Sydney's mom , nursed and DEFINITELY not satisfied

[TraciG]

last night I nursed for about an hour, the whole time Sydney was not relaxed and she wasn't getting satisfied, we weren't home, of course this has to happen at my MIL's , she was screaming when we were putting her in the car seat and in the car until we got home. As soon as we got in the house we gave her formula, she was starving, it seems at night I dont satisfy her, around 10;30, this has happened before, am I always going to be afraid that I dont have enough milk .

[pritchettzoo]

If you're stressed (as it sounds like you were at MIL's), your milk flow is going to be less. Also, my DD isn't overly fond of the car seat. She went through a period when just sitting her in it made her scream. I've found that sitting in the backseat with her and petting her face and hair helps her to go to sleep. Did Sydney have a nap at MIL's? If she was up before you went there and the whole time you were there, she could have been overtired and thus the meltdown in the carseat. When I've tried to nurse DD when she's overtired, I get the frantic, inconsolable baby thing too. What works for us is to swaddle her and walk around swaying her while singing, of all the annoying songs in the world, "Pop goes the weasel." She actually prefers the instrumental version (humming!). That usually gets her calmed enough to take a brief nap, and then I can get her to latch on and eat by just putting the nipple to her lips.

Are you taking fenugreek? If you're really concerned about your supply, eat lots of oatmeal, drink lots of water, and take fenugreek. Try doing some searches here for "fenugreek" and you'll get lots of great advice.

Good luck.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[egoldber]

I've got to agree. It sounds like you are stressed and stress definitely affects your supply. If she is peeing, pooping and gaining weight your supply is enough! Babies get fussy for lots of reasons, especially in the evening. That is a prime fussy time for ALL babies!

Read this for good info on evening fussiness:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/fussy-evening.html

She could easily have been overtired and/or overstilulated from all the activity and visiting.

And put that breastfeeding support group on your calendar!!

[jec2]

DS HATES the carseat. I know, everyone I tell is in disbelief since it is well-known that cars are supposed to put babies to sleep. Well, not ours! We have begun to use the Swaddle Me in the car and it has really helped. I also try feeding before going anywhere. MOstly this relaxes him so we don't get the full-blown screaming, red-faced, can't catch my breath cries.

Also, the evenings are trying for us to, as I mentioned in a post yesterday. I tell friends that between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm are our best and if they want to visit that is the time to come, otherwise, forget it (well, actually between 8-10 am are the best, but who wants to come over and visit baby while we're all still in bed?!). DS's naps during the day are crazy and sometimes last 2 hours or other times just 15 minutes. Regardless, he gets super moody in the eve and now I understand why they call it the "witching hour."

Tracie, just relax. take some deep breathes and trust yourself. You KNOW how to do this so just let it happen. Trust yourself. Know everything is fine. YOu are feeding her plenty as the recent weight-check illustrated. I have found this newborn experience to be totally unpredictable...que sera, sera! I just keep trying things to make ds happy and what can work one day doesn't the next. While pop goes the weazle works for one mom, Jingle Bell Rock works for us. For example, the other eve ds was fussy and I did the Dr. Karp swaddle, shhh, and swing and DS passed right out. However, yesterday it wouldn't work and I had to do the swaddle, sshh, side lay and suckle and had to let him suckle for quit a long time. Sometime he takes his paci, other times he doesn't. Most often he falls asleep when I wash the dishes or do laundry but there have been a few times he hasn't. Most nights he wakes to eat every 2-3 hours but last night I was up every hour from 3-6! Basically what I am trying to say, is just relax and understand that the baby is just a baby and not always as predictable as we'd all like when it comes to eating and sleeping. Be kind to yourself and trust that everything is ok and you are doing a wonderful job!

[SeekerMage]

One thing that I would suggest is what I do....we mostly bottle feed with ebm...but I do nurse atleast once a day when I am able, but I am always afraid she isnt getting enough, so what we do is give her a bottle after nursing. (I can only get her to nurse on one side at times, other times both, this way I know she is getting enough) I usually make a one ounce bottle and offer it to her after Im finished nursing. Some times she will drink some of it, some times all, and like today she took a few sips and didnt want it. But I had the peice of mind knowing that she was full and satisfied. As long as you are bottle feeding her afterwards, this doesnt seem like it would be a problem with nipple confusion. Another suggestion if you are worried about your evening supply....why not just give her a bottle at night, we did this for a while because it helped her sleep longer at night because we felt she was definittly getting enough without all the extra work and putting herself to sleep with the nursing.....that gives you a chance to pump if you do too, or "fill up" for the morning because I know in the mornings I pump a lot vs during the day. hope this helps.

Oh...and as far as the car seat....we have issues putting her in, but we give her a pacifier when we put her in ( we sometimes have to hold it in her mouth, but it gives her the sucking comfort long enough to settle herself down and then she usually falls asleep! Another thing I found is before belting her into the seat giving her a minute to settle her self in works, she wiggles a lot so the strapping in part is an issue, but if we let her stretch for a minute then get her strapped in it isnt as bad because she has found a place to settle and doesnt need to stretch as much. also check to see if the seat is cold, I know I wouldnt like to get into a cold car seat....we put a heating pad in it when its really cold and then she doesnt fuss at all because its nice and cozy warm. Hope some of these help...im sure you will find what works for you in no time! Good luck

[TraciG]

Thanks for the link, it was really helpful

[sntm]

traci,
one other thing -- if i remember correctly, when you were regularly giving her formula, you were doing so in the evening, right? your body may have come to expect that now. it is CERTAINLY not too late to reverse that, but you may just have to nurse a lot at night until your supply comes back up.

formula supplementation is a slippery slope -- the more you give, the more you have to give, and the more likely you are to have problems later on. you have enough milk! unless you have a major lack of breast tissue or have had some surgery which interrupts your ducts, you should not have problems making enough milk.

Insufficient supply is a [i]created[/] problem. The women who really do have insufficient milk supply are usually those who have to pump while at work (because your body does not respond as well to the pump as it does to the baby) or those who supplement with formula.

i am so grateful that formula is out there for those who need it, but based on how sydney was gaining weight in one of your earlier posts, she does not need it and it will only deny her the full benefits of your breast milk! You are doing a tremendous job -- trust in your (and your breasts' ;)) abilities!

have a good christmas and if your relatives say ANYTHING (or even give you a sideways glance) you have my permission to be totally offended and tell them confidently that of course you have enough milk, don't be ridiculous, do you know anything about lactation, etc!!

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[TraciG]

We usually give Sydney 1 bottle of formula late at night & that's when I would pump. Last night after breastfeeding we went to Waldbaums & she was screaming in the car ( she does like the car seat, at night she sometimes sleeps in it ) so we thought she must still be hungry so I made a bottle of formula, my husband gave it to her & she drank 2 oz then was calm again, so of course that makes me feel something's wrong.

After she is breastfed we noticed a lot that she gets fussy about an hour & a half later sometimes even earlier, I wonder if she should be eating sooner then every 2 hours, but then i'm back to breastfeeding again all day.

I WISH I didn't have to worry all the time or deal with in-laws pushing formula because they think it's better, or that she will get bigger faster, they think bigger baby is better.

Have to STRESS again about tomorrow night, bridal shower, relatives YUK.

[MartiesMom2B]

Traci:

I just read an article in the newest American Baby about the hardships of nursing. It was written by a dietician and she was talking about her struggles with breastfeeding, she stuck with it and offered some tips that were really good. I don't know if you get that magazine, but it's given away free at Babies R Us. Hang in there, breastfeeding is difficult in the beginning but it definitely gets easier.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[heva]

Traci, it could be that she's gassy 1.5 hrs after eating breastmilk. Feeding more seems to get them through the gas, but then the cycle restarts...and then, you're feeding 24-7! My son gets through gas pretty well by sucking on his pacifier - have you tried Nuk pacifiers? He's rejected all others...

[jennifer13]

You've gotten lots of great advice, but I just wanted to add that I had to learn myself to stop assuming that every time the baby is fussy it's because of hunger. Babies have lots of issues :). Sucking often helps calm them, so taking a few ounces from a bottle doesn't necessarily mean DD was hungry, but needed to suck as a way to calm. For instance screaming in the car seat could be about so many things, often overtired and can't fall asleep. Sucking helps. Anyway, it helped me to not always assume hunger. If it has been less than 2 hours since she's eaten, it may be something else. That's when to look into other comforting methods- sling, fresh air, music (music always worked for me). Especially as babies get older they seem less able to just pass out when they need to sleep, and thus may cry more often out of sheer exhaustion.

Jennifer
Mom to Norah 5/23/03