So, several of you have recommended pumping for feedings. I know this will help with supply issues and take care of times when my little man is less than cooperative at the breast.
I have a single, Medela electric pump. I have had zero success with it. I have pumped barely enough to cover the empty bottom of a bottle in 10-15 minutes. Is this how it is in general? What am I doing wrong? How do you get your milk to let-down? Should I try a different pump, maybe a manual one (maybe less intimidating than the electric one)? I'm thinking of trying the Avent Isis...any thoughts?
Thanks for all who stop by and offer suggestions. Believe me, I want to give this a fair shot and I am hoping to find our stride on the breast feeding front.
5 comments:
Hi.
First, he's getting cuter by the day. Seriously. What a sweetie! He looks so gentle.
Second, as for the breast, try mother's milk tea (available at natural food stores)...you have to drink like 6 cups a day but boy does it beef up your supply! As for pumping, I have some commercial grade thing from the hospital. It made me miserable. Very miserable. So much so that I decided to supplement formula with breast milk instead of the other way around (I had to pump for supply, waiting to be off medication before I could give him the breast regularly). Anyway, it made me batty, and Simon had so many digestive issues that we eventually stuck with the formula with an occasional snack from the breast until my supply dried up.
I guess that's a long way of telling you not to feel badly if the breast doesn't work out for you. It's easy to feel really guilty, especially reading/listening to all the pro-bf people out there ( I initially felt guilty and defensive about it), but it's medically documented that Csection women have a tougher time keeping up a supply because their body's primary function is to heal - not make milk. If your supply doesn't kick in, or if Gabe prefers the bottle and that's how it works out, just enjoy it. That said, if you can work this out and do it regularly, awesome!
Third, you look SO HAPPY. I'm so happy for you!
i have no suggestions, just wanted you to know you aren't alone. i tried everything, but at 5 months i was completely out. i felt like such a failure for a long time, but finally realized i did my best. that's all i can do.
your baby is lovely, good luck. i hope it goes better for you.
Thank you so much ladies! We'll take it one day at a time and see what happens. I'm trying not to make it a huge issue...easier said than done.
Hi,
Delurking to say - don't fret over it. Breast or bottle, what matters is that he gets enough to eat, and thrives. (Which, he is, obviously!)
Now, that being said, I BF for 14 months with my daughter, and 2 years with my son. The best pump - and I mean *best* - that I used was the Medela double pump (the pack and go model)....single pumps didn't do a thing for me. Neither did the manual pumps.
If you can't find the tea, try beer (seriously). Also make sure you are drinking enough liquids, and try to stay calm and relaxed. (Yeah, I know - easier said then done with a newborn.*smile*)
Good luck, and enjoy him - he's adorable!
I agree, he's getting cuter by the day!!! I just want to hold him & smooch him & love on him...
I recommend you get a double electric pump, such as a Medela Pump In Style. That's what I used. Double pumping will always give you better results than single pumping. If you have lots of extra money then you might want to get a "hospital grade" pump, at least for a couple of months.
Some women have a hard time letting down for a pump. It's just a biological thing for those certain women. Maybe you're one of those women, or maybe not. Maybe you just haven't figured out the whole pumping thing yet. It does take a while. Things that might work to help your let-down:
* Look at your baby, or pictures of your baby. Stare at the baby or pictures. Go into a trance...
* Smell something your baby has worn, wrap it around your neck, drape it over your face if necessary. Your body will smell your baby's pheromones.
* Make sure your pumping time & area is calm, peaceful, warm, and maybe even private.
* You may find a pumping bra helpful (it will hold the horn thingys to your boobs so you can be hands-free).
* Do some mental imagry, like visualize a waterfall, or a large body of water. Maybe visualize yourself swimming or something.
I drank mother's milk tea. It's not that bad, it's pretty cheap. Start out at 3 cups a day and see what happens. If you want you can cut back if you see your supply kicking up.
I also took fenugreek. I took 3 pills, 3x daily. Yes, that's nine pills a day. It will make you smell like maple syrup, which may or may not be acceptable to you (this includes your urine). It does not harm the baby.
I've heard that beer, one a day, helps supply. I've also heard that eating oatmeal helps, as does popcorn & 7-up.
Tulip
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