Teething

Yes, another teething post. She has some really bugging her and wanting to come out. For some reason my left nipple is getting the majority of the abuse. She must gnaw on that one while we are 'dream feeding'!

It's been 7 months and still going strong no need for formula!

Great BFing Sites

Here are a few sites I've came across that have helped me be successful with BFing!

Kellymom.com

Breastfeeding.com

BabyCenter BFing Support Group

La Leche

There are more but these are just a few! Be sure to check out local La Leche meetings, and/or community health breastfeeding classes! It can be helpful to have real life support!

Teething

Everything has been so busy with work and the new baby! But for the last month she has been teething! Two bottom teeth are trying to cut through and there was a couple times she was gnawing on my nipple and before I realized it they became a litte tender! Nothing compared to the blisters or nipple pain I had in the first month of BFing.

Well, tips from the lactation counselor were to maybe massage her gums and put a cool teething ring to them before she nurses. That way it might kind of numb them and she wont feel the need to gnaw on me!

The pediatrician recommended the usual: tylenol, teething rings, massage the gums with a clean finger or cold washcloth. She also brought up using one of those feeder pouches (typically used to put foods in for babies learning to eat) and to put ice in it! Well, my daughter really likes that! I found it at Wal-Mart

I also knew that Hyland's teething tablets worked well with my friend's son, and I saw they had the Hyland's teething gel too. This works much better for my 3 month old than the tablets when she's used to nothing but breastmilk! Although, I think the tablets dissolve instantly.

So...it's been a month of her teething, and the last two days have been the worst for her. The teeth are much more visibe now like they are just about to cut through. For her sake, I hope they do, she is miserable at times. She will put her hands in her mouth and cry.

Can Daddy Breastfeed?!?

Two days ago our little one was rooting around on Daddy and got ahold of his nipple (through his shirt!!!)! He is so sensitive and barely lets me touch them so I can only imagine how he felt! Hehehe! I laughed so hard!

Going great!

So the nipple pain is completely gone! I quit letting her comfort nurse (although I admit to letting her do it at night for a little bit). I never thought breastfeeding would get so easy!

I've got a pretty good stash in the freezer, and I have been back to work for a week now. Pumping at work is going okay...at least when I remember everything! I forgot the storage bags last Thursday, but I just kept the milk in the bottles I pumped in to. We've been using the gerber storage bags which are working great, but we may try another brand and get twice as many for the price! Then he is putting the bags into the Playtex Drop-ins bottles. It seems to be working great for them while I'm gone at work.

I've been freezing the 'extra' milk that I pump flat so that it takes up less room in the deep freeze. Also, if he has to thaw out an extra one because I get home late or something, then it is thinner and thaws quicker in the bowl of water than a 'brick' of milk would!

My fiance is a work from home Daddy, doing computer tech support and building new comps for the company he works for...it's working out so well not to have her in daycare! It makes me feel more at ease going to work knowing that she is safe at home and not with strangers!

Thrush?

So at 6 weeks of breastfeeding things were going great! Then I started getting a lot of nipple pain. I know that reddened painful nipples can be a sign of thrush, and so can a fussy baby so that is probably what I had. The baby had no white spots in her mouth which is a sign of thrush in the infant, but that didn't mean that I couldn't still have it. The physician's assistant at the hospital gave me Diflucan and said that it most likely was thrush. In two days I was seeing my OB/GYN for my 6 week postpartum check so I could follow up with her then. My OB decided to give me a weeks worth of diflucan and some nipple cream. After a few days of this they felt a lot better.



Then they started to hurt again just as bad so I went in and met with the hospital's lactation consultant. She watched my baby eat and said her latch was great while she's actively eating, but then she starts to slip off when she is 'comfort nursing'. The pain and reddened nipples is a sign of bad latch so that's why she wanted to watch my daughter eat.



So because when she comfort nurses she is 'clamping down' on my nipple and not taking in as much of the aereola I am supposed to stop comfort nursing at every feeding. Once and a while is okay she said, but to make sure it isn't hurting.



So, if I did have thrush, it should be gone now with the Diflucan. Tomorrow I am going to take a little 'break from nursing' and pump for most of the feedings to let my nipples rest. That's okay though, I'm sure her daddy will be thrilled to feed her expressed breast milk!

milk came in

Day 4: Engorgement. Yikes! My breasts were HUGE, and getting pretty tender. I honestly couldn't have my arms up against my side because my boobs were in the way!

By that night my milk was starting to come out. Day 5 milk was just pouring out constantly. I kept thinking to myself how weird it was that milk is coming out of my boobs.