Breastfeeding while working problems

Erika - posted on 05/21/2009

I went back and re-read. Bless you for making the best of the situation! Thank goodness she eats SOMETHING during the day, right? The being sick just amplified things a bit but we're really going to have to pull out all the stops to get her to take a little during the day, aren't we? If you visit her at lunch, don't stop. Just keep doing all you can. I thought of something else. If you're making your own baby food, I'm blown away, but here's something you can try with jarred or homeade food. Take a food she likes, mix it with pumped milk so it's runny. Mix in a tiny bit of whole grain rice cereal to thicken it back up and freeze it in ice cube trays. Then you will have BM/babyfood snacks that can be thawed in the fridge?? Hmm, as I'm typing it seems a little complex AND I've never done it. I'm thinking the thawing might be tough. I wonder if anyone else has any similar suggestions that have been tried? Again, you are doing a GREAT JOB! Keep doing all you can. Visiting her at lunch and giving her BM is just that much better for her immune system. Every little bit helps. . .

Erika - posted on 05/21/2009

The 'delay nursing' thing sounds awkward. . . if I delayed nursing for 5 minutes by DS would be a fully awake screaming mess. I personally have never attempted to delay nursing because when he wants to eat, he wants to eat. No offense, to the other mom BTW.
You mentioned that your bee would take water and solids during the day but no BM? Maybe slip a little in with a few of her solid dishes?? Make oatmeal with it or whatever else might seem yummy. The frequent nursing at night is MAKE UP TIME! She's missed having you near and she probably loves the milk+mommy combo best. I know feeding her frequently at night is tough but she's tanking up on the good stuff during that time. You are so strong for working by the way. I commend you! It's gotta be tough. Some moms are still exclusively breastfeeding at this age so it's reasonable to expect her to have a high demand from you. . . and in your case, night time is when you're available. If I think of any other sneaky suggestions for day time breast milk feeding I'll add them. My child, believe it or not, will only take breast milk from one of those larger droppers. . . the 5ml droppers! (of course he prefers the boob) It's actually a really neat and low mess delivery system. The dropper washing is a bit tricky, but it gets it in there!! I had to give my son tons of icky iron supplements for months due to some blood loss when he was young and those droppers SAVED me. It's hard to believe now I fed him and entire meal from a dropper. I still use one now for vitamin D. He sees it coming now and he gets so excited!

Marie - posted on 05/21/2009

Hi ladies,



I never did say to use the cry it out method. I don't like using it with my little guy either and my hubby grumbles at me when I respond to our munchkin.



What I am suggesting so you aren't getting up 6 to 8 times a night and bring it down to a reasonable 2 or 3, is to delay nursing by 10 minutes then 20 minutes over several days. It could take up to 2 weeks give or take to work.



I'm self employed as is my hubby. In order to reduce the frequency of feeding that's what we did. We went from every 2 hours or so to now about 3 to 4 hours.



I've been lucky that our little guy never had ear infections.



You ladies who have to deal with the ear infections, I'm sorry you have to deal with them. I hear they are awfully painful.



I really wish you all the best finding a way to resolve your feeding stuff.



BTW.. We give alex a large jar of beech nut or gerber baby food - beef strogonoff or chicken with veggies and pasta. He sleeps quite well. :)

Shannon - posted on 05/21/2009

Ohh Sarah.. I so sympathize with you!!! My son does take bottles... so I am okay ther, but at 9 months he is still up 2 to 3 times each night.... but alot of the time, he nurses and WON'T go back to sleep.. right now I have had 9 hours of sleep in 3 days total... why am I not sleeping now you might ask... my son is playing in his jumperoo right now.. again!! He has has a ruptured ear drum and 4 ear infections since he was 2 months old... all due to the way his ear canals are shaped... he lives on anti biotics so he is very needy now. He too can cry for hours if we let him.. and I too do not agree with that idea.
On that note... your idea of not going to nurse on lunch... what if you went at a different time of day instead for the first couple days. like an hour later each day and keep upping the hour... meaning tomorrow you go an hour later.. the next day two hours later.. etc... I know it will be rough on you, but it may get your daughter to eventually ahve to give in to a bottle or cup if she is hungry enough!

Denise - posted on 05/21/2009

I have the same problem--I nurse her in the AM up until it is time to leave for daycare. I pump at work. At daycare-she barely drinks anything but now eats solids and cereal. When I get home, I nurse on demand all night. I now try to give her a vegetable and half of fruit around 6:30 to hold her off for a little. Then I nurse her on demand till she falls asleep. She now sleeps till about 430 and I nurse her then. Then right before work. Good luck!

Sarah - posted on 05/21/2009

Marie & Martha - Thanks for your reply.

Marie - my child has the capacity to cry for hours so we've had a hard time no picking her up. We don't really like the cry it out method. This all started after a two month span of constant colds and ear infections. She needed lots of soothing. I suspect there is no way to avoid her crying if we don't pick her up.

Martha - We have offered expressed breastmilk and cows milk from a sippy cup. She didn't take it. She will drink water from a sippy cup and regular cup. Currently I feed her during my lunch break at day care. I am considering not going to visit for a week in hopes she'll be hungry enough to take breastmilk from the caregivers.

Martha - posted on 05/21/2009

Have you tried offering expressed milk or formula in a sippy cup, straw cup, or even an open cup? She's old enough now that she has other options besides a bottle and might take to one of those instead. You could also have them feed her a breastmilk slushie with a spoon.

Marie - posted on 05/21/2009

Baby is probably looking for comfort from mommy in the evening if she hasn't seen you all day. If you want baby to take milk during the day space it out between feedings - say 4 oz for her midmorning and midafternoon snack then her usual meals.



As for over night, sounds like you're still feeding on demand. Start delaying your nursing response by about 5 to 10 minutes whenever she wakes. We extended our feeding times like that with Alexander (who is now 1). Nursing at 6pm, next time she wakes, delay responding right away until she's spaced about 3 hours apart. Once past YOUR bedtime (11pm or whatever), do the same eventually not responding at all in the middle of the night. Part of the overnight nursings are possibly because she can't get herself back to sleep. Send daddy in instead of you. Give her a soother if she'll have one, or let daddy do back rub and no talk to get her soothed and back to sleep. Don't talk or pick her up.



You can find some excellent sleep help at babycentre.com or babycentre.ca



Best wishes.