Doucie Trouble

So when I was pregnant with Bitta I couldn't help but wonder how breastfeeding would go a 2nd time around. I was slightly worried it might not go as easy as it did with Stinx. And well, yeah, it's not quite as easy this time. It's not a latch problem - thankfully. Bitta latched on perfectly from the get go. No troubles there. She just doesn't seem to nurse for very long. She's a 5 minute nurser. Which is totally normal and ok for a lot of babies (maybe even Bitta) but the trouble is that she isn't gaining quite as much as she "should be". Technically breastfed babies are supposed to gain 4-7 oz a week. Bitta gains maybe 4. And it's been decreasing everytime she's been weighed. As low as 2 oz in a week. BUT she is gaining. It's not as though she's losing weight. She is still gaining, and definitely growing, she's growing longer for sure.

In the first weeks I definitely had too much milk. Bitta was also having some reflux troubles. She was spitting up all the time. Stinx never spit up so I wasn't used to needing burp clothes all the time. Then it seemed like my let down was way out of wack. My let down would come and Bitta would pull off and the milk would spray a foot away (with 5-6 jets). It was just too much for her. Half of the time when she would pull off she wouldn't want to latch on.

And so, because of this forceful let down, this baby just doesn't understand the concept of comfort nursing... I guess I understand, it wouldn't really be comforting trying to nurse from a forceful spray. But yeah she rarely nurses to sleep. She much prefers a soother or being worn.

But anyway, when the public health nurses called to check on us, they worried about her weight. So we've been sent to see a local breastfeeding clinic. The Dr at the clinic isn't worried about Bitta. She just thinks that Bitta is taking after her short parents, Dad and I aren't really big people. She gave me some advice about nursing positions and told me to really try to get Bitta to take the 2nd breast. I also went to my local LLL and they gave me similar advice.

The doucie situation could be much worse - I am thankful to have milk (even if it's too much too fast). No one has mentioned the "F" word. or the "B" word. I just wish Bitta would nurse a little bit longer, just so she could get some more hindmilk and calories. I wish my supply and let down could just level out.

Whining complete.