I can not tell you for sure, but research shows somewhere that nursing dramatically reduces breast cancer rates. To me it makes sense because that is what the function of the breast is. (no it’s not for motor boating, sorry fellas)

Breastfeeding does and will make you hungrier BECAUSE it sucks up about 500 calories of your food per day! So eat a balanced diet and dont go off on sugar (which you might be craving so much, I know I do) and watch the weight melt off!

I know it makes me want to eat healthy, helps rid baby weight, it reduces cancer, and it makes me and baby feel good!
What more could you want!

OH, BAD?
HMMM
Well, you might have sore boobies for the first few weeks. No pain no gain!

BAD?
Money on breast pads. I use hemp pads so I can reuse them, not so bad.

Have fun with your baby!
Good luck!

I was HUNGRY all the time, thirsty all the time, lower libido, I lost weight too. The vaginal dryness was combated successfully with lube – so much more fun – and more time given to foreplay. I snacked frequently and ate a lot more fruits and vegetables when nursing, overall while my intake was greater my diet is better when nursing.

As for other things that are good for your body – you decrease your risk for type II diabetes for 15 years for every year you nurse, you decrease the risk for hip fractures in old age, decrease the risks for cervix, breast, uterine cancers, you decrease the levels of cholesterol in your blood that were greatly increased by pregnancy (yup, pregnancy makes your cholesterol score go bad) – becuase the cholesterol becomes the cream in your milk. In the long run you are improving your lifespan and quality of life for yourself if you nurse your child.

Breastfeeding dramatically reduces your chances of getting breast cancer later. It’s been proven.

It goes a looong way in helping with the bond with your child, It also gives you such a feeling of providing, it’s beautiful.

It is so convenient and cheap!

Cons. It has been known to cause some vaginal dryness, and lowers your sex drive.

It can be a little more difficult when it comes to other people feeding the baby, you’ll have to pump.

The baby digests breastmilk faster, since it is made perfect for their bodies; Which means you’ll feed more often than with formula.

It can be uncomfortable sometimes. Nipples get sore, engorgement, etc.

The ‘average’ for getting a period back is 9 months, so you could get yours tomorrow, or not for a year or more.

After about 5 months or so, you become used to it. It’s much like pregnancy itself…that first trimester is the real tough part. Your body has to adjust to having its system leeched of nutrients and blood. Millions upon millions of cells are produced to form that little peanut of a baby…and most women have some “morning sickness” as a result.

It’s not any easier on you the next 2 trimesters, but your body adjusts and usually you won’t get sick after 14 weeks or so (not true of everyone however)

I menstruated (regularly) the entire time I breast fed, and my friend didn’t start menstruating until about a year after she stopped breastfeeding!

You will start menstruating when you’re body decides that it’s time. You may even start and stop again!

Breastfeeding may delay your period, but you still ovulate!!

It has an index where you can look up symptoms or problems, diagrams, charts, and all kinds of useful information.

A good book to check out is _The Breastfeeding Answer Book_ or _The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding_

Good for you for giving breastfeeding a go! You can do it!

Health – Those antibodies don’t mysteriously disappear once your child is a toddler. Breastfed children of any age have far fewer colds and ear infections than other children. Plus, you also lower your chance of developing breast cancer, which is pretty awesome.

While it’s unfortunately not the norm in our society, it really should be. The natural weaning age of a child is between 2.5 and 6 years old. I’m all for breastfeeding until your child decides he/she is done.

**To all those who think it’s “freaky” or “weird” past some arbitrary age you’ve picked out: GO AWAY until you can read enough on the subject to realize how wrong and ignorant your statements are!!

#2 It is a great source of comfort
* A toddler that has such an ingrained source of comfort feels freer to venture out and even possibly get hurt because they know they will be comforted in a familiar loving way
* A toddler that has his dependence NEEDS met is likely to be more independent when it is age appropriate than children who are prematurely Forced into “independence.”

#3 it keeps moms healthy
*the longer you breastfeed, the lesser the likelihood of developing breast cancer.
*It helps you not stress about the fact that you toddler decided to only eat apples and crackers today!-)

Many more reasons can be found at the link below

I

I still haven’t bought one, but I think I would be ok now at 25 months. Somewhere around a year, I lay on my stomach for about two minutes and I got my only clogged duct from that! Geesh! Doesn’t take much, I guess.

Enjoy it and good luck.

Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. Nursing let me relax about what my toddler wasn’t eating- I knew he was still getting excellent nutrion through breastmilk, and relaxed about the particulars of what he ate from day to day.

In TX, there’s a loop hole that private places can slip through. the law states:

A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be.

but that’s it. it only applies to public places… private businesses like stores and restaurants can kick you out for whatever reason – refuse service even for the reason of breastfeeding…. we’re trying to change this to be more specific and say that “in any location public or private” and that “she must not be asked to move or leave for the reason of breastfeeding” and include some sort of thing about even if a small portion or large portion of her breast is exposed during the latching on/off part of nursing and stuff like that.

I’m not sure of the number of states… but that’s mine!! It’s happened too… many times and we end up in a public fight for an apology and policy change for that company.

Return of fertility

Return of menstruation following childbirth varies widely between individuals. The closer a woman’s behavior is to the Seven Standards of ecological breastfeeding, the later (on average) her cycles will return. Average return of menses for women following all seven criteria is 14 months, with some reports as soon as 2 months and others as late as 42 months.

Although the first post-partum cycle is sometimes anovulatory (this reduces the likelihood of becoming pregnant again before having a post-partum period), subsequent cycles are almost always ovulatory and therefore must be considered fertile. However, some women find that breastfeeding interferes with fertility even after ovulation has resumed. Luteal phases too short to sustain pregnancy are a common example.

Couples who desire spacing of 18 to 30 months between children can often achieve this through breastfeeding alone.

Do I need to wean to get pregnant?

Probably not. If you are still transitioning to full fertility (as discussed above), breastfeeding may affect the success of implantation. Once implantation is successful, breastfeeding should not affect a healthy pregnancy (see A New Look at the Safety of Breastfeeding During Pregnancy for more information). If your periods have come back and settled into a regular pattern, it is likely that breastfeeding is no longer affecting your fertility.

Many moms can conceive without deliberately changing their toddler’s nursing patterns. There is no “magic” threshold of breastfeeding that will allow you to conceive — every mother is different. Some moms need to stretch out nursing frequency and/or shorten nursing sessions to make it easier to conceive — babies naturally do this themselves as they get older, so one of your options is simply to wait a bit.

Changes that are more abrupt tend to bring fertility back faster (e.g., cutting out one nursing session abruptly, rather than gradually decreasing nursing time at that session) –even if you continue to breastfeed a great deal– this is why many mothers experience the return of fertility when their child sleeps through the night or starts solid foods. If you decide to make changes to your nursing pattern, the time of day that you make the change (e.g., cutting out or shortening a nighttime nursing session as opposed to a daytime nursing session) should not make that much of a difference. Current research indicates that nursing frequency and total amount of time at the breast per 24 hours are the most important factors, rather than the time of day that the suckling occurs.

A few moms do find it impossible to conceive while nursing, but this is not at all common.

Many mothers wonder whether breastfeeding will affect the reliability of pregnancy tests. It does not — pregnancy tests measure the amount of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in blood or urine, and hCG levels are not affected by breastfeeding. The developing placenta begins releasing hCG upon implantation; a pregnancy can generally be detected with a pregnancy test within 7-14 days after implantation.

As recommended by the WHO, breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement.69 It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years.70 Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection,71 better social adjustment,72 and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer.73 Mothers who have immigrated from cultures in which breastfeeding beyond infancy is routine should be encouraged to continue this tradition. There is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman’s personal decision. If the child is younger than two years, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child.19

The well-protected uterus

The specter of breastfeeding-induced preterm labor appears to spring in large part from an incomplete understanding of the interactions between nipple stimulation, oxytocin, and pregnancy.

The first little-known fact is that during pregnancy less oxytocin is released in response to nipple stimulation than when a woman is not pregnant.5

But the key to understanding breastfeeding during pregnancy is the uterus itself. Contrary to popular belief, the uterus is not at the beck and call of oxytocin during the 38 weeks of the “preterm” period. Even a high dose of synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) is unlikely to trigger labor until a woman is at term.6

Instead, the uterus must actively prepare in order for labor to commence. You could say that there are two separate states of being for the uterus: the quiescent baby-holder and the active baby-birther. These states make all the difference to how the uterus responds to oxytocin, and so, one can surmise, to breastfeeding. While the baby is growing, the uterus is geared to have a muffled response to oxytocin; at term, the body’s preparations for labor transform the uterus in ways that make it respond intensely to oxytocin.

Many discussions of breastfeeding during pregnancy mention “oxytocin receptor sites,” the uterine cells that detect the presence of oxytocin and cause a contraction. These cells are sparse up until 38 weeks, increasing gradually after that time, and increasing 300-fold after labor has begun.6,7 The relative scarcity of oxytocin receptor sites is one of the main lines of defense for keeping the uterus quiescent throughout the entire preterm period—but it is not the only one.

A closer look at the molecular biology of the pregnant uterus reveals yet more lines of defense. In order for oxytocin receptor sites to respond strongly to oxytocin they need the help of special agents called “gap junction proteins”. The absence of these proteins renders the uterus “down-regulated,” relatively insensitive to oxytocin even when the oxytocin receptor site density is high. And natural oxytocin-blockers, most notably progesterone, stand between oxytocin and its receptor site throughout pregnancy. 8,9,10

With the oxytocin receptor sites (1) sparse, (2) down-regulated, and (3) blocked by progesterone and other anti-oxytocin agents, oxytocin alone cannot trigger labor. The uterus is in baby-holding mode, well protected from untimely labor.4

I breastfed / am breastfeeding my kids and I did it just about everywhere and anywhere. Though by the time they were talking in sentences we pretty much confined it to before bed and nap time.

Of course, I also didn’t believe in nursing children that were old enough talk in sentences and some women do that too. Some women on the “long term breastfeeding forum” were whining about having to wean their children because they were starting kindergarten in the fall. I think some women just enjoy this a little too much.

No you don’t have to stop bfing, if you want to concieve, or even if you are pregnant.

Other women get it at about 6 months, or earlier. It’s up to how you’re feeding your baby and your hormones.

They say that losing a pound a week is the healthiest way to achieve LASTING weight loss. So it sounds like you’re doing just fine. But your doctor is right, and breastfeeding DOES help you to burn a considerable amount of calories, but if you’re not being careful about what you’re eating, that could be slowing you down.

My sister has 4 kids, and each time she was pregnant she put on a LOT of weight. But she breastfed with 3 of them, and it helped her to get down to pre-pregnancy weight faster, along with eating sensibly and working out. With the other child, he bit. And even without teeth, it hurt too much to continue to breastfeed. It took her nearly twice as long to lose the weight from that pregnancy.

Of course, if you’re eating well and exercising it’ll help speed things up.

And it IS okay to exercise while breastfeeding! It’s a total myth that you’ll produce poorer quality milk or have any negative effect on the baby. Your body is built to reproduce, and once you’ve had the baby, it continues come first biologically. The baby will get what it needs before you will, so if anyone is going to be malnourished while breastfeeding it’ll be you…so make sure you continue to take prenatal vitamins, and eat well.

But it sounds like you’re doing okay as it is…just keep at it.

and I started exercising… MAN oh MAN did the weight just melt off … I attribute the rapid weight loss to breastfeeding…

I’m 3 1/2 months into nursing and my weight loss has been really slow…It is hardly 1/2 pound a week. Just depends on the person.

Don’t try to diet though, or you will see your supply drop. Just remember it took 9 months to gain, it will probably take that long to loose unless you are athletic.

Breastfed babies may want to nurse every 45 minutes to 2 hours, this gets better after a while. Don’t fall for the “you don’t have enough milk” when you tell the health visitor how often your baby nurses. You have enough milk, but breastmilk digests very quickly, but more is absorbed into baby’s system, whereas formula takes longer to digest and less is absorbed.

Breastfed infants can go up to 10 days without a poop.

Breastfed babies don’t gain weight as quickly as formula babies. Don’t pay attention to the charts, or the nurses or doctors telling you, you need to start giving formula because your baby doesn’t grow according to a chart.

You can pretty much eat and drink what you like. People are going to tell you to avoid certain food and drinks. It’s an old wife’s tale. Be careful with alcohol in the beginning though.

For more information go to

And to find a lactation consultant, go to

When you go to the hospital to have the baby, you will probably have the option to have a lactation consultant help you. There may even be classes or videos to watch, but having someone show you, WITH your baby in person, is the best way.

It’s rewarding if you can get it to work. Just ask any of these breastfeeding Moms.

I’m sure that “baby uber alles” and “mcmom” and a few others will answer… and they know much much more than I do… but, go with a realistic view that it may be difficult at first… it may take learning. No one told me that with my first and I wish they had.

Good Luck throughout your pregnancy and delivery. And good Luck with the breastfeeding I hope it works out great!

I found/find breastfeeding such a natural thing.
Well done for planning to b/f but dont be too disappointed if it doesnt always seem easy.
Good Luck with the preg & birth.

Good Luck ~~~

I think its just an issue of having the lactation ducts in a different place, in addition to the breast tisse Will they drain if you gently massage them while nursing. DO you have an electric pump? If so try gentle massage while LIGHTLY pumping if baby is asleep or not nrsing. Dont want to overstimulate and tell them to produce more.

Is it just one side? If so, you CAN produce enough milk with one side, if you want to quit nursing on the affected side. It’s all supply and demand.

Please do not give up on breastfeeding. Your body will figure out what it needs to do and your supply will decrease on its own in response to your baby’s demands.

But, tell me, is it both sides?

I had a low supply and this did it for me. If you try now it may not be too late. I had to keep pumping until around 4months, when finally my milk supply adjusted and I got to where I needed to be to exclusively breast-feed my baby.

If you are comfortable with it and can do it responsibly, you could ty co-sleeping with the baby as the night-time feeds stimulate milk production more than any other time of the day. Prolactin is higher in the early hours. You could try breast-feeding lying down, that’s what we did anyway and baby and you both go back to sleep with baby attached.

Breast=feeding releases a hormone that makes you feel sleepy so that you go back to sleep when baby wakes for a feed, but it also releases a hormone that stops you entering the 4th stage of sleep, the very deepest sleep, to stop you from rolling onto your baby.

Anyway, I digress, good luck with it, hope you get it back

a real lactation consultant w/ the IBCLC credentials after her name (international board certified lactation consultant) or a La Leche League Leader should have at least proposed it as a possible idea.

Really it boils down to money… formula companies like doctors – they gift them with stationary, pens, lunches, free samples and such.

How many ******* out there are cutting checks to pediatricians for promoting them??

plus breastfeeding is not a medical issue… unless you have an infection, are dealing with issues related to a previous ****** surgery or something like that .

breastfeeding is a societal issue… should be taught in school’s health classes… when showing us the food pyramid & the 4 food groups they should also include info on what babies should eat, how they should eat it, and how women should get help when they’re having trouble doing it!!

sad, very sad.

Most medical professionals don’t know much about breastfeeding. They don’t learn about it in school, and the formula companies provide most of their information about infant nutrition. There’s no one to pay breastfeeding experts ot come teach them, unlike formula.

Lactation consultants are the only group that would have that much information, but they frequently aren’t consulted, often because insurance won’t pay for their services.

The best way to deal with plugged ducts is to start working on it as soon as you suspect you are getting one. I did the following when I had plugged ducts:
- Stop pumping (if you are) and only nurse the baby. Pumping is not as efficient in emptying the ****** as is nursing.
- Apply heat for a few minutes and massage the ****** a little bit before nursing. This helps the milk to flow more freely. For stubborn ducts, I even massaged my ******* under a warm shower before nursing. Of course, do compression while nursing, as you already are.
- Nurse the baby in different positions because it helps to empty different ducts. I found it helped if the baby’s chin was pointing towards the duct.
- Are you taking any herbs etc to increase your supply? My supply dropped a bit after 5 months and I started taking some fenugreek. I noticed that made my problem worse.
- If you have fever, it may also mean that you have an infection (mastitis). It usually resolves by itself in about 2 days, but if you have it more than that then you should go to your doctor, you may need antibiotics.
- Take ibuprofen for pain and apply cold compress after feeding to help with the swelling and pain.

Most of my plugged ducts went away within 2-3 feedings. But sometimes they were really stubborn and I had to go for ultrasound therapy to get them resolved. the last one I got was when my baby was 7-1/2 months old – it lasted a whole week and didn’t get better even with ultrasound. That’s when I decided to wean my baby. however, I noticed after decreasing a few feedings that the problem was gone if I maintained a low supply. So currently I am nursing 3 times a day and she gets formula for the rest of the feedings (she’s also eating solids, so that helps). anyway, I don’t want to discourage you by my story. I think you are in a better position because your ducts always resolve within 2-3 days. I think applying the heat and feeding in different positions will help you a lot (do this even when you don’t have a plugged duct to avoid getting them).

This is why it’s so important to be your own advocate. I highly recommend that people read a breastfeeding book before they have a baby so that they can educate themselves (the Nursing Mother’s Companion Guide, The Breastfeeding Book, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding–ETA: The “What to Expect” Books are complete rubbish with nursing advice, avoid them if you want a successful nursing relationship.)

You’re LUCKY if you find a well-educated doctor or even nurse. Some “lactaction consultants” are just nurses with an extra hour or two of training. You need an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

There’s NO EXCUSE! It’s just ridiculous.

Having a good LC is important so hopefully you’ll get a good one this time. The only advice I have for you is this: one bad latch at the beginning can REALLY ***** things up and make you want to quit but push through it. If it hurts the whole time during nursing, then it’s a bad latch…if it only hurts for a few seconds, it’s okay and just means that you DID have a bad latch on a previous feed but it’s healing. Also, wait until the baby’s mouth is wide open…don’t try and shove it in quickly b/c that will end up in a bad latch. Good luck!

I was told by the LC’s at the hospital that c-sections can make milk come in a few days later than those who have vaginal deliveries. I don’t know that there is much you can do beforehand to get your milk flowing.

I think the best you can do is be determined to breastfeed, no matter what. Get in touch with a consultant at La Leche League before you deliver to seek out support. Half the battle is having great support arranged before things get difficult. They are wonderful (and it’s free!).

Good luck to you, Mama!

Good luck

When you shower, rub the clogged area, massage it with a hot wet cloth, or even better – a diaper soaked in hot water. It won’t leak all over you and it retains the heat.

Don’t give up – you’re doing great! Just keep on draining.

It’s critical that you have support so KEEP going to the lactation consultant with questions and for affirmation. That’s what they are there for. Breastfeeding can be one of the greatest challenges a new mother faces.

You should definitely pump the other ****** she is not taking as this will help keep the milk flowing and prevent further mastitis. But also, keep offering it….maybe once or twice a day. Try with the consultant to figure out why she favors the other side. If the other one is too full or hard to latch onto, pump it a little then put the baby on.

For soreness you can try Lansinoh, or just warm compresses and air drying. Also, let the consultant look at her latch again because even after fixing the problem babies can go back to their former habits again, starting the soreness all over.

Hang in there! I’m rooting for you!

For the soreness on your nipple, use some lansinol cream and try to air dry it for a while before putting it away. You can also safely take tylenol to deal with any pain.

If you’re still struggling, go back to the lactation consultant, that’s what they’re there for and you should not hesitate to ask for their help!

Good luck!

Stop the bottles and just have her nurse. Why? She has to work to draw the milk out of your ****** and not so with the bottle. We only used a bottle when I was at work. The rest of the time, it was me nursing her.

Nurse her on demand, get comfy and relax.

You may also try to warm your ******* before you nurse her to help your let down occur faster. Use very warm water and wet your ******* before nursing. It works like a charm!

Your ******* may feel “empty” but they are not. Your baby’s nursing tells your body to make more milk. Again, only nurse when you are home.

Take your time and just remember- you are doing well. Some babies are lazy and will nurse when they are hungry. Our son was like this. Our daugher on the other hand was not.

You are doing a good job- keep it up!

Right now you and your baby are still learning about breastfeeding. It’s best to wait to start pumping for a few weeks, when your milk supply is well established. For now, relax and just enjoy your new baby!

It’s also normal for babies to prefer one side to the other. Perhaps your right ****** isn’t making as much milk as your left, or maybe he finds the left easier to latch on to. It’s entirely possible to breastfeed from only one breast, but you can encourage him to nurse on the right by offering it first at most feedings, offering it when he’s mostly asleep, nursing him in a sling or in the bathtub so he feels relaxed and secure. As long as he’s growing well and having lots of wet and poopy diapers, you’ll know he’s getting plenty of milk. You don’t really need to worry about this unless it really bothers you.

About the thrush, be careful of genetian violet, it’s easy to overdo it. There are several excellent sites that have a lot of info on thrush which can definitely be very overwhelming.
MAKE SURE to let your ******* air after nursing. using a ****** shield can keep the moisture in but you want them to dry out. Try this link at kellymom.com Also from the Dr. Sears Baby Bookyou can use probiotics powder and antifungal medicine on your ****** and on your babies mouth. Make sure you boil all her teethers, toys and ******* or anything she’s really putting in her mouth that the fungus can live on. One last thing you might want to watch your sugar and vinegar intake as that can help yeast grow in your own body.

good luck and hang in there, it’s more annoying than life threatening but the benefits for you and your baby to continue are worth workig this out.

Every mom I’ve talked to had a rough start to breastfeeding, encountering challenges like the one you describe. I have a friend who had to take a Lortab before even attempting nursing, for the first month. But then, every mom that I know who didn’t give up, eventually had a great time nursing, and found it worth the struggle.

Do what you need to do, if that involves getting professional help with your latch, using ****** shields, or quitting nursing. But know that it DOES get better, and if you can hang on and tough it out, I think you’ll be glad you did. But don’t let anyone give you a guilt trip if nursing is not for you.

My toes curl for you in sympathy.

One thing — I got started on the ****** shield, on the advice of a LC who was in a hurry, and it was SO HARD to quit using them after the initial latch problems seemed solved. Weaning the baby off of shields can be done, but it’s an added frustration. I will say that the shields spared me a lot of pain, but I’ll always wonder if they affected my milk supply.

Also, we were told that once a ****** fed baby starts nursing off the bottle, they can get “nipple confused” as the ******* techniques between ****** and bottle are different. Once he started on the bottle, he had no interest in the ******. Could this be with your daughter, too?

try pumping regularly and bottle feeding her

i know you want to be able to do the ****** thing but maybe your baby isnt interested yet

my friend had a similar problem her daughter was a preemie

and found it hard to latch on

but after pumping and the baby gaining her strength she did better

so my advice is to pump to keep your milk supply and then when the baby is hungry try putting her on the ****** just to build the muscles

and then after she does 5 minutes on each breast
give her the bottle

good luck

Meg

Premature babies are not as good breastfeeders as fullterm babies. You are fortunate that at your son is able to nurse as well as he is doing. I have seen many premies not get the hang of it at all. It will take a little longer to help your son learn to breastfeed, because he is a premie, but it can be done. Also, every baby is different. Even some full term babies have trouble learning to breastfeed.

If you really want him to breastfeed, I would not recomend using a bottle, because he will get to where he prefers it over ****** feeding and not take the ****** at all. Keep working with the lactation consultant, and keep working on positioning with him and it will get better. Have either the lactation consultant or doctor check his weight, and as long as he is gaining a little each visit, keep up with the breastfeeding.

If he is nursing better in the daytime, it sounds like he can do it. Some babies have fussy evenings, and are harder to nurse at these times. Part of that is because there is not instant gratification because the milk sometimes has a delay before it is letdown while nursing. Your wife may want to put warm washclothes on her ******* and massage them a little before she tries to nurse in the evenings so that her milk flows faster after the baby latches on.

I don’t know what position she tryies to nurse him in, but she may want to try a different position and see if that helps (cross chest hold, football hold, sidelying position). Some babies do better with one than the other. The sidelying position works well for a fussy baby because the bed supports the baby, all you have to worry about it keeping the ****** in the right place.

If you have been working with a lactation consultant, I am sure that she has checked the positioning of the baby. Make sure the baby’s tummy is turned toward mom regardless of the position. The baby’s head needs to be in a straight line with his body, or he will not be comfortable and may not keep latched on if he is already fussy.

If she gets milk when she pumps, she has milk available. Don’t be concerned that it isn’t a significant amount. A ****** pump doesn’t extract milk as well as a nursing baby does. The amount of milk she can pump is no indication of how much milk she has. Make sure she drinks plenty of water and eats a healthy diet to encourage her milk production. She needs to avoid all caffeine, as this interferes with milk production.

If you do need to resort to using a bottle, offer the ****** first with each feeding. Work with your son for 15 minutes trying to get him latched on. At that point, switch to the bottle, but make sure to pump each time you can’t get him latched on. The milk supply in the ****** will diminish if feedings are skipped completely.

Try not to get frustrated. It took me 6 weeks to get my daughter and I working together consistantly with breastfeeding.

Let me know if you have specific questions on positioning, I could go on forever but don’t want to repeat information you may have gotten from the lactation consultant.

As for the pumping, that’s great to have 2-3 oz. from the beginning! Good luck and enjoy your little one!

If she is gaining wait and not fussy when it comes to eating, I would say everything is fine..but contact a lactation consultant if you feel that she is not getting sufficient milk.
Signs of this would be lack of bowell movement, little or no weight gain, fussy behavior when feeding.
hope that helps.

There is a ****** cream you can get from Walgreen’s, Walmart, etc. Lansinoh cream is about 5 bucks and it is the best for soothing with cracked ******* and such…
Features:
Lansinoh For Breastfeeding Mothers
The safety and purity of Lansinoh is not available in any other lanolin product
Safe for Baby Relief for Mother
Soothes, heals and protects dry cracked skin

Send hubby, boyfriend, friend- someone to get this for you asap!

As far as the preference, I don’t know. Just keep trying to offer the right, I would think eventually he will somewhat submit. Try changing the positions on the unpreferred side.

EDIT: Your baby is still very young, and they go through a growth spurt right around 6 weeks… She could be building your supply… And, again, some babies just love to nurse! I am sure everything is just fine:) If she seems otherwise content, don’t worry (as if a mom can ever stop worrying, right?!)

Congrats and Good luck to both of you!

Good job working on the breastfeeding! It’s one of the best things you can do for your baby.

It wont be easy but you can do it!

Also dont feel like a failure. You have to take care of yourself first so that you can be the best mom to take care of him.

Also, what makes you think that you didn’t have enough milk? Without knowing how many wet/dirty diapers he was going though it is hard to say. If he wasn’t screaming his head off to be fed then more than likely you are ok. Humans are mammals, pure and simple and mammals feed their young with milk. Paruse the kellymom.com website a little, it is my fave site of all time for anything ****** feeding related!

Also make sure it isn’t something else – gas, colic, reflux, overtired, dirty nappy. All those kinds of things. It will get easier to determine what your baby wants/needs.

Alternatively it could be the latch. If your baby isn’t latched correctly this will hinder their efforts to get milk from your *******.

You should see a professional for help to determine that what you think is the problem is really the problem. If your ******* get really sore take a break and pump for a feed here or there. Short term pumping will give you a break and keep up your milk supply. My ******* felt like they were getting sliced off for the first few weeks, but it did get better. It is still not perfect but it is bearable. My baby is growing well and has not needed supplements. I too wanted to quit in the beginning everything with ****** feeding is so hard, but it is what I really wanted to do and I kept up with it and am so happy I can give my baby the best.

Good luck with whatever you decide! As long as your baby has a full belly all will be ok!

Yes, its normal for baby to have one **** he likes better. It’ll change as he gets older. Each ****** has a different flow, so one might let down faster with a greater flow than the other, so it makes him spit a lot of it out. Dont worry about it. Just keep nursing as usual, your milk will regulate, and he will strengthen in his nursing, and it will fade.

Its been 2 weeks for me before I produce a lot of milk.. Just tell her to let her baby **** her ******.

I hope you don’t give up on breastfeeding it can be difficult but it’s worth it for your baby!