The Breast Feeding Support Thread

fits · 18-06-2018 8:05am

We started with finger foods exclusively but introduced porridge and soup with the spoon. Mixed approach worked well for us anyway. I never bothered with purées

Millem · 18-06-2018 9:51am

I do both but never did purees purely because my husband broke the hand blender!!! I just mash with a fork. Lots of gagging with finger food....MIL has to leave the room and tells me he’s choking!!
Every meal I do some spoon and some finger food.
Dogs here too but I find one of them is a hinderance as he keeps hand feeding her! So should really feed him in a different room to them

Also using an open cup for drinks with meals.

hollymartins · 18-06-2018 9:57am

I am still trying to get my daughter to take a bottle in the evening, we're using a latex teat now and she doesn't shoved it out of her mouth with her tongue like she used to with the other teats. She may take an ounce of expressed breastmilk but then usually has an absolute meltdown. I eventually get her settled and she may take another ounce or half ounce but that's it and then she wants to nurse before before going down to sleep. She hasn't taken more than 2 ounces from the bottle since we started about 3 weeks ago. Am I expecting too much for her to take more at this stage? I feel awful making her take the bottle when she gets so upset.

I know it's a big adjustment for her but I'd like to hear other experiences

scarepanda · 18-06-2018 10:30am

Haha Millem.... We have that as well. A mouthful for her and a mouthful each for the dogs! Our solution was to add slightly more food to accommodate this, because if the dogs aren't beside her, she'll keep looking for them till they are laying at her feet. My girl usually feeds herself first and the hand feeding starts as she starts to get a bit full. But they both sit when she tells them to ;-)! And It's great never having to clean the floor.

Holymartins, what age is your daughter? If she's started solids (so 5/6mths +) I honestly wouldn't worry about getting her to take a bottle just put all liquids into a beaker. My EBF was never great at taking a bottle. But once we started solids we gave all liquids (water, cows milk and expressed milk) into a beaker. It really didn't take her long to figure it all out. We found she took to the 360' beakers the best.

hollymartins · 18-06-2018 10:33am

Oh she's not weaning, she's 10 weeks old so solids aren't on the horizon yet. But I'm pumping and I would like her Dad to be able to give her a bottle in the evening (so I can do bedtime with our toddler occasionally)

scarepanda · 18-06-2018 10:56am

Ah! Sorry, iv just noticed a lot of people trying to start bottles around weaning age because they are going back to work.

For what it's worth my girl used to take the odd bottle up till about 10 weeks old and then went on a bottle strike till she was about 18 weeks. We didn't try everyday as the bottle was only for times I wasn't around, which wasn't often. For this reason also I didn't buy any new bottles because it would have been a waste of money. But we did try her a few times a week on the bottle, for 8 weeks she refused point blank, and then all of a sudden decided that she would take one one day.
You (or your husband as he's the one that will be giving her the bottle) just need to keep offering a bottle to her. You could try different teats and bottles. Also, as her feeding schedule should start to settle down from now on and become a little more predictable, could you try time a feed for just before toddlers bedtime? Have a look on kellymom for tips and tricks. But I think it will come down to persistence on your behalf and your daughter deciding that a bottle isn't the worst thing in the world.

hollymartins · 18-06-2018 1:04pm

Yes I think you're right, we just have to be persistent. She has improved so I guess we'll just be patient and hopefully it'll click for her.

lazygal · 18-06-2018 2:51pm

hollymartins wrote: »

I am still trying to get my daughter to take a bottle in the evening, we're using a latex teat now and she doesn't shoved it out of her mouth with her tongue like she used to with the other teats. She may take an ounce of expressed breastmilk but then usually has an absolute meltdown. I eventually get her settled and she may take another ounce or half ounce but that's it and then she wants to nurse before before going down to sleep. She hasn't taken more than 2 ounces from the bottle since we started about 3 weeks ago. Am I expecting too much for her to take more at this stage? I feel awful making her take the bottle when she gets so upset.

I know it's a big adjustment for her but I'd like to hear other experiences

Could you try giving it in a cup instead of a bottle and letting her slip a little?

Pocos · 18-06-2018 8:23pm

hollymartins wrote: »

I am still trying to get my daughter to take a bottle in the evening, we're using a latex teat now and she doesn't shoved it out of her mouth with her tongue like she used to with the other teats. She may take an ounce of expressed breastmilk but then usually has an absolute meltdown. I eventually get her settled and she may take another ounce or half ounce but that's it and then she wants to nurse before before going down to sleep. She hasn't taken more than 2 ounces from the bottle since we started about 3 weeks ago. Am I expecting too much for her to take more at this stage? I feel awful making her take the bottle when she gets so upset.

I know it's a big adjustment for her but I'd like to hear other experiences

Hi holly Martin, I could have written the above post! She takes half an ounce maybe even an ounce you feel you are getting somewhere then another day she refuses

we stared are LO on a bottle a day at 8 weeks refused refused refused! We gave up for 2 weeks at 14 weeks, we went back at it! Now at 24 weeks she still refuses! We give her the option of a bottle at 6/7pm every evening! She may take an ounce takes forever and then has a meltdown! I’m givibg it 2 more weeks and then at 6 months I’m going to a sippy cup! She has my heart broke but what can I do?! She doesn’t like bottles

I’m not trying to discourage you but I suppose if she doesn’t take to the bottle you aren’t the only one! I feel it was our own fault for trying too late but we didn’t want nipple confusion! For I have a Second child I’ll def be starting it sooner!!!

hollymartins · 18-06-2018 8:39pm

We started her at 7 weeks as I didn't want to pump before 6 weeks (that's the advice!) But like you if I had to do it again I would've started earlier. Although our son didn't have these issues when we bottle fed him but every baby is different and she's certainly her own person!

I think she's actually just very cranky in the evening. My husband was late trying the bottle this evening so I nursed her for a few minutes as she was hungry and she cried her eyes out even without a bottle.

I'm going to keep going with it. But out of interest how young is too young for sippy cup? Is it very slow for feeding milk? I would've thought she wouldn't be ready for a cup til she was about 4 months?

bee06 · 18-06-2018 8:46pm

Have ye tried introducing the bottle during the day and getting them used to it that way? Nursing at bedtime is more than the milk I would say, it’s about comfort etc as well so maybe that’s why they are getting upset after drinking some milk?

Pocos · 18-06-2018 9:33pm

The 6/7 pm feed is her second last one! Her bedtime feed is between 8-9! So takes so little of the bottle it doesn’t interfere with the nighttime feed! There are nuby sippy cups for 4 months plus! To be honest she’s only ok with the sippy cup! Just using cooled boiled water to get used to it!

Well I’m glad someone else would start sooner! I really felt I dropped the ball on this one!!! But hopefully I’ll know better for the next one!

Anne_cordelia · 19-06-2018 4:13am

My youngest never took a bottle. I’ve gone out in the evenings, being out with my husband, nights out with the girls and one overnight away. It’s doable. I didn’t bother trying a bottle until 3 months due to potential nipple confusion but I’m just as happy they never took to it.

There is too much emphasis and pressure on stopping babies ‘being reliant’ on their mothers and boob when it’s the most natural thing in the world. The time passes so quickly I wouldn’t be bothered with the stress and annoyance of trying a bottle every night.

I can still put my older ones to bed. The husband just walked/put baby in sling for the 20mins when they were smaller.

hollymartins · 19-06-2018 9:33am

That's interesting, and I'm glad to hear its doable but the main reason I want my husband to share the feeds is because I want to do bedtime with our son again as I havent put him to bed in over 10 weeks because our daughter is nursing.

Pocos · 19-06-2018 9:44am

I know lots of people don’t put them on bottles but I really was hoping to finish the feeding at 6 months! I know probably not a popular attitude to have with this thread but I’ve done the 9 months of pregnancy, 6 months breast feeding id like to have my body and what I put into it just me! I’d like to try and have a second close enough to this LO so I would like a bit of a break! I know that probably sounds selfish to some people but it’s how I feel! Not gonna happen I’d say the feeding will continue well past the 6 months but 6 months had been my initial plan!

I’ve tried the dinners out, the spa app the lunches and yes very doable but I feel guilty! Knowing that she’s thirsty or hungry at home all because I want to be out! To the point I’ve given up on nights out altogether now! I do a lot of lunches with her with me and I’ve gone back to exercise classes for the head space! I would be just more comfortable while out that she would take a bottle if thirsty is all!! Also have a wedding end of the month and I know she’ll be upstairs and I’ll be up feeding her when I’d love to be downstairs relaxed and having a drink without having to counting hours and drinks to the next feed!

Sorry bit of a rant there! And I love the breast feeding and happy to do it 95% of the time... would just love the bottle for the other 5% is all!!!

Anyway I’ll know for the next one

scarepanda · 19-06-2018 10:19am

Ah pocos, it's not a selfish attitude at all. At 6 months old your body has given 15 months of life and sustenance to your baby, it's an amazing feat. So don't feel guilty whatsoever and don't let anyone make you feel guilty for wanting to stop at 6 months.

Your so close to starting solids, I honestly wouldn't stress over getting her to take a traditional bottle. My girl never took them properly, I would honestly start giving her liquids in beakers and use those as your bottle. I think it would be less hassle for you in the long run as you'll be starting her on beakers very soon anyways even if you get her onto bottles.

My girl is nearly 2, and I still feel guilty leaving her for too long, I don't know if that ever fully goes away when they are so tiny! For what it's worth, if you do end up feeding after 6 months, I found the whole experience changed for me once solids had started. Because I wasn't the main food source and if I was away and baby got hungry then there were other alternatives to keeping her full at that stage so it wasn't as full on or stressful. We're still nursing at 22 months, once a day at bedtime and for me, it's very special. It's hard to explain. I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty or big myself up or anything, I just want to let you know that solids were a big turning point for me and you do start to get your body back to some degree.

lazygal · 19-06-2018 10:28am

My second refused all attempts at a bottle, didn't want what we tried. It was a pain but then he started solids and we kept going and I only weaned him when he turned 4.5 yrs because I'm pregnant again. I really hated those six months and only enjoyed maternity leave once I was able to get some time away from him!

Pocos · 19-06-2018 4:54pm

Thanks ladies! Lazy gal that is Amazing doing it for 4.5 years but I personally wouldn’t want to last that long! I hoping to be done as soon as I can!

No one is making me feel guilty probably just me myself making me feel guilty! Yes I had heard it gets easier after solids! But I suppose I’m not keeping going out of choice, so it’s a bit different! Anyway what will be will be I just have to roll with it!! Thanks ladies for all the advice!

hollymartins · 19-06-2018 6:56pm

My issue aswell is some people say wait til she's on solids but first time around my son was impossible when it came to solids, he didn't eat anything until he was about one when he finally accepted porridge and yogurt. So from 7 months (when I stopped breastfeeding to return to work) to well over a year he still needed 4 bottles during the day, there's no way I could pump that!

bee06 · 19-06-2018 7:32pm

I can’t remember if it was recommended already but the below bottle is recommended by moms in a Facebook group I’m in. They’re expensive but a lot say it was the only bottle their babies would take.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B005ZFFDMU/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1529432945&sr=8-2&keywords=mimijumi&dpPl=1&dpID=41pEY3%2B4J1L&ref=plSrch

shesty · 19-06-2018 8:53pm

Pocos, I can tell you now that no matter when you stop, you will feel guilty.It's partially the hormones, I think.Have been through it twice and now on a third, and the guilt is there.....

Hollymartins I get what you're saying.Honestly, hats off to anyone who BF long term.I am at six weeks on number three and ready to throw in the towel.As someone else said, I kind of just want my body back now, it was a long, fairly tough pregnancy and I want to go back to being a mother for my other two kids, who are still small....doing bedtime etc for them.I love my baby more than anything, but while I had incredible guilt thinking about stopping ony second (and I didn't go muuch longer with her), this time round I kind of feel I've had enough already.He's a big baby too, and keeping him fed is a lot of feeds, which is fine, but .....I have two others too.It's tough but at the end of the day it's your decision and yours alone.

bee06 · 20-06-2018 7:11pm

Just saw this post on Instagram by a lactation consultant that I follow. Thought those of you pumping for a bedtime feed might find it interesting

Anne_cordelia · 20-06-2018 8:53pm

Just on the whole getting your body back - I really don’t do anything different because I’m breastfeeding. I drink, I eat what I want. I’m lucky that I haven’t needed meds so that’s not an issue. There is no need to restrict yourselves. But each to their own. I’m finding it so much easier than formula feeding (FF the oldest) at this later stage. The early days are tough but there is such a reward by the time they are older.

bee06 · 20-06-2018 9:10pm

Anne_cordelia wrote: »

Just on the whole getting your body back - I really don’t do anything different because I’m breastfeeding. I drink, I eat what I want. I’m lucky that I haven’t needed meds so that’s not an issue. There is no need to restrict yourselves. But each to their own. I’m finding it so much easier than formula feeding (FF the oldest) at this later stage. The early days are tough but there is such a reward by the time they are older.

Loads of medications are perfectly safe to take while breastfeeding even if uneducated GP’s and pharmacists say otherwise. This is a great starting point to check. Wendy Jones is a pharmacist who is an expert in breastfeeding and medications. The Lactmed app is also good to check.

https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-factsheets/

shesty · 20-06-2018 9:21pm

Anne_cordelia wrote: »

Just on the whole getting your body back - I really don’t do anything different because I’m breastfeeding. I drink, I eat what I want. I’m lucky that I haven’t needed meds so that’s not an issue. There is no need to restrict yourselves. But each to their own. I’m finding it so much easier than formula feeding (FF the oldest) at this later stage. The early days are tough but there is such a reward by the time they are older.

It's not really that for me, it's more the "touched out" feeling....I know it doesn't affect lots of people but it seems to affect me.And just the leaking (specially at night), tender breasts (because he's pulling on and off a LOT), and that.....it's not big things but all in all it just adds up to feeling like I want my body back to me.
To be honest, my little guy was a big baby and is almost a stone in weight (at six weeks)......he feeds a lot during the day and I find it tough going so I have introduced an extra bottle to top him up.I'd like to keep going longer with the BF, but I just can't do it exclusively for him.

He seems to be ok with that :-) And each to their own, as you say.

rainbow kirby · 20-06-2018 10:29pm

I'm nearly 5 months in with #2 and the feeling of being touched out is a killer. It's really making me want to stop BF at this stage, I just feel done. I've been non-stop either pregnant or breastfeeding for 3 years and I'm just worn out.

Pocos · 20-06-2018 10:51pm

Anne_cordelia wrote: »

Just on the whole getting your body back - I really don’t do anything different because I’m breastfeeding. I drink, I eat what I want. I’m lucky that I haven’t needed meds so that’s not an issue. There is no need to restrict yourselves. But each to their own. I’m finding it so much easier than formula feeding (FF the oldest) at this later stage. The early days are tough but there is such a reward by the time they are older.

I drink but I do try and count the hours so it is out of my system! Now I do eat and drink but I suppose i feel like I’m always on call! And if I get pregnant again then you are back watching what you eat and do! I’d like a small break in between!

As for our posters what does “touched out” mean? I’ve never heard of the phrase!

rainbow kirby · 20-06-2018 11:13pm

Just when you've had so many little hands on you all day that you can't stand it any more.

Anne_cordelia · 21-06-2018 6:41am

Urgh I totally get touched out. Husband bears the brunt of that one!! Unfortunately I make clingy babies who don’t like rockers/baskets/bouncers so regardless of feeding method, they are always in arms. Every shower for the first 8 months of my oldest’s life had the back drop of a crying baby. It wasn’t easy. Thankfully the others are more relaxed once they could sit up themselves. The 4-6 month period on all babies (ff and bf) nearly broke me. I never want to experience that again! Good luck with whatever ye decide. All breastfeeding is an achievement. But I just find it a breeze from 6 months and I never thought I would say that.

Anne_cordelia · 21-06-2018 6:42am

Oh and time to yourself with baby handed over to daddy is essential. Your brain needs to be able to switch off. Morning is daddy time here.

The Breast Feeding Support Thread

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