So, we were released from the hospital yesterday. Baby boy did great in the hospital BFing for a 35 weeker. Started yesterday evening and into today, he is disgusted by my boob. He will not latch, if he does, he doesn't stay or only stays on for like 45 seconds. I had a major breakdown last night and i die a little every time he spits me out and screams. Now im EP and it sucks.
This is exactly what happened to me with DS. Know that it's not you! I too felt rejected but that simply isn't true. As long as he is fed you are doing your job!!! EP is hard but if that's what you have to stick with, it will get better.
Hugs megrae12. Have you contacted an LC? I know there are some that will come to your house. You just have to find one covered in-network by your insurance so they pick up the tab.
So, we were released from the hospital yesterday. Baby boy did great in the hospital BFing for a 35 weeker. Started yesterday evening and into today, he is disgusted by my boob. He will not latch, if he does, he doesn't stay or only stays on for like 45 seconds. I had a major breakdown last night and i die a little every time he spits me out and screams. Now im EP and it sucks.
My sil had a similar problem with her dd, though she wasn't a preemie. She nursed fine art the hospital and then at home Nope! She nursed/pumped for a week or so and then she started latching again and they've been at it over a year now. So don't give up hope(if bf is what you want to do) Call a lc to come help you out. There could be a tongue tie or lip tie, or just that He's a late term preemie and needs some time.
Yes. Sometime they are on the boob for hours at a time. Or they eat and then like 45 mins later they are hungry again. And this trend will continue for hours.
Try 10-15 minutes later. Oy!
Yeah LO slept peacefully through her first night with just 2 feedings, but last night she ate 3x in 3 hours! Now she's been asleep for 4 hours, so I'm sure she'll wake up ravenous, haha.
And this is still just colostrum... Keep up the hard work, SheilaTheTank! Sounds like you're doing an awesome job with a tough situation.
Thanks for the help and insight ladies. Btw did much better last night. He passed a bunch of gas and that seemed to spark his interest again. We haven't had a full feeding at the breast, but he had latched to them consistently and nursed about a minute or so.
Forgive me while I spam. First time back on the computer since the baby was born.
I've been EP since this past Thursday until I can have my boobs re-calibrated by the lactation consultant on Wednesday. Originally she wanted me to pump every 2 hours, but i found that after setup, pumping, and breakdown that was almost impossible so I pushed it to 3 hours. That worked for a day and then I started having oversupply so now I pump every 4 hours. Even then I have like 12oz in the fridge and am still producing. I'm worried I'll have so much oversupply that reestablishing breastfeeding will be difficult. Anyone have any experience with this/advice? Should I push it off another hour, decrease my session time, or just keep building a stash?
If you don't want to wash your pump parts after every pump you can store them fully assembled in your fridge and wash every 12 hours or so (I know you are talking about pumping less frequently but still a good hack tip!). It might be worth talking to a lactation consultant, I have no advice on pumping or oversupply. Paging carissa325 for help as I remember she EPed last time!
Baby boy latched on really well day and day two. He has a bit of jaundiced and lost a few ounces. Dr wanted him to have a bit of formula so he can flush it out. Of course I am panicking because now he doesn't want to latch. Feeling a bit down. I'm still attempting to put him on the breast but he only has taken a little bit. I'll be leaving the hospital today and plan to pump. But, really want him to latch back on. Glad we have this board. Thanks for starting SheilaTheTank
Baby boy latched on really well day and day two. He has a bit of jaundiced and lost a few ounces. Dr wanted him to have a bit of formula so he can flush it out. Of course I am panicking because now he doesn't want to latch. Feeling a bit down. I'm still attempting to put him on the breast but he only has taken a little bit. I'll be leaving the hospital today and plan to pump. But, really want him to latch back on. Glad we have this board. Thanks for starting SheilaTheTank
From what I've read jaundice can cause lethargy which could be contributing to his poor latch. I'd focus on tackling the jaundice and then when that's under control try to reestablish breastfeeding. Once he's feeling better I bet he'll be on your boob in no time.
Baby boy latched on really well day and day two. He has a bit of jaundiced and lost a few ounces. Dr wanted him to have a bit of formula so he can flush it out. Of course I am panicking because now he doesn't want to latch. Feeling a bit down. I'm still attempting to put him on the breast but he only has taken a little bit. I'll be leaving the hospital today and plan to pump. But, really want him to latch back on. Glad we have this board. Thanks for starting SheilaTheTank
From what I've read jaundice can cause lethargy which could be contributing to his poor latch. I'd focus on tackling the jaundice and then when that's under control try to reestablish breastfeeding. Once he's feeling better I bet he'll be on your boob in no time.
Very true. Dd was very jaundice I used to have to undress her to nurse her, change her bum half way through a feeding, cool wash cloths, tickle her chin to get her to keep sucking. She was great at latching but a very lazy nurser. All she wanted to do was sleep.
Post by SheilaTheTank on Mar 1, 2016 19:04:46 GMT -5
How long do your babies eat/nurse for? K shows hunger signs constantly. I mean literally if she is not asleep she's screaming to be fed. Is this normal?
How long do your babies eat/nurse for? K shows hunger signs constantly. I mean literally if she is not asleep she's screaming to be fed. Is this normal?
No answer, but I'm experiencing the same thing. If awake, he may look around for a bit but then starts looking for the boob. I think it'll regulate more in the coming weeks.
ETA, D is a snacker. He may only eat 7-10 minutes at time before he pulls off.
Last Edit: Mar 1, 2016 19:12:09 GMT -5 by zombiesquad
Married since 2010 DX w/PCOS in Feb 2011 Five cycles w/Letrozole+TI+IUI BFP w/injects+IUI in 2012 DD born May 2013 NTNP since 2015 Early miscarriage March 2015 TTA April/May BFP June! DS born February 2016
How long do your babies eat/nurse for? K shows hunger signs constantly. I mean literally if she is not asleep she's screaming to be fed. Is this normal?
With C it would take forever in the beginning. She'd nurse for 45 minutes, take maybe an hour off to sleep and then we'd start all over again. After a couple weeks then it would be 30 minutes and then she'd sleep for two hours. By the time she weaned it was less than 7 minutes with four or more hours in between.
How long do your babies eat/nurse for? K shows hunger signs constantly. I mean literally if she is not asleep she's screaming to be fed. Is this normal?
My LC with DS1 said that there are several growth spurts... 3 days, 7 days, 10 days, 3 weeks, 2 months, 3 months.... you are probably right at the week old one. Babies cluster feed much more around the growth spurt times.
How long do your babies eat/nurse for? K shows hunger signs constantly. I mean literally if she is not asleep she's screaming to be fed. Is this normal?
We just had our first cluster feeding session. Talk about nipples burning like the fire of a thousand suns, wow! Hopefully he'll sleep well tonight with such a full belly though.
Thanks for this thread, it is making me realize that:
1. We are rock stars, this feeding thing is not easy! 2. I'm not alone with all these feelings of being frustrated and overwhelmed. You guys are the best!
From what I've read jaundice can cause lethargy which could be contributing to his poor latch. I'd focus on tackling the jaundice and then when that's under control try to reestablish breastfeeding. Once he's feeling better I bet he'll be on your boob in no time.
Very true. Dd was very jaundice I used to have to undress her to nurse her, change her bum half way through a feeding, cool wash cloths, tickle her chin to get her to keep sucking. She was great at latching but a very lazy nurser. All she wanted to do was sleep.
Still pregnant. Boo.
Anyways, had this issue with DD2. Jaundice made her so lethargic she couldn't/wouldn't eat. One day, she went 12 HOURS without eating. She was 3 days old. It was bad. And scary. I'd get to an LC ASAP. They had me on an (exhausting) regimen (nursing, bottle-feeding milk, bottle feeding formula, pumping, repeat) for awhile along with visits to monitor latching, position, and amount of milk transferred. Without her support and expert advice, I would have given up BFing, and I had successfully nursed 3 children to 12mos+ prior.
Seriously, find an LC you like and are comfortable with. It is so worth it.
How long do your babies eat/nurse for? K shows hunger signs constantly. I mean literally if she is not asleep she's screaming to be fed. Is this normal?
No answer, but I'm experiencing the same thing. If awake, he may look around for a bit but then starts looking for the boob. I think it'll regulate more in the coming weeks.
ETA, D is a snacker. He may only eat 7-10 minutes at time before he pulls off.
Go see an LC. If you're even remotely worried, it's wonderful to have your mind at ease.
I just read my journal, and my first visit to an LC got my baby to latch (hadn't happened in over 24 hours) and was able to SHOW me that she transferred 2.5 ounces of milk from my breast to her tummy.
KNOWING that you don't have a supply issue, and that LO is cluster feeding due to a spurt, or comfort, or something else can relieve so much stress. And if (IF!!!) you were to find you were having a supply issue, then you could find a solution ASAP.
Any nursing problem, visiting an LC will be my first move. Had I known that LCs existed with DS2, nursing would have been FAR less stressful and painful then what is was. (IT WAS AWFUL.) 10 YEARS after my nursing journey ended with him, I learned he had a severe lip tie. I had no idea. If I had only known...
No answer, but I'm experiencing the same thing. If awake, he may look around for a bit but then starts looking for the boob. I think it'll regulate more in the coming weeks.
ETA, D is a snacker. He may only eat 7-10 minutes at time before he pulls off.
Go see an LC. If you're even remotely worried, it's wonderful to have your mind at ease.
I just read my journal, and my first visit to an LC got my baby to latch (hadn't happened in over 24 hours) and was able to SHOW me that she transferred 2.5 ounces of milk from my breast to her tummy.
KNOWING that you don't have a supply issue, and that LO is cluster feeding due to a spurt, or comfort, or something else can relieve so much stress. And if (IF!!!) you were to find you were having a supply issue, then you could find a solution ASAP.
Any nursing problem, visiting an LC will be my first move. Had I known that LCs existed with DS2, nursing would have been FAR less stressful and painful then what is was. (IT WAS AWFUL.) 10 YEARS after my nursing journey ended with him, I learned he had a severe lip tie. I had no idea. If I had only known...
Go see an LC.
I feel like you're the den mother of March '16. Your previous experience is extremely helpful.
FunniBunni, since you mention it, do you (or anyone) have any supply issue tips? I had huge supply issues with both DDs before so anything that might head it off early would be appreciated.
Like lack of supply? There are a few suppliments, blessed Thistle... and I forget the other one. In Canada you can get a prescription for Domperidone. I took it with my dd. You take it a few times a day the entire time you are breastfeeding.
FunniBunni, since you mention it, do you (or anyone) have any supply issue tips? I had huge supply issues with both DDs before so anything that might head it off early would be appreciated.
If you mean low supply problems, there's a lot of food you can try that is supposed to help, besides the herbs and supplements you can take. I tried for 100oz of water every day. That's a huge one! I also made a smoothie every morning that made a huge difference! Recipe: 1 banana Large Scoop of peanut butter 1/2 cup oatmeal (not the quick oats) Tablespoon-ish of Brewers yeast Tablespoon-ish of flax seed meal A few ice cubes Cover with chocolate almond milk Blend I didn't measure everything perfectly, just threw it in. It tastes like a chocolate milkshake and seriously boosted my supply. If I missed a day I really noticed. You can get Brewers yeast and flax seed meal at Sprouts or another store like it. ETA: this is what I would have for breakfast and it would keep me full until lunch most days.
FunniBunni, since you mention it, do you (or anyone) have any supply issue tips? I had huge supply issues with both DDs before so anything that might head it off early would be appreciated.
If you mean low supply problems, there's a lot of food you can try that is supposed to help, besides the herbs and supplements you can take. I tried for 100oz of water every day. That's a huge one! I also made a smoothie every morning that made a huge difference! Recipe: 1 banana Large Scoop of peanut butter 1/2 cup oatmeal (not the quick oats) Tablespoon-ish of Brewers yeast Tablespoon-ish of flax seed meal A few ice cubes Cover with chocolate almond milk Blend I didn't measure everything perfectly, just threw it in. It tastes like a chocolate milkshake and seriously boosted my supply. If I missed a day I really noticed. You can get Brewers yeast and flax seed meal at Sprouts or another store like it. ETA: this is what I would have for breakfast and it would keep me full until lunch most days.
I was going to suggest oatmeal. I ate a bowl every morning when I was nursing DD. But this recipe sounds amazing! No supply issues, but will definitely be giving this a try.
Married since 2010 DX w/PCOS in Feb 2011 Five cycles w/Letrozole+TI+IUI BFP w/injects+IUI in 2012 DD born May 2013 NTNP since 2015 Early miscarriage March 2015 TTA April/May BFP June! DS born February 2016
At my shower one of my gifts from a fellow new mom was a "Boob Basket" and it was full of stuff for breastfeeding. I obviously can't vouch for any of it, yet, but there was:
Ovaltine (She said this one is a huge supply booster for her) Lactation Cookies (These are a thing, apparently) Oatmeal - lots of oatmeal Water Bottle (reinforcing the stay hydrated bit)
And some other stuff - I'll look what else was in it tonight.
It also had nip pads, nip cream, and a few other items. Cool gift.
I think the most important thing when it comes to supply is to remember that with boobies, it's all about supply and demand. The more milk that's transferred, the more you make. So the best tho g you can do to up your supply is to feed the baby more. This is one of the reasons cluster feelings happen. Baby hits a growth spurt, spends 90 gajillion hours on the boob, milk production is upped, baby gets more, baby is fed.
Other than that, I am most certainly blessedly I be part cow (at least other than looks. Badum-bum) so I've never tried anything outside supply and demand to up my supply. I have heard good things about lactation cookies though. Also beer.
As for being the den-mother, I get a kick out of that. BYW, I WAS a den-mother for DS2's Cub Scout pack for a couple years. I highly recommend it! Lol.
At my shower one of my gifts from a fellow new mom was a "Boob Basket" and it was full of stuff for breastfeeding. I obviously can't vouch for any of it, yet, but there was:
Ovaltine (She said this one is a huge supply booster for her) Lactation Cookies (These are a thing, apparently) Oatmeal - lots of oatmeal Water Bottle (reinforcing the stay hydrated bit)
And some other stuff - I'll look what else was in it tonight.
It also had nip pads, nip cream, and a few other items. Cool gift.
ovaltine is interesting. I wonder why that boosts supply..
Just stopping in to ask about wet diapers and when your milk came in.
Isa has been soooo sleepy. She cluster feeds from 11pm-2am but then we have to set the alarm twice between 2am and 7am to wake her up and feed her. She feeds regularly throughout the day. All the nurses said she had a great latch and was swallowing, but now that we're home, I'm so scared she's not getting enough or that she's dehydrated (she has made her dirty diaper counts, but is barely making her wet diaper deadlines, and the last one had a little uric crystal in it).
If I undress her and tickle her, she feeds well for about 20 minutes, but I'm still worried it's not enough. Anxious for my milk to come in!
I think the most important thing when it comes to supply is to remember that with boobies, it's all about supply and demand. The more milk that's transferred, the more you make. So the best tho g you can do to up your supply is to feed the baby more. This is one of the reasons cluster feelings happen. Baby hits a growth spurt, spends 90 gajillion hours on the boob, milk production is upped, baby gets more, baby is fed.
Other than that, I am most certainly blessedly I be part cow (at least other than looks. Badum-bum) so I've never tried anything outside supply and demand to up my supply. I have heard good things about lactation cookies though. Also beer.
As for being the den-mother, I get a kick out of that. BYW, I WAS a den-mother for DS2's Cub Scout pack for a couple years. I highly recommend it! Lol.
I've been sitting here thinking... Do I say something?? Maybe it goes without saying, but I want to say it anyway.
Breastfeeding is amazing. It's my favorite thing about having an infant. I love the snuggles. I love the smell of their milk breath. I love not having to worry about bringing food with me, and standing up for myself when someone dares to tell me I shouldn't NIP. I love that this is something I get to do. That no one else can. That I sustained this baby in the inside for 9 months, and can CONTINUE to do do. Because I rock.
But that doesn't mean that establishing breastfeeding is easy. Because it's NOT. It's hard. It's painful. And it's very common to doubt yourself. I have cried buckets of tears over stressing that she's not getting enough. That she won't latch. That this is horrible and hurts so much. That I just want to pee in peace, and maybe hide in the bathroom for some extra alone time.
It's common to have problems, and seeing an LC early on will help. They know their stuff. They can help with positioning tricks, with tools like nipple shields, and best of all, crazy accurate scales that can weigh baby and say, "Oh. Look! She's gained 2.5oz in 30 min. That's how much milk she's transferred from your boob." Hearing something like that, and feeling just that ONE worry fade away? It's just the most amazing thing ever.
If there IS a problem, ok, here's what we an do. Feed the baby. Feed the baby. Feed the baby. Try this supplement. Lactation cookies. Oatmeal, beer, whatnot.
BUT, all that being said, sometimes breastfeeding doesn't work out. Sometimes it's too stressful on Mom. Sometimes it's just too much to pump at work. Sometimes baby just can't latch. Sometimes supply issues just can't be fixed. Sometimes, you just can't/don't want to deal. And all that is OKAY.
Breast is best, it's got all that extra stuff in it. Etc, etc, etc. We all know this. But if it makes your parenting journey unpleasant, then that's not good for anyone, including baby. Fight through establishing breastfeeding, because most of the time, it DOES get better. But occasionally, it doesn't. And if you choose to supplement, because [reasons] then fine! DO IT. If you choose to exclusively FF, because you feel that will make you a better parent, because [reasons] then DO IT.
All that matters is that baby is fed, growing, and thriving. As long as you are doing that, you have ZERO reasons to feel guilty. I promise that whether you use a breast or a bottle, your baby will think the sun rises and sets and your eyes. Well... Until you have to start saying no. Then you better buckle up. Because it gets bumpy.
Anyways, you do you, and you will be AMAZING. Even when it's bumpy.
At my shower one of my gifts from a fellow new mom was a "Boob Basket" and it was full of stuff for breastfeeding. I obviously can't vouch for any of it, yet, but there was:
Ovaltine (She said this one is a huge supply booster for her) Lactation Cookies (These are a thing, apparently) Oatmeal - lots of oatmeal Water Bottle (reinforcing the stay hydrated bit)
And some other stuff - I'll look what else was in it tonight.
It also had nip pads, nip cream, and a few other items. Cool gift.
ovaltine is interesting. I wonder why that boosts supply..
I think it's the malt flavored Ovaltine. I've never tried it, but that's what I read. Something to do with the malt.
Just stopping in to ask about wet diapers and when your milk came in.
Isa has been soooo sleepy. She cluster feeds from 11pm-2am but then we have to set the alarm twice between 2am and 7am to wake her up and feed her. She feeds regularly throughout the day. All the nurses said she had a great latch and was swallowing, but now that we're home, I'm so scared she's not getting enough or that she's dehydrated (she has made her dirty diaper counts, but is barely making her wet diaper deadlines, and the last one had a little uric crystal in it).
If I undress her and tickle her, she feeds well for about 20 minutes, but I'm still worried it's not enough. Anxious for my milk to come in!
I think 20 minutes is good of it is a lot of swallowing. Can you watch her to see if she's swallowing? I used to have to do that the first few days with dd1. I'm actually pretty sure my mw told me that 20 minutes was a good time to end the nursing session if she had been swallowing a lot in that time instead of comfort sucking. You can also try changing her half way through a feed a wake her back up. I had to do that too.
Milk usually comes in I believe days 3-4. But don't quote me on that.
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