*March and April mums and babies*

[Aimee84]

Nice to know there are others out there having to express breastfeed as my little girl just won't latch. I'm very jealous of those who can breastfeed. But she's at least getting the breast milk and gaining good weight. Just so tiring expressing

 

[kitten2014]

hi aimee I agree struggle to do more than 3x per day ...have you got a dual pump..? halves the time...i can recommend the ameda lactaline one...used by lots of hospitals n midwifes...i now do 15-20 per session instead of per breast...

 

[kitten2014]

15-20mins that is averaging 40-60ml

 

[Emmajaine]

Wow kitten! Is that total collected for both breasts or per breast? Either way I'm jealous about how little time you are pumping. I've got the medela swing and am spending 25-30 mins per breast to get 70-80mls total.

It really is time consuming and tiring!. But it is nice to know there are others in the same boat xx

 

[kitten2014]

hi emma, thats total for both, the take it in turns but on average 20ml for one, 30ml for the other. It has taken 3 days to get this qty, my method is as follows:

Prepare breastpump
Prepare breasts - massage, rubbing from top down and generally waking them up lol (hubby loves this part even though im glaring at him!)
Put a dab of nspa mum&me nipple balm on first
Switch on breastpump to preferred cycle and suction
Attach with gentle pressure to enable suction, get comfy watching something on tv...
Keep an eye on them ensuring both producing, reattach as appropriate
Remove and cleanup 15-20mins later
More nipple balm applied

Dont get me wrong to begin with when pumping with one, took double the time and was only getting 15-20ml per breast, now Im managing 20-30 per breast in half the time. Yes hands are no longer free but shorter time therefore less likelihood of having to finish halfway through although have done that and resumed and its been fine. as my midwife said your breasts will produce what you ask of them so as soon as you hit higher quantities they will consistently produce higher quantities. It used to take me longer too but practise makes perfect as they say and according to my 'Feed baby' app (best free app out there for feed, nappy, pumping, bath time and tummy time tracking!!) I went from producing 45ml in a day to now 150ml which I am more than happy with...I am then storing my milk in labelled sealed milk bags in the fridge whereby I used it up within 5 days (NB: always start a new bag on day three so you don't have too much old with new...Ive gone with even numbers on the date i.e. 22nd/24th/26th...)

Hope this helps...x

 

[Aimee84]

I don't seem to have a problem with supply I generally get a minimum of 160ml up to 280ml total each time and I generally pump every 3-4hrs but yes I think I will look into a double pump as it'll give me some time back. Thanks

 

[Emmajaine]

Sounds fairly similar to what I do kitten except I pump one side for 20 mins, swap to second side for another 20, then back to original side for 10 mins then second side for 10 mins.

Not sure how long I'm gonna be able to keep doing 6 sessions a day, especially once my OH goes back to work, would spend the whole day expressing or feeding!!

How is everyone else doing in general? Xx

 

[cossie13]

Not doing too bad. Tonight is tough but not because of Alex. He's as good as gold tonight. We're round at my mum and dads keeping my sister company while my mum and dad are up at the hospital with dad's mum. Dr's don't think she'll make it through the night and the way dad sounds on the phone she won't make it til midnight. I've got a stonking headache due to lots of tears and probably not drinking enough water. Luckily Alex is cute enough to help take my mind off things, currently having mummy-son cuddles to help keep my spirits up xx

 

[Niknaknoo]

Oh cossie, hope you are all ok. It's horrible losing someone and all the more at this time but you have your wee man to keep you going. I know mine does, we lost my dad in November.

You ladies that are pumping are so patient, I think it's great that you are persevering. If you want them to take breast just keep trying them every so often (without putting too much pressure on yourself), my cousin had to pump exclusively for first few weeks, then eventually he took breast with nipple shields and then she managed to get rid of those a few weeks later again! And at least you know how much milk your babes are taking, I always worry about my supply as I have no idea how much Zach is getting! Im taking fenugreek and baking 'lactation cookies' just to make sure I'm making enough and still worry...partly because I know I don't drink enough, I'm drinking way more than normal but normal for me is not very much at all!

We had our photoshoot today and I'm so pleased with the results!

 

[kitten2014]

Hi guys, wow lovely photos, Im sure we don't look that fresh faced and alert lol : )

It is worth perservering with but wow Emma I couldn't do 6 x and thats with a dual pump, well done for keeping it up and good quantity...the most I get each time from each breast is 30ml...My midwife said something very helpful though - they will produce what you ask them too so if you pump for an hour and get 100ml, next time they will produce the same but it may take less time, likewise with frequency, if yuou pump every 3hrs then 3hrs later they are prepared, mine are very erratic at the mo, trying to fit the third one in the middle of the day is hard when we have appts etc but generally manage 7-8am and 7-8pm most days...

Niknaknoo, I agree perservering to wean them onto breast is a great idea but my midwife has confirmed that I have flat nipples which means when trying to breastfeed they don't stay erect so it becomes a frustration for both me and her whereas pump keeps them erect for the full duration lol

We managed a drive out and then a push around our village in pushchair yesterday (didnt want her associating the car seat with hospitals!) and it was lovely, even fed her outside on a bench beneath a blossom tree...it is a lovely time of year to have babies, would be miserable if it was raining all the time (altho it does look like some showers r headed our way...)

Hearing test at hospital today - wish us luck...

What do you guys think to the following...while I was pregnant I went to a monthly coffee morning at my doula's house where other mums to be and mums with babies/toddlers would meet up to discuss their birth experiences/early parenthood tips with each other. It was great for pregnancy and wish to continue with LO. Thing is the next one is a week and a bit away and would mean she would be 3-4 weeks old...hubby wants me to wait til the next one as he feels she's too young to be introduced to a new environment with new smells/people and of course germs...I agree with him to a point but also feel that introducing them to new environments is a positive thing...perhaps we could take a vote - 3-4weeks old or 7-8weeks old - when would be best?

sorry for another rambling...I'm trying to wake myself up as its hubby turn to get some zzzz's til 10am...

 

[Niknaknoo]

Thanks kitten! And good luck for hearing test.
There is no reason not to take her out to a group. I had Zach at the bf support group at 2 weeks old, flew him to Ireland at 4 1/2 weeks where he was passed around the whole family. Didn't bother him in the slightest! But if you /hubby are more comfortable waiting then again that's no problem! X

 

[kitten2014]

thanks niknaknoo, got a week to decide...

 

[emmalouise_xx]

We were like that bout our first not too when to take him out etc and then we decided on waiting 2 weeks then we would take him out and we did.
Then came Mia cuz of her being prem and so tiny I didnt wanna take her out at all but again we left it 2 weeks then we took her out. Being out and about in the fresh air will do her good and also being around other people who have had babys will do you some good as well and make lots of new mommy friends theres a stay and play group in the church opposite my house that we will be going to in a few weeks when Mia has hit her 6 week mark as thats when they allow babys to go.

We had a fairly unsettled night with her. She just wouldnt settle at all properly but did manage to get her to sleep upstairs in her moses basket til 6 this morning.
We had a visit to the doctors thos morning for her thrush in the mouth and checked her for acid reflux been told she has it mild but will review at her 6 week check up on the 13th may. And if shes presenting symptoms they will prescribe her some baby gaviscon to help her. X

 

[cossie13]

Alex was 5 days old when we took him to OHs parents house where his whole family came to meet him. I was really looking forward to it at the time but looking back I think it was too much for both me and Alex. Problem was OHs family as they wouldn't just let him lie and sleep as if he wasn't being cuddled then he clearly wasn't a loved child! And of course being cuddled meant he had to be awake because no one wants to hold a sleepy baby(!) I'm having trouble getting his family to understand that if he's asleep then just look at him, don't touch him. It screws with his routine otherwise!!!

 

[emmalouise_xx]

Oh I defo know how you feel with family fussing etc and keeping baby Awake! It annoys the hell outta me. And another thing that annoys me is when they thing its okay to just take the pushchair off of ya when you have a walke to the shop! Ohs mom done this on Saturday I got her outside and was bout to push her to the shop and she totally took over and just carried on infront.
Then cuz Mia was crying in the shop she kept saying oh leave her to cry it out she'll be fine so I put my foot down and said get her out comfort her and put her back she'll be fine. Annoyed me to hell. Hopefully now she wont do it again lol xx

 

[lizziimayy]

I think I can officially join this group now! Gabriella is now 3 days old as is as good as gold! I'm breastfeeding at the moment and it is killing my nipples! I tried manually expressing for the first time today and managed to get about 60ml in just a few minutes. I think that my milk has come in now! I have her the bottle and she took it down almost straight away.

 

[ChrissieCool]

Welcome to all the new mums, congrats. Gorgeous photo nik, you all look lovely and I love the superman outfit xx

 

[ChrissieCool]

Some new ones of Caleb 10 weeks old today

 

[Niknaknoo]

Gorgeous chrissie!!

Right I'm going to have a rant. Seriously pissed off with my Drs surgery. Went in when Zach was 2weeks old to register him, asked about our 6 week check up for him and for me and was told both would be done at baby clinic.
Phoned for a Dr appointment as health visitor thought we had thrush and earliest appointment I could get was 4 weeks away...the triage nurse phoned me back and sorted prescription out so that worked out ok in the end. While I was in picking up prescription I asked again about the 6 week check as I thought it odd I didn't have to make an appointment and was told the same thing.
Turned up today for clinic....no we see baby at 8 weeks and I need a separate appointment for my 6 week check!!!!!!! I'm absolutely livid. Guess when they have now booked me in for 6 week check.....3rd june.

Also not helping that I've been trying to get in touch with my health visitor since last week and she still hasn't phoned me back!!

Rant over.

 

[emmalouise_xx]

Just done a quick shop round the town been stopped god knows how many times asking how old Mia is and where I got my pushchair from. Not hard to tell when it has the mothercare sign on the front of the basket lol.

Bloody shattered now. Got half hour before I've gotta go back out to pick up my eldest from school. They're testing him for dyslexia before he goes into year 3 as he has been getting his ds and bs the wrong way round etc so fingers crossed he passes and he is fine and wont need any extra support x