The Breast Feeding Support Thread

cyning

I don't discuss breastfeeding at all unless someone asks a specific question, or your a doc/nurse and need to know. If anyone asks do I think there's a benefit in breastfeeding past x months I always say the same thing: when me, my husband both sets of grandparents and everyone at a birthday party we were at got a vomiting bug and were sick, C was the only one who didn't. Mentioning iq or other supposed benefits etc only puts people's backs up.

But I do find it extremely hypocritical how people who can't breastfeed/didn't want to will be the most vocal about how disgusting and wrong feeding a baby with teeth/ or is walking/ talking is. That bugs me.

Das Kitty

+1

I can't abide judgement or attempted shaming of anyone. It happens so so much between mothers when we should be supporting one another.

Just because I am doing things differently to someone else doesn't mean that I think what they are doing is wrong and hopefully they feel the same way. If they don't, flip them tbh.

miss_daisy

Hi there,

I'm exclusively pumping for my prem baby at the moment. Was doing ok with my supply, had gotten it up a bit and within that's three or four days it has dwindled to nothing. I'm just under 4 weeks post partum now. I'm not sure whether its coincidence or not, but about three or four days ago I began taking the pill again (cilest) it's got both progesterone and estrogen in it. My doctor said it was ok to do so.

I was reading on the net this evening in total frustration- and realised this could be the reason for my reduction in supply? Also, if I stop the pill now- will my supply likey return?

Any help or advice go appreciated as I want to feed my baby my milk for as long as possible....

Thanks a lot

cyning

Hi miss daisy and congrats hope your babs is doing ok.

My (very pro breastfeeding) gp said estrogen/progesterone pill isn't suitable for breastfeeding when i discussed contraception with him. Fenugreek is very good for boosting supply. So are porridge oats, I wonder though could you meet a lactation consultant, or ring them? They would be able to tell you the different ways of helping with supply. They would also be able to help you with the pill and discuss other pro breastfeeding contraceptives? A la leche or cuidiu leader might be able to help either, especially over the weekend. Or your phn after the weekend depending how pro and good they are with breastfeeding because I do know it can depend on the person.

Your supply can be built back up, don't worry. Kellymom is a great website with information on pumping and boosting supply and general breastfeeding information too. I hope you get sorted.

miss_daisy

cyning wrote: »

Hi miss daisy and congrats hope your babs is doing ok.

My (very pro breastfeeding) gp said estrogen/progesterone pill isn't suitable for breastfeeding when i discussed contraception with him. Fenugreek is very good for boosting supply. So are porridge oats, I wonder though could you meet a lactation consultant, or ring them? They would be able to tell you the different ways of helping with supply. They would also be able to help you with the pill and discuss other pro breastfeeding contraceptives? A la leche or cuidiu leader might be able to help either, especially over the weekend. Or your phn after the weekend depending how pro and good they are with breastfeeding because I do know it can depend on the person.

Your supply can be built back up, don't worry. Kellymom is a great website with information on pumping and boosting supply and general breastfeeding information too. I hope you get sorted.

Hi,

Baby is doing really well at the moment and I have a good bit of milk frozen but I just don't want to run out... So would like to get my supply back up over next few days. I don't think my GP is much into breastfeeding - even though he knew was struggling. Wih my supply in the beginning, he went ahead and prescribed the combined pill for me! It's only when I went looking uo about it myself this evening I realised it isn't recommended and possibly the reason for my decrease

Glad to hear it can be built back up though! I have a number for the local la leche leader still give them a bell tomorrow ... M just so devastated as I worked so hard to get the supply and had I have known about the pill messing it up, I would have changed to another one.... Hopefully it will rectify now that I'll stop taking it anyway ?!

Drdoc

Hi miss daisy

Glad to hear baby is doing well.
Yeah unfortunately the oestrogen in the combined pill can cause a reduction in supply and so isn't recommended while bf. Im fairly horrified your gp didn't know this; I would be inclined to say something next time you're there.

Anyway as cyning said, don't fret, I'm sure your supply can be built up again and definitely give LLL or similar a call for advice.

I can totally understand your frustration and annoyance though.

Good luck

cyning

Thats great babs is doing well Do ring tomorrow; honestly they are there to support breastfeeding mums, and will be able to help you. Supply can definitely be built up, and they should be more knowledgeable than me

I really don't blame you for being angry and frustrated: I would be too. Hopefully with stopping the pill it will help too.

wolfpawnat

I agree with Lazygal 100%. Starting bf was hell on earth and continued to be hell after the hospital and for a full week after. I had 0 support outside of this thread and my OH. I can see why so many quit or in many cases where they hear how hard others have had it, they never bother at all. LC's are not an option for everyone and older kids can prevent women going to bf groups. Outside of this I have no one I can talk to about bf, because so few women here do it.

I have noticed so many Polish women are bf, what does their government/education system do to promote it that we don't?

Both sides have horribly judgemental people on them. BF people thinking they are better than ff mothers and ff mothers who think us bfer are doing it solely as a slight on them. I dunno, I am a live and let live person.

I don't mention that I am bfing unless I am asked and I have gotten questions which I am happy to answer honestly, good, bad or indifferent. For the most part I have gotten positive responses, I was shocked, yesterday, my MIL (a contrary woman to say the least) made a comment that inadvertently implied she was happy I was bfing S. It made me smile

missis aggie

I am Polish and although I have no personal experience with maternal system in Poland, my sister had a baby back in December. In the hospital there was no free formula - if you wished to bottle feed you had be bring your own bottles etc. She had a huge support from midwife's - baby had a problem to latch but midwifes helped her to finger feed with colostrum for 24 hrs. As her baby still wouldnt latch she got the nipple shields. She was never once told she can't breastfeed or to give a bottle. She continue to breastfeed.
I think the main issue here is the formula companies in the hospital and defenaitly overworked staff who most likely never breastfed anyway.

scaryfairy

Yeah same in Hungary (if stats are to be believed, very high % of bfing mums), my friend said where she gave birth, some mums were asking midwives for formula, but all they would get is a bit of water with a bit of sugar, don't know exactly how it would help. It also somehow got into the culture (wasn't always like this!) and everyone I know breastfeeds. In Ireland, the midwives (and everone at hospital) were lovely but some clearly had no idea about bfing: I was offered a bottle 12 hours after giving birth, saying oh if your LO is soooo hungry... Just because he dared to cry! The most help I got was outside of HSE: here, my friends at home, Cuidiu and paid LC...

wolfpawnat

The midwife to help me when I was crying my eyes out at 4am in hospital was Polish, she was so nice Better than most of the Irish ones combined. And the one I had to complain to the ward sister about.

How Strange

My angel midwife on my son was African. I can say hand on heart if she hadn't been so honest and encouraging I would've given up that night. It was his first night and he cried non stop from 9pm. I'd babysat lots of babies and kids over the years but I hadn't a clue what to do with my newborn son. No body told me they would cry like that and for so long.

The midwife told me to take him into bed and latch him on because he was distressed and needed to be close to me. She said she'd try to come back and help me more but she was clearly run off her feet. However any time she walked past the bed she'd look in and tell me I was doing a fantastic job.

On my daughter the Irish midwives were fantastic too but I think they just assumed I was doing fine because this was my second baby. They were very encouraging though.

nicowa

Hi, need a bit of advice. Baby is 12 days old and we seem to be doing well mostly. Supply is good and the pain is going down much quicker on this one than the first. Only I have an oversupply in the right breast - left is softer and while still able to supply, isn't as full (ever) as the other one is). The other one feels like the first 3 days after birth. Engorged and sore. I have tenderness in the right hand side - next to my arm, where it brushes off it. Could this simply be the constant pressure from my arm or do you think it's leading into blocked ducts?

I'm working on the supply difference by feeding from the left (undersupply) first and doing the top up on the right. Hopefully that'll even them out and, I'm hoping remove the pain/pressure.

What do you think?

How Strange

I think you've probably got blocked ducts in the right breast as, from what you've saud, the baby isn't feeding from it fully. You gave to alternate the breasts for feeding so each breast is fully drained every second feed.

I'd suggest you get the baby to feed from the right breast as often as possible over the next 24 hours. That may mean feeding every hour. Also get into a hot bath and massage the right breast vigorously to get the milk flowing. Use a cold compress after feeding and take ibuprofen for the inflammation.

Oral Slang

cyning wrote: »

Hi miss daisy and congrats hope your babs is doing ok.

My (very pro breastfeeding) gp said estrogen/progesterone pill isn't suitable for breastfeeding when i discussed contraception with him. Fenugreek is very good for boosting supply. So are porridge oats, I wonder though could you meet a lactation consultant, or ring them? They would be able to tell you the different ways of helping with supply. They would also be able to help you with the pill and discuss other pro breastfeeding contraceptives? A la leche or cuidiu leader might be able to help either, especially over the weekend. Or your phn after the weekend depending how pro and good they are with breastfeeding because I do know it can depend on the person.

fenugreek, blessed thistle, and alfalfa are all supposed to increase your supply, as are oats as mentioned above. I also took motilium on my daughter (wanted to increase my supply during my period as it started to dip every month). Ask your doctor or a different one if you feel he isn't supporting you, about using Domperidone (Motilium, Motilidone) to increase supply. I found it worked great.

Oral Slang

missis aggie wrote: »

I am Polish and although I have no personal experience with maternal system in Poland, my sister had a baby back in December. In the hospital there was no free formula - if you wished to bottle feed you had be bring your own bottles etc. She had a huge support from midwife's - baby had a problem to latch but midwifes helped her to finger feed with colostrum for 24 hrs. As her baby still wouldnt latch she got the nipple shields. She was never once told she can't breastfeed or to give a bottle. She continue to breastfeed.
I think the main issue here is the formula companies in the hospital and defenaitly overworked staff who most likely never breastfed anyway.

Yeah, I definitely think that getting rid of free formula would be a step in the right direction. I don't think it's even free in the uk anymore, a place where most things are free on the NHS. I've read of different people being told to pack it in their labour bags if they intend on formula feeding. When I was expecting my daughter, a good few people told me to take the free formula just in case feeding doesn't work out. Talk about lack of support. If you have a really bad night in the hospital & are desperate for sleep, with a bottle of formula sitting beside you, a lot of people would be tempted to give it in their weaker moments.

cyning

I really don't think they should do the trolley runs of formula around the wards. I was asked what formula I wanted as I was doing my level best to latch my poor daughter on. Talk about feeling undermined!

I ended up giving formula because they *thought* she lost too much weight. In reality they wrote her weight down wrong.

C is weaning rapidly. She had no feed last night going to bed (although she woke up for one in the middle of the night), has had none all day and even when she fell and banged her head she looked for her sippycup. She does now however stick her hand down my top and squeeze my nipple. Ouch. And mortifying!

Oral Slang

cyning wrote: »

C is weaning rapidly. She had no feed last night going to bed (although she woke up for one in the middle of the night), has had none all day and even when she fell and banged her head she looked for her sippycup. She does now however stick her hand down my top and squeeze my nipple. Ouch. And mortifying!

Haha, get that on a daily basis. My sister in law minds my daughter 2 days a week & she's forever doing it to her too haha - now that's embarrassing! She even did it to her daddy the other day & started laughing saying daddies hairy boobies. No way she's weaning on her own. I'ver her down to one feed before bed, but she'd feed more often if I allowed her. Every morning she says I was bobo mam, but as I'm 29 weeks pregnant, I'm trying to wean before number 2 comes along. Breaking my heart refusing her, but it's not bothering her thank god, just potters off if I distract her.

SnoozySuzie

I have a cracked nipple that's oozing yellow goo. Any one else experience this? Did you feed through it?

gravid

hi snoozysuzie, i had that too, got an antibiotic cream from my gp which helped so would recommend that! also used nipple shields for few weeks which was brilliant as it was soooo sore to feed her otherwise.

SnoozySuzie

gravid wrote: »

hi snoozysuzie, i had that too, got an antibiotic cream from my gp which helped so would recommend that! also used nipple shields for few weeks which was brilliant as it was soooo sore to feed her otherwise.

Thanks Gravid! I'm with my gp on Thursday so I'll ask her about the cream? Could you still feed through it. She prefers the cracked boob so the Milk supply in the other isn't great so can't rely on that!

SnoozySuzie

gravid wrote: »

hi snoozysuzie, i had that too, got an antibiotic cream from my gp which helped so would recommend that! also used nipple shields for few weeks which was brilliant as it was soooo sore to feed her otherwise.

Thanks Gravid! I'm with my gp on Thursday so I'll ask her about the cream? Could you still feed through it. She prefers the cracked boob so the Milk supply in the other isn't great so can't rely on that!

gravid

SnoozySuzie wrote: »

Thanks Gravid! I'm with my gp on Thursday so I'll ask her about the cream? Could you still feed through it. She prefers the cracked boob so the Milk supply in the other isn't great so can't rely on that!

Yea, i fed through it with the help of the nipple shields (had to wash off the cream before every feed tho, and reapply after). First time I tried using the shields it didnt go so well but when I tried again she had no problem latching on so I used them on both nipples for maybe three weeks, until it was well healed again and i havent had any problems since. Hope it clears up for you soon, it is incredibly painful and I used to dread feeding her because of it, couldnt understand my sister and other women going on about how wonderful it is to BF, but now I get it!! best of luck with it!

dublinlady

What's the story with solids and breast fed babies? Is it 6 months start? Like 24 weeks? Also stil feeding every 3 hrs at 16 weeks - which is not an issue at all but wondering how the feeds change over next couple months? Obvs with bottles they reduce what they get but feeding myself past this stage is new to me! And I've noone around me who fed this long so just want ur insights as to where it goes from here! She exclusively breast fed!

holding

Dublin Lady I'm planning on following Baby Led Weaning - http://www.babyledweaning.com/ and http://www.rapleyweaning.com/blwbook.php. You skip all spoon feeding, making purees, all that stuff and just let them feed themselves when they are ready. You give them the opportunity rather than making them eat stuff. On the basis that your milk is 100% all they need til they are one, and the first six months of 'solids' is just getting used to the concept rather than relying on them for nourishment. Oh and you don't start before six months, that's the earliest. There's a few others upthread that have done this too and know way more than me, I'm still on the book reading stage.

My guy is 5 months (today! ) and still feeds every three hours, for about 40 mins. He feeds around 5 or 6 times a day, at around 8, 12, 3, 6, and 9.30 or so. I read that some babies get very efficient around now, and feeds can last as little as five minutes, and some babies don't, and are still 'lazy connoisseurs' (my guy I guess!).

How Strange

The general guideline is 6 months but I'd have it at the corrected age so if you were 2 weeks overdue then it may be 5.5 months.

On O I took it week by week after 5 months and said of start solids of he showed signs of being ready. He showed no signs at all until 6 months and then he got interested very quickly.
I'll do exactly the same this time around.

O was a boob monster and fed every 2 hours with 1 long stretch at night from 7-1. After 5 months he started going up to 6hrs during the day. A has started stretching out her feeds already.

Btw you should look into baby led weaning if you're waiting until 6 months. It's the lazy approach to weaning just as breastfeeding is the lazy way to feed

Oral Slang

I also went the route of baby lead weaning - started at 6 months/26 weeks. As a rule, they should be able to sit up on their own unaided & the tongue thrust should be gone. If you haven't supplemented, then definitely wait til 6 months, so you maintain their virgin gut.

My daughters 1st meal was Easter Sunday Dinner and she was delighted with herself. At the beginning its all about them getting used to textures, tastes etc., very little is ingested, although you usually see a change in their nappies, so know something is getting in. I didn't reduce my milk feeds at all, still fed her when she wanted it, but she gradually stretched out herself over time. I would offer milk maybe an hour before food & give a meal knowing she wasn't starving & wouldn't get frustrated. They say food is fun until they're 1 & millk should still be their primary source of nutrition.

holding

Just saw this linked to on Facebook and thought it would be useful here too http://www.thealphaparent.com/2011/12/timeline-of-breastfed-baby.html

Edit: it's 'Timeline of a Breastfed Baby'

MurdyWurdy

I like the idea of baby led weaning but as J has such bad reflex I want to start him on solids as soon as I can to get him off the meds. Phn says 17 weeks is the very earliest you can start weaning so too early for blw. Does anyone know if you can start with purées etc and move to blw then when he's a bit older?

He is almost 12 weeks currently and gets his medicine dissolved in a spoon - he basically eats it off the spoon for us so I do think he'll be ready for some solids at 17ish weeks. He loves his grub!!

dublinlady

Thanks guys,
Oral slang - she wasn't always EBF - she sometimes got a bottle in evening , expressed or formula of a mixture! Doesn't for last few weeks but the virgin gut is gone and if I was away from her and she needs fed and no expressed she get it again - unfort that's a bit more likely as back to work on mon but hopefully it'll work out as not always full days! So then from what you all saying - from 5-6 months if signs of wanting solids? I started at 20 weeks with A but dont think she was ready - just I was!! I'd imagine ill be able do 80% days no formula so hopefully I can wait longer for the solids this time!
Think ill do a mix of purees & BLW - I don't have the nerve to start on BLW - and I kinda like purees but I will give more whole foods earlier this time - hopefully in conjunction with purees.
Good idea to feed hr before solids - and she can nap after her grub!
She's waking early again last couple nights but feeding really efficiently!! Just not really any less often!
I'm so glad I'm still feeding her - makes going back to work early a thousand times earlier! Only working 20-30 hrs a week over 5 days so hopefully can feed around that for the most part. Plan on expressing every 2&12 hrs at work to encourage supply!