fore milk hind milk imbalance..any thoughts..

[Animom]

One quick Q..did your LO sleep a lot during the flu...DS is sleeping loads today..hope that's good?

[trimbler]

Feeding on cue sounds good to me, it's hard isn't it when everything changes. How are the stools now? When both DD and I both had flu my supply definitely went down and I didn't block feed, her output was less than usual and yellow and the milk I pumped to try and get it up again was very creamy. Once my supply returned to normal I could immediately see the difference, the milk was almost blue and watery with a little creamy stuff on top! So I stopped pumping. But don't get hung up on how much you can pump, easier said than done I know Poor DD sounds very poorly - yes, mine slept loads with the flu, ended up cutting most of her naps short at 2h in order to try and get most of her milk in the day, especially as I also had flu and needed the rest myself. She doesn't usually need naps capping to 2h!

[Animom]

Hi...things are much better now..DS has recovered from the cold n my supply also is back after AF..

Last 2-3 days I tried block feeding...feeding 2 times with each breast was not making much of difference so I decided to feed with one side for 3 feeds (the doctor told me to feed using same side till you feel it is totally empty) n that has made a difference with the stools...much yellow (v v little green)...though still watery...also since doing block feeding his number of stools has also reduced to 1-2 as compared to 2-4 earlier...(was it the same for you Trimbler)

I felt little uncomfortable for a day but not I think my breasts have adjusted...

thanks so much Trimbler n other ladies for your support n suggestions...when ur in a problem or dilemma..encouraging words mean a lot

[trimbler]

Brilliant news Animom, happy to help Has the mucous also gone/reduced? DD's stools were still on the runny side until recently, really, once she'd got going properly with solids. I don't think they really reduced in frequency until around 6mo, she just did lots of little ones, but I think that's just her! Now with solids in the mix I'm finding it harder to tell what's going on... You seem to have it all sussed now for the time being, realising when your supply is low for whatever reason and acting accordingly, I'm still very much on a learning curve with that, I don't remember noticing supply changes at all with DS until weaning from the breast, but it's all very different this time, as with you. All the best

[Animom]

Yes...the smaller ones have no mucus n larger stools like the morning one has little bit ..but I'm so relieved to see normal poops..

[trimbler]

Brilliant

[Animom]

Hi...i just had a question for Trimbler...

I'm doing block feeding n poos R much better little watery but much less mucus...though occasionally we do get the green one...i just feel my supply has reduced to an extent...so why is it still taking block feeding to get yellow poos...i just sometimes feel LO feeds for v little time (5 mins from 1 side at each feed)...n doesn't seem to suck v vigourously...so I just wanted to know R U still doing block feeding? N when did U discover the tongue tie...did ur LO show any signs?

[trimbler]

So sorry Animom, I've been away from these forums over lent and only just seen this How are things going now? To try and answer some of your questions - if they're still relevant...

Tbh I'm not an expert so please take anything I say with a pinch of salt. I know LOs can get much more efficient at feeding as they get older, although mine would tend to either linger or get distracted! I'm not really block feeding any more but lots has changed as her tummy's presumably bigger and she's on solids, so I wouldn't know what colour her poos would be without the solids now. I did have a dip in supply when we both had flu in January, so ditched block feeding temporarily to get it back up again, and settled on the feeding pattern below when we started getting green stools again (solids weren't properly established then).

Feed 1: R
Feed 2: R then L
Feed 3: L then R
Feed 4: R (BT)
Feed 5: L (df)

I found that the right side seemed to do her for 1.5 feeds and the left for one, iyswim? Now we've just ditched the df I'm offering the left at BT too, so I've ended up offering both sides at every feed, but starting with the same side which I used last, so she gets the fattier milk first. That's just us though, I'm sure you'll find many variations on here! I only found out about the tongue tie and silent reflux when I saw a lactation consultant about the green stools and slow weight gain, she was 3mo by the time we had it divided, I'd already started block feeding by then.

How's DS doing otherwise? Weight etc? And how old is he now? It's quite normal to feel less full and feel like they're feeding less around the 6mo mark, when actually I think they can just be more efficient and you just make what they need each feed without filling up so much in between or something like that?! HTH? So sorry for the delayed reply.

[Animom]

No problem Trimbler...my DS is now a little over 4.5 months...i have recently stated offering both sides as he doesnt seem t be satisfied with one (the doctor has told us not to worry about green stools...though DS has been slackening on weight gain but is a happy n very active baby) ...but i'm having some new problems...teething n v distracted feedings...i'm starting a new thread about it..thanks for your reply

[trimbler]

Ah yes, distraction is pretty common at that age! I'm sure you're getting good help on that on your other thread? I think keep following your instincts, if he needs more then offer it, although th 4mo GS might be affecting things so you may not always need to offer both, or of course your supply may have dropped and you just need to do this to build it up again. If you do want to pop back here again I should be around now!