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Post by ovenrack on Feb 21, 2018 16:43:06 GMT -6
Everyone make the pedi at the hospital check for tongue/lip tie. And then the lactation consultant. And then another pedi making rounds.
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yianna
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Post by yianna on Feb 22, 2018 14:57:15 GMT -6
@overnrack - this is a good reminder!!
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Post by gldnbearz on Feb 24, 2018 17:16:45 GMT -6
I have been reading this BMB off and on for the months leading up to this point.
I am coming out to say, "thank you, thank you" for starting this thread.
When I had #1 three years ago, I was so naive. Sure, we were going to BF. But kiddo was about 10 days early and a bit on the small side around 5lbs, 9oz.
Jaundice, latch issues, visits to the LC, weighted feedings, use of nipple shield, and poor transfer despite attaining a decent latch and continued weight loss had us scrambling for formula supplementation. We ended up combo feeding BM and formula for the first year and I pumped exclusively.
Taking it one day at a time then one month at a time helped. I do think that the "baby friendly" hospitals, "breast is best", and "avoid pacifiers and bottles to avoid nipple confusion" advocates really put a damper on mom's mental health. It is so hard to avoid the guilt trips.
All LOs are different, so I have no idea what to expect when #2 arrives in about five weeks. I do know that there are more resources available to help and that mom can keep using whatever aids (nipple shield, pumping, formula feeding) available.
Sorry for the rambling.
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yianna
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Post by yianna on Feb 24, 2018 19:38:50 GMT -6
I have been reading this BMB off and on for the months leading up to this point. I am coming out to say, "thank you, thank you" for starting this thread. When I had #1 three years ago, I was so naive. Sure, we were going to BF. But kiddo was about 10 days early and a bit on the small side around 5lbs, 9oz. Jaundice, latch issues, visits to the LC, weighted feedings, use of nipple shield, and poor transfer despite attaining a decent latch and continued weight loss had us scrambling for formula supplementation. We ended up combo feeding BM and formula for the first year and I pumped exclusively. Taking it one day at a time then one month at a time helped. I do think that the "baby friendly" hospitals, "breast is best", and "avoid pacifiers and bottles to avoid nipple confusion" advocates really put a damper on mom's mental health. It is so hard to avoid the guilt trips. All LOs are different, so I have no idea what to expect when #2 arrives in about five weeks. I do know that there are more resources available to help and that mom can keep using whatever aids (nipple shield, pumping, formula feeding) available. Sorry for the rambling. I can tell you - I didn’t nurse my first because we didn’t mesh... I nursed my second until he was three. We had some challenges in the beginning but it was way easier. With the third it was even more easier!
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Post by clementine on Feb 26, 2018 5:57:50 GMT -6
MOTN question. We’re seeing the pedi tomorrow morning, but I wanted to get your input.
4 days old now. DS had several meconium poops in the hospital but hasn’t pooped since MOTN day 2. He has been passing gas a lot that is definitely smelly, but still no poops. Consistently has wet diapers though.
IDK if my milk has really come in yet? He’s nursing every 2-4 hours and sometimes more, ranging from 10-25 min per side, mostly takes both sides at each feeding. I’m using a nipple shield (have been since day 2 per LC recommendations). When he is nursing I notice what I think are good hard sucks and a few unmistakable swallows, but’s can’t figure out if he’s consistently swallowing. He does get pretty sleepy and will slow down with more pauses and fluttery like sucks. He’ll fall off or I’ll unlatch and he’s asleep, but then wakes right back up with eyes wide open a few min after that. He’s not staying asleep very long in between feedings, and MH will just hold and soothe him a while so I can get some sleep.
So what even are my questions. Thoughts on if he’s even getting sufficient milk since he’s not staying asleep for long and not pooping? How can I tell if he’s actually swallowing? How can I keep him asleep after finishing nursing?
ETA - basically help me be a ftm
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Post by calendula on Feb 26, 2018 6:15:39 GMT -6
clementine if he is consistently having wet diapers I think that's your sign that he is getting plenty of milk. Weight gain will be your sign that he is getting enough milk, you'll find that out at the pedi. As for sleep, it's too early to tell but some babies aren't feed to sleepers. It may not have anything to do with the nursing. Just KOKO with other methods to get him to sleep (swaddle, shush, sway, etc) and revisit that issue next week. He will have changed a thousand times by then You're doing so awesome!!!!
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Leaf 🌱
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Post by Leaf 🌱 on Feb 26, 2018 7:12:47 GMT -6
calendula find an LC or a local LLL meet up. You can tell a MB is swallowing based on longer, deeper movements by/in front of their ear and under their chin. I think you should be able to find a video on YouTube too! And wet diapers are a great sign so I wouldn’t worry too too much about the pooping - just ask the pedi what their limit is. Dad was a pooper, my friends kid went like once a week and both were normal. Also, i know it doesn’t seem like they get much but their stomachs aren’t bigger than an egg until they are about two weeks old.
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shellyr
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Post by shellyr on Feb 26, 2018 7:49:14 GMT -6
I'm going to jump in here too. I breastfed my daughter until 26 months until I was around 18 weeks pregnant with my March 18 baby and wasn't really producing anymore which lead to discomfort. We started off very rocky. I lost a lot of blood on delivery and had a significant repair which made sitting upright really uncomfortable. The LC's didn't really take my inability to sit into consideration which was also frustrating. I think I was too embarrassed to keep announcing that my vagina/bottom was terribly sore. I also used a nipple shield for the first 4 weeks, on and off. I was warned against it, but I wouldn't have gotten through it without it. Shields are not evil. We had to supplement with formula for a bit too because she lost over 10% of her birth weight. I cried. A lot. There was no nipple confusion. All was fine.
Many larger hospitals have ongoing, free, lactation groups. I didn't take advantage last time, but I hear its a good way to do weighted feeds and meet other moms.
I'm hoping for a more calm experience this time with fewer tears. C'mon boobs! We've got this!
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Post by sweetc129 on Feb 26, 2018 9:31:53 GMT -6
clementine if he is consistently having wet diapers I think that's your sign that he is getting plenty of milk. Weight gain will be your sign that he is getting enough milk, you'll find that out at the pedi. As for sleep, it's too early to tell but some babies aren't feed to sleepers. It may not have anything to do with the nursing. Just KOKO with other methods to get him to sleep (swaddle, shush, sway, etc) and revisit that issue next week. He will have changed a thousand times by then You're doing so awesome!!!! I was always told wet diapers are more important than poop when determining getting enough milk. Info for down the road BF babies can go days w/o pooping. Since milk is made just for their specific current needs it's more efficient for absorption and such....at least that is what a LC told me when my first would go 5 days often w/o pooping.
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polson
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Post by polson on Feb 26, 2018 9:56:46 GMT -6
i have also heard that breast milk is also used (digested ?) more efficiently . i would say wet is more important than dirty at this point, but bring it up with an lc if you have concerns. when dd was a few months old she would regularly go about 7-10 days in between poops and she never seemed uncomfortable. kellymom.com has a lot of useful info for this type of stuff
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yianna
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Post by yianna on Feb 26, 2018 12:12:26 GMT -6
clementineMy second kiddo was like this. Turns out even tho he was peeing a ton, he was not getting enough milk from me to continue to push out his meconium. I had a weighted feed done by an LC, and he was getting less than an ounce from me, Nursing both sides. We ended up having to nurse then pump then supplement to help get the meconium to move. Bc it had built up so much - he had a meconium plug - after two days of the pumping nursing supplementing he still hadn’t pooped, the LC, also a nurse, Helped him go - once the plug came out he was fine and pooping a ton. I really encourage you to find an IBCLC who can come to you and do weighted feeds and check for effective milk transfer. Newborns should be pooping every day for at least the first week or so, after that I can calm down but if his poo hasn’t transitioned to Breast milk poop... just please trust me on this - it’s super important!
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Post by ovenrack on Feb 26, 2018 12:30:27 GMT -6
Just a reminder that at four days out, your milk may not be in! Are you engorged?
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Post by clementine on Feb 26, 2018 13:47:58 GMT -6
Just a reminder that at four days out, your milk may not be in! Are you engorged? I’m not sure? That sounds stupid. I mean they’re definitely larger, heavy, harder, and a fairly sore but nothing crazy. Also he just pooped! It was quite a bit too, but not the yellow seedy BM poop, more like black/brown, so maybe the last of the meconium? And in the midst of changing the gauze on his circ, he peed everywhere, including my hair. 😂
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yianna
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Post by yianna on Feb 26, 2018 13:53:44 GMT -6
Just a reminder that at four days out, your milk may not be in! Are you engorged? I’m not sure? That sounds stupid. I mean they’re definitely larger, heavy, harder, and a fairly sore but nothing crazy. Also he just pooped! It was quite a bit too, but not the yellow seedy BM poop, more like black/brown, so maybe the last of the meconium? And in the midst of changing the gauze on his circ, he peed everywhere, including my hair. 😂 Sometimes talking about lack of poop can make tons of it appear 😂
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Post by ovenrack on Feb 26, 2018 14:51:41 GMT -6
I’m not sure? That sounds stupid. I mean they’re definitely larger, heavy, harder, and a fairly sore but nothing crazy. Also he just pooped! It was quite a bit too, but not the yellow seedy BM poop, more like black/brown, so maybe the last of the meconium? And in the midst of changing the gauze on his circ, he peed everywhere, including my hair. 😂 Sometimes talking about lack of poop can make tons of it appear 😂 This is 100% accurate.
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Post by clementine on Feb 26, 2018 14:55:25 GMT -6
yianna I am still concerned about milk transfer, even with the recent poop. And about using the nipple shield. I’ve tried nursing without it after nursing with it for a few minutes and it’s like he doesn’t even know my nipple is there. He’ll suck a couple times, scrunch up his face, and pull back or root around for it again. So anyway, I may try to make an appt with a LC if things don’t change much once my milk really comes in. Thank you all for your insight and recommendations on this. It’s a huge learning experience and I’m super new and feeling doubtful, but I’m glad to have some tips and reassurance from you all!
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tinyjoys
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Post by tinyjoys on Feb 26, 2018 14:57:33 GMT -6
he peed everywhere, including my hair. 😂 Motherhood. And we thought pregnancy was glamorous!
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Post by ovenrack on Feb 26, 2018 15:04:21 GMT -6
Are you hamburger holding? Hamburger holding is the best.
And HUGS. You are doing great, reaching out, and getting peed on. Living the dream!
Does your hospital have any post partum BFing resources?
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Post by clementine on Feb 26, 2018 16:01:56 GMT -6
Are you hamburger holding? Hamburger holding is the best. And HUGS. You are doing great, reaching out, and getting peed on. Living the dream! Does your hospital have any post partum BFing resources? The hospital has a lactation clinic and you can make appts with the LCs, so I have a feeling I’ll be doing that in the near future. I’ve tried hamburger holding, but I feel like it makes my nipple flatter and harder for him to latch onto. Maybe I’m holding too close to the nipple.
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Rama
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Post by Rama on Feb 26, 2018 16:10:09 GMT -6
yianna I am still concerned about milk transfer, even with the recent poop. And about using the nipple shield. I’ve tried nursing without it after nursing with it for a few minutes and it’s like he doesn’t even know my nipple is there. He’ll suck a couple times, scrunch up his face, and pull back or root around for it again. So anyway, I may try to make an appt with a LC if things don’t change much once my milk really comes in. Thank you all for your insight and recommendations on this. It’s a huge learning experience and I’m super new and feeling doubtful, but I’m glad to have some tips and reassurance from you all! So, take my words with as much salt as you want, but I was told in my birthing class that using nipple shields only stands to help you guys establish a good breastfeeding relationship. It isn't forever and you will probably be able to ditch it once you both know what you're doing. But for now, while you're both trying to figure out how to do this thing, let yourself lean on the tools available for you to make this happen. It's not a failure to use a nipple shield any more than it's a failure for someone to have to get a section. Modern technology has come so far and it's really easy to fall into the "if I can't do it 'naturally', I'm failing" mindset. It's a trap. Don't let your brain make you feel bad about you doing what you need to do. It's there for you to use and you are no less of a brave, warrior mama for having to use it. <3
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Post by clementine on Feb 26, 2018 16:22:01 GMT -6
RamaIt definitely is easy to fall into the I’m failing trap, especially at 3 am. Thank you, and everyone else for the words of encouragement.
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Post by babybean on Feb 26, 2018 16:57:41 GMT -6
clementine I used a nipple shield for 2 weeks with DS. I would’ve ended up exclusively pumping had they not existed, they’re nothing to feel guilty about. (I made it 23 months!) You’re figuring out your new family dynamic, a baby, your body, and recovering while hormonal AF and sleep deprived - you are doing amazing, I promise you. It’s survival mode and any means necessary right now.
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yianna
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Post by yianna on Feb 26, 2018 19:02:51 GMT -6
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Post by nuggetrn on Feb 26, 2018 19:07:59 GMT -6
clementine learning how to breastfeed sucks. Trying to figure everything out, dealing with this new little baby that has no idea what they are doing, and you have no idea what you're doing. I have had a rough weekend with this tiny baby over here. I swear she was doing so much better at the hospital and she is 11 days old now and a different baby than the one I left from the hospital with. I also think that she knows I was considering trading her in today. Because the last two nursing sessions I have had with her have been fabulous. I actually called the lactation consultant this morning to ask for help with pain and difficulty with latching. She has not wanted to latch, she will grab a hold and then pull off and then scream bloody murder. Or I will get her latch nicely and without pain and she will pull herself off into a much more painful position. I actually pumped most of the weekend because she has destroyed my nipples and I didn't figure I was doing either of us any favors by allowing her to continue to hurt me. I have used the nipple shield a couple of times, but she also kind of sucks at that. She's had a bottle a lot. Which of course I'm feeling guilty about because I feel like I broke her because now she really won't latch. Except for now suddenly miraculously she has been perfect for the last two feeds. So it really goes to show that I know nothing and she's still learning. And even when things go poorly we can still figure it out. I plan to still talk to the LC (I guess no should mention I had to leave a message and am waiting for a callback). There is also a free breastfeeding group on Tuesdays that I can't go to tomorrow but I think I will attempt to go to next week. I feel your pain and I'm here for the venting, don't be afraid to ask for help. And try not to be hard on yourself for using the shield and figuring things out how you need to. I am giving myself the same advice. And I am glad to see he pooped for you. And peed on you, because I think that's like a rite of passage into parenting. Congratulations!! 😀😀
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Post by clementine on Feb 27, 2018 7:19:15 GMT -6
nuggetrn fx she continues with the good nursing streak! It’s nice you have access to resources like the LC and BFing group. It’s crazy that things can change so much in such a short amount of time. I already feel like he’s so different than when we came home only a couple days ago. And I’m trying to remind myself that things will continue to change and that we may not be using the nipple shield a week from now, or having trouble latching. Hugs to you and I hope your call back from the LC is helpful!
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shellyr
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Post by shellyr on Feb 27, 2018 20:40:10 GMT -6
clementine, I had to use a nipple shield on and off for weeks. I ended up breastfeeding my daughter past the age of 2. If you need it, you need it. I also had to pump after a few feeds (I hate calling it that) a day to increase my supply. You are doing awesome. It can be so frustrating.
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Post by clementine on Feb 27, 2018 21:19:16 GMT -6
clementine, I had to use a nipple shield on and off for weeks. I ended up breastfeeding my daughter past the age of 2. If you need it, you need it. I also had to pump after a few feeds (I hate calling it that) a day to increase my supply. You are doing awesome. It can be so frustrating. Thank you 😊😊 How did you wean from the shield? I’ve been starting out using it, then taking it off mid feed or not using it for the second side. He’ll initially latch without it but scrunches up his face and pulls away almost immediately. After a few tries, I can tell he’s starting to get frustrated so I bring back the shield. I’ve been hamburger holding and trying to hand express so he gets a taste when we try without the shield.
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shellyr
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Post by shellyr on Feb 27, 2018 22:39:29 GMT -6
clementine , I had to use a nipple shield on and off for weeks. I ended up breastfeeding my daughter past the age of 2. If you need it, you need it. I also had to pump after a few feeds (I hate calling it that) a day to increase my supply. You are doing awesome. It can be so frustrating. Thank you 😊😊 How did you wean from the shield? I’ve been starting out using it, then taking it off mid feed or not using it for the second side. He’ll initially latch without it but scrunches up his face and pulls away almost immediately. After a few tries, I can tell he’s starting to get frustrated so I bring back the shield. I’ve been hamburger holding and trying to hand express so he gets a taste when we try without the shield. I was using the shield secondary to pain, so when her latch got better, I stopped using it. I did what you are doing as much as I could, starting out with it and then trying without.
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Post by nuggetrn on Mar 1, 2018 12:08:20 GMT -6
clementine I have been using a shield on the left but haven't needed it on the right side. The left side is just flatter than the right and it's been painful to me. Sometimes if I am in a different position I can get away with not using it. She doesn't seem to notice the difference so much and has been doing well on both sides.
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Post by alwayscheese on Mar 11, 2018 12:12:29 GMT -6
Any have a recommendation for an app to track feedings? Which side, what times, wet and poopy diapers, amounts pumped, etc. I guess I could download 5 or 6 and try them out. 😏
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