Breastfeeding help please!

[farmfamily]

I breastfed all three of my babies, including the two with CF. my daughter began to drop on the weight chart at about 8 weeks. The Drs were afraid she wasn't getting enough so they had me supplement using a device. I checked and it is still available, It is from Medela and it is called Supplemental Nursing Device. Check it out it will give the baby extra formula while it nurses.

Hope it works for you
Mom to 3, 2 with CF

 

[farmfamily]

I breastfed all three of my babies, including the two with CF. my daughter began to drop on the weight chart at about 8 weeks. The Drs were afraid she wasn't getting enough so they had me supplement using a device. I checked and it is still available, It is from Medela and it is called Supplemental Nursing Device. Check it out it will give the baby extra formula while it nurses.

Hope it works for you
Mom to 3, 2 with CF

 

[Rebjane]

I breastfed my both my children as well. I have one with CF and one without. CF babies need more calories than non CF babies. My daughter with CF nurse all the time. I would give her her enzymes prior to a feeding and if she was going through a growth spurt and wanted to nurse again 1 and half hours later I would dose her again with enzymes. Remember breastmilk is fatty. Also, the more your baby nurses, she is stimulating your milk supply. There is also a general breastfeeding website called www.breastfeeding.com that I found helpful. I had heard if you eat oatmeal that it increases milk supply so I would eat it for breakfast everyday. It's good for you and even if it's just a placebo affect , who cares! I also at one point had used an herb called Fenugreek(short term) when my daughter was very sick when she was 5 months old(she had to have emergency abdominal surgery). The herb is supposed to increase milk supply. It actually really worked for me; at a very stressful time. I also continued taking prenatal vitamins and fish oil. Anyway, I breastfed my daughter with CF til she was 3 1/2 years old so if you have any questions, I've been there done that!

 

[Rebjane]

I breastfed my both my children as well. I have one with CF and one without. CF babies need more calories than non CF babies. My daughter with CF nurse all the time. I would give her her enzymes prior to a feeding and if she was going through a growth spurt and wanted to nurse again 1 and half hours later I would dose her again with enzymes. Remember breastmilk is fatty. Also, the more your baby nurses, she is stimulating your milk supply. There is also a general breastfeeding website called www.breastfeeding.com that I found helpful. I had heard if you eat oatmeal that it increases milk supply so I would eat it for breakfast everyday. It's good for you and even if it's just a placebo affect , who cares! I also at one point had used an herb called Fenugreek(short term) when my daughter was very sick when she was 5 months old(she had to have emergency abdominal surgery). The herb is supposed to increase milk supply. It actually really worked for me; at a very stressful time. I also continued taking prenatal vitamins and fish oil. Anyway, I breastfed my daughter with CF til she was 3 1/2 years old so if you have any questions, I've been there done that!

 

[Jemsmom05]

Man, I can relate! My 9 month old was diagnosed at 4 weeks, and in those early weeks nursing was all I did. I swear one night she ate 6 boobs in a row (if that makes sense? 3x each on both sides, right in a row). Don't give up, the more you nurse, the more milk you make! It is exhausting sometimes, but its a small sacrifice when you think of the awesome base nutrition you'll be giving him for the rest of his long life! He needs as much good bacteria as you can give, and commercial formula just isn't the same! My daughter ate every two hours from about 2 or 3 months and she's just recently started going 3 or sometimes 4 hours between nursing. She hasn't been sick and she's in the 75th percentile and I know it has a lot to do with her being breastfed! Good luck!!

 

[Jemsmom05]

Man, I can relate! My 9 month old was diagnosed at 4 weeks, and in those early weeks nursing was all I did. I swear one night she ate 6 boobs in a row (if that makes sense? 3x each on both sides, right in a row). Don't give up, the more you nurse, the more milk you make! It is exhausting sometimes, but its a small sacrifice when you think of the awesome base nutrition you'll be giving him for the rest of his long life! He needs as much good bacteria as you can give, and commercial formula just isn't the same! My daughter ate every two hours from about 2 or 3 months and she's just recently started going 3 or sometimes 4 hours between nursing. She hasn't been sick and she's in the 75th percentile and I know it has a lot to do with her being breastfed! Good luck!!

 

[litsa]

Lee Ann well done for breastfeeding your little one, IMO I feel its the best you can give to any child. Formula cannot even touch the greatness and wellness breast milk has to give. I have breastfed my boy from the very first moment, and I cannot really give you any advice as we found out he had CF when he was 7 months. I know though that it is absolutely normal for your baby to be on you very often, as often as you cant even imagine. I dont think it has to do anything with CF - but then again I might be mistaken- It just that that is how your baby is! My boy was breastfeeding all the time, and I never questioned it as I felt its how he wants it to be, so I gave him all the freedom to nurse. We are still breastfeeding and he is 15 months old! SO good luck and try to maintain nursing for as long as oyu can. Its the best for your baby.
Check this : http://uvicf.org/researchnewsite/nutrition/breastfeed.html.
Keep well.

 

[litsa]

Lee Ann well done for breastfeeding your little one, IMO I feel its the best you can give to any child. Formula cannot even touch the greatness and wellness breast milk has to give. I have breastfed my boy from the very first moment, and I cannot really give you any advice as we found out he had CF when he was 7 months. I know though that it is absolutely normal for your baby to be on you very often, as often as you cant even imagine. I dont think it has to do anything with CF - but then again I might be mistaken- It just that that is how your baby is! My boy was breastfeeding all the time, and I never questioned it as I felt its how he wants it to be, so I gave him all the freedom to nurse. We are still breastfeeding and he is 15 months old! SO good luck and try to maintain nursing for as long as oyu can. Its the best for your baby.
Check this : http://uvicf.org/researchnewsite/nutrition/breastfeed.html.
Keep well.

 

[Smilelee]

Thank you so much for your support! I was getting so worried about his weight and the fact that over the past few days to a week he has started really hurting me when nursing. It's like he isn't latching as well now and I think that might be why he wasn't getting all the milk. I have started pumping and feeding him from a bottle and he is doing much better! He would actually start screaming sometimes in the middle of feeding and I think now it maybe was out of frustration, just not sure why he isn't latching on very well anymore. He also started more or less "tugging" on me and that was really uncomfortable! I am trying to do some research on exclusively pumping and being able to maintain the right amount of milk. I also read about the oatmeal and have been eating it every morning for breakfast. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Unfortunately I will be returning to work at the beginning of April so I sort of feel like the pumping was inevitable.
I am so glad to be able to come here for advice and support, thank you all again!

 

[Smilelee]

Thank you so much for your support! I was getting so worried about his weight and the fact that over the past few days to a week he has started really hurting me when nursing. It's like he isn't latching as well now and I think that might be why he wasn't getting all the milk. I have started pumping and feeding him from a bottle and he is doing much better! He would actually start screaming sometimes in the middle of feeding and I think now it maybe was out of frustration, just not sure why he isn't latching on very well anymore. He also started more or less "tugging" on me and that was really uncomfortable! I am trying to do some research on exclusively pumping and being able to maintain the right amount of milk. I also read about the oatmeal and have been eating it every morning for breakfast. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Unfortunately I will be returning to work at the beginning of April so I sort of feel like the pumping was inevitable.
I am so glad to be able to come here for advice and support, thank you all again!

 

[Keepercjr]

Lee Ann

I really think you should see a lactation councilor asap. I'm pretty sure your issues could be solved very quickly (like in one visit). They will teach you how to get him to latch correctly and can observe him during a nursing session to diagnose any other issues. Call the hospital where you delivered at and go from there. My local hospital has a lc clinic and they charge $20 for the first visit and any subsequent visits are free. There are also lots of private practice lactation consultants around. It is certainly possible to exclusively pump but very exhausting and has a high rate of early weaning and switching to formula.

 

[Keepercjr]

Lee Ann

I really think you should see a lactation councilor asap. I'm pretty sure your issues could be solved very quickly (like in one visit). They will teach you how to get him to latch correctly and can observe him during a nursing session to diagnose any other issues. Call the hospital where you delivered at and go from there. My local hospital has a lc clinic and they charge $20 for the first visit and any subsequent visits are free. There are also lots of private practice lactation consultants around. It is certainly possible to exclusively pump but very exhausting and has a high rate of early weaning and switching to formula.

 

[ehtansky21]

I am with Caroline!!! Once you start exclusively pumping, your milk is more likely to diminish quickly!! Once you get back to work, I believe it would help alot if he latched on a couple times a day. It will take a little work, but he should be able to latch on "normally" with a little extra help and instruction.

blessings,
missa

 

[ehtansky21]

I am with Caroline!!! Once you start exclusively pumping, your milk is more likely to diminish quickly!! Once you get back to work, I believe it would help alot if he latched on a couple times a day. It will take a little work, but he should be able to latch on "normally" with a little extra help and instruction.

blessings,
missa

 

[kitomd21]

I do have to say that when I pumped for a year with DD, my supply slowly dwindled - even though I pumped at least four times during the day. Pumping doesn't simulate nursing in the sense that the body doesn't respond the same way as when an infant nurses...

 

[kitomd21]

I do have to say that when I pumped for a year with DD, my supply slowly dwindled - even though I pumped at least four times during the day. Pumping doesn't simulate nursing in the sense that the body doesn't respond the same way as when an infant nurses...

 

[drdanika]

I would check the outs more closely then the ins. If baby is pooping more then normal it would indicate that the enzyme dosage may be off. My daughter wasn't diagnsed until 4, but I remember when breastfeeding, she would fill her diaper wile latched on. I would change her, then continue feeding. Sometimes we did this cycle for hours. If only I had known... Amazingly, she didn't have any issues with growth until around age 3. She always ate like a savage. Now that she's on enzymes, I feel like she hardly eats at all.

same mutations by the way.

and congrats! he's beautiful!!

-C

 

[drdanika]

I would check the outs more closely then the ins. If baby is pooping more then normal it would indicate that the enzyme dosage may be off. My daughter wasn't diagnsed until 4, but I remember when breastfeeding, she would fill her diaper wile latched on. I would change her, then continue feeding. Sometimes we did this cycle for hours. If only I had known... Amazingly, she didn't have any issues with growth until around age 3. She always ate like a savage. Now that she's on enzymes, I feel like she hardly eats at all.

same mutations by the way.

and congrats! he's beautiful!!

-C

 

[Swallowtail66]

I had to pump for the first 4 months with my 2nd child; then nursed her until she was 15 months old. She had difficulty latching and felt like a vacuum cleaner! Medela has a double breast pump that works very well with keeping your milk supply going. They gave it to me free of charge for 6 months because breast milk was medically necessary as she could not digest formula. Your CF doc would probably write the script.

 

[Swallowtail66]

I had to pump for the first 4 months with my 2nd child; then nursed her until she was 15 months old. She had difficulty latching and felt like a vacuum cleaner! Medela has a double breast pump that works very well with keeping your milk supply going. They gave it to me free of charge for 6 months because breast milk was medically necessary as she could not digest formula. Your CF doc would probably write the script.