Beach Bump Graduates!

[caz_hills]

Nother question from me! I'm pumping now and my left breast is massive, so sore and when I pump pretty much nothing comes out. Is this normal? Also getting hot sweats at night since I stopped bf'ibg. Weird.

Also he really misses the breast and is rooting all the time for it and sucking his thumb. Because I must still smell of milk he won't settle with me which is heart breaking.

Any advice?! x

 

[BlueViolet]

Hann it's usually recommended to feed one breast at a time due to foremilk and hindmilk. I do that during the day and at night I give her both because I don't want to deal with the massive engorged boobs. Plus, it keeps her full and she sleeps longer. Check out this article. It seems well documented, but I'm going to do some more research to be sure.

https://thetruthaboutbreastfeeding.com/category/research/forehind-milk/

 

[BlueViolet]

Caz, are you starting to pump at a high speed to encourage the let down and then switching to low? I don't know what to say about not settling. It must be tough. Is he using a pacifier to soothe?

 

[Hann12]

Thanks BV that is so helpful and what I thought but wanted to double check. I'm amazed at how full my breasts feel, very weird! Even after she has fed for half an hour! But I guess she isn't taking in that much yet still.

Caz - I think it's fine for him to thumb suck. Annabelle does it even if she isn't hungry, it's comforting for them I think. She makes a hell of a noise doing it too! Not sure on the breast hurting - are you thinking it could be blocked? If you are then I think get straight to the doctors as it can get nasty.

 

[caz_hills]

bV - not doing it at different sports. Is that the advice - start on higher speed then reduce it? I can easily express on the right boob but left doesn't.

Hann - mmm could be blocked..... I am popping to the drop in clinic today so will ask them what to do. GladAjay isn't the only one sucking his thumb. Makes me feel really bad for stopping breast feeding as he obviously really misses it :0( x

 

[curlew]

monring all

Hann - I tend to give Logan the one breast per feed even if he breaks off and wants some more 10 mins later I go back to the same one to make sure that he gets the hind milk. I will do that until I can see there is no milk left when I try to express, then I would offer him the other boobie for a drink as sometimes they are thirsty. Sometimes he will go back to the same one three times before he empties it. When I next go to feed I would to the second boob (even if he had taken some from the second boob) and offer that so he gets the hind milk from that one and it drains down.

You will find that your boobs are a bit full today as Annabelle has been cluster feeding but once she gets back into her routine again then they will soften a bit when they adjust to her new feeding schedule. Next cluster is around 15 days - Logan has just gone through this one and my boobs are now like rocks again!!

If Annabelle has trouble latching as your boobs are so full try hand expressing some first to reduce the solidness as that helps.

Caz - sorry can't help with the expressing but sounds like maybe a blockage if one side is going fine and the other isn't. Have you tried hand expressing to start it off then pumping as if it is a bit solid the breast pump may not be getting a good suction on it?

Logan is also trying to be a thumb sucker but has difficulty co-ordinating hands and mouth so often ends up with it in his nose!!!

 

[Clareabell]

Caz - N is a thumb sucker too, plus she does the rooting thing which I think must be a natural instinct for them to do as she has never been able to latch therefore has never been fed on the breast.

My MW told me that it is a sign of them communicating that they are hungry, but N also does it after a feed and then its usually about comfort.

Am shattered again today, D at work til lunch time. As the sun is shining I shall haul myslef and N out of bed and take a walk to round the park. Hope everyone else has a good day

 

[BlueViolet]

The rooting thing cracks me up. Jill manages to lift her head and bob up and down and side to side...she sometimes gets so worked up she snorts. It's hilarious

 

[Blue_bear]

Joshua does the rooting thing too, i agree its probably instinct and something to do with the smell.
He also trys to suck his thumb, he doesnt always find it though and sometimes ends up with a finger or a fist! He has taken a dummy but doesnt always want it. I have found it useful when he does take it though!

I changed his formula 2 days ago and i dont think this new one is agreeing with him too much. Will obviously have to give it longer to see for sure.
Had a bad night with him waking at every 2 hours and being really hard to settle. Hubby gave up and got up with him at 5.45, leaving me to sleep, god bless him!!!
Joshy is now so over tired he is being a real misery guts.....just in time for our guests today!!

 

[Blue_bear]

Ok....so i have a question for you all.... Can you all share with me your evening 'routine'... Like do you do feed, bath then bed? at what time? and do you put baby down in their bed upstairs on their own? (if not what age would you do this from?)

Sorry for all the questions, its just that i see so many people saying they do bath, bottle and bed at like 7pm, and although Joshua is usually asleep in the evening, we keep him downstairs with us. Sometimes he is awake sometimes he is not. He doesnt always eat at the same times either. So basically i am wondering whether i need to try and structure a routine or if it is just to early yet and i should carry on going with the flow???

 

[DragonMummy]

hann do one side at a time. they'll calm down and soften again in a couple of days.

Re pumping an engorged boob, try putting a warm flannel on it - might help the milk to flow more normally.

Anyone worried about PPD/PND, I really dont mind if you PM me. I had it for 18 months and I remember it vividly. It might just help to talk to someone who's been there. xxx

 

[caz_hills]

You guys are great! Curlew - I tried hand expressing first and now th breast is pumping so well! Hopefully problem solved!

Also glad Ajay isn't the only thumb sucker here! Bless him I thought he mightbe really sadas he isn't getting the breast anymore x

 

[Clareabell]

Georgie - Niamh doesnt have a routine at all. She eats every 3-4 hours, (these can be at different times every day depending how long she has gone between feeds) sometimes longer at night. She will then either stay awake for a bit or go straight back to sleep. In the evening she is where ever we are. If we are in bed she is generally in the middle of us or if we are down stairs she will be in her swing or asleep on her mat. Once she is settled or before we go to sleep we move her into her basket. She generally has her last feed of that day around 11pm and I havent usually gone to sleep by then yet.

Night time she can be all over the place. The longest she has slept was 7 hours but usually she wakes around 3am - 4am then again 8 or 9am.

Baths - every other day sometimes in an evening or sometime in the morning depending on my energy levels. I dont think a routine really matters at this stage as they are so small.

But i know nothing and could be very wrong

 

[DragonMummy]

BB - We have our dinner at about 6pm then when that's done we put the kid's baths on. harry helps us to bath Sophie then he has his bath while I get Soph dried, slap a load of aqueous cream all over her and then put her babygrow on. I generally have to feed her then, while M gets Dragon into his jammies, gives him his bedtime milk and story. Dragon is in bed and asleep between 1930 and 2000. Sophie generally goes to sleep for the night between 2100-2200. But I'm not a slave to that, I'm letting Sophie dictate for the time being. Harry started getting himself into a routine at around 12 weeks.

And Soph sucks her thumb too. Very sweet. I would prefer she had a dummy as you can at least take that away from them. But she just looks appalled when I try and give her one! It's funny, I thought "oh it will be easier this time, I know all I need to do with a newborn is swaddle them and give them a dummy". Then I met Soph. She is having NONE of it!

 

[freckles09]

Georgie - we dont really have a set bedtime routine yet. I used to give elliot a bath in the morning but yesterday started giving him a bath in the evening so as to try and get him in a familiar routine that a bath means bedtime but as Claire said I'm not sure if he's a bit small for that. We have no evening feed routine apart from he cluster feeds from about 6/7 every evening til about 10 / 11!

Elliot has also started sucking his thumb - I find it so cute!!

Been reading with interest about the expressing tips as I'll be starting to try this in just under a couple of weeks when Elliot is 6 weeks (CANNOT believe how quick time is going!)

Hann - how did you get on with getting Annabelle to sleep in her basket? Elliot is still tummy sleeping only during the day but I just don't think I could sleep if we were to put him on his tummy at night.

 

[curlew]

caz - glad the hand expressing helped.

bb - I am just going with the flow at the moment re routine. logan stays downstairs with us in his moses basket til we are ready to go to bed then we take him and the basket upstairs, change his nappy, small feed then sleep. He has his bath and gets into his sleepsuit at around 7pm as that's when josh has his bath so its easier to do them together and they both enjoy it. When I am drying and dressing Logan, Josh gets 15 mins play in the bath on his own. We all then snuggle in my bed and dh reads Josh's story whilst I feed Logan or if Logan is settled I read the story. Josh then goes to bed at 7:30 and reads his book til 8pm. I will probably try to start implementing a proper bedtime routime for Logan when he is about 2-3 months old but will make a judgement call nearer the time and see how settled he is for feeds.

AFM - weighed myself this morning as my trousers were feeling a bit loose yesterday and I now weigh 3lbs less than i did before i got pregnant. Getting DH to get my pre pregnancy clothes down from the attic this weekend and will have a big sort out.

 

[Blue_bear]

Bec- i put J down on his tummy for a nap today as he was so grumpy from being over tired. He slept really well for a good couple of hours, with me checking on him alot!!
I too wouldnt do it at night, although we do have the sensor pad monitor (which we have found brilliant) so i suppose that would alert us if any problem, but still....i dont think i would sleep so kinda defeats the object!

Thanks for the replies on routines, i figured he was still too young really, just wanted to check

 

[DragonMummy]

Jay-sus. Am gutted about Amy Winehouse. She was one of my heroes. For her music of course, she was a bit of a train wreck.

 

[Blue_bear]

Jay-sus. Am gutted about Amy Winehouse. She was one of my heroes. For her music of course, she was a bit of a train wreck.

I know, real shocker....they haavent said why or how yet have they?

 

[freckles09]

Bec- i put J down on his tummy for a nap today as he was so grumpy from being over tired. He slept really well for a good couple of hours, with me checking on him alot!!
I too wouldnt do it at night, although we do have the sensor pad monitor (which we have found brilliant) so i suppose that would alert us if any problem, but still....i dont think i would sleep so kinda defeats the object!

Thanks for the replies on routines, i figured he was still too young really, just wanted to check

Yeah I think with a lot of checking on them tummy sleeping is fine but I think I'll give it another few weeks before we do it at night - until his head / neck is a bit stronger etc. For now he's going to have to stay sleeping on me at night

Sad news about Amy, I can't say I'm surprised but all the same it's tragic. I read her dad is on a plane and doesn't even know yet - if that's true it's shocking and shouldn't have even been announced!