The Breast Feeding Support Thread

tinkerbell · 08-06-2015 8:39am

Get a lactation consultant out to see you - if you ring today, they'll prob get out to you today. It takes a few days for your milk to come in - mine came in the night of Day 4. But you produce colostrum until then which is what your baby needs!

Seriously, call a professional. It's the best advice you'll ever get. You can claim the cost back on your health insurance.

Marz66 · 08-06-2015 8:40am

margo321 wrote: »

Congrats! I can't offer too much advice. I feed my baby fir 10 weeks but always gave her 1 bottle of formula from day 4, this was because I kept changing my mind whether to stick with bf or not. But my milk came in and I had no problem. So I think you can top up with formula without affecting your supply. Good luck.

I wouldn't agree with this, unless you intend to give formula every day. Even then, giving baby formula now will reduce her demand for breastmilk and reduce your milk supply. As formula is more filling, baby would go much longer without a feed than if she was breastfed. It's one thing if formula is medically necessary but if it's not...

FurBabyMomma · 08-06-2015 2:25pm

Blingy wrote: »

Would love some advice please. Baby born Friday morn, good strong latch and quite content at the breast. Hospital worried about low sugars so lots of feeding rectified that however day 2 and baby not getting satisfied at the breast. Not settling and still hungry after feeds. Sugars low again so we start to top up with formula. Formula he tends to spit a lot of back up however is a different baby while drinking It...really alert and obviously really hungry. Expressing 25mins each side only gave a combined total of 5mls this morning ... Day 4! Milk still not in. I do want to persevere with the bfeeding but wonder will this go on for days and days. When is my milk likely to come in :-/
Any help or tips would be great.
Blood sugars are back up to normal and baby has lost 9% of body weight since birth.

Congratulations Blingy! I'm so sorry you're not getting proper bf support or info at the hospital, but this is a common problem in Ireland unfortunately. What noone told me is on day 2 a lot of babies 'cluster feed'. This means they literally won't get off your breast but it really helps bring in the milk. My baby cluster fed for 10 hours the day after my section, I was so exhausted and had no clue what was happening but lo and behold my milk was in 48 hours after my section! The midwives were amazed but I don't think they knew much about bf and nothing about cluster feeding. Anyway 8 months later and we're flying it

my advice would be leave the baby on you as long as he wants to help encourage your supply and contact a lactation consultant for support. Best of luck x

Blingy · 08-06-2015 2:40pm

Thanks for all the advice. We cluster fed on night two but I became empty (well baby wasn't getting anything) and baby was starving. That's when blood sugars dropped to 1.9.
A night with a couple of bottles seems to have done the trick. Saw a lactation consultant in the hospital today who was brilliant. Said he has a great latch and he is a great little feeder. Just had to wait for my milk to come in which it seems to be doing now. Going home now soon so hopefully all will go ok. I'm sure I'll be back here again asking questions in the next few days

dido2012 · 08-06-2015 7:36pm

My baby is 9 days old she cluster fed for the first 3 nights and I was exhausted but milk came in quickly because of it. They had to give her formula from a cup in the hospital two mornings so I could get some sleep as it has been a long night. Didn't effect my milk supply and she was back to her birth weight 5 days after she was born. Cluster fed again last night for six hours but then slept for 5 hours so can't complain.

margo321 · 09-06-2015 6:40pm

This was my personal experience, we all have our own personal experience. My baby was a grazer from day one and I didn't realise this at the time. She'd feed all day it seems day and night. I had a public health nurse who was very helpful and she said she bf her three children and her youngest was like that feeding all day. I thought I would die of tiredness. Baby's now 7 months and still eats like this, takes all day to drink her bottles. Just be aware every baby is different as are mothers. Good luck with your baby.

Marz66 wrote: »

I wouldn't agree with this, unless you intend to give formula every day. Even then, giving baby formula now will reduce her demand for breastmilk and reduce your milk supply. As formula is more filling, baby would go much longer without a feed than if she was breastfed. It's one thing if formula is medically necessary but if it's not...

madeinamerica · 20-06-2015 2:57am

Girls I think I have mastitis. Hard half boob that won't produce milk, even after pumping fit an hour on a symphony in work. Started feeling hot and tired around 6 pm, went quickly down hill in next 2 hrs, had to go to bed, just took temp 103 at 9.30pm. Bubs won't feed from me, so trying to pump in bed. Was tough earlier, he wouldn't go to sleep for daddy, wailed for me which is unusual when he doesn't want milk, i could barely hold him sitting in bed. Not looking for medical advice, just others experiences cos in feeling awful sorry for myself here. I'll call the doc n the morning for Ab.

He kind of shoved me in that boob during the week, then I missed pumping in work Wednesday and Thursday as couldn't get away.

Thnx

tinkerbell · 20-06-2015 9:30am

You'll need to see GP but then go to bed and stay there with your baby and just feed and rest. Hope you feel better soon.

madeinamerica · 21-06-2015 3:45pm

tinkerbell wrote: »

You'll need to see GP but then go to bed and stay there with your baby and just feed and rest. Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks. I got antibiotics from the doc.

My baby is over 9 months now. This was the first time I've got mastitis. It is awful! I was just thinking, it would be so so much harder if I'd got it in those first crazy few weeks after he was born. Fair play to anyone who had to deal with something like that as well as a new baby.

Sligo1 · 21-06-2015 3:51pm

madeinamerica wrote: »

Thanks. I got antibiotics from the doc.

My baby is over 9 months now. This was the first time I've got mastitis. It is awful! I was just thinking, it would be so so much harder if I'd got it in those first crazy few weeks after he was born. Fair play to anyone who had to deal with something like that as well as a new baby.

Hope ur felling better soon. I was in hospital for 3 days with mastitis when LO was 3 weeks

. Was awful.

tinkerbell · 23-06-2015 12:44am

Hope the antibiotics kick in soon mic.

Sligo - 3 days in hospital, bloody hell!

madeinamerica · 23-06-2015 3:40am

Sligo1 wrote: »

Hope ur felling better soon. I was in hospital for 3 days with mastitis when LO was 3 weeks . Was awful.

God, that's really tough! Poor mama!

I'm doing grand now, thanks. antibiotics kicked in so I'm on the mend. It knocked me for a while there though.

lazygal · 23-06-2015 9:52am

So I'm trying to reduce feeds and plan on weaning my little man when he turns two at the end of the summer. Right now he always gets a morning feed, and then it could be until the next morning before he gets another because of work. When I'm home he can look for a lot more. I never had to wean my older child, who self weaned when I was six months pregnant. Any advice or tips welcome. I can't believe I feel a bit sad about this finishing, especially when I was tearing my hair out because he never took a bottle! Ideally I'd like to make sure he only gets the morning feed for a few weeks and then phase that out, but when he comes over looking for 'milkies' it is very hard to say no.

tinkerbell · 23-06-2015 10:57am

Wow lazygal - 2 years, that is some achievement. I don't have any advice as I've no experience of weaning off the breast yet but well done you

lazygal · 23-06-2015 11:38am

tinkerbell wrote: »

Wow lazygal - 2 years, that is some achievement. I don't have any advice as I've no experience of weaning off the breast yet but well done you

Thanks, if you'd asked when I started if I'd be posting this I might have been more: :mad:and :eek:

RentDayBlues · 23-06-2015 2:03pm

Lazygal, I'm about to wean my second at 17 months, my first was 16 months when weaned.

On my first we were down to morning g and night only so I dropped the night feed first and gave her a bottle with cows milk, then a week alter did the same with the morning feed. This was all helped by me being pregnant and having less milk anyway but she was fine. I was fine as my second baby was due within 2 months and I found feeding while pregnant very painful

With my second I've already dropped the night feed, she had pretty much weaned off that but I have a bottle of milk belfry bed which we now have moved back to 4, so she has dinner at 6 and doesn't need anything before bed. Next week I'm stopping the morning feed. My husband is off work so I plan to have him get a bottle of milk, pick her up, give it to her and bring her to me for cuddles. She can also ask for it so I understand how hard it is to say no, some mornings she'll feed for almost an hour (it's comfort more than feeding) so I'm hoping we can cuddle with a bottle instead. Good luck with it and well done on 2 years, amazing achievement

lazygal · 23-06-2015 6:27pm

Thanks, my problem is I have nothing to replace the boob with!He'll be two at the start of September and I really want to have him weaned by then. He has never taken a bottle and doesn't like cows milk so my only alternative is beakers of water.

RentDayBlues · 23-06-2015 6:36pm

lazygal wrote: »

Thanks, my problem is I have nothing to replace the boob with!He'll be two at the start of September and I really want to have him weaned by then. He has never taken a bottle and doesn't like cows milk so my only alternative is beakers of water.

Ah ok, well do you think he'd take a beaker of water in the morning? I know both of mine love water when they wake

lazygal · 23-06-2015 6:52pm

RentDayBlues wrote: »

Ah ok, well do you think he'd take a beaker of water in the morning? I know both of mine love water when they wake

I might try him the next few weeks and see. He loves that morning feed so I think he won't give up without a fight.

RentDayBlues · 23-06-2015 6:56pm

lazygal wrote: »

I might try him the next few weeks and see. He loves that morning feed so I think he won't give up without a fight.

I know that feeling, no idea how my little one is going to react, she'll either loose her life or be like "whatever"

cyning · 23-06-2015 8:14pm

I broke routines: so i normally fed in bed so I got up straight away in the morning. She used feed as soon as I got in from work so I gave her a beaker of water and a packet of raisins or if she was very cross a chocolate finger biscuit (desperate I know!). I day weaned her first and fed her on demand at night for ages until she weaned on me!

Congratulations too

clare82 · 23-06-2015 11:42pm

My girl is 21 mths and has boobs available to her all day. Never took a bottle. I was away for 4 days recently and she was fine with water almond milk etc. She didn't even go boob mad when I came home. I'm not planning on weaning yet but I'd suggest going with day weaning first, then do as previous poster suggested and nd hop straight out of the bed in the morning. After that head away for a few nights and see how he gets on. One friend of mine used to feed baby on the couch and then she and daddy took turns putting the baby to sleep which worked well for them. I think I'm just too lazy to wean yet :P

spottybananas · 29-06-2015 1:49pm

I never have leakage, once when I expressed and missed a feed and they were overly full for a day. But I woke up for 5am feed with literally a patch of milk the size of side plate soaked into the bed, really soaked, and a patch the size of a saucer on my top. This morning that side was still heavier and fuller, it's more normal now after feeding from it, but there was excess milk nearly flowing down the side of his face as he fed.

Any idea what's happening?? I expressed Saturday night because they were oddly full but I expressed from both sides, one more than the other but I can't remember which one, I'd nearly say it was the other side I got the most from, not this one.

Marz66 · 29-06-2015 10:00pm

Did you empty both sides when you expressed? If you are only expressing for comfort I think you are only meant to express whatever amount eases the discomfort/fullness cos otherwise you are signalling your body to make more milk.

I wouldn't worry about it though. Maybe your baby took in more milk one day (growth spurt/thirsty) and then the next he didn't, leading to the fullness on Saturday?

I used to find and still find sometimes at 9 months that boobs are fuller some days than others. I used to wonder why as well but once baby putting on weight and regular wet/dirty nappies, now I wouldn't worry, just go with the flow.

spottybananas · 29-06-2015 10:12pm

Hmm yeah I did empty them, because there was so much, way more than I'd usually get when expressing, so I thought I'd make hay while the sun shone!

I wonder is it because he had heat rash on Thursday so I fed him quite often, maybe it just took a few days to up the supply by which time I didn't need it? He's never done the cluster feeding thing (influenced by first 5 days in special care with formula etc I would say) so I've missed out on some aspects of how supply works so apologies if that should've been obvious to me!

kandr10 · 29-06-2015 10:55pm

I had leakage all the time regardless of how much I fed or expressed. I just wore a bra and breastpads in bed for a while.
If you stimulated a bigger supply by feeding loads and then tried to pump it off, the pumping just furthers the already increased supply.
Just feed /pump as often as you need and it'll settle down.

spottybananas · 29-06-2015 11:53pm

It's back to normal again now, hopefully no more leakage tonight! Thank God I never leak any noticeable amount anyway, very annoying!

LegacyUser · 30-06-2015 12:00am

Hi Spottybananas, as other posters said, if you emptied boobs when you expressed you sent your body the message that more milk is needed and your supply will increase. If you get uncomfortably full just express enough to ease discomfort. Baby's can feed more or less from day to day sometimes, as long as there's plenty of wet nappies that's all normal.
One boob bigger or fuller is normal too. Baby's often have a favourite side where they'll feed more increasing supply on that side. Just make sure you're alternating which side you're starting each feed with.

Marz66 · 30-06-2015 12:09am

spottybananas wrote: »

I wonder is it because he had heat rash on Thursday so I fed him quite often, maybe it just took a few days to up the supply by which time I didn't need it

I'd say that's it exactly! Milk is produced on a supply and demand basis so supply of milk is based on demand - demand from baby drinking or from expressing.

Eta- if you're left with extra milk, you can just express a little for comfort and your body will see that there is extra milk not being used and reduce supply again until the next increase in demand!

The main thing that influences supply is how much milk is removed from the breast but it is also impacted a little by body heat, warm shower/bath, some foods eg porridge and stress.

John Mason · 01-07-2015 2:46pm

lazygal wrote: »

Thanks, my problem is I have nothing to replace the boob with!He'll be two at the start of September and I really want to have him weaned by then. He has never taken a bottle and doesn't like cows milk so my only alternative is beakers of water.

Can you try Almond/Coconut milk?

I haven't given my wee man cows milk yet (not planning on giving it him at all tbh) but he loves his almond milk. It takes it in a sippy cup if I am not around at in the evening

How Strange · 01-07-2015 5:18pm

Maybe try getting a bottle with characters from his favourite show or something like that on it. I did this recently for my 2 and 4 year old when we were going on holiday and they were obsessed with drinking water

lazygal · 01-07-2015 8:17pm

I'm not pushed about replacing milk with milk. I always hated the taste of milk so I'm conscious of not forcing cows milk. He loves water so I will probably go with a new cup when we start weaning.

fro9etb8j5qsl2 · 05-07-2015 12:25am

Has anyone else suffered from woeful pms while breastfeeding? I've never really gotten it before so it took me a few cycles to cop what was happening but I've read that breastfeeding can make it worse? For the whole week before I get my period I'm getting brutal mood swings, irritability and anxiety. Not to mention cotton wool brain where I can hardly remember my own name. As soon as I get my period, it's like a release and I'm back to my normal not-so-moody self

It wouldn't be so bad if I could pinpoint when it will happen but my cycle is all over the place and ridiculously frequent at the moment

RentDayBlues · 05-07-2015 7:53am

And I'm done, feeling sad and happy. I've been either pregnant and/or breastfeeding for the last 43 months, but who's counting ;0)

Not sure what my poor boobs are going to look like in a few weeks or of I'll suffer any blues, but very proud of myself.

When I decide to breastfeed my first I was the first in my entire extended family to do so, probably since the great grandmothers generation. It was quite the learning experience for everyone but by the time my second was born no one batted an eye at me feeding. I hope I've helped my sisters if they decide to breastfeed.

Nead21 · 05-07-2015 3:49pm

Back to trying to find my feet. My second son was born Thursday afternoon and my milk has just come....queue son feeding like crazy!

I was let leave hospital early as birth was straightforward and babs was doing well...I'm hoping all is well now when PHN visits tomorrow and he hasn't dropped too much weight.

RentDayBlues · 06-07-2015 11:25am

Oh, the post feeding blues, wow they suck! Not helped by the throat infection I woke up to today! Has anyone experienced this? Fed for 17 months and wasn't sick once, I wean and am sick within 4 days, maybe it's coincidental.

I do remember feeling a little blue when I weanedy first and getting sick, but I was 6 months pregnant so I probably put it down to that

cyning · 06-07-2015 8:23pm

Oh I had awful blues... Awful! Hope it passes soon for you

it makes sense when you think of it... Your hormone levels returning to pre baby levels. It only lasted a few days for me!

tinkerbell · 07-07-2015 12:45am

Post feeding blues? Nooo! That's rough

Could I just have a little virtual pat on the back?

I don't really give myself much credit for getting this far as it just seems such a part of everyday life now but I'm well on my way to achieving my bf for 12 months goal. I never thought I'd get this far! At the start I thought 6 weeks would be great but I would like to get to 6 months. Then once I got to that point, I thought 12 months would be good. Well I'm gonna keep on going as my baby seems to love my milk so new goal is to get to 18-24 months, but I'm gonna really aim for the 2 years.

Every now and again I have to remind myself how amazing it is that my body has nourished my baby for so long and my baby is happy and healthy. Bf is amazing

madeinamerica · 07-07-2015 1:38am

Well done Tinkerbell! Long may it continue for you and your baby

Dolbert · 13-07-2015 11:41am

Any tips on how to stop a 7 month old biting? The last time he did it I took him off, looked him in the eye and said firmly "no biting!" His reaction was to laugh and make a biting motion back at me :eek: Little mentaller!

Neyite · 13-07-2015 1:27pm

Dolbert wrote: »

Any tips on how to stop a 7 month old biting? The last time he did it I took him off, looked him in the eye and said firmly "no biting!" His reaction was to laugh and make a biting motion back at me :eek: Little mentaller!

Mine resolved itself by accident. The baby did exactly what yours did the first time when I told him off. Thought it was great craic.

Second time it was accidental as he was dozing off, I couldn't help but yelp loudly with the pain, and that gave him a fright and he burst into tears. I took him off the breast and sternly said 'no biting' - felt bad but had to show him it wasn't on. He never did it again though.

tinkerbell · 13-07-2015 5:27pm

I also had this for a bit and I had read to say No and then take away the boob briefly. So all I did was said No, covered my boob for about a minute and then offered it again. Baby stopped doing it then - hasn't really happened much since. It's worse though when they bite down and then pull back. OMG a few times I thought my nipple had come off!!!

madeinamerica · 13-07-2015 7:25pm

Mine did this too. He thought it was a bit of a game for a while, looking up at me with a grin going to bite my nipple. Once, like neyite, he really nipped me badly and i let out a roar from the pain. He started bawling! I felt so bad! Saying 'no' didn't really work for us. I noticed that he only really did it toward the end of a feed, so I tried to watch for signs that he was finishing and take him off before he got to the biting stage.

madeinamerica · 23-07-2015 6:54pm

Sitting here at lunch hooked up to the pump for the last few minutes. Then I realised I hadn't turned it on... sigh.

tinkerbell · 24-07-2015 9:15am

Oh no

Cunning Stunt · 24-07-2015 10:47am

Hi all,
well I am due baby no. 2 in october and I am hoping I will be able to breastfeed better than last time. Last time I had a touch of post natal depression and I couldn't get my milk flow going properly, I stressed about it so it just went down and down. It was like a vicious circle... After a few weeks, on advice of the doc, we moved to formula which was better for mammy and baby.
I am hoping it will work out for me this time, but has anyone any tips? I know the main one would be 'dont stress' but how not to do this?

The hospital have said I can stay as long as is necessary to get comfortable with the breastfeeding before I go home, so maybe I should take them up on that offer?

lazygal · 24-07-2015 10:51am

I found it easier second time. I learned from the first time and kept my older child in her minder so I could take to the bed as much as possible and cluster fed for days. I organised food so I could sit and feed on the couch and took it much easier.

tinkerbell · 24-07-2015 11:21am

I know I've said this a million times on this thread, but honestly go seek out a lactation consultant before you have your baby so that you can call them up and arrange a visit as soon as possible. In my experience, the majority of midwives I encountered (I went private) were too busy, not clued up on breastfeeding facts and all they wanted to do was push formula. Gosh, when I think back, I had a truly awful time in the hospital. I didn't think I'd manage to breastfeed for a week, yet I'm still breastfeeding now.

If I was doing it all again, I'd have had a private LC visit me in the hospital, a few times if necessary. Of course there are some good midwives who are well clued in on breastfeeding but I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket tbh.

On staying longer in hospital - I couldn't wait to get home because I felt so unsupported so I guess see how you go. The day after I got home, an LC called to me and that was the start of breastfeeding getting better for me.

Best of luck with it and I'm so sorry to hear you had to suffer the horrors of post natal depression. I hope you are ok when your second baby comes.

Happydippy · 24-07-2015 8:33pm

I agree with advice about talking to a lactation consultant. A midwife looking after me when i had my baby was an lc. She was so helpful. Also try talking to public health nurse. the phn in my area was fantastic, called to my house every day for first week to make sure baby was feeding well. She also put me in touch with other breastfeeding mums in my area.
it's easy to say, but don't worry about milk supply. After birth milk sometimes takes many days to come in. Important thing in first few days is let baby nurse as often and for as long as they need. Milk is produced on a supply and demand basis.
Try to relax and enjoy the time with you're baby.
Get as much help as possible with everything else, cooking, cleaning etc.

The first few weeks are the hardest, after that breastfeeding is easier,
Good luck

fall · 24-07-2015 10:24pm

I bought bottles and formula and had them in the press to take the stress feeling away. I felt like I needed the safety net and I just said to myself it was my journey and that I would take it day by day. I just weaned my second baby this weeks and she is almost seven months. I made sure to have supportive non judgemental people to share with and my husband was also very supportive. my advice is take it day by day and don't be afraid to spend the first six weeks with the baby nursing very very often, I think those six weeks are when your body and baby figure out what they need to do so they need to be together to do that. Good luck and be kind to yourself.

The Breast Feeding Support Thread

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