Further info on the feeding front: We are doing pretty well, but we still have some trouble. At most feedings, I still have some soreness and discomfort. I thought I had passed it, but clearly not quite yet. I also noticed that once he comes off the breast, the tips of my nipples are a little pale. A little research and I found out this is common and is called "blanching". Most likely this is caused by a shallow latch, so I'm guessing this is the case. But sometimes it's just plain hard to get him positioned right!! And when it seems like he's got it and it's working, I just leave it, even if there is a little pain. I gotta make myself unlatch him anytime i feel pain. We'll get it right. I did notice, though, that sometimes this is caused by the little one clamping down because the milk is coming too fast (again, overactive let down). I do notice him clamp down sometimes, but mostly I think his coughing is from awkward positioning, and I think the pain is from shallow latch. We'll keep trying. At least I know he's getting what he needs!!
Other news is that the nurse practitioner suggests I switch to feeding him on a schedule instead of feeding on demand. I don't know, but it sort of makes sense. She suggested treating it like he was my third baby and not my first. That by the third you are having to force him into a feeding schedule just because you are running after other kids and all that stuff. She said the families she sees do that still have very satisfied children and are able to manage their time much better, and get to sleeping through the night. I don't know, most of what I read said to feed on demand, but I did notice he got fussier once I agree to feed him every hour and a half if he hinted that that's what he wanted. She of course said to feed him if he is demanding it, but if he's just hinting at it, try to hold him off a little at a time to start to space off the feedings. She also said that waiting between feedings gives the breast a chance to produce hindmilk so the baby will get more of the hindmilk this way. I'm not sure if it's true, but I am going to try to keep to more of a schedule. I think it will work ok. We'll see.
Pics of the big boy:
2 comments:
Congratulations on a great visit. I'll never forget the time when we had to take Charlie into urgent care (nothing live-threatening, just a bad cold or something). He was still very little and in diapers. But...we were out of diapers so Pete duck-taped an old (but not soiled) diaper together...we put it on him and took him in. So, here we were in the room and the doctor came in. We sheepishly apologized about the diaper (feeling like negligent parents and we wanted her to know that we knew that the diaper was old) and we then proceed to take it off. Well, the duck tape then got stuck to his penis! Yikes! The doctor quickly went out to get some substance that removes such things. By this time we were thinking we were totally negligent and incompetent. We expressed this to the doctor who said (you guessed it) "Oh, this is nothing. I've seen it all." She then proceeded to tell us about a parent who was using bleach to rinse out the baby's bottle! So...that's my story. Charlie survived and so did we!
I think nursing on demand or on a schedule depends on what you are comfortable doing. It used to be mothers were told to feed the baby every 4 hours no matter what, breast or bottle. We don't eat like that, we munch, but we do have meals at certain times. I remember all our babies crying at our meal time, even if they'd just been fed! I think it was the smell of the food. Ha!
When Aaron was born, I fed on demand, I was influenced by LaLeche. It was good, but of course he was no. 4 and I knew what to expect. I held him all the time, I didn't let him cry. I don't think he's too spoiled? I had made up my mind not to listen to all the different advice and do what was best for us.
Whatever works for you and Sam. It sounds like he is doing great!
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