The Breast Feeding Support Thread

Any suggestions for particular bottles or teats to use if I'm going to start introducing one bottle a day. I've only been breast feeding up until now & am clueless when it comes to bottles etc. Baby is 13 weeks old. Thanks.

Whatever works for your baby! My kids have had different preferences - my 2 year old did best with Tommee Tippee but my 6 month old is more of a Nuk or MAM kind of guy. You may need to try a few, and experiment with temperature. My older son was really picky about warm milk.

Any tips for dealing with mastitis? Baby chomped down on my breast last week then yesterday it was v sore, this morning I have redness on one side of my breast. Do I just keep feeding on this side and it will rectify itself? I don't have a temperature or discharge

Millem wrote: »

rest and fed. change feeding positions. If you start getting chills go to doctor

Rest? What's that? Thanks Millen, hopefully it'll clear up in a few days

She's almost 4 months, plus she has had a stomach bug for the last week so she's very unsettled, she's only been able to nap in my arms the last few days and is up every 2 hours at night feeding so I'm not resting at all really. My breast is sore to touch but actually feeding her is fine.

lazygal wrote: »

In anticipation of a new arrival I've just bought a silicon Hakka type breast pump. Never really got to grips with pumping at all with my first two, the older one was getting one bottle of formula and number two refused all attempts at a bottle so just fed direct from source! Anyone have any experience with these types of pumps?

I have one. I use it in the morning when I'm quite full but I've also started expressing in the evening using the medela pump on one side with the hakaa on the other. I usually express more on the hakaa side!

It can a bit of practice to balance it while feeding so I tend to prop it with a cushion.

Food, water and rest (I know!) Will help massively. If you've no other children at home, set yourself up with plenty of snacks and water and set up camp on an armchair with the TV on (best way I could rest in those early stages) and forget all the other things you could be doing. Try as best you can to relax as this will also affect your supply.

I didn't necessarily have very low supply, but it was slow coming in and I certainly didn't have an oversupply when it did come in and did have to try increase it on a number of occasions. I was recommended fenugreek in the hospital and combined with porridge I did notice a difference. Even after supply was well established, if I went a few days without taking the fenugreek tablets I would notice a difference. I only stopped taking it around 1 year when I was reducing number of nursings/day. ***Only take these types of remedies under supervision/medical recommendations.

Other physical ways I found helpful was Feeding baby as often as you can (offer breast before bottle) and if possible try nurse baby directly (or pump) between the hours of 1-5am as this is roughly the best time of day for milk production. If you pump you can Powerpump (Google it as I can't remember exactly what you need to do) as it will increase demand and tell your body it needs to produce more at those times of the day. A double pump is better than a single btw. I also found that generally the best time of the day for me to pump was in the morning, after that, even with an established supply I'd get feck all, often less than 1oz. I know you probably already know this, but just incase, don't use pumping amount as a guide to what your baby can nurse, babies are far more efficient than pumps. Some women can pump bucket loads, others just a drop and some none at all and none of it reflects on baby nursing. Both sides for me have always pumped differently, and the leaky one was the hardest!

You will get people (even lactation consultants) that will tell you not to use shields. Yes you do need to be careful when using them that they don't make the supply situation worse, or baby isn't transferring milk properly, but don't get talked out of using them if a) your very sore or b) baby will not latch without them. If it's because of b) you will need to wean them off slowly. I'm almost finished my nursing journey with my little girl and we have been using shields since day 1 or 2 and they are the only reason I was able to last 2 years.

So to answer your main question, yes I did manage to increase supply, but I also had none of your additional medical complications. Have you contacted your local breastfeding group? They will have lactation consultants, and women with experience of nursing, and possibly even some with similar medical issues as yourself. I'd also rely on your GP for advice (If they are breastfeeding friendly) and (reluctantly) your PHN, although my experience with them, I would err on the side of caution.

Best of luck!

Mystery egg I had a terrible breastfeeding experience first time similar to yours in the sense of pumping not latching...wrecked not producing much even with the medela symphony which I rented for a month. Ended up with exhaustion and literally no milk came out
I used to pump during the night...torture I know but that’s when you should get most milk

You need to get a lactation consultant end of story. They will be able to figure out this latch business for you.

There is a great gadget by medela which you stick on to your boob and it tube attached you can put formula or breastmilk in it.

My middle baby was 9 months when I went back, and he was grand on solids and water. Would never take a bottle anyhow.
My youngest boy was 10 months when I went back. I did send a bottle with him for a while, but he wasn’t that bothered either, so I stopped pumping. At home they would both feed to sleep, but the minder is magical and they go to sleep without for her

Lainey_b01 wrote: »

Ladies looking for your experiences of heading back to work and management of milk and if should consider formula feed.

Going back in 8weeks baby will be 9months and in upper end for weight. Plan in my head at mo is to feed morning and night with mix of express and water while at childminder. Expressing at work but only for comfort. At moment he mostly going to bed on boob.

Just wonder is der any argument for introducing a bottle of formula?

I don't think there's any point in bothering with the hassle of formula at this point. I assume he's well-established on solids at 9 months? I would just feed in the morning and evening and at night on demand, and give him solids and water through the day. You could express a bit for the first week or so for your own peace of mind. He will probably take it when offered, but likely will not actually need it.

Mystery egg , no advice or pearls of wisdom on increasing supply but want to say you're amazing and doing such a super job for your little one.

Mondo123 wrote: »

Hi ladies, 7 week old bf baby here. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control we need to end our bf journey. He's not fond of bottles an normally on breast every 2 hours for 30 to 40 min atleast .
Does anybody have any advice on weaning and how I should go about it?
Also ideas on how I can get him to buy in to the bottle

Phn advice at a bf meeting was: 1) get someone else to give bottle as they can smell the milk from mum 2) try skin to skin when giving bottle and 3) try giving it when hungry. It's tricky as they get so much more from boob vs. just milk. Also worth trying a few bottles and teats!

Well ladies, myself and my little girl finished our breastfeeding journey last Friday.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all the advice and support over the last couple of years. It's been an amazing experience.

For those just starting out, best of luck! For those possibly considering going on into toddler hood, go for it!!

Hopefully I'll be back at some stage! Thank you all again!