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[Nervous_1]

First of all a pump is not as good at getting the milk out as your baby is, so don't feel too upset if you can't pump much. It doesn't mean you are starving your baby!

Babies do lose weight in the first couple of weeks because they are using up the stores from pre-birth. It's completely normal. You don't need to worry unless your LO has lost more than 10% of their birth weight and even there it may not be anything to worry about.

You don't need to give formula top ups, just trust your baby and your body. Spend lots of time skin to skin on the sofa and nurse little one as often as she wants. Get your OH to do all the running around bringing you drinks and snacks and enjoy the cuddles. You can also try eating lots of oaty things and taking fenugreek if you are worried about not having enough milk.

If you do give expressed milk from a cup, hold it to LO's mouth and she will lap at it like a kitten. DO NOT pour it into her mouth - you could end up choking her!

Good luck hun, and congrats on your new baby!

 

[cat lover]

Thankyou I feel much better now and I will try your suggestions. She hasn't lost more than 10% which is good. Thanks re cup as well, I was confused!

 

[Katt]

I can't believe the midwife suggested top ups! Thats madness when only lost a bit of weight at 14 days. If you do give top ups, it can affect your supply.

I have never been able to express much, in those first weeks I was lucky to test 20mls. It is NO indication of how much milk you have.

As nervous says, trust your baby and your body x

 

[sun]

Agree with above - I was never able to express very much milk at all. Babies are so much more efficient at getting the milk out!

Topping up with formula is a slippery slope as it can affect supply - your body won't know how much milk to make. The more you top up, the less you will produce so I would stay away unless there is a serious problem. And it definitely sounds like there isn't!!! xx

Sounds like you are doing a great job!

 

[Roffey82]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone can help me out please???
My LO is 6 weeks today and BFing seems to be going well he weighed 7lbs 13 when he was born and now weighs 10lbs 11oz. How long should he be feeding on each boob every feed? He is feeding every 3 hours sometimes he will feed for over 20 minutes but then only 10 mins at another feed. Is this ok??????

 

[summer rain]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone can help me out please???
My LO is 6 weeks today and BFing seems to be going well he weighed 7lbs 13 when he was born and now weighs 10lbs 11oz. How long should he be feeding on each boob every feed? He is feeding every 3 hours sometimes he will feed for over 20 minutes but then only 10 mins at another feed. Is this ok??????

This is totally fine, sometimes babies want a full meal, other times they may just want a quick drink to quench their thirst xx

 

[silver_penny]

Your baby knows how much he needs, and as he is gaining so well, I wouldn't worry at all!

 

[CelticNiamh]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone can help me out please???
My LO is 6 weeks today and BFing seems to be going well he weighed 7lbs 13 when he was born and now weighs 10lbs 11oz. How long should he be feeding on each boob every feed? He is feeding every 3 hours sometimes he will feed for over 20 minutes but then only 10 mins at another feed. Is this ok??????

I agree with what the others said he is doing brilliant! my baby is 12 weeks was 8 pounds when he was born and is 11 pounds 10 so being nearly 11 pounds at 6 weeks is awsome!

cat lover I agree again with what the others have said! my third baby and my 4th baby all lost weight in thier second week which can be perfectly normal for s ome babies! only diffierence was when I saw my MW she was not worried as neither had lost any way near the 10% they worry about.
They both steadly gained after that but to be honest I gave up getting them weighed as it was worring me to much and decided to go by setteling betweens feeds and by nappies! BF baby should have plenty of wet nappies they can have up to 2 dirty ones in a day or go a a day or two with out one depends on the baby! both are very healthy 5 and 2 now!

to be honest I would not judge my milk supply from a pump babies are way better at getting milk and I was told that for every onze we get they get 2 more so if your only getting an onze or 2 your baby could be getting 4 from you and for 2 weeks thats about right as far as I am aware.

it takes 6 weeks to build up your milk supply so I just feed and feed and see what happens if I got to 4 weeks and baby had not gained or lost then I might be tempted to introduce forumla but not yet!

let us know how your doing

 

[chrissie33]

I also agree, Katie was putting weight on steadily when she was tiny, she was only 6lb 9oz born but within 3 weeks had put on 3lb but her feeds really varied in length of time. As she got a little older, 10wks plus, she would actually feed quite quickly, so whilst she fed every 3 - 4 hours, she often only fed for 10 mins and I was never really concerned as she had lots of yellowy mustard colour poo nappies - sometimes green ones but then I just tried to get her to feed for a bit longer, or expressed a little before her feed so she had more of the hind milk. Keep doing what you are doing hun, baby is getting everything they need and you are doing great!

 

[cat lover]

Thanks so much ladies

LO wants to feed all the time - I don't really have time to do anything else hardly- is this normal as I am worried? She just wants to suck suck suck! x

 

[Nervous_1]

It's completely normal hun, there is a growth spurt at 2-3 weeks, although the constant sucking may continue until around the 6 week mark once your supply has regulated. It's simply baby telling your body how much milk they need.

For the first 6 weeks all I did was feed and watch TV or ask questions on here, and said sod it to all the housework!

 

[roonsma]

Hi Ladies, a Poo question...

I just wondered whether anyone elses LO has poos that are almost like runny shiny lemon curd but darker? Most of the time we have the "normal" bright yellow with curdy bits pooh but occasionally we have these odd ones?

Thanks

 

[summer rain]

Yep sounds normal to me, my LO has all different types of textures/colours and even smells to his poo. He still occasionally has curdy bits but as he has got older it's a rare occurrence. As long as their poo isn't really foul smelling, bloody, very mucusy, repeatedly green, or very very pale or even white, then don't worry xx

 

[JellyBeann]

Sorry haven't had chance to get on in a while! But I now have a question...

It really hurts to feed LO atm. Especially my left breast, it is red, sore cracked and a bit swollen (the nipple) anyone have any theories??

 

[Nervous_1]

Maybe thrush? Are there any flaky white patches either on your boob or in LO's mouth?

 

[JellyBeann]

Maybe thrush? Are there any flaky white patches either on your boob or in LO's mouth?

no...

I've been trying to fool myself, but the truth I think is that my milk is drying up! I would normally be engorged by now, but there is nothing in my boobies!

 

[Nervous_1]

oh no! try taking fenugreek, eating tons of oaty stuff and having a beer after your last feed of the day and see if they make a difference.

 

[JellyBeann]

oh no! try taking fenugreek, eating tons of oaty stuff and having a beer after your last feed of the day and see if they make a difference.

Oh, God, I burp enough as it is lol! And I can't drink Beer, makes me throw up!? (only after about 2 sips aswell) I'll give the fenugreek and oats a go! I have muesli in the house, I'll start eating that every day!

 

[victoriajane]

Anyone here an exclusive expresser? My LO is now 4 weeks and I am really struggling to get in the regular expressing sessions I need in the day as she doesn't have any sort of routine yet and always seems to be awake and crying/hungry/generally refusing to be put down when I need to express! I do have a double pump so once she is down it only takes 15 mins, but i haven't even been able to get that this afternoon. My first pump was 7.30am, the second supposed to be sometime between 10.30-11.30 but ended up being 12.45! Had another one session due at 3pm, and godknows when that will actually be as I just cannot get her to sleep. It's fine when OH is here but he's out at work beteen 8am - 5pm. I've already had blocked ducts twice because of similar problems - how do you guys do it?!

 

[roonsma]

Sorry Victoriajane, I can't offer any advice but i do sympathise. I'm supposed to pump after each feed to increase my supply, but i hardly get the chance, i know its tough! Could you maybe give her her bottle and pump at the same time somehow?