The Breast Feeding Support Thread

contrary_mary · 20-07-2014 9:10pm

Sligo1 wrote: »

Just read ur post CM. I hope ur little one is ok? I'm back to my own house on Dublin on Tuesday so will just keep going the next couple days. I would say once back in our own house will be able to clear my head and make a plan. Reading your post really does put things into perspective. I hope u and baby are ok x

My little man is thriving, not a bother on him thank God! And I'll be fine too, I just need to put myself first in this instance so that I'm able to look after him for many years to come! Thanks for your nice message and best of luck. Hopefully we'll get into some sort of routine at some stage too, if anyone had any tips let me know!

cyning · 20-07-2014 11:46pm

Hope your okay contrary_mary, and if you need help drying up your milk sage (like sage tea) can help, and cabbage leaves? Might be of no use to you but just in case.

Sligo my first little girl just isnt a good sleeper. In fact awful is a better way to describe it! S is amazing. Both are parented the same. In fact S is held more, in slings more but personality wise she is just much, much calmer and more settled despite having bad reflux. I think it just depends on the child.

contrary_mary · 21-07-2014 5:45am

cyning wrote: »

Hope your okay contrary_mary, and if you need help drying up your milk sage (like sage tea) can help, and cabbage leaves? Might be of no use to you but just in case.

Sligo my first little girl just isnt a good sleeper. In fact awful is a better way to describe it! S is amazing. Both are parented the same. In fact S is held more, in slings more but personality wise she is just much, much calmer and more settled despite having bad reflux. I think it just depends on the child.

Thanks, I heard about the cabbage leaves but I'll try the sage too! It's painful! As soon as I dropped a feed I got terribly engorged and despite expressing off a little first I seem to have such an oversupply that he is choking on it and spitting up. As a result I've dropped them quicker than planned and my poor breasts are so sore! I'll be going on the combined pill this week too so the oestrogen should help it dry up.

I also agree on the genetics and sleeping. My LO fell asleep at 9pm and woke for feeds at 11pm, 2am and then stayed awake from 2am until 5am when i feed him again and he's still awake now (5:45), lying in his cot grunting and groaning. I reckon he is several months off sleeping through the night. I'm exhausted.

How Strange · 21-07-2014 7:20am

Mint and peppermint are supposed to dry up milk supply too which is why you're told to avoid peppermint tea etc when breastfeeding.

Sorry to hear you had to give up breastfeeding sooner than you wanted to. I hope you're doing ok and you feel proud that you got this far. It's tough when you have to stop but it's a major achievement to get this far considering constant night feeds, growth spurts etc.
It's further than the majority of mums and babies get.

contrary_mary · 21-07-2014 8:46am

How Strange wrote: »

Mint and peppermint are supposed to dry up milk supply too which is why you're told to avoid peppermint tea etc when breastfeeding.

Sorry to hear you had to give up breastfeeding sooner than you wanted to. I hope you're doing ok and you feel proud that you got this far. It's tough when you have to stop but it's a major achievement to get this far considering constant night feeds, growth spurts etc.
It's further than the majority of mums and babies get.

Thanks. I'll have a cup of peppermint tea with my breakfast as I can't even gold the baby properly this morning with the pain.

Things feel really tough at the moment with sleep deprivation, I'm not sure how much longer I can go on with only a couple of hours sleep a night. He's only 2 months and can stay awake for hours on end and still give me a smile - I've been reading online that the most they can handle is 2 hours awake at a time! Not this guy! But maybe I'm doing it wrong and should try harder to get him to nap during the day?

How Strange · 21-07-2014 11:20am

My son didn't nap either and he'd cat nap for 30-45 mins in the buggy but never at home so we spent a lot of time in the park or shopping centres if it was raining. Unfortunately every baby is different and I used to find it very frustrating to read what he *should* be doing when he was clearly doing the opposite.

Take nurofen for the pain as you're probably inflammed from being enforged. Hand express a little to ease the engorgement as it's not good to get too engorged at this early stage. A hot compress before hand expressing and a cold one after. Be vigilant for any signs of fever as it could indicate blocked ducts or mastitis.

I'd recommend you get in touch with a local ciudiu or la Leche league leader for a chat about how to safely stop feeding. I used to get blocked ducts and mastitis so it's best to chat to an expert about how to avoid both when stopping feeding.

livinsane · 21-07-2014 11:31am

I thought sore nipples were a thing of the early days but between a bad biting phase while cutting the last tooth and maybe lazy latching at night, I am experiencing pain in my right nipple that brings tears to my eyes. It's only when he's latching on thankfully, not bad when he's feeding or any other time. I've dusted off the lansinoh and eyeing up my cabbages in the back garden.

Ode to my right nipple

My right nipple is battered and bruised
Sometimes rejected, sometimes used
He latches on with toe curling pain
Can such a cute baby be to blame

When he feeds from the left, he tweaks the right
Between his fingers with all his might
Sometimes he even takes a bite
And then turns to laugh with sick delight

I fight the temptation to rely on the left
But engorgement and mastitis are a threat
So I soldier on and take the pain
Through clenched teeth and tears like rain*

*exaggeration for rhyming purposes

kandr10 · 21-07-2014 4:22pm

Hilarious livinsan! I'm just starting to experience the tweaking. Good god!
Contrary Mary - Hope you get settled with the new routine and your health improves.
Sligo - Hope you're doing ok too.

Sligo1 · 22-07-2014 9:51pm

contrary_mary wrote: »

Thanks. I'll have a cup of peppermint tea with my breakfast as I can't even gold the baby properly this morning with the pain.

Things feel really tough at the moment with sleep deprivation, I'm not sure how much longer I can go on with only a couple of hours sleep a night. He's only 2 months and can stay awake for hours on end and still give me a smile - I've been reading online that the most they can handle is 2 hours awake at a time! Not this guy! But maybe I'm doing it wrong and should try harder to get him to nap during the day?

MC I hope things have been a bit better for you today?

Sligo1 · 22-07-2014 9:56pm

Hi all, well the little lady has slept through the past 2 nights...wait for it.... WITH NO FORMULA! I'm just giving myself a pat on the back for not giving up

. Now I realise I've probably just jinxed myself by posting that...But I may be updating tomorrow saying she was up every second hour tonight.

I have been on antibiotics the past 2 days so I hope it's not that putting her to sleep? Basically she had a small feed from me around 6.30pm the previous 2 nights. Point blank refused her bottle of EBM at 8pm and roared the house down until she fell asleep around 8.30-9pm. Slept through birth nights till morning.
I wonder is the phase over or if it could be the antibiotics....

contrary_mary · 22-07-2014 10:03pm

Sligo without knowing what you're on I would still think it's highly unlikely they would be making her sleepy. seems like it was just a phase - fingers crossed!

I'm a little better today, I did manage a few broken hours last night but only because I took him into bed with me. He had a few decent naps during the day today because I was out and about so he slept in the car/pram. But he's wide awake now after a 20 minute sleep in his cot, mooching around it and farting! I think my boobs are slightly less sore thank goodness, hopefully they will continue to improve.

Sligo1 · 22-07-2014 10:08pm

I'm glad you're a little better. I hope it gets easier for you. Have you tried putting one of your pillowcases or worn t.shirts on his mattress? This is what I tried the last 2 nights (needs must)... Just a pillow case over her crib mattress and tucked it in so she could smell me (coz she always sleeps great next to me or in my bed)... It could have been a coincidence that she slept.

I hope you're not not too down about the whole things. Must be very upsetting for you.

ncmc · 23-07-2014 6:33am

Sligo, well done on sticking to your guns and continuing to BF, it's hard when you're sleep deprived and you don't have the support around you, but hopefully the last week was just a blip and it will be easier from now on. Did the doctor know you were BF when he prescribed the anti biotics? If so, I'm sure they are BF safe and doubt they're making her sleepy. The close, humid weather the last few days is making the babies sleepy I reckon, so that could have been a factor. But hopefully that's you over the hump.

Hope you feel better today Contrary Mary. It's hard to get them to nap if they don't want to. I think that 2 hour thing is rubbish, my LO is awake from 5/6 to 10/11, every night and sometimes has days were she hardly sleeps a wink and then others when she sleeps all day.

My gripe this week is that her latch is getting progressively worse. She used to have a great flared lip latch, but can't get her that fully latched on any more. She's in good form and putting on weight but would love to get a good latch back as I spend the feeds fretting and trying to reposition her. Wonder would a LC help or would I be better saving my money and going to a LLL meeting instead.

contrary_mary · 23-07-2014 8:21am

Thanks for the good wishes girls. We had another rough night - he was awake for most of it and anytime he did drop off he'd wake himself with a shock flailing his arms out (startle reflex?). Swaddling might help if it wasn't too hot for it. I find the nights very hard - by 3/4am I felt I was losing my mind. He was never a good sleeper but he had been really bad the last few days and I'm not sure if I blame the heat, the change to formula, or what. He seems to sleep more on me so maybe it's a bit of clinginess after being taken off the breast. Poor wee mite. I'm going to buy a few of those dr brown bottles today and see if they help with the farting situation!

Sligo1 · 23-07-2014 8:23am

Yep told my gp i was breastfeeding. He said to take the antibiotic and that some may possibly pass into the breastmilk but that they weren't harmful to baby ... Ie. they're not contraindicated in breastfeeding.

I would perhaps try LLL first before a lactation Consultant and see can you sort the latch before handing over €90. Maybe try the LC if you can't get it sorted with LLL? If you're in Dublin I can give you details of 2 very good LCs.

Sligo1 · 23-07-2014 8:38am

contrary_mary wrote: »

Thanks for the good wishes girls. We had another rough night - he was awake for most of it and anytime he did drop off he'd wake himself with a shock flailing his arms out (startle reflex?). Swaddling might help if it wasn't too hot for it. I find the nights very hard - by 3/4am I felt I was losing my mind. He was never a good sleeper but he had been really bad the last few days and I'm not sure if I blame the heat, the change to formula, or what. He seems to sleep more on me so maybe it's a bit of clinginess after being taken off the breast. Poor wee mite. I'm going to buy a few of those dr brown bottles today and see if they help with the farting situation!

O poor you MC

. i really hope this wint last too much longer for you. I've been swaddling Lilly the last few nights in a very small light cellular and leaving the window open. Her room is reading 23 but I don't think she'd sleep without being swaddled

.

How Strange · 23-07-2014 9:07am

Sligo1 wrote: »

O poor you MC . i really hope this wint last too much longer for you. I've been swaddling Lilly the last few nights in a very small light cellular and leaving the window open. Her room is reading 23 but I don't think she'd sleep without being swaddled .

We had the very same problem last summer. She had just a strong startle reflex that she kept waking herself up if she wasn't swaddled but her room was 25oc some nights.

ncmc · 23-07-2014 9:23am

Thanks Sligo, I'm in Cork. Will try LLL first and then Claire Boyle if that doesn't help, heard she is excellent.

MC, I've heard of people swaddling in a large muslin cloth, thought that was a good idea as it's so light.

How Strange · 23-07-2014 9:33am

ncmc definitely try your local LLL or Cuidu. The leaders usually have mobile numbers advertised so you can contact them anytime

Dr.Winston O'Boogie · 23-07-2014 11:41pm

Hello all, GF and myself have a new born baby (3 days old), however its proving very hard to get him to BF as he is asleep nearly 24/7! Is this normal in a newborn? The odd time he is awake he falls asleep mid feed and its hard to wake him from his snooze. Responds better to bottled expressed milk for now.

Anyone else had this and had to bottle feed initially as the baby was too tired for anything else?

How Strange · 24-07-2014 7:31am

Dr.Winston O'Boogie wrote: »

Hello all, GF and myself have a new born baby (3 days old), however its proving very hard to get him to BF as he is asleep nearly 24/7! Is this normal in a newborn? The odd time he is awake he falls asleep mid feed and its hard to wake him from his snooze. Responds better to bottled expressed milk for now.

Anyone else had this and had to bottle feed initially as the baby was too tired for anything else?

Congrats on your little boy

It's normal for them to be very sleepy for the first couple of weeks. I'd suggest you avoid using bottles right now as it's a lot easier for him to draw milk from a bottle teat than from a nipple and he may decide the nipple is too much hard work and refuse it. The usual methods to wake then are to stroke his cheek while feeding, strip him down to his nappy while feeding, use a wet facecloth on his cheek, mum and baby do lots of skin to skin. The skin to skin is very important in these early days as he knows his mums smell and if she puts a bit of milk on her nipple he will also get to know this smell and go rooting for it.

It's important than your partner spends as much time with the baby as possible so lying on her of she's on the sofa or stay in bed together for a few hours. It's extremely draining and exhausting at the beginning but it does get easier until it becomes second nature. In the meantime rest as much as you all can and enjoy it!

If you feel you have to supplement then use a cup, a spoon or a syringe. None of them are a nipple substitute so he won't prefer them.

Don't worry he will wake up and then you'll be back to tell us he doesn't ever sleep and just wants to feed 24/7 :P

ncmc · 24-07-2014 9:33am

My little girl was the same, very sleepy and hard to feed in the early days. I think it's worse in the hospital with the heat. As How Strange said, strip him off, cotton ball soaked on cold water on his cheek, tickle his feet. Just try and feed very frequently, even if he's only getting a few minutes each time, if you feed frequently, he'll get what he needs. Their little tummies are tiny at that stage so he really needs very little. He's taking the bottle because it's so much easier to get milk out of than the breast, he literally can do it in his sleep. So it is worth persevering with the breast so he doesn't get too used to the bottle and too lazy to feed from the breast.

kknitter · 25-07-2014 1:59am

Hi all,

Started solids couple of weeks back,baba is now 6 months. His feeds have reduced a lot, during the day I m lucky if he is interested one or two times in the milk. He feeds well for the last feed before he sleeps and then during nights and in the morning 2 feeds. He is currently just having pear and sweet potato. Are the reduced feeds fine? I try and feed him but he won't take if he is not hungry or interested. Not sure I should be delighted with the reduced feeds or not.
Also one more question, many a days his poop is green, even with pear n sweet potato should it be green? I am aware my diet might be causing it as well.
Again not sure is it common?
Should I start water as well now? If yes how much should I offer? I bought tommy tippe first cup, tried it with him but it seems flow is too much for him, as he couldn't gulp fast, should I keep offering the cup n he will get used to it or wait few weeks and for now offer water with spoon?
Too many questions ðŸ˜Š
Your help would be really appreciated.

How Strange · 26-07-2014 7:58am

I think it's normal enough that they reduce the day feeds and do most of their breastfeeding at night. You're doing everything the *right* way as long as you're not restricting breastfeeding at night. If she's 6 months you can introduce all foods and you don't have to start with a little bit of vegetable and fruit. That's really for babies under 6 months.
Stick with the sippy cup despite the mess as she'll get the hang of it very quickly.

Sligo1 · 26-07-2014 9:31am

How Strange wrote: »

I think it's normal enough that they reduce the day feeds and do most of their breastfeeding at night. You're doing everything the *right* way as long as you're not restricting breastfeeding at night. If she's 6 months you can introduce all foods and you don't have to start with a little bit of vegetable and fruit. That's really for babies under 6 months.
Stick with the sippy cup despite the mess as she'll get the hang of it very quickly.

O no!

. So when they start solids they may wake more frequently during night for feeding??

Bagheera · 26-07-2014 2:17pm

Sligo1 wrote: »

O no! . So when they start solids they may wake more frequently during night for feeding??

Not necessarily. My son is now 28 weeks and since he has started taking solids properly he definitely sleeps better. He still wakes for night feeds but less frequently!

Kknitter At this stage I have introduced chicken, fish, beef, eggs and wheat as well as a variety of fruit and veg. To be safe only introduce new foods during surgery hours. I'm also using the tommee tippee sippy and it just takes time to get used to it. Poos change quite a bit as well with solids as some stuff goes straight through them.

kknitter · 26-07-2014 3:26pm

Bagheera wrote: »

Not necessarily. My son is now 28 weeks and since he has started taking solids properly he definitely sleeps better. He still wakes for night feeds but less frequently!

Kknitter At this stage I have introduced chicken, fish, beef, eggs and wheat as well as a variety of fruit and veg. To be safe only introduce new foods during surgery hours. I'm also using the tommee tippee sippy and it just takes time to get used to it. Poos change quite a bit as well with solids as some stuff goes straight through them.

Thanks a lot bageera, that helps a lot. I will stick to the cup then.

Soooky · 26-07-2014 9:53pm

Ok I know this will prob sound pathetic but anyway :rolleyes:
Is anyone else's hair still falling out by the handful after nearly 8 months of b'feeding? After the initial post pregnancy hair loss at 4 months, my hair had started to grow back (all those little wispy bits at the front anyway:rolleyes:) but over the last 2 weeks it is falling out big time!! My hair is long so it prob looks worse but even my OH has commented on the amount that I'm losing around the house, the car etc. Have underactive thyroid (on medication & it had been stable) so had bloods taken on Friday to get that checked but just curious to see if anyone else had this happen this long after?

cyning · 26-07-2014 10:38pm

Even with a controlled thyroid your hair loss is going to be worse post pregnancy unfortunately! Mine was absolutely awful but it does grow back... Mine is everywhere at the moment hubby asked me did I need a hairnet... Was not impressed

Soooky · 26-07-2014 10:50pm

cyning wrote: »

Even with a controlled thyroid your hair loss is going to be worse post pregnancy unfortunately! Mine was absolutely awful but it does grow back... Mine is everywhere at the moment hubby asked me did I need a hairnet... Was not impressed

Oh good at least I'm not the only baldy then

:D

Yeah its pretty rank alright, am gone mental trying to gather it up as baby is at the licking the floor/carpet stage now

:D

Now I understand why some women go for the "mammy haircut" after having a baby - always swore that wouldn't be me :rolleyes:

livinsane · 27-07-2014 9:56pm

kknitter wrote: »

Hi all,

Started solids couple of weeks back,baba is now 6 months. His feeds have reduced a lot, during the day I m lucky if he is interested one or two times in the milk. He feeds well for the last feed before he sleeps and then during nights and in the morning 2 feeds. He is currently just having pear and sweet potato. Are the reduced feeds fine? I try and feed him but he won't take if he is not hungry or interested. Not sure I should be delighted with the reduced feeds or not.
Also one more question, many a days his poop is green, even with pear n sweet potato should it be green? I am aware my diet might be causing it as well.
Again not sure is it common?
Should I start water as well now? If yes how much should I offer? I bought tommy tippe first cup, tried it with him but it seems flow is too much for him, as he couldn't gulp fast, should I keep offering the cup n he will get used to it or wait few weeks and for now offer water with spoon?
Too many questions ðŸ˜Š
Your help would be really appreciated.

Our milk feeds decreased when solids were started, but he increased again as time went on. You are doing the right thing offering it. He'll take it when he wants. It's great that he's sleeping well at night! It's funny, even though it should be a good thing to get a break from nursing after all those months, it's impossible not to stress about it!

We had green poop at the beginning of solids. Nothing to be worried about. The food will cause that. You will miss the breastmilk poos :pac:

I too stressed about the sippy cup but I know now, in hindsight, that it was the biggest waste of time at six months. I got him a tommy tippee no spill one, he just chewed on the rubber teat and wouldn't even try to drink. I eventually gave up and used a bottle for water and let him slurp out of a plastic shot glass (lots of fun!). He never drank that much, just a few sups a few times a day. Then I tried the cup out of the blue last week (he's 9 months now) and he gulped a load down! He's using it every day now.

livinsane · 27-07-2014 9:59pm

Soooky wrote: »

Oh good at least I'm not the only baldy then :D

Yeah its pretty rank alright, am gone mental trying to gather it up as baby is at the licking the floor/carpet stage now :D

Now I understand why some women go for the "mammy haircut" after having a baby - always swore that wouldn't be me :rolleyes:

My niece was playing with my hair and said "why is your hair all white on top?". I freaked, thinking I was gone grey. Then she said, "oh it's only your head". Great, so I'm bald instead of grey.

SmokeyEyes · 27-07-2014 10:32pm

Our baby is only a month old so Im trying to enjoy the last few weeks of thicker hair!

Im breast and bottle feeding and can only feed easily with nipple shields on as my nipples are flatish and the little man has trouble latching on and gets really upset. It's working out well with combined feeding so far!

livinsane · 28-07-2014 8:08pm

That's great that it's working out. I had the same problem with flat nipples. It is a headache when baby keeps slipping off. You could try making a "nipple sandwich", which is folding it together to help baby latch. This worked for me and I also used to sort of drag the nipple sideways into his mouth. As the baby gets bigger, his latch well be so strong that he'll pull the nipple out himself. I'm proud of my little ones now!

Cameoette · 28-07-2014 8:39pm

Hi ladies,

First time mother here, hope to be breastfeeding my baby who is due in 4 week's time. Optimistic and looking forward to it even though it's going to be challenging I am sure!

So here's the thing: I've been invited to a wedding when the baby will be 7 weeks old (assuming she arrives around her due date for argument's sake). The venue is only 10 minutes from my house. My partner is invited too.

Have any of you experience in bringing your little ones to a wedding round this age? How did it go?

Initially I thought I would express and leave milk for her dad to give her, and attend wedding myself, bringing pump with me. After a chat with my mam and sister (both experienced Bfeeders) I realised that might not be an option! My sis said despite expressing successfully her baby refuses the bottle from her husband. My mam mentioned that being separated from baby might trigger let down if I'm thinking about her (happened to her back in the day). So I am thinking maybe bringing her is the only option. I would attend ceremony and dinner and leave before the band.

Love to know what you guys think. Cheers!

Sligo1 · 28-07-2014 9:33pm

Cameoette wrote: »

Hi ladies,

First time mother here, hope to be breastfeeding my baby who is due in 4 week's time. Optimistic and looking forward to it even though it's going to be challenging I am sure!

So here's the thing: I've been invited to a wedding when the baby will be 7 weeks old (assuming she arrives around her due date for argument's sake). The venue is only 10 minutes from my house. My partner is invited too.

Have any of you experience in bringing your little ones to a wedding round this age? How did it go?

Initially I thought I would express and leave milk for her dad to give her, and attend wedding myself, bringing pump with me. After a chat with my mam and sister (both experienced Bfeeders) I realised that might not be an option! My sis said despite expressing successfully her baby refuses the bottle from her husband. My mam mentioned that being separated from baby might trigger let down if I'm thinking about her (happened to her back in the day). So I am thinking maybe bringing her is the only option. I would attend ceremony and dinner and leave before the band.

Love to know what you guys think. Cheers!

Hi there, I went to a wedding (10min from home) when my little girl was 4 weeks. My husband went for the whole day and I just joined them at around 5.30 for the dinner, speeches and afters. Would've been too wrecked for the whole day tbh.

I left some expressed milk at home for my mum to give her and put her down. And I brought my pump with me to express during the night. Baby took the bottles no problem back then. I have read its when they are in to their second month they are able to distinguish between bottle and nipple and assert themselves more in their preferences. After that wedding my baby refused the bottle for months! Finally got her to take it again a couple weeks ago (thank god!).

If it were me and I know some people may disagree... I would get her used to a bottle from an early age and give one or 2 bottles of EBM every week so she is used to it and you are not tied to the house.

I think you'll be pretty tired for a full day at a wedding with such a young baby. But also, when they are a few weeks all they really do is eat and sleep unless they have bad reflux etc. they are very easy. But you may only still be recovering yourself which you need to keep in mind aswell. Congratulations and goodluck!

How Strange · 28-07-2014 10:32pm

If it were me and the wedding was so close to my home I'd go and leave expressed milk. You're close enough to go home if you have to or want to. Bringing the baby would be quite easy at that age but it might be nice for you to get away for a few hours by yourself. The nice thing is your baby is close by so you can change your mind even while you're there and go get him/her if you want to,

Best of luck with the next few weeks

Cameoette · 29-07-2014 10:03am

Thanks so much for your replies. I think I'm going to leave her with her dad and some expressed milk and come home if I need to! And maybe go to the afters instead

Jerrica · 29-07-2014 10:08pm

Hi everyone, I'm a recent migrant from the pregnancy forum

Day 3 of breastfeeding and all is well, my milk came in today so my little lady is enjoying herself immensely! We just changed her nappy and there was a small dark orange stain along with her wee, I presume this is urates? If she's feeding well is it anything to worry about?

How Strange · 29-07-2014 10:27pm

Congrats Jerrica and it's great to hear things are going well. I can't remember much/anything about those early days. Perhaps ring your phn in the morning and double check. Just to put your mind at ease.

detoxkid · 29-07-2014 10:36pm

Yes, my daughter is 8 weeks and around day two or three she had a reddy orangy 'poo' in her nappy, nothing to worry about. I was at home at the time and I rang the hospital as it looked a bit like blood bit they assured me that all was fine. Sounds like the same thing!

Sligo1 · 29-07-2014 11:31pm

detoxkid wrote: »

Yes, my daughter is 8 weeks and around day two or three she had a reddy orangy 'poo' in her nappy, nothing to worry about. I was at home at the time and I rang the hospital as it looked a bit like blood bit they assured me that all was fine. Sounds like the same thing!

If it looked like blood you know baby girls get a "false period". I nearly had a heart attack day 4 when I saw the blood until my husband informed me that a midwife had told him this was normal. Apparently it's something to do with the mothers hormones.

Dr.Winston O'Boogie · 30-07-2014 4:56pm

Hello all having a few issues with breast feeding. A nurse asked us to exclusively breast feed our baby for a few days as they had previously been mainly feeding on bottles (he is ten days old) and it was now the last chance to get him used to breast feeding.

However we are not sure if he is getting enough food, he sucks most of the time but not very hard and falls asleep a lot. After near a day of this he got very sleepy and it was like he had no energy reserves. The reason he was bottle feeding in first place because he was similar in his first few days and losing weight and had low blood sugar as a result of not getting enough from breast. Once on expressed bottles though he perked up big time.

My partner is now too worried that he is not getting enough food and has gone back to expressed milk and feeding via a bottle. She is determined to do this for the next few months which I think will be very tiring and stressful. Has anyone else gone down this route? Also regarding breast feeding however can you ever be sure they are getting what they need?

Sligo1 · 30-07-2014 5:19pm

I was always told 15min on each side for a newborn. But I always found my daughter would fall asleep after 10mjnites total. Things you can try to keep baby awake are stripping them down to their nappy and feeding. Changing their nappy half way through to wake them up. Tickling their feet whilst feeding or rubbing their cheek/jaw whilst feeding. To know if they are feeding correctly baby should be swallowing after every suck or every second suck. You should be able to see them swallowing by looking at them. That way you will know your baby is getting milk.

Regarding the length of time feeding, as I said my baby would only suck for 10min. At first I was worried so got a lactation consultant to come and see me feed. She informed me that I was actually one of the lucky ones! Apparently I was producing lots and lots of good milk which was why my baby only needed to suck for the 10 minutes to fill her. Her weight increased 50gms after a 10 minute feed so she was definitely getting loads!

There are breastfeeding support groups your OH may find helpful like la leche league or cuidiu. And I would also recommend seeing a lactation consultant to advise your OH on different feeding positions and times needed for feeding. This can be a really stressful time and its important to get loads if support if your OH wants to continue to breastfeed. Even of its just to put yours and her mind at rest.

If your baby is putting on weight he/she is probably getting enough

How Strange · 30-07-2014 10:47pm

I think your partner needs to get in touch with her local ciudiu or la Leche leader who are essentially free lactation consultants. The contact details for both organisations are on the friends of breastfeeding website. There's something going on that needs to be checked out before your partner loses all confidence in breastfeeding and gives up.

Jerrica · 31-07-2014 6:53am

Sligo you were right, it was her mini period, it's caused by my hormones when my milk comes in, and her nipples are slightly swollen for the same reason

Uranus would be all through the wee stain apparently whereas this was a concentrated patch.

I had a lactation consultant with me last night and it was so, so helpful, it's such a flipping shame the service isn't made more available to all women who want to breastfeed. My supply is great and my little lady is a fab feeder with a healthy appetite, but I hadn't been latching her quite and my nipples are fairly battered as a result. One of them is even showing early signs of infection

I've been using lansinoh and multimam compresses but they're just relief from symptoms, apparently the way I had her narrowly latched meant that she was doing a lot of nipple suckle instead of drawing down the milk from stimulating the whole areola. I feel a bit dejected if I'm honest, but at least now we have a solution. I have to get a prescription for the Jack Newman ointment and I'm using a nipple shield for the badly affected nipple.

Sorry for the waffle, I was just so determined to bf and it feels like I've failed or somethinf

kandr10 · 31-07-2014 7:12am

Jerrica wrote: »

Sligo you were right, it was her mini period, it's caused by my hormones when my milk comes in, and her nipples are slightly swollen for the same reason Uranus would be all through the wee stain apparently whereas this was a concentrated patch.

I had a lactation consultant with me last night and it was so, so helpful, it's such a flipping shame the service isn't made more available to all women who want to breastfeed. My supply is great and my little lady is a fab feeder with a healthy appetite, but I hadn't been latching her quite and my nipples are fairly battered as a result. One of them is even showing early signs of infection I've been using lansinoh and multimam compresses but they're just relief from symptoms, apparently the way I had her narrowly latched meant that she was doing a lot of nipple suckle instead of drawing down the milk from stimulating the whole areola. I feel a bit dejected if I'm honest, but at least now we have a solution. I have to get a prescription for the Jack Newman ointment and I'm using a nipple shield for the badly affected nipple.

Sorry for the waffle, I was just so determined to bf and it feels like I've failed or somethinf

How have you failed when you looked for help, found out the problem and are sorting it? Nothing wrong with that. You're doing your best and in a few weeks you won't remember this happening. Seriously! Baby brain mush deletes all records

fair play to you!

How Strange · 31-07-2014 7:36am

Jerrica you most definitely haven't failed at anything. You had a problem, you reached out for help, you got it and you're on the road to recovery and successful breastfeeding. I'd call that a success. So many mums just stop at that point because it's so overwhelming. I did exactly the same as you on my second. She wasn't latched on properly so I got mastitis and my nipples were in ribbons and on the verge of infection.

Definitely get the ointment as it will help against any possible infection although use it very sparingly as it's very strong. Between feeds use the multi mam, dab some breastmilk on them and leave your bra off for a couple of days. Your nipples will heal amazingly fast once the latch is corrected.

Congrats again

Sligo1 · 31-07-2014 8:21am

Jerrica you definitely haven't failed!!! You asked for help and have found a solution rather than just giving up and that's really admirable! Hopefully you will heal up quickly and you won't be as sore. I was always getting blocked ducts in the beginning and ended up in hospital once with mastitis due to the amount of milk I was producing and little Lilly Wasnt the most hungry baby. I felt like the ultimate failure! But you keep going and it gets so much better!

You're brilliant. It's the early days that are the hardest so once you get through them you will be flying

. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Jerrica · 31-07-2014 8:32am

Thanks so many choices everyone, I knew breastfeeding would have its challenges but I didn't expect them to hit so soon! I really want to keep going and stick it out, I really appreciate the supportive words

we'll just have to take it one feed at a time. Thanks again.

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