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The Breast Feeding Support Thread

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    #1022
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    I 'thought' my family was supportive until I got to about 3 months old. Then the:
    'He'll be much better when he gets on to the bottle'
    'Atleast you can look forward to a night out'
    etc comments started.

    Only one of my other halfs aunts breastfed her's 15 years ago, other than that, thats it.

    They were lovely when it was my feeding a tiny baby with my cardigan for privacy, but a bit vocal when he was a 7 month old, nearly sitting up, cathing my boob and planting it in his gob.

    Its true about the acceptance of everyday ailments that werent there at a time when babies were all b/fed.

    Since I've given up breastfeeding baby has constipation, so now I express an oz every night and give it to him in the bottle, seems to be working. My supply disappeared in the space of 4 days. My 7 month old has a short attention span when I try to get him on to improve my supply.

    By contrast my sister bottle fed and is still leaking at 13 weeks after birth!


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    #1023
    AnnieBur
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭AnnieBur


    Hi Folks, I have been following the thread for a week or so now but not posted before, great to feel Im not alone so thanks for the support. I have a poop-related question though....

    My exclusively-breast fed 12 week old son has not had a dirty nappy for a full week now. He usually had one every day, but last week it went 2 days and then there was a massive explosion, but since then, nada! lots of smelly wind but no poo.

    Everything I look up online says that BF babies never get constipated and it is normal for them to go a few days between poos. It also says not to treat it.

    Thats all fair enough, but since yesterday he is clearly uncomfortable - arching his back, drawing his legs up, crying, difficulty falling asleep. In between these little episodes he is smily and relaxed. His tummy is soft and I cant feel any lumps in his tummy. I gave in and tried sugar water last night, with no effect.

    Has anyone any experience with this or any advice?
    Thanks:(


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    #1024
    AnnieBur
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭AnnieBur


    wmpdd3 wrote: »
    I 'thought' my family was supportive until I got to about 3 months old.

    WMPDD3 - Im the very same - you'd think I was doing something very selfish by continuing to BF after the first few weeks, its as if those around me is doing their best to have patience and indulge me in my whim


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    #1025
    pushkii
    Registered Users Posts: 684 ✭✭✭pushkii


    hi girls this is a fantastic thread, im bf my 5 week old and i must say its going great she is thriving and im not having any problems. what pump do ye recommend? i have the tommee tipped manual one and i find it very leaky.
    Last night we had a bad night though it was like the little one was hungry and i didn't have enough for her even though i only expressed 2 oz. I had to give her expressed milk , is this normal?


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    #1026
    Emcm
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭Emcm


    Lazy gal I know exactly what you are talking about I am exclusively feeding my 17 week old and getting the 'sure would you not give that child a bottle you have done your bit !'. If I feed in public especially in front of the in laws ' did you not bring a bottle?

    It's do frustrating why mothers can't be supportive of other mothers choices. I never say to a bottle feeding mother ' why on earth did you not breast feed'

    I love feeding my wee man and at times it is hard but I enjoy that closeness and bond we share it's so precious to me. You can still have freedom and enjoy a night out or an afternoon shopping that's why breast pumps were invented.

    My wee fella is thriving so well weighing in at 15lbs at 12 weeks so that's what I always say to anyone who gives me any hassle!

    Annie bur I am actually having the same problem with my wee man don't understand why as he was always so regular I actually had to give him a glycerin suppository the other day - let's just say that definitely moved him ( I will leave out the gross details ).

    Public health nurse told me before cooled boiled water or brown sugar in cooled boiled water helps! But I too am a wee bit concerned as he is in discomfort and doing really smelly wind !


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    #1027
    Emcm
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭Emcm


    pushkii wrote: »
    hi girls this is a fantastic thread, im bf my 5 week old and i must say its going great she is thriving and im not having any problems. what pump do ye recommend? i have the tommee tipped manual one and i find it very leaky.
    Last night we had a bad night though it was like the little one was hungry and i didn't have enough for her even though i only expressed 2 oz. I had to give her expressed milk , is this normal?

    Hi Pushki

    This thread is super only discovered it myself a few weeks ago great advice and support

    I would definitely recommend the Medela Swing it's electric so simple to use compared to hand pump. It's actually the one the use in a lot of hospitals too. Only thing is it is quite expensive maybe around the 127 euro Mark so price around and see can you get a deal

    Good luck


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    #1028
    AnnieBur
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭AnnieBur


    pushkii wrote: »
    hi girls this is a fantastic thread, im bf my 5 week old and i must say its going great she is thriving and im not having any problems. what pump do ye recommend? i have the tommee tipped manual one and i find it very leaky.
    Last night we had a bad night though it was like the little one was hungry and i didn't have enough for her even though i only expressed 2 oz. I had to give her expressed milk , is this normal?

    Hi, Im using the Medela mini electric. I started pumping very intermittently around 5 weeks and generally only get between 2-4 oz at a time, unless sometimes going on and Im very full to start with and then Ill get 5-6 oz.

    Exactly what you described, happened to me. I was blaming myself because I pumped, but it only happened a couple of times. So in my opinion, If I was you I'd persist. Give her what you have expressed if needs be, but as you get established with the feeding and pumping routine, you will need to do this less.


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    #1029
    AnnieBur
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭AnnieBur


    Thanks EMCM, have tried the brown sugar/water combo, will post how it goes. Hope your little man gets sorted too x


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    #1030
    AnnieBur
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭AnnieBur


    Off topic, but how do I "thank" a poster?


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    #1031
    Julo12
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭Julo12


    Hi all I've been reading this thread for a while and it got me thru the really tough first wks. My daughter is 11 wks old now and for the last wk has started crying and screaming when I try feeding her. She'll feed sometimes for a few mins but when the fast flow milk is gone she comes on and off and then refuses to go back on even tho I think she's hungry. It's so upsetting as I love feeding her and it used to be so relaxing :o( she's not in any obvious pain with ears or wind, she just seems really angry when milk doesn't come fast enough. She gets one bottle a day at night and gulps it down. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and it passed? I don't want to spend my days expressing to bottle feed her but don't want her going hungry either :o(


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    #1032
    Emcm
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭Emcm


    AnnieBur wrote: »
    Off topic, but how do I "thank" a poster?

    Just press the little thumbs up sign in the corner


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    #1033
    cyning
    Registered Users Posts: 3,251 ✭✭✭cyning


    AnnieBur wrote: »
    Off topic, but how do I "thank" a poster?

    You'll just have to have a few more posts before you can thank I think it's 10 posts.

    On the constipation I'm just home from hospital having my 10 week old baby constipation investigated: it's not necessarily true that breastfed babies never get constipated. Could you give your PHN a ring if your worried? I bicycle her legs, rub her belly and give her baths and keep her upright to help with pooing: it helps with the cramps aswell :)

    I have the NUK pump: I don't do a huge amount of pumping it's more if I'm going out for an hour etc so it does the jon: plus it was only €36 for the electric one when I got it in my local chemist so was great :)

    Lazygal I really do agree: my own family would be very pro breastfeeding and all my aunts etc breastfed so it would have been way more frowned upon if I hadn't breastfed. My in laws on the other hand are very uncomfortable with it. Incredibly so... which was a serious culture shock for me! I do try to express if I'm going to their house: I'm mad about them and I don't want to make them uncomfortable when they are doing their level best not to make me uncomfortable when I am feeding her. But I was very taken aback even by my own friends reaction to breastfeeding: they think I'm mad!


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    #1034
    pushkii
    Registered Users Posts: 684 ✭✭✭pushkii


    thanks girls for the recommendations, i think it would be a good idea to invest in a good pump alright since the bf is going well for us. I am actually quite shocked at some peoples opinion of breastfeeding!! Some people are very uncomfortable arent they? I actually found in the maternity some of the nurses werent even supportive there and surely thats where you sould get the most support


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    #1035
    Rosy Posy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭Rosy Posy


    AnnieBur wrote: »
    Hi Folks, I have been following the thread for a week or so now but not posted before, great to feel Im not alone so thanks for the support. I have a poop-related question though....

    My exclusively-breast fed 12 week old son has not had a dirty nappy for a full week now. He usually had one every day, but last week it went 2 days and then there was a massive explosion, but since then, nada! lots of smelly wind but no poo.

    Everything I look up online says that BF babies never get constipated and it is normal for them to go a few days between poos. It also says not to treat it.

    Thats all fair enough, but since yesterday he is clearly uncomfortable - arching his back, drawing his legs up, crying, difficulty falling asleep. In between these little episodes he is smily and relaxed. His tummy is soft and I cant feel any lumps in his tummy. I gave in and tried sugar water last night, with no effect.

    Has anyone any experience with this or any advice?
    Thanks:(

    Two of my exclusively breastfed babies got constipated. The PHN explained it as, the milk is tailored for their needs and so they use up nearly all the nutrients in it in their body, so there's very little waste. They can go up to a week between poo's without it being anything to worry about, but if he's uncomfortable you could try giving him a tummy massage with oil. Also, he might not be getting enough fluids- if you are undernourished or dehydrated then the quality of the milk is not effected but the fluid content is so make sure you have plenty to drink (at least a glass of water every time you nurse on top of what you would normally have) and are eating enough healthy food. When our little man was a little older than this we gave him prune juice which got things moving nicely.

    Best of luck!


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    #1036
    Fri.Day
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭Fri.Day


    Hi all,
    Breast feeding didn`t work out at all for me, went to PHN, BF clinic locally and in the hospital and 2 appointments with a lactation expert.
    My last resort (he`s almost 8 weeks) has been pumping 8-10 times a day and giving it to him... Getting about 700mls lately and the odd formula supplement.
    Now I`m heading back to work on Oct 1st so how would I reduce my supply so I could reduce pumping to 2/3 times daily?? Maybe 1 in the morning and twice in the evening?
    Less leaking etc.?
    I pumped at 10pm last night and tried not to pump during the night but I was soaked through by 3am
    Thanks
    btw Ive a medela mini electric pump and although it isn`t made for such high volume pumping it hasn`t let me down yet and takes batteries so especially handy on long journeys in the car(try not to slow down in small towns tho!)


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    #1037
    bauble1
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭bauble1


    Hi all, I'm so delighted to be still feeding my almost 7 month old dd. Can't believe it, only yest I told someone she was 'just over' 6m ... oops ...where do the months go eh. I read one great piece of advice that said never give up BF on a bad day, so that's definitely helped me get here, one day at a time.

    I've had a mixed bag of peoples opinions on bf.

    The worst was my friend asking was I just keeping it up now as a diet! She also told me to stop in the early days if it was 'tying me down'. Sure a baby ties any new mum down.

    On a positive note, my mum has been brill. We were not bf, due to medical reasons she assumes as she doesn't know why she didn't try. It was obviously not an option. She thinks its great that I'm doing it, has my back when other family members ask how long I'm going to keep it up for. I'm sure she has cherished the odd bottle she got to give when minding lo. Now I've gone down the blw route for solids and she will miss out on spoon feeding yet she is also supportive of that. She said my gran was very opinionated so she vowed not to do the same, each mother knows the best for their own child. Hope I can do the same in years to come.

    Sorry post a bit all over the place, on my phone!


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    #1038
    Future Baby
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭Future Baby


    bauble1 wrote: »

    The worst was my friend asking was I just keeping it up now as a diet! She also told me to stop in the early days if it was 'tying me down'. Sure a baby ties any new mum down.

    OMG, my friend said that to me today,Why are people so negative about BF? I will be BF 9 months next week, just cant believe I got this far, my first goal was 6 weeks, then it was 3 months, then 6 months.The only reason I will be stopping BF my little fellow is that I have to return to work next month. Hopefully I will still be able to give him a night and a morning feed, tried to pump the other day and nothing would come out, I was so good pumping in the beginning, but then got lazy, so stopped.

    How are other Mums managing BF and working by the way, do you think I will still be able do a night/morning feed for a while at least?


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    #1039
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    I did a morning and evening feed from 5.5 months to 7 months, but now he sleeps from 8pm to 8am and has no interest in b/milk in the morning.
    I started him on solids at 6 months 3 weeks and after three weeks he now prefers that to any kind of milk.

    Porridge or nothing!

    So its about 2 weeks since I stopped the morning feed and I'm in agony with a lumpy boob! I think it may be blocked ducts. I've been massaging as best I can as its is soo sore to touch.

    Ibuprofen is not much help either. I've had a a hot water bottle on it the past few nights just to get asleep.

    Might try the chemist tomorrow.
    Only thing is it is quite expensive maybe around the 127 euro Mark so price around and see can you get a deal
    The Medela swing is €70 in Tesco at the moment.


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    #1040
    liliq
    Registered Users Posts: 2,242 ✭✭✭liliq


    Future Baby wrote: »
    How are other Mums managing BF and working by the way, do you think I will still be able do a night/morning feed for a while at least?

    I went back to work, although part time, when R was 6 months. I was killing myself trying to pump and leave milk for him, but I ended up throwing most of it out- brought a whole new meaning to the phrase crying over spilt milk! He just wasn't interested in expressed milk in a bottle, beaker or cup. I started reducing how much I pumped-I only pumped in work once a day for relief, and whatever I would get we'd use in his cereal the days I was in work. Then I'd just feed on demand when I got home. He did tend to feed more during the night after I had been in work for the day, so it just balanced itself out. He's 1 now and still a boob monster, so it definitely didn't affect breastfeeding as long as we went with the flow.
    There is a breastfeeding and back to work support group on fb that might have some good info and advice for you. If you fancy it, PM me and I'll send you the details :)

    wmpdd3 wrote: »
    So its about 2 weeks since I stopped the morning feed and I'm in agony with a lumpy boob! I think it may be blocked ducts. I've been massaging as best I can as its is soo sore to touch.
    Ibuprofen is not much help either. I've had a a hot water bottle on it the past few nights just to get asleep.

    Was the morning feed a big one? Did you try massaging it in the shower? From chest wall out to nipple. If your little one is still nursing at all, try and position them so that their nose is pointing to the lump, it's meant to help clear it.
    Hope it clears for you soon, I am so lucky I haven't had any blocked ducts or anything like that (touch wood) yet, so can't imagine how uncomfortable it is :(


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    #1041
    red fraggle
    Registered Users Posts: 862 ✭✭✭red fraggle


    Future Baby wrote: »

    How are other Mums managing BF and working by the way, do you think I will still be able do a night/morning feed for a while at least?

    im back in work a few weeks now but i do shift work. i am breastfeeding morning and evening when im here. when i work i miss the evening and the next morning feed. i get home at 12ish and feed her and then i continue as normal. no lumps or bumps so its working grand.;)

    But i will prob be finishing it soon...maybe:rolleyes:, depends on E and whether ive any double shifts to do. right now its working. but does anyone have advice for when i stop. right now its one boob in the morning and one boob at night. how will i stop from getting lumps? is it possible i wont get any lumps and bumps? just wondering.

    cant believe im still breastfeeding and E is nearly 9 months old!!!:eek: where has the time gone!!!:(


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    #1042
    liliq
    Registered Users Posts: 2,242 ✭✭✭liliq


    just do it slowly and you'll be grand!
    i think a lot of people tend to find keeping the night feed for as long as possible is easier, as it's one of the most comforting feeds and helps settle them.
    miss the odd morning with shifts, then miss a few mornings a week, then down to one feed every once in a while in the mornings, and then same with the evenings?


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    #1043
    Rosy Posy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭Rosy Posy


    Future Baby wrote: »
    How are other Mums managing BF and working by the way, do you think I will still be able do a night/morning feed for a while at least?

    Not working but as a SAHM by the time my daughter was 9 months she was down to just a night and morning feed naturally. So your child will be getting all she needs from food and drink by now and still getting the great bonding experience from bfing with you morning and night. I have so much admiration for working mothers who make this work for them.


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    #1044
    NextSteps
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭NextSteps


    Future Baby wrote: »

    How are other Mums managing BF and working by the way, do you think I will still be able do a night/morning feed for a while at least?

    I went back to work when baby was 10 months, and just fed when we were together. It worked fine and both of us adjusted no bother. Baby just had water when we weren't together, or cow's milk once he was a little older. I weaned at 18 months - and then the tantrums started!


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    #1045
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    I went back to work last sept when my son was 7 months and only starting on solids as we did blw. I fed him once at 6.30am and fed him again at 5.30pm and bedtime at 7pm. He'd usually wake twice during the night for a feed although around 8 months he started ocassionally to sleep through.

    We kept up breastfeeding until just after his first birthday when he decided he didn't want it anymore. I night weaned him at 11 months and cut out the 5.30pm feed a month later and then he stopped altogether.

    I pumped for a couple of weeks in work but I found it a total nuisance so I stopped. He used to drink water from a sippy cup in crèche and he was absolutely fine with it.

    It was very easy to maintain breastfeeding while working fulltime and I certainly didn't think it was difficult or a hassle. I'd guess it would be trickier if you worked shifts.


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    #1046
    ck83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 515 ✭✭✭ck83


    My boy started weaning himself as soon as we started solids. I think that when solids started and he was feeding less during the day, my supply started to dwindle. I was a bit disappointed, but still delighted that I made it to the six month mark with exclusive breast feeding.


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    #1047
    2xj3hplqgsbkym
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭2xj3hplqgsbkym


    Can anyone tell me how long you should wait before it is recommend that you express? I have a wedding when baby is 4 weeks , so am wondering if I could go for a while and have a couple glasses of wine?


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    #1048
    liliq
    Registered Users Posts: 2,242 ✭✭✭liliq


    I think 6 weeks is what's recommended, but to be honest if it's a once off I'd express the week coming up to the wedding for a bottle so you've the leeway for a glass or two of wine. My biggest thing would be that bubba might not take the bottle?
    If I as away from baby in the early weeks i tried to time it so I was leaving just after him going to sleep and back around the time he might wake, to save me the hassle of pumping.

    I think for expressing the 6 week guidline is probably good to stick to if you're planning on expressing regularly, cos it really does take a while for supply to settle.


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    #1049
    2xj3hplqgsbkym
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭2xj3hplqgsbkym


    Yea I think you are right liliq. 6 weeks sounds familiar. I think I might just go to the church- maybe get a sup of wine there!


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    #1050
    2xj3hplqgsbkym
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭2xj3hplqgsbkym


    Yea I think you are right liliq. 6 weeks sounds familiar. I think I might just go to the church- maybe get a sup of wine there!


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    #1051
    ck83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 515 ✭✭✭ck83


    Miya Dirty Thinker wrote: »
    Yea I think you are right liliq. 6 weeks sounds familiar. I think I might just go to the church- maybe get a sup of wine there!

    6-8 weeks is recommended. I will confess I started giving the odd expressed bottle (which was only about 2-3oz) at four weeks. I had a fear of letting it go too long, and having my little mite refuse the bottle. Think I listened to all the anti- breastfeeders too much. We had no problems though


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