lily
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Post by lily on Oct 16, 2018 19:46:06 GMT -6
How old is your LO?
Are you nursing, pumping, supplementing? How’s it going?
0-3 mo Did you do anything to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant?
4-8 mo What is something about breastfeeding you wish someone had told you on day 1?
If you’ve returned to work, how is that transition going?
9-12mo Do you have plans to TTC that affect your BF plans?
Questions/AW?
GTKY: what’s the most used app on your phone?
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Oct 16, 2018 20:56:33 GMT -6
How old is your LO? 4 months
Are you nursing, pumping, supplementing? How’s it going? I think we've pretty much been able to drop the supplementing, so nursing with an occasional pumping session thrown in for stash purposes, so that when he needs a little extra we have it. His weight gain is still on the low end, but he IS gaining, so nobody is super concerned. He's just a little guy, that's all =)
4-8 mo What is something about breastfeeding you wish someone had told you on day 1? Hrmm, that it's something that you have to work at. I watched a lot of scenes in shows and movies where it's a new mom and a new baby and they don't have any instruction, they're just doing it. And now I'm like "wow, that's so unrealistic". I'm sure there's someone out there who had that experience, but it certainly wasn't mine!
If you’ve returned to work, how is that transition going? I don't go back until early summer next year, yahoo! Already thinking about how we'll continue breastfeeding at that time, if he hasn't weaned himself.
Questions/AW?
GTKY: what’s the most used app on your phone? Hah! FB by far lol
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Post by MauLoaM0M on Oct 17, 2018 3:52:50 GMT -6
How old is your LO? 4 months
Are you nursing, pumping, supplementing? How’s it going? Nursing on nights & weekends and pumping during the week
4-8 mo What is something about breastfeeding you wish someone had told you on day 1? Like Speedy said it’s not easy. And just because you didn’t have issues with your first child while BF that means nothing for the next child.
If you’ve returned to work, how is that transition going? Blah. I’ve been back a few days & luckily I’ve been able to pump enough for the next day & usually some left over for my freezer stash. But man pumping sucks! DS2 is inconsistent with his intake the days he’s at daycare which makes preparing bottles difficult. I don’t want to send too much & have it thrown away.
Questions/AW?
GTKY: what’s the most used app on your phone? Safari so I can google everything & track my online orders 😂
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vvvvvfee
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Post by vvvvvfee on Oct 17, 2018 8:30:10 GMT -6
How old is your LO?: 3.5 months
Are you nursing, pumping, supplementing? How’s it going?: Nursing on demand at home and pumping 3x a day at work.
0-3 mo Did you do anything to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant?: No, other than logistical things like order a breast pump.
Questions/AW?: nothing right now.
GTKY: what’s the most used app on your phone?: Chrome and Netflix
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mirabelle
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Post by mirabelle on Oct 17, 2018 13:58:55 GMT -6
How old is your LO? 8 weeks
Are you nursing, pumping, supplementing? How’s it going? Nursing, every other day I want to pack up and formula feed thinking that will help him sleep better at night. I’m now at the point where I’ve come this far I’m not stopping without a fight. I’m sticking it out for now. My H has not been very supportive this week so that’s been tough. We see the pediatrician on Friday so I’m hoping to discuss some of my feelings with her.
0-3 mo Did you do anything to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant? YouTube videos, blogs, and communicating my desire to my H and my hospital staff from day one. I’ve been researching it since my first was born 3+ years ago and I couldn’t establish feeding him.
Questions/AW?
GTKY: what’s the most used app on your phone? Safari for HIH & I’m scrolling through Twitter a lot to stay up with current events and such
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Oct 17, 2018 14:44:59 GMT -6
Have you guys seen this? I saw it the other day, while BFing F of course lol, and it gave me a good chuckle. People seriously think this.
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lily
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be a New Orleanian wherever you are
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Post by lily on Oct 17, 2018 19:41:27 GMT -6
mirabelle you might want to check out the la Leche league book Sweet Sleep. It has a lot of great info on biologically normal sleep patterns & ways to cope with nighttime parenting.
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lily
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be a New Orleanian wherever you are
Posts: 918 Likes: 2,277
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Post by lily on Oct 17, 2018 19:41:55 GMT -6
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 18, 2018 14:20:05 GMT -6
How old is your LO? 2 months/9 weeks
Are you nursing, pumping, supplementing? How’s it going? Nursing mostly, beginning to pump once a day for a nighttime bottle plus a stash in anticipation of starting daycare in 3 weeks. It's okay, but I'm worried about low supply (see below).
0-3 mo Did you do anything to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant? No, but this is #2, so I figured I had it figured out (boy was I WRONG)
Questions/AW? Do I have low supply issues? Baby had his 2 months check up this week and his weight gain has just been so-so. He was the 12th percentile at his 1 month check up and the 7th percentile this week. Recently I feel like he is not satisfied after feeding. He has increased his frequency of daytime feeds to every 1.5-2 hours in the past week (he had been doing q3hrs). He is cranky and cries a lot during the day, but he's also at that peak fussiness period, so it's hard for me to tell if its because he's hungry or something else. He sleeps for one 5-6 hour stretch at night, and one 3-4 hour stretch. I'm pumping after the 5-6 hour stretch. At that time my husband feeds him a bottle of pumped milk, usually 4oz, and I have been typically pumping ~5oz total. Isn't 5oz after 6 hours too little? Should I add another pumping session? If so, when? If I pump after a feed, even first morning feed, I only get drops, so I think DS must be emptying me with each feed. This doesn't seem like the right time for a growth spurt, but is this a possibility? Or is he nursing a ton because of a leap? I'm just so anxious and really need to put at least a few ounces in the freezer for the first few days at daycare. And I'm so tired of my fussy baby chewing my nipples ALL DAY LONG.
GTKY: what’s the most used app on your phone? Facebook
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 18, 2018 14:23:44 GMT -6
Speedy, wtf?!? That makes me angry.
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vvvvvfee
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Post by vvvvvfee on Oct 18, 2018 15:26:35 GMT -6
Questions/AW? Do I have low supply issues? Baby had his 2 months check up this week and his weight gain has just been so-so. He was the 12th percentile at his 1 month check up and the 7th percentile this week. Recently I feel like he is not satisfied after feeding. He has increased his frequency of daytime feeds to every 1.5-2 hours in the past week (he had been doing q3hrs). He is cranky and cries a lot during the day, but he's also at that peak fussiness period, so it's hard for me to tell if its because he's hungry or something else. He sleeps for one 5-6 hour stretch at night, and one 3-4 hour stretch. I'm pumping after the 5-6 hour stretch. At that time my husband feeds him a bottle of pumped milk, usually 4oz, and I have been typically pumping ~5oz total. Isn't 5oz after 6 hours too little? Should I add another pumping session? If so, when? If I pump after a feed, even first morning feed, I only get drops, so I think DS must be emptying me with each feed. This doesn't seem like the right time for a growth spurt, but is this a possibility? Or is he nursing a ton because of a leap? I'm just so anxious and really need to put at least a few ounces in the freezer for the first few days at daycare. And I'm so tired of my fussy baby chewing my nipples ALL DAY LONG. IANALC, but i don't think you have low supply.
is your pediatrician concerned about his weight gain? that doesn't seem like that huge of a difference, percentile-wise. pediatricians have always told me that as long as they're following the same general growth curve that it's fine, even if they are a small baby.
approx 6-8 weeks is considered the period of peak fussiness, and also there is a wonder week at 8-9 weeks. i remember it being tough with my kids during this window-- they start to become more aware of their surroundings and it seems to make them hypersensitive. remember that babies can want to nurse for comfort/security and not just because of hunger.
i'm not sure why you are pumping in the MOTN and not just nursing your DS? is the goal that you go back to sleep while your H gives him the bottle? i would just be nursing him each time he wakes, and if you want to pump for a stash, pump first thing in the morning when your supply is highest.
5 oz seems normal to me for a missed feed overnight. also, the pump never empties your breast as efficiently as your baby.
i usually pumped one side while nursing from the other in order to get a freezer stash for back to work. i'd only pump until i got an ounce or two and then stopped. pumping one side while baby nurses the other keeps the baby quiet and helps stimulate letdown on the other breast. alternatively, if your LO naps reliably at a certain time in the morning, you could double-pump until you get 2 oz or so and then stop so he will still have plenty of milk when he gets up. all you need is enough for the first day back (12-15 oz).
believe me, i know that get-this-baby-off-me feeling all too well! are you able to get out of the house without the baby a couple of times a week for your sanity? will he take a pacifier for short periods?
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 18, 2018 17:20:03 GMT -6
vvvvvfee thank you!!!! This is exactly the reassurance I was looking for. My gut says everything is fine but it’s hard not to over analyze everything. My DS2 is definitely more fussy than my DS1 was, so I’m in new territory. I’m not worried much about his weight. My DS1 was a 5th percentile baby and thrived. My pediatrician wasn’t concerned either. But I mention it because it’s not like he’s a big chubby BF baby. I’m pumping MOTN (2-3am) because it’s after the longest stretch of sleep and I seem to get about an ounce extra then for a freezer stash. I tried pumping after the first morning feed but I ran into two problems - first, baby often wanted to eat again after an hour, and also recently I’ve been pumping dry at that time. I pump dry any other time of day I’ve tried too. The bottle at 2-3am is purely a time-saver - if I pump while DH gives a bottle then we can all get to sleep faster. Also I’m trying to avoid bottle refusal so I figure one bottle a day will keep him in good practice. I guess I should worry less about my freezer stash. Right now there’s only 4oz in the freezer. When my DS1 started daycare I probably had about 100 oz, so I feel like I’m behind and if I’m only saving ~1oz per day then I’ll barely make enough in time for his first day. ETA yes we go out of the house almost every day (heck, I took him hiking last weekend!), but NIP every hour is hard! He will take a pacifier but not if he’s hungry. He’s been rejecting the pacifier more recently which is why I’m worried that he’s hungry all the time.
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vvvvvfee
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Post by vvvvvfee on Oct 19, 2018 8:19:27 GMT -6
frecklesnbrains, my last 2 babies have been very small in the percentiles and neither of them really got chubby until 3-4 months. it's really hard for most women to get more than a couple ounces a day when not missing any feedings. to me 100 oz frozen with your DS1 sounds like you were more on the side of oversupply. with DS3 i had maybe 16 oz in the freezer when he started DC. (i did pump a little more than that over weeks 6-12, but some of it went towards practice feeding- only an ounce at a time so it's not like he skipped BFing and i could save anything). RE pacifiers, my DS1 and 2 both hated them and spit them out immediately once they realized no milk was coming out. DS3 i call a successful pacifier user bc he will tolerate it for up to 5 minutes at a time. nursing every hour to me sounds like a growth spurt, even if it doesn't line up exactly with when a growth spurt is supposed to happen. hang in there!
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 19, 2018 9:50:03 GMT -6
Thanks for the further reassurance vvvvvfee. I guess he wouldn’t be sleeping 6 hours at night if he were starving, right? I also wonder if he bumped up his daytime feeding frequency to compensate for the fact that he’s sleeping longer stretches. Last night he slept 8 hours (!) I still woke up to pump though. I doubt this will be a regular occurrence.
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lily
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Post by lily on Oct 19, 2018 9:59:55 GMT -6
Thanks for the further reassurance vvvvvfee. I guess he wouldn’t be sleeping 6 hours at night if he were starving, right? I also wonder if he bumped up his daytime feeding frequency to compensate for the fact that he’s sleeping longer stretches. Last night he slept 8 hours (!) I still woke up to pump though. I doubt this will be a regular occurrence. My first kid was sleeping 12(!) hour stretches by 3mo. He never went longer than 1.5hours max between nursing session during the day, usually closer to 45min and then a long cluster feed in the evening. When he started waking at night again around 7mo, he spaced out his daytime feeds a bit.
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 19, 2018 10:47:20 GMT -6
Thanks for the further reassurance vvvvvfee . I guess he wouldn’t be sleeping 6 hours at night if he were starving, right? I also wonder if he bumped up his daytime feeding frequency to compensate for the fact that he’s sleeping longer stretches. Last night he slept 8 hours (!) I still woke up to pump though. I doubt this will be a regular occurrence. My first kid was sleeping 12(!) hour stretches by 3mo. He never went longer than 1.5hours max between nursing session during the day, usually closer to 45min and then a long cluster feed in the evening. When he started waking at night again around 7mo, he spaced out his daytime feeds a bit. Yup, this is what my DS2 is doing! Yesterday he nursed every hour during the day, non-stop cluster fed from 4pm-7pm, fell asleep until 9pm, nursed once, and then fell asleep until 5am. My poor nips feel like they did when I had a newborn... But I do LOVE the sleep so it seems like a fair exchange.
Curious, did you run into supply issues going such a long stretch overnight? I don't feel engorged until about 8 hours, so I guess I have a relatively high storage capacity, maybe, so I wonder if I can get away with it. But I still worry that my supply will tank after lacking stimulation for so long and I find myself either pumping or attempting a dream feed in the MOTN (though neither of my babies have been good dream feeders so once my DS1 was in daycare I would just pump while baby slept and that milk would go into daytime bottles).
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lily
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be a New Orleanian wherever you are
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Post by lily on Oct 19, 2018 13:59:34 GMT -6
frecklesnbrains I never had supply problems, but I SAH and we exclusively nursed so I can’t speak to how pumping or being away during the day could’ve factored in. I just slept on a towel while my supply was adjusting so I didn’t worry about leaking. No issues adjusting when he resumed night feeds, either. I think he nursed at night from 7-20mo? Frequency changing throughout that period. We nursed basically on demand for 3 years.
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lily
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be a New Orleanian wherever you are
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Post by lily on Oct 21, 2018 18:40:10 GMT -6
How old is your LO? - 4mo
Are you nursing, pumping, supplementing? How’s it going? - nursing. All is well.
0-3 mo Did you do anything to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant? - with my first pregnancy I took a class, read some books, watched a lot of YouTube. I didn’t know anyone who breastfed.
GTKY: what’s the most used app on your phone? - fbook. My first bmb is over there & we’re really chatty.
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 23, 2018 13:06:23 GMT -6
And... help!!! I got my period. I’m only 9.5 weeks postpartum. I’m kind of freaking out because I think this explains my apparent drop in supply the past week. Baby is nursing q1-2 hours during the day, at least q3 hours overnight. He never seems satisfied. When I pump after first morning feed I only get drops. I’m going back to work in 2 weeks and I’m scared that this is the beginning of the end.
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vvvvvfee
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Post by vvvvvfee on Oct 23, 2018 13:43:03 GMT -6
frecklesnbrains, some women have a supply drop associated with their period (supply dips and recovers). taking a calcium/magnesium supplement helps for some. kellymom suggests a dosage between 500 mg calcium/250 mg magnesium and 1500 mg calcium/750 mg magnesium per day.
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 23, 2018 17:31:36 GMT -6
frecklesnbrains, some women have a supply drop associated with their period (supply dips and recovers). taking a calcium/magnesium supplement helps for some. kellymom suggests a dosage between 500 mg calcium/250 mg magnesium and 1500 mg calcium/750 mg magnesium per day. Thank you! It can’t hurt to try. I feel so badly my baby is so hungry
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Oct 24, 2018 16:50:20 GMT -6
@frecklesandbrains have you tried switch nursing? It seems to help my babe to be a little more satisfied when he's extra hungry.
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Post by frecklesnbrains on Oct 28, 2018 1:27:42 GMT -6
@frecklesandbrains have you tried switch nursing? It seems to help my babe to be a little more satisfied when he's extra hungry. Like finishing both sides and then going back to the first? Yes, we do that all the time. It helps but he would still be frustrated you the slow flow and quick empty. He’s a very efficient nurser. The good news is I think my supply rebounded. Things are back to normal. I also realized I had lost quite a bit of weight (was almost 10lb under my pre-pregnancy weight) so I bumped up my calories for a few days and I think that helped too.
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