Ugh. Grace has been on a Nursing Strike since her top teeth started to pop out YESTERDAY. I have a pretty glum outlook on getting all the way to 12 months with breastfeeding her. She screams and thrashes and fights when I offer her nursing, and throws her head back and just CRIES....like I'm trying to harvest her organs or something. :(
She'll take a bottle, but I cannot pump at this late stage. I tried using my hand-pump yesterday and after a half an hour, I got about 2 tablespoons. I think it's because her suction level is so high that the manual pump is just not strong enough anymore. I am racking my brains to see if I know anyone who has an electric one I could borrow.....any offers?? Anyone??? I can't afford to shell out that kind of money to buy an electric one at this point...just for a few days (I hope). Right now, she's on raw cow's milk, and the occasional drip she gets from me before throwing her tantrum.
Sad, sad, sad Mommy. :(
She'll take a bottle, but I cannot pump at this late stage. I tried using my hand-pump yesterday and after a half an hour, I got about 2 tablespoons. I think it's because her suction level is so high that the manual pump is just not strong enough anymore. I am racking my brains to see if I know anyone who has an electric one I could borrow.....any offers?? Anyone??? I can't afford to shell out that kind of money to buy an electric one at this point...just for a few days (I hope). Right now, she's on raw cow's milk, and the occasional drip she gets from me before throwing her tantrum.
Sad, sad, sad Mommy. :(
4 comments:
I have one, but, shoot, it'll take forever to get there and cost almost as much to ship as buying a new one!
Aww - Same here - I wish I could lend you mine. Chloe went on strike when she started teething but she picked it right back up again after a couple of days. Your body will readjust - just keep up the pumping. Even if you don't get much milk, it'll make the transition back easier.
I am so sorry, that cannot be enjoyable for either of you two!!!
I would say, do the very best you can to keep it up. Even the 1/2 hour manual pump is better than nothing. Try it twice a day on each breast, just to help make sure you're getting some kind of suction, even if it's not outputting what she would be getting. Keep pushing water. Keep trying with her, in different situations, and try your best to not be too anxious about it when you're trying to nurse her. She will sense your heightened stress. (That's so much easier to write, I know!) Your body can "ramp up" its production so long as you don't let it go dormant.
Also, some friends of mine I know just do a month-to-month renting of a hospital grade pump from the hospital. Could you call your local one and talk to them? I don't know how much a month is, but those things are supposedly the best of the best.
I had a friend whose son when on a 3 day nursing strike - I think right when you were visiting me. If you'd like, I can ask her any pointers. The only thing I experienced personally was her stopping nursing for more just a few minutes because she was so excited about life, and then my getting a horrible stomach virus that took my supply way down for a few days.
Praying for you. I know that's the best thing I can say.
So sorry Susi! I would offer you mine, but I still use it. However, even the cheaper pumps at Target, work very well. I bought one of them, and it works great.
But still, what a hard process!
I'm wearning Katie. She doesn't like bottles and with a sippy cup she just spills so much breastmilk, it's not worth it. So I just have to add the milk to cereal or yogurt. The reason for this transition is I'm going on a women's retreat and I want her down a couple feedings. So far we are down to 2/3, but still so hard!
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