Breastfeeding

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
Just read this. Don't wait till baby is ravenous to nurse. Look for the cues. Eating his fist or rooting. If you wait till he's crying and starving he may be swallowing air which can cause gas. Try to relax. This will help your let-down. I used to put my head back, close my eyes, take a deep breath and let it out. If you're tense which you probably are it will take longer for the let down and baby will get MAD!

 

[bumpershoot]

you mentioned that now your baby isn't eating so much and your breasts hurt from the extra milk. Why don't you pump that extra milk and freeze it for emergencies or times when you need to be separated.

 

[Xtina]

It's complicated. Partially because I don't have much spare time, what with working from home. And partially because I'm afraid that pumping will make my body ignore the baby's signals that he doesn't need as much, so I would then keep producing way too much milk instead of decreasing production to meet his needs.

 

[Anianna]

Quote:
I read portions of this thread and what you are going through is a pretty normal pattern. Your baby went through a growth spurt and demanded more food. Now that the spurt is waning, his demands are evening back out, too. You will suffer some from this, but your milk production will respond and also even out. It may sound odd, but something many mothers find helpful for this kind of pain is cabbage leaves against the breast. Wear a loose-fitting bra or camisole that can keep them in place and just wear the leaves. Do make sure that whatever you wear is not tight against the breasts because that will add to your discomfort. It also helps if you have had the cabbage in the fridge, because the cold will help to reduce swelling.

I would not recommend pumping to ease the pain as this will not allow your milk supply to even out naturally. It only acts to inflate the demand for your milk and keep your breasts producing at a rate greater than what your baby needs.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Decreasing your milk is not going to happen for months, if you are exclusively breast feeding. Your child will grow and need more and more milk, so don't be afraid to pump. Often after a growth spurt, demand goes down slightly. The excessive sleep is normal after a growth spurt too. As they get older, you will begin to recognize the signs. My eight year old is going through one now; he eats constantly, is grumpy and tired, and feels out of sorts and a little sore. The way kids grow is extremely taxing, and eats up their energy. So they eat and sleep more, and can get really grumpy. Growing pains are real, and sometimes show as irratability, especially in babies and toddlers. They can't tell you what is happening.

Don't worry about this stuff too much. Pump to relieve the pressure, and relax. More and more it will become a feedback loop, relaxation for you and baby both when you are feeding. There is so much mother wisdom that just doesn't get passed on in our modern lives. In a traditional setting, new moms would be surrounded by experienced moms who would notice the difficulties and offer solutions (much like this online community) but also a lot of knowledge would have been absorbed through the environment.

You might also open your baby's mouth and look at his tongue. It may be a long shot, but he could be tongue-tied. Both of my kids were, and with the first in the hospital, they did not want to tell me because he seemed to be feeding well. By the time it was corrected, we had some serious nursing problems. With the second child, he didn't even come home before his tongue-tie was cut.

 

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
Apply heat and massage. Once your baby is three months old your milk supply will even out with your baby's demands and things in general will get easier.

 

[Xtina]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! Truly, every little bit helps.