Anonymous
11/12/2013 12:47
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Anonymous wrote:10-15 minutes nursing sounds normal. Don't worry about Norms on the Internet unless he is not gaining well. You could also have an LC come to your house to do a before and after weighing so you can know what he is getting.
If you have the energy for it, these are also available at some of the hospital BF support groups.
I'm sorry for what you're going through. At four months,we still haven't really gotten the hang of side lying nursing, and it seemed like it took ages to be able to lie back a bit so that I could be comfortable. Not sure if you already mentioned this, but I did find I could relax a little bit in the early days if I put a firm throw pillow behind me for support. But the first weeks definitely involved a sore back. I hope you and baby can get the hang of some of the conifer positions soon. Good luck.
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:54
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
10-15 minutes nursing sounds normal. Don't worry about Norms on the Internet unless he is not gaining well. You could also have an LC come to your house to do a before and after weighing so you can know what he is getting.
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:53
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Anonymous wrote:Op here
Last night was a little better - we played white noise and bottle fed later at night - I don't need to use formula because I am pumping plenty. I think it's a shallow latch/staying latched problem and it might nt work itself out until he is bigger and stronger. We do have a paci but I'd like to minimize its use - I use it here and there
As for positios, he just doesn't latch well when I lean back - I am trying it more, and maybe I am not confident but he loses the nipple when I lean back. I have done side lying but on the floor -my bed freaks me out (softness)
I'm glad I'm not alone -I feed him whenever he shows any interest but be rarely stays latched for long so I worry he is hungry because of that
Get your DH to help you with positioning pillows when you lay back. The idea is to work with gravity so the latch is easier for the baby. Another option is the football hold supported with a bunch of pillows.
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:45
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Anonymous wrote:He lost a lot of weight early on but has steadily gained. He is more likely to fall asleep at the breast than to pull away "full". He can sleep after a feeding but it seems like it's too soon - he'll feed for 10-15 minutes when I've been told 30 minutes is the norm, hence why I am worried about how much he is eating.
Regarding the paci I am worried not about hardcore nipple confusion but the shallow latch. If he can't latch on me well, it just seems like a pacifier will be counter productive if we use it for a long time. We use it here and there
My DD never ate for more than 10-15 minutes on each breast. I had a fast let-down and oversupply and she was just an efficient nurser from the beginning. If he is gaining fine, I wouldn't worry about the amount of time he spends eating. By 3 months she was only nursing about 5 minutes on each side (except for just before bed, when she nursed for about 10 minutes each side).
Oh, and she used a pacifier the second we left the hospital.
If you are worried about how much he's eating, you can get a scale or bring him to the pediatrician and have them weigh him before and after a feeding session.
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:37
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
He lost a lot of weight early on but has steadily gained. He is more likely to fall asleep at the breast than to pull away "full". He can sleep after a feeding but it seems like it's too soon - he'll feed for 10-15 minutes when I've been told 30 minutes is the norm, hence why I am worried about how much he is eating.
Regarding the paci I am worried not about hardcore nipple confusion but the shallow latch. If he can't latch on me well, it just seems like a pacifier will be counter productive if we use it for a long time. We use it here and there
Regarding the paci I am worried not about hardcore nipple confusion but the shallow latch. If he can't latch on me well, it just seems like a pacifier will be counter productive if we use it for a long time. We use it here and there
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:20
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Didn't read all the posts but I've been told by a couple of LC that you shouldn't have to hunch over for baby to nurse. I used pile of pillows to help get my son up to the right height for nursing. Boppy or Breast friend pillow might be useful.
I kept nursing through the cluster feedings but did everything I could to be comfortable. I also did side lying nursing which was great for us.
Good luck, this too shall pass.
I kept nursing through the cluster feedings but did everything I could to be comfortable. I also did side lying nursing which was great for us.
Good luck, this too shall pass.
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:19
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Oh and the constant nursing is because the baby needs the comfort. It's not your job to figure out if its hunger or not (just yet). For now your job is to latch the baby every time they cry. It's 24/7 for now but it will change soon. I promise.
No. You do not need to drive yourself into an exhausted frenzy. Giving your infant a few ounces of expressed milk or formula, or a paci, judiciously in a way that let's the mom get a few hours of sleep is fine. Other people have detailed on this thread the way to do that and continue successfully breast feeding for a long time.
That's why I suggested laying down to nurse.
Signed, mom of a child on a feeding tube who nursed 24/7 for comfort.
For many of us, laying down to nurse doesn't work because (A) the kid can't/won't nurse that way, or (B) we can't get any rest that way. Give the mom a break.
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:14
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Is the baby sleeping at all?
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:12
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Will the baby sit peacefully in a swing? Do you babywear? Is the baby calm or fall asleep after a feeding? Does the baby pull off the breast after a feeding?
Anonymous
11/12/2013 11:03
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
This is 10:47, I hope you know I meant it was painful because I felt badly for you. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
So the baby is a normal weight, correct? No health issues and no MD/LC has expressed concern about weight gain?
And you are against the pacifier because you've heard of nipple confusion, not anti-plastic?
Does he suck on the pacifier if you give it to him?
Just trying to get more facts so we can help you
So the baby is a normal weight, correct? No health issues and no MD/LC has expressed concern about weight gain?
And you are against the pacifier because you've heard of nipple confusion, not anti-plastic?
Does he suck on the pacifier if you give it to him?
Just trying to get more facts so we can help you
Anonymous
11/12/2013 10:57
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Pp, we did other ways to soothe him last night (hence white noise) and I let him fall asleep on me and didn't move him. That said he always makes hungry face (perched lips or open mouth with tongue moving).
I want to try to avoid the paci because if shallow latch is an issue I don't want him to get confused. I hate the bottle as it is (this early not in general). But syringe feeding by myself is too hard now that DH is back at work
I want to try to avoid the paci because if shallow latch is an issue I don't want him to get confused. I hate the bottle as it is (this early not in general). But syringe feeding by myself is too hard now that DH is back at work
Anonymous
11/12/2013 10:47
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
OP, this is painful to read my dear! Use the paci and find other ways to soothe him. I was you, please believe me, and I had no idea how to soothe my baby other than put him to my breast and it was the same awful situation you describe. Are you swaddling? Are you sushing and bouncing? Walking the hallways? Or are you just immediately putting him to the breast assuming he is hungry?
Anonymous
11/12/2013 10:43
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Use the paci! Why wouldn't you?
Anonymous
11/12/2013 10:41
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Op here
Last night was a little better - we played white noise and bottle fed later at night - I don't need to use formula because I am pumping plenty. I think it's a shallow latch/staying latched problem and it might nt work itself out until he is bigger and stronger. We do have a paci but I'd like to minimize its use - I use it here and there
As for positios, he just doesn't latch well when I lean back - I am trying it more, and maybe I am not confident but he loses the nipple when I lean back. I have done side lying but on the floor -my bed freaks me out (softness)
I'm glad I'm not alone -I feed him whenever he shows any interest but be rarely stays latched for long so I worry he is hungry because of that
Last night was a little better - we played white noise and bottle fed later at night - I don't need to use formula because I am pumping plenty. I think it's a shallow latch/staying latched problem and it might nt work itself out until he is bigger and stronger. We do have a paci but I'd like to minimize its use - I use it here and there
As for positios, he just doesn't latch well when I lean back - I am trying it more, and maybe I am not confident but he loses the nipple when I lean back. I have done side lying but on the floor -my bed freaks me out (softness)
I'm glad I'm not alone -I feed him whenever he shows any interest but be rarely stays latched for long so I worry he is hungry because of that
Anonymous
11/12/2013 09:31
Subject: Cluster feeding/human pacifier-don't know how long I can do this
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Oh and the constant nursing is because the baby needs the comfort. It's not your job to figure out if its hunger or not (just yet). For now your job is to latch the baby every time they cry. It's 24/7 for now but it will change soon. I promise.
No. You do not need to drive yourself into an exhausted frenzy. Giving your infant a few ounces of expressed milk or formula, or a paci, judiciously in a way that let's the mom get a few hours of sleep is fine. Other people have detailed on this thread the way to do that and continue successfully breast feeding for a long time.
That's why I suggested laying down to nurse.
Signed, mom of a child on a feeding tube who nursed 24/7 for comfort.