Hi Carmey - I don't express enough to get a whole bottle, the most I've ever expressed in one day was 80 mls and that was a miracle, it's usually around 40 mls. But, I have given Amelia a full formula bottle a few times now and she drinks the full 125 mls! Just goes to show why she needs top ups. Although on the formula tin it does say between 120 and 125 mls, not sure if breast milk is different. I know formula has more fat in it which is why it fills them up more. I'm going to try some fenugreek to see if it increases my supply because at the moment I'm pretty well topping up after every feed except the first morning feed around 6.00 am as that's when I'm at my fullest. I have no choice, although I'm just about over the whole worrying about it thing, had a good chat to the health nurse today about it so feel better. There's a couple of girls in my mothers group who no longer BF as they had the same problem as me, one even gave it away as she just didn't like it, at least she's honest! I personally think it's a bit over rated as well but I know it's good for Amelia so I will persevere for a little bit longer. I'm finding it far too time consuming, I'm either BF'ing or expressing which half the time is pointless. You girls with big milk supply are very lucky.....it's quite hard when you feel like it's not working properly, it makes you feel like a failure. Great not only did I have to have a c-section but I am having to do FF comp feeds. Never mind, like I said, I'm really getting over it now and just more concerned that Amelia gets a full belly so she can grow! We shall see how the fenugreek goes, be funny if I ended up with too much milk, but I doubt it!
Hi Alison. Juat a quick post. Middle of the night and BF Matilda. When my supply was slow yo come in they got me expressing after each feed for 5 minutes one side then 5 on the other. Then 5, 5 again switching between the breasts again. And the lac consultand also got me taking fenugreek. This all seemed to help and I started producing copious amounts. But I hear you on the time consuming bit. Its time consuming even if you're supply is up. But if BF doesn't work for you and Amelia, dont beat yourself up. The main thin is that you're happy. Happy mummy, happy baby. Take care hun! And good night. I'm going to attempt to get bac to bed!
Hi Tilda - thank you for that info, definitely going to get some fenugreek, I really want to continue for the goodness side of things. Hope Matilda settled well for you last night. xx
AFM - Amelia slept from 10.00 pm to 5.00 am - 7 hours!!!!! Typically though we're off to our holiday house down south today for the weekend so I was up getting organised and didn't get to bed until midnight so I didn't get to make the complete most of it but bloomin happy. Probably a fluke but I'll take it!!! She fed and went back to sleep and it's now nearly 9.00 am and I'm going to have to wake her for another feed and then get going. I wonder if going out yesterday knackered her or her growth spurt is over. Who knows!
Anyway will be offline until Sunday so have a great weekend girls. Sunrise has a story on now claiming Formula is almost as good as breast milk so must go listen!
Thanks for the info on supply, girls. I have the nurse over in five mins so will speak to her about it too.
OMG, worst night last night. Jack was up every two hours crying. He never cries at night and I knew something was up. He kept projectile vomiting, poor little darling. It was really horrible. So, he slept in our bed and we all had a terrible night's sleep. I thought his temp was up too and when I took it it was up ever so slightly. I think he was just feeling off.
Carmey - we had a night a bit like that last night, too. I think that our bubs are possibly moving into a growth spurt perhaps.
Re expressing - I try to express some milk every day (building up a freezer stash) - I have to try to nab time in between feeds, so I don't usually manage a lot - usually about 60ml (and most of that from the one side). The one time we've gotten Liam to take a bottle he drank about 50ml and was happy.
Alison - I am in deep envy. Liam's had a couple of nights where he's done four to almost six hour stretches of sleep, but most nights the most we get is his first sleep (which is usually at least three hours).
AFM - Rough night last night (and day yesterday). Liam was just really unsettled and overtired and would *not* go to sleep. Frustrating for everyone. He's napping right now, for which I am very grateful. I hate seeing him when he's so overtired and grumpy. I think he's definitely going into another growth spurt, so I expect a few more unsettled days. Hard to believe that he'll be six weeks old next week!
Rose - Yes, that's just like Jack! I thought something was wrong, like he was sick, but I think you're right. I hate seeing him like this too. He's usually so calm and never cries at night. Fingers crossed Liam has a better night for you tonight. x
Alison - 7 hours is just a dream! Lucky girl! Have fun on the block. I'm jealous. Oh, and I was going to say that I found that drinking lots and lots of water helps with my supply. And Tilda's tip is really good, too.
ATM - the nurse came over today and Master Jack is doing really well. He's put on 1.9kg and weighs 5.5kg - my little buddha! He has also grown 4cm, which is nice to know.
Thanks for all your advice on supply. I think I'm going to do what you do, Rose, and freeze some of it. I have so much milk that when I express I can fill a 125ml bottle in 5 minutes and that's just from one boob. And after that I have enough to still feed Jack! What do you freeze it in?
Alison, don't beat yourself up over the Bf thing - you are a great mother so just do what you feel is right. Formula is not bad, and it is stupid that people keep making it into a demon. Just do what you feel in order to not be stressed...and as far as supply goes, the expressing after feeds helps, I did it at the beginning when I was worried about supply and it def went up.
Carmey, Rose - it sounds like a growth spurt - I am just getting out of one! There is supposed to be a whopper at 6 weeks, so that might be it...The vomiting might be because he is overeating to up your supply and since he is fussy it comes up. I had a few projectiles on the sofa during Eva's last weight gain
Rose, your new pics of little Liam are great - I love the one in the chair - he looks like a little man at work
Carmey - you're lucky to have so much milk - FREEZE as much as you can! I try to get a bottle pumped into the freezer every time Eva has a long sleep - I call it my freedom stash! I hope to get a day or overnight trip out with DH soon once I have enough supply! But not sure about that since last night I left a double portion for Eva and went to dinner with friends who are visiting and 2 hours into dinner MIL called to tell me she was hysterical so I had to come back home! She had eaten the whole two portions in one sitting and was hungry again (and had serious gas) so I got in fed her and rubbed her back on the hot water bottle for half an hour, then she settled into sleep...but not until crying with gas again for a while...I am happy to say her "colic" if that is what it is (I think it is a hindmilk problem) is passing but we still have a day here or there where she has gas and is miserable...she fell asleep on my chest with the hot water bottle between us...I woke up to put her into bed with sweat on my chest and she was also a bit sweaty; which stressed me out - I did not plan on leaving her on there so long and hope I did not overheat her!
Going to be productive!
Wishing a wonderful day to everyone!
xoxo
Last edited by BrusselsSprout; January 8th, 2010 at 05:45 PM.
Carmey - I'm currently freezing milk in 30ml portions using breast milk freezer trays that I bought online - I like the idea of freezing in small portions, so it doesn't get wasted. I am planning on filling a few bottles to freeze as well, just so I have some options for when I'm going to be away from Liam.
I think that Liam's definitely in a growth spurt. He's been fussing at the breast a lot, and his sleep is all over the place (he's been fighting naps again all day, and is overtired and cranky now.) Oh well, it's not going to last forever. I weighed him yesterday and he's 4.9kg. Going to be interesting to see how he goes next week when he gets weighed by the community health nurse.
Alison - hope you have a great trip down south. My sister is getting married down in the Margaret River in May. Can't wait to come home for it!
Carmey - 125mil is 5 minutes!!! OMG, that's awesome. Freeze, freeze, freeze. The best I get is about 50mil in 10 minutes usually. I use special purpose plastic bags you can buy at the pharmacy. But you can get little cup types things too. Its very stressful when you think something isn't right with bub, isn't it.
BS - Sounds like the invisible umbilical cord yanked you home the other night. We nearly left Matilda with my parents and went out for dinner last night. But the same thing would have happened. She went through a complete feeding frenzy. I couldn't get her off me. In the end I gave her the bottle of expressed milk I was going to leave Mum and Dad because I was just exhausted. And you just know they're going to get gas!!
Rose - Hope Liam isn't too unsettled tonight for you. You never know, sometimes its a one off.
AFm - Well we had a very unsettled day yesterday too. Must be the "age". Oh, I hear her now. See you later everyone......
Re milk supply. I feel I am lacking some. I have been giving Jett some top up of formula as he seems to be still hungry. When I express the most I have gotten in one sitting is 30mls. This fenugreek where do u get it from? I may need to try some.
Well I have had Jett to the dr tonight. His belly button has started bleeding. My gp was closed when I noticed it so I went looking for a dr but our local medical centre had over a 2hr wait so I called the hospital and they told me to take him to emergency at the hospital so we were headed for Liverpool hospital however I didn't feel it necessary for emergency dept so I stopped at the medical centre in Liverpool n saw a dr straight away who cleaned it up took a look at it n said it has a raw part deep inside the belly button which is where it is bleeding from. He tapped a cotton wool ball on it and said if it was still bleeding tomorrow to take him back and they would burn that skin off. We bought Jett home n he has just awoken from a 6hr sleep. It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all. I didn't touch the cotton wool when I just changed him I just left it. It doesn't appear to have any blood on it so hopefully it has stopped on it's own.
Has anyone else experienced this?
Sorry no persies Jett needs to be burped now.
to all
xx*
Last edited by Mummy-Lani; January 8th, 2010 at 11:06 PM.
Hi Lani I haven't had any problems like that with the belly button, but I'm sure it's not uncommon. Hope it fixes it's self up, the thought of them having to burn it off sounds yucky for little Jett
Hi Rose I'll check out those trays too they sound good, I had a friend who used to use ice cube trays, do the ones you have have a lid?
Hi Carmey The other day when I read your post I thought you were writing about my house! Right down to the baby spew all over the bed sheets! I was going to post straight after I read it but Harry projectile vomited on me it hit me right in the middle of me chest got my top and went all the way down my cleavage to my stomach ...so I was off to the shower, Harry was unsettled all day then with more spews, and what seemed like 100 changes of clothes and spew cloths! I felt like wearing a green garbage bag just to protect myself.
I think it is a growth spurt like we all seem to going through at the moment, but I was starting to think something was wrong too.
Hi BS glad to hear Eva is coming through the hindmilk fiasco now, stupid LC woman! If she was older and not up with the new methods then she really should re think her job or re-train I wonder how many other mums and bubs suffered because of her?!
Hi Alison Sooooo jealous of the long sleeps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I should go and do something other than play on the computer while Harry's sleeping the morning is the longest sleep we get
Lani - I got a "lactation herbs tonic" from pharmacy that specialises in naturopathic remedies. It includes fenugreek, goats rue, fennel and aniseed. But I know that many of the vitamin companies sell fenugreek capusles. So any pharmacy should be able to help you there. I've had friends that have just taken straight fenugreek capsules and have had big improvements in supply and in settling their babe. I'm actually wondering if its helping Matilda's wind. I've increased the dose again after getting slack and she's been a lot less windy. Haven't had any belly button issues. But it sounds like something that could easily happen.
Willow - how's your pile of laundry going with all the spew attacks? Matilda isn't very spewy but she tends to wee or poo all over the change table and me mid nappy change. I've never had so much laundry!!! BTW remember I ordered those Bambooty all in one nappies? Well they're great. But the small size is quite small and will probably only fit her until she's about 6kg. Then I'll have to buy the next size up. But they are really easy to use and look after.
Carmey - how did your run go? I bet it felt good to get moving again.
BS - thanks for the words of hope! I think I've seen some improvement in the wind situation like I was saying to Lani. And the sleep situation too. So hopefully things will start to feel a bit more regular. BTW, you've been posting some gorgeous pics of Eva on FB. Good luck on finding some pump time. Its hard when they're going through such a feeding frenzy isn't it??
Hellos to all the other lovely Mums and bubs.
AFM - I had to say goodbye to Mum and Dad who went back to Perth yesterday. I felt so sad for Matilda and for them more than for me. It's the worst part of living so far away. They change so quickly and I hate that they're going to miss out on so much. I think if DH doesn't get a particular job he has his heart set on we might think about moving back. Anyway, better go rescue DH and offer the other boob....
Tilda - I hear you on living away from the parents. It's so hard and they do miss out on so much. My friend suggested getting Skype so we can still see each other every day. The funny thing is that her daugher, 2.5 years, now calls her grandpa Skype as she always thought they were talking about him when they said, "Do you want to go and talk on Skype?"
How do you feel about the possibility of moving back??
Willow - OMG, I know how you feel. Jack's room has these white spots I'm about to scrub where he has projectile spewed across the room. Let's hope this spewy stage ends soon! It does sound like a growth spurt thing, plus the nurse told me yesterday that newborns have such immature digestive systems that just the slightest upset can bring their dinner up again. It's all very common I think. Hope you get a good night tonight! x
Lani - poor little Jett's belly button! Have you checked it yet? If he slept six hours he must be feeling okay, poor little man.
BS - thanks for sending that link. I'm about to read it. There's so much to know with BFing, huh? How did our grandmothers and great grandmothers get along I wonder? I know my grandmother only BF for three months with each of her bubs (4 of them) and she remembers her nipples bleeding and it being excruiating to feed. Anyway, that's a whole other tangent. I'm so easily distracted these days!
Mum also told me to be careful not to pump too much, so will take that on board! I'd hate to get mastitis!!
It sounds like Eva is doing really well now and has feeding all sorted. Good work!
ATM - Had a nice day with DH and Jack. We went for a big walk this morning and then put him down for a nap, which ended up being 5 hours! That's a lot for him during the day. I did give him a dream feed halfway through so that probably helped.
I went for my run, if you can call it that. I took it very slow to say the least. I only did around 1.5km but that was enough. I'll slowly build it up to back to where I was. My goal is to get back into triathlons and do a local duathlon with my tri and running club by my birthday in July. We'll see!
Anyway, Jack's down now for the night so it feels great to get a few things done. We've brought our routine forward a bit so we have time together at night and he sleeps. I'll give him a dream feed when we get into bed.
Hi Carmey, I highly recommend skype. We've just upgraded our computer and got a new webcam and tried it out today with mum. It was great and it really surprised me how clear the picture was. But babies are such tactile things and you can't beat a real cuddle. Still at least they can see her in real time. That's hilarious about your friend's 2 year old calling grandpa skype As for moving back, I'd miss the proximity of the east coast, but it would be great to be near my folks right now. I never grew up near grandparents and really missed it. And well done on the run!! Sounds like you'll reach your BD go worries.
ATM - had an awful evening. Matilda has been feeding like such a demon the past few afternoons that I think she's overstimulated my supply. And now its gushing out and drowning the poor thing. So she was on and off crying inbetween with frustration. It was awful. There' milk everywhere. All over her, me, the BF pillow and the couch. Andall over our bed where she projectile vomited. I tried BF lying down but its really uncomfortable for my neck. And I'm worried I may have even strained it a bit. That would just top things off. Just when you think you have teh BF al sorted it goes pear shaped again! Anyway I'm hoping it will settle down now that her feeding frenzy seems to have slowed up a bit. She's asleep on DH now, so I think I'll go and have a shower and get ready for bed. Hope everyone had a good weekend.
Hope Matilda settled well for you last night. xx
He has also grown 4cm, which is nice to know. 
What do you freeze it in?
to all
I was going to post straight after I read it but Harry projectile vomited on me it hit me right in the middle of me chest got my top and went all the way down my cleavage to my stomach
Anyway I'm hoping it will settle down now that her feeding frenzy seems to have slowed up a bit. She's asleep on DH now, so I think I'll go and have a shower and get ready for bed. Hope everyone had a good weekend.
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