Not post partum yet but a question for those who are or have been there - do you pump after each feeding? I have a PISA and a manual pump, would it be better to use one over the other at first?
I personally pump a lot. Not after every feeding but if for some reason she only takes to one boob and is done. That happens all the time. Then I'll pump the other breast.
Also, I pump if I leave the house and miss a feeding and DH has to feed her. Tomorrow night, we are going to dinner and I'll have to pump before for her bottle and probably in the car on the way back. It's a pain, but I can't stay inside forever! Haha.
This my third... I'm having a tough time not over-doing it physically. After 9 months of pukey blah, I'm ready to do all the things, and my body isn't ready.
Oldest child (DD) graduates from kindergarten tonight. I will be a tired, hormonal, emotional wreck.
Echo redlipz about the one day at a time nursing. My poor nipples. I have to mentally prepare for latch on, then breathe/whimper/hold back the screaming for a minute or so. Unless he decides to have a false start and needs a do-over...
OMG story of my life. "Whimper" and "false start". You just saw into my soul.
Yeah I have heard that about pumping but I need to figure it out before then - and I've heard a lot about women pumping so dad can feed, too.
A situation that we have run into is the baby's weight and jaundice. We were told to give formula every 3rd feeding to bulk him up, and I have had to do 12 hour holds on breastfeeding where we only gave formula because of the jaundice. As a result, I'm pumping when he has to take the formula in order to help establish my supply. That milk has already come in handy when he gets fussy and wants to eat outside of normal feeding times, since H can step in and feed him. I think it's a situation of what works best for you and your baby.
Oh budders that's horrible breastfeeding advice you have received so far. There is no need to take baby off of breastmilk to clear jaundice, that's old school advice. Breastmilk has a laxative effect and clears jaundice faster than formula. the only advantage to formula is that you can readily get a lot of it fast, but it can be binding and cause baby to not poop very often, and if they don't poop they don't clear jaundice.
as my sig line says I type novels not posts, but I don't want to overwhelm with too much all at once, esp not knowing your full story. But baby is less than a week old and I want you to get off on the best foot possible.
I think generally it's not recommended to pump unless of course you can't nurse, because baby has to go to the nicu or something, if your milk is taking long to come in or if you're having low supply after it's in (pumping after feeding to try to stimulate more milk). Otherwise you should not pump for a few weeks (I think like 6) because you want your baby to establish your supply.
Really?! Of course, I started pumping because Alaska was in the NICU, but what happens when you go out and miss a feeding? You aren't supposed to leave and pump a bottle for the baby for six weeks?!
Ok so this is the advice for pumping.
Unless you have weight gain concerns or baby in NICU or other complications, you should avoid pumping in the first few weeks or you will make engorgement worse. If you start pumping you have to continue to pump, and nobody has time to be tied to a pump when they need to be resting in between taking care of their demanding little one and recouperating from birth and all that.
It's best to wait until after the 3 week growth spurt settles down to begin pumping. Pumping once a day first thing in the am when supply is highest due to higher prolactin hormone level works out for most moms best. You may find that baby takes their full feeding mostly from one side and you pump the other side, or you may want to wait a half hour or hour after first nursing session to pump. AT first you may only get 1/2-1 oz because pumping is a learned skill, your body doesn't know to let down milk for a hard cold pump, so you'll only get residual milk in the milk sinuses under the areola and in the ductwork. After a few days to a week you'll get used to it and start letting down milk for the pump, or you may have to pump one side while nursing on the other side so baby can help your body learn to let down for the pump.
Once you got a handle on the pumping, you intro the bottle, usually once a day at first, then a few times a week to stay in practice so baby will be ready to take a bottle esp if you return to work at 6 weeks like so many moms do. We used to tell everyone to wait til after 6 week growth spurt to intro bottle and pump but that didn't work out for all those early return to work moms, and baby is a bit more set in their ways after 6 weeks and might begin to reject the bottle knowing that mom is best.
When you give a bottle, you pump to replace that milk--if you are out and about you pump as close as possible to when baby eats, but it doesn't have to be exact.
Use paced bottle feeding, slow flow bottle nipples and appropriate sized bottles. Before about 3 weeks of age, babies take really small amts. When first born it's about one swallow of amniotic fluid is the size of their stomach the size of a marble or a cherry, then it stretches up from there kind of slowly, the size of a shooter marble then the size of a golf ball. By around 3 weeks they are taking in a reasonable amt, about 2.5-3 oz every 2.5-3 hours. Average intake is 25 oz a day, 1 oz per hour, but the range is 19-30 oz a day. So be careful that bottle size is not too large, or you'll stretch out their stomachs and they'll become less satisfied at the breast.
That paced bottle feeding means slow flow bottle nipple, lots of pauses to burp and switch sides, sit baby more upright and tilt bottle downward so gravity doesn't speed the flow, a whole bottle should take about 20 minutes to resemble breastfeeding, so they don't come to prefer the faster flow of the bottle. that would be what people call nipple confusion, but it's really bottle nipple flow preference in most instances.
So no, you don't have to just stay home for 6 weeks, or take baby everywhere you go or whatever.
OMG the engorgement is awful. I pumped just for 5 min to try to get some relief and they practically immediately blew up like balloons...so no more pumping. Baby is having a hard time with it too and won't stay on more than a few minutes because the milk is practically choking him.
Yeah pumping tends to make engorgement worse, especially if you try to pump on too high of a setting you can temporarily collapse milk ducts so you won't get much milk out, as well as cause some more swelling of tissues, or pain like a hickey from the suction.
To deal with engorgement, use warm compresses or showers or soak the boob in a bowl of warm water, to speed the blood flow, and allow some milk to leak out. do this limitedly and alternate with cool compresses, peas in your bra, soak in cool water, LIMITED use of cold cabbage leaves, and motrin to relieve the swelling and inflammation.
To help baby latch, use reverse pressure softening, which is grabbing the boobahs and pressing backward toward the chest wall to literally push fluids back away from the areola so baby can latch. You can also try hand expressing some milk, which doesn't usually cause increased swelling like pumping does.
if the flow is really high, lean backwards in a laid back nursing position, or lean back after latching, also try football hold with baby sitting more upright with head a bit higher than the breast, or side lying--these keep gravity from increasing the flow and drowning baby.
When you hear gulping or baby struggling, take them off, break latch with pinky in the corner of their mouth and let the extra fast flow go into a towel or cup and relatch when the flow slows.
Engorgement should really only last a day or three, and then you'll just be a bit extra full when it's time for feedings. Doing a lot of pumping, if it was working for you, would make the engorgement last longer, which puts you at risk of plugged ducts and mastitis.
Not post partum yet but a question for those who are or have been there - do you pump after each feeding? I have a PISA and a manual pump, would it be better to use one over the other at first?
Do NOT pump after every feeding, or even pump very much in the first few weeks. It makes engorgement worse, leads to oversupply, which comes with side effect of the GI type for baby, and puts mom at risk of plugged ducts and mastitis. Pumps are useful tools, but no need to pump all the time, especially not after every feeding. Pumping after every feeding would work to tell your body that baby actually ate all that milk, so body tends to make even more milk. so baby now has to eat even more milk to get to the fattier hindmilk or they just get foremilk and pump gets the hindmilk.
Post by missjenniebean on Jun 12, 2015 6:36:21 GMT -5
budders when I was at children's for jaundice they just had me pump after each feeding and feed her that as well to help with weight gain and to clear the jaundice - they said breastmilk has everything the baby needs to help clear it out. They might have used supplements if we needed to be in the nicu, though.
Hope it clears up soon and if you need anything pm me, okay?
Not post partum yet but a question for those who are or have been there - do you pump after each feeding? I have a PISA and a manual pump, would it be better to use one over the other at first?
I personally pump a lot. Not after every feeding but if for some reason she only takes to one boob and is done. That happens all the time. Then I'll pump the other breast.
Also, I pump if I leave the house and miss a feeding and DH has to feed her. Tomorrow night, we are going to dinner and I'll have to pump before for her bottle and probably in the car on the way back. It's a pain, but I can't stay inside forever! Haha.
My girls always only fed from one side at a feeding, I just alternated sides at each feeding. As long as they're growing there's nothing wrong with that.
Ditto what tulips114 said, I blame myself for too much, too soon. But also, your ligaments (and mine) are still experiencing the effects of the relaxin, so until everything firms up again, I expect I'll be a little sore.
I'm probably over doing it also. I have two other monkeys so it's kinda hard not to. My mom suggested I wear a girdle thing for support but it's so freakin hot here, I'd probably melt.
We are approaching week 3 post partum and I'm actually feeling like my old self, minus sleep deprivation haha. I have a lot more energy, and was even able to go for a short walk with LO around the block and make a Target trip while my mom watched her yesterday. I'm finding even sitting outside on the porch during the day helps with attitude and overall well- being....hello Vitamin D!
I personally pump a lot. Not after every feeding but if for some reason she only takes to one boob and is done. That happens all the time. Then I'll pump the other breast.
Also, I pump if I leave the house and miss a feeding and DH has to feed her. Tomorrow night, we are going to dinner and I'll have to pump before for her bottle and probably in the car on the way back. It's a pain, but I can't stay inside forever! Haha.
My girls always only fed from one side at a feeding, I just alternated sides at each feeding. As long as they're growing there's nothing wrong with that.
+1 to this. DS and now this LO both only do one at a time. It never bothered me.
Yes. Did you get an epidural? My doctor said mine could be related to that. It's getting better every day though so not too concerned about it
I'm having this too and headaches.
Yes, which I regret because I started pushing right after. And the headaches attacked last night. I feel like I got ran over today. My back hurts, my tummy hurts, my head, my breasts.
I'll admit, going through this birth experience and first week of post partum symptoms, hindsight is making realize how much anxiety I had with DS 2 years ago that I thought was normal, but I'm realizing may have been a little deeper than regular baby blues. My first post partum cry was actually just a couple nights ago and it was out of complete happiness. I'm tired, yes, but things are so much less complicated in my head than last time around. Now talk to me next week when H is back to work full time
I don't have a lot of advice, but will say when DS was in the NICU he was only on breast milk, whether it was whatever I could pump to the point where he could do it on his own, and he was treated for jaundice for a couple days.
As for this time around with DD, my engorgement seems to be slowing down and still the occasional painful latch but improving. I am seriously beginning to think I popped my pelvis out of place though, it's cracking lots and not very comfortable to sleep. Also got a sucky case of PUPPP that spread post partum, but seems to be easing up on me thank goodness, it was the worst part of recovery this time around no question.
Hope everyone is doing ok today, I totally agree with the one day at a time mantra!
Are you slouching when you nurse? put a boppy pillow under baby and bring baby up and sit up straighter.
Are you bending over to do diaper duty on your bed or couch? put baby on a higher changing table or sit down and change diaper with baby at the same level as you.
Your core muscles are very weak right now so you need to give them some support. like when pregnant, put that pillow behind your back, and prop the feet up on a stool a bit.
We are approaching week 3 post partum and I'm actually feeling like my old self, minus sleep deprivation haha. I have a lot more energy, and was even able to go for a short walk with LO around the block and make a Target trip while my mom watched her yesterday. I'm finding even sitting outside on the porch during the day helps with attitude and overall well- being....hello Vitamin D!
I'm 2 week pp and feeling the same! We ventured to Target yesterday and to the pediatrician today... It felt so nice to get out!! Sleep deprivation just feels part of normal now
Are you slouching when you nurse? put a boppy pillow under baby and bring baby up and sit up straighter.
Are you bending over to do diaper duty on your bed or couch? put baby on a higher changing table or sit down and change diaper with baby at the same level as you.
Your core muscles are very weak right now so you need to give them some support. like when pregnant, put that pillow behind your back, and prop the feet up on a stool a bit.
Motrin for pain and soreness is fine too.
Yeah that's probably it. I really started feeling it last night after I got done bathing baby in the tub. Do you think a girdle would help a bit?
Are you slouching when you nurse? put a boppy pillow under baby and bring baby up and sit up straighter.
Are you bending over to do diaper duty on your bed or couch? put baby on a higher changing table or sit down and change diaper with baby at the same level as you.
Your core muscles are very weak right now so you need to give them some support. like when pregnant, put that pillow behind your back, and prop the feet up on a stool a bit.
Motrin for pain and soreness is fine too.
Yeah that's probably it. I really started feeling it last night after I got done bathing baby in the tub. Do you think a girdle would help a bit?
Some people find the post partum tummy wrap/support things to be helpful, but really it's going to take rest, support and regaining those core muscles.
Post by wegrowsheep on Jun 13, 2015 23:46:35 GMT -5
Feeling something nasty coming on... Chills, wicked headache, and my right boob is not touchable even after nursing. Going to take a bath and pray it isn't mastitis. Ugh.
Feeling something nasty coming on... Chills, wicked headache, and my right boob is not touchable even after nursing. Going to take a bath and pray it isn't mastitis. Ugh.
Uh oh. I hope it's not that because that is sooo painful. Have you put a warm compress to help release milk and massage at the same time? Also after doing that try icing to reduce swelling.
Feeling something nasty coming on... Chills, wicked headache, and my right boob is not touchable even after nursing. Going to take a bath and pray it isn't mastitis. Ugh.
yeah sounds like mastitis, go ahead and call your dr don't wait til it gets worse.
Feeling something nasty coming on... Chills, wicked headache, and my right boob is not touchable even after nursing. Going to take a bath and pray it isn't mastitis. Ugh.
yeah sounds like mastitis, go ahead and call your dr don't wait til it gets worse.
Unfortunately, I'm familiar with it, but last time it didn't hit til about 6 weeks PP. 8 days PP has got to be some kind of joke.
I need a vacation, I'm doing a lot of this on my own and DH doesn't seem to get that I need help. I'm sick of how much he's cussing around the baby and how much he's losing his patience with me. Someone pass the beer!
Oh honey, join the club:/ we are just talking about this on MOTN post. Have you asked him for help or even given him things to do? Is he telling you how he's feeling about the whole situation?
The day we got home from the hospital I had a melt down because of visitors and my husband started calling me an idiot for crying and just kept string fuel. Today I found my discharge papers and it talked about hormones n crying n stuff and I asked him to read it. He apologized and asked how he could help. That felt good.
redlipz I'm sorry you dealt with that when you were so emotional! I find myself randomoy crying, and husband doesn't understand why. I tell him it's the hornones, and he at least is okay with that explanation. He usually hugs me and tells me it'll be okay. This is our first, so we are learning everything as we go. He had an 8-year old, but we didn't know about her until a year ago. So he wasn't around for her newborn stage or any of that. Not by choice though.
Post by wegrowsheep on Jun 14, 2015 18:14:45 GMT -5
Update on mastitis: Spiked a fever this morning, 101.5 Migraine is worse than my sad right boob. Made it into urgent care, and got antibiotics. Bottle says may cause nausea, lol. Guess who still has zofran.... Also taking 4 advil 2x daily.
Update on mastitis: Spiked a fever this morning, 101.5 Migraine is worse than my sad right boob. Made it into urgent care, and got antibiotics. Bottle says may cause nausea, lol. Guess who still has zofran.... Also taking 4 advil 2x daily.
Don't ever get this shit. So miserable!
Ugh! So sorry! Are there ways to avoid getting it?
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