Pregnant And Breastfeeding Support Thread

[tigerlilly905]

p.s. oh and theresa, I was just reading back to the previous page, you mention your little girl is spirited and doesn't really like the bottle... how's she doing with the cup?  A friend of mine has a spirited l/o and she would never take the bottle... but finally got her on a cup.. Also, another option to consider, SNS (supplemental nursing system) if she flat out refuses anything but the breast - usually they're used for newborns who have trouble latching ect, but could be used in this circumstance... it's basically a small feeding tube, formula or BM is placed in the syringe/container, and there's a tube that goes right along side the breast to the nipple.. as baby suckles on your nipple, the fluid is released down the tube to baby... here's one I've found online by Medela:

http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/breastfeeding-devices/51/supplemental-nursing-system-sns

That could be a good option for you?

And it doesn't look too expensive... http://www.babyproofingplus.com/item8881.htm

[bug_blues70]

Hugs Theresa! I'm so sorry! It's so heartbreaking to not be able to nurse as long as you wanted!

[mommy031010]

Thanks Rebecca, she just wants to play with both the bottle and cup and makes such a mess.  I'm going to keep trying the sippy cup and hopefully she will take it soon.  OUr nights are getting so so bad, she wakes up hungry every hour and I have no milk to give her.  I keep trying the bottle and she just screams.  I'm so tired and frustrated.  We have a trip planned to Mexico in a couple weeks and I really want to have things figured out by then so we can enjoy ourselves.

Oh and I talked to a lady with lalech league and she told me I could start her on Homo milk.  I'm going to try and get her used to the flavor because I found it tasted the most similar to my milk, since I can't pump anything, and slowly add formula for added nutrition. 

THanks for the hugs too Megan.  i am so ready to put this behind us and start getting excited about our new baby coming but the thought is just too overwhelming right now when I can't even feed my one baby.  I never thought this would be an issue because I was one of those moms who for a month was doing all am feeds on one breast and all pm feeds on the other just so she could get some hind milk, i had so so much.  I guess I now have much more sympathy for my friends and SILs who tried to BF but no matter what they did they just couldn't get more milk.

I look forward to updated with the issue resolved soon.  (trying to be hopefull)

[tigerlilly905]

she told me I could start her on Homo milk.

Homo milk at 7.5 months? Wow.. I have never heard of that, however I'd completely trust LLL ... I'd probably prefer to bypass formula all together and go to Organic Homo milk if my doctor would allow it...

Sending you lots of positive vibes and really hope things work out for you. We all know how hard it is.. xoxo

[bug_blues70]

THanks for the hugs too Megan.  i am so ready to put this behind us and start getting excited about our new baby coming but the thought is just too overwhelming right now when I can't even feed my one baby.  I never thought this would be an issue because I was one of those moms who for a month was doing all am feeds on one breast and all pm feeds on the other just so she could get some hind milk, i had so so much.  I guess I now have much more sympathy for my friends and SILs who tried to BF but no matter what they did they just couldn't get more milk.

I TOTALLY understand what you mean. Soon tho, you will be past it and be able to get excited about the new baby. Just think how much faster this pgcy will go! (a good thing, imo!!) I too have more sympathy for people who have trouble bf and for those who have to use FF... I used to be so judgmental about it!! Not anymore!!

Have you tried a sippy straw cup?
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4489115&CAWELAID=631257318
this one has handles and it's smaller than the one I have, but I think the top is the same.

Ah.... here's the one I have:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LK6KOO/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001QXCF0S&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=091ZGHVBA1FTC1YS6MGS

She LOVES it. It doesn't drip, and she doesn't have to tilt it to drink. It's great. I got mine at a CVS/Walgreens and my sister liked it so much she went out and got one for her 1yo and he loves it too.



 

[mommy031010]

Thanks, I'll have to pick one up today.  I thought about it but wasn't sure if she is too young, she might surprise me.  So far I give her her sippy cup at meals and she plays with it in her mouth, it help her tip it and she get a little so I think its a start, she is just so independant.

I decided to increase her meals to 4 +snacks during the day for both solids and BF to see if it will help at night and it did a bit.  Also I seem to have more breast milk.  I had a little wine on Monday with my dinner and I think it might have helped.  Hopefully I can keep the supply up and we can have more time with the weaning.

[bug_blues70]

Ellen didn't quite get how to use a regular sippy cup either, and when I tried to help her tip it, she'd give up That's why we both love this straw cup so much. She can use it all by herself and i think it makes her feel more independent. She also sees me drinking out of a straw all the time (I can't stand trying to drink thru ice ) and so maybe it would help if you could let her see you do it too...

[tigerlilly905]

Megan how did you get her to transition to the straw cup? Was it easy? Charlie sorta gets the sippy, but he too would rather chew on it.

My milk is totally turning into colostrum now.. it's thinner and turning a yellowish/gold colour. DS isn't interested at all in nursing anymore, but I'm still able to pump for his morning and night feeds, although it's now only about 3-4oz max each pump.. but anything is better than nothing, and I still have my dear SIL pumping away for us, so we're managing - still have to supplement but what can you do. 

[bug_blues70]

It's great that you're still able to get at least something!! That's a lot for so late in your pgcy!

I didn't really have to do anything. She was like Charlie and would just chew on the sippy cup - the mouth piece wasn't soft enough or pliable enough for her to even think to suck on it. So I just decided to try a straw and at first she just kinda played with it, but she figured it out pretty quick that if she sucked on it, water would come out. It helped that she didn't have to tip it and that it was soft.

[mommy031010]

She took a bottle last night and drank the entire thing.  I was and am so excited.  She was alot less hungry throughout the night.  I fed her until I was empty and then offered the bottle and she had the whole thing.  Poor little girl, if thats how much she needed no wonder she was waking hungry so much. 

[tigerlilly905]

Awww poor thing.. same thing happend with DS, i'd nurse him, and he wouldn't stay on as long as normal, so I'd try to top him up with a bottle and he'd take the whole thing too!  I felt so bad, but we're in a better groove now.. he's just not interested at all in the breast anymore.. just the bottle, but thankfully I can still pump a little. 

How's your milk production? Have you found it to increase or stay the same? It's so hard to tell isn't it? Did you try her on whole cows milk?  Glad to hear she took the bottle!! YAY!! That must be such a relief!

[bug_blues70]

Yay! I'm so glad she took the bottle!

[mommy031010]

She takes homo milk.  I've started just breast feeding a couple times a day so she can get a full feed.  Its such a relief, I can leave her with a sitter now and know that she will take a bottle when she gets hungry.  With baby #2 I'm going to get a much better pump and use the bottle once a day.

[*Ali*]

Hi ladies. How are things going for you?
I just wanted to let you all know that I am finally PG! Only just got my Big Fat +ve so it's early days still.
Luckily Cadan is 1yo in 2 weeks so I don't have to worry too much about replacing the BM if my supply does drop as he can get all he needs from solids now. I am a little worried about how much liquids he will get though as he doesn't drink great amounts from the cup and doesn't take a bottle. Wouldn't start with a bottle this late anyway. I will just see how things are going with the BF day by day I guess.
Anyway, I'm glad to be a bonafide member of this thread at last.

[Buntybear]

Hi ladies. How are things going for you?
I just wanted to let you all know that I am finally PG! Only just got my Big Fat +ve so it's early days still.
Luckily Cadan is 1yo in 2 weeks so I don't have to worry too much about replacing the BM if my supply does drop as he can get all he needs from solids now. I am a little worried about how much liquids he will get though as he doesn't drink great amounts from the cup and doesn't take a bottle. Wouldn't start with a bottle this late anyway. I will just see how things are going with the BF day by day I guess.
Anyway, I'm glad to be a bonafide member of this thread at last.

OMG OMG OMG!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  Am so pleased for you! xx