Post partum check-in Dec 31st

[Monica11]

Hi Melanie,

Bfing is going SO much better! We had to supplement with formula for a while but now I am able to exclusively bf and she is gaining weight like a sumo wrestler. I have been trying to pump both to boost my production and to build a supply but it is so hard. How do you nurse AND pump? After she is done nursing my breasts are drained and i am lucky to get half an ounce. And as soon as I am done nursing it is almost time to nurse again, so waiting an hour or two to build a new supply is out of the question. I am using a good pump (Medela PIS) so I don't think that's the issue. I am afraid my first few times away from her we will have to use formula again and then hopefully I can use those missed nursing sessions when I am away to pump for the next time. Fortunately, I was able to take a leave from school this semester and only need to go in one day a week just to keep my research going, so I won't have to depend too much on a pumped supply. But it would be nice to have it so that I could get out of the house a bit more, but maybe at 6 weeks that's a little too much to hope for!

 

[melanalyus]

Oh Monica! I am so happy that nursing is going better for you. Yeah!!! So many moms would have thrown in the towel if they had the struggles you had. I"m so proud of you!!!
As far as getting out of the house goes...what is that?

**Melanie**
Jadon born 11/23/05
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94

" Take care of your body like it will last a lifetime. Take care of your soul like it will last for eternity"

 

[GraceNote]

Monica -

Just wanted to throw in some more encouragement - I know it's hard to pump and nurse, but it sounds like you are doing all the right things. Even if you're only getting a small amount when pumping, it should help trigger your body to make more. I started pumping at about 3-4 weeks. Gillian would fall asleep while eating, so I'd pump after she was done, and if she didn't eat every 2 hours, I made sure to pump if/when I got that break (once, that meant pumping at 2 am!) By the end of week 3, I used an Isis manual pump on one side while she nursed on the other and then used whatever I pumped to get her used to the bottle (i.e. I finished the feeding session with the milk I'd just pumped) Sometimes, she wouldn't finish the bottle right away (yeah - all 2 ounces of it!!) so I put it in the fridge to use at the next feeding. Then, at the next feeding, if she didn't want to finish the bottle, I had the freshly pumped milk to put in the freezer. Does this make sense? I did get a few days worth of milk put away before I had to start back to work.

Other tips that REALLY helped me last time - there's a Mother's Milk tea and Fenugreek supplements available at GNC or any other nutrition store. I'm tellin' ya - 24 hours of Fenugreek, and I had a whole additional cup size in my chest! (better than implants, and twice as useful!) The fenugreek is safe to take as far as the baby is concerned, but check the bottle if you have allergies (can't remember if it had warnings...)

Hang in there and keep up the good work!

KC