ahh i see. formular from memory is around 30mins (i could be wrong) before it goes 'off' as such.
you're doing a friggin' good job to have gone from no milk to some in 8days! maybe she's the same kind of bub DS1 was. wake, feed,play,feed,sleep? i found that was the only way to get more of a 'brake' between feeds with him. (he was also Mr Velcro baby too)
wowee, fiona, you're doing so well considering how much you've had going on over the past few months!
I hope you're able to see what a wonderful job you're doing, caring for all your family, and still keeping sane yourself.
It's fair enough to feel like getting bf sorted on top of everything else is the last straw ... and well done for seeing what boundaries you needed at the time, rather than ignoring physical and emotional limitations, and burning out.
how exciting that you still have some milk!
everyone is different, but I would suggest definately putting your DD on the boob, and let her have a go ... maybe at a time when she's not too hungry, but also not straight after a big feed, so she's up for a bit of a suck, but not struggling and starving either. just a time when you can both be nice and relaxed, and it can just be some nice bonding time for her, whether or not she's able to have a bit of a feed.
You probably have a few ideas about what times of day your DD is nice and alert, ready to play/explore, but not too easily distracted? I'd go for it at one of those times, in a reasonably calm arena, where you can have at least 20 minutes just to yourselves ... maybe while DD1 is having a nap?
My DS even likes the odd feed while we're having a bath, because he's nice and warm and snuggly, and enjoying the skin to skin contact ... other ladies on BB I've seen mention having naked time (or at least top free time) in bed, where bub can snuggle up to your boobies and have a slurp if they're interested ...
and you can always squirt out a few drops for them to smell, to get them interested, and to encourage them to latch on.
If it goes well, the more you let her suckle, the more milk you'll have return.
Good luck! I hope it goes really well.
You're doing such an awesome job!! I really hope the supply lines works. I know how heartbreaking it is hearing your LO cry but try to ignore it while you get the supply line ready for her feed, she will survive, it only takes a minute or so :)
Slings - we loved our Bubba Moe for our DD as it held her in the cradle/heart position so she was always lying right next to our hearts while in it. We used it constantly until she was 7 months and then we used it again recently on a few flights and she had just turned one. I highly recommend them! If you buy one, get it from somewhere that can give you a quick demo if you can. They're not hard to use but the little demo IRL makes all the difference. Once DD got bigger (so after 7 months) we used our Ergo. DD still loves both slings and settles well in both.
Formula - if the weather is cool, we left DD's formula out of the fridge for an hour max. She has NEVER had a problem with that.
GL this weekend hun. I'm so impressed you're getting some milk! Rest assured if the pump is getting some out, so is DD. She might be done with it quickly, but she'd be getting more than the pump. It's what's keeping her interested and attached. She obviously likes the comfort, but for a hungry baby, that's never enough. ;)
No need for you to feel guilty - my goodness, to me it sounds like you're searching for a balance without giving up on any one idea or before you come to a decision. That's really admirable!
Just a quick update - we're about a month in to this relactating lark and I've mainly been using the supply line in the last couple of weeks so have not been doing too much pumping but today I got out 60 whole millilitres which I'm very excited about. Not that much really in the whole scheme of things, but I'm elated that I'm continuing to make more milk.
Woohoo! That's great.
That would have been a realy good expressing session for me back in the day
Well done you!
Oooh go you good thing! I'm excited for you, i think that's great :clap::
that's fantastic!! well gone :hug::
I'm so pleased to hear you're still going! It's not so much the quantity, as any bm you're giving DD is great. I really admire your persistence and good for you giving the supply line a go. And you sound so relaxed about it all. :clap: