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[greenlady]

Thanks, I managed to push my GP to see me today and I got exactly that, canesten for me and nystatin for her, so we'll start on that today. Hopefully as its only been a few days I don't need to go back for anything stronger, but heck it does hurt doesn't it? The last feed just before I went to the doctor I could see she was in pain at the end of the feed the poor thing. Never mind my breasts in agony. Thankfully I don't think its reached my bits!

Just off to have some greek yoghurt - is that the same as live yoghurt?

 

[BellesMummy]

Hi My little girl is 2weeks and 3 days old and have been BF since birth. Is it to soon to start expressing? I want my OH to help with night feeds as she is waking every 2 hours and its starting to get to me a bit. I want her to have breast milk for at least 6months.

Also if i do express now how much should i express for each feed?

 

[TigerLady]

If you feel like you have a good routine established and that you and LO are doing well, then I think you can start expressing now. Becareful to not let OH do too many night feeds -- I wouldn't allow more than one per night. If you do more than that, you will need to pump at the same time he is feeding LO (in order to keep your supply matching LO's needs). But one per night should be okay as long as you are pumping the extra for that feed during the day.

Try to pump right after a feed, even if you don't get much. It will start to increase in a couple of days. Aim for about 3-5 oz for the EBM feed. That is pretty average for what a LO will take. She may want more when in a growth spurt though, so watch for that.

 

[pinkbow]

i neeed some serious advice, i think my milk is going

i dont knows whats happening, my LO just isnt interested at all in my right breast anymore, he hasnt fed now for 3days...so my left is on overdrive and doing all the work!

i think now he wont feed as milk just isnt there, so how or can i get my milk back, i dont want to be done with BF yet, id be devestated!!

He was teething on one side which i think may have caused him to go off that boobie??

thankssssss

 

[TigerLady]

I've never heard of milk going from one boob and not the other. Have you tried expressing from the right? Are you sure it is empty? I would try pumping to get it back. Have you tried other feed positions on that one to see if he likes it better?

 

[pinkbow]

i dont honestly know why this is happening lol....ive had no problems bf before

ive tried tricking him with positions and he has a quick suck but just screams and fidgets till he has the other and his feed.

ive tried expressing and get nothing, when i self express its the same, just a teeny bit out...no squirts nothing

i "think" if there was enough there he would take the breast now as he isnt teething anymore etc but he just, wont

 

[TigerLady]

Try pumping that breast at or after every feed for 20 minutes or so and see if you can convince it to start producing again....??

 

[pinkbow]

think ill give it a go, as thats how you get your body to think it needs to produce milk isnt it?....its just totally baffled me how fast things have happend, i cant possibly just feed from one, lol...not only that ill be lop sided!

thanks hun, ill give it a go and report back, hopefully with good news!!

 

[TigerLady]

Yeah, the stimulation should tell it to make milk. It takes about 3 days to see significant changes. So, if he didn't eat from it for 3 days, then it is conceivable that it would stop producing. It may take up to 3 days to get it producing again. Just keep at it!

 

[WTTMommy]

I need some advice again.

LO is still fighting the breast and it's really difficult now. I think we may have given her EBM in a bottle too often (about half her feeds... sometimes more). I thought that was easier for us but I didn't realize she may start refusing the breast. She sucks long enough to get the foremilk but as soon as the flow slows down, she's hollering, kicking, and screaming again. But if I offer EBM right after, she drinks happily.

Could it be she is refusing the breast to get easier milk in a bottle? I really wanna quit bottles cold turkey now that the idea is backfiring on us.

I really don't wanna give up breastfeeding straight from the boob, but almost every feed ends in me giving her EBM and pumping the rest of my milk. What would you advise? Please don't say it's too late.

(In good news, I wanted to share that Rach weighed 11 lbs 6 oz on Tuesday, nearly double what she weighed at 5 days old, 6 lbs 2 oz. So thanks A LOT for the advice. )

 

[TigerLady]

Great news about the weight gain!

If you are pretty sure it is simply frustration at the slow flow of hind milk (and not a sensitivity to something you are eating), then I would quit bottles cold turkey. They are simply not an option. Be prepared for a miserable couple of days, but I would be willing to bet she'll adjust and accept it after she realizes she has no choice.

 

[im_mi]

^agreed! it definitely sounds like nipple confusion to me. stop the bottles cold turkey, it wont take long for her to realise that she wont be getting milk from anywhere other than booby!

Rachydaz, you know your body is more than capable of having just one breast produce enough milk for a baby, so dont worry about that! I understand why you dont want him to feed from just one, though. My son would often go through phases like this, ill bet he will come back to it in a while

jomoore, it might be worth getting your OH to give those feeds of EBM via a cup, syringe or spoon to avoid nipple confusion. she is still very young to be able to switch from bottle to breast without a problem. Have you considered co-sleeping to help you deal with her night time needs?

 

[WTTMommy]

Thanks!! We did it. We went 24 hrs without a bottle. It was much harder in the day but at night she took it without a fight. Phew!!

 

[TigerLady]

Great news, H!

 

[pinkbow]

Rachydaz, you know your body is more than capable of having just one breast produce enough milk for a baby, so dont worry about that! I understand why you dont want him to feed from just one, though. My son would often go through phases like this, ill bet he will come back to it in a while

Thanks hun. im still not getting anything from pumping and im doing it after everyfeed too going to persist though!! lol

 

[im_mi]

well done WTTmommy! ive found that a lot of babies are more willing to take the breast during difficult times if they are sleepy. when my son had a nursing strike, he would only feed if he was asleep (or very very tired).

Rachydaz, do you ever get much from pumping usually? have you tried the Marmet Technique for hand expressing? its been shown to be far more effective than mechanical means xx

 

[pinkbow]

im_mi - ive never pumped really before, at the beginning i did a few times, but havent needed to, so no ive not gotten much...its still not going very well with the expressing im getting a little, there is still milk there..

 

[im_mi]

The only reason i asked is that i have *never* been able to get more than a few drops from expressing, ever. Except for the first couple months of Jack's life. Expressing is absolutely no marker for the amount of milk a woman is producing. have lots of skin to skin contact with LO but with no pressure to feed, just enjoy the contact and make the breasts available and im sure he'll come back to the one he has decided he doesnt like. Its likely that, like you said, he was put off by the teething pain and will take a little while to realise that its okay and that particular booby isnt trying to hurt him

 

[WTTMommy]

We haven't used a bottle since the night I posted here about my frustrations. Rach is NOT fussing anymore (unless she's done). AAAAH huge sigh of relief. Thank goodness caues I absolutely HATE pumping! You ladies are genius.

 

[TigerLady]

Glad to hear such a positive update, hon!!