Heather MacLean,RN,CBC,BS has 15 years experience as a Registered Nurse, is a Certified Breastfeeding Consultant, and has her Bachelor of Science in Family Health.read more

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Sign In to Ask a Question Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12   lactation expert   Thread Posted by Replies Views Date   Decrease in Milk Supply Still Question It's been a couple of weeks now and my supply seems to still be way down   It started decreasing right before Christmas so you had said it could be caused by stress   I have been pumping 2 3 times extra a day and taking More Milk supplements   My baby was a preemie so he takes about 3 1/2 ounces every 4 hours (he's 11 weeks old) and I'm afraid he may not be getting enough   I pump so that I can have an extra supply but each time I do I only get about 1 2 ounces total   It takes me just about a whole day to pump 2 3 times to get just one bottle's worth to freeze   I'm getting more worried like I said b/c it has been a while like this   What else can I do Answer Caden's mommy 1 268 1/4/09 5:25 pm   Medication Question I am currently taking Methyldopa for high blood pressure I am on a high dose 1000mg BID I am concerned about breastfeeding Is it safe to continue with the medicine while breastfeeding The medication is considered a Category B drug and I have taken it the entire pregnancy Answer junebug1980 1 237 1/3/09 11:57 pm   lanolin Question Hello I had a question about lanolin treated nursing pads Are they safe for babies who are breastfeeding  Do I need to wash my breast before each feeding if I use the lanolin nursing pads Answer junebug1980 1 204 1/3/09 11:54 pm   Medication & Breastfeeding Question I was on 20 mgs of methadone during my pregnancy my baby spent 2 months in the N I C U withdrawing I breastfed for the first 2 weeks but he was also getting supplementing did he benefit from my breastmilk/ Now that he is home should I try to breastfeed and allow the medication to enter his system to where I would have to slowly take him off the breast so that he wouldn't withdrawal and woul I even still produce milk from my breast after this long Answer endlessgemini 1 219 1/3/09 3:49 am   Breast infection Question Hi Yesterday I had a fever due to breast infection My doctor gave me some antibiotic and I am taking it twice a day My breasts are still red and swellen I can feel lumps inside and painful when touch Both nipples are raw sore and feel needle pain I stop breast feeding and pump the milk out of both breasts every 3 hours Are there any ways to ease my pain on the breasts and nipples Can I still feed my baby breat milk in this situation Thanks Answer Julie 1 222 1/2/09 5:43 pm   breastfeeding Question Can having a type of HPV infection be passed onto the baby through breast milk Answer junebug1980 1 235 1/1/09 10:25 pm   Breastfeeding and underwire Question I have read somewhere that wearing underwire bras can affect the amount of breast milk a person produces Is this true I am a large breasted woman and feel more comfortable wearing underwire opposed to non underwire Answer junebug1980 1 221 1/1/09 10:33 pm   Pregnant breasts (sharp pains in one breast) Question Irregularly I have been experiencing these sharp knife like pains in my left breast I am 30 weeks pregnant Is this something I should worry about It hasn't happened the past couple of days but I would like to know before my next prenatal appt Thanks for any help or information you may have   Amanda Answer proudmommy2B 09 1 220 1/1/09 2:32 am   Pain in one breast Question My baby is 9 weeks old and bf is going well so far   Yesterday I developed some pain in my right breast   I read up on clogged milk ducts so I have been applying warm compresses and encouraging my baby to suck longer on that side   It sounds like maybe I wasn't emptying that side completey which may have caused this   Is this true   The pain is now getting worse and I have noticed a few lumpy spots where the pain is coming from   What can I do Answer Caden's mommy 1 227 12/23/08 2:28 am   Drinking Question Hi I was talking to my co worker and she was saying having as few drinks will not hurt my baby I am still nursing and she said it would help bring my milk in even more Not all the time but once in a while have a beer or glass of wine  Is this true I have always been told not to drink while nursing because what I eat or drink goes strait to her my baby   Answer Dafolme 1 251 12/29/08 11:47 pm   caffiene Question I am a first time mom breastfeeding my 7 week old daughter I've been told that i can drink coffee hot chocolate and wine in moderation but i haven't for fear of how my baby will be effected I read that caffiene and chocolate will make her jittery and she'll have difficulty focusing and alcohol can slow her brain development Is this true Are there other effects How many ounces is it safe to drink if any How long does it take from the time i consume food or drink to become milk How many feedings does it take to clear out of my milk supply Answer Skibody 1 248 12/29/08 1:29 am   Milk Supply Down Question I've read that a lot of people are going through this as well   I am not able to pump nearly as much as I used to in the past week or so   I am trying to pump extra to be able to freeze milk to save in case I need to be out but now I am not getting enough   I have been taking a More Milk supplement and haven't been seeing great results   I have not had to supplement with formula at all yet (my baby is 10 weeks old) and I am afraid I will have to if my supply stays this low   What else can I do   Also why is this happening Answer Caden's mommy 1 240 12/29/08 1:12 am   Leaking too early??? Question Late in my 20th week i started leaking Now I'm in my 22 week and it's not stopping Is this too early What does this mean Answer Ians Mommy 1 224 12/26/08 11:37 am   Motrin Question Can I take Motrin if I am breastfeeding   I have tried Tylenol and it does not appear to be working for me Answer Caden's mommy 1 211 12/23/08 2:22 pm   Pain in one breast Question My baby is 9 weeks old and breastfeeding is going pretty well so far   Yesterday I developed some pain in my right breast   I read up on clogged milk ducts so I have been applying warm compresses and encouraging my baby to suck longer from that side   I thought it was all better   Then in the late afternoon today the pain came back and much stronger this time   I also have a few lumpy spots I can feel where the pain is coming from   I tried to pump after feeding my baby on that side but I am not able to get much out   Please help Answer Caden's mommy 1 198 12/23/08 2:24 am   when to stop pumping and dumping Question I had to get a root canal done yesterday which only turned up to be a filling but the dr I go uses bleach to clean the tooth he told me I need to pump and dump for at least 24 hours if not 48 hours I just wanted to know how long you think I can start fing my son again Answer adensmom 1 197 12/19/08 6:15 pm   Stopping Breastfeeding Question I tried breastfeeding for several weeks after my baby was born and forced myself through the tough parts him learning to latch on incredibly sore nipples etc   Once all of that was done (fortunetly very quickly within about a week) I breastfed exclusively for another week or so but just wasn't enjoying it or feeling comfortable about it   I understand the health benefits to both myself and my baby which is why we gave it a try but I also was very unhappy doing it and starting to get almost resentful of him when he cried for food so we started adding in bottles of formula   He never missed a beat switching to the bottle and my milk started to dry up quickly once we were doing just 2 bottles/day I had to start supplementing nursing with a bottle he'd suck and suck and suck for an hour or more (he'd been nursing about 10 20 min at a time previously) and cry when I finally pulled him off   After a few times of this I tried offering a bottle and he downed several ounces and promptly fell asleep Anyway to make a long story short I've found plenty of reading material on HOW to stop breastfeeding taking things slowly adding in a bottle at a time etc   But what I can't seem to find is any information on how long it takes for the milk supply to completely dry up   I haven't breastfed at all for a week now and I realize everyone is different and I don't expect it to happen overnight but how long roughly should I expect it to take for my milk to finish drying up   My breasts are back down to their pregnancy size though still not back to "normal " and I'm no longer sore nor do I feel my milk "come in" when he cries anymore   But I'm still leaking just a bit especially after I shower   I'm wearing nursing pads still and keeping a fairly tight bra on 24/7 at the recommendation of our pediatrician and overall I'm actually pretty comfortable   However it would be nice to be able to sleep at night without the bra and not have to grab nursing pads first thing out of the shower   Is there anything else I can do to help it stop and how long on average does it take for the milk to completely dry up Answer Lis 1 253 12/15/08 3:44 pm   Breast and Formula Feeding Question I have 3 teens and one newborn   I formula fed the first two and I breast fed the thrid child for a month   My fouth child I decided to breast feed him longer   My problem is at first my milk would pump fast now that he is a month old I am lucky to get one ounce of milk   I end up feeding him more formula Is it slow because I did not put him directly on the breast   Also what can I do to increase milk production   I forget to pump sometimes because I am so busy could this cause slow production also Answer nysey88 1 260 12/14/08 9:33 am   Slow Production Question Hi   My son is now 3 months old and it seems here lately that my milk production is not as much as it used to be   I am wondering is there anything that I can do that will allow me to produce more milk   He gets a supplement during the day because I haven't been able to pump as much as I used to   But I still manage to breastfeed when we're at home but I wonder if  he's getting enogh   I don't want him to be strictly formula fed   I want him to stay on the breast milk if at all possible   What can I do Answer kinag 1 249 12/11/08 3:33 pm   bfeeding Question i dt make enough milk i was so sick for 2 days my first time does it go away i i have depression really bad i was biopoilar since i was 13 teen i love the bond i have but i think it want way does it thanks Answer irishprncess2m 1 191 12/11/08 8:50 am   what to do? Question I am having my third child Dec 15 and want to breastfeed I breastfed my soon to be middle child for the first 6 mos of his little life but that was 7 years ago and stress has taken a major hit to my mind and body since then I have tried to quit smoking ciggs I take Zoloft which would change if breastfeeding to Paxil or whatnot and I have been sick throughout this entire preg maybe getting 1000 cal per day if it stays down I am absolutely drained and stressed and want to do the best thing nutrition wise  and brain antibody boost when she arrives but I have no support on ANY of my issues from my husband and I need some advice/alternatives Please Answer pcok 1 182 12/9/08 12:08 pm   Worred... Question Hi my names Jerriann and i been real worried me an my boyfriend been together for 6 years and4 years ago i got pregnant and we both decided i should get an abortion cause we were both way too young at the time so a year after my abortion we really wanted a baby together we were ready So we were trying every cance we'd get Non Stop Unprotected sex for 3 years strate I started getting real worried and freaked out that i might not be able to have any kids cause i heard once you have an abortion there could be a possibility i could never ever have kids again but all of a sudden it took 3 years im 32 weeks pregnant now i went to the doctors to see if i was pregnant and i was 5 months already I started showing a month ago and i thought it was just from the partying but it wasnt and to tell you the truth i am so scared right now cause i used drugs and alcohol daily I want to ask you if you think there is going to be anything seriously wrong with my baby Deformed Please help me My due date is Feb 1 2009 I stopped using everything once i found out i was pregnant   Please help and try to give me some answers Thank You Jerriann Ballantine   Answer Baby Ridah 1 206 12/5/08 11:58 pm   tongue clipping Question DO YOU BELIEVE THIS WOULD HELP A BABY TO BREASTFEED BABY BETTER   THE PEDIATRICIAN AND LACATATION LADIES SWEAR BY IT   MY SUPPLY IS VERY LOW AND THEY THINK THAT THIS WITH HELP BOTH ME AND THE BABY Answer momma b 1 201 12/5/08 2:30 am   Breastfeeding Question I'm currently breastfeeding My baby is 1 month old I milk flow has started decreasing I am taking fenugreek My breast or beginning to soften so my baby won't latch on long When I pump I am only able to pump 1 2oz it was 3 4oz What can I do to increase my milk flow again and also firm my breast I give him supplement could this have something to do with it Should just give up breastfeeding and stick to formula Answer TQUAN82 1 185 12/2/08 6:03 pm   breastfeeding and returning to work Question i am currently breastfeeding my 6 wk baby and he is eating constantly i am trying to start a milk supply in the freezer for when i return to work in 6 wks we have introduced  formula which is making him gassy i would like to strictly breastfeeding however i dont' believe that i have enough milk for feeding and storing i'm a first time mom and this is stressing me out a bit as i really don't want to feed the baby with formula while i'm at work for 8 9 hours please help thanks Answer lenea 1 208 12/1/08 7:50 pm   Crying when having a bowel movement Question My son is 5 wks old and at night he screams inconsolably for about half an hour when he passes a bowel movement Sometimes it's diarrhea During the day when he has a bowel movement he's fine but the one at night makes him cry everytime And when he's done he's fine I was wondering could this be colic even though it's only happening once a day or could he be lactose intorlerant Answer Bavbava27 1 293 11/30/08 5:44 pm   Going back to the breast Question My baby is currently 5 wks old I breastfed solid for the first week and a half but he cried anytime he was awake and eating seemed to make him frustrated and would make things worse so i caved in and offered some formula to supplement He calmed down instantly and we were both happier For the next few wks I breastfed and bottle fed formula I have been pumping on a regular basis but it takes about an hour to get half and ounce out of each breast When I hand pump it shoots out but nothing happens with the pump My milk supply feels like it's going down now as well I was wondering if there is something I can do to go back to the breast He seems to be starting to prefer the bottle and I'd like to go back to the breast before it's too late if it's not already   Answer Bavbava27 1 288 11/30/08 5:40 pm   having trouble pumping Question i am worried that i am not making enough breast milk when i try to pump i am not making that much when i go almost eight hours during my work shift when i pump i get between 4 5oz i was getting between 6 10oz we currently don't have any breast milk stored up either i started off late pumping i didn't start until i had all ready went back to work i just feel like i have so much going on and then i still have to pump i have even had to go out and buy formula for fear that my son will go hungry without it we have had to try three different types the first two made him sick is there any way to help increase my milk production Answer kat928 2 327 11/22/08 5:01 am   PUMPING Question Hi I just started coming back to work last week and it seems like I could only pump 4 oz every time I pump at work Which is not enough because my son drinks 7oz a feeding at the baby sitter He is doing really well with breast feeding and I don't want to stop I have had to supplement with formula something I did not want to do so that I can be able to give his baby sitter enough breast milk What do I do to increase my supply Answer JESSIQ 1 268 11/26/08 1:19 pm   sore nipples from breastfeeding Question this is my second child  I breastfeed my son for 18 months It wasn't easy at first with him I had to us breast shields to get him to latch on for the first two weeks then everything was great This time my nipples seem to be more sensitive There was instant pain with this baby One she doesn't open her mouth as wide and I seem to be breast feeding her more The pain is from her latching on then it goes away My nipples are sore and one is open and fleshy I get spots of blood I think on my nursing pads I'm using lanolin ointment and try to air them out as much as I can but she seems to want to nurse every hour I haven't even used my pump Should I be worried   Answer babynumbertwo 2 406 11/8/08 1:54 am Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

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