[*GatorMommy*]

I haven't posted at all in my DDC, so hopefully you guys don't mind me asking here.

I have been successfully breastfeeding for a week (yay!), but I noticed that he has a bowel movement pretty much every time he eats. Most of the time it's watery yellow, but about half of the time it's watery and green. Is that normal?? He has a ped appt tomorrow, but I figured I'd ask here as well.

Also, please tell me that it gets less painful the longer you BF. It is sooooo painful right when he latches on, and then it's not as painful as he gets eating. Is it always going to be like that? Ouch!!

My last question is about pumping. I bought a hand held pump, pretty much only for occasional use since I work from home. However, I'd like to start pumping milk to start a stash. He eats every 2 hours, but usually only from one side. Should I pump from the other side after he eats?

I am so clueless when it comes to this! Any help you can offer would be great!

[iheartaddi]

Yes, poop is fine. Addison would poop pretty much every single diaper in the beginning and she was changed at every feed. His body might still be getting rid of the nasty meconium hence the yucky green. I never really felt the pain of latch on because I had to use the nipple shields to get her to latch on. I hope it gets better for you soon!

I have little advice on the pumping. I would usually feed from one side and pump from the other side but I was never able to get a huge amount. If I remember right, Katrina was really successful at pumping with Parker so hopefully she'll see this and have some advice for you or someone else

[laisydaisymama]

that all sounds exactly right! our babies are about 8 hours apart lol. Make sure you are using lanolin after nursing, it is making my nipples ALOT less sensitive. Don't wash then when you are in the shower, just let the water run over them, then apply the lanolin after your shower. In another week or so you should be feeling alot less sensitive and in a month you should have pretty much zero pain.

pumping....there's no reason you can't start pumping the opposite side a little, you might want to wait another week or so though. You will be less sensitive and you will know there isn't any colostrum left. I would do it twice a day for about 10 minutes, and make sure that's once on each side. You could increase it in a week or 2 if you want to do more.

[momma2princesses]

I ditto everyone else...but I just wanted to say ((hugs))

[EVY&EGYsMommy]

Yup poop normal.

Pain WILL get better. Use Lanisloh cream EVERY TIME. Also I used these pads called Soothies which helped also. If it is killing you see a LC to check his latch. Esella's latch on one side was not great but I fixed it myself after reading some info in my BFing books.

Pumping...I started at 2 weeks. Esella always ate off both sides, and then I would pump after the morning feed (5am for us...she slept 4 hrs before then) on both sides and then once in the late afternoon after a feed as well. Pumping hurt but only because I was still sore from the latch issue Esella had. I used TONS of cream and battled through it and by 3 weeks maybe we were good to go.

I would get a good pump...I have the Medela Swing Single and it worked fine for me...tho this time I plan to get a double.

GOOD LUCK!!! Don't give up. If you are having other issues seriously see a LC or ask us here. It is SO worth it!!!!!


Katie

[HONEYBUNNY61]

Sounds good! Everyone gave good advice. And yes, the pain is temporary. Congrats on successful breastfeeding!

[HurricaneLady]

The pain is temporary, but YES it does hurt! Make sure all of your nipple areola is in his mouth and if you are the least bit worried that its not visit your LC - usually the hospital has one that you can go back and visit for free, if they suck call around

I found that sleeping without a bra/shirt helped my nipples heal and be alot less tender....the flip side is I had to sleep on a towel or two for a while until the girls stopped leaking so much.

Make sure when you use the Lanolin that you are rubbing it between your fingers first to warm it up and make it easier to apply - it took me WEEKS to do this and I wondered why it hurt so bad to apply. I found keeping my tube of Lanolin on my cable box kept it warm and thin so it was super easy to apply.

The soothies pads, or tea bags are awesome for when they just hurt so bad you wanna cry - hopefully you don't get here, but it happens and it will totally stop I promise.

His poop is totally normal, it will get seedy looking and weird and it will likely be that way almost everytime you change him As long as he is peeing/pooping you are doing everything 100% perfect and there is NO need to worry or even consider supplamenting or that anything is off.

As for pumping, I started at 11 days PP and I think I started a little too early just for sanity sake. I think if you really want to have a storage supply you are going to want to invest in an electric pump even if its only a single one.
Do not freak out if you only get tiny tiny amounts for a long time that is NO reflection of what you are actually providing to baby. (Even 6-8 months from now)
I started by pumping both breasts after I nursed him, I also would vary pumping one side while he nursed on the other.... to be honest this is tricky in the begininng bc you are still needing to assist them in latching on and holding them to your breast - in a few months they will be a pro and this will be so much easier but still a tricky task.
In the begining I would pump into one Medela storage bottle throughout the day bc I wouldnt always fill it right away, once it was full I would date it and put it in the freezer.
In about a month of not pumping everyday I already had this much

So you can definately get a stash built up quickly!

I am excited for you!!

[*GatorMommy*]

Thank you all soooo much for the good advice. I had been using soothie gel pads, but I started using Lanolin cream liberally and I already notice such a big difference. I feel kinda bad for the baby though, it tastes terrible. Tea bags are a great idea!! I've really been trying to pay attention and get a good latch right off the bat. It takes him a couple minutes, but I'm getting better at feeling when it's not quite right and then trying again.

Katrina, that is a crazy stash!! I think you guys are right- I'll wait another week or so and then try pumping. I'm definitely not good enough to even try nursing in public, so it will be nice to have a bottle as an option. How long would you guys wait to introduce the bottle?

You guys were right about the poop, the pediatrician said he only worries about red or black poop so green is okay.

I was so happy about his weight gain at his appointment! He weighed 6 lbs 14 oz at birth, and was 6 lbs 6 oz when we were discharged. I was so worried he wasn't getting enough to eat. At the home visit from the nurse, he was 6 lbs 7 oz (5 days old) after my milk came in and went all the way up to 6 lbs 14 oz by day 7. Now if the latching pain would go away, life would be totally good!

Thanks again for the good advice!

[HurricaneLady]

I offered the first bottle @ 2 weeks old which is SO not reccomended but we were going to a dinner party at Bryans boss' house and breastfeeding at the time in a room of 30 people that I did not know was not something I was ready for.

So about 5 hours before we left I put like 1.5-2oz in a bottle and gave him and the bottle to DH.
Then I nursed him later, and then when we got to the party I nursed him quick in the car so he'd be topped off. Then at the party Bryan offered the next 2oz bottle and as soon as we were back to the car I nursed him....eventhough those car nursings were 100% needed I think they helped him keep the boob on the mind.
We never had any issues, but he also didnt get his next bottle for quite a while.

[*GatorMommy*]

Oh gosh that sounds stressful...lol. I'm worried about even tying to BF in the car.