MAY we all be blessed with baby!May '13 & beyond [Closed Parenting] 14 girls; 4 boys

[Hopeful2014]

@OurLilFlu You definitely belong! Congratulations!! I've been meaning to ask about how it was to find out you are team and about your reaction to your husband's photos!

 

[OurLilFlu]

Oh I was over the moon to find out we were team pink!! I really wanted a girl, all my intuitions said girl but I was kind of bracing myself for boy lol not that it mattered. Everyone who thought girl in the beginning switched to boy throughout the pg so I figured I was wrong about it being a girl lol!
Our pics turned out amazing and we had kind of forgotten about the gender pics until the second day at home. They were so awesome! Made me bawl like a baby, I don't have them on my phone so I can't share em but they are precious!

 

[momwithbabies]

OurLilFlu: Congratulations on your baby girl! Cherish every moment as they grow up so fast...I know everybody has told you this, but it is so true. I hope you are finding the time to take care of yourself as well. I know it's hard when you've got a newborn.

Ladies, I was just popping in to see how the babies are doing. It seems like everyone is doing well. Blessings to you and your precious families. And for the women that are going back to work...I know it is the hardest thing to do, but it will get easier. I've spent many a mornings bawling my eyes out before work because of my mommy guilt. Just realize that this to will pass, and you are a good mom!!! I wish someone would have reminded me of that more when I had my son and daughter.

Hopeful: I can't believe how far along you are!!! Time flies by! I hope you are enjoying preparing for your sweet, baby girl! Baby girls are so sweet.

 

[melann13]

Who else is pumping? It's not going great and I'm getting very frustrated...

 

[OurLilFlu]

Hey melann, I'm not pumping, I've pumped maybe 4 bottles in all... What seems to be the issue? Breastfeeding at all? I might be able to offer some advice? My guess is you're worried about your supply?

 

[Kwaggy]

I pump while I'm at work...I started to have a bit of a supply issue when I went back to work so I've been taking fenugreek and eating tons of oatmeal. Seems to be helping. I'm getting the IUD on the 22 and I'm worried that's going to lower my supply. What issues are you having with pumping??

 

[OurLilFlu]

Hey kwaggy, no here we're lucky to get a full year of mat leave so I've been EBF since coming home from the hospital. I only pump here and there. Glad to hear you're taking fenugreek. Does adding a nighttime pumping help? I'm thinking of going the iud route too but I'm so skeptical of the hormones in so many birth control options... Ugh

 

[daddiesgift]

Isn't there a non hormonal IUD?

 

[OurLilFlu]

Ya copper ones are but for some reason they seem scarier than the plastic lol I have no idea why im having trouble deciding...

 

[melann13]

Sorry I meant to explain my pumping issue earlier but I got the whole thing typed and then it crashed and I didn't have to energy to rewrite

I BF Felicity. I only pump 2 full days and 2 half days of work (about 10 pumping sessions weekly). (I'm pumping right now !)

I have always had fast flow and no supply issues. I get engorged at night and LO is always full and happy after feeding. It's just the actual pumping. LO can feed off just one side in about 10 minutes and be full to capacity. I can pump both sides for 20 minutes and struggle to get a full bottle. I've tried drinking lots of water, relaxing, watching videos of her, compressions, smelling her T-shirt all the stuff they say helps. It does help, just not as much as I'd like. I try to feed her right before taking her to daycare and as soon as I pick her up, but I also want to send plenty of milk in case she gets hungry and I'm not there yet. I just get so frustrated because BFing is so much easier!
FYI I have the Medela Pump In Style Double Electric. I'm on the mini BC pill, but I've been on it for 6 weeks now (I was on it before LO also) and the pumping issues have gotten worse in just the last couple weeks so I don't think it's pill related.

 

[OurLilFlu]

Oh I see. I'm not sure what to tell you, the only thing that comes to mind is maybe trying a manual pump? Some ppl just don't do well with electric, like you said takes way too long. But of course no pump is as good as baby and it seems that's where the frustration lies. I find watching videos makes a big difference to me but still it probably isn't the same.
How much are you trying to get? I looked up recently since we wanted to go out for dinner and leave Royen with grandma that at 2 months if they feed about 8 times a day it works out to only 3 oz a feed. I was able to get 3.5 fairly easily. How much does childcare want on hand?

 

[daddiesgift]

When I pumped for my second he would suck it down so quick and still be hungry! And this was 5- 6 ozs at a few days/week old!! My first was the same way. Just seemed they ate so much more out of the bottle, then again you cant measure how much they are getting out of the breast. Im assuming when you pick her up shes completely out of milk? Or did they say shes drinking lots? If none of that I would just keep doing what you are doing and if you do ever have any left over than freeze it. Im not sure how a facility does it but Im an in home day care provider for the military and moms just bring me milk frozen and I dethaw it and use it as needed instead of letting it go to waste by sitting it in the fridge. Can you do that? Or maybe ask what shes drinking all at once and just fill bottles with that much. If they say shes getting too close to running out then Id add another pumping session to up your supply and get more milk to freeze for back up or to take to care.

Ive also had moms stop in during lunch to nurse. Majority of kids wont starve themselves or over eat. I had a baby in care that would eat in a NINE hour period. FOUR ounces. That was it. I couldnt get her to take any more. But she wasnt ever upset or fussy, except when you tried to feed her the bottle lol.

If you feel you just arent getting enough when pumping does she eat from both sides when you nurse? You can nurse her on one breast and put the pump on the other breast and Ive heard that yields really good results.

And like I said we cant measure how much is coming out of our breasts so you may think the bottle looks empty but that may be all she needs! Also you say you feel too full at night then Id pump then to get a back up supply started.

 

[melann13]

I have probably at least a gallon frozen
That's not the issue. I send about 13-14 oz to daycare. Going in at lunch is not an option as I work on a campus without parking so it takes me 45 min to go each way even though it's only a few miles.
They started giving her 3.5oz bottles when she first started (at 7 weeks). She'd eat that no prob, so they upped it to 4-4.5. Then last week they were giving her 5 oz bottles and she'd drink all that. They do have about 10oz in the freezer there as backup but I want to be pumping what she needs so I don't run into supply issues. They let me bring in a big bottle of milk and they dose out the bottles as she goes so none is wasted (since legally they can't use a breastmilk bottle that's been started after 1 hr due to bacterial growth).
Today I asked them to stick to 4-4.5oz bottles, not 5-6 to see how much she really wants, or is she just eating because it's in front of her? I want her to eat as much and as often as she wants (since she is BF, not FF), but I'm hoping to get a better idea of how much she needs each day. I know it's approx 30oz a day, or 2.5oz per lb of baby, so I can divide it out by how many feedings.
Once again, my issue is the actual pumping. Not how to deal with bottle feeding. I was just hoping someone had suggestions of how to get more while away from baby. I can pump extra at home, that's fine, but it doesn't help me pump what she's eating while we're apart. Does that make sense? If my baby eats 14oz while I'm at work, I'd like to pump 14oz while I'm at work. If I start pumping at night, I'll end up even more engorged. Right now I pump the half of what I need during the first pumping session since that's when I still have some night backup, and then the other half is pumped with my other two sessions, but sometimes it takes FOREVER and it's very frustrating. I have a manual pump too and have it with me. Sometimes I can get a tiny bit more that way, but not much.
Ugh. I just wish there was care in my building or something so I could just go feed her. It would be SOOOO much easier!

 

[OurLilFlu]

I see what you mean. That definitely would be ideal to pump daily what she'll take in care etc. sorry it's not balancing out that way indeed very frustrating. I don't think I have any advice, it sucks! Maybe trying to pump more often at work to increase stimulation for that time of day?! I have no idea if that would maybe bump your supply while at work...?

 

[Buttercup84]

Melann, I don't have much personal experience with expressing but i've heard ladies say that fenugreek and eating lots of oats helps with supply (oatmeal, flapjacks etc) I do know it can be tricky to express the same amount a baby would get since obviously a baby is more efficient than a pump. I know you're probably well aware of kellymom.com but I thought i'd link this page of theirs just in case: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/pumping_decrease/

 

[mummy2o]

I know this is a bit of random question but since all of you are ahead of me and Erika have any of your periods return and if so how many week PP and were you bf or ff. With DS they came a 4 weeks after he was born, this time nothing.

 

[OurLilFlu]

No here, EBF for 7 weeks! Hope it stays away for awhile longer!

 

[melann13]

I have had some spotting the last few days (11weeks PP) I'm EBF and started the mini BC pill 6 weeks ago. Definitely wasn't expecting any bleeding for awhile.
I called my doc as I was worried about milk supply. (BFing is super important to me).
They said not to worry about it. So far no issues. I had some pink CM on Thursday, Friday a tiny bit of bright red blood (when I called the doc), Saturday next to nothing, Sunday a bit more bright red blood. So far nothing more than a liner can handle, so I don't think I'd call it legit AF, but obviously something.

 

[mummy2o]

Got pink CM not long ago, so hopefully the start of my period. If not I'll wait a little while longer. Hopefully will get the all clear to start TTC again at my 6 week check up, as although they will be close in age and financial we could be better off, but won't struggle we do however have time if that makes sense which we wouldn't have later on.

 

[KatyW]

Just got caught up here, not sure why I forgot about this thread.

Melann, how often can you pump at work? With my first, I exclusively pumped the first month because she was a preemie. I kept pumping sessions close together since more frequent sessions lead to greater supply. I know some mothers just have issues with letdown while pumping since baby isn't present. I have heard looking at a pic could help while you pump. I wish I had better suggestions.