NEED ADVICE ABOUT NURSING?

NURSING and need help/tips/advice from experienced Mommas...?

• 1) I'm going back to work in about 4 days and my 6-month-old is still not cozy with our friend the bottle. She just REFUSES. I've been trying since she was about 4 months old. Even others don't get her to take it very well. She will only take about 2 ounces from it before she loses interest and just clamps her mouth shut and looks at you as if to say, "Okay you keep trying but I'm not giving in." =) Any advice? 2) My left breast is A LOT bigger than my right. I know this is my fault but I am a single mom with an older child as well as the baby and I've needed my right hand to type, answer phone, help with homework, etc. So baby's been on the left boob a lot. I was pumping on a really good schedule for about a month but I've been so busy lately...so the right one is about two cup sizes smaller. I don't care about the looks but will it like stop producing soon? I've been nursing and pumping more on that side but no changes so far. And before the meanies attack -- I DO NOT ignore my daughter while she's nursing; I look into her eyes and it's a quiet, special time for us. It just can't always be that way and I regret that. =( 3) My daughter has become SEVERELY clingy of late. She screams whenever I don't hold her or sit right next to her. I mean, screams until her voice is hoarse (which it is now). I know it's not right to let her cry but I swear she cries when full and dry...just wants me to hold her. As soon as I walk over to her she stops and laughs! With tears in her eyes. Any tips? I think she's doing this because I've been leaving her with my mom in prep for my return to work (Gramma's babysitting) but I could just be flattering myself. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. I really want to nurse my daughter until she is ready to stop. I took off 6 months from work and suffered through being broke, broker, BROKEST specifically so that I'd have the time I needed to devote myself to it. -K

• Answer:

  wow, congrats to you for nursing and wanting to continue to give your daughter breast milk. I haven't been in your position but I'll try to help from what I've heard and researched. 1-- as far as giving her a bottle -- have you tried a sippy cup or an open cup? my son doesn't do bottles either (he's a breast fed 9.5 month old) and I'm pretty sure it has to do with the soft nipple of a bottle being confusing to him...especially if he's getting breast milk out of it. try giving her a sippy (we use the gerber take 'n toss and that has a hard spout which is why I think he was confused by a soft-nippled bottle) and see if she takes it. maybe try water in it too -- some babies just know that they get breast milk from the breast and refuse to take it from anywhere else. also, how long are you going to work for during the day? if you're only going to be gone for a few hours (maybe 6 hours maximum at this age) then it'd be perfectly fine to leave her with water and solids as long as you're giving a variety. nurse when you get home. also see if your mother can try to give her a sippy, as some babies won't take them from mom. you can also try straw feeding by sucking up liquid in a straw and then dropping it into her mouth. my son loves it when we do this. she could also try an open cup with assistance. 2-- you may go back to your regular size when you're done breast feeding. most women produce more out of one breast so it's common. your supply will adjust to whatever you demand of it so if it's working to nurse on the one side more then go for it. my son prefers my left too and I often nurse two sessions on that side before switching to the other. they're a bit different in size but I think it'll get better when he weans...who knows though, ya know? :) 3-- I think it's age -- mine became really clingy at that time too. I've read that separation anxiety begins then so I'm sure that's what she's going through. she might be even more clingy when you go back to work -- just give her lots of cuddles when you're around, nurse her on demand when you're home and don't feel guilty for leaving her. they make it hard to leave. mine will scream and cry even if I'm in the same room as him and his father is holding him but he's not hurt and he's not wet or hungry. I hold him when I can but sometimes I can't -- it's just a phase. I have no idea when it ends, lol. she knows who you are now and you're her favorite person and soon she'lll realize that when you leave you'll come back! many women go back to work and pump and nurse when they're at home. good for you for doing what you're doing, you sound like such a good mother. I hope I helped sweetie, good luck with everything. (and a star for you so maybe some of my breast feeding contacts can give you more info...).