Thank you both. I think I just needed to hear that 'you're doing a good job' line . No one has suggested that I ff him, I probably did have doubts after the weight 'issue'.
Barb; he does "seem" to sleep for long periods. If he is laying on me, especially on my chest after feeding, he can sleep for a few hours. Oir last feed last night was around midnight, and he then slept through to 6am before the next feed. Is that normal at this stage? To be honest, I don't know the number of feeds he has in 24hrs. I will try to keep count of them today. It will probably just be a "normal" amount! We do on demand feeding, and he wasn't jaundiced at all. You're right that no one suggested anything with regard to bringing his weight back up, but I'm hoping that was just because the first weigh in was low and the second was good. My badly grazed nipple still hasn't healed, and whilst it is slightly better than it was, it's still not pretty, and painful. My let down is much better than it was, even on the grazed and mastitis side. I still have little lumps from mastitis, the dr yesterday (who I'm not hugely confident in, but they all seem the same around here ) said it was going ok, but still gave me a script for penicillin for a couple of weeks. I have continued to feed Mack on the mastitis side. It, combined with the grazing, really is not enjoyable at all. We have good attachment, with the only detail I forgot from feeding my other two, being the "chest to chest" positioning. Not bad I think. So far today (since midnight), he's been on the bb about five times. It's sometimes hard to know when one feed finishes and the next begins.
Having a few issues, Colby feeds perfectly off my right side. But, when it comes to my left, he just won't stay on. I think my flow might be a bit fast for him. I make sure that I don't put him on til after let down but he still has trouble.
My let down is really intense to the point where it squirts out really far. I'm leaking really badly on that side, I put a folded up flannelette flat in there while I feed on the other side but that still gets soaked. I've ordered some cloth breastpads, hoping they might be a bit more absorbant than just normal ones.
Any ideas? He's 9 days old, will my milk settle a bit more?? I love feeding him, but I dread putting him on the left side.
Burping is still hit and miss. It doesn't seem to bother him too much, he's just pretty gassy. But, I guess if he's not upset by it I won't worry too much.
I have a quite a forceful letdown on one side too. It has settled since the early days but my bub still gulps a bit!
The ABA gave me some great advice that really helped. I lean back in a semi-reclined position so DD is working against gravity initially, then slowly come back up. More upright (with baby almost 'sitting') can work too. I also found block feeding useful - feeding off one side for a couple of hours at a time, until the supply settled down.
Am sure you'll get some good advice from the more experienced ladies here. Good luck x
I was a squirter here too, it does settle down over time and bubs does get better at handling it. But its taken me 12 months to stop leaking through breastpads. Cloth ones aren't as good as the disposable ones, for a heads up. But are great when the flow settles down a bit. Save you a fair bit of money. I remember just talking about bf, and leaking through my breastpads, bra, singlet, tshirt and jumper.
Some tricks I learnt were:
* to feed off the slower side first and catch the big let down in a bottle. Id do this a few times, then when my fast side was becoming real full I'd feed DS on that side.
* I expressed first thing in the morning from my high flow side too, which would get rid of the night time accumulation. Making the pressure a little less for the day.
* another trick I learnt was to apply pressure to the nipple of the off side during let down, this would decrease the amount of leakage.
I hope some of these tips will be helpful to you.
Sent from HTC wildfire using TAPATALK, so forgive any spelling errors its a small keyboard.
Netix, it sounds a lot like feeds are taking a long time so it's hard for you to know when one has finished and the next one started. Sometimes babies like to suck for a long time after a feed - sucking is very good for helping them digest and process wind, but it can be painful if your nipples are damaged. Also, he will probably be getting most of the milk in the first 20 minutes on each breast. So after 20 or so minutes if he is not actively swallowing, you could try pulling him off gently, changing his nappy and offering the other side. If he takes that, give him another 20 minutes and then take him off again and try and settle him without the breast. If he still seems hungry in 20 - 30 minutes you can offer the breast again for a top up. Sometimes restricting the length of the feed can help increase intake (as odd as that sounds), and it might also be better for your nipples. If he is still actively swallowing after 20 minutes or if he really won't settle again without the breast, it is ok to feed him for longer. It just might be something else to try that makes things a little easier for you.
Thought I'd pop in here. I have 2 sons - BF DS1 until 14 months and DS2 still going at 16 months. I do love it as they do (clearly! Lol) but weighing up the pros and cons of weaning DS2. I would like to have another bubba and don't think I could tandem BF. anyhoo just saying hello
Uh-oh, I think I have some blocked ducts. Does this sound like blockages: i noticed the top and outside of my right breast feels really lumpy and very hard. I was doing my nightly pump and massaging the lumps but no milk was coming out after the first 5 or so minutes, even though the lumps are still there. They are hard but not at all sore. Maybe blocked because bub has not been taking full feeds today or yesterday as she still has this bad cold, and I've been too lazy to pump during the day as now I'm sick too.
Oh also the lumps are near the top of the breast, not closer to the nipple.
Last edited by Ladylove; July 16th, 2012 at 12:16 AM.
It certainly could be blocked ducts. Keep trying to empty the breast, and some gentle massage while you do it. It could be time for a warm shower and some hand expressing, or otherwise use a warm cloth on your breast for a few minutes before pumping/feeding to try and help that milk move. All the best!
How long should I expect my mastitis to hang around for? I missed a few doses of anti biotics over the last week, so am wondering if that is related to there still being pain and lumps. I don't feel like I have a temperature anymore or the terrible body aches, which seem to be the only "improvements". I admit I haven't tried expressing from that side, because my let down hasn't been very cooperative when it comes to expressing, adding extra pain. Plus, Mack has been pretty windy over the last day or two, pulling at the breast whilst feeding or comforting, for just a bit more pain! The doctors around here seem quite hopeless unless you can pay $53 to see them, which I cannot (not even a health care card entitles you to bulk billing), or go to the hospital and be told that it's for "emergencies only".
Does anyone know how long mastitis will hang around for???? I'm starting to feel a little desperate... I was reading a printout from the dr I saw on Friday, and it says that it should start clearing up within 48 hours with anti biotics. It's still going on, so need help PLEASE!
sounds like maybe the infection has cleared up but the blockages remain Netix?
Is there a women's health physio around your parts? Can you try the pump again, or a different one? The thing, really, is to get the milk out. Gentle massage or even using a toothbrush can help some women. Give the ABA helpline a call for more ideas - 1800-686-268
Hun, it really should clear up quickly with ABs. I've never had the fever and ill symptoms last for more than 24 hrs once on ABs.
Have you tried an anti-inflammatory as well? It might help reduce the pain and inflammation around the lumps. Don't massage too hard either, gentle stroking in the direction towards the baby while feeding. Ice packs on the sore areas after feeding will also help. Try bfing in different positions (football hold, crouching above the baby on all fours, lying down) to clear blocked ducts as well. I would avoid expressing in favour of feeding your baby if you can, he'll clear it much better than a pump or by hand.
Do you think there might be something else going on as well as mastitis? Have you had thrush? It is probably worthwhile taking a probiotic as well while you're taking the ABs.
MadB; I will give the ABA a call, definitely! I could *guess* that the infection has cleared up. I don't think there is a women's physio around here, but there is a women's wellness clinic, or something like that, at the hospital.
Jennifer13; anti inflammatory as in something like nurofen? I was taking nurofen and panadol at maximum dose for a few days (and nights), but now just taking it at night, more for my sore back than anything else. I have been massaging during feeds and I think that has maybe helped a bit. At least the grazing has mostly healed now, that is another help. I have also fed lying down, but I'm not sure if the outside of the breast is draining properly, since I'm laying down, and that side is then lower than Mack's mouth. Did I explain that right? I have had thrush before, and am not taking a prebiotic.
Today was the first day DD locked eyes with me whilst feeding =) I have been trying to get her to look at me whilst feeding for a while, but she was always been to into the feed... this time we made eye contact and just gazed at eachother for minutes =D and even better...I then got the biggest grin from her (whist she was still attached). She melted my heart.
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. No one has suggested that I ff him, I probably did have doubts after the weight 'issue'.
) said it was going ok, but still gave me a script for penicillin for a couple of weeks. I have continued to feed Mack on the mastitis side. It, combined with the grazing, really is not enjoyable at all. We have good attachment, with the only detail I forgot from feeding my other two, being the "chest to chest" positioning. Not bad I think. So far today (since midnight), he's been on the bb about five times. It's sometimes hard to know when one feed finishes and the next begins.
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