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[caro103]

hey gertrude, no expert here but we're leaving alex to wake now for feeds, so long as he's had a decent amount he seems to wake within 4-5 hours. Although i'm trying to get more feeds into him during the day so he sleeps longer at night, seems to mostly be working (expect for a nightmare day yesterday where he screamed all day too-I blame the weather!)

My Question...

Cracked nipples? mine cracked right after he was born, I seem to have managed to get the right one nearly healed by using rugby ball latch but the left which was bigger isn't getting any better. It no longer hurts to feed, so long as we've got the latch right, but Alex is getting heavy now to feed rugby style and i want to try cross cradle again soon and no way can i with the crack as it is. How long do you reckon it'd take to heal a fairly large crack (across whole nipple from one side to other and about 3mm wide) if i were to express on that side for a while?

thanks xx

 

[Nervous_1]

I had the WORST cracks - I literally lost pieces of nipple in chunks! I found using nipple shields and Lansinoh were the only things that could get me through. I'd be in so much pain for feeds I would literally cry through them and dread the next one.

I found expressing made the cracks worse, but that could just have been cos mine were so bad!

 

[caro103]

expressing doesn't hurt at all and doesn't seem to making it any worse, feeding doesn't hurt so long as he's in rugby ball style, no way can i do cross cradle. Hoping it should heal but doesn't seem to be with continuing to feed off that nipple . Oh and slapping the lansinoh on!

 

[Nervous_1]

Try missing a feed on that side (so two feeds in a row on the same boob) every now and again. A couple of extra hours may make all the difference!

 

[maybebaby3]

caro - if you do skip feeds on the boob with the cracked nipple then express so your supply stays up! keep on with the lansinoh! a few months ago owen bit me and pulled and my nipple was shredded. it took over a week to heal with lansinoh!

gertrude - i'd try to wake her in the day but leave her at night. tickle her feet to keep her awake whilst nursing.

 

[caro103]

caro - if you do skip feeds on the boob with the cracked nipple then express so your supply stays up! keep on with the lansinoh! a few months ago owen bit me and pulled and my nipple was shredded. it took over a week to heal with lansinoh!

gertrude - i'd try to wake her in the day but leave her at night. tickle her feet to keep her awake whilst nursing.

thanks, was the week healing with still feeding? not sure if expressing is actually making it worse! seems to look rather bloody now, whereas before it was just a deepish crack :S. Lansinoh is still being slapped on but doesn't seem to be doing much. Last night I even slept without my bra covering that boob (made for a soggy bed! lol) to try and let air get to it and doesn't seem to have made any difference

 

[Mork]

Breast milk is a great healer in itself so you could try putting a little on the crack-although I highly rate lahnsinoh (sp?)!

 

[reedsgirl1138]

Caro I was cracked really bad as well with Gunner...it was really rough and it took almost 3 weeks for my left side to heal as well. I have a scar. And all you can do is keep doing what your doing...are you putting the Lansinoh on before you shower?? I was drying out from the shower and making it worse until the ls told me that and it helped alot. I did find pumping from that side helped too. I wish I had more advice...that was the roughest time when he latched on it brought tears to my eyes it hurt so much.


Ladies I really need to know how in the world I incorporate pumping into my day?? I stay at home so I find no need to pump but now with summer and things getting busier I know I need to get a supply built up for when I do want to go out with Gunner...but when I try it seems like I mess up my supply for him to nurse from. I think I have asked this before but I can't find the answer. THANK YOU!!

 

[kmac625]

At that age I used to do the first feed of the day from one side only and then pump the other side. Also, does he take a longish nap of at least a couple hours during the day? You could wait about 45 minutes into the nap and then pump and then by the time he wakes up you'll have more to feed him with.

 

[lynnikins]

id highly advise putting some breastmilk on it and letting it sit for a min before putting on the lanisoh before and after feeds, i found using a sheild did help but expressing solely for 5 1/2 wks was the only thing that healed my nipples caus i could be as gentle as i needed with my manual pump it did take longer to get a feeds worth with going easy on my nipples but helped them alot ,and using more breathable breastpads helped as well i swapped to cotton washable ones without any waterproof backing, they needed changing more often but allowed me to keep better check on the cracks. after expressing solely for 5 1/2 wks thankfully EJ was still interested in boob and relatched for me but theres always the risk that they wont, i just seem to have a boobie monster on my hands. ( also with expressing i could express for fewer longer sessions without it affecting my supply allowing my nipples more time in between feeds

 

[pinkclaire]

Reedsgirl, The only way I manage getting anything out was to pump from the opposite boob. You need to do it at the same time each day to get a decent supply going, it may take about three days for you to see a decent amount, but stick with it!

 

[gertrude]

OK ladies I have a poo question

last night pickle was very unsettled and sounded very bunged up - she ended up sleeping with me as it was the only way to get her to settle

today her poo's have been slightly darker and thicker than normal, they're still yellow just a bit thicker - I wondered if the mucus from her snotty nose could be the cause?

then, the poo just done was green and frothy - which has happened before and I understand to be a fore/hind milk inbalance - what's the best way to correct this? let her nurse for longer on the first side?

Also, how long does it take for milk to work its way through the body? Is the green poo likely to be a result of today's feedings?

 

[summer rain]

If you're still giving formula top ups; this can cause the above mentioned 'funny poo', if you're not then it is quite normal for some babies for their poo to darken/thicken as they get a bit older. If the poo is green and frothy it could be too much foremilk but sometimes it is just a one off and nothing to worry about; also it can be caused by a virus so if your LO has a cold; that could well be the cause. I'd see how the next few nappies are before modifying how you feed xx

 

[gertrude]

thanks summer rain - no we're cutting down the top ups and she had none yesterday (am so pleased!) but we do give one if she seems to need that bit more. She was really sniffly last night though so maybe it's that - will see how she does overnight/tomorrow - she seems fine in herself

I'm afraid I have more questions

this evening she has nursed on the right side, coming off herself twice and seemingly falling asleep both times but then woke up and wanted more. She's done this 3 times now - looks really asleep/content only to wake up wanting more - she's on each boob for about 12-16mins and for the most part of that is actively drinking but for the last couple of mins is just nibbling/doing nothing - is that long enough?

after the third round (2 on the right and 1 on the left) she's laid in her carrycot gurgling away and not obviously doing any signs of rooting initially but after about 5mins had started to lip smack/chew hands etc - again can she really be hungry again or is she looking for comfort?

should I have kept her on the one side? She's still awake so has she really had enough?

I'm so scared of her not gaining weight now we're not doing all the top ups that I'm treading on egg shells in my own head - also I guess I don't really believe suddenly I do have enough supply when I didn't before

 

[Nervous_1]

Well done you for managing to do without the top ups! If you can manage this then your supply must be tons better, so stop doubting yourself

If you're LO is actively feeding for at least 12 mins on each side that should be fine, especially if you're offering both boobs for a feed. However, if LO is going through a growth spurt (there's one at 5/6 weeks) you could well find that she wants feeding practically every minute of the day! It's totally normal and only lasts a few days.

Have you tried giving her a dummy when she starts sucking on her hands after a feed to see if it is comfort she's after?

 

[gertrude]

well we succumbed tonight to a top up as I'm so anxious about her losing weight again - she's taken it without it all coming straight out again - watch this space! she does look like she needed it so maybe we were too hasty in dropping them she is lip smacking again straight after it so will offer her the boob again

I have wondered about a growth spurt tbh but didn't think there was one around now (she's 5 weeks on saturday) so maybe it is that - I hope so

 

[Nervous_1]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, think you must be the only mummy who is looking forward to a growth spurt! They are blooming hard work

 

[gertrude]

Well its always nice to understand or have a reason!

 

[maybebaby3]

you're doing so well gertrude! even if you are having to top up you're still giving your baby lots of goodness from your bm!

 

[babyloulou]

Hi girls. Only just found this thread so thought I'd just ask for some advice..

Ben is 14 weeks old tomorrow and has been exclusively BF since day 1 (he's never even had a expressed bottle as he refuses anything but the breast) Right from the beginning he was a very greedy feeder and it all went swimmingly with no problems. He's always fed at least every 2-3 hours over the first 3 months (usually more often than that in the day)

About 3 weeks ago he started a bit of a nursing strike and dropped two percentile lines in two weeks (he was on the 91st and dropped to the 50th) - I don't know what caused it. He was basically feeding for a couple if minutes at a time and then refusing - think he just took enough to not be dehydrated. He was also having green poos which I assume was because he was only taking foremilk. Had him checked at the doctors a couple of times and they said he was fine.

Anyway this last week he seems to be over the strike but has started feeding more in the night (practically all night) and minimally in the day. He used to feed every 2 hours at least in the day but had started to go 3 hours at least in the night between feeds before the strike. Now he is feeding in the night, sleeping for an hour and then feeding again! He's also doing all his poos in the night (nice healthy yellow ones) and often has to be changed a few times. In the day he is feeding when persuaded but no where near as well as at night. (he still gives a green poo or two in the day as well)

His sleeping has gone downhill generally too. He's taking longer and longer each night to settle and is waking constantly.

Does this sound like a growth spurt? Is he hitting the 4th month sleep regression early? (he was 2 weeks overdue so would be nearly 4 months if born on time) Shall I try to change things or just ride it out?

Sorry it's so long!!
Xxxx