For those who've had pregnancies

[DeniseJP]

Did they give you the number of a lactation consultant that you can contact... or the La Leche League? Both of those might help with good advice. I would think if you keep pumping and you are producing more, then it is working, but I am not a nurse or doc.

Andy did not nurse well at first but the doc said he was gaining weight well and it did not seem like I was producing a lot - but he slept through the night at a month of age. Then he nursed really well and made me sore so the doc prescribed a cream for the nipples and that helped a lot!

When I had Ben, my milk came in big time and I felt like a Holstein with a full udder! No soreness the second time around.

He nursed but needed additional formula and food as he was off the scale in size. At almost 18, he still loves to eat.

Good luck - I liked the convenience of nursing and the fact that in an allergic family on my mom's side, my boys did not develop allergies. I was told nursing helps.
Denise

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

IT might be a good idea to contact a lactation consultant about it, they should have them at the hospital that you had the baby and you should be able to talk to one of them.

This is what i was thinking when reading your post that the baby may not be properly latching on that is why your nipples are so raw, and sore. There is nipple cream that you can put on that is made of lanolin to help your breast. THere are nipple shields that you can use to help while your nipples are healing and if i am not mistaken you can wear them while you are nursing too, they are made by medela i believe. I had inverted nipples on my one breast and had to wear special nipple shields to help get them to come out and stay out. as far as pumping from my understanding it doesnt really ever let you empty your breast like breast feeding actually does, make sure you are drinking enough water too , if they are feeling heavy then your milk should be in but i dont know why they wouldnt be getting anything really out of them with the pump? does the pump have settings on it where you can set it to pump a lil stronger, or faster?

 

[SnowyShiloh]

That's quite the story! Sorry to hear about the stitches and tearing them. That sounds really painful. Did they give you one of those squirt bottles that you can use to spray cold water on the stitches? I hear that can be soothing.

If you really want to breastfeed, I suggest finding a breastfeeding support web site with a forum because I'll bet lots of ladies have had the same issues as you. If you don't get the help you need, your milk might end up drying and you'll need to buy formula. Good luck, and I hope things heal (both the lady bits and the "lady berries" if I may steal the term from another forum member).

*edit* Oops I didn't see that two other people replied before me, the replies were on the next page! I third the lactation consultant, but an online breastfeeding support group could be handy after you don't need the consultant anymore

 

[NetherlandDwarf]

I have talked with people from the hospital, nursesand was actually told the same thing, i have rather large nipples which makes it hard for the baby to latch on correctly. thats why all the damage to my breast, i still kept trying but i did over do it and my breast were hurting so bad for many days, during that time i wasn't able to pump or to stimulate them for the milk to come out, i had a lot of damage, my husband went out and bought me some nipple cream and that has helped a lot too. so i think i kind of fell backwards during that time where i should have been breastfeeding or pumping to get the milk to come in, so its almost like im starting over again. i had some sucess this morning, i believe my milk is in, my breast hurt so much and i was able to get some more out of my breast but nothing measurable, but it was milky white. so im guessing if i keep it up i should be able to get more milk out eventually? i am using the avent manual breast pump, i am able to control the suction and how fast i can pump. i did a lot of research on that pump compared to many others and saw nothing but good things, so i am hoping for the best.

i got a water bottle type thing from the hospital to squirt water down there to rise, that simple thing has been so helpful!

 

[NetherlandDwarf]

I also had to share this picture, this is probably why doctors were expecting a much smaller baby, she has the ability to roll herself up into a tiny ball.

 

[Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears]

Your baby girl is so cute.

 

[NetherlandDwarf]

well good news, at least i think and i just wanted to give an update on the breastfeeding situation; i have really been pumping and each session (about 2 to 3 hours apart) i have been actually producing more milk in measurable amounts now. still a little bit, but a lot more now. first it was about half an ounce and the next time it was an ounce. so i am making progress and i hope it keeps going! ray:

Thanks everyone :biggrin2:

 

[DeniseJP]

Glad to hear it is working for you...she is so cute all tucked up in her car seat...:adorable: I so miss when mine were that little...

As far as the stitches and being sore down there - I was told (now this was almost 20 years ago) to use a sitz bath that they use for folks who have had surgery down there or hemmorhoids...and they did this for me in the hospital...Andy was so big I needed to be cut and it felt like every time I sneezed,laughed or was in the bathroom that I was going to split open.:shock:

I found the warm sitz bathto be something that made me feel better...may want to check with your doc on this. I also needed the "donut" to sit on for a bit after Andy... big Benn was a C-section and I did not have the "I cannot sit" issues the second time around.

Denise

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

keep up the good work with breast feeding!!!! WTG it is a challenge but worth it once it all works out. Can you send your baby too me she is too cute!!!!!! I have a house full of boys and need a little girl here, and everyone that i know that is pregnant wont give me thier baby,lol!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Good to hear things are improving with the breastfeeding! Kudos to you for sticking to it And Leanna is adorable, my fiance said she's clapping with her feet.

 

[BSAR]

Just seeing that you had her!! Congrats she is a complete cutie!

 

[NetherlandDwarf]

DeniseJP wrote:

Glad to hear it is working for you...she is so cute all tucked up in her car seat...:adorable: I so miss when mine were that little...

As far as the stitches and being sore down there - I was told (now this was almost 20 years ago) to use a sitz bath that they use for folks who have had surgery down there or hemmorhoids...and they did this for me in the hospital...Andy was so big I needed to be cut and it felt like every time I sneezed,laughed or was in the bathroom that I was going to split open.:shock:

I found the warm sitz bathto be something that made me feel better...may want to check with your doc on this. I also needed the "donut" to sit on for a bit after Andy... big Benn was a C-section and I did not have the "I cannot sit" issues the second time around.

Denise

when i first read this i was like what is that, i looked it up and i even tried the sitz bath. thanks! it has help a lot, feels like its making the healing go a lot faster. it was horrible sneezing or laughing, and even coughing was pain! I have been using the boppy to sit on LOL