Need some advice & support!! New breastfeeding mother....

Awww Ren... Hugs to you hun. I totally agree with Janie. You know Ava is doing so well & that weight gain is fantastic. So yeah, don't let it get to you, it's far from the truth

Ren, that was really rude of your Grandma. You are doing a wonderful job feeding Ava, her weight gain is wonderful! :hug:

I think Grandma needs a copy of the ABA's booklet for grandparents. Or, perhaps just a lesson in "How to keep your nose out of someone else's business"?

I would respond that you don't appreciate the comments, that you and Ava are doing very well, thank you, and hasn't she been paying attention to all the recent media coverage about overweight children and babies? I'd then ask her if she is on a diet to lose/gain weight, as you noticed she wasn't looking very healthy either.

Thanks girls. I'm not letting it bother me.... old people can be so tactless at times!!!! :rolleyes:
I'm not even going to reply to her email.... normally I do straight away but nope, not this one!

DD and I had a great feed early this morning at 3:30 she fed from each side for 20mins and then a bit longer on one side and was full and slept til 8am! My boobs are so full now and leaking all over the place so I don't have to take Motillium anymore or Fenugreek (i'm sick of smelling like curry!). Plus i think the Fenugreek makes DD fart more than usual too :lol: hehe

Haven't spoken to my LC since Weds but haven't really needed to.... going to see her Weds at her baby clinic for the weigh-in. Hoping DD has put on at least 150g this week. I'm sure she will have. We are almost exclusively BFing.... now and then give bottle of EBM but haven't needed to give formula really, unless i'm just being lazy and naughty :redface: but today I am determined to not give her any top ups... just keep offering breast.

Had a blister on my R nipple and it was huge so i popped it!! This was Saturday morning. Wish i hadnt of done that as now i have red tissue on my nipple that needs to heal now... but its not too sore.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT...

It's fabulous to see how far you've come. How's it going with no top ups?
I hope you don't let those sorts of comments get to you. It's so easy to doubt ourselves, especially with the rough start you've had. Sounds like Ava is doing really really well - great work!

Thank you Marcellus :hug: Yeah it's easy to doubt ourselves especially being a new mum and all!! :lol: but we are getting there.

Well today she was weighed by the LC at the baby clinic and she is now 4690g she has put on 300g in just one week!!!!! :dance: :dance: YAY!!! What a porker!!! hehe
And this is mainly from Breastfeeding and only now and then topping her up... but generally after feeding 20mins or 30mins each side, she seems content and then doesn't need to feed again for 2 more hours..... so feeding every 2-3hrs. Night time she feeds more often in the evening (as is normal) and sleeps 4-6hrs straight..... we are doing well and I'm so happy with our progress.

L nipple she still fusses over when i hold her in cradle position so i just feed her lying down on that side. One day maybe she'll overcome her issue with it :lol:

R nipple still a 'bit' sore when she attaches but only a bit and then the pain goes after few sucks.... it's only cos' i got the nipple blister.... so my nipple is once again on the mend.....

Anyway thats our update. You're probably all getting sick of me now!!! :lol: I just hope I have helped others out there struggling with the same issues.

Well done Ren!! Are you ready to drop the comp feeds with such a fabulous weight gain?!

Jennifer - I think I am.... I think using EBM and formula (only formula now and then) has been a safety net for me.. iykwim.... I know she's getting enough if I do that. With her weight gain issues in the past, I was so paranoid she just wasnt getting enough but I know she is now... she's better at feeding and I have PLENTY of milk.

Do you think if she still seems hungry after 20 mins each side (cos' thats a long time!!) then offer the breast again?? I know in the evenings she seems to want to feed alot so I keep offering it then. I used to feel bad restricting her feeds to 20mins each side but it's what the LC told me to do and it was so that DD feeds properly and not feeding for longer and just sucking and not taking milk iykwim.... for that 20mins i know she's eating properly. And I demand feed, whenever she wants it.

She seems to be getting more effective and faster with her feeds I just hope soon she will be able to feed say 10mins each side and be full!! That would be great :D
Would save me sitting in parents rooms at the shops for a full hour haha

Up to you, Ren. You're a pro now! If you think she's suckling for comfort but it helps to settle her down for the night, then you decide what works for you.

I found DD would cluster feed in the evenings for me and then start to sleep longer at night. Could be she's doing the same thing... or not!

You can fly free now, Ren! ;)

OMG!! I'm STILL having issues with DD feeding on my L side :( Why is it soo hard?? I would have thought by now she would know how to deal with that nipple? That's my flat nipple. I pull it out before her feed and express a bit of milk to get the let down happening which happens straight away but she still fusses and cries, pulls on and off.
It's so flat and hard for her to grab onto. Sometimes she does if she is really hungry. But most of the time it's a real struggle and I find it hard to remain calm and relaxed which I know is important for her.
I'm at a loss with this nipple.....:wall: :wall: :wall:
This also means that I have to ensure my milk supply stays up in that side so i have to express now and then. And in public only bother feeding from the R side.

Ren, I would ask the LC about a nipple shield for that side if I was you. Even if it just for the feeds when she is fussing, and if she is happy to go on without then dont use it.

Ren, it might just take a few more weeks for her to get big enough to get it.... Remember - you're doing great. Seriously.

Ren, keep doing what you know is right, hun. Ask the LC about it, but it may just be a matter of waiting until the supply catches up a bit more.

Have you tried switching positions with her (football hold) on that side after she gets fussy? Sometimes that can trick a bub into trying a bit harder and your let down might have occurred despite the fussiness. (Worked for my DD who has a particular aversion to the LHS and has never spent much time on there compared to the RHS).

Ren, you are doing a great job hun. If it's easier to feed only from the R side when you're out, that's fine. Maybe when you do the left at home you can try feeding in the bath or lying down so that you are more relaxed. It's possible that because you are expecting her to fuss on that side that you are not quite relaxed and slowing the let down a bit. It is also really common for babies to prefer one side - both my boys did and from memory it was a different side for each of them! So you might find that you always feed more from the right. Now that she's getting plenty of milk it shouldn't matter too much. And you might also find that she starts liking that side again soon.

Keep up the great work hun, and don't worry, you are through the hardest part!

Thanks MR and Jennifer. It's comforting to know i'm past the hardest part.... that's for sure!

:( Yep, still having problems here.....

DD only feeds from R side when i'm out and about as the L side she still fusses and pulls on and off and cries and gets upset with me when I try to attach her. And I make sure I'm relaxed too....I honestly am at a loss as to what is her problem with this side? Most of the time she will feed off it fine lying down but I don't always want to lie down feeding from that side and one day hope to be able to breastfeed in public from L side doing cradle position.
I recently purchased a 'nipple puller' and it helps pull out my flat nipple on that side so she can latch on a bit easier. i think it helps a 'tiny' bit. I'm hoping long term use of the device will make my nipple pop out a bit easier.

I'm breastfeeding in public anywhere and everywhere now!!! So that side of things, is going just wonderfully.... I will feed (and have done so) in restaurants, plane trips, shopping centre seats, cafe's, parks... anywhere! Even in front of people at a table that I didn't even know very well :lol: I just am so content with it now..... Sooo proud of myself!!!!!!

If i could just feed off the L side in public too..... then everything would be perfect.

Can someone please tell me that one day my DD will take my L side in public with no fussing etc?!?! :lol: I don't want to have to keep coming home and expressing from the L side to keep my supply up :(

I'm one heck of a persistant woman..... I won't give up. And nor should I......

Hey Ren...

I am so proud of your feeding escapades!! LoL!! Good on you!!!

Not so good that things still arnt as smooth as you would like.. i am sure your journey will continue to get better!!

As for the right side only out and about- i am not really sure- I know DS favours the right side too- and will often fuss on the left until he gets the side he wants. Are you right handed???? I know i used to probably feed more that side as i am right handed and it felt more natural to position him that way- but if your trying both sides- then i dont really know.

Keep persisting!! You are an inspiration to any women who is struggling with bfeeding and you should be soooo proud of yourself for all that good boobie milk little Ava is getting the benifit of!!

Take care and keep up the good work!! xoxo

Look at you go Ren! That is fabulous, you are doing such a great job. I am so pleased to hear how well you are doing.

WRT to lefty, it could go either way. She might take it better as she gets bigger, but she might not. You will find though that as she gets bigger, she will usually only take one side per feed and you will be able to do two consecutive feeds from one side without needing to express, so you can just feed from the one side when out. I did that for quite some time with DS2 - not really deliberately, I just mostly went to feed from the same side when out and it didn't cause any problems. So don't be too worried about it - one way or another it will work out.

Really great stuff hun.

Orson doesn't like my right side very much. I am right handed but have a stronger left hand/arm which is prob why. He just seems so much more confortable feeding on the left, as do i.

Congratz on being able to BF in public all the time now. I am still combating that challange.

Hi Ren,

It's been a long and hard battle for the both of us but we'll pull through it all, and sometimes I think our bubs fussing a bit is a way to keep us on our toes, especially in public :lol: ...for me, ds has decided he'll be cheeky and open his mouth as little as possible then suck the rest of the boobie in after he's had his "taste test"...AAAH! ouchies- but where we are now is still a heck of a lot better than a month ago eh! "High Five" to us!

YAY Ren, you're doing so well!!!!

WRT to the right side preference, it's a bit hard to know. If only they could talk hey? :lol:. DS has always preferred the left side here, and I often skipped the right side when feeding out and about. I did keep persisting with feeding on that side until about 14 months, but after that we slowly gave up. He doesn't feed from that side at all now. But at least I know why now! It is frustrating in the early days when you have idea what their problem is LOL.

Hang in there, you're doing a fab job!

I just thought I would let you know that all of my bubs have had a preference for one side. And would manly feed from just that side when I was out and about and half the time at home.

Even with this little one she feeds mainly left side when out, your milk supply will get used to it mine has....the only thing I have been glad is that my second daughter prefered the opposite side so evened out my boobs again in size lol.

Starbright - I'm lefthanded! :lol: Thanks for your ongoing support xx
MR - thank you. That's what the LC told me today pretty much what you just said.
She told me her little boy at 8mths just went off her L side and she then only fed from R side!
Tegan - thanks hun :hug: yeah it gets easier bfeeding in public. I don't care so much if anyone is looking so far so good noone has really noticed anyway (i dont think!).
BabyQ - great to see you touching base! Ouchies! My DD does that too sometimes! it hurts huh!!!! Little buggers....and then she smiles!! :rolleyes:
Janie - why did he stop feeding on that side? It seems to be very common doesnt it,... lots of ppl only being able to feed on one side when out and about....
Sweetpea - did you find that your milk supply was lower on the other side yet it was still there? I 've been worried it will dry up completely on L side if she doesnt feed at all.

Saw a new LC today (I ditched the other one as I felt she was a little too abrupt at times and made some comments that made me feel like I was being silly iykwim??) anyway this new LC is lovely and I met her weeks ago and kept her card just incase i needed it. She runs a baby clinic also.
She is helping me with the L side feeding and also she believes i have thrush on my R side hence why its red and still hurts a little after feeds! It stings a bit and burns a bit... has for 3 weeks now. She think its recurring thrush so i have to get canesten cream. yuck.
Also she's given me a new plan to help me get DD off the bottles. DD still has some top up feeds of formula or EBM and I don't want to do that anymore and instead just exclusively bfeed her. the bottles have been like a 'security blanket' i think up until now but we no longer need them.. she is gaining on average 200g a week we worked out.

Seeking the help of a LC is so worth the money!! I recommend that to anyone.