The Breast Feeding Support Thread

scarepanda

Does anyone know if I can take motilium for a sick stomach while breastfeeding? Iv been as sick as a dog all night. I haven't thrown up for the last few hours, but still have that sick feeling and can't really move (sorry for the tmi).

I haven't been this bloody sick in years. My husband has it now this morning and the little one had it Tuesday.

lazygal

I have taken it before, we were all down with it and I figured if a bit passed through to the milk it wouldn't do him any harm. It's recommended to boost supply too, so just watch for that!

scarepanda

Thanks lazygal. I figured the same, she's 20 months and only on a bedtime feed now. I'm feeling bloody rotten

PhoenixParker

Motillium is domperidone so it's fine.
Domperidone is prescribed to increase supply when you're struggling to breastfeed.

I took it for a few months. Ask for the generic, it's much cheaper.

Cakerbaker

Just be aware the main ingredient in motillium can increase your milk supply.

bee06

Lactmed is a great app to check medications that can and can’t be taken during breastfeeding for future sickness (hopefully you won’t need it for a while!).

scarepanda

Thank you ladies!

I figured as much from a quick look online, but I'm not to fussed if my supply is increased, she's down to one feed a day now at bedtime and she won't say no to a good feed at bedtime!

I'll definitely have a look into that app, thank you.

Millem

Hi all,

My baby is teething like mad. Night time is a disaster amd wakes up every two hours! If i feed him he takes it and will go back to sleep. I don’t think he’s hungry it’s just for comfort as won’t feed for long.
Am I developing a bad habit??
He is 8 and a bit months with one little tooth half up!
Thanks

catrionanic

Millem wrote: »

Hi all,

My baby is teething like mad. Night time is a disaster amd wakes up every two hours! If i feed him he takes it and will go back to sleep. I don’t think he’s hungry it’s just for comfort as won’t feed for long.
Am I developing a bad habit??
He is 8 and a bit months with one little tooth half up!
Thanks

If you’re sure he’s not hungry, maybe trying sending Daddy in? My wee man always clung to me and wanted milk as soon as he saw me, but settled much easier for his dad.

Millem

catrionanic wrote: »

If you’re sure he’s not hungry, maybe trying sending Daddy in? My wee man always clung to me and wanted milk as soon as he saw me, but settled much easier for his dad.

Daddy slept in spare room!!!

fits

I always just feed if they look for it as it’s quickest way to send them back to sleep.

bee06

Millem wrote: »

Hi all,

My baby is teething like mad. Night time is a disaster amd wakes up every two hours! If i feed him he takes it and will go back to sleep. I don’t think he’s hungry it’s just for comfort as won’t feed for long.
Am I developing a bad habit??
He is 8 and a bit months with one little tooth half up!
Thanks

There is a sleep regression around 8 months so it might not be the best time to try and break the feed to sleep habit.

https://sarahockwell-smith.com/2015/11/18/what-the-heck-goes-wrong-sleep-wise-at-8-10-months/amp/

I’m only 4 month in (and not enjoying the 4 month sleep regression) but I’m part of a Facebook group for moms who feed older babies and toddlers and the general consensus is if feeding gets them back to sleep quickly don’t mess with it and that cosleeping really helps you get more sleep. If you think the Facebook group might be helpfully let me know and I’ll pm the name.

waterfaerie

Millem, don't worry about developing bad habits. You're doing what's natural and there's nothing bad about that. As others have said, if feeding him back to sleep is working, that's great so there's no need to change it.

Are you co sleeping? It's great because as the babies get older they can just help themselves. My daughter still sometimes has a feed during the night but I barely even wake up. I only rouse enough to realise she's latching herself on and I just let her at it and drift back off.

She goes through phases like you're describing when she's teething but it only lasts a few nights and then she's back to her usual self. Sometimes a developmental leap can cause it as well. It won't last forever so don't worry.

Millem

waterfaerie wrote: »

Millem, don't worry about developing bad habits. You're doing what's natural and there's nothing bad about that. As others have said, if feeding him back to sleep is working, that's great so there's no need to change it.

Are you co sleeping? It's great because as the babies get older they can just help themselves. My daughter still sometimes has a feed during the night but I barely even wake up. I only rouse enough to realise she's latching herself on and I just let her at it and drift back off.

She goes through phases like you're describing when she's teething but it only lasts a few nights and then she's back to her usual self. Sometimes a developmental leap can cause it as well. It won't last forever so don't worry.

no not co sleeping! but last night put him on the bed beside at maybe 5am and we fell asleep until older boy came in at 7am!
I am a bit nervous of having him in the bed with my pillows! I should really look into the guidelines

waterfaerie

Yeah, as long as you follow the "safe sleep seven" guidelines there's nothing to worry about.

hollymartins

Ladies my little girl is nearly 4 weeks old, I breastfed her brother and she's more demanding at night. She could feed for two hours then only sleep for 90 mins before waking up screaming for more. Sometimes I wonder if I have enough milk for her, last night she constantly switched back and forth from each breast after only five mins and didn't seem satisfied with the amount she was getting.

I don't think I had this issue first time around. I know some women have topped up their supply with formula if they have a hungry baby but I want to avoid that.

comongethappy

hollymartins wrote: »

Ladies my little girl is nearly 4 weeks old, I breastfed her brother and she's more demanding at night. She could feed for two hours then only sleep for 90 mins before waking up screaming for more. Sometimes I wonder if I have enough milk for her, last night she constantly switched back and forth from each breast after only five mins and didn't seem satisfied with the amount she was getting.

I don't think I had this issue first time around. I know some women have topped up their supply with formula if they have a hungry baby but I want to avoid that.

How are her nappies? Is she getting plenty wet and dirty? If so then at least she should be getting enough, you could check her weight gain with phn or doc just to be sure.

It could also be an issue with latch or tongue tie where she is not able to feed efficiently. It may be best to see a lactation consultant or cuidiu / lll leader to see if they can spot any issues.

Also, is your health OK? I struggled with supply on my first when I was extremely anemic, it took weeks to get a decent supply.

The other thing it could be is a spurt if this is not her normal night time feeding behaviour. My son was over 2 weeks overdue and I found his 6 week spurt came around when he was 4 weeks.

If all of above is OK, it is still very early days and she could just be working to up supply.

waterfaerie

hollymartins wrote: »

Ladies my little girl is nearly 4 weeks old, I breastfed her brother and she's more demanding at night. She could feed for two hours then only sleep for 90 mins before waking up screaming for more. Sometimes I wonder if I have enough milk for her, last night she constantly switched back and forth from each breast after only five mins and didn't seem satisfied with the amount she was getting.

I don't think I had this issue first time around. I know some women have topped up their supply with formula if they have a hungry baby but I want to avoid that.

That sounds perfectly normal for an almost 4 week old. This is the time when your baby is busy building up your supply. They also go through growth spurts and cluster feeding is common, especially at night time as that's when your prolactin levels are highest. My baby was a night time feeder as well. I just watched films all night while she fed and I used to nap in the day whenever she napped.

I'd say either you were particularly lucky with her brother or you might have forgotten the intensity of the first few weeks. Either way, you should try not to compare them as all babies are different.

There is no such thing as a "hungry baby". Unless there is a rare medical reason, all women can produce exactly enough milk for their own baby's needs. I know it's hard work and it's so easy to doubt your milk supply when your baby is acting like that but try to remind yourself that you're doing great, you're doing the best thing for your baby and the difficult times will pass.

Remember also that there is a breastfeeding friendly solution to almost every breastfeeding problem. You know your baby and your own instinct best and if you are concerned that there may actually be a problem, I'd advise you to get a lactation consultant, preferably an IBCLC. They will do a full assessment and, if there is an issue, they will help you find the breastfeeding friendly solution and put a plan in place. Most of them also offer excellent follow up to make sure they help you succeed.

In the meantime, if you can, try to get to a breastfeeding group. Not only are they fantastic for advice and support, they're great for socialising with other mums. They were what kept me going in those early weeks.

waterfaerie

comongethappy wrote: »

How are her nappies? Is she getting plenty wet and dirty? If so then at least she should be getting enough, you could check her weight gain with phn or doc just to be sure.

Keep an eye on the wet nappies, yes, but the dirty ones aren't as important. Also, keep an eye on her general temperament. If she's happy and alert and has plenty of wet nappies, there's more than likely no issue.

Please don't go down the route of worrying about her weight. It will only cause you stress and weight "concerns" are one of the main reasons a lot of women end up giving formula unnecessarily.

Also, please don't rely on your PHN to give you the right advice. I know some of them are great but they are in the minority. If you are concerned at all, go straight for the IBCLC. They are the only ones who can be trusted to definitely give you the right help, as opposed to the hit and miss PHN or GP service.

scarepanda

I agree with everything that has been said above. Especially what waterfaerie said regarding weight and PHN advice. From experience, if baby is gaining constantly, then there is probably very little to worry about. PHNs are not always fully up to date with information and don't always have breastfeeding solutions to breastfeeding issues. If you have any doubt or concerns about the advice your getting please seek a second opinion. I found my GP brilliant, but she is a mother of three, so has seen it all before.

Honestly I forget how demanding the first few weeks were, but I do remember week 4. It was a hard week. There was one night where she was up night and day (never was a good day time sleeper) and I was so exhausted that i sat on the side of the bed bawling because she wouldn't stop crying and wouldn't go to sleep. My husband ended up doing laps of the hall with her to try get her to settle a little bit. Sleep deprivation! That was probably the worst week for us. My little girl also cluster fed from the beginning till 8 weeks religiously every night from about 9 till 12ish.

Remember that around 6 weeks in your supply will settle down, although it was 8 weeks for me before everything clicked and things started to settle down. So your nearly there!

Two of the best pieces of advice I got here during the newborn stage was 1) never give up on a bad day and 2) this too will pass, everything is a phase with them when they are so tiny.

hollymartins

Thanks ladies. It's funny how you doubt yourself even though I've been through this before!

She's having plenty of wet nappies and is gaining weight as she's growing out of her clothes.

I'll just have to remind myself that it will settle down. I think my son was 10 weeks old before the feeding settled...so I'm nearly halfway there

Millem

omg my guy has 2 teeth and full on bit me today maybe 3 times. Sooo unbelievably painful. I actually yelped! He laughed!!
Any tips?

Also will be working for a week in 2ish weeks.......won’t take a bottle. Contemplating driving home in the middle of the day! Starting to panic a bit.
Rascal still feeds maybe 3 times at night....any ideas on how to get him to cut back? He will be 9 months! I am sooo tired!

hollymartins

Millem wrote: »

omg my guy has 2 teeth and full on bit me today maybe 3 times. Sooo unbelievably painful. I actually yelped! He laughed!!
Any tips?

Also will be working for a week in 2ish weeks.......won’t take a bottle. Contemplating driving home in the middle of the day! Starting to panic a bit.
Rascal still feeds maybe 3 times at night....any ideas on how to get him to cut back? He will be 9 months! I am sooo tired!

Have you considered a soother? I know many parents won't use them but it worked for us when we tried to wean our son off the night feeds. I also shortened the feeds, so once he started falling asleep while on the breast I would put him down instead of rousing him to feed a bit more. He was about 5 months so younger than your baby, it's hard to know what would work as every baby is different!

catrionanic

Millem, does he feed to sleep? It’s normal for babies to wake several times a night, but sometimes they’re crying for a feed not because they’re hungry, but because they need it to fall asleep.

We had this, and found that getting his Daddy to resettle him at night worked wonders! When I was settling him, I would try to take him off the boob while drowsy but not asleep and then gently rock him to sleep. Eventually we transitioned off the rocking altogether but it took a good while.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the bottle. If you’re not there, and he really gets hungry, he will take it. They all do eventually!

scarepanda

Re biting, if he bites that's the end of nursing at that time. If he wants more latch him on in a couple of minutes. But be consistent with biting = no more boobs and he'll learn quickly.

At 9 months I wouldn't worry about getting him onto a bottle. I presume he's using beakers at this stage, so just put expressed milk/formula into that. We didn't give our little girl, even at bedtime, a bottle from about 7/8 months. If I was away she got expressed milk, cow's milk or water in the beaker depending on how long away I was going to be. She got water in a beaker at all solid meal times as well from 6/7 months.

saggycaggy

catrionanic wrote: »

Millem, does he feed to sleep? It’s normal for babies to wake several times a night, but sometimes they’re crying for a feed not because they’re hungry, but because they need it to fall asleep.

We had this, and found that getting his Daddy to resettle him at night worked wonders! When I was settling him, I would try to take him off the boob while drowsy but not asleep and then gently rock him to sleep. Eventually we transitioned off the rocking altogether but it took a good while.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the bottle. If you’re not there, and he really gets hungry, he will take it. They all do eventually!

I must try this too-I'm usually the one to settle my wee man by just sticking him on the boob!! He won't take a bottle either. I don't mind during the night as it's easy to get him back to sleep then and we barely wake but getting him down in the first place is hard as he'll fall asleep on the boob but wide awake as soon as I move away! My husband is currently trying to settle him so fingers crossed.

waterfaerie

Millem wrote: »

Also will be working for a week in 2ish weeks.......won’t take a bottle. Contemplating driving home in the middle of the day! Starting to panic a bit.
Rascal still feeds maybe 3 times at night....any ideas on how to get him to cut back? He will be 9 months! I am sooo tired!

I remember I was suggesting a cup before. Did you try out some different ones? If he won't take a cup or a bottle you can try to get some expressed milk into his food so he'll get it that way.

If the worst comes to the worst, he'll get by without it. Try to give him some wetter kinds of solid foods so he doesn't get dehydrated. He'll make up for the breastmilk when you get home and he will definitely want to make up for it overnight as well, unfortunately. You'll probably find an increase rather than a decrease in night feeds while you're working. Even if he does take a cup or bottle, he'll probably want more comfort to reconnect with you after you've been out all day. It's only one week so you'll get through it one way or another.

I would suggest waiting until after that week before you try anything different with his night time routine. Night weaning isn't recommended before 12 months anyway but if you do want to try gently resettling him in other ways, as long as you're sure it's not hunger, it would be best to wait until the stress of the week at work is over at least.

Millem

Thanks for all the replies. Just had two horrendous nights with him of very little sleep
Husband in spare room. Baby takes beaker, it’s just that he feeds sooo much still so don’t think he would take half as much from the beaker Think the baby is teething....very very cranky.....up since 3am

hollymartins

Has anyone tips for getting 7 week old to take a bottle? I've started expressing with the hope my husband can do the evening feed and I can spend some time with our toddler.

We're using nuk bottle and following pace feeding but so far this week it has just upset her when he tries to get teat in her mouth.

We managed it before with our son but I can't recall what worked or how long it took!

Also I'm using the hakaa pump as it was recommended on this thread and it's great for expressing

hollymartins

Has anyone tips for getting 7 week old to take a bottle? I've started expressing with the hope my husband can do the evening feed and I can spend some time with our toddler.

We're using nuk bottle and following pace feeding but so far this week it has just upset her when he tries to get teat in her mouth.

We managed it before with our son but I can't recall what worked or how long it took!

Also I'm using the hakaa pump as it was recommended on this thread and it's great for expressing