Friday, December 5, 2008

breastfeeding questions

***update:  thanks so much to all who commented, emailed, or wrote to me on facebook.  i appreciate all the advice!

because i do not have the time to get online and do my own research, i will send my questions out into blog world and wait for the internet to come to me. 

hopefully i'll get some answers this way...  

1) if i'm going to pump and store milk, when's the best time to do it?
2) how do i know if something i ate doesn't agree with graham?  will it be more than just normal burps?
3) how long does it take for something i ate to get into my milk?
4) if i'm "baby wise"ing him...and he finishes his meal, but seems to need more sucking time for soothing in order to fall asleep after "play time", but he WON'T take a pacifier...what in the world do i do?

okay, THANKS!!

and, if you're wondering why i don't already know this stuff (this being my second baby) it's because i wasn't able to nurse harrison for this long.  


3 comments:

denise said...

1. I think any time is a great time to pump, but your best chances are in the morning when you are really full. Don't totally drain and when he get up feed him the rest.
2.I loved using ice cube trays...I'm sure now day it's much more sophisticated.
3. When my two were birth-3 mos. I let them suck quite a while after they were full...a sweet bonding time and then I gradually weaned them from that...others may be horrified by that advise, but it worked well for us.

Courtney said...

what worked for me:

i fed them in the morning and then immediately pumped afterwards till empty. (for a while it might not be a whole lot, but your body will get used to it and start thinking he is needing/eating that much) and then also right after the first night feed i would pump immediately again and I just made this a part of my day.

in my opinion you shouldn't pump in the middle of the day between two feedings because it will take longer for you body to adjust to this and unless you are on a VERY strict schedule then this could produce problems (being empty when he is hungry)

you will know within 5-10 hours if something you ate doesn't agree with him. (although drinks are quite faster (ie. milk, alcohol)

and yes, burps aren't typically cause of something wrong in your diet, but just air while sucking. mine would ball up and their tummies were really tight and they'd scream bloody murder and/or vomit/spit up (alot)

also very much MY OPINION he's too young to baby wise yet. :) i like schedules but until after 3 months they are just growing too much and too often and they need you and sometimes it isn't for hunger needs, but that is truly what consoles them and comforts them...so i'd give him more. there isn't a way to know if he's full, he could be a really slow eater. jackson and creighton sucked for an hour every 2.5 hours (so on for one, off for 1.5, back on again).

i hope it is going well. i've been thinking of you.

you can freeze your milk for a year in a deep freezer! :)

NONE of this is research based, on experience speaking...and our kids and we are different, so use in moderation or not at all...just my opinion! :)

Dalene said...

I always pumped on one side WHILE I was nursing on the other side the FIRST feeding after the LONGEST sleep. (in the am?) I switched sides w/ the pump every day. Wow...I had so much milk doing that!

It's very important to remember that nursing isn't just about nutrition. It is about bonding, too. Every baby has different nutritional AND emotional/ bonding needs...and every mommy is different. What do YOU want to do? Consult the books, and then go with your gut, too.

I'm missing my babies! My baby is six!