Monday, November 21, 2011

Just when I thought I had this newborn feeding thing together

Feeding dramas are back. After having to take motillium and expressing for months last time around because of worries that my milk supply wasn't enough to meet Rosie's needs, this time it seems that I have been blessed with too much milk.

Which is proving hard to get out efficiently with a relatively small newborn mouth. After gaining 110gms in the first couple of days after coming out of hospital, Rowan has slowed right down with his weight gain and only managed to add another 50gms in the next six days since his last weigh in. And he is becoming fussier with his feeds, and taking a lot longer to get through them.

Sigh. So it was back to the lactation consultant today. The good news is that this should be a quicker fix than Rosie was, but I was so hoping for an easier run this time.

One feed at a time. One day at a time. And after this many babies with different feeding issues, I at least have a multitude of solutions hiding in the cupboard. Bottle teats that are the closest brand to the shape of a breast (in case we need to express and bottle), nipple shields for the reluctant latcher, the list goes on. Luckily I hadn't gotten around to throwing any of it away yet.

We will get there. I am determined.

4 comments:

Wendy said...

Experience counts for a lot, doesn't it? I always had too much (worried the Japanaese midwives). It is terribly messy!

Jenny said...

Ahh - what a shame. That's frustrating. Wendy's right - at least you've done this a few times now. And know how to get help too. That's half the battle for new mums when it comes to feeding problems. Still hard though. :(

Helen said...

Had too much the second time too. It's a wet old time! I expressed a bit first so the let down wasn't such a disaster - is that working?

Karen said...

I read somewhere that apparently your milk supply increases with each baby you have...so it's no wonder he's drowning! Things have improved since Monday, especially during the day. Expressing a little bit first seems to be working and he can get himself on pretty well now. The middle of the night feed is the disaster zone right now (typical...). All too hard for him to get on and tackle the beach balls even when I express some first. And last night Rosie woke up too and joined in with all the crying...
So we expressed and gave him a bottle. So far it's okay. He's fine with going back to the breast in the morning. But I don't want it to become a habit. Hopefully things will keep on settling down in the next few days.