BF/EP check in 11/16-11/29

[runningmommy519]

Answer what questions you need or want to answer.

Age of lo?

Ebf/ep/both/supp?

How's it going for our working moms?

Triumphs?

Struggles?

Questions?

Advice?

[runningmommy519]

Age of lo?
4 months yesterday

Ebf/ep/both/supp?
Breastfeeding with 1-2 bottles of fortified bm a day

Triumphs?
The last few days have gone well. I think my supply is better.

Struggles?
Shallow latch

Advice?
Hang in there

[motownthrowdown]

Age of LO: 6 months chronological, 3 adjusted

EPing. Still.

Working moms: working from home still. I'm getting very anxious about when they will have me come back. We are headed into busy season and mandatory overtime for two weeks around Christmas, so I'm also worried about pumping breaks during 10 hour days, if I'm back.

Triumphs: my output finally stayed the same while in the hospital last week. Usually it tanks because I dont pump enough and I don't eat or drink enough.

Struggles: feeling very bitter/angry/sad about my lack of actual BFing. She's started rice cereal and really likes it. She's moving up to a level 2 nipple in the mornings. I feel like I'm too late.

Questions: favorite brand of brewer's yeast? Thinking of buying some off amazon prime.

[ars093s]

motownthrowdown, I bought this brewers yeast and have been using it in cookies. I can't really taste it so I think that's good!

www.amazon.com/dp/B00014DZL6/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_30GswbDKX5EXK

[motownthrowdown]

Nov 16, 2015 12:08:46 GMT -5 ars093s said:

motownthrowdown, I bought this brewers yeast and have been using it in cookies. I can't really taste it so I think that's good!

www.amazon.com/dp/B00014DZL6/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_30GswbDKX5EXK

Perfect! This is the one I was considering, but I figured I'd see if anyone had favorites. Thank you!

[cupcakecutiern]

Age of lo? 11 weeks 5 days (I'm that person)

Ebf/ep/both/supp? Ebf

How's it going for our working moms? I go back to work next week. I'm semi looking forward and mostly dreading it.

Triumphs? I can't believe we have manage to go this long. With all the issues I had with Emma, I never thought I would have a successful nursing relationship.

Struggles? Slow weight gain, and Alexis has a bad cold, so she's been snacking all day and then nurses all night. She has been nursing for like 5-10 mins and then falls asleep. As soon as I move her she wakes up. Makes for a very long day and hard to do anything.

Questions? As far as pumping to replace a feed, how long do you pump for? Alexis is a slow feeder so she will usually nurse for 30-45 mins a side. I don't have that kind of time to pump. When I took that class I did 10-15 mins. Is that ok? Or should I pump longer?

[Deleted]

Age of lo? 3.5 mo

Ebf/ep/both/supp? Both. she started daycare last week, so takes bottles during the day and nurses at night and in the morning.

How's it going for our working moms? Today is the first day back in the office, but so far so good. Baby doesn't eat much at daycare, she is there 10 hours and eats 9-11 ounces (3x3-4ounce bottles). I guess that follows the ounce an hour rule. She usually eats twice before bed and once during the night and once in the morning, so 6-7 times per day.

Triumphs? this morning went very smoothly and baby woke up right when I needed her to.

Struggles? Timing. She eats at daycare at 4:30, so she is not ready to eat again until almost bedtime, but I want to get two feedings in, so I have been feeding and putting to bed early, and then dream feeding when i go to bed.

Questions?

Advice?

[layloo08]

@mamazbo our timing sucks too and when I close I do a dream feed too. He doesn't eat the most effectively but he's doing something.

cupcakecutiern I pump for 15 at work. N usually eats in 10 minutes but sometimes it hits the 25-30 minute mark. As long as you're pumping 2-5 min after your spray stops and you've pumped enough for her feed, you're good.

Doing a weighed feed helped me a lot. I consistently get 4oz total at each session and was worried but his weighed feed resulted in 4oz!

[hiimjamie]

Age of lo? 11 weeks last Friday

Ebf/ep/both/supp? Both, I BF on the weekends and mornings and night. He gets bottles at daycare.

Working Moms? It's going really well. I'm amazed every day at how I get exactly four 4 ounces bottles of pumped milk at work and he eats four 4 ounce bottles at daycare. Well, 3 at daycare from 830am to 4pm and one more from wife before I get home at 630pm.

Triumphs? I'm just so happy that I can do this for me son. It's honestly doing so well. No pain, no infections or anything crazy. He latches like a champ, takes the bottle great and doesn't seem to think twice of switching between bottle and boob. I seriously feel really lucky about all of this.

Struggles? Nothing at the moment

Questions? How do I know when to increase what we're feeding him? He eats 4 ounces every 3 hours at daycare. When I'm home and BF I just feed him on demand.

[skinandbones]

Nov 16, 2015 13:42:58 GMT -5 cupcakecutiern said:

Age of lo? 11 weeks 5 days (I'm that person)

Ebf/ep/both/supp? Ebf

How's it going for our working moms? I go back to work next week. I'm semi looking forward and mostly dreading it.

Triumphs? I can't believe we have manage to go this long. With all the issues I had with Emma, I never thought I would have a successful nursing relationship.

Struggles? Slow weight gain, and Alexis has a bad cold, so she's been snacking all day and then nurses all night. She has been nursing for like 5-10 mins and then falls asleep. As soon as I move her she wakes up. Makes for a very long day and hard to do anything.

Questions? As far as pumping to replace a feed, how long do you pump for? Alexis is a slow feeder so she will usually nurse for 30-45 mins a side. I don't have that kind of time to pump. When I took that class I did 10-15 mins. Is that ok? Or should I pump longer?

I put for 20 minutes. After the first 10 and after a few minutes after the milk has stopped spraying, I got the letdown button again and repeat. Typically I shot for two letdowns.

[2dumbdogs]

Age of lo?  12 weeks!

Ebf/ep/both/supp?  Both - EBF at home, bottles while at work or while escaping needy baby

How's it going for our working moms?  Not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I don't love pumping, but it's a quick break a few times a day and that's it.  I mean, the hassle of getting ready in the AM sucks, but no working mom problems related to breastfeeding.

Triumphs?  Keeping on top of pumping, cleaning, etc.  So far its working well.  Goal is finish out 2015 like this, then figure out next goal.

Questions?  Baby food intolerances...I've almost completely eliminated dairy with a lot of success.  The past 2 days my kid was an asshole and back to her old gassy ways.  What other foods could be causing this?  I have soy in my diet only when I eat Asian foods, so it's been a while.  I do still have gluten in my diet in a very lower than normal American diet amount.  What I eat a lot of:  garlic, onions.  Do seasonings do it?  My husband is convinced it's the curry we made and have been eating for a few days...

[runningmommy519]

cupcakecutiern I pump 15 min. Unless power pumping then I do 3 sessions of 10 min with 10 min break in between

hiimjamie you'll know when he's still screaming after 4 oz. I know that's kind of a lame answer but breast milk isn't like formula. It changes as baby grows to meet their needs. He may never go up in volume.

[2dumbdogs]

Nov 16, 2015 16:27:07 GMT -5 hiimjamie said:

Questions? How do I know when to increase what we're feeding him? He eats 4 ounces every 3 hours at daycare. When I'm home and BF I just feed him on demand.

Will your day care feed on demand?  Mine does.  It works out very similar to your schedule of 4 oz about every 3 hours.  I always keep one extra bottle in their fridge, just in case (they also rotate and feed the oldest, its not like there is a 3-week old bottle in there...gross).  I figure if she takes that more than a couple times in a row, that's my sign.  She has never needed it yet.

In theory BF babies won't really increase the amount.  I am SLIGHTLY dreading sleeping through the night cause that means more pumping - she will eat the same amount but more of it will be in the daytime...is that how it works???

[2dumbdogs]

Nov 16, 2015 13:42:58 GMT -5 cupcakecutiern said:

Questions? As far as pumping to replace a feed, how long do you pump for? Alexis is a slow feeder so she will usually nurse for 30-45 mins a side. I don't have that kind of time to pump. When I took that class I did 10-15 mins. Is that ok? Or should I pump longer?

How much do you get in that 15 min?  I do 3 breaks of 15 min at work and get exactly enough to replace her feedings (8 oz on my first pump, 4 oz. the following 2)  How many breaks will you get?  You are a nurse right - does that mean you have to cover 12-hour shifts?  I think all of that factors in to what you will need to plan on...

[laurasuzanne2006]

Nov 16, 2015 13:42:58 GMT -5 cupcakecutiern said:

Age of lo? 11 weeks 5 days (I'm that person)

Ebf/ep/both/supp? Ebf

How's it going for our working moms? I go back to work next week. I'm semi looking forward and mostly dreading it.

Triumphs? I can't believe we have manage to go this long. With all the issues I had with Emma, I never thought I would have a successful nursing relationship.

Struggles? Slow weight gain, and Alexis has a bad cold, so she's been snacking all day and then nurses all night. She has been nursing for like 5-10 mins and then falls asleep. As soon as I move her she wakes up. Makes for a very long day and hard to do anything.

Questions? As far as pumping to replace a feed, how long do you pump for? Alexis is a slow feeder so she will usually nurse for 30-45 mins a side. I don't have that kind of time to pump. When I took that class I did 10-15 mins. Is that ok? Or should I pump longer?

I
finish a feed at 6 and leave for work. I pump somewhere between 9:30-1000, 1:30-2:00, 4:30-5:00. I get about 5-7 ounces each time and average 16-18 oz per shift. I pump 15 minutes or so

[hiimjamie]

Nov 16, 2015 16:41:53 GMT -5 2dumbdogs said:

Nov 16, 2015 16:27:07 GMT -5 hiimjamie said:

Questions? How do I know when to increase what we're feeding him? He eats 4 ounces every 3 hours at daycare. When I'm home and BF I just feed him on demand.

Will your day care feed on demand?  Mine does.  It works out very similar to your schedule of 4 oz about every 3 hours.  I always keep one extra bottle in their fridge, just in case (they also rotate and feed the oldest, its not like there is a 3-week old bottle in there...gross).  I figure if she takes that more than a couple times in a row, that's my sign.  She has never needed it yet.

In theory BF babies won't really increase the amount.  I am SLIGHTLY dreading sleeping through the night cause that means more pumping - she will eat the same amount but more of it will be in the daytime...is that how it works???

I honesly don't know if they'd feed on demand. He usually eats the whole bottle when they feed him. The only time he didn't finish they have him the rest shortly after. So I guess they sort of do?

As for sleeping through the night, Jake sleeps from 10 to usually 5 or 6am. He just seems to eat more in the morning. If he sleeps through the night, he drains a boob completely. If he's up a few times, he doesn't eat as much in the morning. Saturday to Sunday for example he slept through the night and drained my left boob when he got up. I pumped on my right side and got over 4 oz so I assume ate a similar amount from the left.

[2dumbdogs]

Nov 16, 2015 17:13:00 GMT -5 noname said:

2dumbdogs, a few other things. Did you use a pre-made seasoning mix? If so, most contain a dairy or soy ingredient. It could very well be that your baby just doesn't tolerate curry though, especially if this is a sudden change.

Not a mix, various individual spices.

[2dumbdogs]

Nov 16, 2015 16:56:23 GMT -5 noname said:

2dumbdogs, my mom told me that in her day (so 30+ years ago) she was told not to eat onions while breastfeeding. But from the ridiculous amount of personal research that I've done, I've come up with little to support that. Could be two things. One, some babies just have an issue with a particular food, any food. My friend couldn't eat hummus for example. Totally random and difficult to figure out unless it's something you only eat occasionally. Or if it really is a traditional intolerance, "they" recommend looking at the top 8 allergens. Dairy in all forms (whey, casein, baked dairy, etc.), soy (some say avoid soy oil and soy lecithin, some say you don't have to), tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, other seafood, eggs, and wheat. By far dairy and soy are the top 2. I know you said you don't eat a lot of soy, but if you eat anything pre-packaged, soy is probably in it in some form. If your baby is really sensitive, even small amounts like what's in your prenatal vitamin may cause a reaction. And as a side note up to 30% of people with a dairy intolerance/allergy also can't handle beef. DD1 was one of them. It took us 7 months to figure it out because I was looking at the top 8, but I finally noticed a trend through food tracking.

We are still going through this with DD2, so I am by no means an expert, just someone who went through this with DD1 and did a lot of research on my own. For us, I just cut out wheat this week, the last of the top 8 allergens for me to eliminate. My game plan is to give it one month (until DD2's 4 month appt) and if her diapers are still consistently filled with green mucus, to request a GI referral. Hope some of this was helpful. I know way more about this than I would like to.

Peanuts is an interesting theory. I don't eat them often (I prefer other tree nuts) but started snacking on peanut butter in the past week. I don't eat much packaged food but I'm sure there is soy products in the few I do eat.

Beef would make me sad. I have brisket for lunch every Saturday. Testing new barbecue places is kind of our thing!

Luckily she is like a million times better than with dairy and her poops are basically normal and she's putting on weight like crazy, just this newly on fire butt of hers I haven't seen in the few weeks since dairy got cut and its confusing me!

[Laverne]

Almost 3m
Working is good, but N is giving me a hard time with bottles so he goes from 2pm to 4:30 with nothing- like it or not. Also had to have a talk with the kids about babies not having a sense of humor yet, i have a couple students that just dont get that startling a content baby is not cool. Hopefully I got through to them.

Challenges suck suck suck stop repeat, my word is that fucking annoying

Is one small smear of blood in diaper cause for concern? Other than that it can be a bit mucusy, but not green.

[lawndog1216]

motownthrowdown, this was my favorite Brewer's Yeast.


ETA: when you cook with Brewer's Yeast, heat destroys the nutritive properties of it and you're basically only adding the Brewer's Yeast flavor and none of the health benefits. So I don't know what particular part of the Brewer's Yeast improves supply, but I found the one I listed above has a nutty flavor and goes great on yogurt or in smoothies. And also, if you take MAOI's or have diabetes, there are some precautions to it as well.  umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/brewers-yeast

[layloo08]

Age of lo? 11 weeks tomorrow

Ebf/ep/both/supp? BF when I'm home and pumped bottles at daycare/at night when I'm not home 

How's it going for our working moms?  I'm still getting 12 oz in three sessions.  I'd like to have more because my current freezer stash is all pumped before I cut milk out so it's basically no good to us.  I enjoy my pump breaks now.

Triumphs? I never thought we'd make it this long! I remember crying in the nursery when he was two weeks old telling my mama how much I hated it and it hurt.  The thought of stopping now makes me sad. 

Struggles?  I want to pump more quantity. I guess I should add a pump in the mornings while nursing/right after nursing.  Mornings are so hectic though... 

Almost two weeks with NO milk and we've still got some mucus/greenish poop.  At three weeks I guess I'll cut soy.  I'm finding getting enough calories is a problem. I need to do better meal planning and prepping for the week so I can make sure I'm eating right and enough. 

Questions? N doesn't STTN yet but how do you ladies keep your supply up when they do?  Do you wake up and pump?
Right now he gets up at least 2-3 times a night.  So when I'm working I'm nursing him 5-6 times a day and pumping 3. On my days off, we completely feed on demand and nurse a TON. 


Also, what do you guys wash your bottles and pump parts with? I've been using Dawn and the bottles hold the residual smell of the soap and it makes me nervous it would also taste like it. 
Advice?  I'm taking my brewer's yeast in a cup of cranberry juice.  I tried it in apple sauce today and almost threw up! 

[layloo08]

Nov 16, 2015 21:26:00 GMT -5 Laverne said:

Almost 3m
Working is good, but N is giving me a hard time with bottles so he goes from 2pm to 4:30 with nothing- like it or not. Also had to have a talk with the kids about babies not having a sense of humor yet, i have a couple students that just dont get that startling a content baby is not cool. Hopefully I got through to them.

Challenges suck suck suck stop repeat, my word is that fucking annoying

Is one small smear of blood in diaper cause for concern? Other than that it can be a bit mucusy, but not green.

With my N's first appearance of blood, it was just an anal fissure from straining too much.  He's a very violent pooper!  Also, the mucus can be if Nelson is super drooly.

Was the blood on top of the poop or mixed in?  If it was on top, our pedi said that is most likely a fissure.  Mixed in (what we are dealing with now...) is from an intolerance. 

If it happens again, I'd take him in to get checked out.  

Our pedi also said to put a bit of vaseline right on his bum to help things. 

[layloo08]

Nov 16, 2015 22:52:07 GMT -5 DSHM13 said:

layloo08 I have heard not to pump at night or your body will think you need to produce then when your LO is sleeping. The LC I see each week tells the moms to pump to let the pressure off if you are engorged but don't do a full pumping session. There might be other schools of thought though...

Mine said the same...  She said to pump 5 minutes max.  I'm just terrified of my supply dropping.
Not that he is showing signs of STTN any time soon though haha.. 

[layloo08]

DSHM13, such an awesome weight gain!!

[astheria]

Age: 3 months today! 13 weeks 1 day

All the things but hardly supplementing.

Triumphs/struggles: we had a nursing strike this weekend. E refused to latch at all. I don't want to jinx it but the past two feeds he has latched without issue. This weekend the only way he would latch was with expressed milk in my nipple shield. He would then latch and continue.

Also I am behind on milk for him daily but I have been bringing home the first bottle I pump at work and trying to also post feed pump before work in the am to get as much as I can for him. So far he has had very little formula lately. We will still use it as needed to take the pressure off of me.

Last thing, he had his weight check and while he remains petite he is still on his curve and the doc is happy. He gained 1lb 5 oz in a month. I was a little disappointed but if the doc is happy we are happy.

[htuzzi324]

Age of lo?
16 weeks
Ebf/ep/both/supp?
Ebf
Triumphs?
Lefty caught up with righty!

[hiimjamie]

Nov 16, 2015 22:32:33 GMT -5 layloo08 said:

Age of lo? 11 weeks tomorrow

Ebf/ep/both/supp? BF when I'm home and pumped bottles at daycare/at night when I'm not home 

How's it going for our working moms?  I'm still getting 12 oz in three sessions.  I'd like to have more because my current freezer stash is all pumped before I cut milk out so it's basically no good to us.  I enjoy my pump breaks now.

Triumphs? I never thought we'd make it this long! I remember crying in the nursery when he was two weeks old telling my mama how much I hated it and it hurt.  The thought of stopping now makes me sad. 

Struggles?  I want to pump more quantity. I guess I should add a pump in the mornings while nursing/right after nursing.  Mornings are so hectic though... 

Almost two weeks with NO milk and we've still got some mucus/greenish poop.  At three weeks I guess I'll cut soy.  I'm finding getting enough calories is a problem. I need to do better meal planning and prepping for the week so I can make sure I'm eating right and enough. 

Questions? N doesn't STTN yet but how do you ladies keep your supply up when they do?  Do you wake up and pump?
Right now he gets up at least 2-3 times a night.  So when I'm working I'm nursing him 5-6 times a day and pumping 3. On my days off, we completely feed on demand and nurse a TON. 


Also, what do you guys wash your bottles and pump parts with? I've been using Dawn and the bottles hold the residual smell of the soap and it makes me nervous it would also taste like it. 
Advice?  I'm taking my brewer's yeast in a cup of cranberry juice.  I tried it in apple sauce today and almost threw up! 

I wash with Dawn but I also sterilize them in a Munchkin brand steamer after I wash them. They're super clean after that.

[Laverne]

Yeah, dad couldnt get him to take bottle yesterday either.

I have a question about vitamin d drops. Do you really put them on your nipple? I tried this and I doubt any got in his mouth, it was all over my hand instead.

[anaberry]

LO is 14 weeks
I am exclusively bfing
Tiriumphs: I have made it this far. Every week is a blessing.
Struggles: I love the times I get to nurse DS, but my oversupply is just ridiculous. I woke up right now after just having pumped 5 hours ago, and my breasts are rock hard. Seriously, I could feel each duct stretched under my skin, like a bunch of grapes being squeezed together inside a balloon. I pumped 8 ounces at 12 am, and will probably pump somewhere around 10 ounces right now. I am so petrified of another mastitis though, I'll do this as long as necessary.
I want to make it to my 8 month minimum of breastfeeding. I'm hanging in there.
Until then, keep calm and nurse on I suppose.

[stahlop]

Nov 16, 2015 11:04:46 GMT -5 runningmommy519 said:

Answer what questions you need or want to answer.

Age of lo?

Ebf/ep/both/supp?

How's it going for our working moms?

Triumphs?

Struggles?

Questions?

Advice?

10.5 weeks

Just went back to work so EBF at home and pumping at work.

My nipples are not used to pumping so they are very sore.