I was nervous about our 3rd weight check this morning after DD had gained only 1/2 an ounce a day at the last one. But praise the Lord she gained 10 pounds this past week and is now past her birth weight, so no more weight checks and we don't have to go back until her 2 month checkup. With the uncertainty about how the breastfeeding has been going, that was definitely music to my ears.

I'm glad you feel re-assured.

For the future.. it's good to keep in mind all babies don't grow according to the doctors charts. Breastfed babies typically gain less then bottle fed babies and that is NOT a bad thing. And if your baby is gaining less then the doctors "expect" that doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem.. it can be completely healthy and normal for YOUR baby. :D

Ditto To Ashlee~ :)

I'm so happy for ya gal~ :) I'm glad the breastfeeding is going so well for you, hun!

But praise the Lord she gained 10 pounds this past week

I assume that you meant that she gained 10 oz rather than 10 pounds? ;)

That's wonderful! I'm glad that all is going well for you! :D

I assume that you meant that she gained 10 oz rather than 10 pounds? ;)

That's wonderful! I'm glad that all is going well for you! :D

that's what I was going to say!

glad she's gaining!

Glad to hear she is gaining and ditto to what Ash said. :-D

For the future.. it's good to keep in mind all babies don't grow according to the doctors charts. Breastfed babies typically gain less then bottle fed babies and that is NOT a bad thing. And if your baby is gaining less then the doctors "expect" that doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem.. it can be completely healthy and normal for YOUR baby. :D

Thanks, Ashley. Yes, I know. I just do not like the feeling of I have to stand my ground with doctors... :???: I knew if she was not gaining what they felt like she needed to be, they might start trying to "push" supplementing, and I just did not want that battle right now, KWIM?

I'm glad the breastfeeding is going so well for you, hun! Actually, the only part that is going well is that she's getting what she needs obviously. I'm still dealing with soreness and meeting with the LC tomorrow. I think I've figured out, though, that our problem may be that my nipples are flat. Not severely, but I think that's why I'm having some pain/discomfort in the beginning a lot. After seeing other nipples, mine seem a lot shorter, too. When we're done nursing, they even "look" flatter, meaning they seem to be protruding more, but the shape isn't normal, look kind of like they've been mashed flatter.

The LC mentioned it at the hospital when she saw us I think the day after the birth and I used nipple shields (I think?) to help draw them out for a few feedings, but I never thought about it again once things seemed to be going okay with it.

I assume that you meant that she gained 10 oz rather than 10 pounds? ;)

That's wonderful! I'm glad that all is going well for you! :D

Exactly... and that, my friends, is what sleep deprivation will do! [whatcrazy]
Otherwise, I guess we'd be making the Guiness Book of World Records... ;)

I have flat nipples and one thing that can help is gently twisting the nipple to help pull it out prior to nursing. I hate nipple shields they can cause major nipple confusion later on. Hope that the LC can help you with some other ideas.

I have flat nipples and one thing that can help is gently twisting the nipple to help pull it out prior to nursing. I hate nipple shields they can cause major nipple confusion later on. Hope that the LC can help you with some other ideas.

She is bringing them today and had me use them during some of the first feedings. I don't know what to do... I've been trying to press in at the base of the nipple on the areola and that seems to get the nipple out some. I'm also still trying to work with the latch, but I'm getting so tired of the soreness and it's to the point where I really dread feedings. I want to make this work but I also want to see an end in sight to this soreness.

Did you have a lot of trouble and soreness with your two girls? Do the nipples ever stay out or is this a constant struggle the entire time we nurse? I'm not sure how long I can do this if it is going to be a constant battle. I do NOT want to use formula..... but 6 months until she can start solids seems like a such a long time when you're so sore all the time and dreading every feeding as it approaches.

That's one reason I was so glad her weight gain was so positive.... at least there is something positive and tangible that I can see coming out of it. :neutral:

i had cracked and bleeding nipples with my first and it came and went even after the first six weeks when I had a bit of healing. Then Eliya used me as a teether ring while nursing. I remember the pain causing my toes to curl and tears to come to my eyes. But--- it *Does* pass. You just have to decide if the pain is worth dealing with to breastfeed, or if you want to go ahead and formula feed.

With my first-- I was a single mom, and my mom told me in no uncertain terms was she buying me bottles and formula... so I had *no* other option. It was hard, and bonding was a little difficult *for me* because of it... but it was so worth it. By the time she was five or six months old... it had become old hat... and i had no soreness at all. Of course, I didn't have Google and friends like the ladies here to help me... so I was literally in the dark on what to do and how to get relief. I just had to deal with the pain. Oldest weaned herself at ten months and just flat out wouldn't nurse... she wanted a sippy cup. ::shrugs:: I hope that you can get some relief, gal. Nursing with pain is no fun... ::hugs::

Of course, I didn't have Google and friends like the ladies here to help me... so I was literally in the dark on what to do and how to get relief. I just had to deal with the pain.

Totally hear ya, Jen!! These modern mamas have it so easy, huh?! :D With my oldest, I really did not have the support group that I do now... I think if I'd been on C'moms back then, I would've even breastfed him! In spite of all the pain & stress as a new mom. You guys have all inspired me to stick with breastfeeding. Thanks, you rock!!

Did you have a lot of trouble and soreness with your two girls? Do the nipples ever stay out or is this a constant struggle the entire time we nurse? I'm not sure how long I can do this if it is going to be a constant battle. I do NOT want to use formula..... but 6 months until she can start solids seems like a such a long time when you're so sore all the time and dreading every feeding as it approaches.

That's one reason I was so glad her weight gain was so positive.... at least there is something positive and tangible that I can see coming out of it. :neutral:


I ended up giving up and just pumping for my first daughter. Couldn't get her to latch properly and it hurt so bad. Plus I'm allergic to lanolin so that didn't help. She still had breast milk but it was only for about 6 weeks and then my supply dried up.

With my second, she was stuck on those shields and so I ended up having to just keep trudging around using them. They never fixed the problem only only made it to where baby was feeding and happy and nothing else. Eventually she developed gerd and I haven't a clue wether part of theat was due to the fact that I was use the shields. I ended up pumping and feeding from 6 weeks till my supply dried again.

My nipples have changed as time has gone on. I am excited this time around because they have changed so much that I am hoping to have very few problems if any at all. It does take time. You also have to be persistant enough to want it. I mean really want it. Seeking out all the help you can get is the first start.

Sorry about my spelling. I have been having problems with my vision the last hlf hour. Can't see veru well.

Well, the meeting with the LC went really well. I told her my concerns about the shields and that I heard they can be problematic. She agreed that they can be and assured me she uses them only as a "tool." After seeing my nipple and working with us some on the latch, she did not think we needed to use them after all. She said my nipples looked better (as far as not being quite as flat) as they had in the hospital and that the cracks were nothing like what she has seen. She said she's seen some nipples that look almost like chopped meat. [whateeeeeksign] She thinks mine could be healed up in just a couple of days [OKOK] ... I certainly hope that proves to be true! She gave me some shells to wear under my bra so the material doesn't irritate them and they can air dry well after feedings. :-D

i had cracked and bleeding nipples with my first and it came and went even after the first six weeks when I had a bit of healing. Then Eliya used me as a teether ring while nursing. I remember the pain causing my toes to curl and tears to come to my eyes. But--- it *Does* pass.

OUCH, OUCH, OUCH! [whatwacko]

Of course, I didn't have Google and friends like the ladies here to help me... so I was literally in the dark on what to do and how to get relief. I just had to deal with the pain.

That would have been so hard. I am so thankful to have the support and do not know how women did it before!

That would have been so hard. I am so thankful to have the support and do not know how women did it before!

It is wonderful to have support. I often think how much easier bf-ing would be if we all still lived in the 1800's before there was a push towards formula and bf-ing became so taboo. I'm sure it was much easier back then than now since everyone did it and you learned from your mom and grandma and everyone else around you.

Can't win for losing. Trying not to get worried *yet* but...

So far, things have already been better since I met with the LC as far as the soreness and latch. I hope it continues that way, but DD has not eaten hardly at all since this morning. The LC had me wake her while she was here so she could see about our latch. That was early afternoon. She only fed for about 5 minutes. Since then she has given hunger signals twice but both times she only eats for about 5 minutes and then pulls away or falls asleep and won't eat any more.

She had an upset tummy, I think, fussy, off an on all morning, which I think I've connected to something in my diet yesterday. Of course she couldn't sleep at all really during all of that, so I'm thinking and hoping the lack of appetite this afternoon is due to that.

I often think how much easier bf-ing would be if we all still lived in the 1800's before there was a push towards formula and bf-ing became so taboo. I'm sure it was much easier back then than now since everyone did it and you learned from your mom and grandma and everyone else around you.

Hadn't thought about that... interesting point.