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PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

lilang chi- Chase has good poops.. he isnt constipated.. He only gets breastmilk from a bottle. I burp him halfway thru the bottle and afterwords.. he is a terrible burper though! I have been doing the bicycling with him so ill try the other thing...thanks for your suggestions! :-)

Amc-What gas drops did you try? I tried Gripe Water last night.. not sure how much it worked last night though.. I was giving it to him after he ate but then saw your post and gave it to him first and i think it might have worked a little better but it was hard to tell because i was doing so many things at one time and trying to get out of the house.. I am going to try it again for his next few feedings to see if it helps..

Im wondering though if it might be related to my breastmilk because I had a plugged duct which they think is mastisis now.. and the grunting really started sunday night whcih was when it really flared up.. so im wondering if that caused any issues with him to.. OR my MIL got here Saturday and started helping to feed him on Sunday.. and she isnt around babies at all and i had to keep telling her how to do every little thing and she was feeding him his bottle all crazy like he'd eat it in 5 mins.. im like nooooo it needs to take like 15 mins thats way to fast and she'd have him like flat on his back feeding him and she wouldnt put him down to sleep.. so im thinking just all this craziness might have caused some of it... Last night I didnt prop him up in his boppy pillow in his co-sleeper to sleep though...and it seemed to help him feel better.. he didnt grunt nearly as much... hoping tonight it better and he can sleep on his back!!

thanks for all the help ladies!! :-)

Anyone have any tips/advice on mastisis? They gave me Keflex to take for 10 days and told me not to breastfeed.. to pump and dump... umm i understand no breastfeeding because my boob has this crazy rash/blister thing going on and my nipples are bleeding but pumping and dumping??? We cant see why she said to pump and dump... Any ideas?
 
Rosalie, how much EBM top-up are you giving him? Have you tried NOT supplementing to see how he goes? If so, when did you try and what happened?

My immediate thought on reading your post is that you need to divorce yourself from the scales. The issue of your baby "getting enough" is not a feed-to-feed proposition, it's on a longer timescale than that. Can you go down to weekly (or maybe twice weekly) weighs? In an 11 week old baby their weight will vary during the day depending on poos and wees, etc, so I think that weighing for every feed is mostly a great way to fuel maternal anxiety more than anything else.

The fact that you are only giving 0-3oz of formula during the day suggests to me that you should just stop it. At your baby's age he must weigh somewhere in the order of 5kg or more already, so 3oz over the day is really nothing.

If I were you, I would be stopping the formula altogether, ditching the scales (I think this is the most important thing) and letting go a little bit - maybe offer a top-up every second feed through the late afternoon/evening instead of after every feed, or maybe 2 out of 3. He might take a little less one day, a little more the next - that's not a big deal either. If the overall pattern is one of normal growth, that's what you're after.

Weaning parents off the scales is always really hard. I don't know where you live, Rosalie, but here (Australia) I have pretty much never seen mothers weigh their kids every feed; seems to happen more in the US and Europe. Even when babies are in hospital with feeding/thriving issues, we don't weigh them every feed - once a day is plenty.
 
Blonde Bunny - can you speak to a hospital pharmacist at a maternity hospital for advice? Cephalexin is generally considered one of the safest antibiotics to use in nursing mothers as very little makes it into BM.
 
blondebunny|1352837741|3305608 said:
cant see why she said to pump and dump... Any ideas?[/b]
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Are there side effects for nursing babies of the keflex? I wonder if that is a concern?
 
OK, a brief update from us:

S is 9 months. 9 MONTHS!!! Where did that time go???

We are having a really lovely time! She is super-happy, super-loud and talkative (and getting quite assertive!) and thinks everybody is her friend. Yesterday we were at a cafe having lunch and she was hanging literally upside-down over the back of the high chair, squawking and giggling and trying to get the couple sitting at the table behind us to play with her. When I walk down the street with her in the Bjorn (which she loves as she faces forwards) she kicks her legs, waves her arms and chats and squeals The. Entire. Time. We do get a lot of affectionate looks from strangers and will generally be stopped on the street several times in the course of an outing :lol: I took her to a friend's son's 2nd birthday on the weekend and she had SUCH a wonderful time with all the toddlers and little kids running/jumping around/on her! She also stole food out of their hands several times :oops:

Developmentally - pointing! At everything! That index finger is permanently out at the moment. She is still babbling up a storm - as well as all the repeated syllables that she's been doing for the last few months she is now making single syllable sounds that have a syllable at the end, if that makes sense. "Mum", "Dum", "Dup", "Dad", "Mup", etc. None of them with meaning yet, but it's very cute.

Still not on the move. I don't think she's realised it's possible. She rolls, but never to get someWHERE, only to get someTHING.

Favourite toys are bead rollercoaster (an oldie but a goodie - she loves pulling the beads along as far as she can reach, and spinning them) and glockenspiel (which she is playing with her hands - she just likes to chew the stick). Also cups, bottles and anything with buttons or snaps (her cloth diapers are a favourite).

Sleep is good! Still STTN from 7pm until 6:30-7am. I think she's in a bit of a transitional phase at the moment, on the days she wakes a bit later she generally drops the little catnap that she usually has after her early morning feed, but then can't quite adjust her nap schedule for the remainder of the day. Having a short mid-morning nap (about an hour) and a long afternoon nap (about 2 hours).

Eating everything. Current favourites are smoked salmon (don't give her much though, too salty), brie cheese (!), avocado, mangoes, asparagus, and my braised 5 spice chicken. Still feeds herself, although I've noticed when she has fussy days/WW type periods she likes me to feed her.

She cut her first teeth (bottom middle two) about 10 days ago - one after the other. I didn't realise the first one had come through (or that it was coming) until she bit my finger in the car whilst i was patting her mouth for her (to make "awawawawawawa" sounds if that makes sense!). Stealth tooth.

We had our family/Dot photoshoot on Saturday and I can't wait to see the images - should be another week or so. So exciting, the photographer was awesome and the few unedited images she showed me on the camera look great! Hooray for shots of the 3 of us together (finally!) and photographic evidence of Dot having a mother!

I'm noticing a changing of the guard in this thread, and it's wonderful to see. All you new(er) mamas are doing a wonderful job with your babies and I just want to say - for all those who are struggling a little, or a lot - that it GETS EASIER. It really does. And it gets better and better and better! Every time I have felt sad about Dot leaving one little stage behind, it has been replaced with even MORE joy and MORE fun and MORE cuteness - hasn't failed to do so yet! So relish these early days as best as you can, but don't get down on yourself more than you already are, if you're not enjoying it as much as you think you're "supposed" to. There are PLENTY of wonderful times ahead!

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BlondeBunny: You have to do what's right for you, but I took Keflex (plus TWO other antibiotics) and was told that I didn't need to pump and dump. Neither babe nor I seemed worse for it. I 100% understand if you want to follow your doc's instructions, but I thought i'd share my experience.

Rosalie: I'm in nearly the EXACT same situation. A love/hate relationship with my scale and pump.... I have a screaming babe right now, so i'll be back to respond in full later
 
Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well. Things have been looking up a bit around here. Baby's sleep is still very unpredictable and varies each day but he has not been nearly as fussy. I have figured out a few things that keep him more content. I have been feeling far less panicky, so hopefully we are both turning the corner. I cannot believe he is one month old already. I am going to try to take Pancake's advice and enjoy this stage as much as possible despite the sleep deprivation and change of lifestyle. The little involuntary smiles make me so excited for the real ones.

Thanks for all of the support! Hope everyone is holding up ok!
 
BB, I don't want to question your doctor, but I was told to nurse like crazy when I has mastitis and was on Keflex, they said baby is much more efficient at removing milk than a pump. Hope you are feeling better soon!
 
Add me to the list of people who was told to nurse as frequently as possible when I had mastitis. It stinks because it hurts but it ultimately worked. My doc and LC did tell me that, if I felt the need to pump, to massage and pump at the same time.
 
I had mastitis and was given the UK brand of amoxicillin. I was told to stop breastfeeding by the emergency room doctor. Thankfully I had a copy of the AAP manual which said to nurse as frequently as possible and decided that the academy of pediatrics was more trustworthy than the doctor on duty that day.
 
Rosalie, have you seen an LC about why your babe has low transfer? How old is your LO?

I heard that my baby had a poor latch and disorganized suck, which were really symptoms of a larger problem- an undiagnosed posterior tongue tie. We were told by MANY people that she didn't have one, but I diagnosed it myself, had a specialist confirm via photos and video, and then my pediatrician found it himself. We just had it revised (a second time) and her latch is improving. She also has to see a bodyworker to get full range of motion. That starts today.

Just something to look into!
 
Hi ladies!

monkey I'm so glad your doctor's office was supportive. FWIW Wee Button was very much as you describe at 4 weeks. He is a bit better now as we are settling into more of a routine. When he's unsettled during the day I spend a lot of time with him in the sling, in the hope I can get more done that way. At night DH walks the floors with him until he calms down. We have a borrowed swing too and I thought T hated it, until one day in desperation I put him in it and turned it on at full whack - well he conked in about 30 seconds flat! Turns out I was being way too gentle with it, and he really needed it turned up to the max! I've been sort of trying to do EASY too but in reality he always needs to be nursed to sleep so in our house it looks a lot more like AES. As far as I'm concerned the Y part is a myth. I certainly haven't found it yet! I am so grateful for all the help on this board too. Hang in there Mama, I am thinking of you are really hoping things get better for you guys soon!

MuffDog yes, I've spoken with two lactation consultants, a La Leche League leader, my local Mommy group, my GP, the public health nurse, and anyone I know who breastfed!!! At this stage I will whip my boobs out for anyone who expresses any desire to help with the BF ;)) :bigsmile: Thank you SO much for all the advice you typed out for me. I've been trying out your tips with mixed results... Wee Button has no reflex whatsoever to open his mouth so when I followed your method the poor child just kept getting poked in the eye with my nipples... but little by little we are getting there :)) At this stage even though his latch is still appalling shallow I am not in quite as much pain and it is bearable. He hasn't done the really bad wild animal routine in a few days now, so fingers crossed that becomes a sporadic thing from here on rather than being at every single feed. I am praying we have turned a corner! You asked a few questions, trying to answer them now:

- I don't think it's a foremilk/hindmilk issue as I would very rarely offer both sides at a feed. I do think though that he may find the flow too fast especially on the right side and that may explain some of the biting/clamping stuff. I'm not sure I have an over active let down as from my perusal of Dr Google I think that Moms who have that can usually feel their letdown? I don't think I can feel mine. Also the thrashing happens later in a feed, not so much at the beginning when the letdown is at its most fierce. Which leads me to thinking it's a wind issue...

- I am burping him by taking him off the breast when he starts kicking/squirming/drawing up his knees and I turn him vertical and put him over my shoulder. I rub his back in circles (I rub up the left side of his back and down the right because I was told that is the direction of digestion) and keep him very straight. He almost always does a huge burp very quickly. He sometimes spits up, especially if he's been feeding a long time or comfort sucking (I think he gets too full). My Mam is obsessed with wind and is convinced every cry he makes is down to wind. She paces the floor with him on her shoulder and patting him on the back and maybe after 30 minutes he might make a tiny burp and she declares victory! She also puts him lying face down across her knees and pats his back.

- We're not swaddling as the hospital told us not to (it's considered a SIDs risk over here). I've actually never noticed him startling himself awake, even in the hospital when he'd startle himself kicking/thrashing in his sleep he'd just sleep right through. He loves to sleep cuddled up to us (we co-sleep). During the day he naps happily in his pram if I put him in there about 80% asleep. And he sleeps very happily in the sling, and in the swing. I wasn't sure but were you suggesting swaddling him for feeds? I do sort of clamp his arms and legs between my body and my arms/legs but I'm not sure if it's helping!

I think you are so right about the problem being tiredness, he sleeps really well in the mornings and afternoons and at night but he REFUSES TO SLEEP between about 8pm and 2am. And that's also the time when the worst of the BF naughtiness happens. I have no idea what to do about that as he is still so tiny yet. He always falls asleep at the breast but when he is at his worst I can't bear to let him nurse as I'm afraid of him hurting me, so then he finds it hard to sleep. It's a Catch-22.

Anyway, it is getting better, and your reply really helped me think through what is happening, thank you :wavey: And I LOVE that photo of Luca, he looks SO HAPPY to meet Santa! Priceless! :appl: :appl: :appl:

Choro thanks for the advice! I do detach Wee Button once he starts the drunken sailor look. Sometimes he goes ape and wants back on, sometimes he drifts off happily. Sometimes, though, he is wide awake alert and drinking like crazy for the full 45 minutes! I don't want to deny him comfort sucking when he's distressed but I will keep watching him closely and try not to let him comfort suck in his sleep after he's finished a feed.

amc glad to hear your DH is trying to step up a bit, hope things improve for you soon! That pumping schedule sounds like a nightmare. I keep meaning to pump so I can leave T with my Mam for a bit but I never seem to have the time or energy. You are amazing. And yippee for getting your room back! :bigsmile:

Freke you are killing me with the photos, she is adorable! :love: Are you going to share the bling you got in Irvine? :naughty: Hope you girls enjoy Chicago!

missy those are gorgeous photos! Love the wee teeth, so cute!!!

mayerling that's great about the sippy cup! How's it been going since? Thanks for asking after my thrush situation. I am entirely confused about it to be honest. At our six week check up my GP said the white spots in T's mouth are not thrush but simply gingival cysts which will go away in their own time. She also thinks the pain I have been feeling more recently is residual inflammation from the thrush. I finished my course of antibiotics yesterday so I guess now we wait and see. I am being optimistic. My nipples still hurt - they sting and feel bruised 24/7 - but at least they are not cracked and bleeding. And I don't feel like I'm being flayed when he latches on, and I don't have the electric shock pains in my breasts after feeds. So I am very hopeful. Everything crossed!

blondebunny Chase is gorgeous!!! He looks so peaceful in that photo! The grunting etc sounds like wind to me. I would try to get a couple of good big burps out of him before you let him fall asleep. I know it seems cruel but it's kinder than having his sleep disturbed from gas pain. The wind stuff is so awful for babies, I feel so sorry for them when they can't get relief from the pain. I don't know anything about that particular antibiotic but I do know with mastitis is it vitally important to keep emptying that breast to clear the infection, and that baby is better at that than any pump. How are things going for you guys now?

PPM the doctor who treated T for his anterior tongue tie did a check for a posterior tongue tie and didn't think there was one. I have since spoken again with my LC who told me every mother she ever advised who was suffering from persistent thrush (and who wasn't previously prone to thrush, which I wasn't) turned out to be dealing with a baby with a PTT. She advised cranio sacral therapy and cranial osteopathy, and a referral to a consultant paediatrician to double check for PTT. The hope is that by the time we get to see the consultant if he does have a PTT that the CST/osteo may have helped enough that it won't need treatment (or ideally that he doesn't have it at all). I didn't find the CST any help at all but the osteopath is an amazing woman. I think I mentioned this already but after his first session with her he stuck his tongue out as far as his lower lip for the first time ever. Could you describe the clicking sound you asked me about? I've read that on some BF websites, and the doctor who treated him for the anterior tie asked me that question. I don't hear a clicking sound exactly but I definitely hear a regular kind of squelch/squirt with each such. He releases suction at the corners of his mouth after every suck and he dribbles milk out the corners of his mouth then. I have to keep a cloth under my breast to catch all the milk that dribbles down as he does this. I have noticed that the few times he has maintained suction that it is less painful and that I can feel a tingling sensation all over my breast. Do you think that is a tongue tie issue? Sorry to hear you are having to do revisions, that sounds like no fun at all! I have seen the massage stuff you have to do after the release, I am dreading having to do those if T needs treatment. Hope things get better for you guys soon!

Rosalie sorry you are having such a hard time! I have also heard that the pump can never get out as much milk as the baby, and that to increase supply you need to put baby on the boob for more time. There must be a way you can maybe decrease the amount of formula in each bottle and at the same time increase the amount of time on the breast until you have a happy balance that works for you. Or can you find a way that someone else can give him the bottles and you pump during those feeds to build up that stash? I would recommend seeing a lactation consultant if you can, I have found them to be amazingly supportive. Each time I have come close to giving up, my LC has given me back my confidence and strength to keep going. She always has a solution. Where I am you can access an LC for free through the hospital or you can hire one privately. If you feel like the feeding is spoiling your time with your baby you need to find a solution, you deserve better than this!

pancake your post brought tears to my eyes, what beautiful words you wrote :)) I am going to take your advice and soak up the moments as they come. I can already feel the time slipping through my fingers. He seems so big already! Sounds like Dot is absolutely thriving and learning so much and getting into everything! :bigsmile: The photo you posted is gorgeous, she is such a pretty girl :love:

===

AFU we are hanging in there! We had our six week check up last week. For me it was just a quick look at my c-section scar and palpating of my abdomen and a short conversation about contraception. T had a full check over and got weighed - he is now 10 lbs 5oz! That's only 2 oz short of a 2lb gain on his birth weight! He's also grown 7cm. We are ridiculous proud parents, delighted with all the growing he's doing :praise: I have honestly sat a few times though and just marvelled at the idea that I can produce milk that has managed to put almost 2lbs of weight onto this baby. Nature is amazing.

I also got the all clear to drive again, which has been liberating! Took T to a baby massage class yesterday and stayed on for lunch with the other Mammies. It was so nice to be out and about. Not so nice that I dinged the wing mirror in the car park, oops! At least it wasn't a big ding, just required a bit of brute force to put it back as it should be, but I still felt very silly for bashing the car on my first outing :wink2:

I've put lots of details in the individual replies but summary of the story with us is that nursing is going better but isn't yet 100%. We are waiting on an appointment with a consultant paediatrician to check T for a posterior tongue tie. We are doing osteopathy which is working miracles. He has started the six week growth spurt, cluster feeding and screaming crying at the breast. The feed at one o'clock today took 90 minutes because he kept fussing... trying to hang in there and just weather the storm!

Only other news is that there's been a national scandal here where a pregnant woman died of scepticaemia after being refused a D&C for three days after she had been diagnosed that was suffering a miscarriage. I keep thinking of the terrified look on DH's face when they were prepping me for the emergency C-section and my heart just breaks for her husband and her family :blackeye:
 
Buttons: Can you describe what it is that the osteopath does? As for the clicking, sometimes it sounds like Eloise's tongue gets suctioned to the roof of her mouth and snaps off, and other times it sounds like she's making kissy noises... much like the squelch sound you're hearing during nursing. So, it's a combo of clicky and sucky noises :twirl: She also loses suction, dribbles milk, and while nursing is no longer horribly painful (nipples of steel!), it can be uncomfortable.

Do a Google search for "Dr. Kotlow Posterior Tongue Tie" and see for yourself if there's one present! I was told time, and time, and time again (4 IBCLCs and one physician's assistant) that DD didn't have a posterior tongue tie, but all signs and symptoms pointed toward, "YES!" I followed instructions outlined by Dr. Kotlow and, sure enough, found a tie. My pediatrician confirmed it, as did a pediatric dentist.

We're a few days out and already DD barely cries when we do the stretches. I hope like heck the cut doesn't reheal/reattach. I don't want to go through another revision :sick:

Our first craniosacral therapy appt. was this afternoon. I'm about to call DH to see how it went. I'm not holding my breath after reading about your experience. At $90/hr it's hard to give it a fair shot, but we'll probably send her for a few more sessions and then reevalatue. The woman doing the therapy is an occupational therapist who specializes in working with infants and young children, so I trust she knows her stuff. Time will tell!
 
Buttons|1353004107|3307320 said:
Hi ladies!

MuffDog yes, I've spoken with two lactation consultants, a La Leche League leader, my local Mommy group, my GP, the public health nurse, and anyone I know who breastfed!!! At this stage I will whip my boobs out for anyone who expresses any desire to help with the BF ;)) :bigsmile: Thank you SO much for all the advice you typed out for me. I've been trying out your tips with mixed results... Wee Button has no reflex whatsoever to open his mouth so when I followed your method the poor child just kept getting poked in the eye with my nipples... but little by little we are getting there :)) At this stage even though his latch is still appalling shallow I am not in quite as much pain and it is bearable. He hasn't done the really bad wild animal routine in a few days now, so fingers crossed that becomes a sporadic thing from here on rather than being at every single feed. I am praying we have turned a corner! You asked a few questions, trying to answer them now:

- I don't think it's a foremilk/hindmilk issue as I would very rarely offer both sides at a feed. I do think though that he may find the flow too fast especially on the right side and that may explain some of the biting/clamping stuff. I'm not sure I have an over active let down as from my perusal of Dr Google I think that Moms who have that can usually feel their letdown? I don't think I can feel mine. Also the thrashing happens later in a feed, not so much at the beginning when the letdown is at its most fierce. Which leads me to thinking it's a wind issue...

- I am burping him by taking him off the breast when he starts kicking/squirming/drawing up his knees and I turn him vertical and put him over my shoulder. I rub his back in circles (I rub up the left side of his back and down the right because I was told that is the direction of digestion) and keep him very straight. He almost always does a huge burp very quickly. He sometimes spits up, especially if he's been feeding a long time or comfort sucking (I think he gets too full). My Mam is obsessed with wind and is convinced every cry he makes is down to wind. She paces the floor with him on her shoulder and patting him on the back and maybe after 30 minutes he might make a tiny burp and she declares victory! She also puts him lying face down across her knees and pats his back.

- We're not swaddling as the hospital told us not to (it's considered a SIDs risk over here). I've actually never noticed him startling himself awake, even in the hospital when he'd startle himself kicking/thrashing in his sleep he'd just sleep right through. He loves to sleep cuddled up to us (we co-sleep). During the day he naps happily in his pram if I put him in there about 80% asleep. And he sleeps very happily in the sling, and in the swing. I wasn't sure but were you suggesting swaddling him for feeds? I do sort of clamp his arms and legs between my body and my arms/legs but I'm not sure if it's helping!

I think you are so right about the problem being tiredness, he sleeps really well in the mornings and afternoons and at night but he REFUSES TO SLEEP between about 8pm and 2am. And that's also the time when the worst of the BF naughtiness happens. I have no idea what to do about that as he is still so tiny yet. He always falls asleep at the breast but when he is at his worst I can't bear to let him nurse as I'm afraid of him hurting me, so then he finds it hard to sleep. It's a Catch-22.

Anyway, it is getting better, and your reply really helped me think through what is happening, thank you :wavey: And I LOVE that photo of Luca, he looks SO HAPPY to meet Santa! Priceless! :appl: :appl: :appl:
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Hey Buttons. Glad things are getting a bit better. The thrashing later in the feed might indicate either gas or frustration that the milk isn't flowing as fast. Once you get a big burp, try switching sides. My husband was also OBSESSED with Luca's gas. He was convinced every time Luca fussed that it was gas. I remember one particularly bad weekend where he sat on a stool in front of me as I fed and would take Luca from me at first fuss and spend eons trying to get him to burp. It got a little crazy. I mean, how much gas can a breastfed baby take on?!

I have found that Luca starts fussing later on in feeds, especially later on in the day as my milk production slows, so to me that indicates that it is a "why isn't the milk coming fast enough" issue for us. ESPECIALLY because at the end of the day before bed, he is practically intolerant of my breast because he knows a big fat bottle is coming his way. And trust me, he doesn't fuss during the bottle feed.

Re: swaddling. If you aren't comfortable swaddling, don't worry. WHy is swaddling a SIDS risk? We loved swaddling for sleep, and yes, we did swaddle pre-feeding before bedtime because I found that it was easier to transition him to the crib once he was asleep/drowsy.

If he refuses to sleep between 8 and 2 a.m., I would recommend trying to get him to sleep before then. My sleep lady recommends a bedtime between 5:30 and 8:00 (with 7 being the sweet spot) for young babies. I found with Luca that if I could get him to sleep before the crazies started, he would sleep right through them. So try for an earlier bedtime. Can't hurt to try...I mean anything is better than the all night cranky-baby, right?

Re: the latch. Keep trying. I thought it was weird too, and Luca didn't have a good wide open mouth for a long time. I think because we'd been doing it 'wrong' for so long that he never figured out that he had to open wide. But it was the new position that finally got him figuring it out. If he's hungry, he'll figure it out. He'll learn to open his mouth wider if he has to look up to get the nipple.

Finally, if it is so bad that you aren't feeding him because you are afraid of being hurt, it is time to bring out the bottle. Fill it with breast milk or formula. You choose. But if your boobs need a break, give them one! Just keep up with the pumping if you are keen on breastfeeding for a while so that your supply doesn't go down.

I read this great post on a blog about difficulties breastfeeding that might be worth a read: http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/2012/04/breastfeeding-anniversary/

Her story is really similar to mine and I think yours. Anyways - happy reading!

Rosalie: I've never heard of someone weighing before and after every feeding. Did your doctor recommend that? I agree with Pancake that you should consider dropping the scale down to maybe once a week. Or all together. I'd track the number of wet and dirty diapers though. That is how you can really know if your baby is getting enough.

Does your baby cry like it is still hungry after every feed? Is that why you are supplementing? But you still have supply at the end right (i.e. when the baby stops sucking, you still have milk in your breasts?)?

I would consider the following: a) drop the scale b) let the baby feed as long and as often as it needs, c) pump after some of the feeds to increase your supply and give you a bit of a stash and d) maybe even have a "feed in" where you lie in bed all day with the baby basically breastfeeding and sleeping all day. Also, you can consider taking some natural supplements to increase your supply (fenugreek and blessed thistle are known to work well).

As long as your baby isn't underweight and is having the right number of wet diapers, I would stop supplementing and just let the baby eat as frequently as it wants. It sounds like you are making yourself nuts with all of the pumping, feeding, bottles etc.

One last thing - he might be fussing more during bf'ing because he knows he is getting a bottle (which is a faster, easier flow of milk) right after. I know Luca does that anyways. So if you get rid of the bottle after every feed, he might learn that he needs to take more from the breast. As far as underfeeding goes, so long as you don't have serious supply issues and you are feeding whenever he asks, I am pretty sure it is super hard to underfeed your baby.

HTH!
 
Buttons, thanks for the kind words. I am feeling so much better than I was last week. I really think it was sleep deprivation that was causing my anxiety. We still have moments, but overall it's been a fun week. Getting my hair done and making sure I get somewhat fixed up and get out of the house most days helps too. Sorry to hear about your nursing problems, but I admire you for being so committed.

PPM, I hope E's therapy went well. You are so dedicated as well!

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Quick question, Everett seems to have developed a bit of dandruff. Gross! I am thinking this could be the start of cradle cap and I want to nip it bud. Is there anything else I should be doing other than shampooing and scrubbing with the brush we got at the hospital? Thanks!
 
monkeyprincess|1353090511|3307994 said:
Quick question, Everett seems to have developed a bit of dandruff. Gross! I am thinking this could be the start of cradle cap and I want to nip it bud. Is there anything else I should be doing other than shampooing and scrubbing with the brush we got at the hospital? Thanks!
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Put baby oil on his head and leave it there for an hour (or as long as you can). Then, use the baby brush to gently massage that area. Should come right off.
 
I think we are experiencing 4 month sleep regression. The past two nights, B has been up every 1-3 hours. Last night he was asleep at 9:30, then woke up at 11:30, 2, 4, and 6. Not cool, little man. We get out of work early today, at 1, so I'm thinking of leaving him in day care for a few hours so I can go home and take a nap.
 
Amc, ditto! N used to wake up twice between 8pm-7am but for the past three nights he's been waking up 3 times. A bit of background, each wake up lasts for more than an hour...
 
mayerling said:
Amc, ditto! N used to wake up twice between 8pm-7am but for the past three nights he's been waking up 3 times. A bit of background, each wake up lasts for more than an hour...
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Ugh what a bummer. At least with B he's usually just up long enough to eat, and will fall asleep in the burping process, ha. Hopefully things get back to normal soon!
 
MP, Ethan had cradle cap to. I never did the baby oil trick but I did the shampoo with the hospital brush. It took maybe 3 wks to mostly clear for Ethan. TBH I think the baby oil trick might work pretty well but you really have to comb it into his scalp. Ethan has one little stubborn patch of CC on the back of his head. I started putting some oil/cream on it a few days ago, and I looked @ it this morning and it looks MUCH better. So that's what makes me think the baby oil might help. Give it a shot. Oh and FWIW I used Burt's Bees baby wash and shampoo for Ethan's cradle cap. Some of the earlier mamas (SomethingShiny and Pandora) both said BB's helped with the cradle cap.

AMC, sorry to hear about the sleep regression. Hoping B will go back to his regular sleeping pattern soon. You totally deserve your nap.

Buttons, glad ot hear nursing is going much better. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's the start of Wee Button's new trend :) I also agree if you need to give a bottle, don't feel guilty about it. You really need to give yourself a chance to heal if you really want to commit to BFing long term.

PPM, Glad Eloise's therapy is helping so much. I giggle thinking of E sticking out her tongue. She's such a sweet little girl. '

Muff, your Luca sounds like Ethan. Totally preferred the bottle because it was easy for him. I can't decide if that makes them smart or lazy. We'll go with smart, LOL.

Rosalie, welcome! I also agree, I think the too frequent weighing is causing you stress. Sounds like you have a great supply so I'd just offer the breast and if your LO doesn't feel like, then just offer a bottle of expressed BM.

BlondeBunny, how is Chase's gas? Is it getting better? Ethan was a stubborn burper also. I'd burp him then switch burping positions. My go to was holding him prone (face down) along my arm and burping, but I'd only do that as a last ditch effort. As C gets older you won't need to burp him as much (or at all), so just look at these long burping sessions as extra snuggle time with him. Ethan is now squirming and wriggling away most of the time.

AFU, Ethan is 9 months tomorrow! Wow, our babies are growing so fast. He's still not QUITE crawlign yet, but is getting might fast with the army crawling. Still hasn't figured out how to get his knees under him. His sleeping is getting a little bit better, we're putting him down with less rocking cuddling, although last night was furious at 12:30 DH had to put him down (I think he kept smelling the milk from me).

Speaking of milk etc, I think my BFing days are numbered. We had a really go run of it, but I'm dwindling down in my supply. Yesterday was the first day I didn't have ot bring my pump to work (which was kinda awesome, not gonna lie). I think I still have enough to nurse Ethan, but I don't think I'll have enough to pump so he can have mixed bottles @ day care. He's doing 75% formula now, and after my stash runs out, I think we'll do 100% formula for bottles and hten nursing whenever he wants/I can.

Otherwise not much else is going on. Getting holiday pictures taken (maybe Sunday) so hoping I can post a pic for you gus that in a few days. I haven't gotten any picures off my big camera so I'll try to post something for everyone tonight.
 
mayerling|1353095839|3308060 said:
Amc, ditto! N used to wake up twice between 8pm-7am but for the past three nights he's been waking up 3 times. A bit of background, each wake up lasts for more than an hour...
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Thritto!! (or do I count as three and four?!) The babies are no longer sleeping more than three hours at a time AND we all have colds. All night snot, sneezing, and stuffy noses. E refused sleep all night so my saint of a husband held him the entire night. I need this to end soon, very soon. I look back at the sleep logs we kept for O and he was sleeping 9 hour stretches by now! Who knew we had it so good back then? I'm exhausted!
 
Kunzite, wow, I can't believe O was sleeping 9 hrs @ 4 months. Ethan's 9 months and doesn't go much longer than 4 hours... :rolleyes: Oh well. I hope you guys feel better soon. It sucks when everyone's got a cold. Have you used a Nosefrida to help with the snots? I use it ALL. THE. TIME now that it's winter and Ethan is usually kinda snotty nosed as a baseline. He hates it, of course. LOL
 
Hi! I posted the other week but apparently it got eaten. Oh well.

We're trucking along with some good days and some bad ones but overall doing well and feeling good.

Hannah finally regained birthweight at 5 weeks woot woot!! I'm not sure if this was in the post hat was eaten but it was so hard for me the week before - I had felt good about my supply with the herbal galactouges and her demeanor so we went a week without supplementing formula - she gained nothing at all that week : (
So the 2 weeks of her life she was EBF she didn't gain at all. That's been very hard for me to take and off and on I've felt get sorry for myself - why me and the whole bit. But I'm still in the game so to speak and an getting great support and reassurance that my efforts are valiant and that lots of moms give up in similar circumstances.

But - I can tentatively say that domperidone is working and we do have more milk! I can finally see if spraying if I express in the shower and when I hand express after pumping. Pump output has also gone up and baby seems satisfied. She is still getting supplement but her needs for food and hydration come before my 'want' to ebf

It's odd - in our case even in a week when she lost an ounce or didn't gain her pees and poops were always fine - so just an FYI that pees and poos alone don't definitively say baby is getting enough.

We have a scale and can do weighed feeds at the bf group I go to - its useful but I can see where dough at all day would be maddening. That being said I may rent a scale so I can get an idea of how much my supply has increased and how much supplent is needed. Ill probably wait till after thanksgiving at least to try it. When we do the weighed feed we usually transfer 1.5-2 oz.

We're working on getting off the nipple shield ! Sometimes it works great and well get a full 15 mins on each side other days if seems like she won't take the boob 'raw' at all. It's not a linear progression - like many things baby!

I just looked up some mom and baby fitness classes - I might take the stroller fitness one - that would be a great way to be sure to get out regularly and it meets at an awesome park. My dh and I are probably going to both go on weight watchers after the new year so I may wait till then to get started with fitness. I already set my goal - lose the baby weight by her birthday and the bonus would be to lose 10 extra pounds.

Great to hear from everyone and I hope the difficulties are on the way out for us all.
 
Rachel, please try not to obsess over Hannah's weigh in too much. TBH an ounce or two can be a question if she just ate or had a big poop or not. That being said, I'm glad you were able to have a good week with nursing and that she's eating so well. Good to hear that the prescription is helping.
Also, Ethan would also go back and forth between accepting and rejected a naked boob. It'll happen slowly, and the next thing you realize she's nursing just fine without it. Hope your fitness classes are fun for you! What a great way to get fit and still hang out with Hannah!
 
Rachel - I'm with LC on this one. The overall pattern of Hannah's weight gain definitely matters, but weights through the day or even day to day really are so variable that I wouldn't want to take them to mean anything. I think the guts of it are as you've identified in your post - you are producing quite a bit of milk, but not quite enough for her to grow. You do know that supplementing allows her to grow appropriately so I would stick to what you have been doing, feeding and supplementing, expressing and taking stuff to maximise your supply, but I think that the minutiae just make life harder and more stressful. Which in turn impairs your supply! I understand your grief at feeling "unsuccessful" at EBF; I feel sure I would have been the same in your position. But in the long run/big picture, what matters is that your little girl is nourished and has the energy she needs to grow and develop as she should. No matter HOW it happens, it is happening, and so you are doing a great job as her mother and nurturer.

Kunzite - omg, I do not understand how you are still feeling human - you must be superwoman! Hope things get easier soon. Sounds like O is making things even more tricky at the moment. Lucky he's charming and adorable.

MP - if it's just a bit of flaky scalp but not particularly scaly at the moment, frequent washing (and a bit of a firm massage whilst shampooing) should take care of it. S never got "proper" CC but she did get flaky and washing pretty much sorted it out. LC has given you great tips for CC though - mineral oil and a toothbrush do the job most of the time. I'm so glad that things are settling down a bit for you and E and that it's more enjoyable overall. Getting out of the house does WONDERS!

Buttons, I don't have any more advice for you but I do want to say that I really admire your tenacity and determination with breastfeeding! I think the gnashing and head-shaking is probably a developmental stage-related thing. S did it intermittently when she was younger and I never managed to connect it to anything, but it stopped of its own accord. The 8pm-2am witching hours are really common in T's age group. It will improve, it really will - even with no action whatsoever.

LC{/b] - hello fellow Feb mama! I know, our babies are growing so quickly! I'm sorry to hear about your BM supply. I have to say, I am so impressed at how much you have managed to nurse and pump whilst working full-time! I don't think I could have done as well, I am sure of it actually. Looking forward to seeing your photos when they're done! We still have about a week to wait to see ours (ours aren't holiday shots though, just regular family portraits).

AFU - there is a huge foodie festival going on here at the moment, 15 or so of the city's best restaurants come and set up a stall and serve scaled down versions of their signature dishes. We took Dot along today and had the best time!! She ate lots of yummy things (her favourites were a cold pea/mint soup served on an apple salad with creme fraiche and smoked salmon, and beetroot-cured salmon) and generally kicked and giggled and got excited. Hubby wore her in the Bjorn the whole time and she loved being in the thick of it!
 
Help. B has been screaming for the better part of 4 hours now. He will fall asleep for a few minutes on me, but if I move at all he freaks out. He wont let me put him down. He's been fed, changed, burped, etc. I can't see anything wrong. No fever. He is drooling a ridiculous amount so I'm wondering if he's teething early. This is very unlike him, he only cries when hungry normally. Ideas???
 
Amc, I hope B is doing better. No advice because I seem to have that problem all the time still with little E.

Pancake, thanks. So far it is just some flakiness, so I will stick to the shampooing and massaging. Dot sounds like such a sweetheart. It must be due to her relaxed, knowledgeable mommy!

Rachel, hang in there! You sound like you are doing everything you can, which is awesome.

LC, how did the pictures go? I spent a lot of yesterday addressing envelopes for E's announcements, so I am not sure if I will also do Christmas cards this year.

Kunzite, I think about you and other twin mommies a lot. I can barely manage my one! I'm such a wimp.

AFU, things are going well. We are taking our first trip next week. I hope it goes well and he sleepsfor most of the 6 hour drive.

Does anyone have baby carrier recommendations? I was thinking Ergo but now I am not sure. I have a wrap sling someone gave me but I am a little nervous and not sure how secure it would be. E is pretty particular about how he likes to be held too. Is it true Ergos only let baby face you? Thanks for any info.
 
MP, we love our Beco Gemini, similar to an Ergo but baby can face in or out and it can be used for front, side, or back carries depending on age of the child. Plus available in so many cute prints! We've used it regularly since Nora was about 2 weeks old. She's in it right now since she's having an evening fuss, and sometimes she'll take a nap in it.
 
stephb0lt|1353275198|3309614 said:
MP, we love our Beco Gemini, similar to an Ergo but baby can face in or out and it can be used for front, side, or back carries depending on age of the child. Plus available in so many cute prints! We've used it regularly since Nora was about 2 weeks old. She's in it right now since she's having an evening fuss, and sometimes she'll take a nap in it.
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We have a Beco Gemini and a Baby Bjorn. We HATE the Bjorn. It isn't comfy for Luca, and lots of ppl say it can cause hip dysplasia. The Beco Gemini is awesome. Just wish it had a little pocket for keys or some cash. Luca loves it and I find it very comfortable. We bought it in the black with robots print.
 
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