EDD Sept 2012 mummies!

[Lingz12]

Hi Meltie, glad to noe that Charlotte cleared most tests! Dun worry now, I'm sure she is in good hands.. The doc and nurses know wat they are doing.. U will noe wat's bothering Charlotte soon! In the meantime, do take care.. Confinement period realli must rest as much as u can.. Somemore Charlotte will need u wen she gets home! Easy to say I noe, but jia you!

Anyway, pumping 60ml in 1st week is good le.. I rem tat time I onli got a miserable 40ml combined both sides.. Jia you! Oh, as for strength of pump, my Malay massage auntie say try not to use too high level.. Else may easily result in blocked ducts.. Dunno how true.. And the strong suction may hurt ur nipples too.. I'm using medela freestyle but I din use the hands-free function leh (cos I dunno how to).. I still hold on to both pumps while pumping.. Haha..

Anyway.. I dun have a weighing scale at home.. So I dunno how much weight I lose.. I gained 21kg throughout the whole pregnancy.. I hope most of it is gone! But tummy is still flabby though.. And I still can't fit in my old shorts (hips too big still and my hips are big to begin with).. Sighz..

 

[Lingz12]

I always put my ebm in the fridge, not the freezer portion.. Cos pump volume not v high, usually will be consumed in the day..

I do mix my ebm.. but I nvr mix ebm with same temp leh.. let's say I have 30ml ebm in fridge, then I add another 30ml that I jus pumped and put back in fridge.. Then let bb drink within the day (after warming la).. is this ok? Cham.. is tat y she's cranky? I'm causing her tummy upset?

 

[Angpq]

Ebm: expressed breast milk.. I'm latching her again.. How do u know after bf not enough? If she still wails n appears hungry I'll just continues to latch.. Unless latch till 4-5 hrs I'm too too too tired until cannot take it anymore then will offer her fm.. I also dunno enough for her or not.. Hee

If she cry after bf, I will give her fm instead of latch again. Wow! U can latch until 4-5 hours? That is long!! The most I latch for the most 1 hour.

 

[Rodorsany]

I always put my ebm in the fridge, not the freezer portion.. Cos pump volume not v high, usually will be consumed in the day..

I do mix my ebm.. but I nvr mix ebm with same temp leh.. let's say I have 30ml ebm in fridge, then I add another 30ml that I jus pumped and put back in fridge.. Then let bb drink within the day (after warming la).. is this ok? Cham.. is tat y she's cranky? I'm causing her tummy upset?

It is ok to 'layer' ebm within e day... I did that too lol coz too little milk...

 

[felicity]

Meltie ur bb is a fighter! Way to go!! So u gotta fight on with her too and I'm sure u r doing that jiayou!! She'll be fine n at the meanwhile try to rest as much as u can when u r home.

Angpq I am latching again now... >< but she's falling asleep...

Lingz, the freestyle hands free straps can just clip on nursing bras, quite easy to use. But I also didn't use after a few times cos find it a hassle to spend time clipping them to bra n unclipping after pumping.. For just that 15 mins. In the end I just push down the bra cup a bit n slot the pump in n after I on, with the suction it will stay there n I will just massage n compress around the breasts (sometimes still need to hold the pump) to try to express more milk throughout the 15 mins.

I haven't go n try my old clothes.. Dun dare yet >< now wearing a lot of my maternity cum nursing clothes

Regarding mix ebm of same temp, is I read from somewhere one..

 

[Lingz12]

Felicity, maybe later wen I pump I try see can hands-free nt.. haha.. I pump 30min de.. so v tiring lor to hold so long.. haha..

Oh.. I din purposely try pre-pregnancy clothes.. cos CL din wash my maternity shorts in time for me to change.. then I tot try try pre-preggie shorts ma.. super sadded.. in e end I jus wore my pyjames pants.. haha..

 

[erlina040]

Thanks mummies. I'm using medela freestyle, not yet figuring how to use the hands free function. Most of the time, I will just leave the bottles on my thigh ( big thigh I have), provided I'm sitting cross legged on my bed.

Refrigerated milk can last till a week, only thawed milk has to be consumed within 24 hours, am I right? Seeing her having tummy upset really ache me and I suspect I might overfed her, coz given a week old baby, she has been drinking 90ml of milk (told by the nurse when she did her phototherapy), I tried to match up with the drinking capacity. Think I better stick to around 50 to 60ml of formula milk first, to let her clear her tummy. Will introduce ebm slowly again.

Talking about in law, yesterday was the first day she helped out with my confinement, she prepared breakfast, brought into my room as she said I shouldn't be walking so much and also prepared my bathing water. Today, think she's tired from baby's cranky episode the whole last night with me, breakfast is served outside and I prepared my own bathing water. But, generally still alright.

 

[erlina040]

Oh ya, I used to pump like 30 minutes for a combined of 70ml of milk. As I pumped more, realized can reach around 90 to 100ml for 20 minutes, interval of about 4 hours. Nipples are so sore.

So nice to have this forum to have people sharing expertise and venting frustration too.

Meltie, I'm sure your cutie pie will be alright and you will be able to be with her soon. Please try to take care of yourself also, don't tired yourself out. Nurses and doctors will take good care of her..

 

[felicity]

Haha erlina same, if I sit cross legs in bed I will just leave on my laps XD or if cannot reach I think can put a pillow to hold also... Hope the rest of confinement will be easy for u!

Lingz I pump for 15 min.. Usually in the first 10 mins already no more flow n I hv to press n press trying to squeeze more out... Wow u managed 30 mins! What level u use? Won't be sore?

 

[Angpq]

Any mummies know the price for Medela Swing breast pump in market?

 

[Rodorsany]

Meltie rest more... Bb Charlotte is a fighter jiayou!!

I realise I pump not a lot of milk... But when bb suck.. Can suck so long like a lot n after suckle i gently press still got milk.. Wonder is it e pump not good.. Using avent electric dual.. Any better recommendation???!!

 

[Lingz12]

Haha erlina same, if I sit cross legs in bed I will just leave on my laps XD or if cannot reach I think can put a pillow to hold also... Hope the rest of confinement will be easy for u!

Lingz I pump for 15 min.. Usually in the first 10 mins already no more flow n I hv to press n press trying to squeeze more out... Wow u managed 30 mins! What level u use? Won't be sore?

Haha.. I kept looking at my boobs wen I pump.. So even my neck aches.. Haha.. Sometimes there will be no more flow and I tot no more.. but as the pump pumps somemore, some milk will still come out de.. I use L4 wo.. Wat level u using? So far so good leh.. Not very sore.. But I din religiously pump every 4hrs la..

How do u all hold ur bottles using thigh or pillow? The bottles wun topple? I always tilt my body forward wen pumping so the milk will flow down, else sometimes the milk will go backwards and leak down the funnel..

 

[reiann]

hm, I also have the freestyle medela but I haven't tried the strap ons. is it really a hassle to use the strap on hands free thing? or should I just try to tuck it into my nursing bra?

 

[felicity]

My bb is latching nonstop! ><

Ermmm I use level 7 or 8... No wonder if pump too long will sore!! Haha.. Lingz, i hold w thighs or pillow while leaning forward also... But now I just tuck into my bra n my hands will be massaging n compressing the breasts one at a time.

Rodorsany I think I read bb is best at emptying the breasts? And they won't really go empty... I pump 10 mins already no more milk flow but my bb can suckles for hours n still got milk!

Reiann u can try both n see which one u prefer

 

[reiann]

Any mummies know the price for Medela Swing breast pump in market?

try this woman:
http://www.mummysg.com/forums/f81/my-beauty-loft-medela-breastpump-3-10-2012-a-59574/index2.html

she imports medela pumps from the US, brand new, sealed, self collect at AMK at her flat void deck. I did my research and found that hers is the cheapest, at least for freestyle. I only bought it for S$460! no warranty, but as it is new...



as for pumping, I really don't like pumping as it hurts my nipples. baby latching on only hurts for the first 5 - 10 seconds, but pumping it gets more and more painful! I can't last more than 9-10 mins on the pump. hurts too much.

as for the amount of milk I pump, it varies.. sometimes I get 2oz easily on one breast, sometimes less.

baby latching on is the most efficient pump, much more than any pumps in the market.

I tried bottle feeding ebm yesterday for the first time. my husband was delighted that he could finally take part in feeding our baby, and the baby took to the bottle almost immediately, yay! best thing is, she doesn't seem to have nipple confusion, as I still have her latch on in the middle of the night.

is anybody else using the teat that came with the medela freestyle pump? or did you all change teats? my baby is 2 weeks+ and seemingly had no problem with the teat that came with the freestyle, but wonder if I should use a different teat, etc.

 

[reiann]

My bb is latching nonstop! ><

Ermmm I use level 7 or 8... No wonder if pump too long will sore!! Haha..

Reiann u can try both n see which one u prefer

I don't know how you can tahan your baby latching on for 4 - 5 hours. I mean, aren't your nipples super sore and bleeding?? do you think your baby is using you as a pacifier? what happens when you give ebm in a bottle for your baby? does she seem satisfied? what about using a pacifier?

I know if my baby latches on for that long, I'd have died. already I got all emo and cried yesterday when my baby was having a day when she demands to be fed every two hours. I thought I wouldn't be emotional like that, like some of you girls described, but I looked down at her and having had so little sleep I started crying, just like some of you described!! so I don't know how you do it with your baby! amazing.

 

[felicity]

She rejects the pacifier we tried pigeon n later nuk on recommendation from friends. She still doesn't want n wails nonstop as we hold the pacifier in her mouth... My nipples r super sore n painful n with some pink grooves, like teeth bite marks.. But not bleeding. When i look into the mirror, the areola is dark brown but the nipple is bright pink!

I think maybe my flow v slow.. Or she suckle not hard enough.. So end up is like say she need 90ml.. She suckle 45ml in one hour, then another 45ml in the next.. By then still not full cos the first 45ml maybe digested since bm easily digested.. Haha just my assumption.. But sometime the hours is include she fell aslp, then when I moved her she wails again n latch back again... She really good la can dun slp for hrs make me so shag, only consolation is she slps better at night...

 

[erlina040]

Wow felicity, level 7 or 8, that's amazing! I increase one level, my nipple is like breaking. Was telling my hubby this is terrible, never know nipple can be this sore and before it recovers, another round coming. Even if the flow seems to stop, when i press, there's still milk. not sure why the pump can't exhaust all the milk.I have never expose my breast to so many ppl openly (hubby, mil, mother). Haha..

I find expressing milk more manageable than latching. At least I know within half an hour, done! Haha.. But, latching can take forever and the worse is within another 2 hours, she wants again. I really salute mother that can latch on ur child for hours!!

Was feeling rather emo this morning again. For a moment, thought it would be better if I can go back to work, though still love her so much. Anyway, I find myself less emo when doing a bit of housework, though my mil will scold me, esp mine is c-sect. feel so useless, if keep resting and thinking about breastfeeding only..

 

[felicity]

Omg I must be mad then... My nipples can be sore until when I bathing n the water from the shower head hits my nipples I also wanna cry... >< im just grateful so far no bleeding so I try as high as possible as long as I can tahan.. Usually I use lvl 7. Sometimes pump halfway I increase to lvl 8.

Latching can really takes forever zzz.. I'm just glad my in laws nv complain I always hide in room w bb... Cos always latching!!

I guess emo is a phase for all of us, like cant avoid :/ dun worry abt resting... Everyone telling me confinement must rest... Sigh I hardly rest cos latching nonstop or doing simple chores like washing the pumps n sterilize etc... Bathe bb myself as well cos my mum not confident. Tired until super emo also kept crying, esp when latching thru the night.. Cry like mad like so "qi liang".. Now I everyday experience tightness in my fingers, dunno is it touch water too much during confinement.. Sigh..

 

[Angpq]

Thank you reiann. I also feel that pumping hurt my nipples. But I am so confusing, there is no more milk flowing out after pumping for 15min, but why baby can latch on more than 15min? Will the baby stop sucking if there is no milk? I am afraid Baby will keep in suck n suck but there is no milk, end up sucking air.