You are doing such a fantastic job Renee, I'm very proud of you for your perseverence .
I just know that you'll be up and running wonderfully with b'fing really soon, it sounds like you're both nearly there . This is such a short period of time that you'll have forgotten all about it in another month or two
DD has put on 60g in a day! LC came over to weigh her today. She mentioned formula top ups if no more weight gain by Saturday and I started crying at the thought of the word! LC encouraged me and said we are doing so great..... I think I just cried cos' its been a full on 2 weeks & I have no help during the week days as DH hasnt had time off. Although when he gets home evenings he is wonderful help....so so great. However LC is right, we will have to do that because DD needs to be at her birthweight soon and she is still 100g from it and over 2wks old! But LC is confident I won't need to do that if we keep going with what we are doing.
Expressing with top ups in between feeds.
DD is sleeping better and is a different baby the last 24-36hrs!! I'm so proud of the two of us. We are getting there.....
Anyway must go lie down while I still can..... thanku for your ongoing support girls!
Ren, I'm proud of you both also. You have done an amazing job of overcoming the early difficulties. You are such a role model for others. Well done hun. I have my fingers crossed for you that the weight gains keep going so you don't need the top ups.
Ava has put on 120g in two days!!! My LC came over today to weigh her and if she hadn't put on weight we were going to have to put her on FF top up's which I was upset about but now we don't have to!! She's done so well the last 5 days! She's finally at her birth weight now, well just above it - now 3.68 kg!! I'm so proud.
Still expressing after feeds and topping up with expressed BM and my nipples are still very sore and tender but we are getting there day by day. So proud of us!!! She will re-assess us again Monday.
And she's a MUCH more settled baby too. We don't even think she has colic anymore she was just a hungry baby the first 2 weeks as she wasn't getting enough milk (which I feel soooo bad about).
Last night she fed and just fell back asleep each time so it was a great night.
Hopefully tonight is the same!!
We bought some formula its with the receipt high up in the pantry away from eye sight. (got it yesterday incase she hasnt put on weight) We will probably end up returning it now anyway. But it was there incase she hadnt gained weight today we were prepared to top her up with it under advise by our LC but now we dont need to as long as she keeps gaining!!!!
LC said if i hadnt have hired her help and gone to see the health nurses at the local clinic this week they would have told me to stop BF and just put her on FF. I reckon I would have to if I didnt get the LC support and support of you girls on BB!!!! So thank you.
Still getting there each day though but I feel ALOT more confident now in myself and my nipples and breasts!!!
Just touching base. My LC came to weigh Ava today and she's put on some more weight!! She is now 3.79 LC now wants me to exclusively BF so no more expressing or top ups of EBM!!! Yeah!!! We have come along way in just a week.
I still feel nervous like it could all go pear-shaped again so quickly like it did however I just have to keep on doing what i've been doing and that's... correct attachment, let baby feed when giving the queues, don't let baby sleep longer than 4hrs (she's a sleepy baby), and make sure I alternate breasts!
My nipple is still soooo painful and sore on one side but it's healing..... just goes to show how damaged the poor thing was!!
I hope this thread can help others to overcome their BF problems by reading about mine and realising they too can persist through any BF problems to overcome them. It's very challenging but already I'm learning how rewarding it can be. Yesterday DD came off the breast and fell asleep and I looked at her mouth and she had some milk dribbling down her chin, it was so cute!!! It was in that moment, that I realised.... I am feeding my daughter with my body, my milk. How special that is.
Thank you girls for your support in this thread - it sure has helped !!!!!
Awwww- what a gorgeous moment Ren!! You should be extreamly proud of you , your body and your beautiful Ava... Well done on your persistance and your success!!!
Keep up your good work!! You have confidence now- its all easier once you have that confidence!! You know you can get through anything! And those nipples will feel better one day soon!!!
Ren, I'm sure your great work will help others. You have done a great job and should be really proud. And the thing is that now you know where to get help, so if something does go off track again, you will be able to get back on track pretty quickly. Well done hun.
Congratulations again, Ren. Yours is such an encouraging story - I am so pleased that you have shared this journey with us so far. Hoping everything keeps falling in place for you and Ava, and that your boobs heal really quickly.
Saw Paed yesterday - Ava has put on 100g in one day!!! that's from getting formula AND EBM feeds in between. I'm expressing every 3hrs (probably should do it more often too) and getting a good amount depending on how long i'm on it for.
GP saw me today and I got Maxalon. He did warn me I could feel tired but I don't mind, already am.... getting more sleep now as Ava is getting into more of a sleep routine (if you could call it that ) and sleeping more thru the day!! Gives me chance to sleep at least twice in the day if i want to. She's asleep now so I really should try to get some too.
Getting about 5hrs sleep a night so not too bad.....
GP also gave me script for cream for my nipples as per the LC's advice. It's an ear ointment called "Kenocomb Otic" but works wonders for damaged cracked nipples supposedly. So 3 times a day I have to put it on.
I'm looking forward to being able to exclusively breastfeed my DD again soon hopefully by the weekend if the nipple keeps healing well......
Now and then she feeds from L breast. I'm just scared after having all these bottles she will refuse the breast or something!!!! But i suppose it's not like she's going weeks without it.....
Thanks Nadine sorry I haven't written back to you on FB! I've been so busy.
I'm not allowed to use nipple shields as advised by my LC. She says they aren't good for my milk supply. Also DD is a lazy sucker so that wouldn't help either. I did use them when I left hossy for 2 days as the midwives all said to buy them!! But since, I haven't.
Thanks Janie & Jas Janie - you are so supportive its so great!!
Anyone got any ideas on how to increase my milk supply further? I'm on Maxalon, pumping every 3-4hrs, it's not realistic to pump more often than that as between feeds and settling I just don't have the time and I need rest too. I'm seeing Acupuncturist today so she may be able to help with milk production too!
What's this Fenugreek people use? Where do i get it and how do you take it and should I take it with Maxalon?
LC is visiting me tomorrow and hoping to get me back onto both nipples again. R nipple is healing well but still cracked a bit.
Sweetie, i think you are already doing more than enough to increase your milk supply already. Don't overload yourself with too much to do/take etc. Tomorrow, when the LC comes and you are back to using both sides (the power of +ve thinking) then nature will take over and your supply will increase.
You know you are a success already. Try to look at all this as a huge acheivement already, even if it isn't quite what your ideal situation was meant to be. You could have given up so many times and you haven't. You have kept striving for your goal. No matter what happens - you're already a super mum.
I agree with Lenny ... you're doing enough. I know this is going to sound utterly impossible, but you HAVE TO TRY AND RELAX!!! Your milk production will increase if you stop worrying and fretting (as if I don't know what you are going through) If you eat right, drink water and rest, your body will take care of making enough milk, ok? Are you still taking your preggie vites?? That could help with the vitamins you need and are not getting from eating like any new mother eats.
About the pumping ... the girl in hospital told me to pump every two hours, but it was easier for me, because my bubba were in hospital, so I think you are doing great by pumping every 3-4 hours. What you can do is while you are breasfeeding Ava, you could pump the boob she has finished with, just to get some extra stimulation, but honestly ... I really think you are doing enough already. And quite frankly, pumping while breastfeeding is a mission of titanic proportions!!!
And don't worry about replying on FB ... I KNOW you don't have time
Ren, Fenugreek is great for increasing your supply. You can take the capsules or the tea - the tea is pretty disgusting so I recommend the capsules. Don't go by the dosage on the jar - take three capsules three times a day or more, until your sweat begins to smell like maple syrup. It was fantastic for me when I was struggling with supply issues with dd4. It can make you gassy.
BellyBelly Life Subscriber & MPM
.
. This is such a short period of time that you'll have forgotten all about it in another month or two
We will probably end up returning it now anyway. But it was there incase she hadnt gained weight today we were prepared to top her up with it under advise by our LC but now we dont need to as long as she keeps gaining!!!!
that's from getting formula AND EBM feeds in between. I'm expressing every 3hrs (probably should do it more often too) and getting a good amount depending on how long i'm on it for.
) and sleeping more thru the day!! Gives me chance to sleep at least twice in the day if i want to. She's asleep now so I really should try to get some too.
hours, but it was easier for me, because my bubba were in hospital, so I think you are doing great by pumping every 3-4 hours. What you can do is while you are breasfeeding Ava, you could pump the boob she has finished with, just to get some extra stimulation, but honestly ... I really think you are doing enough already. And quite frankly, pumping while breastfeeding is a mission of titanic proportions!!!
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks