How long will you breastfeed for?

[lesleyann23]

I had so much difficulty with bf and long story short was on the verge of pnd with my 1st I also suffer cfs so didn't help but only did for 4 weeks but am determined to try again this time if I can would like to do 6 months breast 6 month express

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[Binzy]

I really like reading all the positve BF stories but I'm finding it hard work. 6 weeks down the line I'm shattered and my nipples are so sore. I can't always get Ryan to latch on properly and it kills. Any advice?

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

check out the biological nurturing... we always assume the easiest way to nurse is the 'normal' way but its not always

nurse lying down, its lovely

Erm... i will probably get in trouble with 'the breastfeeding police' for reccomending this but try using a nipple shield just for a feed or two a day to give yourself a break, when your nipples are feeling better then wean off the nipple shield by starting a feed with it and then removing it and latching straight on to breast

This sounds REALLY bizarre but i found my latch improved after using a Tommee Tippee bottle, because they do get their mouths round it like they do a boob and you can turn the bottle so their lips flange, it sort of gets them used to it

Are you sure you are fitting enough nipple in the mouth? The baby should really have quite a portion of boob in mouth, with opposite hand, grab boob and squeeze like a massive sandwich and properly stick in

If it still hurts after 20 seconds, the latch is wrong, a local breastfeeding drop in cafe will be able to help

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Oh heres the link

http://www.biologicalnurturing.com/

 

[hopefulmummy]

I have found bf has gotten better as A has gotten older. He now pulls off, grins at me, stares into my eyes, plays with my top. There is no part of the day I like
More than being able to sit down with him and have that bond. The bet thing is no one else can do it for you. The kitchen needs cleaning? Sorry! Baby needs feeding!

Binzy - the hardest thing I found was the worry of is he getting enough? I want to
Know how many oz etc. Once you get
Past the sore nipples have faith that your body will do exactly what your baby needs. It is hard work, but so are most of the best things in life. Also, use lanisoh (spelling?) gel, get from John Lewis xx

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Yes Lanoish is the bestest stuff ever!

 

[Binzy]

Thanks for the advice. I went to a Leche league meeting and the organizer watched me and thought the same that he wasn't getting enough boob in his mouth, but I find it so hard to open his mouth wide enough. Then he just gets really angry and latches n
on so tight its excruciating. I keep reading about the lovely bond the other munmies have but I just don't feel the same way, which is upsetting so a bit of a vicious circle. Will ask my mum to send me the cream ( I live in Italy).
As for the nipple shield I used them in hospital just like you said but they advised against using them once he'd got used to breast feeding but frankly I agree it can't do much harm for one feed a day.
Thanks for the link too.
I'm not worried about the amount he's getting now as he's putting on weight fast (350g in a week last week!), I just worry that I'm doing it all wrong as I'm more preoccupied with the pain than the bond.
Once again thanks for the support, everything's so much harder when you're sleep deprived!

 

[Binzy]

Ps sorry about the ticker I can't seem to change it from my phone!

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

binzy are you in a relationship? once a week someone (hubby or mum or friend) should come round in the morning and take the baby just so you can get an extra 3hour lie in... Sleep Dep increases... I found myself going properly properly mad and then realised it had been over a week since i had had any more than 3hrs in a row... Liam took the baby at 5am and gave him a morning feed and then brought him up to me at 8am and then i went back to sleep til 10... that way i was getting 7 hours in a straight row and an extra 2 thrown in for good luck, i felt like a different person

have you tried expressing a little bit in the evenings (for some reason i found it much easier to express when i was thinking about something else, like watching telly ) so i used to sit and watch stenders and pump for half an hour, it would give me plenty stashed in the freezer so Liam could do a morning feed. He never did a nightfeed coz it would have been too faffy but from 5am he would take Jasper downstairs twice a week.. it was bliss

 

[Binzy]

I'm married but my oh works crazy shifts so the only day I get a break is Sunday. I have no one who actually helps, people just come round to get a cuddle from the baby.
My MIL is not particularly nice and 80 so no hope of her helping out. I am going to try and express, my SIL gave me a hand pump but again the breastfeeding lady said not to till before 6 weeks.
We've just gone past the 6 week mark so if Ryan keeps quiet for a bit I'm going to investigate the sterilizer and breast pump. Failing that my dad is coming to visit for a week so I'll get more time then.
Thank you for your advice, you're really helpful xx

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Your local surestart center will lend you a breastpump if you need it . Where abouts in the country are you?

 

[bethx]

Binzy you can express whenever you want, dont worry if you dont get much out as you cant see how much your making through pumping, some days i can get lots others barely an ounce! Like a few people have said, keep going I think once you get past the 3 month mark bf gets easier and easier. I gave up with my first at 6 weeks and if id have had the advise and known everything i do know I wouldnt have ad Id gone through the hardest bit. I cant give much help on the sore nipples as thankfully somehow both times I managed to avoid any pain at all. I hope things get a bit easier for you.

 

[Sarah13]

I can totally sympathize with the pain and tiredness binzy. Just had yet another hellish night where he wouldnt settle between 10pm and 5am so no sleep for me again. What I don't understand is why he will be settled in the day for 3 hours and go down ok but not at night? Last night my hubby was saying he's had enough and buying formula which of course really upset me, hubby is really rubbish with a lack of sleep which don't help matters.

 

[inky]

Unfortunately for hubby, this is just what babies do when they're newborns! Don't let hubby make the decision re formula hon, mine was the same, fed up of me waking him up (not on purpose) when I fed LO in the night. I told him to STFU lol! It won't last forever, and you will be so pleased you persevered through the tough bit my best tip is to sleep when LO sleeps, even if it's for most of the afternoon, everything else can wait

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Liam used to sleep on the sofa occassionally to get a good nights sleep whilst baby was up all night... it meant he was able to take over at 5am on weekends and he wasnt a nervous wreck for work at 7am

 

[Sarah13]

I told him formula wouldn't make much difference last night and then ignored him! Been looking up good foods to eat as I think I've been quite lazy and eating crap as well plus I noticed you shouldn't have too much caffeine either, I've been drinking loads of green tea as I restricted it while I was pregnant! Any tips on good foods for milk production?

 

[inky]

Make sure you're drinking enough water! Oats are good too, well, anything with high fibre content really, ummm...fenugreek is supposed to be good too x

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Just remind him that though formula might seem like the easy option now, it means that for the next year he is going to be on late night bottle duty!

 

[Cantstop]

Flapjack and other oaty things are good. Join The Leaky B@@b Community on FB if you haven't already, lots of support there. Sarah it took my LO quite a few weeks before she slept better on a night, she was the same and used to sleep champion through the day but rubbish at night. I haven't really got any advice, only I remember sitting up downstairs till 4am every night so my hubby could sleep, but it does pass!

In the early days I used to feed her sitting up in bed too but once we got the hang of feeding lying down it was much comfier and night times became much easier. Also don't be afraid to use nipple shields - we've used them every feed since she was born with no ill effects - hasn't affected my supply or anything, which I believe is the main mythical problem; you can get silicone thin shields from Medela which are small enough even for newborns. I appreciate most people don't need them but for us they were essential and meant we managed to bf successfully instead of having to ff.

I was surprised by how tiring and frustrating bf actually was initially, but now I'm dreading the end - it's so amazing being able to soothe her and snuggle up. She smiles at boob now when she's hungry and about to be fed which is amazingly cute.

 

[Binzy]

Your local surestart center will lend you a breastpump if you need it . Where abouts in the country are you?

Italy! My SIL gave me her manual one but both myself, my neighbor and the Internet can make head nor tail of it. I'm sure it's missing something! It's been chucking it down so I have't been out but I'm going to take it to the chemist's tomorrow and ask their advice. They hire pumps too apparently. Managed to figure the sterilizer out today too!