Bottle Feeding in the Hospital

Dfens · 11-01-2009 1:24am

CathyMoran wrote: »

Am also planning to breast feed,................ We also have allergies in our family so it would probably be better for our baby.

Hope BF goes well for you, please bear in mind that research is indicating that while breastmilk can be of enormous benefit to allergy susceptible babies, certain allergy-causing substances (nut protein for example) can actually be passed to the child via the breastmilk. BFing mums of allergy-prone children may need to watch their own diet carefully & restrict/eliminate certain foods because of this.

Lillyella · 11-01-2009 2:57am

Dfens wrote: »

Hope BF goes well for you, please bear in mind that research is indicating that while breastmilk can be of enormous benefit to allergy susceptible babies, certain allergy-causing substances (nut protein for example) can actually be passed to the child via the breastmilk. BFing mums of allergy-prone children may need to watch their own diet carefully & restrict/eliminate certain foods because of this.

Whilst this may or may not be the case, this isn't something that should put ANYONE off breastfeeding.

Girls, I can't stress enough what a rewarding experience it is, despite being sore to begin with.

embee · 11-01-2009 3:28am

The truth is that everyone knows breast is best, it's well documented and no one can deny that.

However, it can also not be denied that some women have personal objections to it and just plain don't want to. They don't like the very idea of it and the idea of breastfeeding makes them uncomfortable, so there will never be a 100% uptake in breastfeeding rates. It isn't down to ignorance, women are generally well educated on the advantages of breastfeeding before, during and after pregnancy. Any woman on the street who doesn't have kids can tell you that breast is best for a baby. That said, the women who choose to bottlefeed because of reasons similar to the above are to be respected just as much as the woman in the bed next to her in ante-natal class who ends up breastfeeding exclusively and successfully for 6 months or more.

Happy Mammies make happy babies, at the end of the day.

Grawns · 11-01-2009 12:55pm

Dfens wrote: »

Hope BF goes well for you, please bear in mind that research is indicating that while breastmilk can be of enormous benefit to allergy susceptible babies, certain allergy-causing substances (nut protein for example) can actually be passed to the child via the breastmilk. BFing mums of allergy-prone children may need to watch their own diet carefully & restrict/eliminate certain foods because of this.

All true and worth knowing. I haven't had peanuts in 8 months now and it will be a long time before I can. I miss them so much :mad:. However it's also true that a child can get peanut allergy even where the mother was extremely careful about their diet. It pays to be educated but even when you're regimental about your diet, breastfeeding is not a guarentee of an allergy free child. There's an element of nature over nurture.

The main reason I'm going to breastfeed ( along with the allergies in our family) is that I've heard it's a beautiful experience ( once you get past the v.v sore nipple phase). Nearly everyone I know has bottlefed and none of the children are any the worse for it.

marti101 · 11-01-2009 11:15pm

I bf all my 3 children and never had sore nipples.I find in the hospital you cant relax but when at home you can go at your own pace,makes it much easier.Also if going to bf dont top up it diminishes your supply same to be said about pumping before 6 weeks.Only making it harder not easier,as well as bf you have to sterilise wash bottles so you are really doubling your workload.Im not the breastfeeding gestapo but i do feel strongly about it.So at least give it a go and dont listen to people who have never breastfed.I had 2 kids in holles street and found them very helpful and had the last baby in the rotunda and again found them extremely helpful whe it came to breastfeeding.You have to do what you feels is right .

Dfens · 12-01-2009 2:06pm

Lillyella wrote: »

Whilst this may or may not be the case, this isn't something that should put ANYONE off breastfeeding.

Girls, I can't stress enough what a rewarding experience it is, despite being sore to begin with.

+1, I'm still partially BFing my 7 month old son in the morning & evening after my return to work. And did likewise with his big sister.

I just wanted to make mothers aware of the impact their own diet can have on their childs comfort...and that it can be something you can troubleshoot around. For example I have restricted certain foods from my diet to help avoid nasty flare-ups with my son's facial eczema & it's helped a lot.

Grawns · 12-01-2009 2:43pm

Like what dfens? I'm not going to eat peanuts but hadn't thought of anything else. Thanks

Dfens · 12-01-2009 6:15pm

Well at the moment for me, because I haven't yet identified what is causing his eczema:
Eggs (egg is in a lot of stuff such as custard, cakes, buns, some scones & anything with sponge in it, so you will need to check the ingredients)
Dairy (cream, butter, yoghurt, cheese, chocolate

& have cut back on milk apart from tea/coffee)
Nuts (all kinds)
Citrus fruit (have in the last day or two re-introduced a little back into my diet & no flare ups so far...)
Some people also give up or limit wheat, I haven't & it seems to be ok.

So as you can guess I had a lean christmas this year....:( ...but it's worth the effort.
It can take a few weeks though before you can see an effect on the child due to mom's diet changes.

His eczema has improved a lot in the last 2 weeks compared to what it was like (needed antibiotics - oral & cream as well as Hydrocortisone cream twice).
Been through the whole ezcema/food allergy thing already with DD when she was around 16 months - we found out it was allergy to eggs ourselves by paying a very close eye on her diet & had it well under control by the time we got an appointment to see the Paed. dermatologist 6 months later.

I plan on slowly re-introducing the above foods again to my diet one-by-one to try identify what his eczema trigger is.

Grawns · 12-01-2009 8:43pm

Thanks for that and I will certainly keep it in mind. I have mild asthma and we had some eczema as children so there is a reasonable chance of it occuring. You are a saint by the way.

Quackles · 12-01-2009 10:48pm

Dfens wrote: »

Well at the moment for me, because I haven't yet identified what is causing his eczema:
Eggs (egg is in a lot of stuff such as custard, cakes, buns, some scones & anything with sponge in it, so you will need to check the ingredients)
Dairy (cream, butter, yoghurt, cheese, chocolate & have cut back on milk apart from tea/coffee)
Nuts (all kinds)
Citrus fruit (have in the last day or two re-introduced a little back into my diet & no flare ups so far...)
Some people also give up or limit wheat, I haven't & it seems to be ok.

So as you can guess I had a lean christmas this year....:( ...but it's worth the effort.
It can take a few weeks though before you can see an effect on the child due to mom's diet changes.

His eczema has improved a lot in the last 2 weeks compared to what it was like (needed antibiotics - oral & cream as well as Hydrocortisone cream twice).
Been through the whole ezcema/food allergy thing already with DD when she was around 16 months - we found out it was allergy to eggs ourselves by paying a very close eye on her diet & had it well under control by the time we got an appointment to see the Paed. dermatologist 6 months later.

I plan on slowly re-introducing the above foods again to my diet one-by-one to try identify what his eczema trigger is.

Jeebus chrizzly, what you CAN eat might make a shorter list

Thanks for that though, like Grawns, I have history of eczema and the doctor has suggested that he thinks I may also be mildly athsmatic, as is my son (both athsma and eczema), so this can only come in handy!

Bottle Feeding in the Hospital

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