Breastfeeding?

[prssyprncss]

Wasn't sure if there's a thread like this, and I didn't want to interrupt any other thread....

Anyone want to talk about their adventures in breastfeeding? I'm serious. My little one is 7 months old and has been purely breastfed. I work full time and my husband stays home with her, so she does take expressed breast milk that I have pumped. I am very proud of the fact that Kayleigh has not had formula since day 2 of birth in the Special Care Nursery when a nurse accidentally fed her formula instead of EBM.

I just would like to talk with other moms (or dads) that breastfeed or feed expressed breast milk. I figure, I can always pick up new hints or things, right?

Thanks in advance for reading my post. And if no one answers me, at least I tried, right?!?

 

[Princessperky]

I think it is a wonderful idea, but mine are both weaned and I have 3 more months till I start again, so I don't have much to say

Though I do recall with both they hated bottles so generally it was mom or nothing, fortunatly I am a natural homebody. That and I will nurse anywhere.

Does your baby eat food too?

 

[lucypevensie]

Mine nursed for 11 months and for 9 months. I can't say that I absolutely loved it, but it sure beats the alternative. I say I didn't enjoy it because I was one of those unfortunate one who never stop leaking. I leaked at 6 months the same way I leaked at 6 weeks. And I do not like the feeling of wet clothing, or waking to a soaked bed because the pad slipped while I was sleeping.

Anyway, negativity aside...I loved being able to feed lying down in bed, not having to get up and put together a bottle. The cost (or lack of cost) itself made the whole thing worth it! THough my DCs did not ever take a bottle of expressed milk they did take a sippy cup pretty early, around 6 months.

 

[MyLittleWonders]

I'm still bf'ing my almost 20 month old. My first son weaned at 9 months, though I wanted to nurse him longer. But, my work (I was teaching almost full time at that time) wouldn't give me time to pump, and that started the downhill slide into drying up my milk. Now I'm not working (at least out of the home ), and I'm around to feed my second son whenever. It's a joy to feed a toddler ... it's cute watching his little antics while nursing (sometimes I'm a gymnast mat!) and also being able to "talk" with him while he nurses. We have basically night weaned him (except those nights when he sneaks into our room and I bring him into bed), but I expect he'll be nursing during the day for quite some time to come.

 

[katelyn]

I am breastfeeding my 3 1/2 month old. She's had a bottle of formula a handful of times, because I have never really gotten the hang of pumping (probably in part because most of the time I don't have a need to). Natalie doesn't really seem to like the bottles we have, so I just bought some new ones (Playtex with Naturalatch nipples) so that DH and I might be able to sneak away for a date once in a while. (Baby eats every 3 hours, so that doesn't leave much time between feedings.)

 

[prssyprncss]

Wow...people are answering...too cool!

Anyhoo...K's healthcare practitioner is a true "breastfeeding believer" and feels that if K is thriving on breast milk, there is no need to introduce solids....I'm not sure I agree, and I know my inlaws don't...LOL

She's given us the go ahead to start rice cereal, but I can't tell you what all K has had bites and pieces of here and there. At least they're good and don't introduce highly allergenic foods to K....but I do know (and have fed her) that K loves mashed potatoes....but she did all right with the rice yesterday....

I used to be a pediatric nurse and am still a nurse....so, bottomline is....I get obsessive about some things and I'm a bit concerned about K's developmental status if she doesn't get to try other tastes and textures...it seems like EVERYONE else I know has their children on solids already....

Part of it is that K was born at 36 weeks, so she's technically a preemie. We have been very blessed that so far she has met most developmental markers. I don't want her to miss anything by having limited textures...

Please tell me I'm obsessing on this and to get over it!!!

Thanks in advance for everything~!

By the way, the bottle system we use is VentAire Natural Shape. I use the Medela Pump in Style for a pump. I'm involved in this survey right now and so I'm using the Playtex Embrace pump for 2 weeks, and I'm not used to change, so I don't think I like it......LOL

 

[katelyn]

I think we all obsess a little when it comes to trying to decide what's best for our kids. Our ped wants us to start Natalie on solids at 4 months, and I'm a little worked up about it since I know there are people out there like your healthcare practitioner, and I wonder if they have a point and I really should be waiting. On the other hand, Natalie does show an interest in food and I don't think it will hurt to at least try her on the rice cereal in a couple weeks. I think we moms just need to relax and realize that we are trying our best, and that as long as baby is happy and healthy there's no reason to get so worked up!

 

[karla]

I breastfed both of mine until they were about 15 months old and they weaned themselves. I have another 3 months unitl I start again I can't wait! I won't say that every moment of it was pure joy, but it was more joy than pain. It was hard for our families to understand why I was doing it because I was the first one on either side to do it.

As far as solids - we introduced cereal at about 4 months and it seemed to work just fine. I think that you need to take what your ped says into account, but most of all listen to what your heart is telling you to do.

 

[Princessperky]

I figure one of the reasons there is controversy, is that there is not 100% proof one way or the other, I started solids when my kids asked me for them (didn't want to fight with them while eating)

I hang out on a seperate board for only parents of toddlers and many who started late have children who will NOT take 'real food' nor like a variety of foods, they want the same texture all the time (breast milk tastes different all the time, but always is pretty much the same texture, with a small variation on thickness - at least they had the advantage of a variety of flavors!)

Anyway I was mainly curious, hope you are still here in a couple months to let us know how she does as a toddler. And follow your heart, and her lead.

 

[JustMandy]

WooHoo! I was thinking of starting a thread like this today! My work here is done...no really, about the solid foods, just do what you want! I litterally threw out the book with Ds (my second) He had terribe reflux and was hungry all the time (since he spit it all up!) so I started him on solids at 3 months. He was so ready! He knew how to move the food back and opened his moth ofr more. I also read that the "what" you feed Dcs isn't near as important as it seems...but you have already been feeding her bits and pieces so I don't think you have that problem.

Okay, now my question. Ds #2 is 5 weeks and nurses well. We do have issues with latching on and off at first (there's usually at least 3 false starts) but I think all that is because it's squirting down his throat! My problem is I want to lay down and nurse but I cant find a way to lay comfortably and him stay latched on with out pulling on my nipples (I suspect everyone here knows the dangers of nipple pulling ) Any tips?

BTW we also suppliment with EBM..it's been a life saver at times! We've tried to give Ds formula but it makes him fussy so no more of that!

 

[MyLittleWonders]

I had a hard time nursing while laying down with my first, but with my second ds, we just kind of "hit it off" in that area. When he was really little (like yours is now), I'd lay on my side and prop his head on my upper arm/shoulder area. Then I'd wrap my arm around his body and scoot his bum close to me. He'd latch right on, nurse, and we'd both fall asleep. As he got bigger (and his head got heavier on my arm!), I'd just snuggle him basically in my arm pit area. I also learned how to just roll myself over almost onto my stomach (towards him) so he could nurse from the other breast. That way I didn't have to flip him over to the other side of me (and it would keep him in the middle of the bed between my dh and me).

For starting solids, both my boys started around 5 months - because they initiated it. They would both watch us eat, follow the food from our plates to our mouth, and start opening their mouths. My younger son even started trying to grab the food by that point. So, they both started with rice cereal. My first son didn't mind the baby food at all ... he transitioned between it and table food without a problem. Our second son didn't like baby food at all and went straight to table food (very, very well mushed up). We always offered foods slowly but also let them sample of whatever we were eating (minus the dairy - though (plain) yogurt and cheese is usually a favorite of little ones). They are both fantastic eaters today. Our 4 year old has developed "likes and not-so-much" foods, but will sample whatever is on his plate and just leave it alone if he doesn't like it. Our younger son will shovel whatever into his mouth. So, for the most part, I'd let your child take the lead. Keep in mind recommendations of what foods NOT to introduce (citrus, dairy, nuts, honey ... ) but otherwise, let them experiment with flavor and texture slowly. A great book for feeding children/babies is Child of Mine.

 

[RedTulipMom]

I think all babies are so different so what works with one wont necessarily work with another. I have a 13 month old son who is almost weaned now (of his own doing) he only nurses once a day now, twice once in ahwile. I really didnt like pumping and couldnt get nearly as much when i pumped. i would only pump 1 or 2 ounces and it was such a pain. My son was a preemie, born at 35 and a 1/2 weeks. He had jaundice and had to stay under the bilirubin lights for 24 hours and they sent me home. My milk hadnt come in yet, cuz I didnt get let down till day 5. So because all i had was colustrum i could pump a teensy bit, it was silly. During that 24 hour period he did have to be given formula by the nurses a few times and i was so upset about it at the time. I insisted on coming in once during the middle of the night and nursing him even though i was dead tired, i hauled myself out of bed and went to the hospital to nurse. The good thing about my son was that he would take any nipple, any bottle, he didnt care. But he did thoroughly enjoy nursing. He used me as a pacifier for many many months, never had an interest at all in a real paci. I had a real jerk for a ped at first and for one week after the baby came home from the hospital she insisted on giving him one ounce of forumla as a supplement every time i went to breastfeed him because of the jaundice. She had convinced me that the forumula would help get rid of the jaundice. I believed her. Then after a week i switched peds and got a pro breastfeeding ped and he told me to stop the formula immediately and that the breasmilk is what would make the jaundice better. He also said that i could end up losing my milk supply. So after that i would bf only. Plus i would pump some and give him one bottle of bm every other day because i wanted him to continue being used to bottles so i wouldnt have a hard time going out and leavin him with daddy or grandma when i needed to. So i gave him one pumped baba every other day till he was 8 weeks old then i was so sick of pumping i almost gave up on bfing all together till a friend suggested..why not give him one bottle of formula a day and stop pumping. WoW!! that solved everythign for me..after that i was much happier about breastfeeding. I started him on rice cereal at 6 weeks old in his bottle because he always seemed so hungry. That worked great. I started him on fruits at 3 and a half months and then veggies at 5 mos. He has always been a great eater. The older he has gotten the less he nurses because we have slowly added more solid foods. Up till 10 mos old he bf ALOT at night and the middle of the night and the when i would put him for his nap during the day. Over the past month since he turned one its been down to 1 or 2 bf a day only. he is slowly weaning himself. It might be months still before he gives up that last one a day, but i really dont care. I enjoy it. Hopefully my milk wont dry up. It took me a few months before i really enjoyed breastfeeding, now it is just second nature. I am thankful for all the money we were able to save by breastfeeding, forumula is so expensive! Plus the breastmilk has so many antibodies for the baby and they fight off sicknesses easier. I highly recommend breastfeeding and if pumping is hard, dont feel bad if you give the baby a bottle of formula a day. some breastmilk is better than no breastmilk!!
theres my 59 cents on the issue

 

[bliz]

Anyhoo...K's healthcare practitioner is a true "breastfeeding believer" and feels that if K is thriving on breast milk, there is no need to introduce solids....I'm not sure I agree, and I know my inlaws don't...LOL

She's given us the go ahead to start rice cereal, but I can't tell you what all K has had bites and pieces of here and there. At least they're good and don't introduce highly allergenic foods to K....but I do know (and have fed her) that K loves mashed potatoes....but she did all right with the rice yesterday....

I used to be a pediatric nurse and am still a nurse....so, bottomline is....I get obsessive about some things and I'm a bit concerned about K's developmental status if she doesn't get to try other tastes and textures...it seems like EVERYONE else I know has their children on solids already....

When you were learning to drive a car someone probably said to you "Don't let the person in the car behind you drive your car." which means drive at your own speed... Well, the same thing applies for parenting. Don't let other parents raise your child. God gave you this child and good minds and the right hearts for her. This is not a race - the first one to the end of the line - does what? Dies early?

There is no food you can give her that is going to come anyhwhere close to breastmilk from a nutritional stand point. There is no experience as great as breastfeeding when it comes to bonding and feeling secure. When she is ready for "real" food, she will reach out and grap it! No disrespect to your in-laws, but they want to feed the baby. That's what they want to do - that doesn't mean it's the best thing for baby. Since she's a preemie, I'd give her every benefit I could.

Your daughter has a lifetime to develop a taste for a wide vairety of foods, flavors and textures. Pushing that back until she is not just tolerant of other foods, but eager for them will not retard her culinary appreciation.

 

[rakkoon]

My 10 mo old is exclusively breastfed I have given him solids but he just has no desire for them, he just snacks on them. I had a ruff start in the beginning being that this was the first time I had BF. But I can say now that I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything because through it all I've learned so much. I have had some problems like when he will accidentaly bite me or some nipple soreness that seems to come around the time of (if I had them)my periods. I haven't gotten mine back yet. I have loved the experience.

 

[JustMandy]

Speaking of periods (and all that) what do you all use for birth control (TMI?--if so sorry!I won't be offended if you don't respond) I can't use hormonal contraceptives although I am going to try the mini pill when I go back for my 6 week check up. Any other reliable choices out there for a bfing mama?

 

[Princessperky]

Prayer, and trust that God wont give you more kids than you can handle? Sorry, not very helpful, but that is essentially what we did, and prolly why my kids are close to gether . (19 months and will be 23 months)

 

[JustMandy]

Hmmmmm, no, I trust God to know what's best but I also know that another baby anytime in the next couple years is not good for my family. My boys are 16 mos apart and we need some time to recupe from that (phisically, emotionally, mentally and monitarily!!)

 

[MyLittleWonders]

Personally, we don't believe in or use contraception (we also consider ourselves quiverfull) ... anything with chemicals in it (mini-pill, regular pill ...) can cause a fertilized egg to not implant because they make your uterus a hostile enviornment. What about studying up on Natural Family Planning ... though I don't have the book (yet), I have heard wonderful things about Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

 

[JustMandy]

yeah, I've heard good things about that book...I just didn't know if it worked while bfing since you generally do not have a regular cycle to read all the signs...guess I'll get that book. Thanks!

 

[Leanna]

I am looking into Natural Family Planning as a method of birth control, and this website,
http://www.ccli.org/nfp/index.php, has two methods-- one for breastfeeding mothers.