The Breast Feeding Support Thread

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.

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.

Lol Banbhaalfric snap

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.