FEBRUARY HEARTS Due in February 2015 , open group all welcome!

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Oh dear Melly, that sounds awful! If you have a blockage, it should have cleared by now. Are you starting every feed on that side, putting baby's chin towards the blockage, massaging from the blockage to the nipple and using moist warm heat? Also, taking anti-inflammatories can help reduce swelling so any built up milk can release.

Thrush pain usually occurs after a feed rather than during so I'd still err towards it being a poor latch or maybe even a bacterial infection - is feeding ever pain free? Does it hurt when you pump? https://www.bestforbabes.org/its-thrush-or-is-it/

Does baby always come off at the same point? It could be that your let down is too strong for her? Nipple shields may be a good idea for you to give your poor nipples a break but persevering with taking baby off and reattaching is a good idea (break the seal with your little finger first). Has she been checked for tongue and lip ties? Make sure she doesn't have a posterior tongue tie as they can be very difficult to spot.

You're right that you shouldn't have to 'suffer' breastfeeding and I really hope you can work out what the problem is. Could you just pump for Clara if that helps? Sending you :hugs: and wishing I had the answers, you're doing an amazing job mama!
 
I don't have any advice as we're still working on breastfeeding here too, but I wanted to send you some hugs Melly! Hope things improve soon :hugs: :hugs:
 
Thanks ladies I'm feeling a lot better now. We've managed to settle into more of a routine and im not feeling so emotional and tired now. My wound has come open slightly (my first section did to at the same point) so doc has given me antibiotics to avoid any infection again. My little ones belly button was bleeding after her cord fell off, we had it checked out and they said it could be something called granuloma, i think its basically where it wasnt completely dry when it came off. But it stopped by itself, though was pretty horrible seeing blood all over her vests from it.
 
Had our 8 week jabs on Thursday. I was petrified about side effects from rotavirus, but two days on she seems to be fine, if not a little more sleepy.

Got Dr to check her eye out too. Seems she has a blocked tear duct so we are doing massage to help it.
 
Just a quick update here - Connor came on March 7th at 1:30am, 10 days late, 8 pounds 8 ounces and 21 inches. One week old today and we're doing well. Big sister loves him, gives him snuggles and kisses all the time, although she is a bit jealous, and it will probably be harder on her next week when DH goes back to work and it's just me, her and little man.

My water broke at 6:15am on March 6th. We had an appt for an NST at 2, my midwife said to still go ahead and come in. Labor hadn't started by then, so she broke a second bag of waters (I didn't even know that was possible?!), and contractions started pretty much immediately at 5 minutes apart and strong. We did go home for a few hours, by the time we got back contractions were 3 minutes apart and scream worthy.

Labor was dramatically different this time. First labor was 60ish hours, 5 hours of pushing. This labor, from first contraction, was 10 1/2 hours, and from the time i was 3-4cm was only 5 1/2 hours. And no hours of pushing this time... 2 pushes and he was out.

Weight was at 8 pounds 5.2 ounces at 1 day and same at 3 days, but at weight check this morning (7 days), he's up to 9 pounds!

Hope everyone is doing well and all the Feb babies have made their appearances by now!

Second picture is of DD Sienna on day of birth compared to Connor on day of birth.

https://i.imgur.com/YgPe8dQ.jpg https://i.imgur.com/RMhC9h5.jpg
 
Congratulations Stef your little ones look very similar in the pics!

This morning I was woken by terrible stomach pain low on my right side. So bad that we went to emergency. We had to wait about two hours to be seen by the doctor and by then the worst of the pain had gone and it was just a little uncomfortable. I gave a urine sample and had an ultrasound, the doctor determined it is a ovarian infection and has given me antibiotics. I'm just glad the pain has gone for now.
 
Congratulations, stef! He is beautiful.

So glad you are ok, captain :hugs: feel better!
 
I exclusively pump because I have to increase the calories of my breast milk but did practice putting each baby to breast at the hospital. Madison has a tiny mouth so she couldn't latch well, so they gave me a nipple shield and it worked perfectly for her. I know they said they sell them at the baby stores and it is reusable. Maybe that could help?
 
Congrats Stef! They look so similar! :)

So...odd question but is it normal to have your period start 6 weeks PP while breastfeeding???
I've been walking a lot the last week to help shed some baby weight and I started spotting yesterday and have a bit more today, but not a flow....could it be my period or all the walking?
My 6week checkup with my OB isn't for another month!
 
With ds1 my period started at 6 weeks pp to the day. But it was like a normal period. If it's just the spotting and doesn't increase it may be lochias last hurrah lol :)
 
wnt2b i thought i had AF start at 6 weeks PP - i hadn't stopped bleeding but it turned back to bright red, however 2 weeks on i'm still bleeding so i'm figuring it is still PP bleeding and not AF... so i'm 8 weeks PP and can't wait to go to bed without knickers and pads on! It's starting to really do my head in now!
 
Shells I'm only 2 weeks PP but I know how you feel! I haven't worn pads since a teenager either and it's driving me mad!

Well I've had a grouchy baby all afternoon. I've been worried about my lack of supply and her not getting enough. She didn't settle after nursing for more than ten minutes all day, but when DH fed her a big bottle from milk I had frozen yesterday, she's now sleeping longer than she has all day.

Breastfeeding is really hard but I don't want to give up on it. I've bought some formula today and think I might introduce some to her as a top up. My gut is telling me she's not getting enough at certain times of day so I think I have to go with it.
 
Captain, you could be hitting a growth spurt or development leap or she could just like to cluster feed at certain times, it doesn't mean she's not getting enough. Let weight gain and wet/dirty nappies be your guide not behaviour at the breast.

Just keep feeding if she's not happy, she'll keep going until she's full, she's setting up your future supply so it's important to allow unrestricted access to the breast, even if baby only fed 10 minutes ago and then had a power nap. Doesn't matter if it takes 10 minutes or 2 hours to fill her up, that's breastfeeding for you! Babies are just like us, sometimes they just want a little drink, other times they fancy a 3 course meal with coffee and mints, just go with it!

Introducing top ups can affect your supply (a lot of mums think it proves their low supply theory when it actually causes it! Gulping down a bottle of formula and sleeping for hours doesn't prove anything either - that's usually just because babies can't control the flow and end up overfull) so it's best to avoid them if you're not sure there's a problem (and I honestly doubt there is). Have faith in your baby and your body, you can do this! :thumbup:
 
I will preface my reply by saying that I very much bow down to your BF wisdom, minibump! And I really have appreciated all of your insights :)

I say- Go with your gut, captain! We were using formula once a day for a couple of weeks... She wasn't gaining weight early on, and I felt like she was hungry. Looking back, she would likely have lost even more weight if we hadn't supplemented... So for us it was right.

Since then, her weight gain has gotten much better, and my supply has picked up, too. So, she hasn't had any formula in a couple of weeks. We have had a couple of days where she wanted to feed ALL DAY. On Friday I fed her literally all afternoon and evening, and in the end she was so frustrated that we gave her a bottle of breast milk. The next day I pumped the most I have ever pumped... So that certainly gives credence to the argument that baby will up your supply if she needs it.

Trust your instincts :hugs: and either way, if you are doing what you think is best, then you can't be doing any better! :)
 
I don't mind you having a different opinion SurpriseBub! I did say if there was a problem with weight gain then supplementation might be necessary so really, we're on the same page. (The rest of this is not in response to you, it's just general info - don't want you to think I'm trying to lecture you! :blush:)

The problem with following instincts in the absence of any actual evidence of low supply, as seems to be the case here, is that the mother's instinct always seems to be 'I'm not producing enough' and, unfortunately, this overrides baby's instinct to feed freely at the breast which is far more important. Supplementation is sometimes needed but pumped breastmilk is better in those circumstances than formula (the pumping then also helps build or maintain supply).

Low supply is rarer than most would think and, apart from where there's an underlying medical condition, usually only occurs where there has been interrupted or controlled access to the breast, e.g. scheduling or timing feeds, offering a pacifier, giving a bottle, or where milk transfer is affected by poor attachment (whether because of tongue tie, anatomical issues or just a bad latch). If baby doesn't feed freely, some receptors in the breast may never be 'fired up' and won't produce milk. Lots of mums overanalyse their baby's feeding patterns and behaviours and find it difficult to just respond without question (totally understandable). Obviously problems can arise but they usually come with other, more obvious, indicators. Where weight gain is ok, there are plenty of wees and poops and mum and baby are both well, there likely isn't an issue and baby knows exactly what he/she is doing. They're clever like that!
 
I am breastfeeding, but in the early days at the hospital had to use formula on Drs advice as lo had jaundice and I was not producing following a traumatic labour and her weight was going down. When we got home, I was pumping to maintain my supply, which came in on day 5-6. We used some formuka, but I was not keen and stopped when our last bottle was finished. DH did try to convince me to get some more, but I persisted and weight gain, nappies etc have been good. However bf can be brutal. My lo can feed for 20-30 minutes of every hour during a spurt, which is particularly difficult at night. Breastmilk gets digested so quickly I have been tempted on several occasions to use formula, but haven't yet. Knowing I can go and get some if I want is enough so far and I can totally see why it seems to be a good thing. Captain, don't beat yourself up, do what is right for you and your lo.
 
I 1000% agree with MiniBump's advice. She knows what she's talking about when it comes to breastfeeding advice!

DS will have periods of time where he's fussy at the breast, pulls off, cries, relatches, and doesn't settle. It's so normal, especially during growth spurts (which happen often at this point). If I didn't know any better, I can see why someone would think she wasn't producing enough. All of the extra sucking will increase your supply, and if you supplement, be prepare for your supply to drop.

I'd write more but I am exhausted after not much sleep last night -- due to my older daughter, not my newborn. Bleh.
 
Thank you for the advice minibump! I don't know what I'd do without you ladies at times :hugs:
 
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