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

<blockquote><b>Quoting Best of both worlds ;-):</b>" My daughter is 3 months old and im breastfeeding i just wanted to know since i am currently sick can i get my daughter sick....It might be a stupid question but i really need to know."</blockquote>




Not because you're Breastfeeding, no   in fact, you will give her the antibodies she needs to not get it or fight it if she does!

Quoting Sofia's Mummy♥:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Best of both worlds ;-):</b>" My daughter is 3 months old and ... [snip!] ... because you're Breastfeeding, no   in fact, you will give her the antibodies she needs to not get it or fight it if she does!"

 

Quoting Best of both worlds ;-):" My daughter is 3 months old and im breastfeeding i just wanted to know since i am currently sick can i get my daughter sick....It might be a stupid question but i really need to know."

it's possible, yes, but not from the BFing, just from the exposure of being near you. however, BFing is actually the most beneficial thing you can do, as it gives her higher immunity and makes her more likely NOT to get sick. =D

So last month we had an appointment with Bub's pedi. He'd only gained 1 lb since the end of November, so she suggested I start supplementing. I said I'd rather try other methods first, so we made an appointment for two weeks when we'd check his weight again.

I tried Fenugreek, drinking more water, oatmeal, Gatorade, he always nurses on demand. Fenugreek upset his stomach, which made him spit up like 10x more, and make him fussy. It didn't do anything for my production either.

We had the appointment and he'd only gained 1 oz. She told me to get an iron enriched formula and give him 1 - 2 oz, 1 or 2 times a day, after nursing him. I got Parent's Choice Sensitivity, lactose free. I think he has a slight sensitivity to lactose.

I'm really sad. I was hoping to be able to EBF until he started solids in a few months. I know it's only 1 bottle a day, after I BF, but I didn't want to have to at all.

I'm mad at my body for not being able to do this for him. First he's born 5 weeks early because my body started giving out. And now I can't even feed him like I want to.

I formula fed my daughter right from the start and she's super smart. I don't know why this bothers me so much.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Love Wedge +2:</b>" So last month we had an appointment with Bub's pedi. He'd only gained 1 lb since the end of November, ... [snip!] ... I want to. I formula fed my daughter right from the start and she's super smart. I don't know why this bothers me so much."</blockquote>


Im sorry. I would be really sad too but if u r only supplementing then u will still get to breastfeed. Maybe u can have someone else give him the bottle of formula while you go pump or something... or feed him first w breast and then have someone else give the bottle..

Quoting sillygirltracyb_caius1222:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Love Wedge +2:</b>" So last month we had an appointment with ... [snip!] ... the bottle of formula while you go pump or something... or feed him first w breast and then have someone else give the bottle.."

I live alone with the two kids, daughter is 6, and I don't trust her quite enough to feed him.

Quoting Love Wedge +2:" So last month we had an appointment with Bub's pedi. He'd only gained 1 lb since the end of November, ... [snip!] ... I want to. I formula fed my daughter right from the start and she's super smart. I don't know why this bothers me so much."

Have you tried getting his nursing up to the 8-12 per day like we talked about before? I know he had been doing as few as 5 feeds a day & that is more in line with the 6 a day outlined in books like Babywise which is linked with failure to thrive & other issues when so few feeds are given. (I am NOT saying YOU are scheduling him at 5, I know you said he isn't cuing more often - I am merely saying that so few feeds a day, has been shown to contribute to poor weight gain). In most cases feeding on demand/cue is the way to go, but some babies just don't cue often enough & it has to become an issue of offer, offer & then offer again. It won't matter what he is fed if he doesn't take in enough, formula is not fattier than breastmilk. You can also try pumping between nursing & offer pumped milk instead....you can see a comparison on calories & fat here between breastmilk, formula & other solid foods: http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/babyfoodcalories/

Why would she say iron enriched? Ferrous sulfate (formula iron) is far less digestible than lactoferrin (breastmilk iron) so ferrous sulfate gets absorbed at lower rates than breasmtilk iron. But it really is no matter since virtually all of them are iron enriched these days. I am not aware of any you can get anymore that aren't. Lots of Drs get confused by the concept that breastmilk has lower iron levels (it does) because they fail to factor in how bioavailable that iron is in that form.http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEgQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iupac.org%2Fpublications%2Fpac%2F82%2F2%2F0429%2Fpdf%2F&ei=cUMRUZfSFLG60AHCvYCYDw&usg=AFQjCNGnwWA1l5pw9smUrffwKCOu2-Ex1HPQ&sig2=rmyzNZfl3Bv7Dp0EOM49Sw
That is a very complex study - but it shows special receptors human infants have to be much more receptive to lactoferrin than to ferrous sulfate. in case you are interested.


I am ALLLLLL for getting his weight up - for sure. It would be concerning to me too. I am just wondering why your Dr think formula is the answer. Has she had you run a crematocrit to look at what the fat/calorie concentrations are in the breastmilk? Has she had you do a pre-feed/post feed weight in to see how many ounces per feed he happens to be averaging to know if he is taking in enough feeds per day for that number? Like if he did 5 feeds a day, but took in 5 oz or more, that's fine. If he does 5 a day & takes in 1-2 oz, that is too low. They need in the range of 25 oz per day to do well....some do as little as 19 or go as high as in the low 30's - but most fall around 25 oz. Has she suggested pumping & bottlefeeding with a human milk fortifier added (it's a powder, made from breastmilk that has a super dose of fats & calories sometimes used with preemies with slow weight gain or in term infants with other medical issues).

I only tell you all this because you say you are sad & hoped to EBF...and many times there are just changes you can make in how often a baby is nursed that work...or in pumping & doing some supplemental bottles of breasmtilk if baby needs more encouragement to take more in. A baby doesn't cue less often because you have low supply - far from it - so taking fenugreek & all that wasn't likely to make much difference anyway unless there were more feeds added or at least come pumping. When trying to increase supply the most critical thing is increasing stimulation/number & frequency of feeds...you make as much as you cue the body to make, so if he maxes out at 7 feeds a day, you will only make enough for those 7 feeds. The galactogues are great in conjunction with additional stimulation, but by themselves they work about as good as coffee does to make up for lack of sleep. You may get a small short term boost, but not much & certainly never as much as you'd get from actually sleeping.

By all means though, if you have tried all of that, then you can certainly see if topping him off with formula helps. I just don't know any logical reason why it would...as it isn't higher in calories & the more formula he takes in, the less likely he is to cue to nurse, so it will likely just make you have lower supply. Also - ounce for ounce breasmtilk gets higher & higher in fat & calories as baby ages, and so he'd have to be willing to take in more ounces of formula to get more fats & calories & he seems to be a baby that isn't eager to eat too much or too often. Formula also takes about twice as long to digest, so he'd likely cue less often than he does already. That would be concern as to "why" would formula help with this....

We made it 3 months EBF! Ive been back at work (full time) for a month and pumping, so far, has been fine. He was 8lbs at birth (Nov 1) and yesterday weighed in at 15lbs 1oz! Now we just have to get rid of this RSV and we'll be good to go!

Just wondering. .if I was engorged yesterday in my left breast could it block my milk flow in that breast. . Or is my body compensating todaywith lower production.

Quoting sillygirltracyb_caius1222:" Just wondering. .if I was engorged yesterday in my left breast could it block my milk flow in that breast. . Or is my body compensating todaywith lower production."

If you have a plugged duct, you should feel lumpy & sore, if not, then you are fine.

Quoting *Audree*:" We made it 3 months EBF! Ive been back at work (full time) for a month and pumping, so far, has been ... [snip!] ... 8lbs at birth (Nov 1) and yesterday weighed in at 15lbs 1oz! Now we just have to get rid of this RSV and we'll be good to go!"

Sorry your baby is sick momma! WTG with EBF - it is hard once you are working for sure. I worked with #1 & always had some supplementing here & there. Not much - but occasionally. What I know now is that it was unnecessary as I was making too large of bottles per feed...but even so, you are doing better than I did & we made it - so you are off to a great start! Congrats!

<blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" Sorry your baby is sick momma! WTG with EBF - it is hard once you are working for sure. I worked with ... [snip!] ... bottles per feed...but even so, you are doing better than I did & we made it - so you are off to a great start! Congrats!"</blockquote>



Thank you! I can't believe his weight gain! None if my friends in real life breast fed so no one gets why I'm super excited about making it this far. I'm extremely proud of myself. A lot of co workers tried to tell me it wouldn't be worth it once I returned, but I beg to differ. I've finally convinced his daycare to only give him 4oz. She was giving him 5 and if I sent 3oz bags she would give him two bags. But we have a good system now. She is registered and the food program lady kept trying to push her (and me) to have formula on hand "just in case". We both had to keep telling her that she also has a stash of my milk in her freezer "just in case".

Quoting *Audree*:" <blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" Sorry your baby is sick momma! WTG with ... [snip!] ... on hand "just in case". We both had to keep telling her that she also has a stash of my milk in her freezer "just in case"."

You should be proud, it isn't easy & working with care providers is no cake walk either when they are so used to formula standards. So seriously, feel proud of it, you should.

<blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" If you have a plugged duct, you should feel lumpy & sore, if not, then you are fine."</blockquote>




I went to dr for 6wk pp appt today. . He said it was mastitis so he prescribed antibiotic. But I was reading about clogged ducts versus mastitis and they sound like they have similar symptoms. .. dr said I'd I'm not better in 3 days to call back. .it is lumpy sore and red... yesterday I was so sick feeling I couldn't get outta bed. . I nursed LO all day despite going from chills to sweating..

Quoting sillygirltracyb_caius1222:" <blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" If you have a plugged duct, you should ... [snip!] ... red... yesterday I was so sick feeling I couldn't get outta bed. . I nursed LO all day despite going from chills to sweating.."

Ahh - well that is a lot more info. Mastitis can reduce milk supply in that breast for a bit for sure, but if you keep nursing it will bounce back. It is temporary.