The Breast Feeding Support Thread

Digs

Brokensoul I found when I had a blocked duct positioning myself over her on all fours with the breast hanging to her mouth and letting her feed that way helped clear it, I think Gravity has something to do with it! It's definitely not the most dignified of positions but sure no one need see you!

hollymartins

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I'd be feeling the same way as hollymartins tbh - my son is 19 weeks and it's been a rough ride almost the entire time. I'm also sick of being told that it gets better a few weeks down the road because I've been told that so many times already and it's still ****.

I say my husband is sick of hearing me say every few weeks that I've had enough of breastfeeding, if he had a euro every time I said it he'd be rich

Usually though that feeling lifts after a couple of days but it's been at least two weeks and I still feel like I'm going start reducing feeds at 6 months. In fact once I made that decision I've actually felt better, I guess a part of me is looking forward to not worrying about pumping enough milk if I want to be away for more than 2 hours.

I have some milk in the freezer so I plan on giving him some breastmilk every day for a couple of weeks once I stop.

rainbow kirby

I've had that feeling fairly consistently since 11-12 weeks. My run of issues since then really hasn't helped. No freezer stash here because we only have a crap icebox freezer so it would be straight to formula.

lazygal

I didn't really enjoy breastfeeding until we introduced solids and I wasn't the sole source of nutrition. I thought of quitting many times before then but the difficulties of weaning and formula put me off. My first got some formula and it was a pain compared to the ease of breastfeeding.

hollymartins

I have two friends who are pregnant and both want to breastfeed, they've been asking me about my experience. I've told them I glad I stuck with it but I found it was one of the hardest things I had to do, obviously it's a wonderful thing to do for your baby's health
and while it does get easier (around the 7-8 week mark for me) it's still not all plain sailing.

It's funny reading breastfeeding related articles online they all repeat the same thing "don't feel pressurised into giving up breastfeeding" in my experience it's the opposite, especially from my peers who say there's no need to give up once I go back to work, asking me do I realise the hassle of bottles etc. You just can't win.

Each mother is different, to reach 19 weeks is a great achievement and I know when I do stop breastfeeding I won't have regrets because I came so close to giving up in the early days (this thread was a huge support during bad days).

jlm29

I think everyone who gives it a good bash deserves endless praise! Every breastfeed makes a difference, so well done, however far you've gotten. I've a couple of friends who went straight for formula, never even attempted to bf, and I do think it's a bit sad that those babies had absolutely no breastmilk, when they probably could have.

I feel lots of pressure to stop, but tbh, it's mainly just from my mother, who seems to think my boy is missing out on something fundamental. I keep hearing avout how he needs more than water while I'm at work, but Since solids have become more established, the pressure is definitely off- he went from 11 am to 7pm with no BM the other day, which is roughly the length of time I would be at work

Saysha

Digs wrote: »

Brokensoul I found when I had a blocked duct positioning myself over her on all fours with the breast hanging to her mouth and letting her feed that way helped clear it, I think Gravity has something to do with it! It's definitely not the most dignified of positions but sure no one need see you!

^^^This. Totally works. It looks absolutely hilarious though. Partner walked in while I was doing it and thought I'd lost it!

tinkerbell

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I'd be feeling the same way as hollymartins tbh - my son is 19 weeks and it's been a rough ride almost the entire time. I'm also sick of being told that it gets better a few weeks down the road because I've been told that so many times already and it's still ****.

Why is it **** for you? What exactly is the problem? Have you got real life breastfeeding support?

Digs

Saysha wrote: »

^^^This. Totally works. It looks absolutely hilarious though. Partner walked in while I was doing it and thought I'd lost it!

I'm sure it was some sight for the poor child too, my monster boob coming straight for her, two little eyes peering up at me. Sure my boob is twice the size of her head the poor mite!!

rainbow kirby

tinkerbell wrote: »

Why is it **** for you? What exactly is the problem? Have you got real life breastfeeding support?

Tough time starting out, then cluster-feeding every single day until 12 weeks, since then rarely more than a week without either mastitis, clogged ducts or milk blisters. My boobs have also been so big since I was around 35 weeks pregnant that they are aggravating an old back injury, I'm 6 cup sizes bigger than I was pre-pregnancy.

The local breastfeeding peer support (Breastfeeding Network in Islington) is good and they were especially helpful in the early days, they've worked with me more recently to try and work out what might be causing my problems but there doesn't seem to be just one cause.

tinkerbell

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Tough time starting out, then cluster-feeding every single day until 12 weeks, since then rarely more than a week without either mastitis, clogged ducts or milk blisters. My boobs have also been so big since I was around 35 weeks pregnant that they are aggravating an old back injury, I'm 6 cup sizes bigger than I was pre-pregnancy.

The local breastfeeding peer support (Breastfeeding Network in Islington) is good and they were especially helpful in the early days, they've worked with me more recently to try and work out what might be causing my problems but there doesn't seem to be just one cause.

I would highly recommend getting a visit from a certified lactation consultant. It sounds like you really need specialist help at this stage. Have you contacted Dr Jack Newman for advice? He's great and gets back pretty much straight away.

http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca

SIX cup sizes? :eek:

stickybean

Admin, hope this is okay to post here, a friend of mine who is breast feeding for quite some time sent me this, said it is amazing value and worth stocking up as when you begin to express it can be a fantastic help for storage. I am still pregnant and hoping to nurse my baby so going to get a few

https://www.boots.ie/en/Medela-Breastmilk-Storage-Bottles-150ml-3pk-_121160/

dorito92

stickybean wrote: »

Admin, hope this is okay to post here, a friend of mine who is breast feeding for quite some time sent me this, said it is amazing value and worth stocking up as when you begin to express it can be a fantastic help for storage. I am still pregnant and hoping to nurse my baby so going to get a few

https://www.boots.ie/en/Medela-Breastmilk-Storage-Bottles-150ml-3pk-_121160/

got these last week to store milk for mixing in with his solids they are great value. the same pack is in mothercare for 18 euro!

greenorchard

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Tough time starting out, then cluster-feeding every single day until 12 weeks, since then rarely more than a week without either mastitis, clogged ducts or milk blisters.

Did you change the positions you're feeding in before you started getting the blocked ducts by any chance? I ask as I was plagued with bad blocked ducts around 5/6 months. Got them repeatedly & they were really bad ones, excruciating & very difficult to clear. It was only when a friend mentioned that feeding positions could be causing them that it dawned on me that I'd changed sides in the bed around the same time I started getting them. So I was feeding lying down on the opposite side to usual. I switched back to the other side & they pretty much stopped, think I've only had maybe 1 or 2 since.

Lecithin supplements are also supposed to be good at preventing blocked ducts. Hope you get sorted, sounds tough going.

rainbow kirby

No position change really. I feed sitting up and use a pillow, have done since he was about 5 days old. Neither of us ever really took to feeding lying down, we've only really done it a few times.

I've an IBCLC coming on Friday to do a home visit. Can't come soon enough - another clogged duct today which the little fella kindly unlogged with his bedtime feed.

olaola

dorito92 wrote: »

got these last week to store milk for mixing in with his solids they are great value. the same pack is in mothercare for 18 euro!

I got these today too! must be a mistake... yoink!

rainbow kirby

So it turns out my son has had a tongue tie the whole time. LC found it very quickly and apparently that's the root of all our problems. She said it's only through sheer bloodymindedness and significant oversupply that we're still feeding and that C is growing at a normal rate at nearly 20 weeks (50th percentile weight and 91st percentile length). We're being referred to the nearest NHS tongue tie clinic.

hollymartins

rainbow kirby wrote: »

So it turns out my son has had a tongue tie the whole time. LC found it very quickly and apparently that's the root of all our problems. She said it's only through sheer bloodymindedness and significant oversupply that we're still feeding and that C is growing at a normal rate at nearly 20 weeks (50th percentile weight and 91st percentile length). We're being referred to the nearest NHS tongue tie clinic.

Oh god you poor thing struggling through that for the last 20 weeks How did it go unnoticed until now? You've done brilliantly to feed him and keep him at a healthy weight.

tinkerbell

rainbow kirby wrote: »

So it turns out my son has had a tongue tie the whole time. LC found it very quickly and apparently that's the root of all our problems. She said it's only through sheer bloodymindedness and significant oversupply that we're still feeding and that C is growing at a normal rate at nearly 20 weeks (50th percentile weight and 91st percentile length). We're being referred to the nearest NHS tongue tie clinic.

Thank god you finally got sorted. After the TT gets snipped, you should notice a huge difference.

tinkerbell

hollymartins wrote: »

Oh god you poor thing struggling through that for the last 20 weeks How did it go unnoticed until now? You've done brilliantly to feed him and keep him at a healthy weight.

It's quite easy for a TT to go unnoticed. Usually it's only an LC that spots these things as they are the ones trained to diagnose TT.

Lucuma

My baby is 15 weeks and I was told it's past the stage that the doctor in Cork that does TT (the 1 and only) will do them. apparently the one in Clonmel that uses a laser will do them at an older age. hopefully it's not too late to have it snipped rainbowkirby. my LO apparently has a posteriour TT according to the cranio sacral therapist. because i'm not ebf anymore though it's not big enough issue to get snipped now

tinkerbell

Lucuma wrote: »

My baby is 15 weeks and I was told it's past the stage that the doctor in Cork that does TT (the 1 and only) will do them. apparently the one in Clonmel that uses a laser will do them at an older age. hopefully it's not too late to have it snipped rainbowkirby. my LO apparently has a posteriour TT according to the cranio sacral therapist. because i'm not ebf anymore though it's not big enough issue to get snipped now

No, not true. TT can be fixed at any stage as far as I know. They might have meant that it's more of a surgical procedure rather than a quick snip because the baby is older.

Have you contacted an LC? You can get it done in Blackrock Clinic in Dublin.

Electric

Lucuma wrote: »

My baby is 15 weeks and I was told it's past the stage that the doctor in Cork that does TT (the 1 and only) will do them. apparently the one in Clonmel that uses a laser will do them at an older age. hopefully it's not too late to have it snipped rainbowkirby. my LO apparently has a posteriour TT according to the cranio sacral therapist. because i'm not ebf anymore though it's not big enough issue to get snipped now

Dr Alan O'Reilly in the Meath Street Hospital, Dublin 8, also deals with tongue ties.

jlm29

Justin Roche in Clonmel is fantastic, would highly recommend. It's 4 yrs since I met him, but apparently his clinic now is great, with a Physio (I think), and a great follow up service!

Roesy

Lucuma wrote: »

My baby is 15 weeks and I was told it's past the stage that the doctor in Cork that does TT (the 1 and only) will do them. apparently the one in Clonmel that uses a laser will do them at an older age. hopefully it's not too late to have it snipped rainbowkirby. my LO apparently has a posteriour TT according to the cranio sacral therapist. because i'm not ebf anymore though it's not big enough issue to get snipped now

Are you talking about the dr in CUH or the one who does it in her medical centre? I didn't go to her as she doesn't deal with lip ties, just tongue. CUH will do it but after a certain stage they will do it under anaesthetic but I think that's when they are a good few months old. I went to Tullamore to get my little girls lip and tongue tie done as I wanted to be with her while they did it whereas in the hospital I was told they take them away from you.

Lucuma

Roesy wrote: »

Are you talking about the dr in CUH or the one who does it in her medical centre? I didn't go to her as she doesn't deal with lip ties, just tongue. CUH will do it but after a certain stage they will do it under anaesthetic but I think that's when they are a good few months old. I went to Tullamore to get my little girls lip and tongue tie done as I wanted to be with her while they did it whereas in the hospital I was told they take them away from you.

I was talking about Dr Rachel Quigley. I didn't know CUH did them as well, privately?

Roesy

Lucuma wrote: »

I was talking about Dr Rachel Quigley. I didn't know CUH did them as well, privately?

Yes, Emmet Andrews in CUH does lip and tongue ties privately. I think he has a public list too. I saw him in the private rooms out there last year.

brokensoul

brokensoul wrote: »

Breastfeeding 3 week old twins. I got mastitis at 2 weeks and have been on antibiotics since. Still feeding but I have a blocked duct that I cannot unblock. Went back to the doc who prescribed more antibiotics to make sure I don't get sick again and advised that I keep feeding, apply heat and cold and massage it.

Have been doing all of that but this lump is going nowhere! It is quite large, and painful to the touch. Anyone any ideas apart from heat/massage/feed?

If it doesn't clear this week they may look at draining it, which I really want to avoid if possible.

After struggling through another week on ever increasing doses of antibiotics I had to go into hospital today and have the abscess drained. Disgusting and painful procedure and I have to have it done again on Thursday as there is still lots to drain.

Still persisting to feed at the moment, though my supply from that breast is quite bad, but not sure how much longer I can keep going with this. I am utterly drained, all I want to do is sleep and the only advice I am getting is to get lots of rest, which when feeding 4 week old twins is a complete impossibility.

Have spent most of this evening in tears, I can't handle the pain and illness anymore, I can't take anything except paracetamol (which is doing nothing for the pain) and I feel like an utter failure..

Roesy

brokensoul wrote: »

After struggling through another week on ever increasing doses of antibiotics I had to go into hospital today and have the abscess drained. Disgusting and painful procedure and I have to have it done again on Thursday as there is still lots to drain.

Still persisting to feed at the moment, though my supply from that breast is quite bad, but not sure how much longer I can keep going with this. I am utterly drained, all I want to do is sleep and the only advice I am getting is to get lots of rest, which when feeding 4 week old twins is a complete impossibility.

Have spent most of this evening in tears, I can't handle the pain and illness anymore, I can't take anything except paracetamol (which is doing nothing for the pain) and I feel like an utter failure..

Jeepers brokensoul, that sounds horrendous. A friend of mine was in and out of hospital with an abscess. I remember how rotten she felt at the time. All I can say is that you are legend to get this far feeding twins nevermind with all the obstacles you have faced. You are far from a failure. As for how much longer you can keep going, well really that's down to you and what's best for your little family. I hope that whatever you decide that things pick up for you soon.

rainbow kirby

Lucuma wrote: »

My baby is 15 weeks and I was told it's past the stage that the doctor in Cork that does TT (the 1 and only) will do them. apparently the one in Clonmel that uses a laser will do them at an older age. hopefully it's not too late to have it snipped rainbowkirby. my LO apparently has a posteriour TT according to the cranio sacral therapist. because i'm not ebf anymore though it's not big enough issue to get snipped now

Ours is posterior as well. LC said that regardless of whether we get it snipped or not we should consider seeing a craniosacral therapist anyway because he's got some quite tight muscles in his upper body and face. We're around 95% EBF, he has the odd bottle of formula here and there but the rest is boob. We're visiting family in Dublin this week so he'll be 5 months by the time the referral goes in...