Feeding newborns - your stories please!

bogtotty

This topic may have been done to death already on boards, so apologies if I'm repeating what has been done before.

I'm planning on doing a piece of research into attitudes to infant feeding in Ireland and was hoping to get some preliminary opinions from the good folk of boards.ie.

My main questions are:

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
Why did you choose that method?
If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
If you chose combined feeding, was it successful?
Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
How/when do you plan to wean your baby?

Thanks a million for any replies!

metrovelvet

I couldnt breastfeed so I formula fed. TBH I blame the breast feeding nazis in the hospital who made it a huge deal and ended up causing inhibitions.

littlebug

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?

Baby 1. Breastfed for 6 weeks then bottle
Baby 2. Breastfed for 7-8 months

Why did you choose that method?
Baby 1. I was undecided until she was born prematurely then I decided I had to try my best to give her the best start.
Baby2: Because it didn't work out so well with baby 1 I wanted it to work second time

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc). NA

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?

As with second question.Not sure what else...??

If you chose combined feeding, was it successful? NA

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Baby 1: Fed with expressed BM via ng tube for most of her first 3 weeks. After that I found "real" feeding very difficult. I couldn't find much info specifically breastfeeding a premature baby. She also had bad reflux with added to the difficulty but again. Unlike the previous poster I didn't feel pressurised and in fact was getting very conflicting advice.

Baby 2: No pressure in hospital but he took to feeding well. The only difficulty was getting him weaned after 7 months!

How/when do you plan to wean your baby?

NA

Ickle Magoo

My son was born prematurely and without a suck so he was originally fed witha naso-gastric tube then bottle-fed expressed breast milk for four months, supplemented with a special fattening-up formula as he wasn't gaining any weight.

My daughter was breastfed for just two weeks. I had awful cracked nipples and she was a chomper, tried shields, tried pumping (I'll never view pink milk in the same light again!) - and everything else my local LLL could think of - but when we weighed up the SPD, the 15month old I also had to care for and the agonising pain I was in whenever she was trying to feed, I gave up the ghost & went for formula.

I didn't really choose anything, I knew I wanted to breastfeed in the same way I wanted a water birth - and circumstances saw to it that that went out the window too! :rolleyes:

I've had difficulties with getting the kids to take all kinds of feeds - even solids! We've reflux, strikes, you name it! I didn't really wean them either, they weaned themselves. We waited until they showed an interest in foods & we went with that.

bogtotty

metrovelvet wrote: »

I couldnt breastfeed so I formula fed. TBH I blame the breast feeding nazis in the hospital who made it a huge deal and ended up causing inhibitions.

Seems a common theme amongst many new mums - promotion of official health message without any proper support to back it up. Any chance you could tell me a bit more about how they made you feel inhibited? I'll understand if it's a bit personal...

eviltwin

Hi. I have a 12 day old son so might be able to help

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
Combined breast and formula feeding

Why did you choose that method?
Never tried breastfeeding with my daughter and wanted to try it this time but didnt want to be the sole person responsible for feeding the baby so decided to breast feed during the day and stick to formula at night and when we are out and about so daddy could help

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
Dont like the idea of breastfeeding in public or in front of family/friends so its handy to have the bottles for when we are out and about, I also find the baby sleeps better during the night when he has had formula before bed

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
Just wanted to give it a go really. I dont have any real reasons for starting but its really helped me to lose weight so I'm definately going to stick with it

If you chose combined feeding, was it successful?
Yes, has gone like a dream. The medical staff in the hosptial were a bit unsure about me doing it so I only started when I came home but its worked wonders. He sleeps better after a bottle so its meant that we've been able to have very little sleepless nights and it gives dad a chance to feed him too

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Not really, just a few issues getting breast feeding established but our local health centre has a breast feeding counsellor we saw when he was a week old and she was a great help

How/when do you plan to wean your baby?
When he gets teeth!!

metrovelvet

bogtotty wrote: »

Seems a common theme amongst many new mums - promotion of official health message without any proper support to back it up. Any chance you could tell me a bit more about how they made you feel inhibited? I'll understand if it's a bit personal...

1. Pushing you into breastfeeding classes in the hospital after surgery when you cant walk and just want to sleep

2.standing over your shoulder with your garagnutan breasts hanging out readjusting your arms, fiddling with the baby's mouth, the baby looking up not knowing what the hell is going on. general intimidation towards mother and infant.

If they handed me a six pack of beer and let me sleep I probably would have relaxed enough to be able to do it. But no, they just added more pressure and stress to it.

run_Forrest_run

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?

Both babies delivered by c-section, the wife tried breatfeeding on the first but between the discomfort she was in from the section and exhaustion, pain, slow milk, pressure from the breast is best brigade/nazis we both agreed on bottle fed.

Why did you choose that method?
See above.

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
Certainly not social reasons. Again, above says it all.

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Not with the first but the second baby (4 months old now) is a divil for messing with the bottle. His suck action seems non existent (but obviously not!). Could be the bottles we are using this time, Tommy Tippee (we used to use Avent but stopped due to the latest BPA scare/over-reaction!).

metrovelvet

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?

Both babies delivered by c-section, the wife tried breatfeeding on the first but between the discomfort she was in from the section and exhaustion, pain, slow milk, pressure from the breast is best brigade/nazis we both agreed on bottle fed.

Why did you choose that method?
See above.

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
Certainly not social reasons. Again, above says it all.

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Not with the first but the second baby (4 months old now) is a divil for messing with the bottle. His suck action seems non existent (but obviously not!). Could be the bottles we are using this time, Tommy Tippee (we used to use Avent but stopped due to the latest BPA scare/over-reaction!).

I had exactly the same experience.

Nevyn

metrovelvet wrote: »

1. Pushing you into breastfeeding classes in the hospital after surgery when you cant walk and just want to sleep

2.standing over your shoulder with your garagnutan breasts hanging out readjusting your arms, fiddling with the baby's mouth, the baby looking up not knowing what the hell is going on. general intimidation towards mother and infant.

If they handed me a six pack of beer and let me sleep I probably would have relaxed enough to be able to do it. But no, they just added more pressure and stress to it.

Those American midwifes/nurses sound pretty awful.

Popel

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
Breastfeeding, have recently started weaning her.

Why did you choose that method?
I wanted to give it a try in spite of all the stories about how tough it is.

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
I wanted to provide the most natural and healthiest option, if I could. I was open to using formula if it didnt work, but it did work, and I´m still waiting for the agonising pain that everyone talks about Found it completely easy, especially as I don´t like doing the dishes and havn´t had to deal with bottle-washing and sterilising.

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Well, she never took a bottle or a soother, which proved to be a difficulty when it comes to calming her down when crying, or giving her colic medicine (which had to be mixed with their milk in a bottle for half an hour before feeding:rolleyes:).

How/when do you plan to wean your baby?
I started weaning her at 5 months, to give some room before she has to eat food for iron. She took to it brilliantly, but we´re still taking it slowly enough for now. I want to keep my breastmilk as her main source of food still.

metrovelvet

Thaedydal wrote: »

Those American midwifes/nurses sound pretty awful.

They are. They stink.

Mrs.T

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
Breastfed son for 27 months, currently breastfeeding 7 month old

Why did you choose that method?
As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I never even considered formula.

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
Best for baby, best for me (after the initial difficulties), hayfever, asthma on husbands side, cost, it's always ready and at right temperature. I was determined to breastfeed, I didn't have formula just in case (although I did have a slight panic about that whilst in labour )

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
In the beginning I had bleeding nipples because latch wasn't good. PHN lack of knowledge about breastfeeding. The "experts" I met at the time didn't have a clue about the correct information regarding breastfeeding eg weight gain, the centile graphs being out of date, breastfed babies can go without pooing for nearly a week.etc etc. I found support from a breastfeeding forum on the internet or from friends who had breastfed. Never had a problem feeding in public or in front of everybody.
With daughter had a c-section. My only concern was if I could breastfeed. Midwives were fantastic helping me latch on when I couldn't move and get her out of crib because I wasn't allowed to pick her up the first few days.

How/when do you plan to wean your baby?
Weaned son at 5 months on baby rice because PHN advised us that he would then sleep through...... he never until 18 months! Found out about Baby Led Weaning and switched over straight away.
With daughter, we started a week before she was 6 months, again with Baby Led Weaning and she is loving feeding herself!

I have a fantastic husband who supports me along the way and is there with a cuddle after a long day/night, I think that is half the battle.

~me~

Was going to be starting college when baby was 6 weeks old (father minding her til creche would take her) so I decided it was best to bottle feed from the get go instead of messing around with alternative methods and getting her out of routine and stuff. I also didnt think i was healthy/strong enough to breastfeed, after a pregnancy of chronic morning sicknes and especially with the stresses of college etc.
It was also a more attractive method being honest, but that wasnt my main reason!

I found that the nurses were really bossy and pushy when it came to breastfeeding. they talked me through it on my first hospital visit and made me sign a form to say i was told about all the positives of breastfeeding.

it was on my notes that i wasnt going to breastfeed but straight after the birth the midwife told me to start feeding her, i said i wasnt planning to breastfeed and she kept saying give it a try until my partner sternly told her i didnt want to and she shouldnt pressure me to do so! i thought that was unacceptable because had i been on my own i wouldve given in to her even though its not what i wanted and women need to be comfortable in their decision before they start or else it will cause all kinds of problems for mother and baby.

my lil girl has some stomach problems and sometimes i find myself wondering if its cause i didnt breastfeed but the same could happen to a breastfed baby too, its luck of the draw really.

I weaned her at six months, and she was quite a hungry baby at that stage! we'd give her the baby rice and stuff but also the rusks to suck on and rice cakes as she got that bit older and even though she couldnt chew she could munch her way through them! now you can get this container that has loads of holes in it that you put fruit in so that the baby can suck the juices through it without the fear of her choking or anything! they're hard to explain but really good!

i think whatever the mother chooses is the best way to go because the mother has to be comfortable in her decision otherwise the baby is gonna pick up on her worries and feeding time wont be the relaxing bonding experience that it should be.

CeNedra

Hi,

I breast fed both my babies until they were 6 months.

Baby 1: I decided to give BF a go as my sister had done it for 6 weeks and managed. I decided I would try, but if it didn't work that was fine. I was very open minded about it and didn't appreciate having bf shoved down my throat at pre-natal classes/hospital visits etc.

My baby was very big and in hospital I was feeding her continuously. I was getting very very sore. My sister had almost got an infection due to bad latching on technique (she got no help whatsoever in hospital, midwives can be very pushy, but no follow through in some cases) so my mother basically started telling me to give baby a bottle so I wouldn't end up so sore like my sister.
When I asked for a bottle I was told no. I was giving in too easy. But I got my husband to follow another mother and find where they were. I gave the baby a bottle that night and the night after. Best thing ever as I spent most of the day with her latched on, so I got a break for a few hours at night. It kept me going. I didn't give the baby another bottle after that until she was almost 6 months.

This baby got her first bit of food at 5 months. Started on carrot and other veg. It went really well. She is still a great eater to this day (2.5yrs).

2nd Baby;
Decided to give the bf another go. Couldn't do it for one and not the other. Still sore at the beginning but not as bad.
I gave her a bottle for first two nights in hospital and like the other baby didn't give her another bottle until 6 months.
5 and half months she got first feed (sweet potato).
She is 9 months now and has very broad diet of fruit/veg and meat.
Food is all home cooking like the first. Major time investment.

To encourage BF I think the best way is make it as easy as possible.
Enourage the mother to give formula for first two nights and get a good night sleep. Yes I know the first few days are so important for 'bring in the right milk supply' but based on my experience, the baby spends so much time latched on, one bottle each day doesn't impact it. I had loads of milk. I know his can vary so a case by case approach should be taken.

I actually wish I had kept a bottle going and gave formula last feed every day. Spread the load between parents. Again, get sleep for the mother and a mother who is getting some sleep has a better chance of keeping BF going.

I think focusing education on the how in the hospital is key. My sister had an awful experience and could have given up bf. The midwives ignored her basically and she is a very quiet person. You need to be shown a few times how to get the latching on right. A book doesn't cover it. 5 mins doesn't cover it. Soreness turns people off and I think after giving birth and the soreness associated with that, adding soreness to bf is like adding insult to injury. I was very sore on 1st, I would compare my first week of BF like having glass pushed into my nipples. I was doing it wrong. I could have given up.

Anyway that's by 2cents worth. Best of luck with research.

Grawns

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?

Baby 1. Still brastfeeding, now 10 months


Why did you choose that method?
Baby 1. WHO recommendation also a history of allergies on both sides of family.

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc). NA

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
Research into multiple benefits



If you chose combined feeding, was it successful? NA

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Baby 1: Just in the hospital with ill-informed nurses. Left me to my own devices and baby slept too much and became jaundiced. At this stage I threw a proper freakout and insisted on expressing and the baby being cup fed. I did my research and lucky too as they were more dangerous than useful and no wonder so many women get cracked nipples through stupid nurses shoving the baby on to latch any old way.

My advice buy a proper breastfeeding book and read it beforehand. Latching shouldn't ever hurt. Hence never had a cracked nipple. Also buy a proper breastpump to ease engorgement. I went with the medela pump in style and got some habermann bottles for the odd bottle feed.



How/when do you plan to wean your baby?

Was going to do it at a year but might wait until winter over.

run_Forrest_run

Popel wrote: »

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
I wanted to provide the most natural and healthiest option, if I could. I was open to using formula if it didnt work, but it did work, and I´m still waiting for the agonising pain that everyone talks about

...
....
Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Well, she never took a bottle or a soother, which proved to be a difficulty when it comes to calming her down when crying, or giving her colic medicine (which had to be mixed with their milk in a bottle for half an hour before feeding:rolleyes:).

I hope your comment above about the pain was just a simple little giggle and nothing sarcastic because sometimes the breastfeeding brigade are well able to be sarcastic which is one of the reasons why people in difficulty with breastfeeding just give up, it's a combination of ignorance on the part of the people pushing breastfeeding and pressure.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought a baby doesn't get colic if being breast fed?? That may sound dumb but hey, I heard it on a video during ante-natal classes when they were plugging breastfeeding.

run_Forrest_run

Grawns wrote: »

Latching shouldn't ever hurt. Hence never had a cracked nipple. Also buy a proper breastpump to ease engorgement. I went with the medela pump in style and got some habermann bottles for the odd bottle feed.

what did the book say about the pain experienced by mothers who have had c-sections and it takes longer for the milk to arrive? I've seen some serious pain and discomfort (c'mon, there was even blood!). It was pretty tough going...and I'm just the father!

CeNedra

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

I hope your comment above about the pain was just a simple little giggle and nothing sarcastic because sometimes the breastfeeding brigade are well able to be sarcastic which is one of the reasons why people in difficulty with breastfeeding just give up, it's a combination of ignorance on the part of the people pushing breastfeeding and pressure.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought a baby doesn't get colic if being breast fed?? That may sound dumb but hey, I heard it on a video during ante-natal classes when they were plugging breastfeeding.

Both my babies had colic. Tried all remedies and none really worked, they just grew out of it. Besides 2 bottles in hospital they were 100% BF from breast. No bottles. I called LL league, got zero help. Just had to ride the storm.

run_Forrest_run

CeNedra wrote: »

Both my babies had colic. Tried all remedies and none really worked, they just grew out of it. Besides 2 bottles in hospital they were 100% BF from breast. No bottles. I called LL league, got zero help. Just had to ride the storm.

thanks for that info, another myth from LL league so.

metrovelvet

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

what did the book say about the pain experienced by mothers who have had c-sections and it takes longer for the milk to arrive? I've seen some serious pain and discomfort (c'mon, there was even blood!). It was pretty tough going...and I'm just the father!

I think this happens [happened to me] because when you give birth theres a huge hormonal release which "lets your body know" that the baby has been born and so your body knows it has to feed soon. The minute babies are born through natural birth and given to the mother they start rooting. THis doesnt happen with c sections. You dont have the hormonal release and the baby doesnt really know its been born and it doesnt start rooting, so you have a whole chain of events there.

bogtotty

Thanks a million everyone for your replies so far - throwing up some really interesting experiences, especially about the effects of bf-'pushing'! This kind of stuff is great preparation for me when I head out into the 'real world' - keep 'em coming!

~me~

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought a baby doesn't get colic if being breast fed?? That may sound dumb but hey, I heard it on a video during ante-natal classes when they were plugging breastfeeding.

babies who are breastfed are less likely to get it, one reason being that with the bottles they suck in alot of air, especially with the old types of teats.

but they can get it if they're breastfed as well. afaik if the mother takes dairy then the baby can get it really bad.

Grawns

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

what did the book say about the pain experienced by mothers who have had c-sections and it takes longer for the milk to arrive? I've seen some serious pain and discomfort (c'mon, there was even blood!). It was pretty tough going...and I'm just the father!

I had a section too but my milk came in more or less immediately. The pain and discomfort of breastfeeding is avoidable or minimal if proper instruction is given whether by research or an experienced teacher. First timers are helpless in the hosp and at the mercy of well meaning but overworked and underexperienced nurses. My mother didn't breastfeed and most of her peers didn't so there are not many many people to turn too. The nurses were worse then useless as their instructions were wrong.

Grawns

~me~ wrote: »

babies who are breastfed are less likely to get it, one reason being that with the bottles they suck in alot of air, especially with the old types of teats.

but they can get it if they're breastfed as well. afaik if the mother takes dairy then the baby can get it really bad.

Yes babies who are breastfed can get colic ::( It went away overnight at 4 months though.

Grawns

metrovelvet wrote: »

I think this happens [happened to me] because when you give birth theres a huge hormonal release which "lets your body know" that the baby has been born and so your body knows it has to feed soon. The minute babies are born through natural birth and given to the mother they start rooting. THis doesnt happen with c sections. You dont have the hormonal release and the baby doesnt really know its been born and it doesnt start rooting, so you have a whole chain of events there.

Not my experience of a section like I said milk came in more or less immediately and she knew what a nipple was like magic.

One note about breastfeeding that comes to mind. Most first timers are not aware that they are far more likely to get jaundiced babies as the baby has to work hard to get the colustrum whereas bottlefed babies are getting lots of liquids. This is when the switch to bottlefeeding can occur.

littlebug

+1 about some midwives not knowing what they're talking about re breastfeeding. There again sometimes the baby just doesn't latch properly and it is really hard to get them to do it right.... they haven't read the books . I had cracked nipples within 5 seconds of my son latching on for the first time Really there wasn't a lot anyone could have done to prevent that.
That said I do think there is waaayyy more scope for better information and guidance more tailored to individual circumstances e.g feeding after having a section, feeding a premature baby, feeding a baby with reflux, breastfeeding a baby with colic etc.
I pretty much got all my information on the internet as I encountered problems and there were plenty of problems. I never once considered breastfeeding easy... like others I just rode the storm.

metrovelvet

I had "breastfeeding consultants". The midwives in the US dont do it. The hospital hires specialists to terrorise you.

Ickle Magoo

Grawns wrote: »

The pain and discomfort of breastfeeding is avoidable or minimal if proper instruction is given whether by research or an experienced teacher.

Soooooooo not true! I am close friends with several women who have tried in vain to bf through the pain barrier and had to claim defeat, other friends have found bf a doddle or not too painful & sometimes it even varies between pregnancies - please don't write off anyone else's experiences as general ignorance. I had a lactation consultant and an army of LLL peoples trying to work out what was going wrong, it was just not working at all - yet I pumped for my son for months without issue, go figure?!

Kimono-Girl

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
Breast milk in a bottle for 3 weeks then switched to formula...

Why did you choose that method?
wanted to feed by breast milk (even though it was constantly being pushed to me by maternity staff to point i was annoyed..) but the baby wouldn't suck so in the end had to use the bottle. (much to the annoyance of nurses!
If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
switched to formula around 3 weeks when BM dried up on me despite using an electric pump.
If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
My partner wanted me to try it.

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
1. she wouldnt suck as a newborn she would wait for the milk to come to her so in the end i request to bottlefeed her breast milk.
2. we started her on aptimal 1 (original) and she got very constipated and suffered bad heartburn, so we switched to aptimal easy digest and all problems resolved.

How/when do you plan to wean your baby
she is almost 5 months so we decided to try her and see how she gets on with our food!she now eats mashed potatoes with gravy (we blitzed them less and less each week)and liga biscuits (we tried but she never liked the baby food in jars or boxes.) we didnt intend on giving her solids so soon but she used chew hard on ginger biscuits until she broke them, (given to her for her teething,) tried her with liga (it melts in her mouth with all that extra drool)and she holds and chews half a biscuit no problem!

smelltheglove

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?

Bottle fed both

Why did you choose that method?

Tried breast feeding first and it didnt work

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).

Painful, baby didnt seem to be getting anything, I kept trying under pressure from nurses but there was no luck even with expressing so after a few days I gave in to bottles.

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?

I just wanted to ensure I gave my baby the best

If you chose combined feeding, was it successful?

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?

First child seemed to have intolerance so tried every formula on the market, in the end she had an under developed diaghphram which caused her problems rather than the milk / colic.

How/when do you plan to wean your baby?

Both were at the one year mark



On the note above about the diaghphram, I notice there are a few mentioning colic etc so thought Id add this in. My first suffered terrible, was constantly crying, constantly getting sick after bottles, we went through at least 3 towels a day, and I dont mean burb towels, I mean bath towels. First the doctor thought colic, tried various remedies to no avail, then thought intolerance to formula so tried everyone on the market, when even gaviscon wasnt working we were sent to the hospital. She had a check with a specialist doctor there who pretty quickly diagnosed her with an underdeveloped diaghphram allowing everything to come straight up. Strange I know, but he did say 1 in 10 girls are born with a slight case and she was just more severe than some, it closes over time usually by the 10 months mark. Strangely enough the second child had pretty similar symptoms though not quite as bad, the only girls in the family and the only babies to get so sick after a bottle.

Popel

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

I hope your comment above about the pain was just a simple little giggle and nothing sarcastic because sometimes the breastfeeding brigade are well able to be sarcastic which is one of the reasons why people in difficulty with breastfeeding just give up, it's a combination of ignorance on the part of the people pushing breastfeeding and pressure.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought a baby doesn't get colic if being breast fed?? That may sound dumb but hey, I heard it on a video during ante-natal classes when they were plugging breastfeeding.

I´m sorry if my comment was unclear, I was staying in the polite and respectful tone which I normally find in this forum, so my comment was definitely not intended to be sarcastic towards any particular person, moreso generally about the impression which is strongly pushed on people that breastfeeding must be a bad experience at the beginning. I honestly spent the first two months of my daughter´s life waiting for the difficulties to begin, which was, in my case, unnecessary and rather stressful.

And babies of all sorts follow whatever rules they want to. My child has never done what the book says, in anything, so she had terrible colic, which continued for four months.

I also had a c-section, and my baby rooted across my body after the birth and latched on too, and had no problem with milk coming in, again, much sooner than is normal for even a vaginal birth.

And maybe feeding just comes naturally to me, but I´m preparing all of my child´s vegetables etc for her weaning myself, and also find it takes very little time or stress. For me, reading the ingredients on the back of all the little jars would take more time than preparing the food myself does. Maybe this will change.

Again, I only mean to respond respectfully with my posts,

Popel

Ickle Magoo

Popel wrote: »

And maybe feeding just comes naturally to me, but I´m preparing all of my child´s vegetables etc for her weaning myself, and also find it takes very little time or stress....

I'm not sure what fruit/veg preparation has to do with feeding coming naturally?! I'm fairly certain many people who find bf difficult also wean their children on home-made foods - some of us even grow our own!! :eek:

run_Forrest_run

Grawns wrote: »

Not my experience of a section like I said milk came in more or less immediately and she knew what a nipple was like magic.

perhaps that was your experience but I do believe (from experience and from what experts have told me) that colostrum can often be 24 hours late arriving after a c-section...seems that your experience was an exceptional one so count yourself lucky, not necessarily well informed, just lucky.

metrovelvet

Popel wrote: »

I´m sorry if my comment was unclear, I was staying in the polite and respectful tone which I normally find in this forum, so my comment was definitely not intended to be sarcastic towards any particular person, moreso generally about the impression which is strongly pushed on people that breastfeeding must be a bad experience at the beginning. I honestly spent the first two months of my daughter´s life waiting for the difficulties to begin, which was, in my case, unnecessary and rather stressful.

And babies of all sorts follow whatever rules they want to. My child has never done what the book says, in anything, so she had terrible colic, which continued for four months.

I also had a c-section, and my baby rooted across my body after the birth and latched on too, and had no problem with milk coming in, again, much sooner than is normal for even a vaginal birth.

And maybe feeding just comes naturally to me, but I´m preparing all of my child´s vegetables etc for her weaning myself, and also find it takes very little time or stress. For me, reading the ingredients on the back of all the little jars would take more time than preparing the food myself does. Maybe this will change.

Again, I only mean to respond respectfully with my posts,

Popel

Did they give you the baby right after the section?

Mine was taken to get cleaned and checked out and smacked around before I saw him about half an hour to 45 minutes later.

Popel

By, "it comes naturally to me" I mean, maybe it´s something that comes easily to me. I have a relaxed attitude to food preparation. I was also lucky that my child and I suited each other well for breastfeeding. Therefore, my 6months experience of newborn-feeding has been an easy experience.

While i am saying that this is the case for me, I do not wish to imply that anyone else´s experience is difficult or otherwise, by my comments on my own personal experience.

And the baby was given to me, laid on my stomach, within about three minutes. I didn´t give birth in Ireland however, so that´s probably the reason for the difference.

metrovelvet

Popel wrote: »

By, "it comes naturally to me" I mean, maybe it´s something that comes easily to me. I have a relaxed attitude to food preparation. I was also lucky that my child and I suited each other well for breastfeeding. Therefore, my 6months experience of newborn-feeding has been an easy experience.

While i am saying that this is the case for me, I do not wish to imply that anyone else´s experience is difficult or otherwise, by my comments on my own personal experience.

And the baby was given to me, laid on my stomach, within about three minutes. I didn´t give birth in Ireland however, so that´s probably the reason for the difference.

I didnt give birth in Ireland either. THey took the baby to clean him up and smack the fluids out of his lungs etc, [when the are born naturally all the crying and screaming they do is supposed to help do this naturally].

I do think that attitude has a lot to do with it. Part of my point. Its hard to relax with the breasfeeding nazis around.

metrovelvet

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

perhaps that was your experience but I do believe (from experience and from what experts have told me) that colostrum can often be 24 hours late arriving after a c-section...seems that your experience was an exceptional one so count yourself lucky, not necessarily well informed, just lucky.

I had a lot of colustrum leaking out even before the birth but it was never enough. Plus I was so drugged and the baby probably was too that it just wasnt happenning and he ended up losing too much weight an the ped in the hospital told me to start using the bottle. I started using the bottle and kept trying with the breast, there just was no let down.

The whole thing was really depressing.

Ickle Magoo

Popel wrote: »

By, "it comes naturally to me" I mean, maybe it´s something that comes easily to me. I have a relaxed attitude to food preparation. I was also lucky that my child and I suited each other well for breastfeeding. Therefore, my 6months experience of newborn-feeding has been an easy experience.

While i am saying that this is the case for me, I do not wish to imply that anyone else´s experience is difficult or otherwise, by my comments on my own personal experience.

And the baby was given to me, laid on my stomach, within about three minutes. I didn´t give birth in Ireland however, so that´s probably the reason for the difference.

Sorry Popel, I was being facetious, I should have added a smiley smiley!

Popel

I´m in Germany. They said she was a bit distressed from a long labour and the shock of being taken out, so they put her on me, skin to skin, so that feeling me, and hearing my heartbeat might calm her a bit. They were also worried that she wasn´t breatheing deeply enough to clear her lungs, and spent a little while trying to get her to do a proper cry. But this was all while she was on me.

I actually have no experience of the breastfeeding nazis that are being spoken about. Though some members of my irish family have proven to be formula-feeding nazis. Which isn´t a nice thing either. I don´t think anyone should have to defend how they feed their child. Everyone does what they have to do. I am also not very vocal about any of my breastfeeding experience, and certainly not to someone who is trying to figure out a new baby, so I don´t think I am one of those breastfeeders who try to make others feel insecure about not breastfeeding. But the attitude here does seem to be a very relaxed one and all the people in my after-birth-gymnastics course were breastfeeding, some with difficulties, some without.

metrovelvet

Popel wrote: »

I´m in Germany. They said she was a bit distressed from a long labour and the shock of being taken out, so they put her on me, skin to skin, so that feeling me, and hearing my heartbeat might calm her a bit. They were also worried that she wasn´t breatheing deeply enough to clear her lungs, and spent a little while trying to get her to do a proper cry. But this was all while she was on me.

I actually have no experience of the breastfeeding nazis that are being spoken about. Though some members of my irish family have proven to be formula-feeding nazis. Which isn´t a nice thing either. I don´t think anyone should have to defend how they feed their child. Everyone does what they have to do. I am also not very vocal about any of my breastfeeding experience, and certainly not to someone who is trying to figure out a new baby, so I don´t think I am one of those breastfeeders who try to make others feel insecure about not breastfeeding. But the attitude here does seem to be a very relaxed one and all the people in my after-birth-gymnastics course were breastfeeding, some with difficulties, some without.

You are very lucky. Thats exactly how they should do it. I think at least my experience, and Im sure many others, was barbaric medicine.

PullOutMethod

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
-2 daughters both breastfed.

Why did you choose that method?
- Wife is Swedish.
Only people who formula feed on the continent do it if there is medical / other problems preventing breast feeding.

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
-NA

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
- We are mammals. We have evolved to breastfeed. Childs IQ etc

If you chose combined feeding, was it successful?
-Eventually (ie at 6-12 months)
- Worked we had to use the special tit-like bottles (mothercare)

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
- See above also second child was premature 6 weeks so milk wasn't in.
Found a great tip on the web - Fenugreek - milk ahoy after a couple of days.

How/when do you plan to wean your baby?
- 12 months

silja

On the c-section thing: I think it is possible that milk comes in later, but not for everyone, especially if you breastfeed often and have good support at the beginning. I have no doubt that being in hospital for 5 days, on a private ward with lots of supportive midwives, helped me breastfeed my twins. I was able to kiss my twins in the OR, but not hold them. I breastfed for the first time an hour later after I came out of recovery, and had colostrum then.

How do/did you feed your newborn baby? I had twins, and their were breastfed for 6 months

Why did you choose that method? I didn't really think about bottle feeding tbh, breastfeeding is always what I wanted to do, I was breastfed myself and where I am originally from (Switzerland) it is the norm. But once I saw the price of formula, I was sold :P Health benefits and bonding is great too.

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision? Price of formula, husband being supportive (and at home for the first while, as it is hard work feeding two).

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties? They wanted to be fed at the same time. This was fine at home, and reduced the time it took me to feed them, but meant I couldn't really feed outside the home as it is impossible to breastfeed twins together discreetly. So we timed outings for inbetween feeds. Some people (including a PHN!) told me that it wasn't possible to exclusively breastfeed twins. Fortunately my doctor, GP, and midwives at the hospital were very supportive.

How/when do you plan to wean your baby? I weaned at 6 months over the space of a month or so; mostly because I had abad cold and supply devcreased, and as they were on solids and eating well, I decided not to work on increasing it again. I kind of regret that now, and hope to breastfeed at least a year if not two with this baby.

bogtotty

metrovelvet wrote: »

...I was so drugged and the baby probably was too that it just wasnt happenning ...

That's interesting. I wonder is there any link between pain meds used during labour and breast/formula feeding rates? I have heard that the 'norm' for giving birth in the US is very medicalised, with epidurals and legs-in-stirrups commonplace. Epis are popular here too but I have no clue if women who have had one are more likely to formula feed. If so, I suppose the link could be that a more medicalised birth could have been a more traumatic one, leaving the new mum more vulnerable (emotionally, physically) and less eager to take on the task of learning to breastfeed. Anyone have any ideas?

metrovelvet

bogtotty wrote: »

That's interesting. I wonder is there any link between pain meds used during labour and breast/formula feeding rates? I have heard that the 'norm' for giving birth in the US is very medicalised, with epidurals and legs-in-stirrups commonplace. Epis are popular here too but I have no clue if women who have had one are more likely to formula feed. If so, I suppose the link could be that a more medicalised birth could have been a more traumatic one, leaving the new mum more vulnerable (emotionally, physically) and less eager to take on the task of learning to breastfeed. Anyone have any ideas?

I dont know. I was drugged from an epi [no stirrups], general ansesthetic, morphine, and vicodin. They say the baby isnt affected but I find that hard to believe.

Mrs.T

bogtotty wrote: »

That's interesting. I wonder is there any link between pain meds used during labour and breast/formula feeding rates? I have heard that the 'norm' for giving birth in the US is very medicalised, with epidurals and legs-in-stirrups commonplace. Epis are popular here too but I have no clue if women who have had one are more likely to formula feed. If so, I suppose the link could be that a more medicalised birth could have been a more traumatic one, leaving the new mum more vulnerable (emotionally, physically) and less eager to take on the task of learning to breastfeed. Anyone have any ideas?

I had read that pethidine could make baby sleepy and therefore be difficult to latch on. I had morpheine after the c-section and I didn't really notice the effect it had on my daughter, maybe because of the morpheine haze....;)

When I had my c-section my milk came in on time as well but as it was my second time breastfeeding I knew what to look out for. My daughter worked hard all day until midnight to bring in the milk on the 2nd or 3rd day. The MW even wanted to take her away to give me a rest, I wouldn't let her and she looked surprised when I said that she was bringing on the milk and right enough I was huge the next day.

Das Kitty

metrovelvet wrote: »

I dont know. I was drugged from an epi [no stirrups], general ansesthetic, morphine, and vicodin. They say the baby isnt affected but I find that hard to believe.

Both of my BF books have cited research that shows that babies of Mums that have the above are generally drowsier, sleep more and tend to have a weaker suck.

I also know a girl whose baby somehow managed to get a dose of anesthetic and had to be given breathing assistance for a few weeks even though she was full term.

I would be wary of anyone saying that it definitely has no effect on the baby, although a lot of the time it probably has very little effect.

twomaddogs

I read about babies being drowsy after labour meds which cross the placenta too so I didn't have any drugs in labour and DD latched straight away. Still had trouble getting the latch right, but she was trying straight away anyway...

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
-DD breastfed, currently pregnant again and will BF this one

Why did you choose that method?
- All my family BF so it's normal for us, also the health benefits as I had some potentially fatal allergies as a child and wanted to do everything I could to make sure DD didn't get the same (she was allergy tested at 9 months and has none at all)

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
-NA

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
- Just never contemplated formula, BF seemed the natural choice

If you chose combined feeding, was it successful?
-N/A

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
- LOTS - mainly from healthcare professionals. Doctor advised me to switch to formula every time I saw him for no reason (said I looked tired, give her a bottle etc). DD had thrush for four weeks before I could get it diagnosed, by which time it was really bad and I had breast thrush. Took another 6 weeks to get rid of it, during which time I had mastitis twice due to bad feeding because of the thrush. Doctor told me there was no such thing as breast thrush and misdiagnosed DD with a kidney infection, giving a prescription for antibiotics (worst thing for thrush). PHN told me DD was allergic to my milk when she had thrush. Midwives in hospital were terrible for helping getting BF established - they'd grab DD and force her onto me by the back of the neck while she screamed and we both got distressed. Eventually got one patient midwive who had BF herself who talked me through it but let me and DD do it ourselves. Also had lots of negativity from family and friends who didn't BF and was made to hide away in cold rooms to feed when they were present.

How/when do you plan to wean your baby?
- She started solids at 6 months, I did baby led weaning and she also had breast milk. Fully weaned from breast milk at 13 months.

Nicki123

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
Breastfeeding my 8 month old

Why did you choose that method?
I wanted to give her the best start in life and after doing lots of reading I decided to try breastfeeding. I went into it with an open mind - if it worked great, if it didnt we'ed just formula feed.

If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).

N?A

If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
My mother and mother in law both breastfed, my partner wanted me to try it and I wanted to try it. My reasoning that as mammals, it's what we're designed for and it's whats best for our young.

If you chose combined feeding, was it successful?

N/A

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Many, many difficulties. Mainly with pain, cracked nipples, thankfully it didnt get as far as bleeding. I was fairly shy at the beginning and we were in the hospital for 4 days. I wasn't confident enough to keep asking for assistance and we had trouble with the latch - baby got jaundiced and we had to give her a bottle to ensure she was getting fluids. This knocked my confidence and I would have given up there and then only my partner was so supportive and we got expressing. We had difficulties with latch for about the 8 weeks but eventually we got the hang of it and she's still feeding 8 months later. It was horrendously painful at times but my sheer stubborness kept me persevering.....and being able to express so my partner could give her the odd bottle, giving me a break.
I too felt that the midwives were hit and miss. I got different advice from each one we encountered and whilst well meaning, some of it really did sabotage our efforts to establish the breastfeeding.


How/when do you plan to wean your baby?

Started solids at 5 months and is well established now. Still breastfeeding for the forseeable future.

bogtotty

Thanks again, everyone. Great responses.

neeb

How do/did you feed your newborn baby?
Breastfed
Why did you choose that method?
Had some scans when pregnant which confirmed that baby was human so I chose human milk instead of modified cows milk.:D
If you chose formula, were there particular reasons you didn't breastfeed (medical, emotional, social etc).
If you chose to breastfeed, what assisted your decision?
Read about whats in breastmilk, antibodies, hormones, enzymes etc. I did not want my daughter to be deprived of these.
If you chose combined feeding, was it successful?

Whichever method of feeding you chose, have you encountered any difficulties?
Some minor problems that we worked out with a lactation consultant. There is help there if you look for it.
How/when do you plan to wean your baby?
She is on solids since 6 months and will continue to breastfeed as long as she wants to.

In my opnion there are some seriously awful reasons why more babies in Ireland are not breastfed. The hospitals are bad, thats true but most people don't go past giving it a quick try in the labour ward before giving up. Society is not accepting, see the comments on this board over the last few months. Most men can't see beyond their own mammy and how she raised them (which is nearly always the bottle) to look for something better for their chldren.
Formula is marketed and promoted heavily here too.
Most mothers have no idea what an immune system is and what they are depriving their children of by formula feeding. Its not just food.

The hospitals push Pethidene which is known to make the baby too sleepy to breasfeed well when he or she is born, but it keeps the wards quiet.