my baby is 10wks old today and i am back at work and tryng to keep the breastfeeding going. i have been real good a pumping every 1 1/2- 2hrs. and nursing right before i leave her and when we are home. is it normal for my milk to be low on some days. i have always had a lazy breast, what i mean by that is it doesnt pump as much as my left one does. i have tons of milk stored up due to starting to pump at 2wks. but Im just worried that it will stop. I had this problem last time but i was able to still pump and nurse til my son was 18mnths. j;ust worried that it will be different. any comments or suggestions. also i am craving nothing but junk. i.e cokes, and lots of sweets and im always hungry is this normal? i lost alot of weight my first 2wks but it seems to have stopped and i feel like im putting it back on. help what do you reccomend. what should i be eating and what should i not be eating and drinking. she is growing and gaining weight and the dr. said she is doing good. just worried. so im a mom of 6 ranging from 16-10wks why do i feel like i dnt know anything sometimes. frustrated!! i know im stressed out, depressed due to personal issues in my life right now trying to be the best mom i can be. my kids are my world and they are the reason i breathe., any help, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU
My baby is almost as old and my sugar cravings are out of control I have heard that good fats and lean protein can help.
I control it by snacking all day and keeping all my meals small so that I don't get too many calories by doing this.
Well I know you should drink lots of water I know easier said that done. I don't know what kind of pump you have that could make a difference. Like if you have a single pump and always start with the one that produces more start with the other side. I was told when I had my oldest that when I pumped it was best to have a picture of my baby with me so I could look at it and it would help with let down and it did. With my youngest I had a double pump which I loved. But alot of time I would still help it some squeeze some out. It made a big differenc.
Hope that helps. Good luck and God Bless!
Sorry about the personal issues and getting depressed. I can tell from your message that you are already doing the best you can do.
I was told to remember that your baby sucks at the breast a _whole_ lot better than any breast pump. So your baby is getting a lot of breast milk when you are at home. It is possible to keep up the breastfeeding without pumping (maybe you could pump after a breastfeeding to keep up a stock in the fridge or freezer).
Remember, too, that your supply will increase when your baby is breastfeeding and it will barely increase while pumping. You can count on having ups and downs with the pumping.
The main things to do will be to watch out for the junk food (keep roasted, unsalted almonds or carrot sticks handy), keep the nipples dry, keep a good latch while breastfeeding, and do the best you can with the pumping.
You do need to take care of your self. (Well, I'm working on that too!!)
It's amazing how much of an upbeat attitude can change things around. Maybe, instead of thinking that the breastfeeding is going to end (because the pumping isn't "good enough"), think of how your baby is growing and healthy!
Take care!
Keep pumping and know that there will be ups and downs. Focus on the big picture vs every little ounce (watching the pump does not help). Keep hydrated, try not to stress, and eat things like oatmeal. I also drank Mother's Milk Tea and felt it helped (with a sort of delayed effect). Try to keep positive. You did it before. I was VERY hungry when I was nursing and when I quit I found I was eating 500 calories I no longer needed. I cut back slowly. A little less sugar in the coffee. Not buying soda so it wasn't handy. That sort of thing. You have a lot on your plate, but if you're the mom of 6, you know you can hang in there.
I pump twice during the day while I am at work. Maybe I am just different but that is enough for me to keep up with her demand. I get about 9-11 ounces out of each pumping session. 1.5 to 2 hours seems like a lot to me. I don't know that I could keep up with that. Remember that breastfeeding is all about supply and demand. If you are demanding (the pump or the baby), your body will keep producing. And every little drop you get, regardless of whether or not you keep up with her demand, is good for her. I stressed so much about keeping up but when I finally stopped and just came to terms with the fact that no matter how little I produce, it's good for my baby. I told myself it was OK to supplement if I had to. It's almost like taking that stress off my shoulders helped my supply. It seemed like I started to produce more once I wasn't so stressed about it anymore. You are doing great! Just keep pumping, try to drink lots of water, and take good care of yourself.
I also feel your pain on the junk food - I'm hungry all the time and all I want is sugar, too. Just do your best and try not to beat yourself up. :)
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water!!! This will help keep your milk up. It sounds like you are doing all the right things. Don't stress about your milk production, I was able to pump for 9 months while working. I had a similar experience as you, one side was a bit lazy. What I would do is on the weekends I would pump the lazy side after nursing on the good side to try and increase the mill production. It definitely helped. I tried real hard to keep it even so that I didn't end up with one side larger than the other when it was all said and done. It can be frustrating when you are not sure you are doing the right thing and worrying what if I can't keep it up, but guess what you can!
I know exactly how you feel, my oldest is 11 and our 2nd boy just turned 1 and I feel like everything is all new again and I know nothing! I think it's because we have more experience now and we realize that we really don't know anything lol.
Don't stress, you are doing great just keep it up as long as you can and don't feel bad if at some point you feel you need to stop. Remember you have to do what is best for you and baby and sometimes it's what is the least stressful for you to keep your peace of mind! A healthy mom is needed to take care of the kiddos!
eating more fat will help with the sugar cravings and will help regulate your hormones and blood sugar.
I'm going on a 13 months of pumping at work. Initially I was worried that I wasn't producing enough milk but now I have too much! What I learned was at work - don't work while pumping. Make sure to give yourself a few minutes to relax and think about your baby before you start pumping and then look at pictures and think about your baby while you are pumping. I found this to be the key to my initial pumping issues. Also, bring some clothes that your baby has worn and smell them while you pump. Anything to help your body naturally get into the mood of producing and letting go of the milk. Once your baby starts eating baby food, she/he will not need as much milk. My LO is now 16 months and only drinks breastmilk at school with her regular food and snacks and I still breastfeed her at night and as mentioned before - no problems with the milk supply.
Good luck! LOL - I just realized, I'm pumping right now =)
