Q for those who EBF/No pumping

[whitnessforhim]

Ok this might be a silly question but I really need clarification on this...
What do you do when your baby has a growth spurt if you don't pump and have any extra?
I know you say to put the baby to the breast more often and I know that your breast always have milk but your supply doesn't increase instantly to satisfy that growth spurt. It takes a few days right for your supply to increase? So how do you satisfy your baby if they're eating more than usual? Do you just let your baby get fussy at the breast? I'm not sure if i'm making myself clear here but can anyone help me to understand?

I EP for the 1st 4mo. for my DD. I've had her back to the breast for the past month and a half...so I feel new to BFing. I EBF her whenever I am home...nights and weekends. I just want to feel confident in myself and not rely on a bottle when she does have a growth spurt.

[RedheadbyChoice]

*jumping up and down*

That's me! No pumping, I'm a lazy thing and crave simplicity. ;) Thankfully, I don't work outside the home so EBM isn't needed for us.

If babe hits a growth spurt and wants to nurse more, we just nurse more. No need for bottles, babe just nurses more when she needs more. Remember, your breasts are never empty.

A growth spurt, for us, usually just means lots of extra nursing. Babe isn't fussy at the breast or unsatisfied, we just nurse more often. Instead of every 2 hours, it can be every hour or every 45 minutes.

But it's not a big deal at all, really. I know that my body is making what babe needs. And that babe is getting it.

Trust your body, sugar!

[whitnessforhim]

Well you're lucky then cuz my baby does get fussy. It's probably cuz she's use to the bottles she gets during the day I guess...maybe?! Because I know she's fussing (usually, not always) cuz my milk isn't gushing out like she's use to when she feeds normally (every 3hrs)...so what I have been doing when she's fussy at the breast, instead of giving in w/bottle, I just sit her up play w/her, take her mind off of it and try again in a few mins. Do you think thats ok?
Because it took me so long to get her to the breast I DO NOT what to use a bottle when I am with her.

[RedheadbyChoice]

Why not just nurse more often? I mean, yes, if she's fussy, doing something else is a good option, too, but if you nurse her every hour, rather than every 3 hours, there's still milk there. Her routine is going to change, when she growth spurts.

And yeah, a big thing there too would be the nipple preference.

[paigesmomma]

So does she still get bottles during the day? If so, what size nipple are you using? If you use a slower flow nipple maybe she won't get as fussy at the breast when your milk isn't flowing as fast.
I had to go up to a 3 just to get ds to take a bottle, but once he was comfortable with it I backed down to a 2.
When he goes through a growth spurt and want to nurse more frequently, if he fusses on one side I just switch sides and usually that will satisfy him.

[whitnessforhim]

This is helping Red...reallly it is...im getting there

I understand nursing more often...that makes sense to me but when she's not in a growth spurt she's happy with her normal feedings. Should I be trying to guess when a growth spurt will happen and nurse more in the event that it does happen? Does that even make any sense?! I guess I just feel most secure at BFing when I know she's satisfied. I feel yucky when I feel like she's hungry and not getting what she wants.
She has been a little trooper in all this and she's doing wonderful at the breast...when she is fussy its never over the top. I just think maybe im not secure in this whole BFing thing.

[paigesmomma]

You don't really know when a growth spurt is going to happen. Her wanting to nurse more frequently is usually what signals that one is going on. I would just nurse her on demand and that in turn will increase your supply and should satisfy her. Like I said before, if she fusses on one side, try switching to the other side.

[whitnessforhim]

So does she still get bottles during the day? If so, what size nipple are you using? If you use a slower flow nipple maybe she won't get as fussy at the breast when your milk isn't flowing as fast.
I had to go up to a 3 just to get ds to take a bottle, but once he was comfortable with it I backed down to a 2.
When he goes through a growth spurt and want to nurse more frequently, if he fusses on one side I just switch sides and usually that will satisfy him.

Yes, I work full-time. I do use a slow flow nipple. I use breastflow bottles and I still have her at the stage 1 nipple.
I've been switching her too when she gets fussy. That does seem to help...I guess i'm just looking around the corner for that 6mo. growth spurt.

[RedheadbyChoice]

:hug:

You're doing fine, sugar.

And yep, paigesmomma is right. If she's fussing, then offer the boob! It really is just that simple. I do a lot of switch nursing with mine, L then R then L again, and sometimes R again, all in the same session!

And silly babies, they don't know how to tell time or read a calendar. A growth spurt can happen at any time, and then again 2 weeks later! Sure, there are guidelines, but they're not absolute, by any means.

[whitnessforhim]

I feel better...thx gals :)

[RedheadbyChoice]

Sugar, what's your first instinct, when babe is fussy?

Yep, I know it and so do you, it's nursing your baby.

Go with that.

And you're doing a faboo job, you are. :D

[still_me]

I don't pump and I nursed our oldest until he was 18 months and I am currently nursing DS2 who is 18 months. I just offered up the feed bags more when they needed them. :) Really, they increased their need to eat, so it wasn't until I sat on my butt more that I noticed I was feeding them more.

IDK if that makes any sense. Stinky baby #2 has been wanting to party at 4 am every.single.moring. lately. Sleep deprivation is evil. I'll just say ditto to whatever Red says. :D

[RedheadbyChoice]

:hug: for still me. Sleep deprivation sucks donkey butt.

[whitnessforhim]

Sugar, what's your first instinct, when babe is fussy?

Yep, I know it and so do you, it's nursing your baby.

Go with that.




U r right! I know this...I guess I just need to hear it.
Thx :)

[Amy_G_]

your supply doesn't increase instantly to satisfy that growth spurt. It takes a few days right for your supply to increase?



See you are thinking your boobs are used to making a certain number of ounces of milk, and even with babe nursing more often during that day, when the ounces are gone then babe isn't getting anything. Your boobs don't just make a certain amount of ounces at a feeding and once that is "emptied" that babe won't get anything more. Not quite how the breast works. Hopefully the following explanation with mathematical equations will clear this up. ;)

The emptier babe makes your breasts, the more milk they make. It's an almost immediate response. You may not notice it in how your breast feels, or how much you can pump for a few days, but there is more milk made when more milk is needed. As long as babe sucks, there will be multiple letdowns and more milk flowing.

We may switch back and forth because it works best to keep us not lopsided and give even more immediate satisfaction to babe. But when i was nursing (21 and 29 months respectively with my boys) I nursed on only one side at a feeding, using the other side at the next feeding, except during a growth spurt, when we'd switch back and forth as necessary.

At a growth spurt, babe drinks their usual ounces out of one side, is still fussy, so you put them on the other side, they get a certain amount of ounces out of the other side. The first side has already started producing more milk. not like tons, but ounces getting ready for the next feeding, getting ready to let down more milk as needed.

so maybe babe is still fussy and goes back to the first side right away instead of hours later. milk lets down, a bit more slowly perhaps cause the boobs really thought they'd have a coupleof hours to prepare the next batch. :) babe drinks more, milk flow slows, still fussy? go to the other side and there's milk there too.

so next time you nurse that day during the growth spurt, your breasts are trying to do the math. they are pretty good at estimating what babe will need, but it's a complex algabraic equation ;) adding what was drank at this time, plus what was drank at the last feeding, dividing by 2 and muliplying times the time in hours, minutes and seconds with something regarding pi and some complex imaginary numbers that mathemeticians don't fully understand. ;) there may even be differential equations involved.

so the next feed your breasts will have done the math and they'll make a little more than yesterday at this time, probably not quite as much as was needed at the last feeding because it could have been a fluke. and you'll switch nurse as often as necessary until babe is satisified.

Honest, your baby will not suffer and starve for a day or two until your supply matches up. they may be a bit fussy because they'll like the milk to flow faster and until the boobs figure out the exact mathematical equation to fit the situation, the milk is flowing fine, but not a gusher. Babe's crying and fussing effects a hormone response in your own body, which will help with multiple letdowns and more milk--so realize that fussing does serve a purpose even if it makes you feel uncomfortable.

[whitnessforhim]

Wow awsome post Amy!!
Maybe if I would've done better in my stats classes in college I wouldn't have worried so much ;)
Seriously, thanks for taking the time to put it all together :)

[RedheadbyChoice]

Amy, you rock!

[Jacksmommy]

Impressive post, Amy. I don't think I've ever gotten such a complete explanation of how supply/demand works.
I EBF with no bottles. I just always nursed on demand. It really does work.

[lbreengoad]

Great explanation Amy! I also was wondering when she does use bottles, which ones is she using? There are bottles out there that work like the breast and it takes a lot more sucking action from the baby. I have had great success with Breastflow by The First Years.

[whitnessforhim]

I also was wondering when she does use bottles, which ones is she using? There are bottles out there that work like the breast and it takes a lot more sucking action from the baby. I have had great success with Breastflow by The First Years.

That is what I use...and I kept her at the stage 1 nipple so the flow isn't too fast.

[majubee]

i am answering late here but i say i don't pump. i "don't pump" but i do pump when i feel engorged, which has been every few weeks or so. i have issues with clogged ducts.

[SingingMom]

I don't pump either. And what Red and Amy said. When the baby is hungry, I nurse her. If she's still hungry, I nurse her some more.

And here's my evil dark secret- when she has a growth spurt and is nursing all the time, I laze around on my butt and eat doughnuts. This may or may not make the baby feel more satisfied, but it certainly helps me.

[RedheadbyChoice]

Singing Mom: I know I've told you this before, but I must simply MUST say it again.

I's loves ya. :D

[SingingMom]

Gee, thanks. That makes my day. Really and truly. :)