Test Feeding

WARNING: IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT BREASTFEEDING THEN DON'T READ

Right now my focus is getting Reed to gain weight! So far him having dips on his growth curve and going from being in the 26% at 1 month to .04% at 9 months is the only thing I have on paper that isn't right! I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can do give Reed the best nutrition as possible. Like I said before I know my milk supply is there!!!! On Thursday I started pumping after each feeding and ended up with an extra 10 oz at the end of the day!!! No I will say part of that had to do with him being so tired from the prior day having the MRI and me missing a feeding. But yesterday the following day I did thing and got an extra 8 oz. by the end of the day.

So yesterday Feb 25th I went in for a test feeding at the women's hospital. What they did is weighed him before and after a feeding. It had been over 3 hours since he ate which meant he should have been good and hungry! Bad news, he only took in 2.5 oz! I tried and tried to get him to take more, I had it there you could see it coming out!!! Lactation nurse said he had a good latch! He just wouldn't take anymore in, he kept pushing me away! So the Lactation nurse and I came up with a plan, most of it which I'm 90% agreement on and 10% I'm not! First the part I'm totally with her on...... Feeding on demand, pumping after each feeding, doubling my vitamin supplement, taking herbal supplement More Milk Plus 2 capsules 3 times a day. The part I'm not sure about is.... she wants me to wake Reed up every 4 hours at night! The boy sleeps 12-13 hours now! Yes I know he might not need to go that long without feeding because we are dealing with a special situation but I'm not sure about every 4. So my plan is.... He goes down at 7pm I'll wake him up at 10:00 then I'll get up and pump at 3:00 and then wake him up at 5:00.

I do know he will take more than 2.5 oz at a feeding. When he gets a bottle (maybe 1-2 times a month) he will take in 5 oz. You really have to work at it with him because he really doesn't care to take a bottle but he will!!! So if we can't get him to take in more by nursing there is an option of him just doing bottles. But I really don't want to do that! Plus I've been trying to give him a bottle from time to time after a feeding and he just pushes it away. So I really don't know if that is the answer!

We are also trying to get the boy to eat solids. He did so good for the first 2 weeks we started him on food but ever since then it's been a battle! I will say yesterday he did awesome! So I hope he keeps it up. I'm trying to add as many good fats in him as possible, egg yolk, avocado.

Some of you might be asking if you know your milk supply is good then why are you trying to build it up even more. Well for two reason, one if I need to start adding in a bottle feeding then I know I have a surplus amount of boob juice on hand and two in the morning when I'm engorged he takes in the most because the flow is a lot faster ( kinda like a fire hose Thanks C for that analogy)

Some other things I've thought a lot about is, what about my exercise is it effect my milk? Well with a lot of research and studies that have been done. As long as the mother is taking in enough calories it should not effect mother milk supply. It does effect the taste just not the supply. And he doesn't seem to do any different after a run then he does before one! Maybe if my milk supply with low I would consider it but we know that isn't the issue. So right now I'm not going to stop running! I will say just because of the crazy schedule change I might not be able to put 50 miles in week anymore but right now I know I'm doing the Nashville half in 2 weeks, the Evansville in April and my double header in April/May. Now for the other races not for sure! And PRing isn't even in my mind!!! Right now my focus is getting this boy fat not me getting PRing on a race!!! Also don't forget I have 3 other kids to focus on too while dealing with all this crazy pumping and sleepless nights! I know getting a couple runs in a week with help me mentally but it's just not my focus right now!

One more thought, maybe just maybe if we can get some fat on this little boy his passing out and seizer will STOP!!!

Monday we have the EEG scheduled at 12:45 and Tuesday a follow up with Blanke at 11:30. Wednesday another test feeding!