re: Breastfeeding tips! & Top 10 BF problems solved!

Quoting Love Wedge +2:" How would I go about that? I'd love to put it to good use instead of wasting it. I wish I could donate ... [snip!] ... him myself if I can, but if I happen to be in the court room and he's hungry, my mom has the option to feed him if need be."

You can donate direct to local mommas by checking out Human Milk for Human babies on FB. There will be listings for mommas in your area making milk requests.

As far as a ways to use the milk: http://bliss-breastfeeding.blogspot.com/2009/06/things-to-do-with-your-extra-breastmilk.html

For a facial mask apply as is or mix with powdered (Colloidal) oatmeal & apply.

Quoting justanothamotha:" You can donate direct to local mommas by checking out Human Milk for Human babies on FB. There will be ... [snip!] ... For a facial mask apply as is or mix with powdered (Colloidal) oatmeal & apply."

Great, thank you!

I am convinced my supply is low now.. I dont leak. Don't have many problems w flow and him choking. I remember when my others were bf and I had all those problems.

I think my implants are causing supply issues. I went more than 4 hours without feeding him and pumped bc I had a meeting at kids school. . I only had 3oz total. 2 in left 1 in right.

I have pumped 3 other times and got that much usually right after he feeds or between feedings so after an hour. DS is 25 day so 3.5 weeks. As he gets older and eats more will I produce more milk? I remember w other kids. In would get 3_4 ounces per breast easily.

Quoting sillygirltracyb_caius1222:" I am convinced my supply is low now.. I dont leak. Don't have many problems w flow and him choking. I ... [snip!] ... As he gets older and eats more will I produce more milk? I remember w other kids. In would get 3_4 ounces per breast easily."

it sounds like maybe you had an oversupply before and this time your boobs have adjusted faster. as long as you are feeding on demand and baby is growing and having wet/poopy diapers (4-6 per day / minimum), then you have enough milk. some people never leak. and pumping does not indicate supply.

<blockquote><b>Quoting dream:</b>" it sounds like maybe you had an oversupply before and this time your boobs have adjusted faster. as ... [snip!] ... diapers (4-6 per day / minimum), then you have enough milk. some people never leak. and pumping does not indicate supply."</blockquote>




Ya possibly. DS is growing fast tho. He has gained almost 2 pounds in 2 wks. But the reason I worry is bc when I pumped the 3 oz he drank it all so fast DH said. So I had to hurry to get home bc I was worried it wasnt enuf.. I guess its not a problem now. I just hope it will be ok when he is drinking more.

Quoting sillygirltracyb_caius1222:" <blockquote><b>Quoting dream:</b>" it sounds like maybe you had an oversupply before ... [snip!] ... to get home bc I was worried it wasnt enuf.. I guess its not a problem now. I just hope it will be ok when he is drinking more."

It's fine momma. Babies over drink in bottles all.the.time due to the very very different flow & delivery system. You won't likely "make more milk" as milk stops increasing in volume somewhere around 25 oz a day (average is like 19-30 oz) and then just increases in fats & calories. Formula increases in ounces because it never changes - so in order to feed a baby more fats & more calories they have to take more ounces. Breastmilk changes over time, so it just gets denser & denser & they take in very similar quantities from about this age until forever...literally. SO you NORMALLY only get an output of about 1-1.25 oz per hour - so while 3 is lower than that, it isn't by much & babies drain a boobie faster & easier than a pump anyway, so I'd in NO way be concerned about supply with that out put. And as far as leaking - I leaked FAR less with #2 than with #1 & I was able to pump more easily - everything is relative really. From what I have read you grow new duct tissue with #1 & often with #2 (hence why some momma shave an easier time with #2 & supply) and then with #3 that no longer happens - so that may be all you are seeing as a difference as well.

Quoting justanothamotha:" It's fine momma. Babies over drink in bottles all.the.time due to the very very different flow & ... [snip!] ... time with #2 & supply) and then with #3 that no longer happens - so that may be all you are seeing as a difference as well."

thanks.. i just read that about the bottle and nipple flow too.. Im having to reassure my DH too that everything is ok..i think he just eats alot. .he definitely has all the diapers as recommended... and his weight gain seems to be off the charts. He was 7 lbs 2 oz on 1/4/13 and was 8lbs5oz on 1/16/13 so by tomorrow at 2 wks, he'll nearly have gained about 2 pounds.. guess he just likes to eat..  

We saw Bub's pedi yesterday. Since the end of November he's only gained a pound. His pedi was concerned and suggested I supplement a couple times a day. I told her I'd rather try increasing my supply before giving him formula. She said that was fine so we go back in two weeks to see how it worked out.

So what can I do? I'd like to try natural methods instead of using medications.

I've heard Gatorade, almonds, pumping between feeds, special teas and vitamins. What works best? What wouldn't you suggest?

I'm still nursing on demand but either he's not nursing often enough (between 2 and 3 hours during the day time) or I'm not making enough to fill him up.

Any other suggestions or help would be good. I'm trying very hard not to feel like a failure because I need help making milk for my baby.

Quoting Love Wedge +2:" We saw Bub's pedi yesterday. Since the end of November he's only gained a pound. His pedi was concerned ... [snip!] ... suggestions or help would be good. I'm trying very hard not to feel like a failure because I need help making milk for my baby."

Okay - if I recall right your babies 4 months but was preemie...and I know you've had some stumbles in your start (I think you had to pump first..?) - so it would help to know some background as refresher. Also - about how many times a day doe she cue to feed? Has he been having adequate diapers?

I agree that there are things you can do before supplementing, like pumping.
My best luck came with using lactation cookies & Mothers Milk Tea. i had no luck with fenugreek but many moms do & I have heard great things about More Milk Plus from motherlove - I have used some of their products as well, but not that particular one.

Is there anything that slows production? Someone told me not to eat any processed foods or only eat organic foods.. she says that anyway..bf or not so I dont know if I believe that.. she was like dont drink real milk, no caffeine, no red meat..pretty much nothing but fruits and veggies. . Sounds extreme to me but im not a health nut.

Quoting sillygirltracyb_caius1222:" Is there anything that slows production? Someone told me not to eat any processed foods or only eat ... [snip!] ... milk, no caffeine, no red meat..pretty much nothing but fruits and veggies. . Sounds extreme to me but im not a health nut."

I've heard peppermint can reduce it.

Quoting justanothamotha:" Okay - if I recall right your babies 4 months but was preemie...and I know you've had some stumbles in ... [snip!] ... great things about More Milk Plus from motherlove - I have used some of their products as well, but not that particular one."

Yes, he was a 35 weeker and in the NICU for 11 days. He had tummy problems (not sure on the exact details) and couldn't tolerate anything for the first few days. We slowly built him up to, I believe, 1 oz or so. I had an over supply and was pumping for him while he was in NICU so I continued to do so at home.

At almost 2 months I just put him on the breast just to see what he'd do and he did great! It took us two days to go from bottles to strictly breast.

It depends on the day, really. Some days he'll eat 8 times, other days he eats only 5. Usually his cues are whining and then pretty much full on crying. There isn't much in between. The intensity of the cry depends on how hungry he is.

He hasn't been pooping as much the past few days, but that's normal right? His peeing is the same, so I've got to assume he's getting enough.

Quoting Love Wedge +2:" Yes, he was a 35 weeker and in the NICU for 11 days. He had tummy problems (not sure on the exact details) ... [snip!] ... pooping as much the past few days, but that's normal right? His peeing is the same, so I've got to assume he's getting enough."

Yep - pooping is not much concern at all. I would say though that you have to encourage more feeds. Five is really really low for a breastfed baby. He should be averaging 8-12 & although the general rule is to "feed on cue" - in a baby that isn't cuing often enough or is gaining slow- offering more is better. You may want to try to put him in a sling & just leave the boobs out where he can have more ready access. If he has a binky, get rid of it. Some babies pacify on a binky when they should in fact be eating. Most do fine, but again, in a slow gainer, the binky is a no-go. At this point I'd be setting timer making sure to offer a feed every 2 hrs from the start of the last feed. Breastmilk digests in about 2 hrs time, so after 2 hrs he should be willing to eat most of the time. He may in fact have very subtle cues. Crying is a very late hunger cue for most babies & his early cues may be really subtle - stretching is a cue for some babies even. That is why wearing a baby helps - they can just start rooting when they want to eat. LOL

I would say he is getting plenty to stay hydrated but may need a tad more to start putting some chub on that baby.   I would just start with making sure he is offered the boobs every 2 hrs or more & see how he does from there. If you can get him to eating 8-12 times that is almost double what he is currently doing & more on par with what most 4 month olds do & that may be the reason he isn't gaining as fast as you'd like to see.

Quoting sillygirltracyb_caius1222:" Is there anything that slows production? Someone told me not to eat any processed foods or only eat ... [snip!] ... milk, no caffeine, no red meat..pretty much nothing but fruits and veggies. . Sounds extreme to me but im not a health nut."

certain medications and caffeine can slow production, mostly because they dehydrate you. You can drink pop and coffee as long as you make up for it in water. I don't think there is any weight behind her organic claim, I mean yes process foods have chemicals that can get into your milk but I've never heard of avoiding them to bf, thats just a personal choice.

So i haven't been in here for a little while, we're going on 7 months on the 5th . She's also getting to the point of where she's chomping down on my nipple, no teeth yet thankfully but anything i can do to stop/help the chomping?