Does water help?

Everyone else has seemed to answer all of your questions, but I wanted
to reply to this bit:

On 2006-11-30 22:35:51 +0800, "xkatx" said:


Maybe it does have something to do with relaxing... Last night in bed,
I layed down with her beside me, and it was alright. I do know that
during the day, though, I'm probably far from sitting down and
relaxing. I'm not sure how I could do this, as during the day, I'm
running after DD1 or hearing complaints or something from DS. It's
kind of hard to just concentrate on relaxing and taking it easy while
feeding DD2... I don't have a place, really, where I could put DD1 to
'relax' with DD2 to feed. Any place that is alright for me to just
let her go loose while I feed just doesn't have a place for me to sit
back, and I really don't see how there would be room to add a nice
comfy chair, or something. I felt the major letdown last night, I know.



What about a beanbag or something? You could get into a nice comfy
position in that, easy to carry around into a playroom for DD1 or
something.

Anyway, good luck - get some fenugreek (not expensive) and see how you go.

Jo


Woman, Wife, Mother, Midwife

"Notchalk" wrote in message
...
Everyone else has seemed to answer all of your questions, but I wanted to
reply to this bit:

On 2006-11-30 22:35:51 +0800, "xkatx"
said:


Maybe it does have something to do with relaxing... Last night in bed, I
layed down with her beside me, and it was alright. I do know that during
the day, though, I'm probably far from sitting down and relaxing. I'm
not sure how I could do this, as during the day, I'm running after DD1 or
hearing complaints or something from DS. It's kind of hard to just
concentrate on relaxing and taking it easy while feeding DD2... I don't
have a place, really, where I could put DD1 to 'relax' with DD2 to feed.
Any place that is alright for me to just let her go loose while I feed
just doesn't have a place for me to sit back, and I really don't see how
there would be room to add a nice comfy chair, or something. I felt the
major letdown last night, I know.



What about a beanbag or something? You could get into a nice comfy
position in that, easy to carry around into a playroom for DD1 or
something.

Hm... Maybe a big, giant, comfy beanbag chair would be nice... I have always
wanted one, actually!
The problem really isn't so much the place to sit - it's more the place to
sit in.
Right now, there's really no space to make a special area. The main floor
consists of the kitchen on one half, the living room on the other and the
stairs going up on one side, down on the other. It's like a big circle. We
have the baby gates at the top of the basement stairs and the bottom of the
upstairs stairs. There's very little room in the pathetic living room,
which is more of the computer type room, as it's packed with not much - one
computer desk with both computers crammed on it, the piano, 2 fish tanks in
the corners and the space open in the room is a 5x8 rug - and there's maybe
2ish feet open on one side of the rug (that piano is on) about 3' of floor
where the desk is and about a foot under the window with no rug. The room
is small, and, actually, the kitchen is fairly bigger.
The babies' room is kind of DD1's playroom, but going all the way upstairs
to trap DD1 in that room to feed DD2, or something, doesn't work so well, as
DS is not at all interested in sitting in there, and he gets into anything
and everything if left alone for too long. I also can't hear him if he's in
the basement (his playroom) if I am in the bedrooms, but I can from the main
floor.
This is one thing that we really, really need to try and figure out, but
neither of us have a clue.
I do like a beanbag idea, though. And maybe just let DD1 free-roam of the
main floor, as always. Difference would be a more comfortable chair when
compared to the floor or the kitchen chairs.

Anyway, good luck - get some fenugreek (not expensive) and see how you go.

I did. I picked up a bottle earlier today

Jo


Woman, Wife, Mother, Midwife

" wrote in message
oups.com...

xkatx wrote:
...Just wondering...
DD2 is 5 weeks. So far, weight gain has been great, she does seem to be
eating enough, but lately, maybe the last week or so, I've noticed that
she's doing the same thing as DD1 did... She'll eat, and then it's almost
like she gets angry and frustrated. She'll try to suck a bit, but then
kind
of shakes her head around, but it's almost like she's looking for a
nipple
to suck, even though it's right there. DD1 did the same thing, which is
why
I'm now getting a bit concerned.

Both my daughters did something like that -- can't remember whether my
son did as well. In our case it didn't seem to be thrush or lack of
milk -- just a weird behavior thing that I never did figure out the
reason for, but that they eventually stopped doing, thank goodness.

Have you tried burping her when she does it? I think some babies get a
pain in their tummies when they have gas, interpret it as a hunger
pang, and then try to cure it by eating more, and get mad when the pain
in the tummy gets worse.

--Helen

I do try and burp her, and often she does let a real good one (or two) go.
I do find she's extremely gassy. Moreso than any of the others. I do pump
her legs often - basically for about10 minutes before I change a diaper, and
then every now and then if she's just laying around doing nothing.
I didn't think it could be gas, but it could be. I have no idea. Maybe
I'll try burping her a bit more and more often during feedings. Maybe that
might help as well?

"Pologirl" wrote in message
oups.com...

At 5 weeks, I would say that behavior indicates the baby needs to be
burped. Or in the case of my 2nd, belched. Breastmilk is mostly
water, but water is the "cheapest" component of it. Are you consuming
enough calories?

I'll definitely give more burping a shot. DD2 belches as well. They're
burps I don't think even I could come up with! About the calories, I really
don't know. I've never counted or kept track of that, and I do try and
shovel at least 3 meals down my throat when I can, and I try and snack in
between, since I would doubt what I can inhale in about 5 minutes would be a
full meal!

Re fenugreek, O Experts please tell me: can you use the seeds or do
you need the flower or leaves? (Fenugreek seeds are a common spice in
India and are available at many Asian groceries. Their odor reminds me
of maple syrup.)

I'm not an expert - just heard about it yesterday, or possibly today
(whenever it was brought up)
I picked some up earlier today at the health food store. It was about $10
for a bottle of 100. They're like horse pills! I didn't smell them - not
sure if pills have a smell or not - since I have issues swallowing even a
small Tylenol I managed, though.
Kind of went off topic there, but that's alright! :S

Pologirl wrote:


Re fenugreek, O Experts please tell me: can you use the seeds or do
you need the flower or leaves? (Fenugreek seeds are a common spice in
India and are available at many Asian groceries. Their odor reminds me
of maple syrup.)

It's the seeds -- you can boil them up to make a tea. Not too bad if
you don't make it very strong, and far cheaper than the pills. The
seeds are used to make artificial maple flavoring, and the odor does
linger if you are using much of the stuff. But I didn't mind the smell
-- pancake syrup seemed to me to be a perfectly pleasant, motherly
thing to smell like.

--Helen

xkatx wrote:
About the calories, I really don't know. I've never counted or kept track of that

Well, are you losing your pregnancy weight too fast?

FWIW, contrary to what my mother says, and perhaps yours too, as far as
I can tell gas in the stomach does not normally pass through to the
large intestine. Ie, insufficient burping does not lead to farts.


I picked some up earlier today at the health food store. It was about $10
for a bottle of 100. They're like horse pills!

Gaak! Try the seeds. Just swallow a little spoonful of them whole.
Or use them as a topping on vanilla ice cream. They are small enough
to sprinkle. And less expensive than your pills. You can also buy
fenugreek seed already ground up, but I personally would find a
spoonful revolting.

Re fenugreek and breastmilk, I found a tasty sounding recipe that uses
fenugreek in rec.food.cooking. The poster remarks "This is an
authentic and very traditional recipe from Morocco. It is usually
served whenever someone has a baby."

"xkatx" wrote in message

Oatmeal? I might have heard something about that... DD1 has a bowl of
oatmeal and a bowl of yogurt for breakfast every morning... Maybe I should
try that?

Oatmeal works really good for me if I eat a *big* bowl of it every morning.
I love oatmeal so it is easy to do

The behavior you describe is fairly common I think. It could be a growth
spurt, or baby just sort of 'waking' up etc. I also did some super
switching with my singletons when they did that, mostly because it irritates
me. That resulted in a very abundant supply. Luke did it sometime when he
wanted to suck but wasn't actually hungry. If I offered him my pinky he'd
be happy with that if he wasn't really hungry. A paci would do the same
thing if she takes one. Make sure you aren't taking any cold medicines or
birth control pills (I think the mini pill is OK) as they may dry you up a
bit.

I've also heard that
junk (Pepsi, coffee) doesn't help much, so maybe the cutting down even
more would be worthwhile - even just for myself!

I did drink a couple cups of coffee a day when my babies were little and it
didn't seem to bother them but an excess of caffeine might cause some
fussiness or gassiness or something. Not sure but worth experimenting with
to find out maybe?

In article wFsbh.7029$YV4.6869@edtnps89,
"xkatx" wrote:

...Just wondering...
DD2 is 5 weeks. So far, weight gain has been great, she does seem to be
eating enough, but lately, maybe the last week or so, I've noticed that
she's doing the same thing as DD1 did... She'll eat, and then it's almost
like she gets angry and frustrated. She'll try to suck a bit, but then kind
of shakes her head around, but it's almost like she's looking for a nipple
to suck, even though it's right there. DD1 did the same thing, which is why
I'm now getting a bit concerned.

Sounds like she's just trying to get another letdown out of it. I wouldn't be
too worried, unless she is hurting your nipples by pulling on them. At this
point, you should not be engorged very often, unless Bubs sleeps for an
extra-long time. Your supply will pretty much match the baby's needs. As she
grows, you'll get periods of unsettled behaviour when the baby suckles more
frequently. This is a signal to your body to make more milk. If she looks
like she wants more, just offer the other breast.

I've heard, though, that breast milk is something like 90% water. I do try
and drink as much water as I can, but I have to admit, I'm a Pepsi junkie.
I do, however, *try* and drink a big glass of water, at least, before I
drink anything else (like before a glass of milk, glass of juice, and I try
2 glasses of water before cracking open a can of Pepsi...)
Would drinking A LOT of water help with milk supply? Like, grab a glass of
water before AND after each glass of milk or juice, limit the junk (like the
Pepsi) to one can every 2 or so days, with 2 glasses before and 2 after each
can? Each time I walk into the kitchen - grab a glass of water... Carry
around a water bottle...

I don't want to dissuade you from drinking water, but no. Your body will take
the water from you to make the breast milk. If you aren't drinking enough,
you will get constipation or (as I did last summer) heat exhaustion. The
process by which milk is created is driven by hormones, not your diet. And a
dreadful diet will not create inferior breast milk -- breast milk quality only
suffers during famines.

Would this help at all? I'm just getting scared that what happened with DD1
will happen with DD2 - and I don't want that. DD1 started to lose weight
around 4ish months - although I really can't remember now, exactly... And I
really do think that with DD1, the supply just wasn't there for some reason.

According to the ABA, some reasons for low supply a

* not enough feeds, or feeds too short
* poor positioning at the breast, or poor sucking
* changing sides too soon
* using complementary feeds (comps) and dummies
* introduction of solids too early

The best way to increase your supply is to feed more often. Not for longer,
not for you to eat or drink more, just offer the breast more.

http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/supply.html#make

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

" wrote in message
oups.com...
It's the seeds -- you can boil them up to make a tea. Not too bad if
you don't make it very strong, and far cheaper than the pills. The
seeds are used to make artificial maple flavoring, and the odor does
linger if you are using much of the stuff. But I didn't mind the smell
-- pancake syrup seemed to me to be a perfectly pleasant, motherly
thing to smell like.


I might have to give this fenugreek stuff a whirl as well. I seem to have
quite a bit of milk, so that's not a real problem, but I don't seem to get
really full in the morning like I used to with DS. Any
Australians/Sydneysiders out there who know whether it's available here and
in what forms?

My DD is doing the same thing as Kat's DD2 - feeds for a while then starts
with the open mouth searching while the nipple is still in her mouth. She
only does this in the late afternoon and in the evening, though, not the
whole day. She's also a gassy baby and burps like an old drunk on a bender.
Like Kat's DD2 she doesn't have thrush (was checked out by a nurse a couple
of days ago so that's definite, not just my uninformed opinion).

Kasia

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