The Breast Feeding Support Thread

cornflake1

Hi all. Currently feeding my five day old. Overall going really well. Had problems feeding my first baby and had to top up for medical reasons from day 2. Supply was affected and I never managed to get back to exclusive breastfeeding, although she mostly had breast milk until 7 months.

Anyway, this new little lady is a hound for the food. She is doing some posseting though, maybe after every second feed. Worried it is a sign of reflux. She gets a bit agitated beforehand and once it came out her nose too. Sometimes she also coughs. Reminds me of my coughing when the heartburn got bad during pregnancy.

Just wondering if anybody else went through this and has any tips? Thanks!

Mystery Egg

Hi folks. I'm 36 weeks+4 days pregnant and trying to harvest colostrum for my baby who will probably be induced in around 10 days time. I'm insulin dependent thanks to gestational diabetes and this can affect colostrum and milk supplies. I want to have as much colostrum as possible to help balance baby's blood sugar levels when he's born.

I went to a colostrum harvesting workshop yesterday and had a one on one consultation afterwards. We got about 1ml out and it was truly agonising. The midwife squeezed with such force that my nipples are actually bruised today. This was with a lot of massage beforehand.

I sat down again last night and gave it a go myself, trying to be firm but not actually injure myself. I was in a relaxed position, used warm flannels etc, 40 minutes later there was not a drop and I was close to tears.

I'm very discouraged and in quite a bit of pain still. I don't want to touch my nipples at all today and feel very anxious about it.

The stress of doing this yesterday also sent my blood glucose levels through the roof which is bad for both me and baby.

Any tips for making this process easier for anyone who's been there?

shesty

Mystery egg, a hot shower tends to help bring the milk out.If you allow the warm water to spray onto your breast, it may help.Expressing by hand can be sore alright.You could try using a pump on the lowest setting, very gently, but be careful (admittedly I believe this can also help bring on labour so be careful if you do this).

Are you totally against using a bottle to balance blood sugar if needed?My guy was big and they had to monitor his blood sugar levels for the first 24 hours.He had his first feeds in the delivery room no problem, when he was showing signs of hunger, and then a few hours later they said it to me about the blood sugars, judt because of his size.They got me to do feeds every three hours exactly, first offering the breast, then a bottle.The blood sugars were low at the first one.For each feed, they said to offer the breast for longer.He was fine after the 24 hours and I just let him feed away whenever he seemed to want it too, so milk came in fine and he's a guzzler now.He moved off the bottles completely within 24 hours, bar an evening one that I chose to give him.

It's just so you know, in case you are getting totally stressed about it.

Mystery Egg

Thank you so much for the response shesty (and apologies for the double post; part of the glitch from when the site was down).

I'm not opposed to formula feed if necessary at all, but would like to avoid so as not to hamper my milk production which might never fully recover (I've got pcos as well). He's not oversized but almost guaranteed to have low blood sugar when he arrives and a key concern will be balancing the sugars before they allow us to go home, which I know can take a full week! Colostrum is the best and quickest way to do this. The more likely solution if I can't get colostrum will be he'll need glucose feeds directly.

I'll try the hot shower thing. If anyone else has been through it and successfully harvested colostrum all tips welcome.

bee06

Mystery Egg, I PM’d you

shesty

No problem, hopefully it won't take that long!!Sorry I haven't any other suggestions, I just know that staying away from direct hot water is something they tell you if you want to avoid milk production afterwards.

LegacyUser

Reading this tread intently the last while as we have had our first very recently.
There is a big push for breastfeeding, for the better to be sure, but its gone too far at this point.

We had to have a C Section due to a breech at 39 weeks. My wife was in recovery 20 mins after major surgery with a midwife pushing a baby onto her breast, while she was passing out and getting sick.

Due to the C section her milk production was almost non existant, but the midwives still insisted minimal topups, despite screaming from our child for food, up until the point were he went limp and became unresponisive which a blood test confirmed was hypoglycemia, due to lack of food. our child was starving because we "had" to breast feed, despite being unable to.

Despite their experience, the midwives were still completely obvlivious as to how to deal with anything outside an ordinary birth, their answer to everything was shove the babies face onto the breast and he will do whats necessary, despite 3 days of screaming proving this was not working.

The also have no consistency in training, one midwife recommended nipple shields, which we were scolded about when the next midwife came on shift.

When we got home we tried all the recommended foods, oats , brewers yeast, lots of greens, various teas etc etc, along with getting the child checked for a tongue tie. He wouldnt latch, because my wifes milk simply didnt come in strong. Nobody in the hospital would listen or believe this.
We rented a hospital grade expressing pump and my wife tried breastfeeding and expressing every 3 hours before the baby simply needed a feed and so we would give formula and top up with the expressed milk.

Everyone who called over assumed us lazy or stupid for not being able to breast feed, the C Section was just an excuse.

We contacted cuidiu who gave us a number for a local specialist who never responded to any of our messages, so i cant really say if that group is any good, but does not appear great from our view.

My wife was in serious depression by now, thinking herself lazy and useless for not being able to feed her baby like a normal woman. "normal" women simply reinforced this negative self opinion.

a visit to a feeding group in one of the maternity hospitals, headed by the only woman to not judge and actually assess teh problem, confirmed the milk was not in strong enough.
So now we have taken a stance of "F**K everyone, we are doing whats best for my wife's sanity, expressing what we can and our baby is formula fed with breastmilk topup.


Long story short, we have a genuine issue where we cant completely provide for our baby with breast milk, we have tried everything we can find and yet all we get is judgement and ridicule, no support. Its a case of "breastfeed or you're a bad parent who only feeds the formula company's"

Mystery Egg

bee06 wrote: »

Mystery Egg, I PM’d you

Hi bee06, the website is not working fully yet...I keep trying to reply to you and I keep getting an error message. Hopefully you won't get a pile of PMs all in a rush.

[Basically yes to your offer as I'm not on there myself!! And thanks so much.]

bee06

Mystery Egg wrote: »

Hi bee06, the website is not working fully yet...I keep trying to reply to you and I keep getting an error message. Hopefully you won't get a pile of PMs all in a rush.

[Basically yes to your offer as I'm not on there myself!! And thanks so much.]

No problem

hollymartins

Cornflake I encountered the same issue with my daughter, I think I was so used to feeding a very hungry newborn when her brother was born that I was almost force feeding her. I think I was misreading her and assumed every time she cried she was hungry (that's what her brother was like but he had a huge appetite!)

So after a few weeks I was more aware of her cues and the incidents of possetting plummeted.

I'm not saying it isn't reflux but that's just my experience.

shesty

I'd agree Cornflake, my six week old pukes when he's overfed, but I find it hard to know when he's overfed! He would try to feed all day if let. He wouldn't always be screaming for it, but would never turn it down, and I've made the mistake of thinking he was hungry a few times, only to have it all puked back up on me immediately afterwards.:rolleyes: He sneezed and coughed a lot in the first week or so. They have zero control over their stomach at that stage really!!

For general info I finally managed to get the little guy to poo:D (things you thought you'd never say!). A couple of ounces of prune juice mixed with cooled boiled water was recommended by a medical person - he only took in about 1.5 ounces, but it did the business earlier today (eventually).
Only problem is that he hasn't stopped since then!:D:P

cornflake1

Thanks hollymartins and shesty! I am probably jumping the gun a bit getting worried! I will need to learn her cues as you both suggested.

shesty

Ah sure, have been there with silent reflux on this one and my first too.I am fairly sure he has it, he's on Zantac since six week apptmt (had it on our first), but he's not as bad as she was so I am hoping to stop it soon.
Then I second guess myself every other day and tell myself it's just wind.It's so hard with newborns.

flo09

Hey Ladies, sorry haven't really been following the thread but I have a question re dirty nappies. My little ones are the normal mustard colour but they are not seedy and can actually be quite watery but they smell like the distinctive breastfed poo and not foul smelling. Does this sound normal.

The reason I ask is that my dd is quite fair like my second son and he had eczema and a whole rake of allergies. His nappies used to be quite frothy and watery but they did smell bad. I'm really hoping that she isnt displaying symptoms of allergies. No sign of eczema yet but then my ds was 3 mths when I noticed his. My dd is 9 wks.

rainbow kirby

My son sounds very similar - nearly 5 months old and has very similar sounding nappies.

fits

Still feeding the twins away at eighteen months here. I surely know that touched out feeling some days.

shesty

You deserve a prize fits.

catrionanic

flo09 wrote: »

Hey Ladies, sorry haven't really been following the thread but I have a question re dirty nappies. My little ones are the normal mustard colour but they are not seedy and can actually be quite watery but they smell like the distinctive breastfed poo and not foul smelling. Does this sound normal.

The reason I ask is that my dd is quite fair like my second son and he had eczema and a whole rake of allergies. His nappies used to be quite frothy and watery but they did smell bad. I'm really hoping that she isnt displaying symptoms of allergies. No sign of eczema yet but then my ds was 3 mths when I noticed his. My dd is 9 wks.

My wee boy was the same.

Fits that's amazing. You should get yourself some pretty breast milk jewellery to celebrate!

fits

catrionanic wrote: »

My wee boy was the same.

Fits that's amazing. You should get yourself some pretty breast milk jewellery to celebrate!

I should. Where would I get it?

It’s easier to keep going than to stop now. To be fair. It’s not much hassle at all and helps lots when they are sick or upset.

Lainey_b01

Hi, almost 6months feeding my little Prince and all going well thankfully on the feeding side of the house. Not sure if anyone has experienced any of below and has any wise words for a FTM?

1. DS favours me when it comes to southing him to sleep, especially when wakes up during night. My poor husband is a great help but he gets a much less favourable response from my son when he tries to help at night. Husband can't help but to feel rejected by good son. Guessing this is common for the parent sans boobs?

2 Baba is nowhere near self soothing. He goes to sleep on boob at night and is rocked to sleep or wheeled to sleep in buggy. I know he will get there at some stage but 20lbs little man is telling its tole on my back.

bee06

I have a 6 month old as well. He’s exactly the same when it comes to falling asleep. From what I’ve read being able to fall asleep or self soothe is a developmental thing, not something they can learn.

To be honest, I’ve never even got my husband to try and get my little boy to sleep at night! The quickest way is to feed him and he’s back to sleep in a few minutes. Never occurred to me to try anything else . My husband never wakes anyway. I do have something on next week in the evening so he’ll be trying bedtime for the first time. For naps he will fall asleep for my husband if he walks around for about 20 minutes but it’s been hit or miss lately. His napping in general has been a disaster.

Have you tried a carrier to save your poor back?

Pocos

Hi all

My near 6 month old is similar too! Regarding husband I am number one in my LO eyes and he def doesn’t get as good a welcome home as say I would! Like bee my husband has rarely gotten up to lo, I was actually thinking the same feed her and she’s asleep sooner! If my husband got up he would probably take an hour to put her to bed!

Self soothing is a word I hear so often but don’t quite understand fully! I feed my baby to sleep every night, and usually for naps! Or she falls asleep in car and in the buggy! So I would think she can’t but I have seen her wake at night and look about for a few mins and go back to sleep herself! Like last night she woke 20 mins after we put her down and she looked about for 10 mins and drifted off herself.. is that self soothing?? I dunno to be honest! I feel lazy that I haven’t tried to put her down the semi awake they talk about but it’s working and my lo sleeps all night about 70% of the time so I don’t want to rock the boat!!!

Not sure is that much help but that’s what we are at in my house! Bedtime about 8.30-9! Any earlier she takes it as a nap and is up for 2 hours about 30 mins later!!!

bee06

Pocos wrote: »

Like bee my husband has rarely gotten up to lo, I was actually thinking the same feed her and she’s asleep sooner! If my husband got up he would probably take an hour to put her to bed

I think the same! My husband used to say I should express so he could do a night feed but I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep if the two of them were awake!

As far as I’m concerned being able to boob to sleep is like a super power!

scarepanda

Haha, ladies, enjoy being their number one while it lasts! It's only around the corner where ye won't get a look I while daddy is around, especially if any of ye have girls!

My girl is the complete daddy's girl, and he's generally no.1, although I still hold no.1 spot when she wants something like a drink or food or if she hurts herself.... Mammys all better kisses seem to be better than daddy's!

shesty

And then I get home from my daughter's playschool today...."What I want to be when I grow up - My Mammy".:)

lazygal

I'm still far and away number one (they're six and nearly five), its bloody exhausting being the default parent.

Lainey_b01

Thanks ladies. Boob's are our superpower alright! Just hurts my poor hubby when he tries so hard to help out. Little man screamed when hubby trying to give him bottle of express this evening and then took it with no issues when on my arms, I would be pretty upset if shoe was on the other foot.

I would definitely consider it self soothing when baby wakes up and takes themselves back into land of nod! Just not at that development point on our House, the insisted rocking/bouncing looks to be continuing at nap time.

catrionanic

Ah girls I'm having the opposite issue at the moment- wee man has been spending a lot of time with his grandparents due to our work schedules and he is now soooo clingy to them and will hardly look at me! I try to put him to bed at night and he's calling out for his granny, and when I get him out of his cot in the mornings he is crying for his grampa! I feel like a bad mother

Pocos

catrionanic wrote: »

Ah girls I'm having the opposite issue at the moment- wee man has been spending a lot of time with his grandparents due to our work schedules and he is now soooo clingy to them and will hardly look at me! I try to put him to bed at night and he's calling out for his granny, and when I get him out of his cot in the mornings he is crying for his grampa! I feel like a bad mother

Ah stop you aren’t a bad mother! Isn’t it fab your little one is so happy with his grandparents! Sure that’s their job to mind them and spoil them! I only have a near 6 month old but I’ve tons of nieces/nephews and I think any that get minded by their grandparents go through a stage of never wanting to go home! Just take solace while you are out working ( which most people HAVE to do!) your son is very happy and not crying looking for you! You’re in work not on a holiday or out drinking! It’s a phase I’m sure! You are doing great that your son is going somewhere he is very happy when you are out working!!!

fits

Ah you’re obviously a great mum Catrionanic. The relationship with grandparents is just different. My boys love their granny’s and grandad too.

I have developed chapped areolas. I think it might be thrush. Feeding on that side is excruciating. Any idea what I can do? My lad on that side is on daktarin gel but I think I need something too.