Preggie Pals

formula

We Got a Feeding Tube!

February 5th, 2013 by Chloe Ward

This is strange new territory and I’m both excited and a little sad to be making this announcement, but here it goes. My wonderful, bubbly, happy almost two year old now has a gastrostomy tube (g-tube) and is on a steady flow of elemental formula.

Sebastian has blossomed since the surgery, going from his low of 21lbs 12oz to a whopping 26lbs in a mere 4 weeks. His vocabulary is expanding faster than I can keep up with and his motor skills are improving quicker than I’ve ever seen. It’s been a bit of chaos and quite the learning curve to get familiar with the medical equipment that is now such a part of our lives, and as much of a struggle as it was I look back fondly on my days of nursing him every 45 minutes.

With the addition of the tube, we’re now officially striking a balance between breastfeeding and formula. It took a little time to work it out, but we’ve settled into a pretty nice routine of 5-6 nursings a day in addition to his four daily tube feedings and continuous feed overnight. (more…)

Low Milk Supply: Donor Milk, Milk Banks and Formula

Episode 37 | January 18th, 2013

When a breastfeeding mom isn’t making enough milk on her own, she has to consider some sort of supplementation for her little one. If you have low milk supply, what options are available and what are the pros and cons of each? Which options did our panelists choose and why? And what additional resources are available to help you make an informed decision? (more…)

The Plan

July 1st, 2012 by Valerie Kipper

I’m a planner by nature: organized and scheduled, but also realistic in knowing that things don’t always go according to plan. As a social worker, I’ve learned to be flexible, problem-solve, and roll with the punches.

When it came to nurturing my baby, the prenatal plan was simple and non-negotiable: breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months, and continue with the addition of solids for at least a year. I did plenty of prep work: I familiarized myself with the AAP and WHO guidelines, read several breastfeeding books, attended a La Leche League meeting, and took two different breastfeeding classes. I learned a lot. I understood that breastfeeding would likely be challenging, but I also knew there was no challenge that couldn’t be met and conquered. (more…)