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I started expressing with a good quality pump around 4.5 months when I went back to work. I work overnight, 3 times a week, so DH gives her a bottle of breastmilk while I'm out. It took Bella only a short time to get used to the bottle, b/c she was hungry! :) It helped that DH was the one to give it to her, and that I was out of sight. If I'm around, she only wants to eat from me. :)
 
HI EVERYONE!
I have a 2 months and a half baby, and stop breastfeeding her when
she was 1 month old :cry: My doctor told me to do so when she prescribed
a medicine she said wasn't safe for breastfeeding. YOU CAN NOT IMAGINE HOW I SUFFERED!!!:nope:
Now that I feel strong, I would like to relactate my baby. I have no family support, but i think I have a good chance to succeed since I still have a little milk. I NEED YOUR ADVISE AND SUPPORT!!!

I think the major problem is going to be get my baby back to my breast, since she is so used to the bottle and with no support, you can imagine, but I really want to do it!!!

Please lift my spirit up...:cry:
 
Hey ladies! I'm so glad I stumbled across this thread. I am preggers with #3. I BF'd both DD for 4months and DS for 10 months. With DS I attended LaLeche meetings and have a pretty good idea on BF'ing. However I have a few questions that arose with both children and I'd like to be prepared before baby #3 comes. I have questions due to supply, pumping, and feedings. I would love to be paired up with any of the lovely ladies that can help. I am determined to BF exclusively with the LO. Back then I found myself uneducated and listening to a bossy mom and aunt telling me my baby was starving because she cried. Thanks so much!
 
Do you suspect you really did have low supply problems with your previous LOs? Or were you just led to believe that because LO was crying and your mom and aunt said that?

Having low supply is very very rare, but does occassionally happen.
 
TigerLady said:
Do you suspect you really did have low supply problems with your previous LOs? Or were you just led to believe that because LO was crying and your mom and aunt said that?

Having low supply is very very rare, but does occassionally happen.
Click to expand...

I now realize that you shouldn't base you supply on the amt you pump and that's what I was going by. Once I went back to work it took everything I had just to pump enough for the next day. I would pump 2-3 times in a 12 hour period and only take home 4-5 ozs. That was enough for maybe 2 feedings. Also I would feed on one side and pump the other to increase my output but it never seemed to work. I tried Fenugreek without much success either. I was drinking plenty too.
 
A good quality double electric pump is key. Also finding the right size shields. And a high protein diet is just as important (if not more so) than plenty of water. :)

When you are ready to try pumping again, be sure to ask if you have trouble! I have to pump 2x per day at work now. Also, I would recommend working on building up a stash of frozen EBM before you have to go back to work. :thumbup:
 
I have the huge $250 Medela that I use or I use the hospital grade pumps. What do the shields have to do with the amt you express? I tried having a surplus of EBM with the last two. I did have quite a bit frozen. One question I have is, if I nurse LO on one breast can I pump the other? That's what I used to do but then I worried that if LO wanted to eat before an hour was up then both boods would be empty and she's be hungry. Is that the case?
 
Believe it or not, I have found that the sheild size can affect how much I get. It can also affect your ducts and a size too small can cause blockages, which will decrease supply. Too big and the vacuum isn't good and you won't get as much. :wacko:

Yes, you can pump after a feed. That is what I did in the early days when my LO was still feeding very frequently. If you start pumping early on, then your supply will establish such that you can pump extra.

The only time I try to avoid pumping right after a feed is during growth spurts when I am having trouble figuring out how often LO will want fed (as he want's fed more often). And during spurts where he is cluster feeding at night. If he was in a cluster feeding spurt (which always happened in the evenings) I would pump after feedings only in the mornings.
 
Because DD and DS were so small the LC said it was common for them to feed often since their tummys were so small and the BM digested quicker. It got to the point with both kiddos that they would eat every hour for about 45 mins per feed. It got to be very strenuous. I love the thought of BF'ing but it was also making me think that I wasn't making enough. How do you get over that hump of them feeding ALL THE TIME without giving up. As much as I loved BF'ing I couldn't sit around without a shirt on all day. It wasn't just during a growth spurt for them either. It was all the time for several months. I guess being so little everyday was a growth spurt for them :haha:
 
This may sound silly but could my milk not have enough hindmilk in it? Is there a such thing as that? I don't remember exactly but I don't remember their being much cream seperated on the top. DD and DS did always seem hungry after a feed. :shrug:
 
If you don't supplement them and do what you can to keep your supply up with them, it should settle down by about 8 weeks of age. Then only pick up for growth spurts (which vary). I have a big LO (21 lbs at 4 months), so he sometimes would have a growth spurt once a week for 3-4 days! :dohh: That only gave me a couple of days of respite.

It is a little better now at 4.5 months old. But he still feeds frquently at night -- every 2-3 hours, sometimes more. Whereas other 4.5 month olds sleep anywhere from 6-12 hours! I co-sleep and bed share so I can get some sleep. That makes it easier to let him feed frequently at night. He doesn't have the option of feeding that frequently during the day now that I am back to work.

You just have to tell yourself that you will do what is necessary to BFed. I have told myself that my goal is to never give LO a drop of formula. Because that is not an option for me, I just have to find ways around all the problems. It isn't always easy, but so far has always been possible!
 
westbrja said:
This may sound silly but could my milk not have enough hindmilk in it? Is there a such thing as that? I don't remember exactly but I don't remember their being much cream seperated on the top. DD and DS did always seem hungry after a feed. :shrug:
Click to expand...

I've never heard of that being a problem. I supposedly have a very "creamy" milk and I don't get a massive layer of separation either.

Here is a good link:

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/foremilk-hindmilk.html

The kelly mom site is great -- defintely do some reading on there, too!
 
Oh yeah I remember that site. It was a huge help with my other 2 also. Both kiddos slept well through the night at an early age. I didn't co-sleep with DD but I did with DS. It made a world of difference in my amount of sleep too. You poor thing, your LO feeding so often :hugs:. I love a chunky BF'd baby. Mine started small and never really got big until later.
 
HI!
I would like to have someone to help and support me during this hard time, it is very important for me to have someone that understands what I feel. I am decided to work as hard as I can to relactate my baby
Do you think you or another mom you know could help me?

I need support!!!!!
:flower:
 
I think lilbump can set you up with someone that has experience in relatcation -- I don't have any. :(

Good for you for trying and being so dedicated!! :thumbup: I really hope you are successful!
 
Hey ladies,
I hope I'm putting this in the right place.
I am currently feeding my 3rd baby now, and in the past I have never ever had any problems BF anywhere at all. However, it is made very difficult for me to BF Emily at my inlaws and as a result, I've stopped going round there.
I dont want to do this, but they make it so hard for me to feed round there, that I just cant put myself or Emily through it anymore.
The lounge is basically FIL's room, and nobody is allowed in there, so I cant feed her there (plus he is super uncomfortable with the idea of me feeding her myself)
I cant do it in the kitchen because my MIL will literally pull Emily off my lap when she pauses during a feed claiming she has wind, even though she is not a windy baby, which causes her to scream blue murder, then it's hard for me to get her back. Plus, the dining chairs are really uncomfortable and it puts too much strain on my back, and because i cant get comfy, Emily cant get comfy, wont feed, gets dragged off by the MIL, viscious cycle ensues.

They are both incredibly unsupportive of my decision to BF as they have no experience of anyone doing it and it is apparently "unnatural". Because I now live 500 miles away from my family, they are the only family support we have up here, and with my hubby working in Germany, there are times when I need them. (my other 2 arent his!)

To be honest, their whole attitude is pushing me close to giving up feeding Emily, and I really really really dont want to do that.
My hubby has tried speaking to them, but they dont listen, they aren't too bad when he is there, but he isn't home often so I dont have his physical support.

Emily seems to be going through some kind of spurt again (at 10 weeks, is this normal?) and at night, she cant seem to get enough satisfaction from my breasts. She pulls and pulls at them as though she isnt getting what she wants fast enough, and never appears full enough to fall into a deep sleep. I dont want to give her a bottle, but she just seems so unhappy that I cant bear to be the route of it.

If anyone can tell me anything I can do, especially about feeding Emily at night, I would appreciate it more than you can ever know.

Similarly if anyone has experiences of not being able to feed in certain places, I would love to hear from you too.

Thanks so much xxxx
 
I've got to that point where I think I might have to give up BFing. This breaks my heart so much as it's the most natural and beautiful thing to do, not to mention so much better for baby. But I'm in agony. It's been pain and stress for Lola's 3 short week's of life. First I was engorged after 3 days and she couldn't feed and I was in agony. Then I had to express and feed her from a cup but top up with formula but not from a bottle. Then I managed to start feeding but had to express first to get things going. I was in a lot of pain still with throbbing and cracked nipples. I saw a breast feeding counsellor who helped a lot but that's at her house and the position never seems to work back at home.

This morning I am cracked and sore and just unable to put Lola on the breast. Ive expressed to feed her and given her some formula.

I have Lansinoh on my nipples and paraffin gauze. Not much seems to work, though. I also have Reynauds, which means I get a tingly, pins and needles feeling in between feeds.

People keep saying it gets easier and the first few weeks are the hardest. This makes me think I should keep going but I just don't know how much longer I can endure this pain for. When will it get better?? I'm not managing to enjoy my baby at the moment as feeding is such a big issue. Being in pain when BFing means I'm tense and I'm sure Lola can pick up on this. Is it worth it or should I just switch to formula. I just can't bare it when she roots and looks for my breast. I feel like I'm failing her.

Sorry for my rant....
 
Just catching up with the thread ladies (bit pushed for time at min but bare with me), triplemom i pmed you back.
 
Gersprincess - is there no private room at all? where do you sleep if you stay over or what about MIL's room? Not comfortable i know though. It's unfair that they're being so unsupportive. What about trying to feed her in a sling? That way MIL won't see when she's pulled off and won't be able to take her off you as easily? There is a 10 week growth spurt but after that the spurts calm down a bit :hugs:
 
Soph&Bump said:
I've got to that point where I think I might have to give up BFing. This breaks my heart so much as it's the most natural and beautiful thing to do, not to mention so much better for baby. But I'm in agony. It's been pain and stress for Lola's 3 short week's of life. First I was engorged after 3 days and she couldn't feed and I was in agony. Then I had to express and feed her from a cup but top up with formula but not from a bottle. Then I managed to start feeding but had to express first to get things going. I was in a lot of pain still with throbbing and cracked nipples. I saw a breast feeding counsellor who helped a lot but that's at her house and the position never seems to work back at home.

This morning I am cracked and sore and just unable to put Lola on the breast. Ive expressed to feed her and given her some formula.

I have Lansinoh on my nipples and paraffin gauze. Not much seems to work, though. I also have Reynauds, which means I get a tingly, pins and needles feeling in between feeds.

People keep saying it gets easier and the first few weeks are the hardest. This makes me think I should keep going but I just don't know how much longer I can endure this pain for. When will it get better?? I'm not managing to enjoy my baby at the moment as feeding is such a big issue. Being in pain when BFing means I'm tense and I'm sure Lola can pick up on this. Is it worth it or should I just switch to formula. I just can't bare it when she roots and looks for my breast. I feel like I'm failing her.

Sorry for my rant....
Click to expand...

firstly big :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

I know it doesn't help much right now to hear it but the pain does stop for the majority and eases off over the course of the first 6 weeks. I remember the toe curling all to well but, for me personally, at 6 weeks it just dissapeared. Engorgement also calms down. I've never had cracked nipples so unsure about that but someone else may come along to advise you.

Can the breastfeeding counsellor not come to your house? Have you got yourself a good cushion for feeding? I found a V shaped cushion to be a life saver.

You know its you and your babies happiness that is the most important, this is supposed to be a special time for the both of you and whilst i'd like to encourage you to carry on breastfeeding it's just not for everyone. Having a baby can be stressful enough without adding to it. If you do carry on breastfeeding though (which i do hope) it is likely to get better soon. If you want any advice or any moral support feel free to drop me a pm :hugs:
 
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