No idea what I am doing!

[Rooster30]

Hi all, I FF my son, so I am very new to this breastfeeding lark and to be honest I have been completely winging it.

I found the first few days tough as my LO seemed to feed all the time and guzzled and suckled on my breasts for 20min + each. My milk has finally come in properly, in full force. They were aching so badly by 5am (she had had a 0230am feed) that i had to get my daughter up to drain them a bit. BUT now that the milk is in she seems to drink less - I am lucky if she stays on for 5 minutes as she started spluttering and I struggle to get her to latch back on?

I have got my OH to buy me a pump so I can get some relief - even though expressing really creeps me out . Even now, at 1245, my breasts are aching (last feed at 10am, so she's due a feed soon - she sleeps a lot at the moment).

I really could do with some tips/guidance through this breastfeeding lark! Is it normal for babies to drink less when the milk comes in?

She is currently pooping like a trooper and we have wet nappies too.

 

[sorpresa_bea]

Like you I also felt I was totally out of my depth. But I found that if you stick with it, things settle eventually and can go well.

A spluttering baby who pulls off the breasts early in the feed is usually a sign of oversupply. Seems that too much milk is coming out for your LO to drink comfortably. Also since she seems to go relatively long (for a newborn) between feeds your milk is backing up and your breasts getting engorged. If you hand express for a couple minutes before she latches, you should be able to relief the overactive letdown. And nursing as often as possible.

Good luck!

 

[Baker_Baby]

Also try leaning back while you feed her it stops the milk coming out so fast. She's probably sucking for less time because now your milk is in she can get what she needs in a shorter space of time x

 

[Rooster30]

Thanks for the tips ladies. Hand expressing completely creeps me out. I have just got myself an electric pump so wondering when the best time to use it would be? Between feeds, straight after/before?

 

[Maud]

If you are expressing to make your let down less forceful for LO them you need to do so at the start of a feed. If it is to reduce engorgement then do it when you feel uncomfortable. Remember that any expressing will tell your body to produce more milk though, so don't do it too much or you could increase your oversupply. Or will you be feeding the ebm to your LO?

 

[Rooster30]

I'll be using it to ease engorgement as seems to be my major issue at the moment. They ache so much! I just braved a tiny bit of hand expressing and they feel a tad better.

Geez, I don't need any more milk at the moment! I just want to get some relief! Tell me there is a light at the end of this tunnel?!

I might feed the breast milk to my baby, not sure yet! With how engorged they are I am reluctant to give her a bottle as need her to do some serious pumping

 

[sorpresa_bea]

With all the issues I had at the beginning (first 8 weeks) of my BF adventure, yes, it does get better and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I was close to giving up many many times but I'm glad I stuck with it and at 14 weeks we are in perfect balance, no pain, no engorgement, all good. You're doing great mama!!