Already have a question

[[M]umma[M]ia]

Im so proud of you stick at it hun, breastfeeding is amazingly awesome and it gets easier and easier.

Get hubby to grab you some Lasinoh Cream from the chemist for them nipples. Its wonderful stuff! Mine were hell sore by day 2 (shes just trying to bring your milk in, so keep her on them boobs!) and the Lasinoh cleared them up quick smart.

Day 3 is always the worst, so take it easy on yourself tomorrow. Tell them you arnt leaving until your milk comes in and she gains weight. They cant argue with that.

Your doing a wonderful job, you really are. Just dont be so hard on yourself. If I can do thing breastfeeding thing, so can you!! xoxoxoxo

ETA - and to answer your question..... follow her lead. She will be more interested in sleeping atm. Its hard work being born, no matter how they are born. Ifs shes hungry, she will feed off you. Thats all shes knows. Thats what shes designed to do. If shes cranky and not sleeping, doesnt mean shes hungry. The past 9 months shes been constantly fed, rocked, was warm, got off to sleep by the sound of you heartbeat and digestion. Now shes in this big scary world... where its cold, bright, those sounds are gone and shes no longer being constantly fed. Ide cry too!! She just wants you hun, thats ok. Hold you baby girl close, they are only little for a short amount of time!

[ElleJay]

Thankyou everyone - really!

Tomorrow afternoon they're discharging me so I can sit down and read all these properly

I'm getting a bit of pain after she feeds now, but again, I'll talk to someone before we go home.
Thanks again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - even though I should be cleaning or sleeping

[Chrispe]

DD she's probably cluster feeding to help bring the milk in. Good to hear she was attaching well on both last night. Sore boobs could be from her feeding so much or from not being on properly, or just being rough. Feeding settles down so much once milk is in properly, also it can take the first couple of weeks to 'practice' & find out how you both like it. I've had 3 bubs & B/F all & they all had their own little routines. Would you believe my girl was the roughest feeder too.......

Best of luck! Enjoy it, its priceless.

[ElleJay]

Well, last night (might as well say that even though I've not slept yet and it's 4am) has been a step backwards.

Midwives been trying to get me to express then put her on and then express again cause they weighed her and shes lost a tad over 10% of her birth weight and I'm honestly in that much pain!
With the first express, got absolutely diddly squat. Then, she attached fine but was on for an hour and 10 minutes (45 minutes right side and the rest on the left side - but left side was constantly stopping and starting cause she kept taking herself off) and when she finally came off she was still crying for a feed and then tried expressing again which ended up with me in tears cause of nothing yet again coming out. In the end, I gave them permission to give her 40ml of formula cause I needed a break and some sleep (which hasn't happened as it is anyway cause DD has been crying in her sleep) which makes me feel selfish

Still in tears cause I'm hurting so much and I'm just not feeling like my milk is coming in at all (I remember the feeling well with Master W) and that the only pain I'm feeling right now is the pain from all the feeding.

That, on top of all the 'no sleep' situation is just killing me. DH isn't gonna be here till goodness knows when in the morning and all I want right now is him to give me a big hug and tell me I can do it but deep within me, I just don't feel like I can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - even though I should be cleaning or sleeping

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

You can, you can, you can.
We are all here for you hun and your doing a wonderful job.
Being in hospital, not being allowed to co-sleep and worrying about your milk coming in will all take it's toll.

Can you get them to take her to the nursery, have a nice warm shower and just lay in bed (even if you can't sleep) and rest a bit? I had to do it with both our girls.

Getting anxious about feeding made it 10x worse for me but getting home and being able to do our own thing really worked wonders for me.

Deep breaths hun & know we are all here for you!


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

[kelebek]

you are doing sooo well so far, you are following her lead and that is key.
First of all, expressing is not a sign of supply so don't be too concerned that you aren't getting enough milk. Secondly, they have tiny stomachs - the size of a pea I think it is at this stage, this is why it is normal that they feed so often. Get some help from a LC, you might have some attachment issues. It all takes practice, this is a new skill for you both that you are both learning so please be gentle on yourself.
DS was born via c/section, it took 5 days for my milk to come in and he he also lost more then the 10%.
They let me go home after 5 days even though he was still under only cause my milk had come in. He was feeding for an hour and then I would enforce an hour break. I hadn't educated myself so do believe I contributed to things cause I didn't let him feed much at night (my boy was going to be a sleeper - ha)
Please remember how well you are doing and we are cheering from the sidelines.

[Dansta]

hugs hun
ignore the expressing. some women cant. end of story Miss K will be getting something - she might be getting cheesed off your milk isnt comming in yet (normal with a c-sect) but when your home hope into bed with her topless and her just in a nappy and let her at em!
If you can see an LC, not just for attachment but any other issues (like tounge tie, high pallot ect)

[sloane]

i would have hoped with the expressing that they would have told you that next to nothing is still absolute liquid gold at this stage - it's still colostrum & in far smaller amounts that when your milk comes in. how did they get you to express? the only way i got any colostrum through expressing was by hand expressing & i needed a m/w to help (to my absolute horror )

you can do this. trust your body & your baby. what's happening at the moment is no indication of whether or not you will be able to BF. you both have your L plates on & have much in the way of getting to know each other. plus your milk may take up to 7 days to arrive.

i know you've had m/w helping you but are they also LCs? many m/w in hospitals aren't also LCs so if they aren't, it would be good if you could see one.

feeding at home is a world away from the hospital (ime), if you're a private sort of person sometimes it's much easier & more relaxing to feed at home. doesn't mean there won't still be tears, but you have the space to work through it & try different things without someone watching. if you're in pain, maybe try having a warm shower before you try & feed.

sending you many many

[PumpkinZulu]

DD lost about 14% of her body weight, my milk didn't come in until day 6. Once it did, she was above her birth weight working a week. Keep persevering hun, you can do this. Miss K is just doing what she's meant to do, cluster feeding to help bring your milk in. The more she's on, the more signals your body is getting to produce milk. Try to relax. This too shall pass. You *will* get more sleep soon, you *will* get a break. Once your milk comes in she'll be a LOT more settled, she'll get all lovely and milk drunk. And don't forget what someone else said, their tummies are tiny at this stage, it doesn't take a lot to fill them up. And, ofcorse, babies just cry. For no reason, other than they are new, and learning. It's so different to the home she is used to. She may not be hungry when she's crying, she may just be expressing her disgust at not still being in her warm little womb Hang in there, you really are doing great. Try to breath and relax, and look at how tiny and perfect she is. You made her

[Jellyfish]

DD lost about 14% of her body weight, my milk didn't come in until day 6. Once it did, she was above her birth weight working a week. Keep persevering hun, you can do this. Miss K is just doing what she's meant to do, cluster feeding to help bring your milk in. The more she's on, the more signals your body is getting to produce milk. Try to relax. This too shall pass. You *will* get more sleep soon, you *will* get a break. Once your milk comes in she'll be a LOT more settled, she'll get all lovely and milk drunk. And don't forget what someone else said, their tummies are tiny at this stage, it doesn't take a lot to fill them up. And, ofcorse, babies just cry. For no reason, other than they are new, and learning. It's so different to the home she is used to. She may not be hungry when she's crying, she may just be expressing her disgust at not still being in her warm little womb Hang in there, you really are doing great. Try to breath and relax, and look at how tiny and perfect she is. You made her

PZ has said it all really well. My DD1 also lost more than 10% birth weight and fed for hour+ in those early days, my milk also didn't come in till I went home (day 4 or 5ish). I'm surprised the hospital hasn't been more encouraging, when I expressed in those early days they were impressed by just a couple of mL which we then gave DD1 in a syringe, they never even mentioned formula. Sounds like that is shaking your confidence a bit but their tummies are really, really small and they don't need much in those early days, the reason they suck so much is because they are trying to get your milk coming in and doesn't mean she is starving. Also babies cry because all the new sensations can be overwhelming, it doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong. You can do this, just take it one feed at a time

[[M]umma[M]ia]

Tay also lost 12-13% of her birth weight and my milk came in at day 4. She had regained it and some more by her 2 week check. Dont be so hard on yourself

[peanutter]

you can and will, hun.

you are awesome xoxoxo

[Tuesday's Child]

You're doing such a great job hun.

[JLeigh29]

You are doing an amazing job DD. Remember how having a new baby can be so overwhelming? I was forever questioning what I was doing and wish now I'd just relaxed a bit more.

DS lost weight after birth too - it's totally normal isn't it? He was back to his pre-birth weight by 10 days, and well above it by 2 weeks.
My milk didn't come in until day 4 or 5, and then it took another day or so to be more than a dribble. That's normal too I believe.
And the pain was horrendous for the first few weeks - I didn't have any problems bfing and it was still soooooooooo painful. DS would suckle for hours at a time with barely a break in between. Isn't that normal too?

I feel for you that the mw's are hassling you or making you feel like you need to offer formula or express, especially as it's so soon after your DD's birth. I hope DH can offer you the reassurance you need and help you feel better. And once again, you can do this, you are doing it and you are doing it sooooo well already!

[[M]umma[M]ia]

I really really wish i was closer to you.

Hows your day been hun? I think you mentioned your going home today?

[ElleJay]

They've held off on letting me out till tomorrow.
Todays been good, got to sit down with a LC and got an appt for Monday with their clinic, and discuss options.
Admittedly, the expressing is painful but I'm really trying to get this supply going - it just doesn't wanna budge
After bout 3/4 expresses, I'm still getting nothing at all from them and I'm surprised that DD is getting anything at all too Breaks my heart. And the dr is supposed to be coming around today and midwife on tonight is gonna recommend To the dr coming round something starting with M to help bring the milk in (can't remember the name of it even though she just mentioned it!)
They seem to think (LC) that it's gonna take longer than a usual c-sec amount of time (if that makes sense) because it seems I have such a low supply.
Feeling hopeless.. Not great on day 3 when I've already had the weepies!
I have, however, managed some sleep while DH and MIL was here so feeling a tad more human.

Had a good friend of mine pop in today too and she'd printed off some helpful BFing tips that she used with her girl so I'm gonna read those later on.

Oh, quick question too - I got given some chocolates from another friend, is it ok to eat them while BFing?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - even though I should be cleaning or sleeping

[peanutter]

I hope you're comfy, and have been able to get some decent sleep

Was it Motilium that they said they'll prescribe? I hope you find something that works well

I know you will have been told this a thousand times, but your DD may well be getting a good deal from you direct, even if you're not having such joy with the pump - are her nappies going well? Try not to stress, if they're good and wet

Have you been able to try a different kind of pump? I didn't have much success with the one in the hospital (a Medela one, I think) but the one I got at home (an Avent one) did the job nicely Whereas some other ladies here have had the opposite - or found that a manual works better, or just expressing by hand. If you're feeling up to it, try a few different methods, to see which works best for you.

And if you're still not having such joy - then give yourself a break. You're doing your best, and that's all you can do. Don't beat yourself up about it - if you're drinking plenty of water, feeding her regularly, and giving the pumping a red hot go, then you're making a fair effort, and other than giving it a fair crack then what else anyone can expect. Give yourself a pat on the back, and get some sleep hun.

Chocolates should be fine - there will be a tiny bit of caffeine, but I've never heard of them being a problem, and it's certainly not something I avoided . Is the LC around to ask?

I hope you get a really good sleep tonight xoxo

[Ree*Ree]

I have a manual Avent pump you can borrow if you like?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk