The Breast Feeding Support Thread

lmullen

So after a few days of refusing the breast my little girl decided to latch on again last Wednesday. Went to a breast feeding support group in my local clinic which was a great help got lots of helpful advice. We were flying again till Saturday when she stopped again for no apparent reason. Then yesterday morning she latched again and seems to have been constantly feeding since then. She cries unconsolably whenever I take her off and took hours to settle last night even though she'd been feeding almost constantly from 8 till 12. Is this norma?l. Midwives and lactation specialist in hospital did say she might feed all day long but seems a bit crazy at the moment!

annamcmahon

Imullen, the constant feeding in the evenings is normal. Baba clusterfeeds to stimulate your supply but it's also because being latched on is about more than just food. She feels safe and secure when latched on.

Both my daughters fed like that at the beginning. With my first I had no experience so couldn't understand how she could still be hungry after 2 hours. With my second I knew it was normal newborn behavior. I used it as the perfect excuse to sit on the couch with some biscuits and facebook or boards on my phone.

It's great to hear that feeding is going well for you.

dublinlady

New programme coming out in America called extreme parenting.. Focuses on ppl who breast feed beyond 1yr and calls it 'kooky' etc.
Whilst breastfeeding didn't work out for me beyond 3 months I find this programme insulting and ridiculous - probably based on ignorant ppls views demonstrating a lack of knowledge about something they feel the need to be overtly vocal about!
I say each to their own and i really can't see how breastfeeding can ever be a bad thing depending on what your comfortable with yourself. I wish I had been able to continue for 6 months and greatly respect those who do. I know I would not feel comfortable breastfeeding too much beyond 6 months but that in completely personal and really society should stop interfering with something which is clearly natural and truly wonderful.

annamcmahon

I totally agree Dublinlady.
If you'd asked me about it when I was pregnant with my first I'd have said you need to stop at 1, don't ask me why this age specifically, or it was weird. I thought anyone feeding two babies at once, except twins obviously, were really weird. Now I'm feeding a 3month old and an 18 month old because my first just didn't stop looking to be fed. I know realise that women just keep feeding a baby that just happens to keep getting older. I've now realised that I will keep feeding both until they want to stop.

Mink

I was breastfed til I was 2 & certainly didn't do me any harm, I'm not mental or disturbed

I have an incredible immune system, never had to go to hospital, no major illnesses. Last time I got a flu was about 4 yrs ago & it only lasted two days. I might get a cold each winter but last winter I didn't at all. I put that down partially to being breastfed. I don't pick up bugs from other people I've lived/worked with.

liliq

I had 6 months in my head. I don't think that I thought beyond that, I just wanted to get there! I did think before that feeding toddlers was odd, but I was looking at it as almost isolated from feeding babies, rather than something that was a natural progression?

I totally agree with annamcmahon- it's just feeding a baby who happens to be getting older!

But tv/ media will put it's spin on anything to make it seem "kooky", make it controversial, and get their ratings.

cyning

I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice... babs is 5 days old: I cannot get her to latch onto the right side: the left side is fine. The first day or so were okay except I got seriously cracked and bruised nipples trying to get the hang of latching her on so I'm using nipple shields for a few days to let them heal. I do have to supplement with formula for a little while too because she lost too much weight in the first few days.

PHN has been a godsend and she's much better in the last day or so but there is just no go on the right side at all. She screams and screams untill I put her on the other side or give her a bottle.

dublinlady

Did they check her for any soreness in her neck and shoulders as a result of the birth? Sonetimes they can receive a trauma to the neck during labour which can result in a thing called torticollis ( not sure of spelling) but it results in difficulty feeding one side as the baby is sore and uncomfortable!! It can be resolved with physio so def worth getting checked - but PHN would prob have spotted this? They def can prefer one side and sonetimes just changing hold can help - as in instead of cradle hold try lying down on side to feed from that side to start as baby might find it more comfortable . I would say def give up the shields as soon as you can and use any other measure to deal with the soreness ( passes mostly after 2 weeks... Horrible I know!!) as the baby can become dependent on the shields and refuse to latch without them - I ended up giving up breastfeeding at 13 weeks mostly due to this - the shields were giving her wind in the end and she wod no way latch without them!!! Plus they a pain in the bum to keep sterilized and fiddly to get on when feeding in public!!

Congrats again tho - it's tough going but such a special time!

cyning

PHN said that to me about the nipple shields too... just to use them to get over the worst and to stop using them too... I'll ask her the next day about her shoulders and neck: she was checked out by three different paedaetricians in hosp though so I'd like to think it would have been picked up on if she did? Its really frustrating because I really need her to feed from both sides :rolleyes: hopefully it will get a bit easier over the next few days

dublinlady

cyning wrote: »

PHN said that to me about the nipple shields too... just to use them to get over the worst and to stop using them too... I'll ask her the next day about her shoulders and neck: she was checked out by three different paedaetricians in hosp though so I'd like to think it would have been picked up on if she did? Its really frustrating because I really need her to feed from both sides :rolleyes: hopefully it will get a bit easier over the next few days

Keep expressing from the side she's not feedi from so that the supply keeps up there too. Can't emphasise about shields enough..... Great at time but a real ball and chain with time! Literally the reason I quit! Plus I always felt a little annoyed and upset about the distance they put between me and my little girl... As weird as it sounds I felt I never really breast fed.. Just faked it... Stupid I know but I do think it took from the experience!!!! Girls here always recommend phoning a ciudiu consultant for any issues - I did and whilst I still failed to get it resolved the lady gave me amazing free advise! Was so good to talk to an expert! Main thing is bresastfeeding is a skill that has to be learnt - not always just as easy as popping them on! But I believe most ppl find it settles and does become that easy! Plus you don't need to bother sterilising a million bottles a day... Slight exaggeration but it sometimes feels like that!!!!!!
I'd also recommend introducing a bottle of expressed milk between week 2&3 once a day so she gets used to bottle also and won't reject it down the rd!

How Strange

dublinlady wrote: »

Main thing is bresastfeeding is a skill that has to be learnt - not always just as easy as popping them on! But I believe most ppl find it settles and does become that easy!

This is so true. The way the doctors, midwives, public health nurses go on about breastfeeding you'd think it was easy and you pop the baby on the boob and off you go. I think of it like a physical activity such as running. Strictly speaking we can all run but for most of us it's difficult to get started, requires patience and motivation and very soon you see the benefits.

Breastfeeding was most probably a skill which was handed down from woman to woman over generations and the older ones took care of the young mums and helped them. We've completely lost that societal support so for most of us we have to learn it for ourselves. Thats why la Leche and Cuidiu are invaluable. They provide not for profit woman to woman support.

red fraggle

cyning wrote: »

I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice... babs is 5 days old: I cannot get her to latch onto the right side: the left side is fine. The first day or so were okay except I got seriously cracked and bruised nipples trying to get the hang of latching her on so I'm using nipple shields for a few days to let them heal. I do have to supplement with formula for a little while too because she lost too much weight in the first few days.

PHN has been a godsend and she's much better in the last day or so but there is just no go on the right side at all. She screams and screams untill I put her on the other side or give her a bottle.

have you tried feeding her with the same hold as you do on the left side. as in say u feed her lying across your belly and she latches on to the left side. so if you scoot her over so her legs are danglying off your right side (put a pillow under her for support) and she latches on the right side. Sorry im really bad at trying to explain what i mean!! but if you understand this it would mean she is not lying on the side that might be sore.

goodluck!

cyning

I got her on the right side today: was so delighted I nearly cried Nipples nearly healed up too so am going to try again without the shields tomorrow: damn right breastfeeding is really hard! I'm lucky that my PHN is heavily involved in the breastfeeding support group here in town so she's really helpful

Little My

cyning wrote: »

I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice... babs is 5 days old: I cannot get her to latch onto the right side: the left side is fine. The first day or so were okay except I got seriously cracked and bruised nipples trying to get the hang of latching her on so I'm using nipple shields for a few days to let them heal. I do have to supplement with formula for a little while too because she lost too much weight in the first few days.

PHN has been a godsend and she's much better in the last day or so but there is just no go on the right side at all. She screams and screams untill I put her on the other side or give her a bottle.

My boy was the same but opposite... would feed on the left but not the right. Midwife suggested I tried the football hold (I think its called that) on the right and it worked better. He grew out of it at some stage and I was able to feed him in the usual position both sides.

wmpdd3

Cyning, delighted for the two of you!

lazygal

I've been lurking reading this thread but time to post! I've been BF for seven weeks now and its gotten so much easier. I wish the lactation consultant in hospital and my mum had told me things do get better.

It's a dream for night feeds, we're lucky with our one as she generally only wakes once (sometimes twice) and will usually feed very quickly, for about 10-15 minutes, then back to sleep. She's also getting into a nice loose routine so the day feeds are getting a bit more predictable but the cluster feeding from about 5pm onwards can be a challenge. I hope this settles down a bit as time goes on.

Neyite

My fella settled down on the cluster feeding Lazygal, and he is 9 weeks now. Its now at the stage where I feed him in the evening when he isnt particularly looking for it, so I can "tank him up" for the night, and it means getting up once to feed him instead of twice.

I have a question that some more experienced ladies can hopfully answer: When they start to sleep longer during the night - like for the last few nights he has slept from 10pm through to 4 or 5am (once even 6am) and takes the night feed from one breast, I get up and pump the other as its engorged and dripping.

At the moment thats useful as I put an ounce in bottles and add the Colief drops to it to give before feeds during the day. But I'm hoping to reduce the drops gradually and eventually only feed from the breast.

So what do I do with the engorged one during the night or what do you do when they start sleeping for longer stretches and your boobs wake you up instead of baby?

foxinsocks

If you can bear it, just use a breast pad to catch the leaks and leave it sore for a couple of nights. Your boobs will 'learn' how much milk to make, and when. By expressing, your production won't have a chance to even out, if that makes sense? As time goes on generally your production will be exactly what they need, so engorgement will happen less and less anyway. I still have some in the morning because my nearly 9 month old babby sleeps through so well, but they are just full, and not engorged or painful.

dubstarr

dublinlady wrote: »

New programme coming out in America called extreme parenting.. Focuses on ppl who breast feed beyond 1yr and calls it 'kooky' etc.
Whilst breastfeeding didn't work out for me beyond 3 months I find this programme insulting and ridiculous - probably based on ignorant ppls views demonstrating a lack of knowledge about something they feel the need to be overtly vocal about!
I say each to their own and i really can't see how breastfeeding can ever be a bad thing depending on what your comfortable with yourself. I wish I had been able to continue for 6 months and greatly respect those who do. I know I would not feel comfortable breastfeeding too much beyond 6 months but that in completely personal and really society should stop interfering with something which is clearly natural and truly wonderful.

This kind of thing annoys me as if we are abnormal for wanting to keep feeding our baby.Ds 5 is currently still breaastfeeding hes 13 months and i plan to keep going for a while yet.
No wonder thers so much crap out there.You wouldnt think to ask a formula fed baby is still on a bottle and you certainly wouldnt bat an eyelid but because its breastfeeding its like you are doing something wrong.

red fraggle

and suddenly we are down to 2 breastfeeds a day!!:D it all happened so suddenly and wasnt as hard as i thought. im happy with this. alot of it was my little womans choice. during the day she wasnt as interested in the boob. and she is over 6 months now so with solids and everything she is not having as much milk but still plenty for her nourishment!

for anyone thinking of cutting down this is how we work.

I feed her myself in the morning when she wakes and in the evening going to bed. Thats it!! i can wear my own clothes again:D (i had specific clothes for breastfeeding, wasnt confident with the pulling the top up. maybe next time! :rolleyes:) some shopping might be in order!! during the day she has a 4-6 ounce bottle an 8 ounce bottle and a 2 ounce bottle. sometimes she has more or less but in or around this much.

as for the boobs i had no lumps or overfullness or anything like that and thats prob due to ive been slowly stopping over the last few weeks. its great. im so delighted with myself for exclusively breastfeeding for 5 months and ill be keeping these 2 feeds going for a while unless E decides shes done. i didnt think i would bresatfeed for as long but i did.

goodluck to anyone starting and continuing or going through a rough bit. you will get through it!! so happy!!! now at least i know im set to go back to work if i am still breastfeeding in 6 weeks time

wmpdd3

Great, same as me. He's 6 months next Friday and he has a feed at 8am and at 9pm, perfect. I have no intention of stopping either but I cant imagine feeding him when he gets teeth!

A was 10 months when she got her first tooth, so hopefully I have a good while till i have to that happens.

I tried him with baby rice today and yesterday and he just gags, must make some sweet potato over the weekend.

Cat Melodeon

We're starting with a bit of weaning here too, herself is 8 months now. I'd like to get down to just the night to morning shift, leaving me free during the day. Her night-morning routine is loose, but something like this: a feed going to bed at 8, a dream feed around midnight, maybe another around 5am (but not always) and then the getting-up feed around 8am. She's a savage to eat and she's taking formula when I need her to, although I am a bit concerned that any day she's had formula she usually is badly constipated for a couple of days after. It's hard to switch though when she's so content the way she is, but I'm trying to get a job and I don't want to be stressing about her daytime feeds if I get one.

As for teeth, she has two beauties on the bottom and I think she spends her day sharpening them, wee menace! She never nips me on the night shift, but daytime feeds are an absolute nightmare, which is another reason why I'd like to drop a few feeds before I'm permanently maimed. She's full of devilment, none of my tricks are working on her!

wmpdd3

Speaking of teeth, we've just made a terrible discovery, my 22month old has a black spot on the back of her bottom tooth. Cant believe it but she drinks a bottle before she goes asleep at night and at 12pm for her nap. We'll have to cut it out asap. She only has those teeth 11months. We'll step up the vit d drops too. She 'sucks' her toothbrush morning and evening but we'll have to ensure every tooth is brushed. Still im devistated....

liliq

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Speaking of teeth, we've just made a terrible discovery, my 22month old has a black spot on the back of her bottom tooth. Cant believe it but she drinks a bottle before she goes asleep at night and at 12pm for her nap. We'll have to cut it out asap. She only has those teeth 11months. We'll step up the vit d drops too. She 'sucks' her toothbrush morning and evening but we'll have to ensure every tooth is brushed. Still im devistated....

Were you on any antibiotics while pregnant? Some can affect teeth later in babies...
I wouldn't worry too much until a dentist sees it.
The bottles shouldn't be an issue if she's finished them and not falling asleep with them, the liquid pooling in her mouth if she's falling asleep could be a contributer.

wmpdd3

Oops, I thought I was posting in Newborn chart! We were eating poppy seeds begals yesterday so I tried to get her to rinse her mouth out with water to see it its seeds.

No, didnt have anti biotics while preg.

How do you get a 2 year old to sit in the dentist?

anyway just wanted to say, I got really funny looks in the cafe yesterday feeding baby. he holds boob either side with his fists and wallops it into his face/mouth. the woman accross from me nearly choked on her tea laughing. i joined in.

liliq

A lot of dentists would be well used to it. There are some dentists that cater specifically to kids as well, which is great. They have different techniques depending on the baby- most would make it into a game I'd guess!

Haha, that sounds ridiculously cute!!

red fraggle

wmpdd3 wrote: »

anyway just wanted to say, I got really funny looks in the cafe yesterday feeding baby. he holds boob either side with his fists and wallops it into his face/mouth. the woman accross from me nearly choked on her tea laughing. i joined in.

thats funny!! and im with ya on the teeth. i think if she gets one we might be done but she hasnt gumed me yet. but there is devilment in her so i think once a tooth appeared she would!!!:rolleyes::D

liliq

red fraggle wrote: »

thats funny!! and im with ya on the teeth. i think if she gets one we might be done but she hasnt gumed me yet. but there is devilment in her so i think once a tooth appeared she would!!!:rolleyes::D

I swear I was the exact same! I was a bit freaked out by the thought of feeding a baby with teeth! Actually, it still seems a bit mental but it's been fine. R has 4 teeth so far, and yeah, I've gotten nipped, but it's not nearly as bad as it sounds (most of the time!) For me, it hasn't been nearly bad enough to outweigh how boob cures all!!

wmpdd3

I'm morto!!!

My little girls teeth are fine, it was poppy seeds. I spent nearly an hour rinsing her mouth out with water and finally all three seeds came out.

I even asked some lads in work for a dentist that would see a 22 month old.

First time mums :rolleyes:

Little man used to gum me and drag his head to the left when he had wing, it would take my breath away. Still really not sure of the feeding with teeth, but we'll just have to wait and see. I dont want to stop until he stops.

foxinsocks

With my first, before she was born I swore I would stop once she got teeth, because the idea of it gave me the heebie jeebies. When it came down to it though, she got teeth, and I wasn't ready to quit, so I didn't. If you think about it, their tongues cover their bottom teeth, so if they're biting you, they're also biting their own tongue. If they take their tongue out of the way, they break the latch and come off. Hannah nipped me once, just as she was falling asleep, but that was all, in over 10 months of feeding with teeth. Izzy is 9 months now, and still no sign of teeth, so I can't say if this one will bite, but for now, I doubt it