Breastfeeding Help!!! - Atwater,CA

I remember the first couple months of breastfeeding was really just learning how to do it, when to do it, and how much she was getting. It took us a while to get through the pain and the worry of her not getting enough, but by about 4 months we were in sync. Just keep it up and it will get easier.

The pain could be normal if she's nursing a TON, but I would have it checked out anyways, it could be the beginning of a clogged duct/mastitis/a clogged milk sinus etc... No point in taking a risk, especially during this time frame when you are still trying to build your breastfeeding relationship. It can take a solid three months for everything to start going smoothly, so don't get discouraged.

About how much she's eating, this is very normal at her age. Babies go through very noticeable growth spurts (especially noticeable if they are breastfed since the constant nursing makes it pretty obvious). Sometimes they only have a brief pause between them so it seems like they are just heavy eaters. Every baby is different so the important thing is to pay close attention (keep a journal if it helps) so you can familiarize yourself with your own baby's unique feeding/growth spurting patterns.

My advice: KEEP NURSING!!! The pain could be a clogged duct. Massage the milk toward her mouth while she is nursing. I might go see a doc to be on the safe side. Or her ped. HTH!! Blessings!!

It's hard to say how much a breastfed baby eats, but you can have faith that your body and her body will sync up if you let them. Your body will respond with more milk if she needs it. Could you try going without formula and letting her suckle more? I can sympathize with not feeling like you get much done other than feed her. Taking good care of a baby is a really big accomplishment every day, so don't minimize that. I've found that getting other things done is really aided by being able to wear the baby--in a sling or wrap. As far as the pain goes, it sounds like you ought to see a lactation consultant. I know that the hospital where I had my first baby paid a lactation consultant to be available to the moms that had delivered there, so you may not have any out-of-pocket expense. Check with La Leche League, your midwife, or your doctor. Good luck--it will get easier. You're doing a great thing for your baby.

Feeding on demand means feeding when they're hungry. It can be every 30 minutes in many cases (cluster feeding) or there can be as much as 1-3 hours in between feedings. Totally depends on the baby and their growth cycles.

From apx 2weeks to 9 months my son ate an average of 20oz per feeding. In the beginning (first 3 or 4 months) that meant nursing for over an hour, and then burping for almost an hour (I got caught up on a lot of reading). Then 30 minutes to an hour to "do something maybe" then nursing again for another hour, burping for almost an hour and naptime. ((I only know the volume of what kiddo was eating because we were part of a BF study, and he was weighed on a fancy schmacy scale that measured all the way down to 10ths of grams - and there are 28 grams in an ounce- before and after feeding.))

By months 4-6 we were down to 1/2 hour of nursing (but still getting apx 20oz), and months 7-9 we were down to 15-20 minutes of nursing (but still getting apx 20oz)

My hubby use to call me "Mother ship" cause my boy was always "docked" or "docking". It did seem like the first 2 months or so he was always attached to me... he ate about every 1 1/2 - 2 hours during the day & nursing sections lasted about 15-20 per side (30-40 min total). So, I really didn't get much done during the day & forget going anywhere. I did start giving him a bottle if we did have to go somewhere, which never affected him nursing or my supply.

As to pain - if his demand went up, sometime it would cause me to be a little more painful. But I also had a few clogged ducts w/ him and man oh man can they be painful. I'm not sure what kind of pain you are dealing with. Also, sometime if he sucked me dry it would hurt as well... cause he kept sucking & nothing was coming out.

I did look up increasing milk supply and one thing they said to do is ate oatmeal... I was suprised to find out that it does help. So, I don't know if that would be helpful or not... if she is sucking you dry it might. Which could be another reason she seem hungry all the time.

Good luck w/ the nursing!!! It can be very hard, but is well worth the effort.

I will go as far as to say that's it's dangerous for your health (and maybe hers too) to supplement with multiple bottles of formula everyday at this stage. You probably have a clogged duct or even infection at this poiont because your daughter is not emptying your breasts completely. Also by giving her formula she is filling up on that and not getting the hind milk that's so important at this stage. Eventually you will start making less and less milk which will lead to early weaning. Trust in nature and your ability to feed her and stop giving her formula. Nurse on demand, this stage is really short, she won't want to nurse constantly for much longer. You should not be experiencing pain at this point. A hot shower and massage the breast outward to unclog a duct. Drink lots of water, get lots of rest and nurse her whenever she wants. If you experience a fever or flu like symptoms at all get to a Doctor that supports and understands breast feeding. It is a constant thing in the beginning, most babies seem like they nurse all the time at her age. Take her schedule as your own, rest when she wants to nurse as your body needs it. I promise it will change before you know it and you will look back on those quiet, sweet times with fondness. Good luck!

At that age they nurse a lot. I have a 9 week old baby girl and I have 3 older children that I have exclusively nursed for about 2 years.I would also use a carrier to feed them in so I can get stuff done while she is eating. My personal favorite is the moby wrap. As far as the pain, I say nurse her some more. you probably have a clogged duck due to your baby not emptying your breast. you can also pump. after she eats.

I think the advice to keep nursing will be best to help with the pain, but as for the how much she eats... just know that supplementing can be a slippery slope. The more you do it the less milk you will have, which causes you to need to supplement more and then your milk to decrease more. Like the other mom's said, feed when she wants and as long as she wants is best, she may be going through a growth spurt? Keep it up mama, you should be proud you made it this far. If you are worried about supply try the Mother's Milk Tea. It worked really well for me to help increase my supply.

Hi,
I strongly recommend you see a lactation consultant. I don't think 8 week old babies should be eating ALL THE TIME and that pain in your breast is not okay. However, if your daugther's latch is not good she may not be getting a complete feeding. Also, a poor latch that doesn't allow her to properly empty your breast will lead eventually to a plugged duct and beyond that to mastitis (breast infection).
My son is now 7 months and for the first 5 months he nursed frequently. I fed him every 2 to 2 1/2 hours and he probably would have gone for more, but if I did feed him more frequently he wasn't hungry enough to drain the breast. I did eventually get a plugged duct which turned into mastitis two weeks later. And, girlfriend, I was SICK.
I don't know what might be happening to cause the pain in your breast but I do think you should get some help. If you can't see a lactation consultant through your hospital, contact La Leche League. They are really helpful and hold regular meetings where you can meet other moms and get support.
Another point: when my breast was most painful from the plugged duct and mastitis, the best relief I got was by doing the following:
1. hot shower with lots of water on the breasts
2. Alternate hot washcloth with towel-wrapped ice pack. Do this 2-3 times
3. Pump. The heat helps the milk flow and the cold decreases swelling around the milk ducts.
This worked for me even when the baby was frustrated by not getting enough milk due to the plug. Pump as long as you can or until you are sure the breast is as empty as can be.
If your duct is plugged your supply to your baby effectively goes down. You might also consider some herbs to boost your supply. Lecithin (granules, available at Whole Foods) help decrease the recurrence of plugged ducts. The most important prevention is to stay hydrated.

Oh, another site to visit for information on getting a good latch:
http://www.drjacknewman.com/

Sorry to ramble

HI A.,
That's how infants feed. Some portions, their little bodie/tummies can only hold so much.

Nurse, nurse, nurse, nurse and the nurse some more! Stop giving her the bottle. Your body will produce what she needs. How long does she nurse for? Is it at least 15 minutes at a time? Or is she just having a few sips? That will really depend on what you should do. If she's not nursing for long periods of time, she's not getting the hind mild, which is the really good stuff. At this age, you need to be nursing on demand. If she acts hungry, put her to your breast. If she doesn't nurse much, she may have something else going on (gas, tired, wet diaper, too hot...etc)
The pain might be from her latch. Or it could just be from her nursing all the time. When my daughter goes through growth spurts and nurses a lot my nipples start to hurt.
Just keep nursing her each and every time she's hungry.