summercomfort (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
summercomfort) wrote2016-04-09 07:54 pm
summercomfort) wrote2016-04-09 07:54 pm
(no subject)
So, since the last milk update, we'd settled into this thing where Rutabaga would get about 10-20 minutes of breastfeeding before she and I both got tired, and then she'd have 15-30ml of pumped breastmilk, and then another 15-30ml of formula, as needed.
Pumping has become a bit of a problem. Basically, if I handpump for 20-30 minutes, I can get 45-60ml, but doing that twice in a row really busted up my wrist and I'm still recovering from that. If I use the mechanical pump, I only get 30ml or so, it hurts more, and the shape of the funnel just doesn't catch everything. I can also get 20-30ml just from a combination of very sporadic pumping, catching the drips, and massaging, but that takes 30 minutes and a lot of vigilance. Plus, if I want to maintain my milk supply, I basically have to pump every 2 hours, which would mean that instead of being chained to the baby, I'd be chained to the pump.
Anyway, starting Thursday night and basically most of Friday, Rutabaga suddenly got really fussy and miserable -- wanting milk almost every hour, but then refusing whatever's offered. And pooping like crazy and having all these weird straining spasms -- so we figured: indigestion. So I decided to feed her just from the boob until she stabilized. But exclusive breastfeeding also drives me nuts and after a day of it I was like "no more."
Especially since right now we're basically doing double the workload -- if we were formula-only, we'd only have to prep formula at each feeding. If we were breast-only, we'd only have to prepare the right pillows and the extra time needed. But since we're doing both at each feeding, we need the pillows *and* the warm water *and* the bottles and powders *and* the latching and accompanying pain/discomfort.
Also: my boob has started to hurt more, possibly from all this constant feeding. It hurts when I'm not breastfeeding -- sometimes *more* than when I am.
I'm also worried about the taste and nutrition of my breastmilk -- I've lost 15 lbs in the last 2 weeks and ... that feels a bit much. I might not be eating enough fiber or calcium, etc. Ideally I'd be on my pregnancy diet, but I'm not.
So early this afternoon (Saturday), I talked with Hoosband, and we're like "maybe we should slowly transition to formula only." It'd be less work, and therefore more manageable when Hoosband starts actually working, and when I start going in to the office as well.
But it was like Rutabaga heard me, because she's been basically rejecting formula all day. She'd do the 10-20 minutes on the boob, but then only sip a few gulps of formula. Which means that I've been feeding her 1-2 hours all day. Which causes more boob pain. Like, I'd have bouts between feedings where it hurts more than the latch-on pain, which already hurts like hell. I think my boob is about ready to call a boycott.
So... I guess that's one way for this whole breastfeeding thing to resolve -- a standoff between Rutabaga, who is refusing formula, and me, whose boob just can't take any more.
(Between my boob, my wrist, my incision, and all the lochia, my body is a complete mess right now. D:)
Pumping has become a bit of a problem. Basically, if I handpump for 20-30 minutes, I can get 45-60ml, but doing that twice in a row really busted up my wrist and I'm still recovering from that. If I use the mechanical pump, I only get 30ml or so, it hurts more, and the shape of the funnel just doesn't catch everything. I can also get 20-30ml just from a combination of very sporadic pumping, catching the drips, and massaging, but that takes 30 minutes and a lot of vigilance. Plus, if I want to maintain my milk supply, I basically have to pump every 2 hours, which would mean that instead of being chained to the baby, I'd be chained to the pump.
Anyway, starting Thursday night and basically most of Friday, Rutabaga suddenly got really fussy and miserable -- wanting milk almost every hour, but then refusing whatever's offered. And pooping like crazy and having all these weird straining spasms -- so we figured: indigestion. So I decided to feed her just from the boob until she stabilized. But exclusive breastfeeding also drives me nuts and after a day of it I was like "no more."
Especially since right now we're basically doing double the workload -- if we were formula-only, we'd only have to prep formula at each feeding. If we were breast-only, we'd only have to prepare the right pillows and the extra time needed. But since we're doing both at each feeding, we need the pillows *and* the warm water *and* the bottles and powders *and* the latching and accompanying pain/discomfort.
Also: my boob has started to hurt more, possibly from all this constant feeding. It hurts when I'm not breastfeeding -- sometimes *more* than when I am.
I'm also worried about the taste and nutrition of my breastmilk -- I've lost 15 lbs in the last 2 weeks and ... that feels a bit much. I might not be eating enough fiber or calcium, etc. Ideally I'd be on my pregnancy diet, but I'm not.
So early this afternoon (Saturday), I talked with Hoosband, and we're like "maybe we should slowly transition to formula only." It'd be less work, and therefore more manageable when Hoosband starts actually working, and when I start going in to the office as well.
But it was like Rutabaga heard me, because she's been basically rejecting formula all day. She'd do the 10-20 minutes on the boob, but then only sip a few gulps of formula. Which means that I've been feeding her 1-2 hours all day. Which causes more boob pain. Like, I'd have bouts between feedings where it hurts more than the latch-on pain, which already hurts like hell. I think my boob is about ready to call a boycott.
So... I guess that's one way for this whole breastfeeding thing to resolve -- a standoff between Rutabaga, who is refusing formula, and me, whose boob just can't take any more.
(Between my boob, my wrist, my incision, and all the lochia, my body is a complete mess right now. D:)
no subject
They're a soft cup-shaped flange, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HOLD THEM. They work with the Medela pump and the Hygea pump, which seem to be the most popular models (I used a Medela, both I got through insurance, but also retails places like Babies R Us).
If the hard flanges hurt, make sure you're using the right size? They come in different diameters (standard is.... 24mm? But also 27mm exists).
Handpumping SUCKS. If you pump, I really recommend an electric pump.
If you think that your breast pain is above and beyond tolerable levels, have you compared your symptoms to those of a blocked duct or mastitis?
no subject
Thanks for the Freemies link! I'll look into it.
I've tried the larger size: it doesn't work. My problem is that half of my breastmilk comes out of a weird spot on my areola under the nipple, so it flows away from the flange and ends up making my bra moist. Seriously, believe me when I say that it actually works better when I hand-pump. Or when I just massage and let the drips flow -- it's about the same pace/volume as electric pumping.
Have you been to a BF support group?
Breastfeeding Support Group
Tuesday April 12, 2016 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Meet with other breastfeeding mothers and get support from a board certified lactation consultant.
This class is drop in and ongoing.You do not have to register. NO GROUP 2/9/16, 2/16/16
No registration required for this class
For information call (408) 866-3905
Tabs
Details(active tab)
Map
Photos
When
Tuesday April 12, 2016
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Repeats every week every Tuesday until Thursday June 30 2016 except Tuesday February 09 2016, Tuesday February 16 2016.
Where
El Camino Hospital - Los Gatos Campus
815 Pollard Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032
Directions on Google Maps
Room
555 Knowles Drive, Los Gatos - Classroom 101A
Would you like to get off to a good start with breastfeeding? Meet other breastfeeding mothers, ask questions, and get support from a board certified lactation consultant, by joining the Maternal Network’s breastfeeding support group. Bring your breastfeeding pillow and your questions!
Drop-ins are always welcome.
For More Information
Call our Maternal Child Health Education department
in Los Gatos: (408) 866-3905
Maternal Child Health Education office hours are:
Monday thru Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays
Wednesday April 13, 2016
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Repeats every week every Wednesday until Thursday June 30 2016 .
Where
El Camino Hospital - Mountain View Campus
2500 Grant Road, Mountain View, CA 94040
Directions on Google Maps
Room
Women’s Hospital, Lactation Services, ground floor, Community Room
A Board Certified Lactation Consultant is available in a group setting for quick assessment of urgent concerns related to latch on technique, effective feeding, and breast/nipple problems. At each support group a baby weigh scale is available to check your baby's weight, or to do a weigh-feed-weigh.
For More Information
Call our Lactation Services department at
(650) 988-8290
Lactation Services/Community Room hours are:
Monday thru Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Saturdays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Closed Sundays and Holidays
Blossom Birth
Second and Fourth Fridays, 11:30am- 1:00pm
299 S. California Avenue
Suite 120
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Office Hours:
Mon - Fri, 10am- 2pm
Sat, 9am- noon
and by appointment
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
To schedule an appointment with the lactation consultant at the Palo Alto Center, call (650) 853-2992.
Location: 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, Pediatrics Department
To reach a lactation consultant by phone, call Joanna Koch, IBCLC, at (650) 967-8715 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
I really really REALLY recommend doing a weigh-feed-weigh and getting a real live LC to look at a nursing session and talk about your boob troubles and give you first-hand advice! (Talking to some sympathetic sore-boobed mamas who probably share your own concerns really did help for me!)
Re: Have you been to a BF support group?
I got over-exposed to lactation consultants at the hospital. (I was there for 40 hours total and they managed to squeeze 11 people in there to talk to me about lactation.) It mostly involved people telling me that my latch is beautiful and fine and me still being like "but my wrist hurts" and "but my nipple still hurts". So... yah. No thankyou. What has actually helped was reading on the internet that the engorgement that happens when the milk first comes in doesn't last, that day 5 is the worst, that it's not supposed to hurt after 2 weeks, and that latch-on pain is a thing. All of these are things that none of the parade of people at the hospital bothered to tell me. (Nor the breastfeeding class I went to beforehand, nor the 4-day check-up lactation lady). On day 6 I saw some white spots on my boob and another one on Rutabaga's lip, and freaked out thinking it's thrush and banned Rutabaga from my boob. Turned out that it was milk blisters for me and a sucking blister for her. Why did my breastfeeding info packet tell me about thrush but not milk blisters or mastitis?
My latch is fine. It's not perfect, since Rutabaga has a tiny chin so her latch is basically reversed: lighter on the bottom and heavier on top. But it works, and 3 times out of 5 I can get her to latch in a way that mostly doesn't hurt and where she can breathe without me pressing down my boob, so the rest is just practice. So usually aside from a bit of latch-on pain it's not too bad. As long as I stay with this position. If I switch to cross-cradle, I'd need to get the other side of my areola properly scarred, and I'm not super into doing that right now. In fact, I tried switching to a more convenient pillow yesterday and that caused more pain.
The real problem is that breastfeeding from my one breast is fine for 10-20 minutes about 5-6 times a day (which is what I can do when I'm supplementing with formula), but it's not fine if it's 20-30 minutes about 8-12 times a day. With the latter, basically after about 3-4 feedings, my nipple enters this fugue state where it's constant pain -- it's oversensitized and swollen from all of the time spent being sucked on, such that the latch-on pain is longer, I can't get as good a latch (because it's swollen and too big for Rutabaga's mouth) so the sucking itself hurts a lot more, and then it hurts for the half-hour to hour that it takes for my boob to refill with milk (because it gets swollen and sensitive during that part, too.)
Anyways, I'll be going back to work in a week or two, and I'd like to not whip out my boob in the middle of a meeting. I also don't really control my diet right now, and frankly I'm not looking forward to another 5 months of extremely careful and finicky eating. If the point of breastfeeding is to give the baby some breastmilk with good antibodies and shit, I'm doing just fine. If the point of breastfeeding is to bond with the baby, I actually prefer to bond with her in some other way. If the point of breastfeeding is to achieve some sort of motherhood badge, then fuck that, man. (My mom wasn't able to breastfeed at all, and now she looks at me all wistful being like "it's good that you have milk, you need to keep it up" and I'm like "my brother and I turned out just fine, please don't try to live out your motherhood regrets through me.")