Colostrum!

Minnie - posted on 02/25/2011

Actual pumps aren't the best for expressing colostrum; it's only present in very small amounts and most of it will be wasted sticking to the flange.

A more efficient way is to learn to hand express it onto a spoon and add it little by little to a small container.

Mary - posted on 02/26/2011

Congrats! My milk didn't chance until I was in labor. I nursed Serenity (19 months at the time) at 9 am the morning I went into labor and my milk was regular. At 2 pm it was still regular when I put her down for a nap. But at 7 pm when I first nursed Caidence I had colostrum!
:) Bodies are amazing things!

Merry - posted on 02/26/2011

Thanks aicha! I'm actually hoping Eric nurses more, he hasn't gained any weight since he turned 18 months and now he is almost 2 and I think it's because he doesn't drink much. He doesn't drink cows milk, I limit juices, and he isn't drinking too much water either. I think he still needs my milk but for the pregnancy it's been limited.
But he has grown a few inches in the past 6 months so I'm not actually worried, just would like to see m gain a pound or so before too long!
Thanks for the info! It's always cool to know moms who have/are tandem feeding.

Aicha - posted on 02/25/2011

Hi ladies
I just recently had a baby and I am nursing a toddler as well after the baby is born expect your breast to be sore and don't be suprised if your supply seems to disappear then your body over comasate and make alot of milk also expect your toddler to want to nurse as often as the new born ..... just thought I'd give my 2 cents

Merry - posted on 02/25/2011

Thanks Lisa, I'm reluctant to try cuz I'm sure I'll be disappointed when I don't get much.

Too bad I can't teach Eric to suck and spit it into a cup!
:0

Merry - posted on 02/24/2011

Jennifer, I totally did the same thing when I was pregnant with Eric! I was in the shower and I noticed it and I called matt in to see!
Lisa, that's my theory too, there doesn't seem to be very much in there at any time, I'm going to try to pump but part of me thinks I might not get much of any out :/

Minnie - posted on 02/24/2011

Ta daaaaaaa!

Congrats!

I expect Eric's poo isn't runny because he's not ingesting enough of it to do that.

Jennifer - posted on 02/24/2011

awe, thats exciting, Laura! i'm not sure i'll ever get the chance to tandem nurse, so i'll have to live vicariously through you and Sara :-P

when i was preggo with my son, i was SOOOO excited when i noticed the colostrum. i had to call my husband into the bathroom after my shower so i could show him hahah

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Laura, that is so exciting! All the good stuff ready for when your new bub is just getting into her breastfeeding journey!

Toddlers seem to be able to notice the change in taste. I guess I was lucky - if they noticed the taste it didn't faze them - they just kept right on feeding. It didn't hurt at all. My second daughter kept on feeding for some months after her sister was born.

I don't recall feeling sad or worried, but it was a long time ago. maybe I did. The feeling must have passed, because I always think of my breastfeeding times with a great deal of happiness and contentment.

Merry - posted on 02/23/2011

I wish I could limit the time but I only get the aversion feeling when he is falling asleep! So I have to either deal with it or majorly set back the night time routine.
Some times he doesn't ask to breastfeed to sleep, but if he asks there's not much I can do to not let him. And it's so effective I'm not motivated to begin a whole new routine to sooth him to sleep.
I can tell he is growing towards being able to sooth himself to sleep because he chooses to do it some nights while I just rock him. So I don't want to mess with it and risk him backfiring!
So I deal with the aversion (great word, so accurate)
And just bite my tongue to try to ignore it. :)
I figure this is our animal instincts kicking in saying we should wean the older one, tha k goodness we have intelligence beyond instincts so we know we can continue for our child's benefit!

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I know EXACTLY the feeling you are describing. In "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" she just called it an "aversion" to breastfeeding. It's so weird and I hate it. I wish it would just go away! LOL. That combined with pain is just horrible. I also go to LLL :). A mom there said she made a rule and her older child could nurse until she counted to 10. She made that as fast or slow as she needed to. It's so nice to meet moms who know what you're feeling!

Merry - posted on 02/23/2011

I'm lucky the pain ended for me, it sounds like it's uncommon to stop hurting, but I'm thankful it did!
Although it's not without challenges even now, now I get this irritated, anxious, aggravated, nails on a chalk board feeling when Eric is on for too long, or when he is sucking lazily, or just pacifying.
I can't describe the feeling, but in my lll meeting this week the mom who is tandem nursing understood and said she has the same feeling with her 3.5 year old ever since the pregnancy with her now 3 month old baby. She says it didn't go away after the birth so idk if it will for me. But it's not every time he nurses, just mostly before bed and nap that he is sucking slowly and it just makes me anxious!
It's the weirdest feeling and I HONESTLY wish it just hurt again instead of this.
Pain makes you sad, and then the baby comforts you with their sweet innocence, but this feeling makes me feel so irritated with him! I hate it.
But who knows, I don't seem to be a by the book lactating woman so maybe it will run it's course and go away soon. That's what I'm hoping :)
But I'm getting even more eager to tandem breastfeed, and I don't think there's much chance he will wean anymore, so that's exciting!

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Yay! lol. I've been watching mine too. My daughter's poos seem to be a little looser, but my milk is still white. I'm only 19 weeks though. We're working on getting rid of the nap and nighttime feed. It was a heartbreaking decision, but it was one that needed to be done. The pain is absolutely insane and it's not getting better. I have quite a bit of an aversion to it as well. All those things combined make for a not very enjoyable BF experience. We both enjoy the morning feed so I'm keeping that one. If she nurses that one through then we may nurse more after the baby arrives. Good luck! You're getting so close!