The Breast Feeding Support Thread

missis aggie

Hi Ladies thank you so much for your advice it gives me so much more confidence

cyning

I've tried bottles at night of formula and expressed milk and it makes no difference: she takes maybe 4oz and still wakes every 2-3 hours. If she wakes for you she'll probably wake for your mum too. I wouldn't worry they'll be fine

0ctober

Cyning I saw a few pages back you were talking about bringing in a cup. My daughter is 14 weeks and doesn't take a bottle at all so I'm hoping to get her to take a cup, as I'm back to college in January and can't leave her with anyone if she won't drink anything for them! Just wondering what age you introduced the cup at and do you have any tips? Thanks
I'm really really dreading leaving her when I go back to college. Because she won't take a bottle I haven't been away from her for more than 3 hours since she was born! I'm hoping to keep up the breast feeding when I go back, how have people found feeding when you return to work? I'm just afraid having a big gap in feeding during the day will affect my supply, expressing during the day isn't an option in college unfortunately!

NextSteps

0ctober wrote: »

Cyning I saw a few pages back you were talking about bringing in a cup. My daughter is 14 weeks and doesn't take a bottle at all so I'm hoping to get her to take a cup, as I'm back to college in January and can't leave her with anyone if she won't drink anything for them! Just wondering what age you introduced the cup at and do you have any tips? Thanks
I'm really really dreading leaving her when I go back to college. Because she won't take a bottle I haven't been away from her for more than 3 hours since she was born! I'm hoping to keep up the breast feeding when I go back, how have people found feeding when you return to work? I'm just afraid having a big gap in feeding during the day will affect my supply, expressing during the day isn't an option in college unfortunately!

October, most large workplaces (like a college) would have a room for breastfeeding, with a chair and a fridge. It would be no harm emailing the staff Health and Safety officer and asking.

annettea

hi everyone thanks for your replies its a great help and it really reassured me if u feed properly it shouldnt hurt brilliant .. and how to involve the OH as well thank you xx

cyning

0ctober I'm using the Tommee Tippee from 4 month cup. I sit her facing out on my lap and let her hold it with a bit of help from me and it's working really well.... although little madam decided last week when we went to cinema to take bottle after cup for her nana and grandad. It's well worth the try. I reckon started her about 3 maybe 4 weeks ago: i find all the weeks blend into one another on me.

Annettea the best thing you can have is a positive attitude and alot of support. It's worth every second

ariana`

annettea wrote: »

hi everyone thanks for your replies its a great help and it really reassured me if u feed properly it shouldnt hurt brilliant .. and how to involve the OH as well thank you xx

I haven't read all the replies but I'm sure you got excellent advice. I recommend 2 books by Clare Byam-Cook, What to expect if you're breast-feeding...and what if you can't? And also a small picket sized book Top tips for breastfeeding. The latter book is a great reference for after baby's arrival when you don't have as much time for reading! Also Google laid-back nursing or biological nursing. Its really worth a look :-)

ariana`

annettea wrote: »

hi everyone thanks for your replies its a great help and it really reassured me if u feed properly it shouldnt hurt brilliant .. and how to involve the OH as well thank you xx

By the way it "shouldn't " hurt but that doesn't mean it won't be problematic. Me & my 2 babies have struggled with oversupply and very fast let down. Easier 2nd time cos I was more prepared, hopefully it will be plain sailing for you but its no harm to be aware that there are challenges that you can't predict in advance which is why I found the small tips book great.

Best of luck & good on you being so proactive in advance x

0ctober

Thanks cyning! Did she object at all the first time you tried it?

Another general question, my daughter used to take anywhere between 8-10 feeds in 24 hours. The last few days she's only been taking 4-6 in 24 hours. Is this normal? She's 14 weeks old.

lazygal

0ctober wrote: »

Thanks cyning! Did she object at all the first time you tried it?

Another general question, my daughter used to take anywhere between 8-10 feeds in 24 hours. The last few days she's only been taking 4-6 in 24 hours. Is this normal? She's 14 weeks old.

Babies and boobs get more efficient as the months go by, so its totally normal for the number of feeds to decrease.

cyning

0ctober wrote: »

Thanks cyning! Did she object at all the first time you tried it?

Another general question, my daughter used to take anywhere between 8-10 feeds in 24 hours. The last few days she's only been taking 4-6 in 24 hours. Is this normal? She's 14 weeks old.

First few times we both had milk all over us: I expressed while she was on her mat and gave it to her that way: i figured it was the easiest way to get the milk closest to the temp she was used to. She chewed on it a bit and then accidentally got a bit of milk out: she got such a shock! She drank 2oz then and I just kept going with it then

C still feeds 8-10 times a day: madness!

emer_b

Expressed for the first time this week and got an ounce which I was delighted with for first attempt!
Just a few questions: would you heat the milk or give it at room temperature? I know it's probably down to baby's preference but I'm sure the bottle itself is going to be the biggest problem so I'd at least like to get the temp right! What has worked for you?

Also if she doesn't take the bottle at first attempt how long can I keep the heated milk in the bottle before throwing it away (ie can I hold onto til next feed, reheat it and try again?). The milk is frozen at the moment.

Baby woke more often than usual lastnight so I brought her into the bed with me for the morning feed and a snooze. She rewarded me with a poo up her neck, through two layers of clothes and onto the sheets, the joys!!

ck83

emer_b wrote: »

Expressed for the first time this week and got an ounce which I was delighted with for first attempt!
Just a few questions: would you heat the milk or give it at room temperature? I know it's probably down to baby's preference but I'm sure the bottle itself is going to be the biggest problem so I'd at least like to get the temp right! What has worked for you?

Also if she doesn't take the bottle at first attempt how long can I keep the heated milk in the bottle before throwing it away (ie can I hold onto til next feed, reheat it and try again?). The milk is frozen at the moment.

Baby woke more often than usual lastnight so I brought her into the bed with me for the morning feed and a snooze. She rewarded me with a poo up her neck, through two layers of clothes and onto the sheets, the joys!!

I'm not b/f anymore, but sometimes I call in to this thread anyhow!
I used to give milk probably slightly above room temp. When it was frozen, I used to stand the freezer bags into hot water to thaw them, and when it would be thawed, it would be slightly warm- probably the temp that it would have naturally been if he was feeding from me really, so thats what he liked!

I think the official line on left-over milk is that it would be better to throw it out. Ive read in a few places that its fine to put it in the fridge til the next feeding. TBH, I don't think it was ever an issue for us.

Also- do you know BM keeps for up to 6 days in the fridge? So if you think you'll be using it within that timeframe, you'd be better to refridgerate it rather than freeze it- theres more nutrients in it. I used to have a rotational system going on!!

Good luck with the bottles!

emer_b

thanks very much ck, i didnt know milk would keep that long in the fridge. Going to try the bottle tmrw, fingers crossed!

NextSteps

There are guidelines on milk storage here: http://www.llli.org/faq/milkstorage.html

emer_b

So myself and husband have been psyching ourselves up all week to try a bottle feed (with expressed milk) for our 8week old girl. Decided to wait until today so we'd both be home and have plenty of time.
I just warmed up 1oz for her, gave it to my husband and wished him good luck as I left the room. Within 2 minutes he was calling me for more milk. I couldn't believe it, she just guzzled it down without any protest at all. I'm so delighted! I can plan an evening out for myself!!
Just thought I would share my success story as I have received lots of helpful advice here over the last few weeks

pushkii

that is fantastic emer :-) you won't know yourself now to have the freedom. even just knowing she'll. take it is a great weight off your shoulders .

0ctober

That's great emer! As someone who's daughter outright refuses a bottle I am well and truely jealous haha! :P Enjoy your night off, oh and keep giving her a bottle regularly, my daughter took one no problem in the early days and then we had a gap of a few weeks til the next one and she wanted nothing to do with it!

ck83

0ctober wrote: »

That's great emer! As someone who's daughter outright refuses a bottle I am well and truely jealous haha! :P Enjoy your night off, oh and keep giving her a bottle regularly, my daughter took one no problem in the early days and then we had a gap of a few weeks til the next one and she wanted nothing to do with it!

I was just going to say the same thing. When my little boy was 3 months old, I left him one day a week for five weeks to do a course. No trouble with bottles. When that course was finished, I gave him no bottles for a month and then started another course- we had a lot of trouble getting him to drink froma bottle again. So keep the bottles coming regularly!

pushkii

I was just wondering does anyone know the reason that weaning is at 6 months for breastfed babies rather than 4 months for formula fed babies? Ive being trying to look online but i cant find out why

implausible

pushkii wrote: »

I was just wondering does anyone know the reason that weaning is at 6 months for breastfed babies rather than 4 months for formula fed babies? Ive being trying to look online but i cant find out why

I think it's to do with iron. The mother produces has enough reserves of iron to make breastmilk sufficient until 6 months. I think

How Strange

Pushkii because breastfed babies get their requisite of nutrients etc up to 6 months. In reality breastfed babies could be exclusively on breast milk for a lot longer and until around 1900's they weren't weaned onto solids until 1-1.5 yrs. breast milk is THE super milk. It contains everything a baby needs and it also creates healthy bacteria in their gut.

There's loads of other theories and research to indicate it lowers the risk of obesity, illnesses such as heart disease, high cholesterol etc as they grow into adulthood, lowers the risk of food allergies.

There was a study published back in 2011 saying breastfed babies were found to be iron deficient at 6 months but that study was later debunked.

Formula on the other hand cannot provide the necessary nutrients past a certain age so it's necessary to supplement with food.

The earlier weaning of babies in 1900's came around the time formula became popular as babies on formula were become malnourished for the first time ever. Doctors recommended weaning on to solids and breastfed babies were included in these recommendations.

That's a very brief overview of how I understand it based on what I've read

Neyite

Baby bit my nipple the night before last. He has had his two teeth for ages and has been so good, but it was during a night feed and he was falling asleep and had stopped drinking, and I was sleepy and didnt notice. Now i have the ouchies

So, I've been letting him take the first drink from the non-hurty side, then when he has calmed down and drinking slower transfer him over.

I suppose if that's the only difficulty I've encountered in breastfeeding I'm doing well.

pushkii

thank you so much for that info how strange its good to know that baby isn't missing out when they haven't been on solids yet :-).

0ctober

That's funny neyite, similar thing has happened me! H is starting to teeth and biting on everything. She has no teeth yet but keeps clamping down on my nipples with her gums, oh my god its so sore!! Anyone have any tips to stop her doing it?

Neyite

0ctober wrote: »

That's funny neyite, similar thing has happened me! H is starting to teeth and biting on everything. She has no teeth yet but keeps clamping down on my nipples with her gums, oh my god its so sore!! Anyone have any tips to stop her doing it?

Well, my sister says that you take baby off the boob and sternly say "no biting" then put them back on again, but he has only bit the once so havent had to tell him off yet . I read this to get more information on how to handle it.

0ctober

Haha thanks I must give that a try! I'm dreading when she gets teeth! :-/

IvyTheTerrible

My fella has no teeth yet but he does occasionally bite at the end of a feed. I just have to watch out for when he looks likes he's finishing and take him off the boob before he starts chewing!

0ctober

Neyite- I only got a chance to look at that link now, that website is amazing! Thanks a mil

CrowWoman

ariana` wrote: »

IGoogle laid-back nursing or biological nursing. Its really worth a look :-)

Thanks for this Ariana,this is what I do but I didn't know there was a name for it!

LittleMan's four months old and he's my fourth child, so breastfeeding was pretty straightforward for me this time. I remember how tough it was to figure out with my first, though.