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Well done!!!
By expressing as often as you can you are building up your supply. The ABA actually have some great tips on keeping toddlers amused while bfing/expressing and the one I liked the best was to have a special box of toys that only comes out at this time, as well as a snack handy.
Hope you continue to do as well and you get as much time as you need!
How's it going Mel??
Bath - thanks for your support - that means a lot to me!!!
Amy - thanks for asking.
I had a pretty rough day with DS yesterday - I did a lot of yelling and just felt like crap - but managed to do ok - and expressed 4.3ml last night at 2am (which was double from the night before).
He started the same crap this morning - continual whinging - so I took the car to Brisbane and went to visit my SIL and had a WONDERFUL relaxing day - DS plays so well with his cousins and is a totally different child - so no bugging. However, I forgot my pump so haven't managed to pump at all today. I did try my SIL's pump - but its a manual one and I think I've been spoiled with my electric because I got nothing!!!!! :redface:
So I'm looking forward to expressing when I get a chance tonight - probably when DS goes to bed in an hour. I hope I haven't screwed up my milk production too much!!!!
Don't be down on yourself about one day hun, I'm so glad you got out and enjoyed yourself. On the bright side, you can really see the results of all your hard work now, and it's only going to get better! See, I knew if you kept up the middle of the night biz you'd see an improvement WOOHOO!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you're doing a GREAT job Mel!!!!!! Still following your progress, so keep us updated :)
Mel if you can build it up after five weeks one day is nothing! You're doing great, keep up the good work!:
I hope I haven't screwed up my milk production too much
I just expressed....
23 ml
!!!!!!
:dance:
Woo Hoo!
WOOBLOODYHOO, I'm so freaking excited for you hun!!!!!!!! How good is that feeling when you look down and see all that liquid gold in the bottle :D :dance: :cheer:
:cheer: woohoo on the pumping - it's great that you are getting more :cheer:
the day at SIL sounds great, it's amazing what a change of scenery can do for everyone
OMG Mel!!!! 23ml!!!!!
You are a bloody rock star!!!
:cheer:
Oh sweetheart - I have tears in my eyes for you! That is just AWESOME hun!!! You are truly an inspiration for other women - no matter how many bad days you have. :hug: Well done sweety and I love your new name! :D
Well done Mel!!! 23 mL is wonderful - before long you'll be filling a bottle! Imagine how you'll feel giving her an entire feed that you know came just from you.
What a great effort!!
:hug: Toddlers can be very infuriating, I totally understand where you're coming from!
LOL at wonder cow!!
YAY Mel!!! And you thought it couldn't be done.... Look at you go!!! How's the nausea going? You coping ok with it?
23ml!!! Well done! :D Maybe you could start to add it to her formula instead of syringing now that you are getting quite a bit?
Bath - yeah at the moment we aren't doing syringes anymore - just putting it in spare bottles in the fridge and then when its all the same temp, putting it in the one bottle to give her - so usually its about 50ml she gets - then since she's still hungry, we just give her a top up with formula - so she usually gets that once a day.
Sarah - still get the nausea feeling -sometimes its really bad, then other times, not so much - doesn't seem to matter if i've eaten beforehand or not either :doh:
mis_tree - pmsl@ wonder cow - hmmm...
Thanks heaps to EVERYONE for all your support..
I haven't done it at all today either - went to see one of the lovely BB ladies and then DS didn't want a nap when we got home - and he wouldn't even let me leave the loungeroom to get a drink from the fridge - let alone express!!!!! Sooo frustrating.. I hate teething times!!!
He is at day care tomorrow - so will try to do it as much as possible - in between cleaning the house, feeding the baby and settling her to sleep.. lol
How are things going Mel?
Thanks for asking.
Haven't been going that great - only manage to express about 4 times a day - so not getting much now - 10ml is the best I do now :(
It's just so hard with a demanding toddler (who is also a bit of a drama queen and squeals like a banshee most of the damn day) :wall:
I did feel proud yesterday when I gave her 100ml (couple of days worth) - she smiled at me after having an initial taste - made me feel that even if I get 5 ml its worth it.
But yeah - bit discouraged but trying to force myself to do it... which reminds me, should go do it now that the boy is outside with DH.....
Mel, it's really hard trying to find the time express, I know........and I didn't have a toddler as well!!!! However much she's getting is great, as you said, even 5ml is worth it. Don't run yourself into the ground, but keep up with what you can manage, you've come such a long way with all your persistence :clap:
Thinking of you :hug:
It's not easy what you are doing, and i can't imagine with a toddler around. But you are doing such a great thing and i hope you can have a great day today...with 10mls this time! :hug:
You are doing well to persevere Mel, and remind yourself of the feeling you got when you saw Mehkelti's happy little face! It's not always easy, but the pay off will come. The benefits she is getting from receiving your bm will help her and make some of your days easier, even though you might not know it!
Maybe you and DH could make an agreed time/s where he takes DS to do something (play, etc) and you can express every day? That would at least give you some consistency and take DS off your hands to do so.
Good luck!
Jen - yeah its easy to do that on weekends, not so much on monday, tues and wed when I have him by myself (thurs and fri he is in day care)...
i am trying though...
Well..
I think the cow has come out of the milking shed...
all day yesterday I struggled to get more than 4ml... then last night (during the night) not even a drop was seen - which is something that has never happened - even if it wasn't enough to go down into the bottle - I always had drops of milk on the pump.
Then this morning - pumped for nearly 20 minutes each side - got about 3ml.
I think its leaving on its own accord now.
But *sigh* its ok. Its made me realise that I can work through the nausea issues - and hopefully the vomiting - and will give breastfeeding a go with the next child.
Which is further than I ever thought I would come after my disasterous experience with DS.
So thanks to everyone for your support!!!!
Mel
xx
Awww :hug: Hun!! You gave it a really good go! Could you have been a little run down yesterday or stressed? Sometimes that can effect your supply. Can you take some fenugreek or something to boost your supply? Just depends on if you want to keep going, I know how hard it is with A running around as well. I only get time to express after the first morning feed and thats only cause I have to otherwise I wouldn't be expressing at all because of J.
WELL DONE for ml you did get into Mehkelti!
oxox
Mel - before deciding for sure (since this is very obviously important to you, and has been a big investment of effort) maybe you should talk to an LC or an ABA counsellor.
And, as Tan said, well done for the milk you were able to give Mehkelti.
hugs
Kate
:hug: Mel, you've done a great job so far and I wouldn't be sure the cow has left the shed for good...
Give it a try again today and she how you go. Temporary changes in supply are very common.
(A huge pat on the back for making the effort and thinking of bfing #3 as well!).
Aw Mel! I agree with the others about maybe giving it another go if you're up for it (says she who wouldn't express if you paid her :lol:) but I think the HUGE thing here is that you have had a bit of a revelation about the nausea/bf thing & can even think of giving bf a go with your next baby, that is so so great!! :hug:
Thanks guys
I expressed 13ml just before - so maybe there is still an old cow in the shed yet... ;)
whatever you decide to do Mel remember you have done a great job to get this far well done :clap: I always found it hard to express & I'm not sure I would have if I had problems b/f (although this has changed with your mammoth effort)
I'm glad you have worked through some issues & are thinking of b/f next bub, I'll be in that cheersquad too :p
Mel, I've been following this thread with great interest but haven't posted...until now...because I just wanted to say I think you have done/are doing an AMAZING job. It is hard work, I know, and you are a truly wonderful mum to be giving it your best shot :) :hug:
Good on you Mel.:hug: Just remember like with everything you will have great days and so so days and downright cr@ppy ones too babe. You have been doing an amazing job!
Well done Mel :) Just so that you know (no pressure) if you really want to keep expressing then you could ask your GP to prescribe some Motilium. I had to take this after my break (while nipples healed). It's not that expensive and only took a couple of days for it to start having an effect (with me, sometimes it can take a week). Either way you can congratulate yourself on a job well done :clap:
I am SOOO proud of you!!!! :clap::clap:
As you know, I pumped full time for 9 months, and your supply will drop off without baby suckling, or medication. A pump on its own just cant keep up a supply.
I also recommend Motilium. It was a life saver. You dont have to worry about pumping ALL the time either. Its not the pump that kept my milk up, but the drug.
So if I didn't pump for 6 hours, there would be heaps of milk, and my supply wouldn't drop off because I hadn't pumped for so long. The next pump would also have heaps.
By the time Kane was 4 months, I only pumped a few times a day, got around 100ml per breast per session!!!! Kane was on fully EBM with no formula due to Motlium!!!
The great advantage is that you can cut down on pumping, but increase your milk. If you wanna give it a go, just PM me, and ill do all I can to help hon!!! :hug: