The Breast Feeding Support Thread

littlemissfixit

scaryfairy wrote: »

hi Ladies,

It's probably a silly question that I have but here it goes... My ds is just over 5 months now, and he is ebf. Will only start solids once he turns 6 months. I know there are all sorts of things that you cannot eat while breastfeeding, but wondering, whether it changes as the baby gets older, ie are they a bit less sensitive? To make sure that he doesn't get an upset tummy, I have been eating very few types of veggies and fruit (not into spicy stuff anyhow), but would love to eat a better variety! so: is it OK for me to start eating say berries etc?

thanks a mill!
sf

Im a bit puzzled, I ate anything while breastfeeding, if anything seemed to make them gassy I would reduce that particular thing to let them time to adjust, apart from caffeine & alcohol, but really never heard you shouldn't eat some fruits or vegs!?

IvyTheTerrible

littlemissfixit wrote: »

Im a bit puzzled, I ate anything while breastfeeding, if anything seemed to make them gassy I would reduce that particular thing to let them time to adjust, apart from caffeine & alcohol, but really never heard you shouldn't eat some fruits or vegs!?

The only vegs I heard can cause gas are turnips. Garlic and onions can also upset baby's tummy, but as How Strange said, that's usually early on.

cyning

I eat anything and everything: my LC told me at the start just to eat what I would normally eat so I always have. The only thing I don't eat is sweet and sour from Chinese because every time I ate it she got quite windy... I would seriously work away and eat what you like. If there's something you eat she seems not to like you could avoid that then?

scrgirl

I eat most things too, spicy etc i avoid broccoli and Brussels sprouts! That's it.

How Strange

Hummus and asparagus were the two offending foods for us.

IvyTheTerrible

How Strange wrote: »

Hummus and asparagus were the two offending foods for us.

Yeah chickpeas, that makes sense...ahem anything that makes adults very "gassy" can be a trigger!

cyning

Oh thank god broccoli was never an issue here it's the only green veg I like!

Neyite

scaryfairy wrote: »

hi Ladies,

It's probably a silly question that I have but here it goes... My ds is just over 5 months now, and he is ebf. Will only start solids once he turns 6 months. I know there are all sorts of things that you cannot eat while breastfeeding, but wondering, whether it changes as the baby gets older, ie are they a bit less sensitive? To make sure that he doesn't get an upset tummy, I have been eating very few types of veggies and fruit (not into spicy stuff anyhow), but would love to eat a better variety! so: is it OK for me to start eating say berries etc?

thanks a mill!
sf

Um, there was nothing I avoided eating while breastfeeding, I even had a glass or two of wine when there were long stretches between feeds. Unless baby reacted to something via your milk previously then I wouldnt have cut it out of your diet, and see no reason for you not to eat what you like now.

yellow hen

Just on the food thing. Our little man is 12 days old now and his nappies are always vibrant yellow. Bit even a brown hue to them.... Just bright yellow. Is that normal for a breastfed baby or is it something that I'm eating?
On the aside, they're v runny too but the midwife told us that a breastfed baby takes everything good from the milk and generally only excretes the water content.

CrowWoman

Yellow and runny sounds perfect for a healthy, breast-fed baby.

It probably sounds odd but I miss that now LittleMan's spoon feeding.

Neyite

yellow hen wrote: »

Just on the food thing. Our little man is 12 days old now and his nappies are always vibrant yellow. Bit even a brown hue to them.... Just bright yellow. Is that normal for a breastfed baby or is it something that I'm eating?
On the aside, they're v runny too but the midwife told us that a breastfed baby takes everything good from the milk and generally only excretes the water content.

Mustard yellow/light brown flecks is the correct colour. Darker or greener indicates he is only drinking the foremilk, not the fattier hindmilk. Runny is also normal.

yellow hen

Neyite wrote: »

Mustard yellow/light brown flecks is the correct colour. Darker or greener indicates he is only drinking the foremilk, not the fattier hindmilk. Runny is also normal.

Thanks neyite. They just seem to be getting runnier! His new trick this week is peeing up his own back! We just thought he was sweaty! Today we moved him on to the size 2 pampers nappies and made sure his little willy was pointing down and he still managed to soak himself. Did this happen anyone else? Sorry I probably shouldn't be posting this in the breastfeeding thread.

How Strange

yellow hen you'll be shocked and amazed at how far up their backs they can get their wee and poo. I always found the likelihood increased dramatically late at night/early in the morning.

yellow hen

How Strange wrote: »

yellow hen you'll be shocked and amazed at how far up their backs they can get their wee and poo. I always found the likelihood increased dramatically late at night/early in the morning.

I can understand how poo gets up there but wee??? I thought it was almost an impossibility!! and you're right, for the most part it's at night that he's doing it!!

emer_b

yellow hen wrote: »

I can understand how poo gets up there but wee??? I thought it was almost an impossibility!! and you're right, for the most part it's at night that he's doing it!!

Yellow Hen, the pee/poo can just get anywhere, it's amazing. Especially during the night when they tend to go a little longer between nappy changes. The runny poos are normal for breastfed babies, slightly messy at times but the great thing is they hardly smell at all.

With regard to the food I find that eating citrus fruits makes my baby spit up a lot. I used to eat loads of fruit but am restricted to apples and pears for the last 6 months. I drank a small glass of orange juice a few weeks ago and she was spitting up within a few hours.

IvyTheTerrible

How Strange wrote: »

yellow hen you'll be shocked and amazed at how far up their backs they can get their wee and poo. I always found the likelihood increased dramatically late at night/early in the morning.

For some reason, when my baby was younger, he didn't leak at night, but if he was in the carseat and had a poo, it ALWAYS leaked...every time!

littlemissfixit

That happened to my boy this week for the first time he was all wet up his back, but even the nappy wasn't all wet, it just seemed to have leaked out without touching the nappy!!! I just put it doen to the nappy being fitted too loosely.

cyning

One of the times my little girl was really constipated I had her up in a carrier walking around town: i think it had been 3 days: we had poo in her armpits all down my top, my jeans, everywhere: after that I stopped being surprised!!

I've had one or two pees leaks but always at night... Poo leaks were frequent though!

implausible

scaryfairy wrote: »

It's probably a silly question that I have but here it goes... My ds is just over 5 months now, and he is ebf. Will only start solids once he turns 6 months. I know there are all sorts of things that you cannot eat while breastfeeding, but wondering, whether it changes as the baby gets older, ie are they a bit less sensitive? To make sure that he doesn't get an upset tummy, I have been eating very few types of veggies and fruit (not into spicy stuff anyhow), but would love to eat a better variety! so: is it OK for me to start eating say berries etc?

Not a silly question, but a common misconception. My PHN at our ante-natal classes told us we couldn't eat chocolate if we were breastfeeding! Listening to that would really put women off.

Every baby and mammy is different, but in general some babies react to some things and that's it. I ate everything and neither of my two reacted to any food. It has to be good for them to get a variety of tastes through your milk. You also need to eat a varied diet for yourself to keep your strength and energy up.

shelly6

I pretty much ate everything while I was bfing. I did my last feed on Sunday and really missed it this morning. :-(

liliq

I read a theory that the more varied your diet the more likely your baby is to enjoy different tastes as they grow up.
I only avoid drinking more that two glasses of wine or more than 2 or sometimes 3 strong cups of coffee a day. I do know some foods can affect some babies, but generally most mamas can eat whatever they want

yellow hen

I thought that my foods were causing the baby to have very runny poos but the public health nurse today told me that breast milk is a natural laxative! I never knew that.

At the minute our 2 week old feeds approx every 3 hours during the day and then at night it's a bit all over the place. During the day I wake him after 3 hours to feed him but at night should I just let him sleep until he wakes up himself?

littlemissfixit

If you're lucky enough to have a longer stretch at night, and if there isn't any issue with the feeding in general and weight gain, let him sleep!

We have finished breastfeeding for just over a week now, after just over 9mths. I had weaned him off the middle night feed, stretching it to 6am, and then he kinda weaned himself off the dream feed and was getting hungrier and hungrier in the morning du to drop in supply. I think we were both ready for it. He now goes to bed at 7pm until around 6am, I am hoping he will not remain such an early riser, but its not that bad!

dublinlady

Eating sweet peppers , onions , cabbage. Etc used to drive my daughter mad!!

But I plan on trying everything again with this one cos I presume she just had a delicate tummy!!

How Strange

yellow hen if he's feeding every 2 hours during the day then I'd say he's fine to stretch a bit longer at night. I'd only be concerned if he was a sleepy baby in general and was missing hunger cues himself. Enjoy the extra zzz's at night!

How Strange

I just remembered for the first few weeks onions used to make my milk stinky. My husband thought I was crazy because I could get a smell from my son and myself but he couldn't smell it. We narrowed it down to onions but it went away after a few weeks.

yellow hen

How Strange wrote: »

I just remembered for the first few weeks onions used to make my milk stinky. My husband thought I was crazy because I could get a smell from my son and myself but he couldn't smell it. We narrowed it down to onions but it went away after a few weeks.

If I'm lucky enough that he sleeps for long periods tonight, I'll be letting him sleep on! Thanks I find my poor son just smells of milk all the time... Not that lovely baby smell I've only been washing him in water so far. Is there anything I can add to his bath yet?

yellow hen

yellow hen wrote: »

If I'm lucky enough that he sleeps for long periods tonight, I'll be letting him sleep on! Thanks I find my poor son just smells of milk all the time... Not that lovely baby smell I've only been washing him in water so far. Is there anything I can add to his bath yet?

Sorry girls, another question. I have expressed milk from Monday and Tuesday this week. Can they be mixed into the same bottle for feeding today?

Piper101

tyellow hen I wash my little girl with Infacare in her bath, thats what they used in the hospital nursery and recommended to me. She also smells of milk all the time, might be from me spraying her in the face with my milk :eek: poor child!

Re the mixing milk, I would, I'm sure its fine once its been stored properly. Dont take my word for it though, someone more knowledgeable will hopefully reply

cyning

From her very first bath in the hospital I've used johnsons: not great if your baby has any skin problems, but I personally never had any issues!

Ya I'd mix them to give in a bottle there and then, but never to store.

C's new trick this week is to fill her mouth with milk and then spit it all out and laugh: she thinks its hilarious!! So now I smell of milk