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20120306

Breastfeeding - Help Me

Okay, men, feel free to skip this post. Other breastfeeding moms, when does the cluster feeding end? Which week? And how do I get my right breast's milk production going? It is vastly outclassed by my crazy milk making left breast. Like half an ounce difference I'm betting.

Other than that, I'm laying (lying?!) on the couch with N2 while P and N nap. We are all happy and I miss blogging.

3 comments:

Helen said...

Always start and end with the underproductive breast -- you (and N) will be tempted to focus on the other side because it's easier and faster, but the only way to get production up is more stimulation on the recalcitrant side.

The cluster feeding will be an on-and-off thing through the first 12 weeks. If it's happening more than once a week at this point, though, it may be something else (like she's nursing to soothe herself to sleep or just pacify in general.) It's ok to give yourself a break, hand her off to Paul, and see if she can be soothed by other means. But it will be easier for him to do it than you, since she will fuss, "no, no no! just give me some more milk!"

Helen said...

Also, if you're having pain in the right, you could be underproducing because of clogged ducts. Take a hot shower and massage your breast while you stand facing the water.

I only went a couple of times, but breastfeeding support groups are great for this stuff. Bring the babe, ask women questions, hear what's bugging everyone else.... The one at PA hospital is free, open to all, and Monday at 11:30 (I think.) There are probably others closer to you, too.

Angie said...

I agree, my right was also underproductive; but since I did tandem feeding (it was waaay easier than having to feed one at a time) I would try to switch them around.

I did have clogged ducts twice, and got so sick I thought I was going to die...but I was able to prevent a couple of instances by using hot towels to relax and pumping.

Because I always felt I wasn't making enough (and in fact, i never made enough, and it took ages for my milk to come in...) I ended up using fenugreek and mothers' milk supplements (found at Whole Foods). Unfortunately the fenugreek made baby2 so gassy but I never realized it until about a month later. I stopped taking them and the baby stopped crying non stop.

I did keep one thing my mom said increases milk: for breakfast I had oatmeal. Always. Until stopped breastfeeding 13 months later (they weaned themselves).

So, in a few words what I tried>
-Oatmeal for bfast
-fenugreek supplements (made one baby gassy)
-fenugreek tea (made both babies cranky, quit after three days).
-mother's milk (I didn't see much of a difference).


One thing I DID realize after the ordeal is that if you use fenugreek, it should be only to increase production and you should stop after a week. It never really helped me much though.

As Helen mentioned, I hear the support groups help...but I never went to a nursing consultant or group because, even if I wanted to, I never had time. Two babies are too much to handle for a first time parent with absolutely no help close by (other than your no-vacation or paternity leave-whatsoever-and-also-sleep-deprived significant other).

Good luck! I hope it gets easier very soon!