So the nursing seems to be going well. Except that Meimei keeps pushing off. She pushes off two or three times before she settles in to eat. What's up with that? I can't seem to find an answer anywhere. And any other advice would be appreciated, from the pros in the audience (or from the non-milkers, if you would like to weigh in anyway). I have compiled a list of my issues for consideration:
The website said I should be feeding for half an hour at a time. I don't time it, I don't wear a watch or have immediate access to a clock from the couch, but I don't think I'm ever hitting that. Should I be timing it? Should I care, if the kid seems satisfied? Should I worry that sometimes I'm under, sometimes I'm over?
They said it was okay to feed on just one side at a time, as long as I start on the other side the next time. Will that affect my milk supply if that's happening now?
When is my milk supply fully established so I can stop worrying about it?
Will pizza and burgers really upset Meimei's stomach if I eat them? Or is she just gassy and fussy periodically because of the acid reflux, or because she is a baby and that's what they do?
And on a completely rhetorical note, why can't I get the kid to burp when she will burp if anyone else even picks her up?
And just for the record, I am not actually making a comparison between my beautiful new daughter and vampires.
7 comments:
Right, ok, as a former milker, let's see...
**Disclaimer for the masses: I will very likely give some specifics about my experience. If that's going to oog you out, or if you don't want to hear about my breasts and all, you might not want to read on.**
Pumpkin was a VERY poor nurser to start. Like, we would cheer if she got one or two good pulls in those first few days. So, maybe she's just finding her best angle?
The nursing class I went to said you need to get in (at least) 10 minutes on one side so that she gets the hindmilk (more fat, sticks with her longer, needed for brain development) as well as the foremilk (more water, thirst quenching). The consultant said to think of that as the meal, then anything she gets on side two is "dessert" and bonus - don't worry how long on the 2nd side as long as you've gotten at least 10 on the first side. So, sometimes she might just want 10 or 15 minutes worth & that's fine. Other times, it's much longer & that's ok too. You know, sometimes you're hungry for a snack; sometimes the all-you-can-eat buffet.
I was VERY conscious about switching sides the first while and I think it's a good idea, but nothing to obsess over. Maybe get a bracelet and switch it from wrist to wrist if you have a hard time remembering. 'Cuz later on I wasn't as good about it and noticed a little bit of lopsidedness starting with supply, size, and with Pumpkin's preference with where to start.
"Fully established?" I don't know. I know that your body should respond to how much milk she takes and continually adjust thoughout the months you're nursing. I had a really hard time pumping enough when I was back to work since I couldn't pump except before the day started, during lunch/prep, and at the end of the day. Because of that, my body started easing back on production during the day, which was bad 'cuz she was drinking like a fiend at daycare.
I don't remember any problems with Pumpkin not wanting to nurse after particular foods or having gas issues either, but it's not unheard of. On the plus side, because the taste of the milk will change somewhat based on what the mom eats, breast-fed children tend to be less fussy eaters, since they're more used to variety and different tastes from the get-go.
Yeah, burping? Another thing I had a hard time getting Pumpkin to do, but for my mom - anytime.
There's my two cents - hope it helps. Also, I totally wish I would have learned to feed her while laying on my side sooner 'cuz it's just the best for catching a little doze when sleep-deprived! Good luck and keep it up!
P.S. I don't know if you're planning on going back to work or pumping once you're back, but I found out that my insurance at the time covered most of the cost of a breastpump - WELL worth looking into 'cuz those babies are expensive if you want a double-barrel electric one that works well. Just FYI.
I think if you could get it to taste like pizza, that would be best for The Deuce. Cuz you get all the major food groups there....
I also nursed the little one. I was lucky as she was a natural nurser. I wasn't given any classes or anything since I was at a large hospital and already had a kid but I still managed to stumble my way through.
The little one pushed off too, watch the way the nipple is pointed going in, I would agree that it's probably not in the right position for her to eat.
As far as length of feeding times I wasn't too concerned with that either. I mean that's just a general amount of time and I don't think I EVER went 1/2 hour until she was a few months old. As long as she's not loosing weight and does some good drinking, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I also switched sides. I guess it was more for my comfort than hers, I mean I just needed some relief on the other side, you know? It was very easy for me to keep track of which side because I could tell one side felt different than the other. No, I didn't feel myself up, I just mean well, I could tell. I'm sure that's not true for everyone. In fact nursing worked out so well for me that I did it for a year. I may have gone longer if the baby room hadn't gotten tired of trading rooms with me when she was hungry.
I'm not sure when it's exactly established, I think it *usually* is by the time you return to work though. See, I had a little problem, since she was premature I got to use the nice double breast pump for the first 2 months or something like that. I quit using it shortly after she was out of the hospital since I had no reason to need to keep going. I had that puppy boosted to maximum from the time I was in the hospital, so I was producing enough milk for probably a 4 or 5 month old maybe? I had leakage issues for a few weeks, well, at least it seemed like it. It was probably only a few days but I was horribly embarrased. In hind site I guess that wasn't the brightest thing I could have done....
I didn't notice much of a difference with feeding after eating certain foods, but that's different for everyone. I would try to write down and keep track of when you eat something that you think is questionable so you can figure out if it's related or not. I mean, sometimes babies are just fussy, you know?
I also couldn't get her to burp. It was dad or the baby room people that did it. Maybe it's a plot to try to make us poor moms feel inadequate. Okay, I'm joking but what are the odds that three of us couldn't get our babies to burp??? I'm just sayin'
I am not sure what website you are referring to- but I love www.kellymom.com- very very helpful and there is a search feature (its over on the left hand side).
Pushing off is normal- she's just getting comfortable. She might start doing a head shake thing too, where it looks like she is shaking her head "no" - it's just something that a lot of babies do. Give it a week or two and it will go away.
Don't watch the clock, just let her feed when she wants to for as long as she wants to. Just go with her flow and don't worry about it. I've also heard or read the at least 10 minutes advice, but if she seems done after that, that is ok. Attila took a long time at first (30-45 min) but eventually caught on and got much faster.
It's totally normal for babies to only take one side at a time when they are brand new. Eventually she will want more (around 4 weeks?) and you can give her both sides.
Your supply won't be fully established until about 4-6 weeks old. And then you will probably have a growth spurt at 6-ish weeks. After that, you supply should level off all the way through 6 months (when it will then start to decrease.) As long as you are feeding on demand, you shouldn't have to worry about your supply. Remember that right now you are continuously making more, you really can't run out.
I personally never had any food issues with breastfeeding. New babies are just gassy. One of my friends had an issue with garlic though, and they knew it was the garlic since the baby smelled like a tiny little clove of it. I am really resisting the urge to make a vampire joke about that...
Was my answer long enough? :)
I checked into the insurance/breast pump thing the last time, and DeathPartners will only cover it if there is a medical separation of mother and infant, like the baby has to stay in the hospital and the mother is sent home. I have one from before though, so I'm set.
Oh, and in case you're really concerned about the switching sides issue... and have an extra $25 or so lying around... you could get one of these:
http://www.ccbeardesigns.com/
:)
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