Help on Breastfeeding

http://www.llli.org/ Saved my life with my sons. You can find almost every answer to every breast feeding question there.

Don't give up! You are doing an amazing thing for Leiyah! If your breasts feel really heavy or tight you may be engorged and the let-down might come too fast for her. Try holding the back of her neck and head to give her support and form a "c" around your breast to hold it. If you are too full and she can't get a proper latch then it will be harder for her to stay on. She should be nursing every 2 to 3 hours and if she is going longer than that you may be a little engorged. If so, try manually expressing or pumping about 1/4 ounce to relieve some of the engorgement. Otherwise, she may not have good enough head control and that is why she is detaching. YOu can also try different positions to feed her in. Tickle the bottom of her lip with your nipple and wait until she opens wide to pull her in close and fast. If she is smacking she doesn't have a good latch. WHen she is latched properly her nose and chin should touch your breast and her lips should be flanged out. Get someone you trust to help you look when she's feeding. They will have a better view above you or beside you. You should hear her suck 1-2 times and then swallow. She shouldn't be getting that much air. I hope that helps. Don't quit! You can contact a lactation consultant or call La Leche league for support as well!

maybe your breasts are too full, try to pump/express a little milk before she latches on. sometimes when they are too full, the milk comes out faster than they can swallow

Have you tried a lactation luncheon through your local hospital? They are so very helpful and there are lactation consultants there to answer your questions as well as ther moms. If you are in Orlando, call the lactation line. It is a free service. The number is ###-###-####. They have really saved me so many times when I got frustrated with breast feeding and had issues. Good luck!

My youngest of 3 did that. She clicked when nursing. The pediatrician said she was just sucking really hard. It was nothing to worry about because it didn't interfere with her ability to nurse. She said she was efficient. :)

There are some great answers here so I won't repeat. I will add that you can consider what foods you are eating that could be making her gassy. It's obvious whatever foods you eat go to her so maybe you're eating too much cabbage or beans that weren't cooked properly or weren't soaked? The gulping certainly will make her gassy but your food intake is also a factor. Keep up the good work and keep on breastfeeding. Don't give up b/c it takes a bit of work, this is one of the BEST things you can do for her for her entire life. I am confused as to why you would consider giving up nursing b/c she makes a lot of noise though. It's a million times healthier than formula so health vs noise should be a no brainer. Keep going, remember the two of you are still getting to know each other.....

A.,

Don't quit!!! There are resources out there to help. First of all, a great website for breastfeeding is www.kellymom.com
You can search topics or just put key words in the search field, for example "clicking", and it will display the results for you.

Also, there is a GREAT breastfeeding group at the Boca Raton Community Hospital - it meets every Tuesday at 12 (or Fridays at Babies are Us) and it is free!

Beleive it or not, she probably is finished after the first 10minutes on one side. If you are very full. Try nursing her on the other side to see how she reacts. She is probably just nuzzling and playing. I have nursed 4 boys who are now ages 22,19,12, and 3. They were all different. The first 2 were gluttons. The 3rd was a grazer, so we were there forever. He of course was the one who refused the bottle, so I had to cold turkey him when I returned to work, broke my heart. The last was a lot like your little girl. Very gassy. Dont give up. Best experience of your life. Wonderful bonding time. di

Hi, A.. Well, definitely do not try to force your daughter's head to stay perfectly still. You can hurt her neck and head that way, not to mention scare the living hell out of her. I hate eating noises, too, but babies have no manners yet, and we can't expect them to be too civilized.

However, I have two suggestions for reducing the eating noises.

#1: You may need to change your nursing position. If you and baby are lying down, then try sitting up and having your baby's head higher than her feet. In other words, she may be choking because there is too much fluid in her mouth, but also because her head may be too low. Think how hard it is for you or any adult to drink lying flat or slightly upside-down. Prop the baby's head up higher and keep her feed lower, and she should be able to swallow better.

I had to do that because my son kept getting ear infections that couldn't be explained any other way. The milk was being forced into his ear canal a little bit (their skulls are not formed exactly the same way adults are yet), and so I had to start nursing sitting up with a couple of pillows propped under him to get him in the right position. Hooray! he stopped having ear infections, and he had much less gas.

Another suggestion: don't wait until she is super hungry to start nursing her. If she is desperately hungry, she will try to eat too fast, and then she will gulp a lot and choke. Make sure she is calm when she latches on. Make sure you are, too, because your moods will affect her directly. Your hyperness will make her hyper, too. Try to slow down and enjoy the miracle of feeding your tiny daughter from your very own breast. So many of us never get to experience this; it is a privelege to be savored!

Another suggestion: Only nurse in a place where there are no loud noises or other distractions. It sounds like she eats really fast for the first few minutes, then when she's not so hungry, she gets bored and distracted. Many mothers drape a light blanket or sheet across their shoulders, sort of tenting the baby. That way, she doesn't see anything to take her attention away from eating, she can concentrate, and she will nurse longer and more effectively. But again, that takes committment -- no loud TV, no cell phones, no loud radio, because all these will distract baby and steal her attention away from the process of sucking.

I hope everything works out OK, and you and baby can learn to work together on nursing.

Peace and blessings,
Syl

Call a lactation consultant and request an appointment. There should be one affiliated with the hospital and the visit should be free. I went to North Florida and the visits were free. Tell her the problem happens at the end of nursing and she will observe the whole process.

I would suggest checking out LLL http://www.llli.org/nb.html
Find a local la leche league and attend their meetings. I had many problems BF in the beginning, but thanks to the support from other BF mothers at LLL, I am still happily BF my 14 month old. I know it can be tough, but don't give up! In 14 months, my son has had only 1 very mild cold.

You are doing a wonderful thing for your baby, don't give up. It really is tough in the beginning,no one tells you how hard it really is. When we are pregnant we see lots of pictures of women nursing their babies making it look so easy and dreamy, but the early months are not easy, it's a learning process for the both of you, hang in there. When I started it was so painful for 5 weeks I cried each time my daughter latched(every 2 hours!)and I almost quit,I heard others say "it's ok to bottle feed don't feel bad you can't breastfeed" but I was determined to breastfeed my baby and 14 months later we still nurse(now just in the morning and at night), It's the most personally rewarding thing I have ever done.I'm SO glad I didn't quit. I still cherish each nursing moment, the bond seems to get stronger everyday, I don't know how, it just does- You'll see... :)
If you need answers to questions and need support, like all of us did! check out this link-- www.breastfeedinghelpline.com
You are doing great, feel lucky you have lots of milk!

I didn't realize until baby #3 that the pecking like a chicken thing pretty much means they are done eating. She may still want to suckle (does she use a pacifier??) but her little belly may already be full enough so she doesn't stay latched on well (and ends up with gas from eating too much or sucking too much air) but she wants to continue to suckle. Just because a baby wants to nurse doesn't mean they are hungry-- try to find other ways to comfort her when she gets like that instead of letting her continue to nurse

Hi A.,

An absolutely wonderful resource is the Seton Center for Women at ST. Vincents Hospital in Riverside. They are the most knowledgeable and FREE!! I went there about 16 months ago when I first had my daughter and they were great! Call and make an appt with the lactation consultant. They even give you free stuff. I had the resources to pay for a lactation consultant, but this group is just as good. You dont have to deliver there either to use their resources.

I hope this helps!

Hang in there and don't give up you can do this! It's so much easier to give up than to keep going and there are lots of hurdles. I'm not sure what your nursing times or schedules are but my suggestion would be to pump after your first morning feeding and then pump after your last evening feeding, i.e.(before you go to bed). You will then begin to store up some breast milk so someone else can feed her when you need a break.

Do you have a pump? Can you rent one if you don't? Have you tried manually expressing some milk so your not so full? Do you use a boppie? Have you tried Mylecon(sp) for the gas? We used those drops with my son and they really worked as he was gassy on and off.

Some more websites are kellymom.com and askmoxie.org which are WONDERFUL! My hospital allowed me to contact them up to a whole year and utilize their lactation consultants over the phone for free. You could always try la leche as well. Let us know if you get some relief

Don't give up! I did when it got tought and now I feel really bad about it. You can do it!

Hi, A. A.
I hope you have already gotten some good help with this, but in case you haven't... First, my only credentials are that I've successfully breastfed three children (baby #1 for 18 months, baby #2 12 months, baby #3 18 months. My boys didn't want to stop breastfeeding, ever. My daughter was fine with stopping at one year. I'm not a medical professional. I'm a mom. If the baby is eating great for the first 10 minutes then perhaps she is getting what she needs then and the rest is only for comfort. She is using you as a passy. Also, if you feed her for 10 minutes on one side, then burp her, and feed her for 10 minutes on the other side she should be getting all the nutrition she needs. Don't give up. If you are both enjoying the experience then it is a good thing. As long as she is gaining weight you are doing it correctly. She could be gassy because of your diet. Certain foods going into you might give her gas. Here is a link to some information that might help. http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-breastfed-baby-get-...

Good luck,
Angela V.

Good for you for choosing to breastfeed and sticking with it!!!

T.

A.,

DON'T give up!!! Try to stop nursing when she starts the clicking. She may have caused your milk to let down so fast that she can't swallow fast enough. Press your arm firmly against the nipple and stop the milk flow. Burp her for a few minutes and start again. Make sure she has the entire nipple within her mouth, she may not have a good enough latch on the mipple. If you are producing soo much milk, maybe if you pump some of it before nursing her she won't have such a problem. You can freeze the pumped milk and then have your milk should you want an evening out for the babysitter. If that doesn't work, please call the Le Leche League for help. They are so good about helping you and nothing you can do for your baby is as good as breast milk. Hang in there. I'm a 60 yr old grandma who believes strongly in breast feeding. So many women give it up without really trying, my daughter is one of those "quitters" and it it such a great bonding time for you and your daughter. Cheri

At 3 months your baby is still learning to breastfeed...
Are you holding her a little upright? Also "tummy to tummy" was the rule when I nursed my children. Sure, she could be swallowing air. It's good to burp frequently; but that interrupts the bonding and comfort that nursing gives a baby.
Also, you mentioned being a hyper person. This could be passed on to your baby and she's reacting to it!!!
Look up LaLecheLeague and get more guidance from them. There is always someone from that group who will call or email you.
God Bless; and learn patience....it will pay off.

You may be on the right track with your thinking but you may not have too much milk you flow may just be a little fast for her. Have you tried pumping and bottle feeding her may be not for all of the feeds but just to see if it helps with the gas issues.

Have a look at this website http://www.breastfeeding.com/

good luck honey, don't give up you just have to adjust to find what works for you and your baby.

My little one was pecking and my pediatrician suggested I pump to find out how much I was producing. She told me to assume the baby was suckling twice the amount. SOme infants are power nursers. She was always done after 10 minutes on each side. Once she hit 6 months, she was done in 5-7 minutes.
Regarding gas....diet. I completely cut dairy for both girls because they were colic and it did wonders for their gas.
I am the first to nurse in my family. No one in my mothers generation did it or mine. So my friends (all single without children except for one) were my support. I had the pleasure of the help of a La Leche League laction specialist. She was a godsend. Boosted my confidence, rooted me on, answered my questions and always offered helpful suggestions. Go to their website http://www.lllusa.org/. You won't be sorry.
I never intended to nurse either one of my children. Birth complications and fate had another plan and I nursed the first for 13 months and the second for 18 months. Don't give up.

My daughter has been a noisy eater since day one. She clicks and makes so much noise you can hear her from across the room even to this day. It never interfered with her weight gain, etc. and she seemed happy, so I never looked into it further. I just assumed she is just different and I'm OK with that. I was never caused any discomfort and she does well, so I assume all is OK. It could be that after 10 minutes your daughter is full and no longer wants milk but your breast still has milk. She probably wants to suckle so she isnt latching well after she is satisfied. Try pumping out one breast, start her on the other one and when she starts to click switch her to the dry one and see if she latches good and continues to suckle. 10 min is sometimes all a baby needs for milk if you flow good. If that works I would introduce a pacifier when she begins clicking. Or, if neither of you is uncomfortable with it, just let her click. Frankly, I think you need to worry about your baby and her needs, not the strangers around you that may wonder why she makes so much noise, but I've never been one to care too much what others think. Good luck. Definitely contact a lactation consultant, they are worth their weight in gold.

Great job, you've already made it 3 months!!! I have a 4 wk old and we have had a terrible time with getting a correct latch, so I know how you feel when you have toughts of giving up nursing! Did you see a lactation consultant while you were in the hospital. I'd give them a call, they'll usually see you for free, or check out a breastfeeding support meeting, I'm sure there's some where you are located. Good luck!

A.
Call LaLeche League
Google LaLeche League for your local chapter
I called MANY times for help
I was not always able to attend the meetings but I always felt supported by this incredible group of women
If you can attend a meeting it is worthwhile
I found that I received much more then breastfeeding info- I was supported as a mother and woman
This is a free service
Good Luck
J. Hagman Nurse Practitioner

My daughter does that same thing at the end of her feedings. It is her way of telling me she is done. Sure she'll suck and 'peck at my breast', but if I take her away from it and don't try to put her back on she is fine.

Maybe your daughter is telling you she is done eating.

BTW...my daughter has been doing this since she was about 2 1/2 months old. She is 4 months old now and only eats for a max of 12 minutes each feeding.

HTH

S., WAHM of 4!

The best money spent when I had my first baby was on a lactation nurse/specialist. Check with the birthing unit of the hospital where she was born. If it wasn't for that woman's knowledge and encouragement, I would not have continued nursing. My daughter nursed for 13 months and my second for 16 months.

I agree with you when you say you may have too much milk. I had this problem with all 3 of my children (now ages 3, almost 2, and 8 months.) With the first 2, I didn't realize what it was, and ended up just pumping for my daughter from 6-9 months, and then going to formula, and beginning to switch from breastfeeding to formula between 4 and 6 months with my 2nd. This time with my son (the youngest), I finally realized what the problem was, and I read lots of info on-line, such as no more pumping, block nursing, etc. Now he is 8 1/2 months and has had no formula!!! Things are much better now, but they were really difficult until probably about 6 months.

I definitely agree with the person who suggested getting a lactation consultant--it would have been so helpful for me if I had done it! Also, that website the other person mentioned should have info on oversupply and what to do. Hang in there, and keep going!! It sounds like you are really determined to stick with it. Get some support so that you have that added energy to keep it up. Besides using a lactation consultant, many hospitals have breastfeeding groups that meet weekly. Many of those moms may not have had the same problems that you have, but they are big fans of breastfeeding and will be able to encourage you and give you lots of emotional support.

Best wishes to you--I KNOW you can do it!!!!!!!