Breastfeeding Advice - Miami,FL

Hi. When my daughter was born I breastfed her but didn't have problems with her latching on. The mistake I made was pumping more than breastfeeding. What happens is the babies suctions stimulates breast production and pumping does not. So, eventually you stop producing milk.

My best friend breastfed "successfully" for over a year and had help from La Leche League: http://www.lalecheleague.org/
I recommend it to anyone breastfeeding because this is TRUE information, no wives tales.

The BEST day!

I am glad that things are working out with the nipple shield :) I had similar issues with my son who was preemie. Just be aware that nipple shields do cause the milk supply to dwindle - that is because the baby is not able to successully empty the breast completely with the shield, so less and less milk is replaced.
In the short run I would pump after each feeding at the breast/shield, and give him the "leftover" if he takes it. And after he has had one side and isn't frantic, I would try him on the other side without the shield. Eventually they get it :)
Ciao,
T.

I have two children, my youngest being 8 months old, and I went back to work right after having both my children. I would pump milk every 3 - 4 hours just as if it was time for a feeding and my milk production was normal if not better because there was more pressure used in the suction of the cups. Just make sure that you pump every couple of hours to keep your milk flowing or you will start to dry up. Also, if you didn't already know you can freeze breastmilk and it will stay for several weeks. Here's a little hint for when you go out - I would freeze my milk in an ice cube tray and pop out the cubes and put them in a bottle before I would go out and by the time my baby was hungry the milk was the perfect temperture. (One ice cube is just under an ounce of milk).

I breastfed six. No it will not have a negative effect on your milk, but it is inconvenient and you and your are missing out on the best part about breastfeeding. The bonding is much greater if you feed directly. The reason that he/she will not feed that way is because He/She knows that the milk comes out of the bottle faster. (Instant gratification, the little American!) If you prefer to breastfeed directly, and I recommend that, it is a battle of wills. If all you offer is the breast, He/She will eventually give in. Its all up to you.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you going to Beckman Associates in WInter Park. They are a Speech THerapist group, but they specialize in Oral Motor Delays. Debra Beckman owns the practice, and she is currently doing a study on oral motor delays and how they impact breastfeeding.

Last I heard, she offers free consultations for the purpose of her breastfeeding study, and even does sessions where she teaches the mother how to properly breastfeed (I don't know if the actual session are free or not, though).

My son wouldn't breastfeed at all. I tried for weeks, and had every lactation specialist I could find in Dallas (where I lived at the time) work with me, but to no avail. I pumped to supplement, but my milk supply dried up.

When my son needed speech therapy, they did an oral motor assessment, and discovered the the muscles in his mouth were under developed, and that he wasn't physically able to latch on to nurse.

This very well could be part of your baby's nursing problem, and would certainly be worth checking out, especially if you really want to nurse him.

The number for Beckman and Associates is:

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They are located at:

1211 Palmetto Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789

And her email is:

____@____.com

Why are you pumping and feeding from the bottle? The nipples from a bottle are SO MUCH LESS WORK for the baby...so naturally your baby doesn't want to 'work so hard' for the milk. Stop pumping and start breastfeeding. Contact a lacatation consultant and they will give you great advice.

I read the breasfeeding 'bible' from LeLache League and breastfed both my 'babies'...one for 3 years..the other for 4 years. They both would never drink from a bottle, one because I didn't offer it as an 'alternative' and confuse them, the other reason, was it was just more convienent for me to breasfeed and I HATED PUMPING!! The baby/breast bond does something good for the production of milk, so put down the bottle and try to give what's best..the breast.

Enjoy it and know that your baby and you will have many shared moments of pure 'togetherness' that a bottle just can't replace!

I am very pro breastfeeding, without so much pumping and bottle feeding unless absolutely necessary and in emergencies.

N.

It's better at the breast because then your baby dictates how much milk you make as your baby grows. There are also benefits to the mouth and jaw developement for the baby from breast feeding that you don't get from a bottle. Not to mention the convenience for you. Check out this site below. Email them for help and they can help you get your baby to latch on. Or you should be able to contact a lactation consultant where you gave birth and they can help you.

Even if you don't you should be commended for taking the extra effort to give the baby what's best.
http://www.lalecheleague.org/resources.html?m=0

I know I went through the same thing. I learned a few things like you should not rotate from breast to bottle unless absolutely necessary. Also, do not allow pacifiers. Make sure that you are comfortable during feedings, your baby picks up on your moods and feelings and you know the saying... If mama's not happy... noone's happy. Once you are in a comfortable position then try different positions for your baby until you both are happy. If you are a stay at home mom then I would recommend not using a pump only because the more you pump the more you make and it will make it hard to tell just how much your baby is getting. You will naturally replace what is taken, if you pump and take to much, you will replace it, but then if you do not take again that amount, you will ache and lactate to release... Keep in mind that your baby has a tiny tummy and will only drink a little and it may take a while to get a little from you. Breast feeding is not as fast as bottle feeding but so much better. Make breastfeeding a special time for you and baby, sing, talk, caress. Smile and try to keep eye to eye contact. If you have to use a bottle for while your away, make sure that you are using nipples that are as similar in shape as yours. (hince the reason to not use pacifiers) And one last thing, when you are using a pump, don't waste yur time or money on anything than the kind you can get from the hospital. I know that Arnold Palmer Hospital as well as any other hospital I am sure, will rent them out as well as sell them, and it is well worth it considering the length of time you will be using it. I know that all will work out for you as long as you are dedicated to the idea of breast feeding and remember, your baby will grow so quickly, have patience and it will all work out. It is the natural way of doing things. It was part of Gods plan to breast feed, pray for patience and it will come. God bless and congradulations.

Hi E.. Don't get discouraged about your baby not latching on. I had the same problem with my youngest boy and had to pump all the time when it was time for his feeding. I did not see any lack of milk supply. I will encourage you to try to have your baby latch on before giving the bottle. He/she will get use to the easy flow of bottle nipples and won't want to suck on the breast as it is harder. They have nipple shields that you can buy that goes over your breast, you may want to try that. You can also try stimulating your breasts and get the milk flowing and then try latching your baby on. Don't get discourage, I went though the same thing and ended up pumpng for 13 months, 4 times a day and dwendled down to once a day and then none.

Everybody is different... your milk supply may not decrease if you are pumping often enough, but eventually most women do see a decrease in milk production if they are only pumping. Your baby's suck stimulates your hormones (and therefore milk production) much better than a pump. So, if you want to breatfeed exclusively for a while, definitly talk to a lactacian consulant (if you haven't already). Usually they can give you some tips on how to get the baby to latch on better. If your baby has a weak suck, then someone like Debra Beckman could help. I was her student intern last year and saw many infants with oral motor weakness. Hopefully you can get your baby to latch on better with the help of a lactacian consultant and won't have issues with a decreased supply. If you can stick with breastfeeding in the beginning it really pays off as your baby gets older. I cherish the peacefull moments I spend with my baby gazing up at me or falling asleep at my breast. My mom is a lactacian consultant, so I've heard alot about the benefits as well as the challenges of breastfeeding, but I've never met anyone who regretted doing it!

Hi E.,
I'm a 37 year old mom of a 9 month old and you might be lucky regarding the bottle feeding of your milk. My son flat out refuses to take a bottle of my milk or any other milk. I can't leave him for more than 2 hours because he has to be fed. Every where I go he goes, at least in your present situation you will be able to go to the grocery store, movies, out to dinner, and other places without feeling you have to have your baby with you at all times. And never you mind that your baby is getting your milk from a bottle, as long as you pump, you will make milk. Good luck.
A.

Hi E.,

Pumping all the time will not affect your milk supply at all....it actually helps it. My son (now 3) had a problem latching too in the beginning but the hospital gave me what is called a breast shield guard. It fits right over your nipple so that the baby can suck on it easier which helps them to latch on without it later on. I'm sure you can find one of these in the store too. Good Luck and don't get discouraged if he doesn't latch on. At least your able to pump and he's taking the bottle with YOUR breast milk. Good Job!!!

C.

Hi! That's a lucky baby you have there to have mommy so dedicated to breastfeeding!

Yes, pumping and giving a bottle can definitely impact your supply. May I ask why you are feeding by bottle and not at the breast?

I see that you are in Miami. I lived in Miami when my first was born. I found the local La Leache League group (there are a few in Miami-Dad) and that helped so much! It's a group that is all about supporting breastfeeding relationships (and it's all free). Call 1-800-LALECHE or go to www.LaLecheLeague.org to find a group near you.

Best wishes!

HI MY NAME IS A. J AND I AM A MOTHER OF FIVE I BREASTFEED ALL OF THEM AND I TRIED PUMPING TO AND BOY DID IT HURT BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION NO IT WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR MILK SUPPLY BECAUSE ANY TIME YOU PUMP OR BREASTFEED YOUR BODY MAKES MORE MILK

as long as you are pumping -- milk supply will keep coming -- but call any hospital and talk to a lactating specialist -- they all have them now....or the laleche (sp?) group are good for breastfeeding inspiration.......lucky for you, your baby takes a bottle......i breastfed three babies and waited too long to introduce the bottle -- so they never had the bottle and dad never got to feed them....just remember -- YOU are the mom -- and you love your baby......find out all the information you need to make an informed decision and don't beat yourself up for whatever YOU decide is BEST for YOUR baby!

Don't bang your head against the wall or worry so much. I tried breastfeeding, it didn't work and both of my kids were formula fed and are healthy and happy. Sure, I wanted to breastfeed. But it doesn't always work out for everyone. See if you can get a lactation specialist to help you. If the problems persist get some formula and move on. :-)

Dear E.,

Breastfeed is something really difficult to do in the very begining. If it were not, marketing people would not spend thousands of dollars and their time to tell us that "breastfeed is a way to show your love".

I've breastfed my both children EXCLUSIVELY (even without water, nor teas...) for 6 months. My first son was breastfed until 15 months old (of course, with other supplements are soups and juices after 6 months). And my daughter, until 1 y old.

What I do want to tell you that it's a matter of insisting. No bottles are needed. It's really time consuming. And it's takes a lot of our energy to do it. Whenever your baby is hungry, offer him/her your breast. Whenever is thristy, offer your breast. No need to pump. The more he/she sucks the more you have milk. Pumping really will interfere in your milk production. You need to relax. Drink loads of water and real fruit juices. Nothing more. God do the rest.

To be a first mom, is one of the hardest things for a woman. I know that ... really know! Be strong one day at a time. I used to cry a lot when my first son was born.

Take your time. Do whatever you can.

Hope I helped.

A.

Please, contact the hospital where you gave birth and arrange to meet with their lactation consultant ASAP, who should have visited you while you were in the hospital. Otherwise, go to www.lalecheleague.org and there is a link to find contact information for trained laction consultants in your area. Don't feel afraid to contact them on a Sunday or even on New YEar's, because these women will not mind they just want to help. Good luck and keep up the good work. I know bf'ing is a challenge sometimes but it's so worth it in the end.

Definitely get ahold of your local la lache league. They can help answer your questions, its a great local community to belong to. You will NEVER get as much milk pumping as your baby will get by nursing so you really shouldnt completely rely on pumping for all the milk needs...you can also type in google to find your local la lache league. Keep up the good work. Breast milk is the best for babies. Good job!

I have 16 month old little girl and she would not latch on to the breast either. I bought one of the best breast pumps out there and pumped like crazy. Eventually, my milk supply got less and less. My daughter got breast milk for about 8 weeks. Hang in there!

please call & go see the lactation consultants at mercy hospital ASAP!!!
they will help you
even if it's far for you it is WORTH IT :)

Faith B. Ploude, BA, IBCLC, RLC, and Anita Jiha AS, IBCLC, RLC are both International Board Certified Lactation Consultants.

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call! go!

Hi I have a 7 week old and I had the same problem. What I started doing was starting her on a bottle then putting her on my breast once she got started she was ok. As far as milk production as long as you pump often I don't see why it would reduce your milk.

K.