I was so surprised and soothed to read your comments on my first Let’s Talk About Boobs post. Your answers were so helpful and your stories so inspiring. Since then, several of you have emailed and left comments on Pinterest wanting to know how all the boob stuff is going, so this is a follow up.
So, it’s been about three weeks since my first boobs post and I have implemented quite a few of the tips and tricks that you all suggested. First, I tried the ‘don’t stress it’ and the ‘relax’ policies. Next I tried the oatmeal. I gave a nursing tea a whirl. All of these things helped me on an emotional level. They made me feel more in control of the situation. I wasn’t sure, however, if they were actually helping with milk production. So even though Ida seemed to be peeing and pooping enough, we took her to get weighed and…
YAHOO! She had gained a whole pound!
That was a huge relief. I could stop worrying so much. *That* was the good news. In *other* news, I was still finding breast feeding to be really hard, and very draining. I would feed Ida for a half hour on each breast and when that was done and I take her off she would howl. Still hungry?? It’s been so hot, I then began to think that maybe she was just thirsty?? Then I remembered some of the comments left by all of you, and I boiled one of the pacifiers I thought we’d never use. She took it, and sucked it gladly for about an hour after that. It was not in my parenting ‘vision’ to use a pacifier, but hell, something had to give. Now the binky and I are kinda BFF’s. And while I still feel like I have her on my boob most of the day, it’s nice to get a little rest from feeding now and again and it’s amazing for the car, too (…and in L.A. that’s a big deal).
I have also began pumping when ever Ida naps. This has helped a lot, because, although I do feel like I have more milk than I did a few weeks back, it’s still not raining milk over here. I like having bottles in the fridge to know that if she is still hungry after a feeding, I can give her breast milk. I was also able to go out for a quick dinner with girlfriends and leave her home with daddy for an hour. That felt really good. I got a hands-free pumping bra too. It’s my new favorite thing. I joke that my like now is like ‘pump, pin, pump, pin, pump, pin…’. We only have a ‘reserve’ of about 3-4 oz. of milk at any given time in the fridge as I still work to keep up with the demand, but I have dreams of opening the fridge and freezer to bottles and bottles of milk…a girl can dream, right?!
I have also taken the girls out in public. I have breast fed three times now in restaurants and cafe’s–and even at a book fair. I am happy to report that no one so much as batted an eyelash. I don’t know what I was so worried about?! I feel so relived and so grateful, and even though this new life as milking mother is challenging, and I’m still working on a lot of things (side feeding is at the top of the list right now, along with getting better at feeding without the “Brest Friend” pillow–which I love, but can’t have with me at all times…) I feel encouraged and empowered and all around in awe of my baby, my body and my boobs.
top photo from my last month of pregnancy taken by the lovely Annie McElwain
My children are 8 and 4 and I remember these days so well! My daughter was small, lost weight and became jaundiced in her first week. We just nursed and nursed until she started gaining weight. With practice, I began relaxing – and found that a snack, a favorite show and a glass of water at our nursing spot helped my relax, too. My son was larger and cried like he was still hungry after nursing. After a tearful phone call to my mom, I broke out the pacifier. He didn’t have a problem getting rid of it, like I was led to believe. He gave it to his sock monkey (!) and by the time he did get rid of the pacifier, he was ready for a bit of sweet potato or banana after nursing. And though no one recommends it – we used apple juice and/or water if we felt they were still thirsty. Best wishes to you and your sweet girl!
…that’d be “helped me relax, too” :)
You are doing so well, it’s the hardest job in all the world. Breast feeding is not for the faint hearted and pure determination and persistence really is the key. Getting some extra milk in bottles is such a weight off your shoulders.
Feel encouraged. You’re not alone. My son is 11 weeks old and while I didn’t have any “trouble” with breast feeding I am familiar with feeling like I’m just a milk machine. You can feel like you’re the only one that can really take care of your child and that can be overwhelming. Take any chance you get to steal a little time to clear your head and don’t feel guilty about it!
It feel’s good to know that someone so confident (you) struggles with breastfeeding woes like feeding in public. I would have never thought you were someone who worried about what people would think about BF in public. It is so awesome that sweet baby girl gained weight! It just goes to show that if you trust in your body, it will deliver. When I had my daughter (hospital birth) she was in the NICU and I constantly battled the nurses with bottle feedings. I would walk in to breastfeed her and they would have a bottle stuck in her mouth. It drove be bats and my supply really took a toll because of that. Determination and natural remedies (oatmeal, water water water, mothers milk tea, pumping in between feedings, etc.) helped bring my supply up and I was able to feed her until she weaned herself at 19 months! This go round (hoping to have a home birth) I am determined to exclusivly breastfeed and hoping to see a big difference. Our bodies challenge us often though. We shall see.
Keep up the great work you beautiful woman.
I am so happy that your breast feeding is going well. If I had to do it all over again. I would have breast fed. Just try to relax more and feed her in a calm room. You’re relaxed, Ida is relax maybe more milk will flow and she won’t have to have the “binky” so much.
This is such an awesome and honest post, Justina! I don’t have children (yet) but it’s helpful to read the real issues that new mom’s face. Thanks for sharing and being so transparent.
PS: Baby Ida is SO beautiful. I think she looks like an equal mix of you and her father.
great news Justina! I’m happy that you are pursuing breast feeding and got friendly with the pacifier. Yes , it’s a compromise to our “ideal idea” of what was going to be, but a good one, and you’ve got to be somewhat flexible from now on :D Keep going… it gets better…No words about the extremely beauty baby you have there :)
So glad to hear it’s going better…and us well endowed ladies can do side feeding easier than others. ;)
Remember to drink plenty of water yourself! I about doubled my water intake when I was nursing. My dream of having a milk filled freezer never came true…maybe if I have another one!
Good luck and happy nursing
So great to hear!!!
I second the drink lots of water, whenever I’m at home with my own Mom, she would hand me a glass of water when I would start nursing. I used to think, what is the deal Mama? But I totally understand now :)
I nursed Juliette til she was 22 months, happily :) We were never able to get her to drink pumped milk (sigh. so much down the drain) mainly because I think we didn’t really push it, I was able to feed her myself from the breast so we never really made it happen. Next baby a must, I was physically attached her to for 22 months, literally rushing out on dinners with friends when my Husband would call saying she’s hungry early!!! OH it was tough.
Whatever Mamas choose to do is her business, and it’s so important to support them. So I support you in whatever you do lovely lady.
Xx
I second the drink water shout, everytime I breastfed my daughter I would have my water bottle with me, sometimes your so busy you forget to water yourself!!! Guzzle! Oh and it does get easier and easier honest! Way to go mama she’s a beauty x
With all due respect, lose those “parenting visions”. If I have learned one lesson parenting my 4 children, it is that things RARELY go as I had visioned. The happiest babies are products of the happiest parents, not products of parents who followed some unattainable set of rules. We all have different strengths. Focus on what works for you. Do not compare yourself and Little Miss Ida to anyone else you know. You are unique an you will get through this by concentrating on what works best for you and your family. Just love that little girl and yourself and you both will be fine!
Blessing
Mandy
So happy you are finding some good options for you. Every person and baby is different and no set of books can prepare you enough for those first few months as a mother. I had to give up my no paci dreams too and it allowed me a little sanity and time to myself which made for better milk in the long run;) Hope you continue to find things that work well for you Justina! You are a beautiful mama no matter what!
:) Anna
Great post! Hang in there, in my experience nursing my boys (2 1/2 and 11 months now) a big switch happened around 2 months. Everyone always said nursing is so convenient – and it is – but not in the first 2 months! You’re still learning Ida is still learning and she can’t help you out yet (holding her head etc) around 2 months it started to get way easier for me. Hope the same goes for you.
Boobs do become a big deal after having a baby. I loved breast feeding. Being engorged wasn’t fun, but frozen cabbage leaves helped with that. So you are kind of through the beginning part but make sure you are massages your glands, especially the ones that are in your armpit, you don’t want them to get clogged. Sometimes when you are working with milk production a beer a day can be very helpful. This is a midwife trick. The yeast is what is helpful. Their are a list of tips, that I can share if you ever want to email or chat. I pumped too and sometimes it is nice to rent a electric breast pump for awhile. I used one for time when my daughter was in the NICU for a month. t
They are very handy. Everyone is right though relax and just keep trying. It is funny breastfeeding is natural but not easy. Enjoy the moment because even these things pass to quickly.
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Hello! I had such troubles with bf my first (though I did persevere and continued for a year) and learned so so much that I thought I’d share. I’m now bf my second who is 6 months and have found it so much easier, largely because of the amount I learned first time around. So hopefully this will be helpful (and not annoying) advice…
Please please don’t worry about milk supply. Not having enough milk is a bit of a weird western scare story and rarely true – if you are exclusively breast feeding and feeding on demand you have NOTHING to worry about. Your boobs don’t need to feel full or spurt milk all over the place to be doing their job feeding the baby. Even women starving to death would be producing enough milk to keep their babies alive (not a cheerful image, but true). If you are replacing breastfeeds with formula then your boobs will stop producing what the baby is demanding, but even then you should be able to up the supply by just feeding more (or pumping).
Be careful pumping regularly when you are not feeding (i.e. at a time of day when the baby is not normally feeding) unless you plan on continuing to do so or being very cautious about stopping – you will be upping your supply beyond what your baby needs, and your boobs will get used to making the milk at that time of day. If you then don’t pump one day it will be as if you have skipped a feed, and you could put yourself at risk of mastitis (this happened to me – AWFUL).
Good luck with it all and well done for breastfeeding, wonderful! As everyone else says, too, around 4-6 weeks it all slots into place a bit more… xxx
sounds awesome! you are doing such a great job.
Your story seems so similar to mine. I really wanted to breast feed my son, I loved the bonding time. I heard lots of suggestions, here are the three that made the most difference for me:
Talk to your OB, mine actually prescribed me some Reglan, and it worked wonders for my milk production.
Look up the recipe for lactation cookies, they can be as low in sugar as you want to make them (just make sure to use the brewers yeast, flax seed and non instant oatmeal)
And lastly drink MORE than a gallon of water a day, can’t put out what you don’t put in! Good luck!
Good job mama! Isn’t it crazy and totally amazing that you are keeping your babe alive just with breast milk. Way to go!
My son is 9 weeks and I don’t rain milk either– but am still EBF. I rarely leak (only on one side, if he’s on the other) and I don’t have forceful let down. I pump as well…immediately after my babe feeds…I find that pumping 6+ times a day helps increase supply. I also take herbal galactalogues (nettle, shatatvari, fenugreek + blessed thistle).
but besides all that I find these 2 things important:
1) Eating lots of protein helps. Think oxtail soup, lamb stew, steak…cooked red meat or eggs, and salmon…breast milk is like blood just without the red blood cells.
2) Night feedings (while tiring) have become fun for me because your prolactin levels are highest then…so for someone who doesn’t “rain” milk it’s a real confidence booster to have those feeds where the prolactin is clearly in effect.
stay cool.
Before my first baby, I never thought breast feeding would pack such an emotional punch but even now with my second I think mother’s are just programmed to worry about their baby eating enough. My 8 month old still nurses every 2-3 hours and while I can’t seem to pump more then 2oz per side, those chunky chunky thighs tell me she’s eating plenty.
you can try moringa soup to increase your breast milk production, drink lots of soups, water and juices. if you can get fresh moringa leaves just saute them in garlic and onion, add water, season to taste, just as it starts to boil drop an egg and stir, do not cook too long or you lose the nutrients in moringa or you can make chicken soup with moringa, saute garlic, onion, ginger then add chicken, brown all sides then add water, a few minutes before you turn off the heat add in the moringa and cover. also try black chicken with sibut =)
I didn’t believe my mom when she told me to drink a darker beer for increased milk production. One beer while I was cooking dinner and I thought the milk would squirt itself out!!
Relax, relax, relax was always the key for my Cecilia and I. We managed to freeze a good deal of milk, but soon after I began to travel with work, and there went to storage we had.
You’re doing great, no matter the results, the point is you’re trying.
Best thing that happened to me breastfeeding was figuring how to do it with my son in a sling and later a Mei Tai!! I finally got to be up and moving. We nursed on walks, at the store, everywhere and no one knew. I had a half hour conversation with our neighbor lady in the street and she even polked her head over the edge of the sling and still never realized he was nursing. I felt way less trapped in the nursing chair (I now know why they call it a nursery!!) and more like myself again.
Hooray! So happy for both you to make it over this hump. There are many bumps on the breastfeeding row and you seem to be able to manage them quite well. She’s so adorable, I can’t help it!
yey! breastfeeding is the best thing for her and i am glad that it is working out for you. just keep going! your body will make the milk she needs, just believe it! i breastfed both of my boys till they were 14 months and they went from boob to sippy cup. it was just great! truth be told they are now 6 & 8 and if they could breastfeed right now they would come running. i took my boobs out anywhere, i felt beautiful and it felt natural and i didn’t give a shit. go girl~ ida is beautiful (ida was my great grandms’s name) enjoy this as it really does go by so very fast~
first, wow she is absolutely gorgeous! second, I just wanted to say that as a mum (and a family doctor) sometimes I think the pressure to exclusively breastfeed has gone a bit overboard. BF is wonderful in a million different ways, but every situation is different. I think we can all find ways to feed our babies with love and have great bonding experiences. Personally, I feel like I went to the moon and back trying to avoid formula and in the end my babe was losing weight and my milk was just not enough (despite literally every pharmaceutical and non pharmaceutical galactogogue). When we started supplementing I was a bit devastated but it turned out to be the best choice for our family. I do wish it hadn’t felt like such a failure at the time.
Anyway just my two cents. You sound like a fantastic mama!
Ciara
We referred to pumped breast milk as liquid gold.
amazing post! i am just getting a chance to visit friends’ blogs & learned so much just from reading this & your other ‘boobs’ post! love how you candidly talk about this subject & how so many people are able to come together to share their stories with you. community. :) hope that dream of a fridge filled with milk comes true! that’s like me dreaming about a fridge filled with all the gluten-filled desserts one girl can ever eat in her lifetime! :D a girl can dream~
I was in exactly the same spot about 19 months ago — had a rough time getting started with breastfeeding and was constantly worried about my milk supply. I never had what was truly considered ‘low’ supply but was always feeling like I was short just a bit. I tried everything – oatmeal, fenugreek, brewers yeast, blessed thistle, nursing tea, Ovaltine, Guinness, etc. I pumped after most feedings for the first two months, which was exhausting but helped me build a nice freezer stash.
Many new moms, especially those having difficulty nursing, tend to set short-term goals and extend them as they go, however I always knew in my heart that I wanted to nurse my daughter for her first year. Now here she is at 19 months, still going. She dropped steadily from the newborn 8 or 10 feedings per day down to just morning and night and we’re both happy to continue this way, hopefully for a while.
Anyway, I just wanted to say you’re doing a great job and you’re not alone :)
First time commenter…LOVE your blog!
Congrats on your baby!
My son is now 17 months and still nurses.
I said I would never use a pacifier, but at about a week old my son would nurse and nurse and nurse but sometimes stop and cry during feedings. I came to realize later that he was getting plenty and just wanted to suckle without the milk. I gave him the pacifier and then fed him every 1.5-2 hours. He gained weight very quickly (8.4 at birth and 20 lbs by 3 months!). I think some babies must be born with an extra-strong sucking desire!
My other nursing tip is to try lying down and nursing… in another month or so. Give it a full day trial. I tried to do this in the first few weeks and it was horribly uncomfortable, but after my son and I got the swing of things with nursing, lying down was fabulous!
Nursing was tough for me at first, too. I had a c-section. My nipples were so sore, which is totally normal until they toughen up, but I only heard that from older women who had nursed, not from peers.
Good luck with your little baby!
Here’s some nursing humor for you. :-)
http://www.modgblog.com/2011/08/04/10-things-about-boob-feeding-that-only-im-going-to-tell-you-you-my-friend-are-welcome/
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