle yet?
Pumping. I don't know how EPers do it. 5 pump sessions a day for 20 to 30 minutes and I'm still not able most days to get him the 12 to 15 oz he needs at daycare. I keep throwing money at trying to get it to work, but will probably start combo feeding again on work days just to get by.

GTKY: What is something you are looking forward to?
We have a trip to Germany planned in a few weeks. Won't get to meet relatives while we're there, but LO is at least getting to visit the city his great grandmother was from.

[lilyelayne]

seamonster glad you're not driving yourself crazy over the possibility of supplementing, even though you worked so hard & eventually got to drop his formula bottle. You're awesome at taking care of your LO

[RedGiant]

EBFing, EPing, Supplementing, Combo? BF

How long do you wish to continue doing what you're doing? Any solids yet?
Plan to nurse until at least a year, maybe up to 2. No solid until 6 months.

Have you gotten your AF yet? Nope. Hoping it doesn't come back until a year like with DS.

Are you nursing the same, more, less? Same

How is LO sleeping? She seems to be on the better side of the 4 month sleep issues, getting back to our 1 or 2 wake ups at night. Naps are still hit or miss.

Biggest struggle yet? Juggling schedules of two kids, especially since they don't nap simultaneously often.


GTKY: What is something you are looking forward to? Going to see Chris Hardwick in DC this weekend, and a family beach vacation in September to OBX.

[mishka29]

Jun 1, 2015 20:18:38 GMT -5 osumegs said:

lilyelayne She was up to 11 lb 7 oz from 11 lb 3 oz last Monday. They were happy with her progress. She still is only at 8th percentIle (born at 82nd), but she is gaining not losing! Thanks for asking!

Glad to hear you had a good apt! 

[mommadozer]

Any other working moms get anxiety during the day about whether they are going to pump enough milk for your LO?

I swear I am cutting it so close today.

[flyster]

Jun 2, 2015 15:05:31 GMT -5 mommadozer said:

Any other working moms get anxiety during the day about whether they are going to pump enough milk for your LO?

I swear I am cutting it so close today.

Every day Right now I'm pumping either just enough, or sometimes (today) I don't think it will be enough, so I'll have to dig into my stash for tomorrow. Sometimes I think the problem isn't the amount of milk, but that letdown isn't happening quickly enough.  I look at pictures, videos, ect. but thats not doing it. I think maybe something that smells like him? 

[lilyelayne]

Jun 2, 2015 17:47:44 GMT -5 flyster said:

Jun 2, 2015 15:05:31 GMT -5 mommadozer said:

Any other working moms get anxiety during the day about whether they are going to pump enough milk for your LO?

I swear I am cutting it so close today.

Every day Right now I'm pumping either just enough, or sometimes (today) I don't think it will be enough, so I'll have to dig into my stash for tomorrow. Sometimes I think the problem isn't the amount of milk, but that letdown isn't happening quickly enough.  I look at pictures, videos, ect. but thats not doing it. I think maybe something that smells like him? 

Might be a gross but sometimes sniffing a gently used burp rag does the trick for me. Not one that's super funky, just one that smells a bit like milk and baby.

[flyster]

lilyelayne, thanks, I'll try that one. I was thinking taking his swaddle sack from day care or something to work, lol. Something he has been in alot.

[cougarette]

flyster, do you have the PISA? Have you tried pushing the let-down button and see if that helps?

[seamonster]

Jun 2, 2015 17:47:44 GMT -5 flyster said:

Jun 2, 2015 15:05:31 GMT -5 mommadozer said:

Any other working moms get anxiety during the day about whether they are going to pump enough milk for your LO?

I swear I am cutting it so close today.

Every day Right now I'm pumping either just enough, or sometimes (today) I don't think it will be enough, so I'll have to dig into my stash for tomorrow. Sometimes I think the problem isn't the amount of milk, but that letdown isn't happening quickly enough.  I look at pictures, videos, ect. but thats not doing it. I think maybe something that smells like him? 

Yeap, I'm in the same boat. I just don't respond well to the pump and have a lot of milk left behind. Now it seems my pumped milk has a hind/foremilk imbalance because I'm just not able to get out much hindmilk.

[lilyelayne]

Jun 2, 2015 22:00:38 GMT -5 seamonster said:

Jun 2, 2015 17:47:44 GMT -5 flyster said:

Every day Right now I'm pumping either just enough, or sometimes (today) I don't think it will be enough, so I'll have to dig into my stash for tomorrow. Sometimes I think the problem isn't the amount of milk, but that letdown isn't happening quickly enough.  I look at pictures, videos, ect. but thats not doing it. I think maybe something that smells like him? 

Yeap, I'm in the same boat. I just don't respond well to the pump and have a lot of milk left behind. Now it seems my pumped milk has a hind/foremilk imbalance because I'm just not able to get out much hindmilk.

I know it would be a pain, but have you tried a manual pump - either for a whole session or to finish up? Maybe it would be different enough you would respond better? Might not be feasible.

[mommadozer]

Jun 2, 2015 17:47:44 GMT -5 flyster said:

Jun 2, 2015 15:05:31 GMT -5 mommadozer said:

Any other working moms get anxiety during the day about whether they are going to pump enough milk for your LO?

I swear I am cutting it so close today.

Every day Right now I'm pumping either just enough, or sometimes (today) I don't think it will be enough, so I'll have to dig into my stash for tomorrow. Sometimes I think the problem isn't the amount of milk, but that letdown isn't happening quickly enough.  I look at pictures, videos, ect. but thats not doing it. I think maybe something that smells like him? 

Yes, I am pumping almost exactly what I need for the following day. I wouldn't be as worried but, my stash got depleted. Ugh. I will have to try bringing something that smells like Hank to work with me.

[seamonster]

Jun 3, 2015 6:18:15 GMT -5 lilyelayne said:

Jun 2, 2015 22:00:38 GMT -5 seamonster said:

Yeap, I'm in the same boat. I just don't respond well to the pump and have a lot of milk left behind. Now it seems my pumped milk has a hind/foremilk imbalance because I'm just not able to get out much hindmilk.

I know it would be a pain, but have you tried a manual pump - either for a whole session or to finish up? Maybe it would be different enough you would respond better? Might not be feasible.

I do have a manual and use it at least once a day if I have time. I paid a fortune for medela softfit flanges because I think the silicone flange of my manual is why I have a better response. Just waiting on them to arrive.

I may also try some lecithin since it's supposed to be good for clogged ducts and I'm always on the edge of those during the week.

[lulu783]

EBFing, EPing, Supplementing, Combo? EPing

How long do you wish to continue doing what you're doing? Any solids yet? As long as I can! Like PP's have said, I have anxiety every day about bringing home enough milk for the next day. We have started to introduce 2-4oz of formula to compensate. HUGE guilt at first, but I'm over it. What can I do?

Have you gotten your AF yet? Yep - TWICE. Pretty sure I ovulated yesterday and my supply dips a good 6oz on the few days around ovulation. Sadz.

Are you nursing the same, more, less? No more nursing, but I try to pump every 3 hours from 5am-9/10pm.

How is LO sleeping? 7pm-5:30am every night. I keep saying I don't think I will be this lucky forever, but it's now been exactly one month. 2 long naps during the day (1-2hr) and usually one catnap (30 min). I think she is like her mama and loves her sleep.

Biggest struggle yet? The anxiety over producing enough milk, for sure. I just ordered a manual pump this morning.


GTKY: What is something you are looking forward to? bringing Mia to the beach for the first time!

[lilyelayne]

lulu783 have you read about calcium/magnesium supplements to help keep supply up during ovulation / AF?
kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/herbs/natural-treatments/#calcium

[lilyelayne]

There might be another article about it on kellymom; that's the first I found.

[lulu783]

lilyelayne - I haven't so thank you! Off to check it out!