Pediatrician vs lactation consultant - conflicting advice to follow

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have anxiety OP. Bad. Your baby does not have weight gain issues. It’s not normal to weigh a baby before and after a feeding. Nor is it normal to feed that often, even at 2 weeks. Your baby needs a paci.

This is extraordinarily unhelpful and unkind. OP, you are trying to be a good mom. You are using data to figure out a problem. This PP is right that sometime soon, you hopefully won’t need to weigh after every meal.

I haven’t gotten to the end of the thread yet, but has anyone mentioned reflux? Babies with reflux sometimes want to snack because it relieves discomfort between “real” feedings. A paci won’t give that relief because it’s not about sucking- it’s about soothing the burning reflux feeling.

No, PP was blunt but correct. The pediatrician likely sensed that OP is suffering from anxiety. It is not normal to feel like you have to nurse a baby 20x/day and weigh before and after. Especially when the baby is healthy, OP has a good supply, and the baby is gaining well. It really seems like anxiety, unfortunately fueled by the lactation consultant.

FWIW - when my baby had weight gain issues at the same age, the advice was NOT “feed on demand and obsessively weigh.” I was told to stick to a schedule of every 1.5 - 2.5 hours to ensure the baby got a full feed of foremilk and hindmilk, and my breasts were emptied. And then we weighed in *at the pediatrician* more frequently. Although this did not completely resolve the problem since I had low-ish supply, he started gaining better immediately.

At this point, OP is being driven by anxiety for a problem that *does not even exist.*. I think she needs a better LC.

OP bought the scale for the first two weeks. That’s a difficult time with many women have supply issues or trying to get your milk come in. Many babies have weight issues because of it. There is nothing wrong with OP weighing her baby for the first two weeks to make sure her baby is gaining. Now she knows. She said she only does it now because she wants to see how much he eats since he eats so much.

Disagree. It’s compulsive behavior to do weighted feeds after every feed for a baby with no weight gain issues, especially when feeding 20x/day.

[Anonymous]

A board certified pediatrician has 12 years of education .

The time needed to become a lactation consultant is anywhere from one to five years. All three International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) pathways require applicants to take a minimum of 90 hours of lactation-specific courses within the five years immediately prior to applying to take the exam.

90 hours vs 12 years of education. Why is there even a question of which advice to take?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have anxiety OP. Bad. Your baby does not have weight gain issues. It’s not normal to weigh a baby before and after a feeding. Nor is it normal to feed that often, even at 2 weeks. Your baby needs a paci.

This is extraordinarily unhelpful and unkind. OP, you are trying to be a good mom. You are using data to figure out a problem. This PP is right that sometime soon, you hopefully won’t need to weigh after every meal.

I haven’t gotten to the end of the thread yet, but has anyone mentioned reflux? Babies with reflux sometimes want to snack because it relieves discomfort between “real” feedings. A paci won’t give that relief because it’s not about sucking- it’s about soothing the burning reflux feeling.

No, PP was blunt but correct. The pediatrician likely sensed that OP is suffering from anxiety. It is not normal to feel like you have to nurse a baby 20x/day and weigh before and after. Especially when the baby is healthy, OP has a good supply, and the baby is gaining well. It really seems like anxiety, unfortunately fueled by the lactation consultant.

FWIW - when my baby had weight gain issues at the same age, the advice was NOT “feed on demand and obsessively weigh.” I was told to stick to a schedule of every 1.5 - 2.5 hours to ensure the baby got a full feed of foremilk and hindmilk, and my breasts were emptied. And then we weighed in *at the pediatrician* more frequently. Although this did not completely resolve the problem since I had low-ish supply, he started gaining better immediately.

At this point, OP is being driven by anxiety for a problem that *does not even exist.*. I think she needs a better LC.

OP bought the scale for the first two weeks. That’s a difficult time with many women have supply issues or trying to get your milk come in. Many babies have weight issues because of it. There is nothing wrong with OP weighing her baby for the first two weeks to make sure her baby is gaining. Now she knows. She said she only does it now because she wants to see how much he eats since he eats so much.

Disagree. It’s compulsive behavior to do weighted feeds after every feed for a baby with no weight gain issues, especially when feeding 20x/day.

Nobody cares what you think. Get over it.

[Anonymous]

Op you are insane. No one will give you an award for breastfeeding around the clock, just fyi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have anxiety OP. Bad. Your baby does not have weight gain issues. It’s not normal to weigh a baby before and after a feeding. Nor is it normal to feed that often, even at 2 weeks. Your baby needs a paci.

This is extraordinarily unhelpful and unkind. OP, you are trying to be a good mom. You are using data to figure out a problem. This PP is right that sometime soon, you hopefully won’t need to weigh after every meal.

I haven’t gotten to the end of the thread yet, but has anyone mentioned reflux? Babies with reflux sometimes want to snack because it relieves discomfort between “real” feedings. A paci won’t give that relief because it’s not about sucking- it’s about soothing the burning reflux feeling.

No, PP was blunt but correct. The pediatrician likely sensed that OP is suffering from anxiety. It is not normal to feel like you have to nurse a baby 20x/day and weigh before and after. Especially when the baby is healthy, OP has a good supply, and the baby is gaining well. It really seems like anxiety, unfortunately fueled by the lactation consultant.

FWIW - when my baby had weight gain issues at the same age, the advice was NOT “feed on demand and obsessively weigh.” I was told to stick to a schedule of every 1.5 - 2.5 hours to ensure the baby got a full feed of foremilk and hindmilk, and my breasts were emptied. And then we weighed in *at the pediatrician* more frequently. Although this did not completely resolve the problem since I had low-ish supply, he started gaining better immediately.

At this point, OP is being driven by anxiety for a problem that *does not even exist.*. I think she needs a better LC.

OP bought the scale for the first two weeks. That’s a difficult time with many women have supply issues or trying to get your milk come in. Many babies have weight issues because of it. There is nothing wrong with OP weighing her baby for the first two weeks to make sure her baby is gaining. Now she knows. She said she only does it now because she wants to see how much he eats since he eats so much.

Disagree. It’s compulsive behavior to do weighted feeds after every feed for a baby with no weight gain issues, especially when feeding 20x/day.

Nobody cares what you think. Get over it.

Most of us agree with PP. I'm not sure what you think she needs to "get over." She's not the one nursing a baby every 30 minutes around the clock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have anxiety OP. Bad. Your baby does not have weight gain issues. It’s not normal to weigh a baby before and after a feeding. Nor is it normal to feed that often, even at 2 weeks. Your baby needs a paci.

This is extraordinarily unhelpful and unkind. OP, you are trying to be a good mom. You are using data to figure out a problem. This PP is right that sometime soon, you hopefully won’t need to weigh after every meal.

I haven’t gotten to the end of the thread yet, but has anyone mentioned reflux? Babies with reflux sometimes want to snack because it relieves discomfort between “real” feedings. A paci won’t give that relief because it’s not about sucking- it’s about soothing the burning reflux feeling.

No, PP was blunt but correct. The pediatrician likely sensed that OP is suffering from anxiety. It is not normal to feel like you have to nurse a baby 20x/day and weigh before and after. Especially when the baby is healthy, OP has a good supply, and the baby is gaining well. It really seems like anxiety, unfortunately fueled by the lactation consultant.

FWIW - when my baby had weight gain issues at the same age, the advice was NOT “feed on demand and obsessively weigh.” I was told to stick to a schedule of every 1.5 - 2.5 hours to ensure the baby got a full feed of foremilk and hindmilk, and my breasts were emptied. And then we weighed in *at the pediatrician* more frequently. Although this did not completely resolve the problem since I had low-ish supply, he started gaining better immediately.

At this point, OP is being driven by anxiety for a problem that *does not even exist.*. I think she needs a better LC.

OP bought the scale for the first two weeks. That’s a difficult time with many women have supply issues or trying to get your milk come in. Many babies have weight issues because of it. There is nothing wrong with OP weighing her baby for the first two weeks to make sure her baby is gaining. Now she knows. She said she only does it now because she wants to see how much he eats since he eats so much.

Disagree. It’s compulsive behavior to do weighted feeds after every feed for a baby with no weight gain issues, especially when feeding 20x/day.

Nobody cares what you think. Get over it.

Most of us agree with PP. I'm not sure what you think she needs to "get over." She's not the one nursing a baby every 30 minutes around the clock.

That’s my thoughts exactly. She is not the one doing feeds and weighing the baby so she needs to shut up about it. It’s OPs baby and she can do whatever she wants. No need for pp to keeping bringing it up. She needs to realize OP is not her and OP doesn’t care what she thinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have anxiety OP. Bad. Your baby does not have weight gain issues. It’s not normal to weigh a baby before and after a feeding. Nor is it normal to feed that often, even at 2 weeks. Your baby needs a paci.

This is extraordinarily unhelpful and unkind. OP, you are trying to be a good mom. You are using data to figure out a problem. This PP is right that sometime soon, you hopefully won’t need to weigh after every meal.

I haven’t gotten to the end of the thread yet, but has anyone mentioned reflux? Babies with reflux sometimes want to snack because it relieves discomfort between “real” feedings. A paci won’t give that relief because it’s not about sucking- it’s about soothing the burning reflux feeling.

No, PP was blunt but correct. The pediatrician likely sensed that OP is suffering from anxiety. It is not normal to feel like you have to nurse a baby 20x/day and weigh before and after. Especially when the baby is healthy, OP has a good supply, and the baby is gaining well. It really seems like anxiety, unfortunately fueled by the lactation consultant.

FWIW - when my baby had weight gain issues at the same age, the advice was NOT “feed on demand and obsessively weigh.” I was told to stick to a schedule of every 1.5 - 2.5 hours to ensure the baby got a full feed of foremilk and hindmilk, and my breasts were emptied. And then we weighed in *at the pediatrician* more frequently. Although this did not completely resolve the problem since I had low-ish supply, he started gaining better immediately.

At this point, OP is being driven by anxiety for a problem that *does not even exist.*. I think she needs a better LC.

OP bought the scale for the first two weeks. That’s a difficult time with many women have supply issues or trying to get your milk come in. Many babies have weight issues because of it. There is nothing wrong with OP weighing her baby for the first two weeks to make sure her baby is gaining. Now she knows. She said she only does it now because she wants to see how much he eats since he eats so much.

Disagree. It’s compulsive behavior to do weighted feeds after every feed for a baby with no weight gain issues, especially when feeding 20x/day.

Nobody cares what you think. Get over it.

Most of us agree with PP. I'm not sure what you think she needs to "get over." She's not the one nursing a baby every 30 minutes around the clock.

That’s my thoughts exactly. She is not the one doing feeds and weighing the baby so she needs to shut up about it. It’s OPs baby and she can do whatever she wants. No need for pp to keeping bringing it up. She needs to realize OP is not her and OP doesn’t care what she thinks.

Ohh its you again from the other syringe feeding thread. Go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A ped is a real doctor. A lactation counselor has a class, not a degree and is wrong.

Guess how much lactation education pediatrician students receive? Zero. I've worked with enough to know most of them know jack. Go with the LC. It's not "a class", it's years of training and extensive testing.

[Anonymous]

I think it's more about you than the baby. I promise your baby will be fine every 2 hours. But every 30 minutes, you're going to burn out really really badly, not to mention the physical strain, not just to your breasts, but to your wrists and back from holding him in nursing position all the time.

The baby will be fine, start trying to spread out those feeds for YOU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Breastfeeding is going well and there have been no issues. My baby just likes to eat. We do have a baby scale because I’m paranoid and like to see what’s he’s eating. He will usually eat every 30 minutes to 2 hours. He does snack a lot and will only take 0.5-1oz every 30-60 minutes. If he goes the full two hours - usually only at night and once a day for a long nap - he will eat a full 2-3oz feed.

My baby had already gained a little over 1lb in two weeks. The pediatrician said his weight is fine, but I told him that he eats so often that our whole day is feeding him. He told em some babies love to snack and that I should encourage full feeds and feed every two hours.

The lactation consultant said I need to feed as often he wants to during this crucial time of establishing my supply. She said it’s fine if he is a snacker.

I do admit it gets to me some days. It’s hard having the baby on the breast every 30 minutes. I pumped half of a day just to give myself a break because my nipples were raw and sore and I loved having to only pump every 3 hours. It was harder and it’s easier to breastfeed, but I admit I sometimes think about pumping.

RED FLAG

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you will get a lot of different views on this, but I doubt your ped was trying to say it's not good for the baby if he eats every 30 mins or that the baby is gaining too much weight or something. Rather, it's just that eating every 30 mins-1 hr is not sustainable for YOU, and it's not necessary for the baby. I'd try to space out the feedings for your own sanity. Baby will probably eat more at each feed if you move to that.

OP here. How do I do that if he is crying before the two hours? Make him wait?

This is not always a binary choice. Let him cry or feed him. It isn't all or nothing you don't have to go from every 30 minutes to two hours. But instead of jumping to feeding at 30 minutes, hold him, walk around with him, try to stimulate him in some other way. And that might only work for 10 minutes at first, but just keep stretching it out little by little.

I didn't 'sleep train' any of my kids, in the way where I had to let them cry for hours (and FTR, I think this is because my kids were predisposed to decent sleep), but the way I was able to do that was by starting to just edge them little by little towards a schedule from day 1. That didn't mean standing there and watching them while they cried for a half hour, sometimes it meant just going on a walk instead of feeding them, buying 20-30 minutes that way. Subtle redirection. Every week it will work a little better than the last but training yourself to just pause when they cry, wait, try to delay them if possible, that helps. IME you can always buy some time with a bath or with a walk, water and outdoors distract them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have anxiety OP. Bad. Your baby does not have weight gain issues. It’s not normal to weigh a baby before and after a feeding. Nor is it normal to feed that often, even at 2 weeks. Your baby needs a paci.

This is extraordinarily unhelpful and unkind. OP, you are trying to be a good mom. You are using data to figure out a problem. This PP is right that sometime soon, you hopefully won’t need to weigh after every meal.

I haven’t gotten to the end of the thread yet, but has anyone mentioned reflux? Babies with reflux sometimes want to snack because it relieves discomfort between “real” feedings. A paci won’t give that relief because it’s not about sucking- it’s about soothing the burning reflux feeling.

No, PP was blunt but correct. The pediatrician likely sensed that OP is suffering from anxiety. It is not normal to feel like you have to nurse a baby 20x/day and weigh before and after. Especially when the baby is healthy, OP has a good supply, and the baby is gaining well. It really seems like anxiety, unfortunately fueled by the lactation consultant.

FWIW - when my baby had weight gain issues at the same age, the advice was NOT “feed on demand and obsessively weigh.” I was told to stick to a schedule of every 1.5 - 2.5 hours to ensure the baby got a full feed of foremilk and hindmilk, and my breasts were emptied. And then we weighed in *at the pediatrician* more frequently. Although this did not completely resolve the problem since I had low-ish supply, he started gaining better immediately.

At this point, OP is being driven by anxiety for a problem that *does not even exist.*. I think she needs a better LC.

OP bought the scale for the first two weeks. That’s a difficult time with many women have supply issues or trying to get your milk come in. Many babies have weight issues because of it. There is nothing wrong with OP weighing her baby for the first two weeks to make sure her baby is gaining. Now she knows. She said she only does it now because she wants to see how much he eats since he eats so much.

Disagree. It’s compulsive behavior to do weighted feeds after every feed for a baby with no weight gain issues, especially when feeding 20x/day.

Nobody cares what you think. Get over it.

Most of us agree with PP. I'm not sure what you think she needs to "get over." She's not the one nursing a baby every 30 minutes around the clock.

That’s my thoughts exactly. She is not the one doing feeds and weighing the baby so she needs to shut up about it. It’s OPs baby and she can do whatever she wants. No need for pp to keeping bringing it up. She needs to realize OP is not her and OP doesn’t care what she thinks.

This PP is very similar to one on another breastfeeding thread. Somehow offended that people are answering OP's question? OP actually posted here for advice. I don't know who or what PP thinks they are defending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A ped is a real doctor. A lactation counselor has a class, not a degree and is wrong.

Guess how much lactation education pediatrician students receive? Zero. I've worked with enough to know most of them know jack. Go with the LC. It's not "a class", it's years of training and extensive testing.

Pediatricians likely see many more lacation issues that lactation consultants. They see multiple newborns every week, week in, week out. Feeding issues with newborns are extremely common in pediatrician offices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Breastfeeding is going well and there have been no issues. My baby just likes to eat. We do have a baby scale because I’m paranoid and like to see what’s he’s eating. He will usually eat every 30 minutes to 2 hours. He does snack a lot and will only take 0.5-1oz every 30-60 minutes. If he goes the full two hours - usually only at night and once a day for a long nap - he will eat a full 2-3oz feed.

My baby had already gained a little over 1lb in two weeks. The pediatrician said his weight is fine, but I told him that he eats so often that our whole day is feeding him. He told em some babies love to snack and that I should encourage full feeds and feed every two hours.

The lactation consultant said I need to feed as often he wants to during this crucial time of establishing my supply. She said it’s fine if he is a snacker.

I do admit it gets to me some days. It’s hard having the baby on the breast every 30 minutes. I pumped half of a day just to give myself a break because my nipples were raw and sore and I loved having to only pump every 3 hours. It was harder and it’s easier to breastfeed, but I admit I sometimes think about pumping.

RED FLAG

I mean, pretty much every single resource on breastfeeding says every 2 hours. That's bog-standard advice. I have not seen a single breastfeeding resource that would prescribe feeding around the clock (what OP is doing). And I was specifically advised (by LC and ped) to try to get full feeds so baby would get fore & hind milk, and to ensure complete emptying for supply.

[Anonymous]

Pediatrician has an MD lactation consultant hahaha

What is wrong with you people?

OP no every thirty minutes that’s ridiculous and not sustainable.