Re: If your thinking about breastfeeding...

[Fly]

Absolutely fantastic thread thankyou so much

I just wanted to say something about positions for holding your baby whilst feeding...

We're all familiar with the classic babe in arms but if you have large bazooka's anyway or give birth to a smaller than average baby then it might be good to familiarise yourself now with some different positions... clicky

I managed to feed my son who was a 4 pounder by holding him under my arm as if he was a rugby ball Wish I'd had this forum for support back then... there was no breastfeeding co-ordinator for the scbu unit which was outrageous.. my mum helped me as best she could... had to express for the first week then did breast for two more weeks before i gave up as my boy just wasn't thriving

Am determined to succeed this time Have even gone out and bought a nipple correcter as i have one inverted nipple which might cause some problems! It certainly did last time round but nobody told me until it was too late

 

[Fluffy Bunny]

What a great thread - well done midna for the first post, must have taken you ages to do

From my own experiences I would say how important skin to skin contact is for beginning the process. In my birth plan I had wanted immediate skin to skin, to feed Evie straight away blah, blah, but as we all know things don't always go to plan. I tore badly and had to be transferred to another main hospital and go to theatre to be stitched up - it was around 6 hours before I was alone with my baby girl (she was fine btw and snoozed with Daddy the whole time I was gone ). After 12 hours she still hadn't fed, I'd been offering boob every hour or so, I had full on baby blues and was beside myself I was starving her - the midwifes's response at the hosp? "well, you are just going to have to give her a bottle"
Thank god my stubborn streak got in the way and I transferred back to the midwife led birthing unit where I had Evie. I was supported by the most amazing woman (an auxillary who was a breastfeeding guardian angel). She stripped off Evie and I stripped to my knickers and we just lay in bed together for hours. She'd sit with me every so often and we'd put Evie to the boob, if she didn't want it we went back to snoozing. After 36hours she took her first feed, it was amazing, god I'm welling up thinking about it
I swear it was the skin to skin that got the bonding and the breastfeeding going (and I've proved although ideal, it doesn't have to be straight away)

Support is invaluable, find out who is pro breastfeeding at your hospital before the birth, or as midna suggests have numbers with you.
When you get home, this forum was a lifesaver for me, ask the questions, ask for support

 

[LisaJ1986]

Like DebbieM i was dead against breastfeeding. My OH begged me to do it and i was eventually persuaded. I was one of the lucky ones that got the latching instantly. The bit i did find the hardest that i wasn't told about was the engorgement! I had no idea what had happened to me but within minutes one boob had doubled in size and hurt, alot. I was in tears as i didn't understand. But i spoke to a mw (she wasn't overly helpful) but she explained to me what it was and it passed within a few days. This happened in the 1st week. If i'm correct it disappears once your supply is established. Someone will correct me if i'm wrong.
Now i absolutely love feeding. Even though my family think i should quit now, i refuse. In the night i just rolled to the moses basket, fed, burped and put her back to bed in what is probably the time to make up a bottle. I had no need to wake up properly. My OH is so proud of me. I was so shy and so scared but now i'll whip it out in public! Obviously not on full view but i will feed her while out! I thought i'd be so scared to leave the house!

 

[Mildly]

Great post, it has reinforced everything I learnt at the breastfeeding workshop I went to. There are a few more things I wanted to add that I was told, please correct me if I have wrong information though as I have no experience yet!

If you have LO latched on but it doesn't feel right or is more painful than when you normally feed or you just want to change position, don't try and pull LO off the boob as they will just try and feed harder and will pull on your nipples causing excruciating pain. The midwife told us to insert our little finger in LO's mouth to 'break the seal' which means you can reposition LO without any additional pain.

Leakage or nonleakage you get from your boobs during pregnancy is no indication of how much milk you will produce/how hard you will find breastfeeding in reality.

When LO is breastfeeding your nipple should be at the roof of their mouth and their lips should be around your areola. The more closed their mouth the more painful it will be as it is their mouth action around the areola that stimulates your boob to move milk from the milk sacs deep in the breast. We also got told that the milk doesn't just come from one hole at the centre of your nipple, there are multiple holes!

If you find you get a lump in the breast during feeding, you may have a blocked milkduct/mastitus. This can be unblocked with a hot flannel on the boob and massage. You should always see your doctor as they can prescribe antibiotics. Our midwife said that the doctor will probably tell you to stop breastfeeding, she said to ignore that advice and speak to your HV or midwife. She said it was very important not to stop feeding your LO!

We got advised to give our LO's one breast per feed and not to swap during a feed but to alternate each feed. If LO has one preferred boob then feed them in a normal hold on the boob they like but when getting to the less preferred boob hold them under your arm in the rugby ball position so they think they are on the preferred boob (as they'll be in the same position).

When you milk comes in on the third/fourth day, your boobs will feel really heavy, hot and sore/painful. Get a savoy cabbage in your fridge ready and put a leaf in your bra which will cool and sooth your boobs!

If you have cracked nipples, after a feed, squeeze out a little extra milk and leave it to dry on your nipples as it will help to relieve the cracked soreness.

If your LO has a blocked tearduct/sticky eye, squirt a little boob milk in their eye. It will help to sooth the eye as the milk is full of healing properties.

They did tell us loads more and it was a great workshop - if I can remember anything else I'll edit my post. The midwives in my area are very pro-breastfeeding and if LO's won't take to it they promote expressing above bottle feeding. I'm sure if I've picked up anything wrong or any of the experienced breastfeeding Mums has any evidence to the contrary, they'll correct me

 

[Snuggle]

Excellent thread Midna I didnt breastfeed Maddison (I really wanted to but MW's gave up on me so I ended up giving up on myself). When I have another baby I will keep coming back to this thread to help me along I have small nips, smaller than yours Midna so nipple shields might be the way for me but we'll see. Either way, I'm going to try and try and try next time round even if stupid MWs do give up on me again

 

[AnnaR2B]

I agree! Great thread!
I'm not a BF-er any more but i did manage for a few weeks, i am really enjoying bottle feeding DS but i am definitely going to re try breast feeding next baby.

After a c-sec, i would advise investing in a good v cushion, i found it really helpful so the weight of baby wasn't on my scar!
Also LANISINOH...godsend for sore nips!
Good luck BF mums, hope it works out for you, and if it doesn't..at least you tried!!!

 

[kellysomer]

I just wanted to add a couple of things to this brilliant thread. I never wanted to BF to start with and only managed 8 days with Isla, but they were 8 very special and important days. She got the good stuff (colostrum) and the reason we gave up was she was tongue tied which was beyond our control. 2nd time round i was all the more determined and as per my ticker i made it! Like a couple of others i never wanted to feed for long and my challenge was to do 8 days the same as last time. I smashed that completely and now dont want to give up, i plan to get to 6 months then start weaning and feed part time still!

Couple of extra points to note:

Another HUGE plus of BF'ing is the weight that you loose. I lost weight slowly with Isla and expected this time with no2 to be so much harder, it has been LOADS easier as i have been BF'ing. I have lost nearly 4 stone in 5 months! 300-500 calories a day burned from BF'ing is a bloomin good start to loosing weight, the equivelent of a good aerobics session for sitting on your bum watching tv!

Babies breast feed not nipple feed! They take most of the areaola into thier mouth as well, i have tiny nips and it doesnt matter, you can BF with most any boobs!

Having a second child makes it a challenge, i have now mastered the art of feeding while answering the door, coooking dinner, no handed feeding and most importantly feeding while playing or chasing a 2 year old about! I found the best way to solve this problem was to put a small bathroom style bolt on the inside of the lounge door, i could feed while Isla played safely. She cant get out of the room so i can watch her and she cant hurt herself in the kitchen or disappear. Her fave trick was to run off and empty the cupboards the second i got my boob out as she knew mum was out of action for a good half hour to hour, little minx!

My boobs bled and were really sore for 9 weeks so i found alternating between the rugby ball hold and the cradle hold allowed a little help on the sore parts of my nipples by alternating where the gums were and ultimatly the pressure.

 

[KJ]

Great thread!

I would like to add a few things.

One thing that I read time and time again on the 'feeding' forum is how a mother has a baby that is a few days old and they feel that their milk is not enough as their baby is constantly feeding and their boobs don't feel full, and therefore they want to give up breastfeeding.
THIS IS NORMAL!!! THIS IS WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!!! No-one has full boobs for the first few days. Your milk hasn't come in yet, you only have colostrum. Baby WILL feed constantly as ...
A) they need to get as much colostrum as poss
B) they are stimulating your boobs so that your milk will come in properly a few days later.

Milk coming in
This is the strangest experience! In a matter of hours your boobs go from soft and normal looking, to huuuge, hard and quite uncomfortable! No-one prepared me for how this would feel, and as a result I panicked big time. Basically, this is also normal, your boobs WILL settle down, it will probably take about a week.

I would also like to say that not every baby will live on your boobs for the first 6 weeks. Asher certainly didn't.
Days 1-3 before my milk came in he DID live on my boobs. But after my milk came in, he went to feeding every 3 hours or so. He wasn't a particularly hungry baby. He did feed for about 45mins a time. I fed every other side for the first few months, and switched to both sides per feed after that. As babies grow up they get much more efficient at feeding, and Ash went from 45 mins a feed, to 10mins! So you are not going to be attached to a small baby for ever!

Hope this helps.

K.xxx

 

[flowergirl]

Someone mentioned expressing so I thought I'd add my experiences...

I started off using the Tommee Tippee closer to nature freedom breast pump (manual). In spite of the name it didn't give me any freedom. I had to hunch over in a very uncomfortable position to avoid leaks, it was hard work and hardly got any milk out of my boobs. Also, it seemed quite violent even though it didn't hurt. I went along to my local breastfeeding network group and a lady there showed me how to hand express. The amount of milk I could express in 20 minutes increased from less than half an oz to about 2oz within a day or so.

I generally express in the evening after Kathryn is in bed and the more I do it, the easier it becomes. Expressing has allowed me to understand a little more about my boobs and how breast feeding works. I can feel and see when my let down reflex kicks in and the more I have expressed, the more jets I got coming from the nipple- it started at just 1 or 2 and is now, several months on, about 8 jets!!!

I am returning to work in November and really want to continue breastfeeding (not formula feeding) as I wean. This will mean that I have approx 15-20 minutes at lunch to express during my day at work. With a good let down in relaxed conditions this may = about 1.5-2 oz of milk- not exactly a feed, so am going to trial an elecrtric pumnp tpo see if this is any quicker or more efficient than hand expressing.

Breastfeeding takes committment but is so rewarding. I'm proud that I breastfeed. This forum has helped me ride through the troubles and realise that what my little one is doing is nothing new! Use the gurus on this site to help and advise and you'll be fine.

 

[Steelgoddess]

This thread is impecable!

I have quite an important question...

When yo have given birth does your milk come in straight away? Are there cares when it doesnt and what do you do if nothings coming out, bubba go hungry?????

 

[valentine]

I have quite an important question...

When yo have given birth does your milk come in straight away? Are there cares when it doesnt and what do you do if nothings coming out, bubba go hungry?????

Hey SG,

Immediately after the birth your body makes colostrum which is a thick yellowy gooey liquid. Your body doesn't make much of it, but every drop is like liquid gold and SO good for your baby, full of good stuff. When they suckle at you in the hours and days after birth, this is what they will be drinking.

The colostrum leaving your body and the baby suckling stimulates your body to make your breast milk. Your milk should come in around day 3 - 5 and your baby will be quite happy on colostrum until then. Often your milk coming in depends on your birth experience so please don't worry if it takes a bit longer than 3 - 5 days, if you put baby to breast every time they want fed and don't introduce bottles, formula, dummies or nipple shields, your milk should come in sometime within those first few days.

It is unlikely that your body won't make any milk (I was worried about this too, but successfully excl. b/fed for a year!) but if your milk doesn't come in, then make sure you have your local b/feeding advisor/cafe/hospital drop-ins phone number to hand so that you can get immediate one-to-one help.

Good luck - this forum (Feeding section) is great too, ask away with any questions about b/feeding and we'll all be falling over ourselves to help you.

Valentine Xxx

 

[KJ]

Great thread!

I would like to add a few things.

One thing that I read time and time again on the 'feeding' forum is how a mother has a baby that is a few days old and they feel that their milk is not enough as their baby is constantly feeding and their boobs don't feel full, and therefore they want to give up breastfeeding.
THIS IS NORMAL!!! THIS IS WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!!! No-one has full boobs for the first few days. Your milk hasn't come in yet, you only have colostrum. Baby WILL feed constantly as ...
A) they need to get as much colostrum as poss
B) they are stimulating your boobs so that your milk will come in properly a few days later.

Milk coming in
This is the strangest experience! In a matter of hours your boobs go from soft and normal looking, to huuuge, hard and quite uncomfortable! No-one prepared me for how this would feel, and as a result I panicked big time. Basically, this is also normal, your boobs WILL settle down, it will probably take about a week.

I would also like to say that not every baby will live on your boobs for the first 6 weeks. Asher certainly didn't.
Days 1-3 before my milk came in he DID live on my boobs. But after my milk came in, he went to feeding every 3 hours or so. He wasn't a particularly hungry baby. He did feed for about 45mins a time. I fed every other side for the first few months, and switched to both sides per feed after that. As babies grow up they get much more efficient at feeding, and Ash went from 45 mins a feed, to 10mins! So you are not going to be attached to a small baby for ever!

Hope this helps.

K.xxx

Hi Steel goddess, have a look at my earlier post. It explains milk coming in. It doesn't happen for a few days.

K.xx

 

[Steelgoddess]

Thanks girlies!!

This is dead helpful for us newbies!!

x

 

[Bubalu]

Great thread!!!

I so wish I'd seen it before my LO was born. I didn't realise how much she would want to feed and as she always fell asleep at the nipple and then wake up and scream when I put her down, I assumed that it was something other than hunger keeping her up so instead of keeping her at the breast every time she screamed I just tried to pacify her by rocking. My milk was slow coming in (4 days) and Eleanor lost more than 10% body weight. Having not gained any weight back for 10 days, my midwife recommended supplementing with 1oz...In fairness, she was getting dehydrated and it would have been dangerous to continue just with breast milk at this stage. Now she feeds at the breast before getting any formula but I can't see how I can build my own supply up to completely replace formula. So I've just ended up with twice as much to do as I have to make up formula, sterilise bottles etc as well as breast feeding and expressing....I just want things to work naturally and I think it may have done if I'd known what to do in the first place.

 

[dannii87]

This is dead helpful for us newbies!!

x

Definitely!

My friend was saying the other day that her HV advised to put her son onto bottle because he was a hungry baby (he was 3 weeks old). She hadn't been too well that week so thought she'd go against HV and wait to see what happened when she was feeling better.

He's now 10 weeks old and VERY healthy - still breastfeeding exclusively! She said "persevere" with it. I was telling her about this thread and she said she wished she'd heard all about the difficulty when she had her first (she BF her first for a week and gave up) - she then suffered from PND which she puts down to the fact she felt so guilty about not breastfeeding for longer.

Anyway, I think it's a great idea this thread! xx

 

[DaisyRose]

Excellent thread Midna.

Haven't got much to add really. I've breastfed all three of my girls (the first for 16 mths, 2nd for 2 yrs 4 months and am currently feeding Ruby). I will say that it is difficult and it is uncomfortable and most definitely hurts in the early weeks, but once established it's so easy, and so much better for your baby (lowers the risks of allergies etc etc). It was much more difficult first time around but I think some of this was due to me having a c/section - the milk didn't come in as quickly as with the natural births I've had since, and I found it much more difficult to position Daisy correctly. At Southampton they had a breastfeeding support worker who was really really good - I'd recommend them if there's one available.

A couple of things I'd suggest for surviving the first weeks would be 1) LANISINOH cream, 2) a good supportive nursing bra and 3) nipple shields (to be used sparingly if it gets too sore; I definitely agree regarding the labour pain - just breath and remind yourself, ha ha!!!

 

[*CLAIREBEAR*]

thanks so much for this thread!
its great to have all this info as i want to bf!
im going to save it to my favourites so i can find it again when i need it!!

 

[abcd1234]

Great thread!! I think i was pretty prepared for BFing due to reading up on it etc but when i was pregnant i was really worried about positions and latching her on properly.

I'm gonna be hated but i never found BFing her hard, i openly admit she gives me an easy time (most of the time) and she latched on by herself very easily, i had help the first 2 times after deleivery but after that i was left alone.

The first time i latched her on myself i had difficulty, i didnt know exactly how to do it and she didnt seem that interested in food, when we mastered it that once she's been perfect since and i even managed to walk around the ward feeding her.

YES it hurt, those first few weeks hurt when she latched on, but it was no where near what i felt giving birth and i never once thought of giving up as an option!!

I genuinely believe that if you go in to BFing prepared and knowledgable you will find it to be the most rewarding thing!! Thats the only thing i can think to attribute to why i've found it so easy to do. We've managed 7 weeks now and i dont intend to stop any time soon, people will say to you
"if baby is feeding constantly just give them a bottle"
"dont bother expressing just give them formula"
"you'll eliminate night feeds with formula"
etc etc

Yes it'd be easier if i gave her formula when not around, yes expressing is a pain in the bum, but i've managed to slowly stock up my freezer with breast milk, i could leave her for a good few days now and she'd be well fed!!! Like all the others have said they really do feed none stop for the firsdt few weeks, its only recently i get to play with Tally for any period of time, and she still gets funny and wants booby after a while!!

She fusses already too, and that hurts more then anything else! I'll try and get a video of it too but she pulls off without letting go of boob, and sometimes she'll try and suck the very end of my nipple, which also bloody hurts!!

I LOVE breast feeding!! And i cant help think that without this place and the research i've done i may not have managed it!! I dont get support from anyone, just a "well done" when they see she's putting weight on. Oh and apart from my mum everyone in my house has issues with the fact that booby milk is a bodily fluid! my sister wouldnt wash out her bottle cos it had boob milk in and my brother told me he couldnt look after her and give her the booby milk cos he doesnt wanna touch it, my dad just tells me not to take up the freezer with milk and give her formula!!

Luckily the most important person (Tally), and Dave are supportive and dont care about milk, i'm not sure if anyone else is proud of me for Bfing her but i am!! I feel a certain pride in telling people that a BF her and intend to until she moves on to cows milk!!

For those who bottle feed, i certainly dont think it's wrong to, in fact i think bottle feeding is harder!! I only have to sterilise a breast pump and bottles for expressed milk, i cant imagine having to do it all the time and make up milk too.

 

[HappyAlice]

Just something I'd like to add - when I breastfed my two and I had sore nipples to start with, I didn't use any creams as my nips needed to 'toughen up'. Instead I regularly squeezed out milk and rubbed it in, which did the trick

 

[dannii87]

If you are having problems breastfeeding but would really like to carry on, before you decide to cave into formula, SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP!! If they show you how to latch baby and it still doesn't work, SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE!!

Evie wouldn't latch properly despite all the professionals telling me she was "on properly" - I knew she wasn't, my nipples kill!! So, I popped along to the breastfeeding drop in centre after a few members on here suggested it, and it turned out Evie had a tongue tie AND thrush, not only that, but I had thrush of the nipples! Recipe for disaster!

I am only perservering since finding this out because she's getting her tongue tie cut on Thursday so I'm hoping she'll latch after that and my nipples can finally breastfeed my baby the way nature intended - pain free!!

Breastfeeding should not be painful, if it is, SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP!!

Hope that helped... xxx