I feel like it's been awhile since I updated on how our breastfeeding adventures are going. Looking back, getting started was a little overwhelming, especially given his weight drop and reflux/aspiration issues. Once we got over that initial bump, things started going much more smoothly. I can't say he is exclusively breastfed due to his night-time thickened formula feed, but I can say that we do our best to nurse for all the other feedings. Sometimes, formula is more convenient. However, it's only more convenient if I hadn't planned ahead. Now I stocked up my parent's freezer with some frozen BM so that whenever we are over there, we only have to run the bag under some hot running water. It takes probably 3 mins. longer to get it ready, but if we can distract him it's really not a big deal. While at my parent's we only do bottles if it seems like my supply is running low. He will continue to pull off and go back on but gets frustrated, and I can feel my breasts are not full. I really need to drink more water, I think that is my main issue. Whenever I sense a drop in my supply I just take my Mother's Milk Special Blend capsules for a few days and my supply jumps back up. Since Soren is going to bed around 9:30, and I don't hit the sack until midnight, I always pump before going to bed. I will usually get anywhere from 4-7oz., so I will have a bottle's worth of BM in the fridge for the next couple of days if we are going anywhere. I also feel like I have gotten much more comfortable nursing in public when I need to. Overall, things have been going well for us and I think it's because I kept putting in the extra effort to make sure that we succeed. It definitely is easy to just say 'forget about it' and take the formula route, but I'm sure glad I kept fighting and seeking help and support whenever I needed it.
Currently Soren nurses less often in the morning and does alot of feeding in the late afternoon/evening, I'm guessing it's what also helps him sleep longer stretches at night. When he wakes up after his long stretch at night (usually between 4-6am), he'll nurse for a little bit in bed with me then go back to sleep for another 2-3 hours. After he wakes up from that he keeps nursing for a bit, then back to sleep, every hour. I usually can get him to sleep a little longer in the morning when we do that for my own sanity, but soon that will be put to halt.
We are entering a couple new stages simultaneously in our breastfeeding adventures now which will make things more interesting. Soren is exhibiting alot of 'teething behavior' as the pediatrician likes to call it. Just 2 days ago he's been starting to bite down on my nipple at the end of a feeding, and it hurts in big ways. He doesn't have teeth yet, but it still makes me jump. Tonight I broke his latch when he did it and spoke firmly to him saying "no biting momma"...and he smiled and laughed. Little stinker! I have no idea how to break him of this habit, I can't imagine how bad it will hurt once he does get teeth! I notice he'll only do it towards the end of a feeding so maybe once he's starting to get 'bored'.
In a little over month we will be starting solids with him which will definitely be changing up his eating schedule. In the beginning he's more-or-less just learning how to eat from a spoon and it's not necessarily for nutritional purposes. We've already given him little licks of my mom's homemade (unsweetened) applesauce and let him gum the tip of a banana. He definitely is becoming more interested in food and when he sees people eating food he watches with curiosity. I think he's going to be a great little eater once he does start!
Also, now that I will be returning to work, I will need to somehow fit pumping sessions into my work schedule. I have talked to the HR rep. and she said there's many private meeting rooms that I could use and that other employees have needed to pump during the work day as well. She seemed supportive of it, hopefully I'll get a similar response from my co-workers. I am hoping I can get by with 2 pumping sessions during an 8-hour workday. I'm really going to need to implement taking in lots of water during my workday and will probably start the Mother's Milk Special Blend capsules as well to ensure that I am pumping enough so he has enough to eat the next day. One thing we *MAY* try implementing is what's called 'reverse-cycling', where he basically eats little during the day, but then power feeds in the evening and at night while we're together. Some babies do this naturally because they prefer breastfeeding over a bottle. We'll see how things go, I'm not necessarily going to push it because the thought of him not eating when he wants to breaks my heart.
As far as the reflux goes, I think we may have turned the corner. I'm not sure whether it's due to his medicine staying down now with his thickened feed, he's growing out of it, or my elimination of caffeine (most days, there is still occasional intake here-and-there). He does still spit-up but nothing like he used to. I also have become smarter and know when to expect now too. In the morning it's usually worse because he's been feeding laying down in bed with me. After he's been laying down any time during the day, and you pick him up, I usually am prepared. Also after a longer nursing session I expect it. But then there's the occasional time he'll catch me off guard like when I got home from running an errand and daddy handed him to me and as I went to kiss him he spewed all over my chin and down my chest and stomach. Many times he laughs afterwards, so I can't help but smile, find a burp rag and wipe myself off, and change my clothes if needed.
Soren is still occasionally aspirating, but most of the time it's only when he's nursing. I have a forceful let-down and I think it gets difficult for him to handle it. He'll pull off and cough (meanwhile I am probably spraying him in the face), gain his composure, then hop right back on. I'm glad we are continuing with his nebulizer since he is still aspirating. *Knock on wood* he hasn't been sick yet, hopefully we can continue to keep him healthy through the Winter.
Well I think that's it for now, I'll be sure to update as we start our new changes. Let me know if you have any questions or tips!
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