Breast and Rest
While Spud and I were in hospital the doctors noticed that she had extremely low blood sugar. I was (am) breastfeeding, and poor Spud had to be tested before and after each feed. Even after a feed her levels were so low that we were advised to supplement with formula. I was reluctant at first, but after the very first bottle her levels returned to normal and she settled so much better after a feed.
I’m happy to continue supplementing a couple of feeds each day with formula, as it means that T (and his parents!) can give her a bottle. But when I do breastfeed I don’t feel as though Spud is being satisfied.
We spoke with a lactation consultant in the hospital and she confirmed that Spud’s latch is good, she’s sucking well, and going by the sheer amount of pee she’s producing she’s definitely getting *something* from me. But she’ll go for twenty minutes on one side, then I change position on the breast and she’ll go for another twenty minutes. Then I change sides and do the same thing. For the past two days we’ve repeated this cycle for up to five hours. I know she’s cluster feeding, but I feel as though I’ve been kicked in the chest, and at 9pm the other night T came into the bedroom to find me sobbing over her as she rooted frantically for me again after less than a minute apart.
In an attempt to increase my supply I tried pumping as we got the Tommee Tippee hand pump as part of a set, but either I’m doing it wrong or it’s faulty as I pumped for half an hour the other evening and only collected a few drops into the bottle. Horrifically, though, as I removed the suction cup, loads of milk ran out from the funnel and valve and all down my top! Devastated! I asked about it on a Breastfeeding Group on Facebook, and it was suggested that maybe the bottle was screwed on too tight, but I was also recommended to try a different pump, as reviews on Amazon are relatively consistent in pointing out this issue. So I’ve ordered the NatureBond after seeing people on the Facebook Group raving about it, and finding it on offer on Amazon.
Wish me luck!
How did you get on with Breastfeeding? Any advice for dealing with cluster feeds, upping milk supply, or pumping?
We spoke with a lactation consultant in the hospital and she confirmed that Spud’s latch is good, she’s sucking well, and going by the sheer amount of pee she’s producing she’s definitely getting *something* from me. But she’ll go for twenty minutes on one side, then I change position on the breast and she’ll go for another twenty minutes. Then I change sides and do the same thing. For the past two days we’ve repeated this cycle for up to five hours. I know she’s cluster feeding, but I feel as though I’ve been kicked in the chest, and at 9pm the other night T came into the bedroom to find me sobbing over her as she rooted frantically for me again after less than a minute apart.
In an attempt to increase my supply I tried pumping as we got the Tommee Tippee hand pump as part of a set, but either I’m doing it wrong or it’s faulty as I pumped for half an hour the other evening and only collected a few drops into the bottle. Horrifically, though, as I removed the suction cup, loads of milk ran out from the funnel and valve and all down my top! Devastated! I asked about it on a Breastfeeding Group on Facebook, and it was suggested that maybe the bottle was screwed on too tight, but I was also recommended to try a different pump, as reviews on Amazon are relatively consistent in pointing out this issue. So I’ve ordered the NatureBond after seeing people on the Facebook Group raving about it, and finding it on offer on Amazon.
Wish me luck!
How did you get on with Breastfeeding? Any advice for dealing with cluster feeds, upping milk supply, or pumping?
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