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Today, 09:12 AM

@llli*bsua65 replied to a thread Dads/Partners in Too Much Milk!

My husband was freaked out about milk, to the point of not touching my breasts for a good couple of months 'just in case' milk came out. He wouldn't taste it at all expressed or from the source. I think this is one of those things that is completely up to the couple involved. There has been at least one previous poster whose husband helped her with engorgement. She did find she had to express when her partners paternity ended and he wasn't there to help during the day but otherwise they didn't have any issues with it.

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4 replies | 120 view(s)
Today, 09:01 AM

@llli*sacmd replied to a thread 8 week old screaming and thrashing at the breast when tired in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

I just wanted to share my 2 cents on this topic because my 9 week old has done this since she was about 4 weeks old and it drove me crazy! She would cry and cluster, cluster and cry. It was so frustrating. What helped was actually something I hadn't considered: I finally swaddled her (screaming sometimes) and would try to nurse. If she still screamed and pulled off, we finally would lay her down on her own in her crib, in a dark room, with a pacifier, and sit with her until she fell asleep. This literally took 10 seconds the first time we did it. I always hold her and co-sleep, keep her close, but I realized that for some reason she needed less stimulation in the evening and prefers to fall asleep alone. Since then, she spends the first few hours of the night in her own crib and sleeps 4-5 hour stretches. Getting her to sleep initially is so easy now; as soon as she gets swaddled and we lay her down, she's out. It used to take 1-2 hours to get her to fall asleep in our arms. After that it's every 2-3 hours of feeding and sometimes I bring her into bed with us (when I'm really exhausted and feed her laying down). I hope that helps. Good luck and hang in there!!

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5 replies | 95 view(s)
Today, 08:54 AM

@llli*bbmomma replied to a thread Sleepy baby - slow weight gain in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

Thank you for the information. It has been a good read but has left me with a question. Should I be offering the second breast after he's done with the first? I can attempt to wake him again to do this as it would help with his weight gain. What do you think?

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3 replies | 96 view(s)
Today, 08:14 AM

@llli*monkeywithsuitcase started a thread 36 hr business trips and a night-nursing toddler. in Working and Breastfeeding

Can anyone provide any experience / advice on how to cope with overnight work trips? Some background - I returned to work when my son was 19 months, and we just switched cold turkey from full time nursing to morning / evening / night nursing (like ALL night nursing). This was 5 months ago. In general, my little guy is a lazy eater because he knows he can just nurse all night long. I've never spent a night away from him, and no one else has successfully put him to sleep before (my husband tried last week, and he threw such a big fit because I wasn't there that he vomited) So, naturally, I'm freaking out because I'm facing the prospect of two 36 hr business trips coming up in the next month. My husband has never successfully put my son to bed, nor would he even know how to start, as I nurse him to sleep every night. When he wakes up in the middle of the night every night, he just comes to our bed on his own, latches on, and keeps on nursing. We are really worried about how he is going to handle me not being there for two evenings. Thing is, we're not really interested in changing anything up long term right now (i.e. weaning).

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0 replies | 11 view(s)
Today, 06:31 AM

@llli*mommal replied to a thread still nursing a lot, picky eater, 21 mos in Breastfeeding Your Toddler (12+ months)

:ita Normal toddler eating habits, and no need to encourage weaning unless that's something YOU want.

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2 replies | 101 view(s)
Today, 06:28 AM

@llli*mommal replied to a thread breastfeeding and my 6 month old in Breastfeeding Your Infant (3-12 months)

:ita with Bfwmomof3's excellent advice. This is a totally normal nursing/sleeping pattern for a 6 month old. Also, it's normal for babies and young children to continue to wake at night regardless of what they are fed. Teething, hunger, new developmental milestones, illness, separation anxiety, and dreams are all factors that create frequent waking, and a need for an adult's help in transitioning back to sleep.

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3 replies | 95 view(s)
Today, 06:23 AM

@llli*mommal replied to a thread 8 week old screaming and thrashing at the breast when tired in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

8 weeks is a classic time for fussiness, especially around bedtime. Some things to try when baby gets into that frantic, overtired state: - Nurse as much as possible, even if you just nursed 5 minutes ago - White noise- radio static, heartbeat and breathing sounds, the sound of moving tires, etc. - Calm house- try to get baby some natural light during the day and turn the tv, stereo, phones, tablets, and lights down or off as evening hits - Closeness- cuddle baby in a sling, hold her skin-to-skin, take a bath with her - Motion- rock, swing, bounce on an exercise ball, stroller ride, etc. - Warm water- give baby a soap-free bath in the sink - Natural light- take baby outside into the fresh air for a change of scene and air quality Dealing with fussiness is all about changing incoming sensory stimuli, and you want to keep changing your soothing technique because nothing is likely to work for long. If each soothing technique buys you 5 minutes, terrific.

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5 replies | 95 view(s)
Today, 06:15 AM

@llli*mommal replied to a thread No Weight Gain in Breastfeeding Your Infant (3-12 months)

:ita When it comes to weight gain, quantity of milk is what matters, not quality (I.e., fat content).

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9 replies | 154 view(s)
Today, 06:07 AM

@llli*mommal replied to a thread AF already? in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

It's most likely a last gasp of your lochia.

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4 replies | 101 view(s)
Today, 06:05 AM

@llli*mommal replied to a thread Struggling with weight gain / supplementing in Increasing Your Milk

How often are you pumping? The best way to increase supply is not drugs or herbs or oatmeal. It's increasing the frequency and completeness of milk removal from the breast. The more often you nurse and then pump your breasts until nothing more will come out, and maybe a few minutes beyond, the more milk you're going to make. So I'd love to see you rent that hospital-grade pump and then use it all. the. time. Like 8-10x in 24 hours, for at least a week. That is the most likely route to improved supply. Are you using any form of hormonal contraception? Any health problems for you, either preexisting from before pregnancy or cropping up in the postpartum period?

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3 replies | 98 view(s)
Yesterday, 10:40 PM

@llli*maddieb replied to a thread Struggling with weight gain / supplementing in Increasing Your Milk

I agree with mamawin. I am confused how a weight gain issue was diagnosed. My daughter was in the 85th% for height and 15th for weight at her last checkup (age 2.) I told my pediatrician that based on what some other moms had told me, some doctors might not be happy with that. He said it was totally fine. I really agree with mamawin on this. How and what an infant is fed is something that affects a persons lifetime health, and we know the benefits of breastmilk are dose related- any amount(or amount of time) is great, but the more (or longer) the better. Wanting to breastfeed your child and for your child to get more of your milk for longer is thus very legitimate no matter how you look at it. Whether or not you need to continue to supplement, having support and help in your choice to breastfeed your child is always a good idea.

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3 replies | 98 view(s)
Yesterday, 08:23 PM

@llli*maddieb replied to a thread Sleepy baby - slow weight gain in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

How close to birth weight is baby? How is output-poops? It is hard when a baby is very sleepy, I had that experience with my oldest and trying to get him awake to nurse was very hard. But it had to be done. Once he started nursing often enough on his own and gain was on track, we let him find his own sleep/wake pattern and it got way easier. But it was really important he nursed often enough to get that weight gain going and to make sure my milk production was ok. I had lots of meds in labor and post due to C-section, and those probably played a role in my sons sleepiness. One of the misunderstandings about cue feeding is that it always means wait until baby cues. It can mean that, and this may be fine assuming baby is nursing with normal frequency and gaining well. But it can also mean that mom can offer to nurse whenever she feels a 'cue' - an urge to nurse, either physical or mental. That is also cue feeding. More to the point with your situation, it is pretty common for a baby to not cue quite often enough in the very early weeks and to really need to nurse more often than baby is cuing. This can be for many reasons but meds that might make baby sleepy would certainly be a reason to nurse more than baby cues if there is any question of whether baby is nursing often enough. If a baby is not getting enough to eat, that is another reason baby may not have the energy to cue enough and be very sleepy.

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3 replies | 96 view(s)
Yesterday, 06:01 PM

@llli*maddieb replied to a thread No Weight Gain in Breastfeeding Your Infant (3-12 months)

Mothers do not need a high fat diet to make high fat milk. Mothers all over the world and throughout all history and pre-history, with a very wide range of typical diet, managed to make milk that was good enough for the human race to be a very successful species. Oatmeal is thought to be a galactagogue, which means it helps some moms make MORE milk. There are many galactagogues to try if the issue is not enough milk. Is fat content ever an issue? Sometimes, in rare circumstances, especially with preterm babies who need to gain weight much more quickly than normal. But in the vast majority of cases, if a baby is not gaining at an acceptable rate, (and no gain at all over long periods of is probably not acceptable) the issue is almost always either not enough milk or some underlying health issue.

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9 replies | 154 view(s)
Yesterday, 05:21 PM

@llli*bfwmomof3 replied to a thread Help! Milk supply dropping fast after going back to work in Working and Breastfeeding

Can you go to bed earlier in the evening? Let nonessential things slide? That helped me when I was at that stage. I also have a high-pressure job and I was not at the top of my game either during my (three) babies' infancies. I was also really, really tired. My youngest is 3 now (and still nursing, by the way!) and although I still have nights of interrupted sleep because she decides to sleep on TOP of me rather than next to me overall I am much less tired and more productive. I guess I want to say that although it's really, really hard when you are going through it to try to balance taking care of an infant and doing well at your job, and it feels like forever, you WILL eventually be less exhausted. (And honestly, you'd be tired if you were formula-feeding baby too.) And, in my opinion, having learned to balance all that I am actually all the more capable now. I used to shrug it off when people called me a "super woman" but I think the truth in it is that once you figure out how to balance all those conflicting priorities and get the sh*t done that needs to get done, whether at home or at work, you can do anything! Hang in there, it's awesome that you were able to get your supply back up!

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6 replies | 349 view(s)
Yesterday, 04:47 PM

@llli*pr2000 replied to a thread Help! Milk supply dropping fast after going back to work in Working and Breastfeeding

Hi there, just wanted to provide an update. Thanks so much, Dandelions and bsua65. We made it through the slump and are still going strong! The thing that seems to have worked is resuming night nursing. I did pump a little more frequently, but that is the one big change I made, and it seems to have made the difference. It is hard because my milk flow tends to be quite slow, so baby doesn't get much in one session, and so he wakes up 2-3x per night to nurse. So I am not exactly at the top of my game the next day at work - we do cosleep but I simply can't sleep while he nurses, so I only sleep 3-4 hours per night in total (and not at a stretch). I wish I was able to sleep for 6 hours at night, and not have it affect my supply. But on the other hand, by night nursing, I am at least able to make as much milk as he drinks, so I plan to do it for as long as I can. He is still small (7th percentile), but he doesn't seem to be hungry, and I always have at least a little leftover milk every day. Thanks again for the support!

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6 replies | 349 view(s)
Yesterday, 04:36 PM

@llli*v0mich01 replied to a thread AF already? in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

No mini pill. And baby has been fussy at the bread today...i had alot of issues that cause bleeding during my pregnancy, so I feel like maybe I should call. It was essentially spotting, I've had a bit more through out today, but no flow yet.

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4 replies | 101 view(s)
Yesterday, 04:26 PM

@llli*mamawin replied to a thread Sleepy baby - slow weight gain in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

5 to 6 minutes? Wow, that sounds extremely sleepy. I think it'd be good to talk with your doc and/or pediatrician and/or Infantrisk about the meds your on.

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3 replies | 96 view(s)
Yesterday, 04:24 PM

@llli*mamawin replied to a thread 8 week old screaming and thrashing at the breast when tired in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

I think you should try and anticipate when she's going to be tired so she doesn't get to that crazy over-tired state. Most babies that age can only be awake one to two hours before they need to sleep again. For my kids, they could handle about 1.5 hours of wakefulness before they needed to sleep again. So, about 10 minutes prior to that I'd start a sleep routine...nursing, walking, bouncing, etc....in an effort to avoid the overtired state.

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5 replies | 95 view(s)
Yesterday, 03:58 PM

@llli*rani replied to a thread No Weight Gain in Breastfeeding Your Infant (3-12 months)

Breastmilk is of higher calorie than formula: 22 versus 20 http://kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/milkcalories/ Don't remember where I read that mom needs a high fat diet to make high fat milk. I eat organic butter, wild salmon, chicken with fat along with fruits and veggies. Oatmeal is useless for me. Not losing weight but haven't gained any weight either. No, my baby is not chunky, he is long and lean. He will eat how much he wants to eat and just cannot make him eat more!

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9 replies | 154 view(s)
Yesterday, 03:24 PM

@llli*bsua65 replied to a thread drastically reduced milk supply in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

You may find it better to start a new post jray5326 as it may not get answered properly here! Have you done any pump maintenance recently? Checked flanges still fit? If you want a stash have you thought about adding pump sessions when at home as well as nursing?

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6 replies | 737 view(s)
Yesterday, 03:22 PM

@llli*bbmomma started a thread Sleepy baby - slow weight gain in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

Hi ladies. I have a little man who will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and he has yet to reach his birth weight again. He was 6lbs 11oz at birth, proceeded to do huge black sticky poops (I think there were 8 in the first 24 hours) and went down to 6lbs 1oz. Hospital made me 'top him up with formula' after I'd bfed him to see if it would help him put on weight faster, but after I protested and said I would rather he have my ebm they agreed and let me do it that way. Now, my LO has been mostly asleep since he was born. Only in the past three days has he had 'waking' periods of 5 or 6 minutes before he goes back to sleep again. He has cried three times since birth and if he wants feeding he only whimpers or goes 'eh, eh'. I'm atuned to these cues and will feed him when he asks, but generally I have to wake him up to do so as he lets it go for hours other wise. The longest he has left it between feeds is a good 5 hours, which isn't helping him gain that weight back and is making my midwives uneasy about it. They want me to feed him every three hours, and I want to feed on demand.. but if I do it on demand, he'll never put on weight! How do we get over the sleeping baby thing?? It's frustrating because I've got to literally strip him down to his nappy, pop him on his belly and rub his back to get him to wake up enough to feed! He's on the breast for about 15 minutes and then refuses to latch any further after pulling himself off. I've got a very good let down reflex (I can feel...

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3 replies | 96 view(s)
Yesterday, 03:19 PM

@llli*bsua65 replied to a thread nipple chafing on one side--need advice in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

Definitely see an LC preferably an IBCLC if you can. Nipple pain and damage are often due to latch issues and can indicate other issues such as high palate/TT/LT. All of which are much easier for someone to assess in person. Have you tried laid back/biological nurturing positions? It's quite common for one side to be different to the other with regards to latch as nipples will be different either side :)

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3 replies | 108 view(s)
Yesterday, 03:12 PM

@llli*epm9176 replied to a thread nipple chafing on one side--need advice in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

I am having the same problem, on the same side with my 5-week-old. So much so that I'm avoiding nursing on the side because of the pain. I know that's a horrible thing to do, but I'm a wimp. There is this small gash that just won't heal. I've been pumping that side and nursing minimally, and each time I do, the wound opens and bleeds again. My son had a problem from the get-go with this side, and he had a moderate tongue tie, which has been corrected based on advice of the pediatrician and ENT. I thought that would correct things. I have very "experienced" nipples with more than 3.5 years of nursing to toughen them up before his birth, so I'm really stuck with how to fix it. I was just thinking about calling lactation, and thought I would visit here to get some advice first. My right breast is constantly throbbing now, either because of the wound and bruising or due to being engorged. I've gotten myself into a vicious cycle.

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3 replies | 108 view(s)
Yesterday, 02:05 PM

@llli*maddieb replied to a thread No Weight Gain in Breastfeeding Your Infant (3-12 months)

I strongly suggest getting a second opinion. The first thing I would do is make very, very sure there was no scale error. Does your baby seem to you as if he weighs exactly what he did 2 months ago? What about other growth measures? Next, even if gain is not happening, it is simply not true this would be because your milk is not nutritious enough. If your baby is not gaining weight, it means either 1) Baby is not getting ENOUGH milk to gain, or 2) baby is ill or has some serious medical condition or nutritional deficit. The quality of breastmilk vs. formula is not the issue with slow gain. If you can, see a board certified lactation consultant. (IBCLC) She can help you figure out if you have low milk production or if there is an issue with baby not being able to transfer milk normally, or what. If you give us a full history of weight gain and nursing frequency, as well as noting any reasons you might have low production (birth control, supplementing without pumping, pacifier overuse, using nipple shields, etc.) we might be able to help you troubleshoot. But a baby not gaining any weight between 2 and 4 months is a very serious issue, and seeing a professional who can help you figure out what is wrong and how to fix it while supporting breastfeeding is important. That is what an IBCLC should be able to do, and unfortunately doctors are not trained in typically. See this for more: http://cwgenna.com/lconsult.html If you supplement with bottles, you need to pump...

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9 replies | 154 view(s)
Yesterday, 01:59 PM

@llli*jray5326 replied to a thread starting to panic! in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

I tried not to worry when the milk I pumped at work decreased and still decreasing (I pump every 3 hours). I took Fenugreek and some lactation cookies but they didn't help at all. I nurse my baby when I get home, I also eat well and take lots of fluid but it seems like nothing is working. Before I want to build a freezer stash but it looks like it's not going to happen. Now I just need is to pump enough milk to feed Lukas (he's 3 months old) when I'm at work. I am starting to worry that i cannot sustain the supply if my milk continue to decrease. What should I do? Can stress be a factor?

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6 replies | 197 view(s)
Yesterday, 01:51 PM

@llli*jray5326 replied to a thread drastically reduced milk supply in Breastfeeding Your Newborn (0-3 months)

I tried not to worry when the milk I pumped at work decreased and still decreasing (I pump every 3 hours). I took Fenugreek and some lactation cookies but they didn't help at all. I nurse my baby when I get home, I also eat well and take lots of fluid but it seems like nothing is working. Before I want to build a freezer stash but it looks like it's not going to happen. Now I just need is to pump enough milk to feed Lukas when I'm at work. I am starting to worry that i cannot sustain the supply if my milk continue to decrease. Any advice?

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6 replies | 737 view(s)
Yesterday, 01:49 PM

@llli*alysandrasmom replied to a thread No Weight Gain in Breastfeeding Your Infant (3-12 months)

We didnt start supplementing until my supply dropped. It happened with my first one as well. nurse on demand when Im home and pump at work 3 times (every 3 hours). Thankfully I have a very understanding boss... I only switch sides after he stops on one side. Usually its sooner on the right than the left. Baby's latch is great! We have never had an issue there and he was doing great at the last visit. He was 7lbs 5oz when he was born and was gaining weight at a steady pace. He weighed 10lbs at his 2 month check up and he is still at 10lbs at 4 months.

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9 replies | 154 view(s)