Pumping Questions- New mom

[@llli*amber.watkins]

I had a baby girl (Alexa) last Friday, so she is now 4 days old. After a few intial bad latches, my right nipple is cracked and bleeding. A LC told me to pump that side and let her nurse on the other. However, my milk has now come in so I am pumping every 2-3 hrs to relieve engorgement. Alexa was nursing very well in the hospital, 10-15 minutes on the left side. When we came home from the hospital, she would nurse but still act like she was starving after 20 minutes. She got to where she was inconsoable, so we started giving her expressed breastmilk from a bottle (1 oz). This seemed to really help. She is already back up to her birth weight of 8 lbs 1 oz.

So now I am pumping every 2 hours for engorgement, with Alexa nursing for about 10 minutes after a one oz bottle. I have a nice stockpile building b/c I am able to pump between 3-5 oz each time. I plan on going back to work in 6 weeks (I am a nurse and work 12 hour shifts). Any suggestions from moms who have done this before? Any advice is greatly appreciated, especially since I am new to all of this. I want my supply to increase b/c I absolutely do not want to give her formula! Thanks in advance!!

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

Your supply is fine. You are ahead of the game, actually. Your baby will only need 1 to 1.5 oz per hour of separation.

Instead....work on nursing instead of bottles. That is better for supply anyway. And nicer than pumping. And decreases risk of nipple preference.

[@llli*mommal]

with the PP. You are getting ahead of yourself. Focus your energy on getting breastfeeding off on the right foot, and worry about pumping later. It's generally not recommended that moms introduce a bottle until 4-6 weeks, because babies often rapidly develop a liking for the ease of feeding from a bottle, and that can lead them to reject the breast.

Can you tell us more about the cracking you're experiencing? Is it one big crack or multiple small slit-like cracks? Is baby having difficulty latching on that side? Can you tell us how nursing feels? We may be able to help you fix the problem and nurse instead of doing all the pumping!

[@llli*amber.watkins]

The cracking is multiple small slit-like cracks. She was having difficulty, and we haven't tried it again since the LC told us to pump. At first it hurt really bad, but now the only part that hurts on the left side is when she initially latches. She also seems to not be satisfied if I just give her the left breast. She will be content for 5 or 10 minutes, then start screaming and rooting like she is starving She seems to be fine during the morning but then gets extremely fussy during the afternoon and evening hours...

[@llli*auderey]

fussy during afternoon and evening is normal and probably has nothing at all to do with your supply!

it sounds like you're saying the cracking is now starting to heal? some moms have pain at latch that goes away after initial latch; that should get better. if it gets worse or stays stable for very long, let us know!

maybe the left side makes less milk; that's normal. try starting wtih the left, then switch to right, then back to the left (to give it more stimulation). then when you start pumping again, you might pump it longer too.

[@llli*mommal]

Multiple slit-like cracks can indicate thrush. http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/thrush-resources/. Cracks from a poor latch are more likely to be single, large, deep "wound-like" cracks that often gape wider after the baby nurses.