Breast feeding is working ;-)

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Hi Ladies.....

So Im BF Matilda and now that Ive got over that horrible engorged, 'nipples like pie crusts' stage Im loving it.

I have at times tho had to top her up with the ready made carton formula when I couldnt get the lumps to go down and therefore couldnt get her to latch on but the breast feeding support team have been amazing and came out to visit us at home and gave me great help and advice etc so im confident with it all now. David bought us an electric pump and I expressed at first to get the ducts unblocked then they showed me how to massage my breasts so that I could get the lumps to go and as if by magic it worked a treat!

Shes feeding every 4-6 hours, sometimes on for up to 70 mins and now that my milk supply is here shes feeding for longer each session at times.

One thing I worry about tho is whether she is getting enough! Sometimes she will feed for a long time, fall asleep, I wind her then she wakes up again and seems to be fishing for boobie and appears to be starving searching for milk like a woman possesse?

Anyone else feel like their babies arnt getting enough?
And is anyone else topping up occasionally or daily/nightly with formula?

I really want to Bf for as long as I can and worry that topping up will hinder this....xxx

 

[xxbeckyxx]

I think most people worry about their baby getting enough at some stage or other! I definitely do when Lizzie's going through a growth spurt as she feeds every half hour and my boobs feel completely empty to me!
How old is Matilda now? Once you get into some sort of routine you will be able to find a time to express (I do it after Lizzie's first morning feed as my boobs are nice and full and she sleeps for a couple of hours so it doesn't matter if I empty them), then you can store up some expressed milk to top up if you feel you need to. Plus it makes your boobs make more!

Sometimes when Lizzie acts absolutely starving it actually turns out to be a bit more wind so if you feel like Matilda should be full it's good to try winding again first. She also acts hungry when she wants dummy, which is a lot!

I gotta say I'm quite jealous she's feeding every 4-6 hours, Lizzie is still a 2-hourly feeder so I can't leave her with daddy too long before I'm called back for more 'milking'!

Keep going, you're doing really well

 

[frankie707]

Sounds like you're doing great. George still feeds erratically firing the day - anything between 1.5 and 3 hrs between feeds.
I have a store of ebm in the freezer and fridge and he gets a bottle of ebm every evening as he likes to cluster feed before sleep.
Glad it's going well for you

 

[amyjayne77]

You always think they're never getting enough at times, but from what you say, you don't have supply issues and the milk is there. It's just that bf babies love the good stuff and want it all the time. Give it 6 weeks and you'll start to see some sort of routine x

 

[Rayoflight]

You're doing great! All sounds perfect. She will get quicker with the feeding too once she is used to it.

What Becky said is absolutely the best thing to do - express after her first feed in a morning and use that to top up or store in fridge/freezer. You'll find if you do this daily you'll make more milk but also have the expressed milk to fall back on when she goes through the very trying growth spurts!

Well done mama! Xxx

 

[xxbeckyxx]

Gem, I've decided that you should be a breastfeeding councillor, you're always so positive about anything booby related!

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Ah thank you girls thats reassuring that Im not the only one wondering lol!

Oh I will def express after her morning feed now and build up some stocks lol! Im really loving feeding her coz when I had Kate I had very badly cracked nipples and the pump was just bringing blood through at one point and had to stop after 6 weeks which upset me so Im so glad that I had the right support and advice in hopsital and also when we came home. I can also ring the breast feeding team till Matilda is up to 28 days old so again thats great!

But of course I can come here and like you say Becky I can always come here and get advice from gem and you ladies and know that theres always someone who can help, advise or just reassure when I have doubts about certain things....

Thanks for your positive posts and encouragement ladies....xxxx

 

[Elfs Mummy]

SO glad bf is going well for you
I also am a after morning feed expresser but on the nights Maisie only wakes once for a feed im also having to express at about 5am and i then use that to top her up in the evenings before i put her to bed.
Maisie uses to feed for ages and now a long feed is about 30 mins, Maisie also feeds for comfort so she can get of to sleep so i've introduced a dummy for evenings but she doesnt really aprove but it does cut down the comfort feeding xx

 

[Minchin]

well done
I found morning expressing worked best for us...
Keep up the great work!

 

[Amy_J]

i miss bf!!!!=(

i used to express like a cow first thing in the morning and usually got about 6oz from each boob!!! i found they were generally too full after a nights (sort of) sleep!!! it was good as my oh was then able to give lo an expressed feed to let me rest a bit!!!! if i tried to express at other times during the day i found it didnt work as well, could get 1oz after about 15mins of pumping away!!! as for your lo feeding for 70mins is she drinking the whole time?! marley would suckle on me all day if i let him, which is why i introduced a dummy when he was about 5weeks as i wanted to make sure bf was established well enough first, and then feeding was quite quick about 10mins per boob more or less!!! (seems so long ago i cant remember exactly!!!)

sounds like youre doing amazing, keep up the good work!!!

 

[Rayoflight]

Gem, I've decided that you should be a breastfeeding councillor, you're always so positive about anything booby related!

I started my breastfeeding support worker course two weeks ago. I'm also kind of mentoring two women i met at aqua natal at the moment. One was about to give up bf all together but I've been round 3 times this week, countless texts and phone calls to her and I let her borrow my Medela swing just to see the difference and she's managed to express 6oz today! I'm so made up. It meant her hubby can do the night feed and she can get the full night sleep she has been desperate for.

I would highly recommend the course. Your local breastfeeding team may do it too. It's called a la leche league breastfeeding peer support course. Even if you don't fancy volunteering I'm finding that the information is invaluable to yourself as a breastfeeding mum.

 

[Amy_J]

Gem, I've decided that you should be a breastfeeding councillor, you're always so positive about anything booby related!

I started my breastfeeding support worker course two weeks ago. I'm also kind of mentoring two women i met at aqua natal at the moment. One was about to give up bf all together but I've been round 3 times this week, countless texts and phone calls to her and I let her borrow my Medela swing just to see the difference and she's managed to express 6oz today! I'm so made up. It meant her hubby can do the night feed and she can get the full night sleep she has been desperate for.

I would highly recommend the course. Your local breastfeeding team may do it too. It's called a la leche league breastfeeding peer support course. Even if you don't fancy volunteering I'm finding that the information is invaluable to yourself as a breastfeeding mum.

i could have done with you coming to help me when i had bf problems in italy!!! i deffo needed some inspiring encouragement!!! you sound amazing!!! well done!!!

 

[PinkPunch]

Why do u ladies express in the mornings to have a spare bottle in the fridge? If u feed your baby and it's not got enough milk, surely you need to just let them suck anyway so your boobs will know to make more milk next time? x

 

[Rayoflight]

Expressing tells your body to make more milk. It's always better to have too much than not enough.

Many girls use the expressed milk so their partners can do the night feeds. Also lots of people's supply is naturally low in the evening or baby may cluster feed so it's good to express in the morning when there is more milk to 'top up' in the evening.

I personally donate mine to the milk bank however he is going through a growth spurt and feeding every 1.5/2 hours at the moment. Because I express every day, I have more milk in general so I'm able to satisfy him and avoid the sore, cracked nipples scenario.

Hope that helps?

 

[x-misspinkuk-x]

so glad breastfeeding is working out for you hun, iloving it too xxx

 

[PinkPunch]

Expressing tells your body to make more milk. It's always better to have too much than not enough.

But breastfeeding makes your body make more milk too.. expressing isn't going to be any better than a baby sucking. Suppose it would hurt your nipples more though.

 

[xxbeckyxx]

Expressing tells your body to make more milk. It's always better to have too much than not enough.

But breastfeeding makes your body make more milk too.. expressing isn't going to be any better than a baby sucking. Suppose it would hurt your nipples more though.

Lizzie refuses to suck unless she's properly hungry so I can't 'use' her to increase my supply And I'm defo one of those who gets low supply at about 6pm so expressed is very handy.

Plus it gives OH a giggle when he sees me 'milking'

 

[PinkPunch]

Lol it's fascinating seeing it come out isn't it! I haven't expressed at all this time mainly because we moved house and I don't know where it is! Otherwise it would be handy having a bottle for going out.