(Miss Stella, one day old)Look at those cheeks!
Something is a problem.
(That's what Oliver likes to say.)
Miss Stella is not gaining any weight.
She is down 9 ounces from her birth weight.
That means she's skinny.
I think I've figured out why.
She's a lazy bum.
She falls asleep as soon as I start nursing her.
Every time.
No matter how wide awake she was seconds before.
There's no vigorous sucking and not much swallowing.
Just lots of sleeping.
I am all about breast milk.
I love nursing my babies.
But I've had to supplement her with formula.
It's stinky.
But you know what?
She really likes drinking from a bottle.
So I rented a pump.
Wish me luck.
Posts
Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteI just read an entire article about women who solely feed their babies pumped milk. They felt really good about their decision because it was what was best for that particular baby. Whether you exclusively pump or supplement with formula, its really just what you feel is best: )
http://www.exclusivelypumping.com/2007/11/30/supporting-an-exclusively-pumping-mother/
Sorry--if that other link wont copy into your browser, the article is on this website...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.exclusivelypumping.com/
oh man, good luck! It is tough those first weeks/months, maybe once she isn't so sleepy anymore she will want to nurse instead. I admire you for keeping it up, I wish I loved nursing....she's a cutie by the way, and I noticed the resemblance to Mabel right away, how fun.
ReplyDeleteit's not your fault that you are so warm and snuggly that she can't help but fall asleep. good luck!
ReplyDeletedearest Stephanie! so sorry to hear about your troubles - no fun. Jayden REFUSED to nurse - I don't know which is worse, having no success in nursing your first or having success with your first two and then having #3 not follow suit. I got an Avent hand pump (it somehow made me feel less like a cow that way) and I really liked it. Best of luck getting that little Miss Stella to get back to her adorable chubbiness.
ReplyDeletestella's in our prayers every night. in fact, audrey has to come up with a science fair project and parker thought maybe we could invent a potion to make stella grow better.
ReplyDeleteshe'll perk up and wake up soon. just do your best. that's what we always say. :)
that's what you get for letting suck all those ring pops in utero.
ReplyDeletebut seriously, all babies are different and some just have their own nursing ideas. i pumped a bit with miss dub and while i never really enjoyed pumping because of the extra time it takes, it's still the same breast milk and that's what matters.
love those cheeks!
if you get a good pump, it's really not that big a deal. sometimes it's even quicker... but you do feel like a cow! good luck!
ReplyDeleteSteph. I exclusively pumped for about the first month. People used to tell me that my baby would never go back to the breast and that my milk supply would diminish. It was the complete opposite. She went back just fine and I have enough and then some as far as breast milk goes. You are doing the right thing. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about Miss Stella being so sleepy! :) Her cheeks go right along with Scarlet's cheeks! So cute!!
ReplyDeleteI decided not to nurse my kids at all and they all loved their bottle and I cuddled them and loved them just as much as any nursing mom. Formula has come A LONG WAY and my kids are just as smart and healthy and nourished, if not more so than a breast fed baby. So don't feel bad if it doesn't work out. It's different for all of us!
Although... breast milk is whole lot cheaper than formula! :)
Hopefully she'll grow out of the sleepy stage. I am glad she likes taking a bottle, it is very convenient , or so I'm told! Hope the pumping works out. I only ever had a hand one which takes too long to get any good amount out.
ReplyDeleteJonah lost a lot of weight at first so I had to keep him awake with a cold washcloth on his face or by flicking his feet til he cried (at my doctor's insisting). It made me cry but it woke him up. You can see he obviously starting gaining a lot of weight after that. But if a bottle is the only way to give Miss Stella her breastmilk, then pump away. Electric pumps are great.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with pumping. carson was really skinny compared to the girls and i nursed them all. so i too had to supplement. It really helped him cause he was so skinny, i'm glad i did it.
ReplyDeleteOh, the pump! Yeah, I used mine a lot. I used to have to keep Finn awake long enough to nurse by wiping his face with a frozen washcloth. I'm a meanie, but it worked. Good luck! She has the cutes chub-a-lub-cheeks!!
ReplyDeleteBeen there. Done that. Twice. Here's wishing you luck.
ReplyDeletePumps aren't too bad when you need to use them.
Those cheeks are just sweet.
I tried pumping for Annette...it lasted one day. So good luck to you!
ReplyDeletePumping really isn't so bad... once you get used to it. I pumped for a year with Savannah (because I worked full time while Tyler stayed at home). I highly recommend the Medela Pump-N-Style. They may have changed the name (that was 11 years ago- YIKES). I'm pretty sure they sell it at Target now. It may seem a little pricey until you compare that to the price of formula. It worked great because sometimes she nursed or sometimes she took a bottle.
ReplyDeleteI had to pump with my last two babies. They did the same thing Stella does...lolligag about instead of getting down to business. :) At two months of age, I gave up trying to nurse and began pumping. (sniff sniff) Within a week I had enough milk to feed twins. ouch.
ReplyDeletePumping did have its upsides, though. I could go out and get things done for everyone else, and not have to worry about being hooked to baby's feeding schedule. Breast milk has a natural anti-bacterial quality about it. I could leave the bottle of milk out for a few hours without worrying.
The sibs *loved* feeding the baby.
After eight months I returned the electric pump, and cried all the way home.
oh that face! i just want to kiss on those cheekies!
ReplyDelete