question on block feeding & foremilk/hindmilk inbalance?

[spacecadet]

my LO (14 weeks) has been having green poos for 2/3 weeks now, the HV wasnt worried as she is fine in herself.. so i researched it and think it could be foremilk/hindmilk inbalance as she seems colicky with it, and maybe i have been switching boobs too soon (as i can always get loads out if i hand express after she seems done) she tends to fall asleep on me during feeds, so i have been waking her up and giving her the next boob..
apparently i need to do block feeding and make sure she finishes each side before starting on the next to ensure she gets the rich milk?
my question is does anyone have experiance of this? its getting quite difficult to get her to finish each boob, i think she gets annoyed at having to work harder to get the milk? so how do you tell when to start the other one?
sorry i hope this makes sense didnt sleep well last night and i think ive got a throat infection today so not really with it!
any advice or shared experiances of this would be great! thanks x

 

[Mervs Mum]

I dont have any proper experience on this but I do use a little 'rule' to try to ensure she doesnt get just foremilk. After a feed if she wants more before an hour has past I put her back on the same side to make sure it's emptied.

How often and how long are you feeding for?

x

 

[spacecadet]

hi thanks!
im feeding her prob 8 feeds a day every 2/3 hours roughly, sometimes more often in which case i put her back on same side, she feeds avidly for about 10-20 mins then falls half asleep and she will comfort suck for ages!

 

[Mervs Mum]

When she gets to about 15 mins (before she starts to nod) and she's still going for it, you could try taking her off and winding her and changing her. Even if she doesnt need changing I'd still go through the motions - take all her clothes off and then put them all back on again so she wakes right up. Then put her back on that side.

How old is she?

 

[spacecadet]

shes 14 weeks old now, thats a great idea! i do use that trick when im putting her down on play mat and she doesnt want to! she normally gets distracted by a toy during the change!

 

[spacecadet]

but is it ok to only use 1 boob for a couple of feeding sessions? i dont want to affect my supply andthe other boob is always fairly hard and full when she starts that one..

 

[Mervs Mum]

I just realised you already said how old she is ..... Sorry!

Yes it's totally fine to use one boob a few times - women have been know to successfully BF from one boob only! Draining that boob properly you wont affect your supply. At your stage your supply should be quite well established.

See how you get on trying to wake her and drain each boob thoroughly. Give it a week and see how her poos seem. If you dont see any difference come back and we'll try something else. x

 

[Mervs Mum]

The only other thing it might be is an intolerance to something you're eating, but in most cases it milk (cows etc) lactose intolerance can occur in newborns so its just a case of elimination.

Cut out milk for two weeks and or others foods that you dont eat often, but thats only if the feeding suggestion doesn't solve it.

 

[beancounter]

you can squeeze your boob while she's feeding, sometimes that works if they are getting impatient. It's called breast compression I think.

 

[spacecadet]

thank you so much mervs mum! i forgot to say her poo also was frothy once or twice whats that mean?? if the draining boobs doesnt work i will def try cutting out milk etc, i took her to drs this morning cos i noticed she only had 2 wet heavy nappies yesterday, and her poo was less runny and quite sticky last night (but not green!) and her fontenelle was a bit sunk, the dr felt her bladder and kidneys, no temp etc and all is ok and she had a big wee as we took her nappy off! also ive got acute tonsilitis so on antibiotics now..
i must say its hard getting her to empty the boob, she squirms and groans and i swear she keeps looking at the other boob!
beancounter.. thank you is there any good way of squeezing? i must say i have tried to before but not had great success, but wish i did as i can feel there is stil lmilk in there and can sqeeze it out myself i try do same when shes latched on but not getting any swallowing?
thanks so much for the help ladies, ive baan a bit emotional today so as feel like crap (shes been waking every 2 1/2 hours throuh the night for 2 nights now and im suffering from insomnia prob due to my sore throat etc....)
xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

Hang in there poppet - you've come a long way already so well done you x

 

[happy&healthy]

I block fed to get rid of green poos. I have loads of milk too. One boob for about six hours. The poo is back to green. And eventually I was able to lower my milk supply (which is now returning since I'm pumping because I returned to work).

 

[spacecadet]

thank you, so does it mean i have a good supply?

 

[Mervs Mum]

Certainly sounds like it - I guess you have so much foremilk to get through its hard for her to make it to the back!

 

[spacecadet]

shes really struggling to get to the hindmilk tonight, she did have a bit then spat it up again! im tempted to try and express some and see if she'll take it better from a bottle? both my boobs feel totally empty now and im worried shes still hungry and so wont sleep well again, im so desperate for a bit of sleep tonight...
compressing doesnt seemto be doing anything ..

 

[Mervs Mum]

Dont forget your boobs will feel empty when she gets to the hind milk. When you express you'll only get foremilk.

Tell me her feeding pattern today if you have time hun. Times, durations and left r right.

 

[mrs shine]

Isaiah was having green poos and the HV suggested it was due to not getting enough hindmilk. I was told to let him feed and then about 20-30 min after finishing offer the same boob again, do this for an hour or so. For me it worked a treat, Isaiah was completely zonked out as he was so content on the richer hindmilk. You will feel like you're chained to the sofa but it is worth it
If you're taking antibiotics at the moment they will affect your LO's tummy so it may take a little while to see the effect of getting the hindmilk

 

[mrs shine]

PS if it doesn't work do speak to someone before you cut dairy out of your diet. You need calcium at the moment so that your lo gets it in the breastmilk x

 

[spacecadet]

ok far as i remember left at 5.30-6am & 7-7.30am, then right at 10-10.30am and 12.30-1, then left 4ish and prob carryed on till 6 on and off, todaysbeen busy so lots of walking in the buggy and naps, this evening shes had her bath & massage then i took her downstairs for right boob which sheseemed to empty straight away (5mins?) and then wanted more, i gave her the left then and ended up switching back to the right one, realising i should pob keep her on that one, i could still get some out and try to let the left one "recharge"? so kept giving her the right, which she wasnthappy about and crying, so now im in bed with her, shes comfort sucking on my left boob but every now and then in her semi-sleep she will get a let down so i keep letting her.. but i do think shes not really had a good feed tonight so worried shes hungry, i waswatching out for thesucks..
whatdo u think? sorry its so long and thank you xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

I think you've started really well today! I think you should keep tdoing what you are doing. It's only day one of this new regime so we need to give it a bit of time yeah?
I think that 2 hours is enough for my boobs to 'recharge' fully so I wonder if offering him a feed a bit earlier might be an option - like Mrs Shine said she did.

Stick with it babe. We all wonder if they are getting enough from time to time and you've had a bit of a confidence knock. Try not to worry that she's not getting a good feed - I have totally stopped paying attention now to times etc because there seems to be no rhyme or reason Let her comfort suck as much as she likes and lets give your new 'routine' a good 48hours before we decide if it's not working. Yeah??

xx