The Breast Feeding Support Thread

Nead21

Yeah my little man definitely went through a chewy phase.

He went through teething phases on and off at that stage.

holding

I think my little guy has been teething since about 8 weeks old. Honestly. The drooling and gumming and things. He is 6.5 months old now and still no teeth.

lolademmers

I think I may have messed up my milk supply :-( had severely sore nipples from him not latching on right. Trying to correct that but over the last 36 hours I had to give in and gave him some bottles alternating with feeding him myself. I just needed my nipples to heal. However last night he woke and I offered him my breast. He fed for an hour and a half. Was sucking well and jaw moving etc but yet I had to give him an ounce of a bottle so he would sleep. He kept sucking in his hands and going for my boob again but I was bleeding I just had to stop. I just thought he would have been full after an hour and a half!! Waiting for him to wake now so I will try to feed him myself again. He is only a week old. So upset I used formula already.

banbhaaifric

Don't be upset, you did what you had to do to get through and it worked. You are still breastfeeding . Your supply may have dropped a bit, but the best way to get it back is by feeding on demand. And it won't take long (but you probably should stop supplementing).

And sometimes they just cluster feed naturally when they want to increase your supply (my lo fed on and off for over an hour this morning), and that's completely normal. I think expressing can help boost your supply too.

Long and short of it though is t.hey kind of just feed endlessly for the first while so getting the latch right is crucial for your sanity . And it does get better, mine could suspend herself from my nipples now and I wouldn't feel it

You're doing great, and you'll get your supply up again if you keep feeding

Have a look online too. I find asdrsears.com and kellymom great for advice.

holding

Lolademmers don't panic, and definitely don't beat yourself up over anything. You are doing great! You're a newbie at all this and so is your little guy, don't forget that.

Keep offering him the breast instead of the bottle - you said he is suckling well, so he will stimulate your milk supply all by himself. Try to cut back on offering him a bottle to get him to sleep/ give yourself a break, and maybe try a soother, or lullaby, or having someone else walk him around (or pop him in a sling to lull him to sleep to give oyurself a break -they are great for this). A soother might be ideal since he didn't seem to suffer nipple confusion when you switched between bottle and breast.

If he won't sleep in the evening, it may be evening fussiness, which is very common among new babies, or it may be that he wants to cluster feed, which is how he builds up your supply. If your nips are in bits, you could also look at trying out shields for a while. Lots of things to try!

holding

Lol Banbhaalfric snap

aknitter

holding - my last boy was the same - teething took ages - he got his teeth at 8 months and 8 came at once! Again sanap Banbhaalfric!

Am so proud of myself - I have 1.8 litres of breast milk frozen for donation - they want 3 but that should not be an issue!

lolademmers

Just feeding him again. Got to love having one hand free while feeding :-) I have nipple shields will have a look at them maybe for the next feed. Have OH gone out for multi mam compresses. I found them very good but ran out this morning! Love the support on this. How long would you have to be feeding before you can donate? It's something I would love to do.

holding

Go ankitter! 1.8 litres is loads. They are taking 2.5 litres or so from me I think - I know I didn't get to the full amount cos I only started in the few weeks before he turned 6 months (and you can't donate past 6 months old). Got my return box and my blood test kit in the post yesterday so must organise that now.

Lola you are only at 1 week so I'd give it another 4 weeks til you really have your supply established. You can donate up to your little guy is 6 months old. It's very easy to do - they send you a box of bottles that you fill, then you send them back with a blood sample that the doc took for you). There's a good thread on it here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056717138.

lolademmers

Just hand expressed 2ozs in half an hour delighted with it. Have it in the fridge now. I'm wondering though if I go to express later on today can I put it into that bottle or should I start a fresh one?
Feeding him myself at the moment. He gets very sleepy on my boob though even though I keep stroking his face. Don't think he gets enough.

How Strange

Well done ladies on donating your milk. You should be very very proud of yourselves. Some tiny babies are going to benefit from your anazing generosity.

A is almost 6 months and I think we've reached the stage called something's got to give. She's a terrible sleeper at night and no amount of day time napping is helping me bounce back from the almost 6 months of sleep deprivation. Cosleeping doesn't really help. Sometimes I think it makes it worse as she's treating me like a 24/7 buffet bar.

I love breastfeeding and I dont want to stop but I think I'm going to introduce a bottle of formula or two at night time.
I just need some sleep or I'm going to crash and burn. I'm back to work in 3 weeks and I'm like an antichrist most days especially with my husband. What will I be like when I'm working on top of all this?

I know breastfeeding isn't the problem although part of me feels like I'm quitting or admitting that the naysayers were right. Her bad sleeping is the problem and formula may not make one whit of difference but at least her dad can do some of the night feeds and I can sleep.

Of course I'll feel guilty for ever more that her brother got it without formula for a year but then again guilt just comes with the job.

Sorry for off loading but I've got this internal debate going on inside my head and sometimes it helps to get it out there.

I hopefully will continue day time feeds for a few more months.

lolademmers

Fair play to you doing 6 months. I'm only a week in and I'm struggling with severe nipple pain. Hoping to express and I got 2oz this morning by hand. Think I will go buy a pump today.

nikpmup

Ladies, does mastitis clear of its own accord? I've shooting pain in one boob, that nipple was sore the last few days. I did a quick google and the recommendation is to keep going through the pain. I'm exclusively pumping atm. Not looking for medical advice, mods, I'm going to the doc tomorrow if it doesn't clear up cos I feel fluey.

How Strange

lolademmers have you seen a lactation consultant? You can go back to the hospital and see the one there, contact your local la Leche or Cuidiu leaders (this is free!) or get a private LC.

Honestly the sooner you get the latch corrected the better for you. Your nipples will heal over night once the latch is good.

aknitter

Howstrange, don't feel bad (easy for me to say I know) you've done so well to now and your mental health is as important as anything happy Mammy=happy family. All you're looking for is unbroken sleep thats not a lot to ask and you should see it soon. Its also easier to manage one baby than one baby and another one.

BTW tell those naysayers to f&*k off!

How Strange

nikpmup I wouldn't take any chances with mastitis. Go to your gp and get antibiotics. It's a nasty infection and the earlier it's treated the better. Just make sure they give you a course of antibiotics for 10 days. Anything less isn't enough.

nikpmup

If it is mastitis, it's bloody sore! I'm pumping to keep my boob empty, and man, it hurts! I think I'll make a docs appointment now, I really feel unwell. I've been on more antibiotics since becoming pregnant than I have in the last 10yrs!

dublinlady

I'm weaning at the mo - it just wasn't possible to continue with work. Pumping at work didn't work out because I have no privacy or uninterrupted time. At the moment I feed her in the morning at 6.30, she gets wxpressed at 11, i express between 1 and 2 pm, she gets formula at 3 and a mixture of formula and expressed at 7. I express at 9pm. She gets formula at 11.
So it's kinda split at the moment. But my supply is drying up even with the feed in the morning and two expressing sessions a day. At the moment it's worth it but every day I produce less and less so I suppose ill stop trying when it becomes stressful because of lack of supply. Could be a day or two or a week or two - no idea.
She's 24 weeks on tue so I'm proud I've fed her this long. I'm sad about giving up but it was never for me to feed her much longer than this but as time has gone by I've become very attached to my feeds and will be very sorry this time is over. However I have to weigh it up... I tried my best and I suppose returning to work so early hindered us but I know I that wasn't my choice. She on solids now so I feel I can justify it better to myself because I got her that far and how she's big enough to eat for herself. I'm so proud it she was exclusively most of the time up til last week, I fought thru supply issues for over a month and I'm still not sure who won!!!! Ill try keep morning feed and expressing twice a day for now and then maybe reduce to just morning and night but I think my supply is just disappearing so my body must be a bit all or nothing I fear. Ill just take it as it comes.
HS - you must be exhausted could u try not feed her at night and just resettle? S will do 11-6.30 now no bother without a feed - but dont know if that's cos of formula but don't think so as was doing it on just breast milk. Could it be habitual rather than hunger? You've done an amazing job so at and you need to be proud of yourself - remember this time you have an older child to care for as well as the baby and so I have found u just don't have the time to dedicate to it as much as last time - but that's because your meeting the needs of your whole family - it's about balance and doing what's right for you. Well done x

missis aggie

I'm just clearing mastitis...I had a blocked duct on Saturday I couldn't unblock. By Sunday my breast got infected and by Monday I had full on mastitis...I am very rarely sick and this was the worst I've ever been. My temperature went up to 39.5°C and I had flu/cold like symptoms. If the symptoms don't go away by 24 hrs defenetly go to the doctor.
It took 48 hrs to feel better and clear the ducts.
I'm feeding for 10 months now and I was not expecting that at all...
I hope you feel better soon.

nikpmup

missis aggie wrote: »

I'm just clearing mastitis...I had a blocked duct on Saturday I couldn't unblock. By Sunday my breast got infected and by Monday I had full on mastitis...I am very rarely sick and this was the worst I've ever been. My temperature went up to 39.5°C and I had flu/cold like symptoms. If the symptoms don't go away by 24 hrs defenetly go to the doctor.
It took 48 hrs to feel better and clear the ducts.
I'm feeding for 10 months now and I was not expecting that at all...
I hope you feel better soon.

Yeah, I feel fluey - temp and shivers and that papery warm skin thing! Got a docs appointment for tomorrow and gonna pump every couple of hours till then, try to clear it.

Nead21

How strange and dublinlady i completely get where ye are at although i cant imagine having an oldee child to look after. Back to work nearly 2weeks and im already feeling the pressure of pumping during the day and feeding É. Im so happy to have gotten to 6months and i dont want to give up but im not sure how long i can keep going. I feel guilty about maybe having to introduce some formula for the day feeds.

Little man is asleep now and i really want to go asleep but have to wait up for at least another hour so i can pump :-(

How Strange

Yes if I put it in perspective I see that we're in the under 5% of Irish mums who breastfed to 6 months. That's some achievement. Life us certainly different with 2 children so I can't compare now with when O was a baby.

Anyway I'm going away with my mam for the weekend. It was a last minute thing but liking forward to it now. My husband is minding both of them. I don't have any stash left so she'll have to get formula. I'll just pump while I'm there.

DL take some of the milk you're pumping and put it in ice cube freezer bags. Breast milk is fantastic for conjunctivitis and it'll save you a lot of money in gp fees.

Nead21

Have a fab time away. Lots of r&r with your mam. Sounds lovely and a well deserved break. More importantly grab the chance of some uninterupted sleep!

mrsberries

Hi there

Breastfeeding my 15 week old. Its all going well (colic and reflux aside ) but hes feeding nearly every 2.5 hours so Im wrecked with this broken sleep. I think the issue is he only feeds for about 10 mins so I think hes just snacking as such. I don't expect him to sleep through the night (although my daughter did at 9 weeks but she was combo fed) but a longer stretch of 4 to 5 hours would be sweet. Any suggestions how to get him to feed for longer?
Also he wont take a bottle. Has taken it the very odd time but its made getting a break virtually impossible. Hate to say it but I sometime question my decision to breastfeed now as its been a tough 15 weeks, but I know it will be worth it in the long run.

cyning

Mrsberries my little girl was very similar. Very! In terms of bottles I put her on a sippy cup (a tommee tippee non spill 4 month +) at 16 weeks ish for expressed feeds because she wouldn't take bottles either.

The sleeping is much much harder, but it's not necessarily a breast v bottle thing. I tried formula/expressed she would still wake. Would a dream feed help? Or laid back feeding? You might have tried that already.

You are just getting to the time when it all starts to get easier

How Strange

My daughter likes to feed every 2-3 hours aswell and she's 6 months. She does a 3-5 (usually 3hrs) stretch from 7pm but once she wakes she wants to feed every 2 hours. We've now tried her on formula for one night feed and dome solids and it made absolutely no difference.

I really just think it's the way she likes it.

My son fed for 10 minutes too so was very efficient but he stretch his feeds out at 5 months.

aknitter

My son is 18 weeks and has one stretch from 9pm to 2, 3 or 4 am. Tried messing with it ie from 11 to 4,5 or 6 and it was a disaster. I'm just hoping that it'll fix itself soon I've not had a full night sleep since at least last christmas!

mrsberries

Thanks ladies, so Im guessing this is just the norm. I really don't mind the regular feeds during the day, just getting to breaking point with the broken sleep. Hopefully as Cyning said its getting to the easy stage. Back to work in mid January so hopefully wont be panicking come December when Im trying to wean him.

missis aggie

I wouldn't' be able to tell how many times my daughter wakes up:) I go to bed at about 12 and she wakes for quick feed. We have co- sleeper so I'm never fully awake when she feeds. I'm so use to it I really don't mind, I know it won't be for much longer;)

icescreamqueen

mrsberries wrote: »

Hi there

Breastfeeding my 15 week old. Its all going well (colic and reflux aside ) but hes feeding nearly every 2.5 hours so Im wrecked with this broken sleep. I think the issue is he only feeds for about 10 mins so I think hes just snacking as such. I don't expect him to sleep through the night (although my daughter did at 9 weeks but she was combo fed) but a longer stretch of 4 to 5 hours would be sweet. Any suggestions how to get him to feed for longer?
Also he wont take a bottle. Has taken it the very odd time but its made getting a break virtually impossible. Hate to say it but I sometime question my decision to breastfeed now as its been a tough 15 weeks, but I know it will be worth it in the long run.

Aw you're doing great. Once they hit the bottle and you smell those nappies, you'll be glad you missed most of that . It really made me realise how natural breast milk must be when I got the first whiff of a bottle fed babies' nappy! From about 6 weeks, my LO mostly slept through the night but I cluster fed her for 3-4 hours before bedtime. If you had the time, it's totally worth it. Just sit down with some snacks and the remote and don't worry about getting up. I miss that time now.