As I lay here watching my baby sleep during our new sleep training efforts, I have to chuckle to myself. I love these sweet moments with my son.
Pantley’s Gentle Removal Plan
One of the several techniques I am implementing with my 4 month old son is called “Pantley’s Gentle Removal Plan” from Elizabeth Pantley’s book, The No-Cry Sleep Solution.
Essentially this plan incorporates gently breaking the baby’s latch so that he or she can get accustomed to falling asleep without this association.
Pantley recommends starting with bedtime. I did this successfully the first night and then excitedly went to use it for nap time the following day.
My son makes me laugh because even at this young age, I believe his personality shines through. At night we primarily use a bassinet that side-cars next to my husband’s and my bed. During the day, my son’s naps are co-slept with me. I’m not sure why there needs to be such a stark contrast for him at this time, but I’m letting it fly so that he gets very good naps which are said to beget better nighttime sleeping.
So I’m laying next to my baby and he’s doing that flutter suckling that nursing Mama’s know all too well. Ideally I would have broken the latch while he was still awake but drowsy, but I thought “any training is better than none”, so I proceeded to unlatch my son.
As expected, he rooted around, so I let him find me and suckle a bit. Once it became a flutter again, I silently counted to 10, and gently broke the latch again. Same thing.
The third time, I counted 1…,2…,…7… and when I got to 8, his suckle all of a sudden became more vigorous. I smiled and waited for the fluttering, then counted again.
The fourth time was much like the first two, but then on the fifth, once I counted to 10, my son broke the latch himself, and before I could think, “That’s good,” he fussed in protest and rooted. I laughed to myself realizing he had just detached himself in anticipation of what I was going to do and let me know exactly what he thought of that.
Unfortunately, that also ended the nap as he was then too agitated to go back to sleep. So I learned not to mess with him during nap time just yet. (That was just the first 24 hours of our sleep transitioning adventure. We’ll see how tonight goes.)
One Smart Baby!
When I told my husband what had happened, he laughed and praised our son for how smart he is. Shaking my head and knowing the truth of his words, I realize that some things are going to be all the more challenging because he’s smart!
Cherish Every Moment
Even though times are sometimes difficult, I cherish how small my son is and how very helpless. I know he’ll never again be as little as he was today, and he’s twice the size he was when he was born. I have to admit, I love watching my son sleep. I love watching him during his feedings. I even love that I get to teach him how to sleep because right now he is so dependent on me and he doesn’t know a better way, even when this means I will get less sleep. These moments are so very fleeting and I want to take a mental snapshot of them and remember them always.
Share your story:
What special moments have you had with your baby or child?
Tell us how smart he or she is!
“Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah”
Psalm 39:5
If you’re like me, you’re already wearing your sweatpants around the house and have your hair pulled into a messy bun anyway. So what’s a Mama to do when she’s all dressed up for the gym with no time to go?
New and seasoned mothers alike know how difficult it is to work exercise into your day to day activity.
Having a baby significantly changes our bodies and we need time to recover. But once your healthcare provider gives you the all clear, here are 10 exercises you can do with your baby.
(By the way, Dads, you can do these too!)
Baby’s Tummy-Time = Exercises on the Floor
1. Push-ups. When my son is playing on the floor, I’m putting in floor time too with 5 sets of 10 push-ups. (Yes, I do the girly ones.) Sometimes my son even stops to watch Mommy work.
2. Sit-ups or crunches. Another good exercise to do while baby is playing on the floor. You may even want to get real creative and hold your baby in the air while doing reverse crunches. This one has been especially hard for me postpartum. I started with just 10 sit-ups, twice a day and I could barely do them. It’s ok to start low and work your way up!
3. Pelvic Rocking. This is also a great exercise for pregnant women. To help strengthen your back, get on all fours. Keeping your shoulders still and knees planted, relax lower back, which allows pelvis to tilt forward, then level your back and tuck hips under. Do slowly and rhythmically. (Exercises from The Bradley Method handbook.)
4. Stretching. You know what stretching is and what your body needs so do whatever stretching you need for that day. Legs, arms, back. Goodness knows, my whole body gets all out of whack on a daily basis!
Exercises for a fussy baby or to help put baby to sleep
5. Squats. This one is good to do when your baby simply won’t let you sit. I tend to do these as a part of our nap time routine since he likes me to stand and bounce him anyway. Try doing 2 sets of 10 for each nap time and increasing as your baby gets older. They really add up when your baby is napping 3 times a day!
6. Lunges. Another unique way to hold your fussy baby who won’t let you put him down. So get up and get moving! 2 sets of 10 for each nap, increase number of sets as baby’s nap number decreases with age.
7. Torso Twists. Swaying with a baby is a great way to encourage them to take a nap. 20+ Torso Twists are just swaying with form and a duel purpose!
8. Walk or Pace. Can you tell I have a child that doesn’t like me to sit still? Get a step counter and see how many steps you can take around the house. Going outside for some sunshine will also be good for both you and your baby.
Exercises for the Couch Potato (Or Tired Parent)
9. Chest presses. Ok, ok significantly modified chest presses, but finally one you can do on the couch! Use your baby as your weight and lift him into the air doing reps. As a bonus, you’ll probably get some smiles or giggles from your baby too! Each baby’s weight varies so how many can you do before your arms feel like Jell-O? (Remember, these weights naturally increase over time so be consistent or one day that baby’s heaviness may surprise you!) Be careful to hold him around the chest and not by the arms or stomach. Good head control is also a must before doing this one.
10. Leg lifts. Again modified, but we sleepy parents do what we can, when we can. Lower the leg support on your couch or La-Z-boy and do some leg lifts. 5 sets of 10 should do the trick (for each leg – oh come on, no complaining. We’re not that lazy!)
Share your story:
Can you think of other exercises you can do while holding or playing with your young baby? Share them with us!
“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:27
Before the birth of my son, I considered myself a fairly organized person. One might say my house is “lived in” but usually one wouldn’t say my house is “a mess” (I hope). Now that my son is here, any weakness I had previously has been brought to light.
One of these weaknesses is my propensity to forget to switch clothes from the washer to the dryer. My mother can attest that this has been a shortcoming of mine since childhood. Doing laundry with good intentions gone bad…or soured actually. Oops!
One of my husband’s weaknesses is how much he hates to do dishes…but we won’t go there.”
Wait a second, I thought this was supposed to be about a bedtime routine, not your shortcomings regarding housework!
Routine as a Necessity
Yes, well my point is that designing and implementing a routine is what has now become an absolute necessity. Whereas before, I could just use the last hour before my husband came home to spruce up the place and start dinner and things looked pretty decent around here. The truth is, even though my son is nearly 4 months old, I still don’t have an hour. Heck, I’m lucky if I had time to use the bathroom! (Every mother’s creed.)
Things have been getting easier though, as I figure out how to do once easy tasks with one hand. (Here’s a thought for a parenting class…make them do everything with one hand tied behind their back.) Two weeks ago I told my husband, “I’ve got this!” It was beautiful! Laundry was getting done and staying caught up. (Yay, some shirts without spit up on them!) Dishes were being caught up every day. I even started cooking and baking a little bit. I thought I had arrived.
Then all of a sudden, our no-longer-a-newborn son started to wake up every two hours. No big deal, right? Must be a growth spurt. A few days later and it was still happening. In fact, most nights he has been up EVERY HOUR but not super interested in eating! What is the deal?
Sleep Regression
So I started to ask questions online. Why is my 4 month old waking up every two hours? First dozen results proclaim: 4 month sleep regression. What is that? And WHY did no one tell me about it?
The 4 month sleep regression is basically this: As a newborn, a baby basically has one type of sleep – deep sleep. Now that baby is growing well and maturing and his sleep cycles start to become more like an adults, going through phases both light and deep sleep throughout the night. Except for one important factor, unlike adults, upon wakening out of light sleep, baby doesn’t know how to put himself BACK to sleep. He needs the same associations to put him to sleep that got him there in the first place. For bedtime ideas, click here.
In the case of my son, this means Mommy. To go further, this means Mommy must nurse me.
So I continued my research, begged people for advice, and chose my method of transition. The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. I literally bought the book a couple days ago, so I’m still reading it. (I’m a fast reader, but remember that time I have very little of?)
Solid Bedtime Routine
However, one of the first things Pantley encourages is a solid bedtime routine. My husband and I had been doing some of the same things each evening, which always ended in my nursing our son to sleep, so we didn’t think much of the other things we did. We were reading to him because we want him to learn good communication skills and be smart. Now we also do it for the sake of the routine.
I cannot emphasize enough the power of a good bedtime routine no matter what sleep solution you prefer. In two nights, it has changed my baby’s sleep. It’s still not perfect, because we have lots more transitioning to do, but it HAS improved.
The important thing is to do the same thing each night in order. This helps cue your baby that it’s time for sleeping.
To remember exactly what we did and in what order, I wrote it down for my husband and me to reference. I was whisking the baby off to accomplish bedtime leaving my husband missing our son, so we’ve already tweaked it a bit so that my husband gets to wish our son a goodnight before I nurse him to sleep. (Because you don’t distract an eating baby. That may result in pain to Mommy and glares in Daddy’s general direction.)
There is so much I’m learning about my baby’s sleep. I’m gleaning a lot from this resource. And also important, I’m realizing the necessity of a good routine in all aspects of my life. We all function a little better (ok, maybe a lot better) when our lives have a bit more structure to them. Structure helps you get through the days you need to be more flexible without knocking the wind out of you.
So my goal this week, while I’m still learning to teach my son good sleep habits, is to work on creating and implementing a routine to help structure the rest of my life. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I’m betting the dishes will get done.
Share with us:
How are you coping with your new life as a parent? How do you get things done?
“There is an appointed timeforeverything. And there is a timefor every event under heaven—”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
After the shock wore off and I ceased gaping at the wonderful pee stick that announced the good news that I was, in fact, for the first time, pregnant, I set down the pregnancy test and skipped into the bedroom. I crawled in bed next to my husband, on HIS side, and said softly, “Honey, I’m pregnant.”
He stirred as my words sunk in. “Really?” he asked.
“Really!” I assured.
“Did you take it twice?” he murmured skeptically and not quite awake yet.
“No silly!” I said giving him a kiss. “You only have ‘1st morning urine’ once a day!”
The rest of the day went about as usual, with the exception of our complete distraction and giddiness. I remember my husband was working from home that day. I spent most of the time in the office with him just so I could be close to him. We both worked quietly, sharing a glance and a smile now and then.
Eventually, we could no longer contain our joy or our silence. We started to talk about who we would tell and when. We knew that it was very early in the pregnancy. We had heard and knew many people that chose to wait for a certain milestone before making the announcement to others. As reasonable as this sounded, we just couldn’t wait! This was our miracle from God and somehow we knew He had granted us this child for the long haul. So we decided to tell our Mothers. We planned to tell his Mother first as she lived nearby and my then tell my Mother later that week, as she was coming to visit. (Good timing, eh?) With our first announcements decided, I set to work creating unique ways of telling them.
Telling His Mom
For his Mother we really outdid ourselves. I created a flyer of sorts with the details of the baby as we knew them. It wasn’t much, as we only knew the month and year the baby was due. As I completed my project, I was fairly pleased with myself and how it turned out. I thought I was finished, but my husband had the brilliant and creative idea to make it look like a piece of junk mail. So I set about part two of my project. Setting the dimensions of the envelope in Microsoft Publisher, I wrote out my mother-in-law’s address, with the words, “Urgent Notice” next to her name. I also wrote a fake return address in the top left corner. To make it look more “official”, I found a picture of a business mailer envelope that had the “Postage Paid” on it. I cropped that part out and pasted it on our “junk mailer”. Then I found a “Top Secret” stamp and put that on there too. I also typed in big red letters, “Open Immediately! Life Changing Event”. On the back of the envelope, I put a small, faded, grey picture of little baby footprints, thinking it would tip her off to the contents of the envelope.
We went over to her house that evening, and snuck the mailer into her mail pile, then feigned nosiness as we flipped through her mail and said, “Mom, what’s this?”
Barely looking it over, she said, “I don’t know. It’s junk. Throw it away!” (It was quite convincing.) I stifled a giggle.
My husband said, “It might be important, Mom.” and handed the envelope to her.
She said, “It’s junk mail.” But began to open it, a little flustered with her son’s pushiness because she was trying to make dinner, and he wanted her to open this envelope. Upon seeing the footprints, she said, “Is this from the Pregnancy Crisis Center?” Then she continued to open it, none the wiser to our scheme.
She pulled out the flyer I made which contained some baby clip art, and asked, “Ready to be a Grandma? Baby Coming to a Son Near You, Fall 2016” It took her a while before it sunk in, then her eyes popped and her mouth dropped open as she looked at me (I was secretly snapping pictures of her with my phone) and said, “You’re Pregnant!” I nodded. “Oh my goodness!” Then she cried, but just like my husband and I had been all that day, she couldn’t stop smiling.
Telling My Mom
With the bar set high, I had a couple days to think up a creative way to tell my mother about my pregnancy. When she came into town, I had everything ready. She sat down on our sofa and I handed her a gift bag with the word “GRANDMA” in colorful, foam letters on it. (She thought it was for her mom, my Grandma.) I said, “Take a look.”
She opened the bag, finding one of my own Childhood Books inside. She opened it to find the insert I had made. It was another flyer which read, ”
Dear Grandma,
Mommy always enjoyed these books when she was a baby, so please read these to me when I arrive this fall.
Love always, your first Grandchild
Without missing a beat, she exclaimed, “REALLY?!”
“YES!” I affirmed.
“Aww!” she exclaimed as she also broke into tears of joy and gave me a hug.
My husband and I made other similar announcements to various family members. It was so much fun working together and thinking up unique ideas that catered to the individual we were telling.
Do you have a unique pregnancy announcement story you’d like to share?
“For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him.” 1 Samuel 1:27
I was recently sent an article regarding a woman whose baby was struggling to nurse and basically starving because the baby could not physically remove milk from the breast. After much trial, the mother chose to formula feed. The article’s point? Fed is Best.
I would like to reiterate this point: Fed is Best. (And no I don’t mean the Federal government. I mean that a fed and full child is best. Yes, my mommy brain went there and was confused by the article until my smart brain kicked in.)
This article hit home for me because my son also struggled to nurse and for the first 4 weeks, before we put him on high-calorie formula, he was in fact, a failure to thrive baby.
For those Mommies out there like me who knew from the start of their pregnancy they wanted to breastfeed, and had the motto, “Breast is Best” ingrained in their minds. These Mom’s looked forward to breastfeeding and prepared for it while pregnant. They researched the heck out of it, they asked other Mommies about their experiences, and they, quite literally, dreamed about it. For Mothers who plan so thoroughly, it can be quite a blow when someone suggests putting your baby on formula.
Uh, ex-squeeze me? Did you say formula?
As my midwife put it, “Formula is not the devil.” Upon hearing these words, I rationally knew what she was saying, but emotionally my heart was saying, “But formula is bad.”
Let me say now, it really isn’t. And this is coming from the Mama who had to go take a shower to BAWL HER EYES OUT while my husband gave our baby his first BOTTLE of formula.
Mommies listen. Formula is not “bad”. It can nourish your baby. It can fill your baby’s tummy. It can keep your baby healthy. If you’re a new Mama who is needing to put your baby on formula, that’s ok. There was a time in my very recent past, I truly did not believe that, but it really is all right.
If you really want to, there is still the option to continue to breastfeed. Some options include:
Partial breastfeeding – While working towards your breastfeeding goals, but supplementing with formula or pumped breast milk, nursing can be done to still reap the wonderful benefits. The benefits are what sold us on it in the first place, right?
Exclusive pumping – If nursing your baby simply isn’t a possibility, some mothers choose to pump their breast milk and feed this to their babies in bottles. To read about efficient pumping, click here.
Exclusive formula feeding – This is a perfectly acceptable option. I know, love, and respect my dear friends and family members who have chosen this option.
Now those of you who know my story know that I did whatever it took to breastfeed as much as possible. For me, I used a combination of partial breastfeeding and pumping and worked toward the goal of exclusively breastfeeding. Those of you who KNOW me personally, know that I am as stubborn as they come. I had to constantly check myself to make sure I wasn’t being selfish in my desire to breastfeed. My decision was to salvage nursing using any means necessary. I had the time, determination, resources, and most importantly, the support (my dear, sweet husband is a Saint), to make it happen for my son and me. It was a very difficult path, but one I’m glad I took.
Now, this does not make me a “better” mother than Mama’s who choose to formula feed. These Mommies are amazing women, some of which I learn from every single day. Their wisdom and insight are what make me a better Mother than I could be without their experiences to pull from.
So if you are pregnant and starting your research into breastfeeding or if you are just starting your journey into motherhood, again or for the first time, you will hear over and over again, “Breast is Best” by many reputable organizations such as the La Leche League. There is some very helpful information to be gleaned here, but you will read about how any obstacle to breastfeeding can be overcome. While this is true the vast majority of the time, sometimes it just isn’t going to work and you may have to make a different choice. And THAT’S OK!
So, in the spirit of Fed is Best, here is my new motto: Hungry Baby is Bad. Formula is Good (Not Bad). Breast is Better. Fed is Best.
Tell us your experience. How do you feed your baby?
“For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.” Isaiah 66:12
The happiest day of my life after my wedding day and before the day my son was born, was the day I found out I was pregnant.
I have mentioned before that my husband and I had wanted to have a baby for quite some time. From the first time we agreed to try to conceive to the moment of that positive pregnancy test was nearly three years.
I had spent a week at work feeling tired and strangely out of breath. I remember telling my boss as I was cleaning one day that I felt weird and jokingly told her, “Ha! Maybe I’m pregnant!” She said, “You better take a test.” I laughed it off at the time, but the more I thought about it the more I realized I had never quite felt the way I did.
Oh sure, I’d started my period a few days earlier, but come to think of it… It WAS super light. Nothing to really empty from the diva cup. Just some spotting. Hmmm…could I really be pregnant?
I had taken pregnancy tests before when I had experienced a couple late periods. My husband had been disappointed before, just as I had, so I decided I wasn’t going to say anything to him this time unless the outcome was a joyful one.
Of course, it was this night that our second vehicle was in the shop and so my husband picked me up from work. On the way home I asked if he would stop by the local pharmacy so I could pick up a couple things.
“What are you getting?” He asked.
“Something for me,” I replied.
“You’re buying a pregnancy test, aren’t you?” How does he know that?
“Yes, but I wasn’t planning to say anything to you about it, so let me be.”
“You’ve taken like 30 of those things.” He sighed.
“No.” I argued. “I have taken 6. Two 3-packs in 3 years. That’s hardly 30.”
“Well, it seems like you’ve taken a lot. Are you sure you want to buy these now?”
“Yes, I have my reasons. Please make the stop on the way home, honey.” I requested.
He did, and I bought another 3-pack of Clear Blue Pregnancy Tests, promising 99% accuracy. I honestly tried not to think too much of it. He was right, they’d just been a waste of money every other time. Maybe I should just go home. But I continued in my mission.
Prepping for the Test
Once we got home, I showered away the work day, and followed my normal getting-ready-for-bed-routine, making a point to read the test directions before going to sleep. I knew I had to wait for that first morning urine to have the best results (despite what the test directions said), and I didn’t want to try to “hold it” while I fiddled with reading them the next morning.
I went to sleep that night the same as every night, not truly expecting anything to be different in the morning.
The next morning in the 6 o’clock hour, nature’s call woke me and I went into the bathroom. Groggy with the new day, I would have forgotten my mission from the night before, had my night owl wisdom not laid everything out for me.
Doing the pee-pee dance, I hurriedly snapped the cap off the test stick and set to work. I set the test behind me on the top of the toilet and went about washing my hands… and washing my face… and brushing my teeth…, not daring to go near the pee stick that was bound to herald bad news again.
The Results
Once my 3 minutes were up, I nonchalantly walked over and picked up the test.
PREGNANT.
What?! I looked again.
PREGNANT.
I stared at that one, simple word in utter shock as my eyes filled up with tears.
I smiled. I was pregnant!
[Hannah] made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life…” 1 Samuel 1:11a
Your baby finally fell asleep! You want to pump and you only have 15 minutes because, let’s face it, you need a nap too. How can you get the best “bang for your buck” so to speak when it comes to pumping?
Keep reading for 6 tips on how to pump most efficiently.
1. Don’t get discouraged.
Let your body get used to pumping.
If you’re just starting out, you’re not going to get as much as you will once your body grows accustom to your pump. Our bodies weren’t designed to produce milk for a machine. They were designed to produce milk for the sweet, warm bundle of joy you nourish.
So keep at it. Once your body realizes it’s safe to letdown for your pump, it will. Though, under normal circumstances, you will never pump as much as your baby can transfer, so don’t get discouraged by the amount in the bottle either. Every drop of liquid gold is a blessing.
2. Relax.
There’s an element of instinct when it comes to milk production. In a flight or fight situation OR when you’re under stress, your breasts aren’t going to want to respond with the ample supply of milk that flows so well in response to happy hormones. So when it comes to pumping (and nursing too), it’s important to relax.
Grab a book, warm some tea, and, my favorite, eat a cookie. Favorite recipe here. You want to activate those lovely happy hormones (prolactin and oxytocin) to get your milk flowing.
I’ll never forget when the LC came out to my home for the first time and showed me how to use my pump. We were manipulating the breast tissue in the pump and a loud pfft escaped. Like an adolescent, I cracked up laughing. I immediately had a letdown, which my LC attributed and announced was due to a lovely…boob fart.
3. Use the Correct Flange Size.
Usually pumps come with a standard flange which varies by brand. And let’s face it, boobs are not one size fits all and neither is the size flange, which is actually determined by the size of the nipple, not the breast.
Correct flange size is critical for comfortable pumping. Ideally, one should be able to use the highest setting on your pump for the purpose of drainage, without pain.
Flanges are too small if the nipple is being pinched or touches the wall of the flange. Small flanges cause problems with draining, not to mention a lot of pain.
Flanges are too large if breast tissue is being pulled up into the small cylindrical part of the flange. This can caused pinched ducts farther up the breast, which can also hinder proper draining of the breast.
Flanges that fit correctly will, first and foremost, be comfortable. With the breast shield in place, the nipple will move easily as the pump stimulates and extracts the milk. The areola will constrict slightly (but not painfully – similar to when a baby nurses) which also aids in stimulating for optimum milk transfer.
Flanges of different sizes and for different pump brands can be purchased when the size provided with your pump doesn’t fit properly.
Keep in mind that the size of flange you need for one breast may differ from the size needed for the other. Get what you need! Don’t sacrifice your nipples!
I bought my Spectra flanges on Amazon, which also carries Medela, a very popular brand for pumping. Other brands of pumping accessories can also be found and purchased.
(Medela kits also work with hospital grade pumps, which you can rent at fairly reasonable costs. If you’re struggling with supply, using a hospital grade pump may be a help to you. Ask your LC!)
4. Make Certain the Nipple is Centered
This may seem easier said than done, especially when manipulating the breast and breaking suction can cause precious milk to leak out and make a mess.
In my experience, it’s best to get everything situated during the two minute stimulation phase, rather than the extraction phase.
Center the breast shield around your nipple. If necessary, move some of the breast tissue up into the shield a bit. This can help avoid “wandering nipples” as my lactation consultant calls them. (Experiment to be sure scrunching the breast tissue doesn’t hinder the flow and emptying of the breast.)
If one or both of your nipples look like it’s going off to one side (a.k.a. Wandering Nipples), slowly pull the breast tissue away from the direction it’s leaning. Be sure to hold the flange so that the whole thing doesn’t come off. Also be sure the milk flow is going down and away from your body so that if the suction does break, you aren’t mourning the loss of that precious liquid.
5. Be Handsy. Shake. Massage. Do Compressions.
What do I mean by handsy? Well, I mean get in there and see what makes your milk flow. Don’t be shy.
Shake.
Quite literally shake your breasts out before pumping (and nursing) to loosen the fatty milk in the ducts. This makes it easier to get the hind milk when you experience letdown and extract a great volume as well.
Breast massage.
Doing breast massage before pumping (and nursing) is also effective at loosening the milk in the ducts. Start up and out, away from your nipple and work down and in, towards the nipple in long, downward strokes. Don’t forget the tissue near your armpits as milk can be stored there as well.
Breast Compressions.
Using breast compressions can potentially increase the extracted volume of milk by 50% or more. Breast tissue can be found all the way up near your armpits, so get to squeezing and see what works the best. See technique here.
6. Twisted Nipple Trick
Say what?! Yes, you heard me but don’t go hurting yourself. Milk ducts don’t always form a nice straight line like anatomical diagrams may suggest. In fact, they can be a lot like a wet noodle, so sometimes changing the direction of the breast can help a bit.
To do the “twist”, simply take the flange and gently twist 90 degrees one way and then the other. See what happens.
This is not an exhaustive list of tricks while pumping, but it’s a start. Everyone is different so what works for one person may not work for another and vice verse, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you!
Bonus Tip:
Use your nursing bra or camisole to hold your pump in place, so you can be hands free!
For all you seasoned pumpers, what tricks have you found helpful?
“If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milkandhoney.”
Numbers 14:8
Remember, our bodies are designed to be amazing! God thought of everything and our bodies respond to the needs of our babies.
The concept of “emptying the breast” can be a bit misleading, but have no fear, our breasts were designed for the purpose of feeding our children. And this is still true even after pumping.
The breast is never truly emptied. Think instead of the milk being extracted from the breast as a supply and demand issue. It’s true that milk production is constant. When the breast is less full, the production speed picks up, and as the breast gets fuller, production slows.
Imagine a factory is making and selling a widget. While the widget is in demand, the factory is working quickly to satisfy its customers. If the demand for the widget decreases, so does the speed of production, and the excess stored.
Your baby will also begin to eat closer together as it gets later in the day. There’s a reason for this too. The fat content of your milk is higher which aids your baby in being able to sleep a longer stretch.
So if you just pumped and are trying to build a freezer stash, don’t double whammy your efforts by giving your baby a bottle. This hinders your efforts of creating a stash but, more importantly, tells your body to slow production. Even if you think you’re “empty” when your baby wakes up to eat, go ahead and nurse him. The feeding may take longer but if he’s alert and has a correct latch he’ll still be getting something.
To avoid the longer feedings, try pumping after he eats. Then the baby is satisfied and your stash is able to grow, even if it’s just a little at a time.
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”
Psalm 139:14
Our son wasn’t born sick, but the path from thriving baby to struggling baby happened very quickly.
He was born with both a lip and a tongue tie but of course, we didn’t know that. I have to say, of all the tests care providers run when a child is born, I wish they had checked the mouth for these defects as well.
The first time I ever put my son to the breast, he didn’t take to it well. We did everything right to give him a good start. I’d had the natural birth – medication free, and pulled my baby onto my bare chest the moment he was born for instant skin to skin contact. We’d waited to cut the umbilical cord until it stopped pulsing so he would get as much blood and nutrients as he could from this life source.
We stayed at the birth center for quite a while so that the midwives could be sure he would nurse before we left. Finally, after help latching each time someone checked on us, a bloody nipple, the use of a nipple shield, and a lot of effort and focus on my part, he ate for a reasonable period of time. I didn’t come to breastfeeding unprepared. I had read every article I came across on the topic. I also read cover to cover The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. I was completely sold on the importance of exclusively breastfeeding, to include no introduction of bottles and pacifiers or other artificial nipples of any kind. None whatsoever.
We took my newborn son home about 2 o’clock in the morning. My husband and I were anxious to get home. In hindsight, it might have been good to rest at the birth center a little longer or to have asked for help once we were home, but Mother and Baby were both doing well so we were allowed to leave. That first half night was a blur. My husband and I were both excited, exhausted, and completely taken with this little person God had given us charge over. Our son slept on my husband’s chest for the first several nights of his life. We never wanted to put him down. He was so precious and so cuddly.
I guess the next couple feedings went okay. I don’t remember thinking anything was wrong. When we woke up for the 6am feeding, he wouldn’t take to the breast again. We struggled. Finally at 10 am I called the midwives. I was told to express colostrum onto my finger and let him suck and just keep doing that for a while. Babies don’t eat much at all those first couple days. Their stomachs are very small, so their meals are small, but frequent. The key in the beginning is getting that nutrient-rich colostrum. My son suckled on my finger for a couple feedings and this effort sparked within him a new interest in nursing. He began to love to nurse, even though he wasn’t good at it, and I was thrilled and none the wiser that he was struggling to get anything.
Lip and Tongue Ties
I had never heard of these birth defects before the Lactation Consultant (LC) came out to our home when my son was 3 days old. My milk had come in and I felt like we could be doing better, so my husband and I agreed to use this resource. My left breast was engorged and I just wanted to be sure everything was going as it should.
The LC was wonderful, kind, and knowledgeable. She taught me a few tricks and taught me how to use my pump correctly. (I thought, “Like I would ever use that thing.” Boy, did I! Looking back, I was much more prideful about breastfeeding than I had a right to be. I was so determined that “this was how it’s going to be” that I didn’t make allowances for mistakes or things beyond my control. This made dealing with all the issues much more difficult for me emotionally. It hindered by willingness to accept and admit that there were any problems, which made it difficult to ask for help.) The LC said we were doing great. She briefly mentioned he might have a lip tie, but he and I seemed to be doing well as a breastfeeding couple, so she gave us an A+ and went on her way.
When he was 5 days old, I about had a meltdown. Ok ok, I had a meltdown. My mother had just left to go back home. As I finished a much needed shower, and exited the bathroom, my husband thrust our upset son into my arms for me to nurse him. He was screaming and crying! He was too upset to eat and it was clear this was exactly what he needed to do. All the books and articles and care providers said newborns needed to eat every two hours, but he didn’t keep to this at all. He was showing all the signs of hunger but wouldn’t nurse. He was frustrated, as was I because he wouldn’t nurse. To put it bluntly, we were a hot mess!
This hot mess called my cousin who had sent me a text the day before to say, “If you’re having any trouble breastfeeding, give me a call anytime. No matter what time it is.” At this point, I just needed to talk to someone I didn’t have to pay, so I gave her a call.
So there I was, sobbing, face and chest red-streaked, still naked from my shower, holding my screaming newborn. My hair was wet, unbrushed, and tangled, and she said, “Let’s FaceTime.” There’s something about the progression of pregnancy and then the final act of labor that eventually sucks away all your modesty until you just don’t care anymore. Take heart. It does come back….eventually.
To be honest, she didn’t tell me anything I hadn’t either read or been told previously. However her kindness, loving encouragement, and support were exactly what I needed to get through the night.
Let me take this opportunity to say how important having good support is when it comes to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding may seem like the simplest, most intuitive thing in the world, but complications can arise and when they do, it can be one of the most difficult things in the world. Fatigue, fluctuating hormones, and fear of being a good parent can make it difficult to ask for help. So even if your only support is a Facebook group, or a single friend or care provider, reach out to them. It can, and does, get easier – even with complications.
We went in for his one week appointment and he had lost weight. This is expected in all newborns, but typically their birth weight should be regained by two weeks of age. When we went in for his two week appointment, he had lost even more weight. This started the beginning of supplementing. Remember how I was very anti-artificial nipple? Well, I was (and still am) even more anti-baby-choking-coughing-and-aspirating-while-using-a-dropper. He just didn’t know how to take food from it and my husband and I sat there and wept struggling to feed him, while I pumped to keep him supplied with breast milk.
We went in for weight checks every few days. Eventually, we just borrowed a scale to take home. Each time the routine changed because he wasn’t gaining enough. My supply suffered and we went from 100% breast milk, to using a formula (yes, I was anti-formula too) called NeoSure, a Similac formula for premature babies. It has extra calories per ounce and helps babies put on weight faster. I have since learned that there is also the option of using donated milk. Look up an organization near you to learn more about this option.
My son regained his original birth weight by four weeks of age.
Lactation Consultant
We continued to work with the LC. She was a huge reason I continued to breastfeed as she was so very supportive and encouraging. She was constantly brainstorming on how to make breastfeeding easier and more efficient for us. One of the first things she taught us to help with our new supplementing routine was the paced-bottle technique. See technique here. It was also recommended that we use Dr. Brown’s bottles. They are special bottles that have a piece on the inside to help with the aeration and keep the baby from getting gassy.
We broke our rule on “no pacifiers” too. When you’re worried that your baby is crying away all the calories he needs to grow, you get over yourself and your rules pretty quickly.
My husband and I saw my son successfully gain weight on the formula we were given, but we desired for our son to go back to breastfeeding completely, if that was at all possible. We knew of all the benefits to breastfeeding, and we wanted our son to reap them. Our goal was that one day he would be exclusively breastfed.
SNS
We started to decrease his supplements. I can’t remember exactly what that looked like. Our routine seemed to change every week and so sometimes what transpired was a blur. I do remember when he was about 6 weeks old we tried to exclusively breastfeed again. He stopped gaining weight. So we quickly went back to formula again.
The LC carefully recommended I try to use SNS or Supplemental Nursing System. (I say carefully because she did not want me recommending to others. She said that babies have to have a good ability to suck and swallow correctly or they can aspirate so please consult an LC if you are interested in using SNS.)
If you aren’t familiar with SNS, it is a bottle hooked up to small tubes you tape to your breast near the nipple. It’s very contraption-y. The flow to your baby can be controlled by pulling the tubes through notches. For some, giving supplements through SNS can be a great way to transition a baby back to the breast. For others it can be a nightmare.
Conceptionally, SNS is easy to use. In practice it can be tricky. There is an element of trying to hide it from the baby. These young little tykes are smarter than you might think, even at only weeks old! We didn’t want him to see the bottle hanging from my neck, and thus, a visual cue for him to eat. I personally struggled with getting his supplement the right temperature if it had been in the fridge. Most of the time I didn’t time the preparation correctly to get it warm enough before a feeding was required. So obviously there was a noticeable temperature difference when using cold pumped breast milk as a supplement. When using formula, the challenge wasn’t the temperature but the noticeable taste difference.
One comic relief throughout this whole process, was the look on my son’s face when we gave him formula. It was almost like giving a lemon to a baby, but not perhaps, as intense. I used his noticeable preference for the taste of breast milk to fuel my determination to continue to breastfeed.
Let’s face it, up to this point, breastfeeding had been a challenge – and one I didn’t expect. Feedings took twice as long because not only would I nurse him, then give a bottle (Thank God for my wonderful husband), but then I would pump as well. I also realized that all the switching from side to side frustrated my son. All he wanted was to eat. Although, he preferred the breast, (something I was thankful for because many babies turn to preferring the bottle due to the ease of the flow) this did not fill his tummy, so I’d remove him from the breast and switch to the bottle. SNS did help to streamline the supplementing process.
Another challenge, which is comical to write about in hindsight, was that the tubes can easily be pulled to “open the gate” if you will. So a squirming baby, or a move to switch from one side to another, often resulted in a mess. Once the gate is opened, liquid is coming through it until it’s closed again.
I remember one night I tried to use SNS during a feeding and I was so tired. My son was not hungry – he was hANGRY, which was typical for his mid-night feeding. I couldn’t find the cord that allowed the bottle to hang from my neck. I had taken it off to clean. So I carefully propped the bottle on my chest. The struggle was I couldn’t move fast enough. I would get him latched, then try to release the tube, and since he wasn’t getting anything, he’d unlatch himself. Of course, he did this about the same time I released the tube, which caused milk to go everywhere. As you can imagine this became a crazy cycle – one that resulted in my son screaming in frustration, me in tears, and my husband bottle feeding him.
All things considered for my son and me, the SNS was helpful. The flow was there which kept my son interested since he still wasn’t capable of transferring milk effectively. At the same time, the suckling of my little one helped maintain my supply. He wasn’t frustrated and we were on the right path towards exclusively breastfeeding.
I stopped using SNS once my son realized this whole feeding thing would go a lot faster if he just sucked on the tube and he stopped trying to latch. After this, we were on the right track to more breastfeeding. We were down to half the formula we had started with and supplemented with 4 bottle feedings (8-12 oz) a day, each one after time at the breast, after which, I would pump.
Speech Pathologist
The plain and simple truth was my son wasn’t holding up his end of the deal. Successful breastfeeding takes two and he wasn’t extracting the milk he needed. He fell asleep on the breast after less than five minutes and never initiated a letdown. He lacked vigor and I had no clue how to teach him that.
The LC recommended a speech pathologist, which upon her suggestion I thought sounded absolutely absurd for an infant. Well, eventually I broke down and scheduled our appointment with the SP. We saw the improvement the exercises she gave us made in our son, I felt guilty for not calling her earlier. He had weak cheeks; a quivering, tired jaw; and a thin tongue. Who knew “weak cheeks” were a thing?! Although his tongue had good range of motion after releasing the tie, he wasn’t using it correctly.
The exercises she assigned us were easy, fast, and worth every penny we didn’t have. My son actually enjoyed the exercises and we saw a little improvement by the following week, which continued thereafter.
Increasing Milk Supply
My milk supply was suffering. My LC said she thought it had reached the glass ceiling. I have to admit I was devastated by her saying this. I wasn’t willing to believe all this hard work was for nothing. After some research, I decided I wanted to help my supply with domperidone, a prescription medication that has a side effect of increased lactation, although this is not its original purpose. Before I got the medication, I realized throughout all the changes in routine and special systems we had used, I had forgotten some of the very basic things that aid breastfeeding efforts.
I cannot emphasize the importance of doing your due diligence and researching on your own. Heeding the advice of others is a good practice, however, in those early weeks especially, my husband and I felt lost. Finally, we agreed, it was time to take back our parenting. What this meant for us was taking all advice with a grain of salt, figuring out what options we truly had, looking at our end goal, and weighing that against the progress and health of our son. We still listened to all the advice given to us, but each piece had its proper place and our own critical thinking was crucial to make it work for our family.
In my research, I read an article on increasing supply. See article here. This was what helped me remember the breastfeeding basics.
Two of these things were increased time at the breast and lots of skin to skin. So when my son was 10 weeks old, I took a nursing staycation and did just that. I relaxed and stopped stressing about my supply (stress is a worst enemy when it comes to increasing milk supply). I didn’t worry about if he was getting enough and just kept him on the breast as much as possible. If he needed a supplement to top him off, so be it.
Giving it to God
Throughout this process I began to pray much more specifically. I asked God to please bless our breastfeeding effort. I prayed for my son to get enough from the breast. I pleaded, “Lord, you said just as we desire to give our children good gifts, so you desire to give us good gifts. The best food I can offer my son is what you designed my body to give him. My husband and I have done all we know to do and have been advised to do. We thank you for the knowledgeable people you have surrounded us with. We thank you for the growth we have seen in our son. Thank you for our son. I ask you, Father to please let my son get enough at the breast. Please give me an over abundance so we can be certain he’s getting enough. Our desire is to exclusively breastfeed our son but we can’t do it without you. Please give him this good gift.”
I believe giving it up to God and going back to basics were the most helpful things we did. My son had a growth spurt/frequency feeding during this time of our nursing staycation and my body responded well to it. I was thrilled!
We kept reducing the frequency and volume of the supplements we were giving my son. One day, his dependency on them had decreased to the point where I was pumping enough that we were able to stop giving him formula.
By week 12, my son was getting 100% breast milk, with only a morning and an evening bottle. One day we realized he didn’t need them anymore. My son still took a bottle almost every morning for a couple more weeks. (I have never been a morning person. After getting up all through the night with our little boy, my ability to be more human than zombie hangs by a thread.) My loving husband, whom God blessed with morning humanness, got up with my son about 5 or 6 each morning to give him this feeding while Mommy took a nap. Somewhere between 3 and 4 1/2 months, his feedings timed just right to where he didn’t take a bottle at all.
My husband and I give God the glory for this success story. At the end of the day, sometimes you just have to “let go and let God”, which is what I should have been doing in the first place.
Since 3 months, my son exclusively breastfeeds – very well I might add. With a lot of prayer, a lot support, perseverance, and some more prayer, it can be done!
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Like so many others, my husband and I felt the sting of trying and seemingly failing to conceive a child.
About three years into our marriage, we decided we were ready to start a family. Naturally, we believed pure willpower and the act of not preventing was enough to accomplish this. So that very month, when it didn’t happen, we were terribly disappointed.
I took it much harder than my husband did. Let me rephrase. I took it on as my own personal failure. Month after month reared its ugly head, as my period proclaimed the message that I was not pregnant. I was certain I was barren. I began to believe, that somehow, rational or not, I was less of a woman for not “accomplishing the task” of pregnancy. When it seems like everyone around me was getting pregnant and having babies, I was left feeling incomplete.
People would tell us “Once you stop trying, you’ll get pregnant.” To this day, I still don’t know how to mentally or emotionally stop trying. God instilled an innate desire to bear children within a woman. Needless to say, I was not good at following this advice. Being pregnant was all I wanted. It was all I could think about.
God’s Will and Timing are Perfect
Somehow the adage rang true for us. After three years of trying, my husband and I figured it probably wasn’t going to happen. Maybe a child wasn’t a part of God’s plan for us. We decided to buy a couch set. I was pregnant within the month. I’m a firm believer that God’s will and His timing are absolutely perfect. I know we were blessed in the fact that we were able to conceive naturally. Many other couples struggle for years more than we did. They go through costly treatments and procedures trying to conceive and the disappointment is all the more heart crushing after each failed attempt.
The timing of my pregnancy was definitely God’s timing. A month previous, our marriage was bending and on the verge of breaking. I had resentment towards my husband for many things, and I had to daily take it to my Abba Father in prayer. When I prayed, I said, “God, my husband is enough…for the rest of my life, he is enough.” You see, our family was started when we were married in 2010. We were a complete family then and will still be once we are empty-nesters (a looooong time from now). God had made us one and complete in Him. Even without children, my husband was enough. To take it further, even without my husband, God was enough, but He had blessed me with “the husband of my youth” and I had been taking him for granted.
Take Nothing For Granted
What I have realized looking back and talking with others – especially those who seem to be able to plan each child to their exact specifications – is that I seemed to appreciate my pregnancy journey so much more than I would have, had we conceived earlier in our marriage. Instead of it being something we had just expected would happen when we were ready, it became a gift that we had prayed earnestly for. God had granted our request and blessed us with a child. My pregnancy will forever be a time in our lives that we cherish.
Cherishing My Life
I honestly have never felt more beautiful than when I was pregnant. I felt like a woman. All the months of feeling barren had left me wanting, and with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy, which was a lie straight from the enemy. Now my body was being purposed in the ultimate way – to nurture a little life. God’s design is amazing. The intricacies of a baby’s development will leave one in awe. (In fact, in this modern age, science is “proving” what the Bible has told us all a long: Life begins at conception!) So despite the morning sickness; the aches and pains as my body changed and stretched; the hormonal, seemingly out-of-body experiences (seriously, there’s nothing like those hormones); and the difficult task of natural labor; I truly enjoyed pregnancy. (I highly recommend the keeping of a pregnancy journal. It is so neat to look back over after your baby is born or even later in your pregnancy. You’ll be surprised what you forget!)
As for my husband, he was thrilled. Our marriage, which was on the mend previous to my becoming pregnant, really blossomed as we shared the experience of preparing for our child, listening to his heartbeat, and seeing and feeling him move. I cherished my husband. During labor I appreciated the support and coaching from my husband rather than cursing him for his contribution. (There was no yelling, “YOU did this to me!” in the delivery room. Haha!) I thanked God for this wonderful gift of life growing inside me. It was a beautiful journey that was the segue into the wonderful (and scary!) current adventure that is motherhood.
To any readers who may be feeling the struggle of trying to conceive, take heart. My best advise is to lift your struggle up in prayer. As a married woman, you are a complete family with your husband. Cherish and love one another. Trust God and His will.
Continue in the habit of prayer no matter what your situation.
Once you do become pregnant, your need for God’s wisdom and grace will increase exponentially, and then again once your child is born, grows, and needs your guidance.
Remember, it is God that opens the womb.See 1 Samuel, Chapter 1 for the story of Hannah, who longed and prayed for her child, Samuel.
“It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:20 NASB
inside. She opened it to find the insert I had made. It was another flyer which read, ”
