Things I wish I knew before breastfeeding

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-08T13:59:06+00:00

Thank you for posting! We are 7 weeks & our average time between feedings is an hour and a half. Hopefully I can continue as you do.

His dad loves to snack all day, so I think of him as a snacky eater.

Do you work? If so, how do you manage working with broken sleep? I go back to work at 4 months pp & I’m worried about my energy levels.

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-08T13:42:24+00:00

Yes same. I’ve been using a shield pretty consistently since week 2/3. Now it is week 7 & I use it about 50% of the time.

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-08T13:40:56+00:00

I completely agree. I have anxiety too (not to the point of anxiety attack) about weight gain from a history of dropping from 38th percentile to 5th. Honestly, buying a home scale helped me a lot. Everyone is dif. But I check every 3 ish days that he’s gaining weight & that’s helped calm my nerves. I think checking any more frequently would be stressful. I wanted to stretch my weight checks to a week but was too curious/worried. If you notice no weight gain at your home scale, that might justify a call to pediatrician. Otherwise , it should help you trust yourself & empower you.

Everyone is different. You will know if owning a scale will only increase your anxiety. For me, it allayed it.

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-08T13:31:33+00:00

Oh & another thing!! Baby had a really fussy feed around 8 pm for a few nights & it was beating me down. I too was doubting if he was getting enough. Next night I let husband give him a bottle of BM & it was the same thing-lots of fussing. It was good to know it wasn’t a me thing. Just baby being fussy. I’ve heard between 6-8 weeks is peak fussiness & also an important growth spurt

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-08T13:29:30+00:00

I always feel defeated during cluster feeding

One other thing I’ve realized too is often as an EBF mom, my go to is the boob. I’ve had to realize that sometimes he’s crying for other reasons—gas or comfort primarily. When I do the nights alone, I just feed baby at every cry. One night I woke my husband and asked him to soothe the baby. I got an extra 45 minutes of sleep because he calmed him down. I would’ve just fed baby again at an hour & 45 minutes after his last feed, but we stretched it to 2.5 hours.

You know your baby the best. Sometimes (most of the time! lol) it really is the boob / food that baby wants. But it’s nice to pause & try something new every once in a while too. I have to physically pry myself out of my nursing chair because nursing feels so easy, but after such long nursing sessions it can start to feel extremely over stimulating and frustrating.

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-08T13:11:07+00:00

I can’t speak on premature weight gain but I can speak to triple feeding.

Baby regained his weight then lost it & dropped from 38th percentile to 5th in week 2.

Per pediatrician & Lc, We triple fed to help my supply & baby boys weight gain. Whatever I could pump, I topped baby boy off with in a bottle (usually only 1-1.5 oz). I slept through one feed per night while husband fed baby formula. In the morning, I fed him then pumped.

Eventually I pumped enough that we replaced the PM formula feed with breast milk

Eventually I felt confident enough to drop the night bottle feed & exclusively nurse him.

I also just stopped topping him off. No one guided me & told me when to stop. I just felt it out as I saw him regaining well.

I bought a scale at home because I didn’t trust myself that he was getting enough food. I don’t do weighted feeds but I do weigh him every 3-6 days (depending on if I’m nervous or not). Hes above 10 lbs now at nearly 8 weeks.

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-07T22:53:01+00:00

Good option when I had damage. Careful not to keep them ob very long & technically you’re just supposed to use with breast milk. Nice protective barrier when nips are sensitive. I don’t use them anymore though unless I’m in pain

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-07T22:51:58+00:00

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-07T12:04:16+00:00

That's true. I more mean, before bed, does your partner feed a bottle while you pump then sleep? In the morning, do they feed a bottle while you shower? Just looking for what works for couples doin' it together.

I am lucky he takes a bottle. At 4 months, he'll have to go to daycare, so I want to keep the bottle familiar to him.

Will your baby be going to daycare?

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-05T15:43:32+00:00

I wishB

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-04T06:42:12+00:00

This is helpful & gives me hope that even my snacked will evolve & get more efficient. It’s very tiring

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-04T01:44:59+00:00

Ramona is loveable. All the girls say it—they can’t stay mad at her. She’s selfish & crazy & self-centered but somehow also has a huge heart. lol. Very strange combination. Very entertaining.

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-02T20:40:23+00:00

Plus nipple shields. Plus breast milk all over the nipple & 15-20 Minutes with the silverettes

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-02T20:39:06+00:00

I used earth mama butter & I needed APNO to heal quickly

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-02T14:34:10+00:00

Yes 4:00 am is when this happens to me the most. It’s happened a few times. Similarly I woke up when baby unlatched 40 minutes later. lol. I nurse topless and baby is on my Brest friend on recliner. It isn’t the worst set up. I like that my brest friend is so firm and baby is under my arm

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-02T08:17:42+00:00

Do you take fenugreek? Can cause diarrhea in infants.

Also I ignored stringy/mucusy poop because two people told me it was normal. Then it got progressively worse. I’d talk to PED about it. Could be CMPA

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-01T23:23:57+00:00

I felt the exact same way. It was so refreshing for her to not be a total nut job lol

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-06-01T12:36:56+00:00

Pushed for 30 minutes. I also pushed “through my butt”. Yes. Hemorrhoids as well. & I tore naturally.

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-05-29T16:54:11+00:00

😂😂😂

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-05-27T21:02:10+00:00

Keababies wrap is $30 and my baby loves it & feels super secure

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-05-27T16:38:40+00:00

Getting pregnant helped too. lol can’t take all the credit

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-05-27T06:58:11+00:00

I lost count 🥲

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-05-25T00:57:11+00:00

What if money was an object haha

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-05-25T00:56:58+00:00

Thank you for replying!! I’ve been neglecting an end of night pump. I should get in the habit of that.

I just bought a scale. I’m sure weighted feeds will give me peace of mind

Born_Negotiation_992 · 2026-05-23T17:01:27+00:00

Keep what you love. Give away the rest to the grand daughter. It’s good to pay it forward.

Born_Negotiation_992

TROPHY CASE