Curious about breastfeeding

[Jade89]

Hi, i'm not pg yet nor did I breastfeed my daughter but i'd like to with baby number 2 and have a few questions and who better to ask than women who do ...

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)

Thanx...ill probably have loads more questions but they are the ones im most curious about.

 

[clarey]

I can try and answer a few....

1) I freeze milk in special bags and take it out of the freezer a few hours before I need it, put the bag in a bowl just in case then as soon as the milk is slushy enough I put it in a bottle to finish defrosting and warm it in a jug of warm water. I think it defrosts quite fast but I think you have to be careful with warming it up.

2) Cant help there...

3) I use a TT manual pump and find it quite easy, it takes me maybe 15-20 minutes to pump 6-7oz which is what I need for one feed now, actually thinking about it it probably took about the same for one feed earlier on too, I guess my supply has just increased as LO is growing. Sometimes its harder work than other times though, I dont know why

4) I pump in the evening before I go to bed as LO has a bottle for her evening feed so I find I have plenty to make pumping easier then.

5) I have tried to eat as healthily as I did when pregnant, you are supposed to burn an extra 500 calories a day when breastfeeding which sounds a lot to me, Im not sure I eat as much extra as that but I do try to drink more and eat oats which are also supposed to be good

6) Yes I breastfeed everywhere except in front of MIL and FIL!

Hope this helps

 

[flowergirl]

Hi, i'm not pg yet nor did I breastfeed my daughter but i'd like to with baby number 2 and have a few questions and who better to ask than women who do ...

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?
It obviously depends how much you are defrosting. I usually defrost 4oz which takes a minute or two standing bag in boiling water or about an hour at room temp.
2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?
Can't answer from personal experience but I think it really depends. ONe girl I know found it very uncomfortable and could only feed lying down with LO on her chest. Another girl I know had no problems although I think she used a support pillow to help.

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?
I found the tommee tippee one quite brutal to the nipples and it was less effective than hand expressing.

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?
I try to pump after a feed- usually about 1 hour after once Kathryn has gone down for a nap
5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?
Eat and drink plenty and often! I don't know of any dos or don'ts particularly just try to keep your diet balanced and do not try to lose weight as a restrictive diet can reduce your milk supply

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)
Yes. I feel far more comfortable doing it than I ever thought I would. I always go out wearing a vest top under a jumper or top so that when I feed, one can go up, the other down and I expose a little bare skin as possible! I have had no negative reactions to my feeding baby in public

Hope that helps chick!

 

[happy-chick]

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?
You can defrost in warm water so not too long and you can also leave to defrost in the fridge if you know that you will need it.

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?
Sorry i've not had c-sec so not sure.

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?
I used a tommy tippee manual breastpump but found it made my nipples really sore so I now use an electric one (medela mini) and have found it really good.

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?
I tend to pump when I get the chance, more so if I know I have something coming up and she'll need expressed milk.

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?
Very simular to pregnancy, just healthy & avoid unnecessary medications etc.

6. Do you breastfeed in public?
Yes, I think i've breastfed everywhere! lol

Good luck if you decide to breastfeed

 

[DebbieM]

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?

I defrost in a jug of warm water (stored BM in a special BM bag) and it takes up to about 10 mins depending on how much there is.
2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?

No section for me so can't answer... sorry.

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?

I didn't do well with a manual. I bought a Medela electric (mini) and found it fab

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?

Nope, multi-tasker here! I never don't have anything else to do LOL!

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?

Eat when you can is my advice for the first few weeks. Just eat what and when you can. Healthy food is best of course but not always feasible if I'm honest.

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)

Yes. Never thought I would but I do and love it. Never express now. Not done so for a very long time.

 

[loz]

I use a Tommee Tippee manual breast pump and that has been fine. It is best to pump in the morning when your milk is at it's fullest, I do it when I can get a chance between seeing to Emms (usually before she wakes up in the morning).

I have breastfed a lot in public and it's fine. There are parenting rooms in lots of stores such as Mothercare, John Lewis, Boots, Toys R Us etc but I have also done it on benches, in restaurants, in the back of my car!!!

 

[abcd1234]

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?
Same as others have said, i either leave it out to defrost of put it in hot water, it doesnt take long at all, but i'd recomend having a bottle ready if you know baby will need it, Tally doesnt much like waiting for her food

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?Can't help sorry, though i expect it'd be easiest to BF lying down after a C-section as then baby wont be resting on your wound

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?
Whats a feeds worth of milk?? I usually express 3-5oz and it'll take between 10 and 20 mins, i go against the trend here cos i really dont like TT stuff at all, i use a manual avent one and we get on fine, i also love the wat all their bottles and cups work well with it too

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?
Nope, i sometimes express out of one breast whilst she's feeding from the other

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?
Lots of fluid and healthily

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)
100% yes!! And i love it, i just dont care anymore and it keeps my baby happy, i've also never had any negative comments about it either

 

[andreag]

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?You can defrost it in warm water but I never cared for that idea much. Either couple of hours out of the fridge of overnight in it

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?No experience

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?I used topump for the freezer as I went back to work when LO was 4.5 months old. I found the best time to express was first thing in the morning. I would feed C on one side and pump the other. Because I did it every day I built up a good supply and got off between 6-8 oz. It took a few days to build that up though. After a bath/shower was also a good time. Not a good time is when the window cleaner is there!

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?See above (Window cleaner inciedent happened when I was a bit bored and thought I would try it out. As i needed to build up a good stock I found that doing it at a regular time was key - my body thought it was just another feed.

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?nothing in particular - just healthy and varied, but limiting stimulants like caffine and alcohol. I never found anything I ate had an adverse affect on Charlotte

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)Yes - I was worried at first but I never had any negative comments. I was more embarrassed giving her a bottle in public when she switched to formula at 6 months, and thinking people would think I couldn't be bothered to breastfeed

All in all it was a really positive experience, and I would definately recmmend.

 

[ASD123456]

Very similar to what the others have said but-

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?
Overnight in the fridge or in a bowl of hot water if you need it quickly

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?
No idea but you can get feeding pillow that are ideal for BF mothers who have had a C sec.

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?
I'm an Avent Isis manual girl. I takes 5-10 mins for about 4oz depending on how full my boobs are. I go about 8 oz in 5 mins once The baby feeds very quickly though so I think I must have a fast let down and flow.

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?
Yes but as I am starting college in a weeks time I need to bring in a regular daytime express- probably after morning feed

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?
Varied healthy plently of fluids and an extra 500 calories

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)
Yes and once you've done it once your flying.

 

[zebrastripes]

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?
Twenty four hours overnight, or 10 minutes in lukewarm water

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?
Nope, I did it and had no problems, with the help of my trusty V pillow

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?
Don't know,I had an electric tbh

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?
I had to pump for about half an hour to an hour morning and night for 3 months. I didn't mind because I could read etc anyway, and it was for my little girl

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?
I ate pretty much everything, obviously not alcohol and fags though

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)
Yes, and I still do. I've got a few funny looks and some comments, but i don't really care what people think, as what do they know anyway?

 

[charlie84]

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?
When i used to defrost the milk it would either be in the fridge or in a bowl of warm water

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?
As said above there are pillows you can get to help feed after a c section

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?
I use a tommee tippee manual pump and can usually get off 6ozs in five mins, couldnt tell you if this would be enough for a feed as my LO never took to the bottle so have no idea what her intake is

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?
I pump in the morning as this is when i feel my fullest

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?
I should imagine a healthy balanced diet would suffice, plus i recommend oats as this has helped my supply

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby)
Yep i feed my baby whenever she is hungry, so if out and about i find a nice place to sit and feed. Usually a cafe so i can have myself a drink also

 

[IsaB]

1. How long does it take for breastmilk to defrost and how do you defrost it?
Usually either in the fridge or at room temperature - depends on how much you're defrosting as to how long it takes, also bags defrost faster than bottles.

2. Is it really uncomfortable to breastfeed after a c-sec?
Don't know from personal experience, but apparently the rugby hold position is most comfortable as baby isn't lying across the stomach

3. Are manual breast pumps any good and how long does it take to pump 1 feeds worth of milk?
I use the Avent manual pump which seems to work well - when I first started expressing it took a lot of pumping to make up a feed, but once everything was established, it'll generally take me two sessions to get one feed's worth. I read somewhere that you can generally only express half of what the baby would actually take as no pump as as efficient as baby.

4. Do you just pump when your not busy and got nothing else to do?
When I first started I would pump at the end of each feed to get whatever was left. I generally only pump now at around the same time as the feed is being given (usually the dream feed - when DD started sleeping through and I was single side feeding I would also pump the other breast in the morning initially just to relieve it, but decided to carry on as it yeilded the best milk. Pumping in the morning is definitely the best for getting out the most and apparently, richest milk.

5. What's the recomended diet for a breastfeeding Mum?
Lots of water and good balanced diet - lots of fruit, veg, carbs and protein, and don't diet.

6. Do you breastfeed in public? (I think I would and only express if I wasn't available for my baby). I was initially a little self-conscious and preferred to feed at home until I mastered feeding discreetly - at the start it was very much all on show until I got the hang of things, now I'll feed anywhere, any time. At the end of the day though, if you've got a hungry baby, you don't really care about how discreet you're being.

Good on you for wanting to give it a go!