The Breast Feeding Support Thread

waterfaerie · 02-10-2018 10:19am

Purple Lemons wrote: »

My son is 3 weeks old tomorrow and I've been getting on great with feeding so far until 2 days ago. All of a sudden he's like a madman shaking his head and hands side to side looking for the nipple while I'm guiding him to it resulting in him missing it and getting even more frustrated, once he does latch he's only on a short while and throws himself off only to search for it wildly again. He's always had PLENTY of wet and dirty nappies and is still loading them up for me so I know he's getting enough but he just seems so unsatisfied with our feeding now and everytime he's not on the boob he's wailing. He's also sleeping considerably less. Health nurse is coming today for a check up and I feel so worried she's going to tell me I've been doing it all wrong or he's ill or I'm just **** at this breastfeeding business. Is this just a growth spurt? My 2yo daughter was bf for 5 months and anytime she had a growth spurt she just fed more and slept more for 3-5 days and then back to normal routine again. Can anyone advise me please if this is normal? I've been up since 2am feeding and cuddling but he's still fussy in between 10 min catnaps. Feeling quite useless to him at the moment and wondering if I should buy some formula to top him up

That all sounds totally normal and is almost certainly a growth spurt. As Bee says, as long as the nappies are still wet, don't worry.

Babies go through bursts of suddenly feeding more than before, crying and fussing in order to increase your milk supply. This is normal and it happens with all breastfed babies. It's nature's way of making sure supply meets demand. You definitely have enough milk for your baby. However, if you top up with formula, your body won't learn to keep making as much as your baby wants and you may end up affecting your supply.

The best thing to do is to believe in yourself and your baby, understand that this is normal and spend as much time as possible just relaxing with your baby, doing plenty of skin to skin and continuing to feed on demand. You are doing a wonderful job. I know what the self doubt is like but it will pass and is so worth pushing through.

Try not to worry about the health nurse. They have absolutely no authority and can't make you do anything. She should be supportive and helpful and if she's not, just ignore her. Chances are, she'll turn up and tell you you're doing great. If she doesn't do that and does suggest formula, I'd advise getting a second opinion from someone who actually knows about breastfeeding, like a Cuidiú counsellor or other mums in your local breastfeeding group. I'd definitely recommend getting to a breastfeeding group anyway. They are fantastic support and a great way to socialise with others in your exact situation.

annoyedgal · 02-10-2018 1:41pm

My 12 weeks old is became a fussy feeder from around that time too. Very unlike her brother who was a quiet and relaxed feeder! She comes on and off, fussing and whining. I find winding her a few times during a feed sorts this out and she is much calmer.
Could easily be a growth spurt either. Don't doubt yourself as previous postet said. These things present differently in different babies.

Purple Lemons · 02-10-2018 6:45pm

Thank you all for your kind words and advice you were absolutely right health nurse confirmed that it's most likely just a growth spurt and he's put on exactly 1.5lbs so I shouldn't worry about my supply or ability to feed him. She was actually very supportive and full of praise whereas last visit when he was 6days old she seemed very cold and matter of fact. Very happy I didn't cave and buy formula because I really love our feeding and cuddle sessions

bee06 · 02-10-2018 7:20pm

Purple Lemons wrote: »

Thank you all for your kind words and advice you were absolutely right health nurse confirmed that it's most likely just a growth spurt and he's put on exactly 1.5lbs so I shouldn't worry about my supply or ability to feed him. She was actually very supportive and full of praise whereas last visit when he was 6days old she seemed very cold and matter of fact. Very happy I didn't cave and buy formula because I really love our feeding and cuddle sessions

Great stuff! You probably know already but here’s the timeline of the growth spurts and developmental leaps. It’s nearly nonstop for the next few months!

Crybabygeeks · 03-10-2018 10:18pm

Hi everyone. Interested in people's views on stopping feeding.

Currently 6 month old still feeding but gets a bottle before bed. Everything else is my milk or solid food. Going back to work after Xmas so interested in people's experience.

I think I'm happy enough to keep going as long as she is .. for anyone thats stopped, was it something you chose or was baby led?

annoyedgal · 03-10-2018 10:41pm

I weaned at 14 months to conceive no 2. Probably would have tried to let baby wean himself otherwise however might have taken awhile as he loved being breastfed!

catrionanic · 04-10-2018 7:54am

Crybabygeeks wrote: »

Hi everyone. Interested in people's views on stopping feeding.

Currently 6 month old still feeding but gets a bottle before bed. Everything else is my milk or solid food. Going back to work after Xmas so interested in people's experience.

I think I'm happy enough to keep going as long as she is .. for anyone thats stopped, was it something you chose or was baby led?

Firstly, well done on six months of BFing! That's a great job.

We stopped in March after 13 months because I was pregnant again and my milk dried. Would have loved to keep going, but it was taking too much out of me too.

What I will say is that boobs are incredibly adaptable. They will adjust to feed baby as often as baby feeds. So it's very possible for you to get into a new routine of feeding in mornings, evenings and weekends, if it works for you. You'll have an uncomfortable few days when you first go back as your boobs will be very full and you may need to express a bit, and baby might feed in the night more often at first. But it will all settle for you soon enough.

Crybabygeeks · 04-10-2018 10:22am

catrionanic wrote: »

Crybabygeeks wrote: »

Hi everyone. Interested in people's views on stopping feeding.

Currently 6 month old still feeding but gets a bottle before bed. Everything else is my milk or solid food. Going back to work after Xmas so interested in people's experience.

I think I'm happy enough to keep going as long as she is .. for anyone thats stopped, was it something you chose or was baby led?

Firstly, well done on six months of BFing! That's a great job.

We stopped in March after 13 months because I was pregnant again and my milk dried. Would have loved to keep going, but it was taking too much out of me too.

What I will say is that boobs are incredibly adaptable. They will adjust to feed baby as often as baby feeds. So it's very possible for you to get into a new routine of feeding in mornings, evenings and weekends, if it works for you. You'll have an uncomfortable few days when you first go back as your boobs will be very full and you may need to express a bit, and baby might feed in the night more often at first. But it will all settle for you soon enough.

Thanks.. wouldn't have thought that was possible.. to only feed morning evening and weekends. It's amazing really! We probably do want to think about number two next year too so that may force it even though as per your experience,it's possible to get pregnant while feeding.

Think I'll just not worry about it and see how it goes.

bee06 · 04-10-2018 10:50am

I’m in a similar situation. Going back to work next month when my little boy will be 10 months. Currently pumping every morning to build up a bit of a stash and I’m going to pump twice a day until he’s 1. We’re doing baby led weaning and he doesn’t eat great yet so I’d prefer to have him having milk as well. Hopefully he won’t start waking more at night then. He’s already waking every two hours and sometimes every hour! Can’t take much more.

lazygal · 04-10-2018 3:23pm

I kept feeding when I returned to work at 11 months both times. My first self weaned because I was six months pregnant. She was down to one morning feed and then refused it for a couple of days. Second time my child was 4.5 years, it has reduced to one morning feed and more if he was sick or upset. I had severe aversion to feeding and we had a little chat about it because I was pregnant again. Couple of days and it was done. He's still asking about it though now the new baby is here.
So I conceived twice while still feeding and found feeding worked around my slightly non family friendly work situation.

annoyedgal · 04-10-2018 3:54pm

So envious of you guys who can conceive while feeding. Tried everything but didn't happen for me. Will probably have to wean just before year mark this time as I'm ticking on age wise.
Agree that supply adjusts when you go back to work after a few days. I did morning, after creche, evening and before bed feed for last few months, then dropped a feed each time when weaning. Before bed was last to go.

Toots · 08-10-2018 7:41pm

Guys My milk supply is seriously dropping off and I don't know what to do. I always have plenty for the 4am feed (if she takes one, she sleeps through about half the time) and first feed in the morning is always plenty too, but anything after about mid afternoon she seems to be finished really fast.

It just seems like she has no patience to wait for the milk to let down. It will eventually, but I'm noticing it's taking a lot longer than it used to. It used to be maybe 30 seconds of sucking, if even, and then let down. Now it's a few minutes and it's not helped by the fact that she keeps pulling off and latching again (from what I've read she's doing that to try to get the milk to let down) She's bitten me in frustration a couple of times and now that she's got 2 teeth it's seriously painful.

She's just over 8 months old now, and is on 3 solid feeds a day. I'm taking goats rue and drinking nursing tea and loads of water but still nothing seems to be improving. The last feed before bed is a nightmare because there's so little milk she's getting hysterical. And because I took over the night feeds during the summer (my hubby was doing it with a bottle of expressed milk so I could get some sleep) she now won't take a bottle anymore. The other night we ended up giving her a cup of defrosted breast milk through a syringe. I've gotten 2 of the NUK bottles so I'm going to try her with one of those tonight if she gets upset.

Is there anything I can do to increase my supply or is this just her self-weaning? I'm not ready to stop breastfeeding yet

waterfaerie · 08-10-2018 8:14pm

Try not to panic. Your milk supply won't just be dropping off. That doesn't happen like that. Once your supply has established in the first 6 weeks, you will continue to have enough milk for your baby. Stress can affect the let down, however, so try to relax. The more you panic about it the more you might slow down the let down. You could try going right back to basics with plenty of skin to skin time and cuddles together.

Had she previously dropped some feeds and now wants them again? Your body could have adjusted to not feeding her at a certain time and if she decides she wants a feed at that time again it can take your body a few days to catch up.

Or when your husband was giving her a bottle, when did you express the milk? If you expressed it at a different time of day your body could easily have adjusted to not producing milk for the evening. Again, if that's the case, you just need to retrain your body but it will take a few days to catch back up.

It could also just be a growth spurt. Babies continue to go through growth spurts all through childhood so it could easily be that.

Have you got your period back? It could be that it's coming. I got mine back at 14 months despite still feeding as much as ever. Now every month for a couple of days just before it my daughter acts a bit frustrated and is on and off the breast all day. Your supply can drop slightly but it's not permanent. Some people say it can happen during ovulation as well but I haven't noticed it. I'm sure it varies from person to person.

Do you always offer milk before her solid food meals? Try to get her to fill up as much as she needs from milk first and then offer the solids after that.

I'd leave off the bottles of expressed milk, unless of course you'd prefer she had them. If you want her back on the breast full time, just keep her on the breast. Also, you don't need to worry about bottles or syringes at 8 months. She should be able to take expressed milk out of a cup with a bit of practice.

She won't be self weaning at that age! It would be highly unusual for a baby to self wean before 2 and almost unheard of before 1. Older babies go through fussy periods just like younger ones and many women confuse that with self weaning. Don't worry, there's absolutely no reason to assume you won't be breastfeeding for a long time!

catrionanic · 08-10-2018 8:19pm

Toots, milk supply is typically a bit higher in mornings and during the night alright. But your body will produce milk at the times it is needed most. If you find you're lacking in the evenings, you could try something called power pumping for a few days. Usually this will up the supply. Do it around the time of day that you know you'll need the extra supply- so may be an hour or two before bedtime. https://www.lansinoh.com/en/resources/power-pumping-what-is-it-is-it-for-me/

I would also add that the more stressed or worried you become about this, the more it will affect supply. So do try not to get too worked up yourself. Drink tons of water and rest more. If you can get some more skin to skin with her, that may help too.

Also be aware that your hormones can affect it. So if you're ovulating, or getting your period, or pregnant (!), this can cause the milk to change too.

Anne_cordelia · 08-10-2018 8:30pm

Anecdotally both myself and my friend have been saying we noticed letdown taking longer around the 8 month mark. Great advice above. Don’t panic. Your supply won’t just drop for no reason!

Toots · 08-10-2018 8:57pm

waterfaerie wrote: »

Try not to panic. Your milk supply won't just be dropping off. That doesn't happen like that. Once your supply has established in the first 6 weeks, you will continue to have enough milk for your baby. Stress can affect the let down, however, so try to relax. The more you panic about it the more you might slow down the let down. You could try going right back to basics with plenty of skin to skin time and cuddles together.

I've been under quite a lot of stress recently, so I wonder that's effecting me. I did skin to skin with her this morning and she was looking at me like I'd lost my mind, but she seemed to enjoy it. I'll do it again before the feed tonight. She actually got into bed with me this morning and had a nap skin to skin, which she's never done before.

Had she previously dropped some feeds and now wants them again? Your body could have adjusted to not feeding her at a certain time and if she decides she wants a feed at that time again it can take your body a few days to catch up.

She hasn't dropped feeds, it's more like the feeds in the afternoon she doesn't seem to take as long with as before. In the mornings after I've dropped my son to school, she basically goes on the boob and feeds and naps for about 3 hours.

Or when your husband was giving her a bottle, when did you express the milk? If you expressed it at a different time of day your body could easily have adjusted to not producing milk for the evening. Again, if that's the case, you just need to retrain your body but it will take a few days to catch back up.

He was giving her the bottle if she woke during the night in the very beginning, but when the school hols started, I started doing the night feed because I didn't have to be up early the next day - she hasn't had a bottle in about 4 months. I used to use the haakaa pumps before I gave her a feed in the morning because if I didn't, the let down was so strong the poor child would be choking. I'd usually get about 80ml each side and then freeze that and put her on for her feed. The hubby would de-frost that if she woke in the night and she'd take it. I've not done that since the end of May, though. I tried pumping the other morning and I barely got any.

It could also just be a growth spurt. Babies continue to go through growth spurts all through childhood so it could easily be that.

I'm hoping that's all it is, any time she's had growth spurts so far they've only lasted a few days and then she's back to normal.

Have you got your period back? It could be that it's coming. I got mine back at 14 months despite still feeding as much as ever. Now every month for a couple of days just before it my daughter acts a bit frustrated and is on and off the breast all day. Your supply can drop slightly but it's not permanent. Some people say it can happen during ovulation as well but I haven't noticed it. I'm sure it varies from person to person.

I haven't gotten it back yet, although I did have some crampy pains over the weekend and I did wonder was something starting, but so far no sign of it. I've got PCOS so god knows when it'll eventually make its return!

Do you always offer milk before her solid food meals? Try to get her to fill up as much as she needs from milk first and then offer the solids after that.

Yes, but sometimes she won't take milk before a solid meal, she gets annoyed, but as soon as she's finished the solid meal she looks for a boob and has a good feed - I don't know if she's thirsty or what.

I'd leave off the bottles of expressed milk, unless of course you'd prefer she had them. If you want her back on the breast full time, just keep her on the breast. Also, you don't need to worry about bottles or syringes at 8 months. She should be able to take expressed milk out of a cup with a bit of practice.

I'm happy to feed just from the breast, but the only problem I have is if I have to leave her with anyone she won't take a bottle (my Mum had her the other week and I'd left a couple of bags of milk, but that's when we discovered she won't take the bottle anymore) I think if I'm going down the cup route, I'll have to invest in a plastic tarp for the floor - we had been trying a little drop of water with meals from a cup, and she thinks it's hilarious to basically spit it all over us. :pac:

She won't be self weaning at that age! It would be highly unusual for a baby to self wean before 2 and almost unheard of before 1. Older babies go through fussy periods just like younger ones and many women confuse that with self weaning. Don't worry, there's absolutely no reason to assume you won't be breastfeeding for a long time!

Thank you!

catrionanic wrote: »

Toots, milk supply is typically a bit higher in mornings and during the night alright. But your body will produce milk at the times it is needed most. If you find you're lacking in the evenings, you could try something called power pumping for a few days. Usually this will up the supply. Do it around the time of day that you know you'll need the extra supply- so may be an hour or two before bedtime. https://www.lansinoh.com/en/resources/power-pumping-what-is-it-is-it-for-me/

I would also add that the more stressed or worried you become about this, the more it will affect supply. So do try not to get too worked up yourself. Drink tons of water and rest more. If you can get some more skin to skin with her, that may help too.

Thank you! I'm going to give the power pumping a try, and hopefully that'll help.

Also be aware that your hormones can affect it. So if you're ovulating, or getting your period, or pregnant (!), this can cause the milk to change too.

Well I shall be getting a pregnancy test tomorrow just to rule that out! :eek:

Anne_cordelia wrote: »

Anecdotally both myself and my friend have been saying we noticed letdown taking longer around the 8 month mark. Great advice above. Don’t panic. Your supply won’t just drop for no reason!

That's interesting I'm not the only one who's having let-down problems at 8 months! It's reassuring to know at least it's not just me!

catrionanic · 08-10-2018 9:00pm

Haha! I'm sure you're fine, but my supply dropped for the first and only time about a week after I conceived baba number two (and a week before I got a positive pregnancy test)... most reliable pregnancy symptom I've ever had!

bee06 · 08-10-2018 9:20pm

Anne_cordelia wrote: »

Anecdotally both myself and my friend have been saying we noticed letdown taking longer around the 8 month mark. Great advice above. Don’t panic. Your supply won’t just drop for no reason!

I’ve defintely noticed my little boy has been popping on and off even more in the last month (he’s 9 months now). I just put it down to him being nosey because he’ll be looking around when he comes off but slower letdown could explain it alright. I have to give him the remote control to hold during the afternoon to stop. It’s actually gotten worse through the weeks Toots just to warn you! I feel your pain with the teeth and biting too. My fella had 8 teeth and likes to remind me of that fact.

scarepanda · 08-10-2018 9:36pm

Toots, I can't remember re letdown. But I do remember that the 8month mark there was a noticeable difference in my girls feeding pattern, iirc she went from numerous feeds during the day to 4 set feeds, first thing, before both naps (or at least at the same time of day for these, as she was a useless napper) and then before bedtime.

I'd definitely recommend power pumping, although it's a pain in the ass. I also found porridge good for supply.

Anne_cordelia · 08-10-2018 9:42pm

I actually had to go back to basics the odd time and stroking baba’s cheek to encourage sucking to get the let down!

Digs · 10-10-2018 4:41pm

Just wondering if anyone could advise me on antenatal expressing? I’m due next month, third baby, fed the other two myself (not without issue!). However since about 32 weeks this time I am leaking at the rate of naughts. I would have had a healthy enough evidence of colostrum in the other two pregnancies but this time I’m soaking through tops, getting the let down feeling, have to wear breast pads etc and when I’m in bed at night it’s rolling down my sides and wetting the sheets. This may or may not be totally common, just hasn’t been for me so far!

Is there anything to be said for hand expressing and storing this colostrum in the freezer? It seems like a waste given there’s some amount of it. Or should I just leave well enough alone?

Thanks in advance

ETA: I’m having a totally straight forward pregnancy so far (touch wood). Previous two births have had no issues, vaginal births etc so I don’t envisage being separated from the baby (assuming all goes well and excepting anything unforseen).

shesty · 10-10-2018 5:36pm

Wow digs.I wouldn't see anything wrong with storing it??Do you have a hakaa pump or anything, to get it when you can?
Jeez I stopped feeding ten weeks ago and I can feel that let down feeling sitting here thinking about it!weird.

bovril · 10-10-2018 7:03pm

Digs wrote:

Just wondering if anyone could advise me on antenatal expressing? Iâ€™m due next month, third baby, fed the other two myself (not without issue!). However since about 32 weeks this time I am leaking at the rate of naughts. I would have had a healthy enough evidence of colostrum in the other two pregnancies but this time Iâ€™m soaking through tops, getting the let down feeling, have to wear breast pads etc and when Iâ€™m in bed at night itâ€™s rolling down my sides and wetting the sheets. This may or may not be totally common, just hasnâ€™t been for me so far!

Digs wrote:

Is there anything to be said for hand expressing and storing this colostrum in the freezer? It seems like a waste given thereâ€™s some amount of it. Or should I just leave well enough alone?

Is there an LC in the hospital you're attending? I'm meeting with the LC in the Coombe soon about this. They give you the syringes etc for storing it. I've heard that it can mess with supply a little as in you may get your milk in quicker and have oversupply.

Toots · 10-10-2018 8:42pm

Supply still dropping here, I don't know what's going on. She fed fine this morning for the first feed, but then an hour or two later there was virtually nothing, and a very angry baby. She had another feed around 2pm but it was only a quick one - it did take a while to let down, but she was grand and seemed happy afterwards, she wasn't looking for more anyway. Tried again around 6pm and no joy, she was hysterical and I ended up having to give her the milk I'd managed to get from last night's power pumping session (about 60ml) in a bottle. She horsed that down and went to sleep. I'm hoping to hold off for another couple of hours or so before the last feed of the day, and with a bit of luck I'll have had more time to refill so we might get a better result.

I took a pregnancy test this morning and it was negative, although I'm going to take the other one in the pack in about a weeks time if my period hasn't come back by then. Also texted the lactation consultant I used when she was born, so waiting to hear back from her.

catrionanic · 10-10-2018 8:47pm

Toots, when you say hold off for another hour or two between feeds, isn't that actually going to make supply worse? The more she tries to feed (even if she doesn't get much), the more you'll produce. The longer the gaps between feeds, the less you'll have.

I get what you mean about wanting to make sure your boobs have time to refill, but it might actually make things harder for you.

The more sucking she does, even if there's nothing there, the better.

Digs · 10-10-2018 9:26pm

Bovril I’m with Holles Street and actually asked about an LC when I was in for an appointment on Monday. The midwife said I’d be left waiting for a one on one they’re so busy but they have a post natal drop in clinic running every Thursday and to try get into one of them. I’ll have to make the effort. Are you having a similar issue?

Shesty. Wow is right! I was beginning to get a bit freaked out as the few people I mentioned it to hadn’t experienced it to this degree. I am only assuming it can’t be a bad thing? I only have an electric pump which I believe is a no no before term. I have looked up the Hakaa but wasn’t sure if it would cause me issues too? I stopped feeding my youngest 18 months ago and had an over supply issue with her so am assuming my body is over eager to get going again.

rainbow kirby · 10-10-2018 10:03pm

Toots wrote: »

Supply still dropping here, I don't know what's going on. She fed fine this morning for the first feed, but then an hour or two later there was virtually nothing, and a very angry baby. She had another feed around 2pm but it was only a quick one - it did take a while to let down, but she was grand and seemed happy afterwards, she wasn't looking for more anyway. Tried again around 6pm and no joy, she was hysterical and I ended up having to give her the milk I'd managed to get from last night's power pumping session (about 60ml) in a bottle. She horsed that down and went to sleep. I'm hoping to hold off for another couple of hours or so before the last feed of the day, and with a bit of luck I'll have had more time to refill so we might get a better result.

I took a pregnancy test this morning and it was negative, although I'm going to take the other one in the pack in about a weeks time if my period hasn't come back by then. Also texted the lactation consultant I used when she was born, so waiting to hear back from her.

A is on bottles now, but he's got a serious appetite at the moment and has pretty much gone right back up to 5x7oz a day and 3 meals. Maybe there's a growth spurt around 8.5 months ish?

FurBabyMomma · 11-10-2018 5:28am

My 6 week old EBF girl has silent reflux. I give her Gaviscon mixed in expressed milk every second feed, which has it mostly under control but constipates her. I tried drinking prune juice myself but it's not helping. Any tips on how to get her to poo? She's so uncomfortable.

Cakerbaker · 11-10-2018 8:26am

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

My 6 week old EBF girl has silent reflux. I give her Gaviscon mixed in expressed milk every second feed, which has it mostly under control but constipates her. I tried drinking prune juice myself but it's not helping. Any tips on how to get her to poo? She's so uncomfortable.

There are videos that demonstrate baby massage for helping constipation on YouTube. The one I used involved circles on the belly and bicycle kicks. It seemed to help.

waterfaerie · 11-10-2018 8:57am

Toots, I agree with Catriona. Holding off between feeds isn't going to help. At 8 months you shouldn't need to worry about being full or not full. The best thing to do is to keep her on the breast as much as possible. Feeding on demand is extremely important when it comes to supply.

Don't underestimate the effect stress can have. I suspect it's a combination of a growth spurt and your anxiety preventing the let down. If you say it's taking a while for the let down but she's happy after, that means the milk is there. You need to stop convincing yourself that your supply is dropping.

I've definitely found that the let down sometimes takes longer as my baby has gotten older. I think it's because we don't have as many of the hormones that we have earlier on, at least not at the same level of intensity. Some things I've found that encourage the let down are skin to skin, stroking her face, head or back, holding her hand, singing or talking lovingly to her, thinking about some of the cutest things she has done, consciously slowing my breathing and just simply looking at her.

It's great that you've contacted a lactation consultant. I doubt there is anything you need to worry about but it's a good idea to check it out anyway. Do you go to a local breastfeeding group? I think that would be a great idea. Also, if you're on facebook there is an excellent group called Extended Breastfeeding in Ireland. It's very active and has lots of extremely knowledgeable and supportive members.

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