Join Anne-Marie Rohrberg, IBCLC to talk about weaning, pumping, supply issues and more!
I want to wean my son he is 5 months, I dont want do it abruptly, but I dont know how to start. He is already supplements with formula, so the question is how can I do this without him wanting to causing a clogged milk duct or any other weaning discomfort. 😊
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Melissa, |
I'm pregnant with #2 but still breastfeeding my barely 6 month old. (Surprise baby!) I'm struggling with a lot of nausea, especially during let down and nursing. Is it common for pregnant nursing mothers to have their morning/all day sickness intensified during nursing? And do you have any suggestions for coping?
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Amanda, |
Since getting 4 top teeth all at one, my boy doesn't seem to latch the same way. It's been two months now and I still feel pain sometimes. There are always indentations left in my areola and sometimes my left nipple in particular feels very raw as the teeth are rubbing or pinching. I try to carefully watch his latch, but he's very active and moves around during feeding, pulling the nipple a lot. Is this the way it's going to be from now on? Is there anything I can do to prevent damage? He's 10.5mo and EBF and I'd like to continue beyond one year.
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Rosanna, |
My four month old LO has (for the last three weeks) been on boob boycott. He cries when he sees the nipple approach his face and won't stop till he has his thumb. He'll suck on his thumb quite happily but the breast makes him cry - it's so heart wrenching. He'll only nurse when he's half asleep. What do I do?
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Anne-Marie R.
Aliyah, |
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Aliyah Thanks Anne-Marie! |
I am currently ebf my 3 week old son. He initially had a very strong suction but seems to have weakened over the past week. My nipples are fairly large and he doesn't seem to get a lot of the areola in his mouth when latched. Roughly a week ago my nipples also seemed to get softer. He falls asleep while nursing but when I take him off he wakes up and cries until I relatch him. He is gaining weight, though only .4 oz this past week. I had supply issues with my daughter and had to supplement from early on. Do I need to start supplementing? How can I make my nipples stay hard besides always trying to massage before latch. How can I increase milk (I already eat oatmeal, use fennel oil, lactation cookies and tea). Thanks!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Katherine, |
hello,
my duaghter is 4months old and there are times when i know she is hungry but she is too distracted to truly nurse. she will eat for 5min and then abruptly pull off to talk to me or to look at a noise she heard. when it is doable i will feed her in a soothing area but this is not always an option. also my daughter will take a bottle but my husband and my sister informed me that the first few minutes she will just scream and move her head side to side. we are using a slow flow bottle and we have not had issues in the past this just started about 1m ago....
one other question is it common for one breast to produce more milk than another?
thank you
Emily
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Emily |
Hi, my son will be 6 months next week. I started supplementing with formula when he was about 4.5 months. On weekends, I am trying to continue to nurse most feedings(except for 1 or 2 sessions) and during week I am nursing before work and 1 session after work. He's also getting up once to eat in middle of night which i nurse then. I haven't been great pumping- 1 or 2 times while I'm working most days. Before supplementing I used to get 4oz pumping every time or more. Now I am getting 2-3 ounces most times. I am eating lots of oatmeal, water, lactation cookies, etc to try and help
My supply. If it's not going to go back up again, i can live with that. BUT how can I be assured that my baby is getting enough milk when
He is nursing? He does have some feedings where he seems Frustrated but most are fine and he rarely cries at the end but still how do I know he's getting enough if clearly my supply is down?
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Jocelyn, |
I have a 5 week old baby boy who is doing amazing breastfeeding however, baby boy hates the bottles. Any advice? He will take enough to eat but will cry and scream until I come home and breastfeed him.
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Erica, |
Welcome Anne-Marie Rohrberg, IBCLC! Anne-Marie is here to answer your breastfeeding questions until 10pm EST tonight.
How do I wean off my son and get him to sleep the whole night? My son takes cat naps and I feel like a zombie I have let him cry it out for literally 90 mins and he was still up and I have set up a routine and he always cries nothing wrong and he fights his naps and sleep as soon as he sleeping in my arms I pull out gently the boob and lay him down by the time I'm going to go take a nap myself he is up and he uses the boob like it's his safe haven and he is asleep and still wants me to nurse him while he's sleeping I'm exhausted
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Lucy, |
Im starting my journey with relactating. I was wondering is there any tips you can give me? Is there anything to take to increase my milk supply?
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Chamani, |
Weaning a 15 month old who can't have milk?Any tips what to do with my daughter who's allergic to or intolerant to cows milk? I am just going back to work so all she's had is breastmilk and some very watered down juice. I am afraid I'm not pumping enough to keep up while I'm at work and I don't want her to miss any nutrition that's she's getting from me.
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Amber, |
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Amber Thank you. It just makes me nervous with her not getting as much milk when I'm at work. She makes up for it at night she's been nursing 3/4 times a night again. I am really wishing I didn't have to go back to work I'm exhausted all the time again. |
My son is 4 months old and is given only breast milk. He is botylefed often since I work full time. He is still VERY gassy (or at least I'm assuming it's gas) and it seems worse on days that I am home with him to exclusively breastfeed. We do bicycle legs and belly massages but they don't seem to be working. I can hear his belly gurgling most of the day. The gas often wakes him up and he refuses to eat. Any suggestions?
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Rebecca, |
I am a EBF mom and proud to be hitting the one year mark soon. I would like some flexibility in my life back and so am considering towards weaning at 1. But I still have some questions about it:
1. Are there any nutrients from my breastmilk that my baby will be missing and I should look to complement with other foods?
2. Is Whole Milk alone an adequate replacement?
3. What does an ideal gradual transition look like?
Thanks!!!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Maya, |
Hi!
I have a 2 week old and will be exclusively breastfeeding while on maternity leave, but will need a significant amount of pumped milk for when I return to work after 12 weeks. I travel for 2 days at a time, weekly. Is there any harm in starting to pump now to start building a stash?
Thanks!
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Anne-Marie R.
H Leah, |
I've had a hard time finding resources regarding how to nurse past 1 year. My baby hates food so I don't know if I should cut out all sessions except morning and bedtime after a year or what. What does a typical day in extended breastfeeding look like?
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Anne-Marie R.
If your baby hates food, I wouldn't cut out any feedings right now, to be |
I guess what im trying to say is, how can i go on with sleep without getting engorged. My almost 6 months old daughter is finally sleeping through the night therefore my supply keeps building up and after a couple of hrs i gotta wake up and pump to get the milk out since she is still sleeping. How can i reduce milk during the night so i can also sleep? Id like to sleep as much as she does but i dont want to leave milk in for too long since ive already gotten my ducts clogged a few times and i dont want my supply to be jeopardized Either. I dont know if there is a solution or a way to train my body to ease on milk production during the night! TIA
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Nailett, |
Baby girl turns one on Valentine's day :)
I will then begin to wean. I understand the day feeds are first to go. I nurse after her 2 naps. Do I just offer her a cup of milk downstairs after morning nap vs sitting in the glider in her room? What if she does not take it? Just try and distract the best I can? And then a week later try the afternoon nap?
And then morning/bed ?
I have loved this ebf journey and am very emotional
Thanknyou!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Katrina, |
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Katrina Thank you! Just trying to gain back some freedom during day. But i will go slowly as yes not emotionally ready. How do i know it has been established? I mean i can see her trying to snuggle up trying to nurse and i just keep refusing? |
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Katrina, |
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Katrina Great! Thank you so much! |
My baby is just over 5 months and finally nursing great after lots of issues. She won't take a bottle, but I'd still like to have a stash of milk just in case. I'm finding it difficult to make time, (and remember,) to pump. I have pumped once a day here and there, and it seems like she always wants to eat as soon as I start or if i pump while feeding, she plays with the bottle or cord with her feet or tries to grab it or gets distracted... how can I get a milk stash for my own peace of mind?
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Elizabeth, |
Hello - My question is when to pump in order to 1. maintain my supply, 2. start building reserve supply, and 3. to minimize uncomfortable engorgement?
I have a 6 wk old who is exclusively breastfed, with one feed per day via a bottle, in the evening when my husband gets home. She's a good nurser and I have a healthy supply; I usually only nurse from one breast per feeding, for 10-20 min (9-10x per day). She goes "to bed" when we do, around 10pm after a final feed (breast). She is now sleeping 5-6 hours for this first stretch, then another 2-3, and maybe a final 1-2 before we get up for the day. I am now usually pumping once per day, during or immediately after she feeds in the morning, around 8 or 9am.
So...
Do I need to pump during her long stretch of sleep to maintain my supply or will my body adjust? Also, if I don't, I wake up very engorged (especially in the breast I didn't last nurse on) and my daughter has a hard time processing all that milk during her night feed (choking, spilling). However, I'd rather sleep than wake just to pump!
And/or should I pump during/right after the night-time feed (~4am)? One or both breasts? Sometimes she will feed from both at that time but not always. Again, I'd rather wait until morning so I can maximize sleep...but also want to relieve the pressure and maintain supply.
Finally, should I pump when she has her evening bottle? My breasts typically hurt at that time since I'm skipping a feed, but I know my supply is much lower in the evening so worry I won't get much, and I prefer to nurse a lot before bed to fill her up so I don't want to pump too much and mess up nursing.
Thank you!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Hillary, |
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Hillary Very helpful, thank you! |
Hi!
I have a 7 wk old boy and have been breastfeeding with a little bit supplement depending on the day. Sometimes my baby would shake and pull my nipple and make grunting sound when he eats as if he couldn't get enough milk. He still wakes up every 2 hours at night(I heard 7wk old baby should be able to sleep 4-5 hours now??) Does that mean I have supply issue? I gave him extra 1 oz (either formula or me pumping during the day)before night sleep but doesn't seem to prolong his sleep like others people say would do. Should I just use supplement from now on?
I am going back to work in 5 wks and I still want to pump for him. However I am worried I may not have enough given the fact I am probably still low or barely balanced with my supply right now. Any advice on how to manage my supply issue when I'm back to work?
Thank you very much!
Cindy
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Cindy, |
My 2.5 week old daughter won't latch on to breastfeed. She was latching on very well after birth, but then during the first week we had to supplement with a bottle, which we are still doing (although she is gaining weight now, but the pediatrician said so). Also, she was diagnosed with posterior tongue-tie and at 1.5 week old she had a laser procedure to release the tongue. After that, breastfeeding had gotten much worse and over the last two days she is almost always refusing the breast, while happily drinking from the bottle. I have been pumping all along and my supply seems to be good enough. Any advice to make her enjoy breastfeeding more? thanks.
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Monica, |
Hi, I have a one week old baby and I'd like to start pumping once a day so I have milk for him if I need to leave him with my husband or a sitter. When is it a good idea to start pumping? What time of day is best? When should I introduce a bottle? I had a really hard time getting my other two kids to take bottles because I waited until they were around 4-5 months to try a bottle. I'd like to avoid that this time around. Thanks!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Courtney, |
Thank you, Anne-Marie! Anne-Marie offers a variety of in-person breastfeeding services in the Metrowest and Central areas outside of Boston. Check out her profile for more info.
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Anne-Marie R.
Good luck to all you new moms. You're all doing great! |
Hi! I exclusively breastfeed my 2 month old baby boy and will be going back to work in 3 weeks. He will be going to home daycare 4 days a week. I plan to pump at work for him for the next day but how many bottles should I supply them with? While we are home I seem to just nurse on demand but I would say that he probably nurse every 3 hours or so during the day. I just dont want him to be hungry at daycare and have nothing to give him. Thanks!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Alyssa, |
I have a 6.5 month old who has been tricky to nurse from the beginning, so I am pumping about 6 times a day (I also work from 8-5). He nurses well in the early morning when he is sleepy, but is very distractible when I try to nurse him at other times. He tends to bite and pull at the breast when he is disinterested or frustrated, and is also very restless when he nurses. He doesn't like the bottle much either!
I have always had a low milk supply, and it is really dwindling given that I barely nurse him during the day (pumping only 2-3 ounces every 3-4 hours), so we are supplementing with formula. I have tried various herbal supplements, Gatorade etc. without much benefit.
I am feeling a bit discouraged since I had hoped to breastfeed (even if only partially) for a year. Now I am wondering how I will continue for even a few months.
Hoping for some suggestions to improve this situations. TIA!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Shruti, |
It can be hard to get my two and a half week old to latch deeply. He doesn't always open his mouth wide and I get some friction/rubbing when he sucks sometimes. It causes occasional nipple pain, especially on the left side. Fyi: His weight is great (over 11lbs) and he gets multiple letdowns with drinking while nursing. It's possible he has a posterior tongue tie but I'd rather not treat it if it's not necessary. Any tips for a deeper latch?
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Megan, |
ive heard to not let my 10 month old nurse to sleep or. It's at night bc it will ruin his teeth. Is there truth to this? I love nursing him to sleep and nursing him when he wakes up at night.....it's the best and saves my sanity.
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Hillary *ive heard nursing to sleep and in the night will ruin his teeth* |
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi there - I'm going to attach a link to a good article on tooth decay from |
Hi, is there any tips on preventing Thrush if you have had it once already? And any pointers to increase milk supply? Thank you!
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Anne-Marie R.
Mishell, |
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Mishell Thank you! |
Hi! My daughter is 11 mos old. I currently breastfeed in the morning and at bedtime and pump at work during the day. She takes two 3-4 oz of breastmilk at daycare (although sometimes its less and sometimes outright refuses a bottle). I want to start weaning once she turns 1. I fear the bedtime feed is a comfort thing for her when I start to wean. We used to do bottle at bedtime when she was around 3 mos and she was super fussy so then i switched to breastfeeding, and at the same time did sleep training, and haven't gone back to a bottle once she started sleeping through the night. Also, there are times when she's practically falling asleep during the bedtime feed.
1) What do I do for the bedtime and morning weans? Do I offer her a bottle instead? I'm also trying to transition out of bottles into sippy cups. Do I give her a sippy cup of milk?
2) What do I do if she refuses the milk or is fussy? I'm particularly concerned for bedtime since nursing was a way to calm/settle her for bedtime.
Thanks!
Jenny
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Jenny, |
I have two questions. 1) My 2 mo daughter takes 5-6 ounces per feeding of expressed breast milk 3x per day plus nurses about 2.5-3 hrs per day (8-10 times). When I've weighed her before and after feeding, it looks like she gets anywhere from 2-4 ounces each time. So I calculate she gets about 40 ounces per day. Should I worry about her eating so much? Her weight is only 40th percentile so she's not gaining too much.
2) She makes a smacking noise sometimes when she nurses but her mouth seems to be staying closed around the breast. I think she may be doing what she does with bottles and it's something about her tongue movement. Is there anything I can do to improve the latch other than just making her re-attach? It doesn't seem to be hurting me too much but I'm afraid it's not stimulating the breast enough or getting her enough milk. (We've tried lots of different kinds of bottles to minimize preference and giving them up isn't an option since I've gone back to work.) Thanks!
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Anne-Marie R.
Hi Lara, |
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Lara Thank you!! |