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#1
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First week
Hal Berman wrote:
I'm a new Mom to a 5-day old who is frustrated (already!). I can't seem to produce enough milk for him. I would feed him constantly, but he would only have small amounts of poop in his diapers, and would not stop crying. I finally gave in and fed him about 1-2 oz of formula, which he drank up immediately and finally went to sleep. Has your milk come in yet? I wouldn't be surprised if it were just barely coming in. Keep letting him nurse all the time; that's how your body will know to make plenty of milk. I tried pumping, but only got about 1 oz after 40 minutes with an Avent pump. I feel so guilty, because I don't know if I can provide him enough breast milk. That's really good for a baby less than a week old. I'd say you probably don't have a problem, it's just really early and sometimes milk is slow to come in. -- iphigenia www.tristyn.net |
#2
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First week
I'm a new Mom to a 5-day old who is frustrated (already!). I can't
seem to produce enough milk for him. I would feed him constantly, but he would only have small amounts of poop in his diapers, and would not stop crying. The poop isn't particularly worrisome; plenty of babies don't poop much and at 5 days old he is probably still getting all or mostly colostrum, not milk. Is he still passing meconium (that tarry blackish poop), or has his poop started to turn thinner and yellower? How many *wet* diapers is he having in a day? The crying is more of a concern, but if he's only been that way in the last day or so, I want to assure you that is totally typical for around the 4th or 5th day when your milk is just about to come in and the baby is just starting to wake up and take notice of his surroundings a little more. (Hey! I'm not in my cozy little womb any more, growing and getting everything I need without effort! I have to breathe and eat and stuff and it's hard work!) Keep him latched onto your breast as many hours a day as you can, and this stage will soon be over. I finally gave in and fed him about 1-2 oz of formula, which he drank up immediately and finally went to sleep. (Sigh. WHY do so many new moms DO this? I'm sorry, Kim, I don't mean to pick on you, but I really don't understand it.) If he's crying so hard he can't or won't latch on, a *very* small supplement of formula or sugar water might help calm him down enough so you can then get him on the breast. But be cautious; basically feeding him formula (especially using a bottle) is the absolute WORST possible thing you can do right now. Giving him enough to make him sleep is a really, really, really bad idea. For one thing, every ounce of formula you feed him is an ounce of breastmilk that your body wrongly thinks it doesn't need to make. ESPECIALLY right now when your milk supply is just starting, you've got to nurse as much as possible, and avoid any kind of supplements as long as the baby isn't dehydrated or losing too much weight, or you risk battling low supply for months. For another thing, every ounce of formula you give him increases his risk of pretty much every disease known to man. Okay, so 2 ounces isn't likely to hurt him measurably and of course you have to feed him. I don't mean to make you feel bad about what's done; you needn't feel guilty about a decision you made on the basis of poor information. But be realistic about the possible effects and don't fall down the slippery slope of more and more supplementing! Finally, if you give a newborn a bottle, he may develop nipple confusion, meaning he gets confused about how to properly suckle at your breast, since the bottle requires a completely different set of actions, or bottle preference, meaning the baby will refuse to nurse because the bottle is so much less work for him. Either situation can result in horribly painful nipples for you, in addition to the nutritional problems for baby. I tried pumping, but only got about 1 oz after 40 minutes with an Avent pump. I feel so guilty, because I don't know if I can provide him enough breast milk. Your body grew a whole baby. Of course it can make enough milk! Pumping 1 oz. in any amount of time with an Avent at 5 days post partum is excellent. My milk hadn't even come in until that night, and my early attempts at pumping (because of flattish nipples) yielded virtually nothing. You are making milk. Don't worry about it. Should I contact a lactation consultant, or will I ever produce enough? Yes, contact a lactation consultant. A good LC can reassure you and help you figure out why your baby might be crying so much, if in fact he is still so unhappy by tomorrow. :-) YES, you will almost certainly produce enough milk -- assuming you throw out the formula and nurse, nurse, nurse! :-) Best wishes and congratulations on the birth of your precious son! Holly Mom to Camden, 2 yrs |
#3
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First week
Hal Berman wrote:
I would feed him constantly Keep doing that. The more you feed him, the more milk there will be. Make sure he has a good latch; otherwise, it's harder for him to get the milk out, and your body doesn't get the stimulation it needs. And a good latch will keep you from getting as sore when he's connected 24/7. Drink plenty of water. Don't supplement with formula unless he's not producing enough output (I forget what the guidelines are for newborns). I assume there are no other issues (like prior breast surgery, tongue-tie, retained placenta)? I tried pumping, but only got about 1 oz after 40 minutes with an Avent pump. That's pretty darn good. My first try pumping, I didn't get enough to cover the bottom of the bottle in 40 minutes. And my baby was more than 3 weeks old and growing like a weed. Should I contact a lactation consultant It can't hurt, and might help. I really don't think this is a supply issue, though. A lot of 5-day-old babies want to nurse all the time, and that's good for him and your milk supply. Phoebe |
#4
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First week
"HollyLewis" wrote in message ... (Sigh. WHY do so many new moms DO this? I'm sorry, Kim, I don't mean to pick on you, but I really don't understand it.) I think its got to be hard to resist Holly. You know well I would never do it *but* I told DH today that I understand for the first time why moms do. I can almost believe in the middle of Owen's three week growth spurt that there is no milk in there and he's starving -- Rhiannon Madison Sophia - 9/6/01 Owen Grady - 6/23/03 |
#5
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First week
I'm a new Mom to a 5-day old who is frustrated (already!). I can't
seem to produce enough milk for him. I would feed him constantly, but he would only have small amounts of poop in his diapers, He needs to have 6-8 wet diapers a day. and would not stop crying. Does he cry when nursing? Is he happy for awhile after nursing? I finally gave in and fed him about 1-2 oz of formula, which he drank up immediately and finally went to sleep. Lots of people lose confidence and give formula in the early days. Just don't do it again! Really, it will be okay. :-) I tried pumping, but only got about 1 oz after 40 minutes with an Avent pump. Very typical. For one thing, your milk is just coming in. For another, many women cannot let down well for a pump. And finally, how much you can pump is no indicator of how much your much more efficient baby is able to get. I feel so guilty, because I don't know if I can provide him enough breast milk. Unless there is something medically wrong with you (which is vanishingly rare), you can do it! It is absolutely typical for newborns to want to nurse all the time. It makes them feel more secure, and it helps to bring in the milk. I usually had my babies latched on most of the time for the first couple of days until my milk came in. Should I contact a lactation consultant, or will I ever produce enough? You WILL produce enough, but by all means contact an LC for reassurance and to prevent possible problems. And keep posting here! Leslie Thanks in advance, Kim Leslie Emily (2/4/91), Jake (1/27/94), Teddy (2/15/95), and William (3/5/01) http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/o/onemoremakesfour/ "Children come trailing clouds of glory from God, which is their home." ~ William Wordsworth |
#6
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First week
Hal Berman wrote:
Hi all, I'm a new Mom to a 5-day old who is frustrated (already!). I can't seem to produce enough milk for him. I would feed him constantly, but he would only have small amounts of poop in his diapers, and would not stop crying. I finally gave in and fed him about 1-2 oz of formula, which he drank up immediately and finally went to sleep. Sounds like my story exactly! I came home on the 5th day, baby was crying constantly, both grandmothers insisted on feeding baby, so he got some formula. Still, at the 1-week checkup, the pediatrician told me to "let go of the bicycle" and completely feed on demand. Within a week, my milk supply went up incredibly and now I'm constantly leaking like crazy. I tried pumping, but only got about 1 oz after 40 minutes with an Avent pump. I feel so guilty, because I don't know if I can provide him enough breast milk. Wow, my first pumping sessions gave out a couple of DROPS in half an hour. You're doing very well! Just keep feeding your baby. You WILL produce enough milk! -- Anita -- Mommy to Sammy, almost 5 weeks old |
#7
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First week
Jessica feeds 2 times a night before and after the growth spurt (way
more during the growth spurt for 9 days). She sleeps one 4 hour stretch and one 3 hour stretch and then a little more in the morning, which gets me 7 to 9 hours of broken sleep. How well is your baby sleeping? Truthfully I don't mind how often she wants to nurse in the night. I fall right back asleep as long as she doesn't want to play, and she hasn't done that in weeks. Now if the days were as easy as the nights, it'd be bliss. KC "jake's mom" wrote in message .com... KC, my son is about 7.5 weeks also. Just curious as to how your night feedings are going. How often is your baby eating overnight and how long does he sleep between feedings? Robin Jakob (7.5 weeks) |
#8
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First week
Jessica has always been a sleeper, so she never did the 5 or 6
feedings at night thing - you poor thing. In fact, early on I had to wake her because she would actually sleep 5 hours at night in the early days. She doesn't anymore. I think she was tired from being starved because I didn't have enough milk at first, but now she is not too tired anymore. During the day she is a Klingon too. It has turned into that she is either in the swing or being held/worn. I used to set her in the stroller for naps, but se immediately wakes up if she's not being worn or in the swing now. Thank goodness for the swing. She is at the breast tons during the day still, but not as bad as the growth spurt which was constant. I think she uses it for comfort alot because if I need to do something I will pass her to dh or put her in the swing she will be happy, but if she is in my arms she's not happy unless she gets boobie. I do co-sleep. I get great sleep even with her nursing. Actually I find that I am getting better sleep now than when I do not have my little bed buddy. Those nursing hormones send me back to sleep so fast. Do you feel pretty rested with the co-sleeping too? The day times with a klingon baby do tire me out for sure though. KC "jake's mom" wrote in message .com... I kept track of all of Jakob's feedings since yesterday at 11 am. He has eaten 11 times so far. Some of those are 5-10 minute feedings and there are a couple of 15 minute feedings. He ate for 45 minutes right before bed last night(very unusual for him). He still got up to eat 3 times between 10:30 and 8:00 --much improved from his typical 5-6 times feeding overnight! He sleeps pretty well as long as we co-sleep. Do you co-sleep with DD? I just roll over and feed Jakob lying down--when I used to cradle hold or football hold to feed him overnight, he thought it was playtime for at least an hour after eating. We've tried the crib and a buggy next to our bed but as soon as he wakes up he is scared and cries. How is your DD during the day? Jakob is a Klingon(nicknamed from another newsgroup)! He must be held or he screams bloody murder. This is extremely tiresome but as I have been told he will grow out of it in a couple of months(fingers crossed). Robin "KC" wrote in message om... Jessica feeds 2 times a night before and after the growth spurt (way more during the growth spurt for 9 days). She sleeps one 4 hour stretch and one 3 hour stretch and then a little more in the morning, which gets me 7 to 9 hours of broken sleep. How well is your baby sleeping? Truthfully I don't mind how often she wants to nurse in the night. I fall right back asleep as long as she doesn't want to play, and she hasn't done that in weeks. Now if the days were as easy as the nights, it'd be bliss. KC "jake's mom" wrote in message .com... KC, my son is about 7.5 weeks also. Just curious as to how your night feedings are going. How often is your baby eating overnight and how long does he sleep between feedings? Robin Jakob (7.5 weeks) |
#9
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First week
Co-sleeping is definitely great for feedings overnight. I do feel somewhat
rested but the nursing hormones do not affect me like they used to. I don't know why. I do tend to fall asleep pretty soon after feeding and sometimes during feeding overnight. Jakob does not stay latched on though so he'll wake me up to relatch him if I fall asleep. I used to fall asleep during feedings in the day or night but that stopped after about a week. He ate for 45 minutes before bed the night before last(unheard of for him) but I was wired right after he ate! I was so mad because he slept for 3 hours which is also unusual for him! That would have been some good sleep! I can't wait until he sleeps for 5-6 hours at a time! Does Jessica tend to gravitate to you in the night? That is one aspect of co-sleeping I do not like because I'm scared I will accidentally hit or push Jake in my sleep. He kicks around a lot and moves his arms and wiggles his body too! He is sooo sweet to sleep right next to when he is not kicking, squirming, etc. Daytimes wear me out because of the klinginess! He was very good today and spent 20 minutes alone talking to Raggedy Ann in a pack and play! I was so happy. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Is this your first child or do you have others? This is our first and he is definitely a handful--wouldn't trade him for the world though! Robin "KC" wrote in message m... Jessica has always been a sleeper, so she never did the 5 or 6 feedings at night thing - you poor thing. In fact, early on I had to wake her because she would actually sleep 5 hours at night in the early days. She doesn't anymore. I think she was tired from being starved because I didn't have enough milk at first, but now she is not too tired anymore. During the day she is a Klingon too. It has turned into that she is either in the swing or being held/worn. I used to set her in the stroller for naps, but se immediately wakes up if she's not being worn or in the swing now. Thank goodness for the swing. She is at the breast tons during the day still, but not as bad as the growth spurt which was constant. I think she uses it for comfort alot because if I need to do something I will pass her to dh or put her in the swing she will be happy, but if she is in my arms she's not happy unless she gets boobie. I do co-sleep. I get great sleep even with her nursing. Actually I find that I am getting better sleep now than when I do not have my little bed buddy. Those nursing hormones send me back to sleep so fast. Do you feel pretty rested with the co-sleeping too? The day times with a klingon baby do tire me out for sure though. KC "jake's mom" wrote in message .com... I kept track of all of Jakob's feedings since yesterday at 11 am. He has eaten 11 times so far. Some of those are 5-10 minute feedings and there are a couple of 15 minute feedings. He ate for 45 minutes right before bed last night(very unusual for him). He still got up to eat 3 times between 10:30 and 8:00 --much improved from his typical 5-6 times feeding overnight! He sleeps pretty well as long as we co-sleep. Do you co-sleep with DD? I just roll over and feed Jakob lying down--when I used to cradle hold or football hold to feed him overnight, he thought it was playtime for at least an hour after eating. We've tried the crib and a buggy next to our bed but as soon as he wakes up he is scared and cries. How is your DD during the day? Jakob is a Klingon(nicknamed from another newsgroup)! He must be held or he screams bloody murder. This is extremely tiresome but as I have been told he will grow out of it in a couple of months(fingers crossed). Robin "KC" wrote in message om... Jessica feeds 2 times a night before and after the growth spurt (way more during the growth spurt for 9 days). She sleeps one 4 hour stretch and one 3 hour stretch and then a little more in the morning, which gets me 7 to 9 hours of broken sleep. How well is your baby sleeping? Truthfully I don't mind how often she wants to nurse in the night. I fall right back asleep as long as she doesn't want to play, and she hasn't done that in weeks. Now if the days were as easy as the nights, it'd be bliss. KC "jake's mom" wrote in message .com... KC, my son is about 7.5 weeks also. Just curious as to how your night feedings are going. How often is your baby eating overnight and how long does he sleep between feedings? Robin Jakob (7.5 weeks) |
#10
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First week
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