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The Breast Feeding Support Thread
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Hi, I'm new to this thread, my little boy was just born on Friday night.
The first 24 hours were a disaster as regards breastfeeding. He wouldn't latch on correctly - and then ended up spending a night in ICU due to low blood sugar - I felt horribly guilty, that he wasn't getting what he needed from me (irrational new mother fear I guess!) and decided to stick with formula instead.
However I had a change of heart and started expressing yesterday in addition to formula feeding. It started slow, but my supply is quickly increasing, and I managed my first full breast milk only feed this evening.
Obviously I'd still ideally like to get him feeding directly from me - I wonder is there any chance of this happening, now that he's used to the bottles? I'm still trying him on the breast, with no luck, he just gets frustrated. The public health nurse is out tomorrow, and I'm going to a group class in the hospital on thurs with the lactation consultant, so I'm hoping they can help.
If not, I'll continue with the expressing. It's manageable at the moment, when he's only sleeping between feeds, so I have plenty of time to pump. I can't see that continuing for long however! Do many of you do all expressing, and if so how do you find it? 0 -
Congratulations!! You can definitely get baby back to breast if you look up la leche or cuidiu breastfeeding support in your area they might be able to help too. My phn is invaluable fantastic at breastfeeding support (one of the only reasons I fed for so long), but I know some aren't so make sure you look for more support if you aren't getting it. Kellymum has got some good info on getting baby back to boob http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/relactation/ and it is about perseverance. I found the easiest way to get babs to latch was to either stand up so my nipple was falling naturally, or else laid back feeding. I was pumping from one side for ages she would only feed from my left boob it's definitely easier if you can to get her to latch on!
Some people express for months (I know one girl at it 17months later!), so you can definitely do that either. Hope it works out x0 -
Chattastrophe! wrote: »Hi, I'm new to this thread, my little boy was just born on Friday night.
The first 24 hours were a disaster as regards breastfeeding. He wouldn't latch on correctly - and then ended up spending a night in ICU due to low blood sugar - I felt horribly guilty, that he wasn't getting what he needed from me (irrational new mother fear I guess!) and decided to stick with formula instead.
However I had a change of heart and started expressing yesterday in addition to formula feeding. It started slow, but my supply is quickly increasing, and I managed my first full breast milk only feed this evening.
Obviously I'd still ideally like to get him feeding directly from me - I wonder is there any chance of this happening, now that he's used to the bottles? I'm still trying him on the breast, with no luck, he just gets frustrated. The public health nurse is out tomorrow, and I'm going to a group class in the hospital on thurs with the lactation consultant, so I'm hoping they can help.
If not, I'll continue with the expressing. It's manageable at the moment, when he's only sleeping between feeds, so I have plenty of time to pump. I can't see that continuing for long however! Do many of you do all expressing, and if so how do you find it?
Congrats on your new baby
You can 100% feed directly! People have relactacted (or first lactated), up to a number of weeks later so it's definitely doable.
Well done on the first full feed this evening, that's amazing
Ok... Lots of info and tips....- Look up paced bottle feeding, and use this for each time you use a bottle
- try and finish each feed at the breast, your baby will associate the lovely feeling of a full tummy with being latched on
- whenever you can, do skin to skin with your baby, and give him lots of access to your breasts- he may instinctually latch on
- sleepy night time feeds are great- they're like dream feeds with boobs. Lift your baby before he wakes and latch him on while he's still asleep. He'll be too sleepy to be stressed about latching on, and these feeds are the ones that will help ensure you've a great supply
What area are you in? Local cuidiu breast feeding counsellors and la leche league leaders are an amazing resource, and you can call them for free.
'Real life' support is invaluable too, the hse website- breast feeding.ie and the Friends of breastfeeding website - www.friendsofbreastfeeding.ie/support - both list all the groups around the country.
Best of luck 0 -
Chattastrophe! wrote: »Hi, I'm new to this thread, my little boy was just born on Friday night.
The first 24 hours were a disaster as regards breastfeeding. He wouldn't latch on correctly - and then ended up spending a night in ICU due to low blood sugar - I felt horribly guilty, that he wasn't getting what he needed from me (irrational new mother fear I guess!) and decided to stick with formula instead.
However I had a change of heart and started expressing yesterday in addition to formula feeding. It started slow, but my supply is quickly increasing, and I managed my first full breast milk only feed this evening.
Obviously I'd still ideally like to get him feeding directly from me - I wonder is there any chance of this happening, now that he's used to the bottles? I'm still trying him on the breast, with no luck, he just gets frustrated. The public health nurse is out tomorrow, and I'm going to a group class in the hospital on thurs with the lactation consultant, so I'm hoping they can help.
If not, I'll continue with the expressing. It's manageable at the moment, when he's only sleeping between feeds, so I have plenty of time to pump. I can't see that continuing for long however! Do many of you do all expressing, and if so how do you find it?
Congrats on your new arrival! I'm only new to the breastfeeding as well but just wanted to reassure you you can re latch and it does get easier! I had a similar experience to you. I had to give baby top ups for first two weeks. So each feed involved me attptung to latch for bout half an hour, sometimes successful sometimes not, then expressing, then bottle feeding. Gradually when she did latch she would stay on for longer. Then she latched almost every alternate feed until finally she was latching at every feed and rejecting the bottles cos she was full!
So basically I'm just saying stuck with it. Don't worry if he doesn't get it right away. Consider the half hour or whatever as practice that pays off eventually. Also always look for the little victories like every time he latched is a little victory, every time he increases the amount he stays on etc.
good luck anyway :-)0 -
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Chattastrophe! wrote: »Hi, I'm new to this thread, my little boy was just born on Friday night.
The first 24 hours were a disaster as regards breastfeeding. He wouldn't latch on correctly - and then ended up spending a night in ICU due to low blood sugar - I felt horribly guilty, that he wasn't getting what he needed from me (irrational new mother fear I guess!) and decided to stick with formula instead.
However I had a change of heart and started expressing yesterday in addition to formula feeding. It started slow, but my supply is quickly increasing, and I managed my first full breast milk only feed this evening.
Obviously I'd still ideally like to get him feeding directly from me - I wonder is there any chance of this happening, now that he's used to the bottles? I'm still trying him on the breast, with no luck, he just gets frustrated. The public health nurse is out tomorrow, and I'm going to a group class in the hospital on thurs with the lactation consultant, so I'm hoping they can help.
If not, I'll continue with the expressing. It's manageable at the moment, when he's only sleeping between feeds, so I have plenty of time to pump. I can't see that continuing for long however! Do many of you do all expressing, and if so how do you find it?
You can definitely get him back on the book! Myfirst baby was just the same. She was ssyringe and cup fed for the first 3 days then bottle for a few days and then finally latched on day 5/6. Just keep offering breadth before during and after his bottle feed.0 -
Thanks so much for all the advice!
I had been trying every position possible and he just wouldn't latch on for even a few seconds. He was getting SO angry and frustrated because the milk was there - it would literally be spilling out over him - but he couldn't latch on.
We went to see the lactation consultant today and she was brilliant. It was so simple - she got me using a Latch Assist thing and nipple shields, and that was it - he immediately latched on perfectly and is now happily feeding away on both sides. I just cannot believe how simple it was to fix..
I could have given up so easily, for nothing! 0 -
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Is it normal to have far too much milk at the start? Does this settle down after a while? It's ridiculous - I just have to look at the baby, and I get two rivers down my chest. And whenever I'm feeding/pumping on one side, the other side is dripping away. I know I shouldn't complain, it would be far worse if I wasn't getting enough milk!
On a related note! What are the best most heavy-duty breast pads? And is there such a thing as pads that attach to your skin instead of to the bra ... I hate having to wear a bra all the time around the house! 0 -
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Chattastrophe! wrote: »Is it normal to have far too much milk at the start? Does this settle down after a while? It's ridiculous - I just have to look at the baby, and I get two rivers down my chest. And whenever I'm feeding/pumping on one side, the other side is dripping away. I know I shouldn't complain, it would be far worse if I wasn't getting enough milk!
On a related note! What are the best most heavy-duty breast pads? And is there such a thing as pads that attach to your skin instead of to the bra ... I hate having to wear a bra all the time around the house!
Yeah it's normal! It's a pain in the a$$, but it's normal! Once your supply settles down the leaking should stop too
Not sure on the pads tbh, reusable ones tend to be the most absorbent and thickest i think...
Although I vaguely remember some that used to stick to my boob. They weren't very sticky but they'd stay in place under a snug top.0 -
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Thanks how strange. He eventually settled after 4 when I gave up trying to get him into the Moses basket and let him sleep with me. He has had several feeds since including nearly two hours there. I'm delighted he's feeding so well but I'm wrecked!
The Moses baskets are handy when you need a few hours to have a bit if space to sleep without little fingers and toes wriggling against you, but the nights that you just need sleep I always found bringing him into the bed was the only option. As long as you're doing it safely- ie you haven't been drinking, don't smoke and don't use the duvet as a cover for baby, it can be a sanity saver.
It's survival in the early days, don't let people saying oh it's a bad habit get to you, just do what you need to do 0 -
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The Moses baskets are handy when you need a few hours to have a bit if space to sleep without little fingers and toes wriggling against you, but the nights that you just need sleep I always found bringing him into the bed was the only option. As long as you're doing it safely- ie you haven't been drinking, don't smoke and don't use the duvet as a cover for baby, it can be a sanity saver.
It's survival in the early days, don't let people saying oh it's a bad habit get to you, just do what you need to do
I think we're going through the 6 month growth spurt!! Baba is just attached to me all night I brought her into the bed in the spare room on Thursday for the first time after I'd been up 9 times and we've ended up in the bed every night since! I'm worried she won't settle back in her cot now?0 -
SnoozySuzie wrote: »I think we're going through the 6 month growth spurt!! Baba is just attached to me all night I brought her into the bed in the spare room on Thursday for the first time after I'd been up 9 times and we've ended up in the bed every night since! I'm worried she won't settle back in her cot now?
6 months is still so little in the big picture. I think the wonder weeks outlines a pretty big developmental jump around there, so there's a lot going on.
Maybe you could settle her to sleep in your bed and transfer her to the cot when she's fast asleep? If you have a particular blanket you could warm it up while you're both in bed and put it in the cot before transferring her?
My mother in law was insistent that we'd never get the little fella into his own bed because we had him ours most of the time. Needless to say I was thrilled when he decides himself to move into his own room and proved her wrong! 0 -
I had a much better night with my little boy last night and I feel a lot less tired today. The PHN called this morning and at 6 days old he is an ounce off his birthweight so I'm delighted.
I was just going to let people who are having nipple problems about breast angels. I had an awful time on my first with cracked bleeding nipples. Someone recommended them to me prior to baby number 2 and I have had zero issues so far. My nipples are in great condition and apart from the initial latch-on sting I have no pain with feeding. Hopefully it will last 0 -
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I get really upset when he gets sick after having my breast milk.
I said it to the PHN nurse today, and I was surprised she said it's often said to her.
I just hate that something I'm giving him is upsetting his little tummy. It makes me want to stick to formula - at least I know that, if I make it up right, it's "right". I can't know that with my breast milk.
I'm doing 50/50 between breast and formula so far. He's gained loads of weight (11 days old now) so the PHN is really happy with that.
I know I'll have to pick breast or formula and stick with one or the other. I'd always planned on doing 100% breast milk. But I just don't feel I have the confidence in myself to do it. I feel like I'd constantly be worried my milk isn't enough for him.
Such a stupid thing to worry about. 0 -
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Chattastrophe it's not necessarily something your eating... Sometimes babies can spit up after breast milk but not formula because you have a forceful letdown so the milk hits their little bellies so fast. You could try hand express off the first spray of milk to see if that helps. Sometimes it's because they have a mild mild form of reflux and formula is thicker so it will stay down whereas your breast milk is thinner so it can come back up. One of the major culprits if it's something your eating is dairy, but if baby is fine on regular formula it's unlikely to be that.
Also we genuinely all worry... I spent months worrying I didn't have enough milk for C. I couldn't she must be starving etc: she was supplemented with formula till about 5 weeks. After that she was exclusively breastfed: by 5 months she weighed 20lb 5oz. She was 7lb 15oz born
she obviously was getting enough but especially as a ftm it's so easy to doubt yourself. I breastfed her till she was 15 months, worried for 15 months and have SWORE to myself I'm not doing that this time!
And plenty of people combo feed: so if you want to keep doing both do. Obviously if you don't want to breastfeed/formula feed don't but you can if you want your supply might suffer a little but you should be able to keep going at it. If you want to boost your supply and give up the formula I would reccomend a lactation consultant though. 0 -
Chattastrophe! wrote: »I get really upset when he gets sick after having my breast milk.
I said it to the PHN nurse today, and I was surprised she said it's often said to her.
I just hate that something I'm giving him is upsetting his little tummy. It makes me want to stick to formula - at least I know that, if I make it up right, it's "right". I can't know that with my breast milk.
I'm doing 50/50 between breast and formula so far. He's gained loads of weight (11 days old now) so the PHN is really happy with that.
I know I'll have to pick breast or formula and stick with one or the other. I'd always planned on doing 100% breast milk. But I just don't feel I have the confidence in myself to do it. I feel like I'd constantly be worried my milk isn't enough for him.
Such a stupid thing to worry about.
Would you consider heading to a Breastfeeding group? Loads of mums there would have combination fed so they might have tips that might be helpful.
Breast milk, even if he's spitty and a bit pukey after, will always be perfect for his tummy. If he has a touch of reflux or even just wind coming up can bring milk with it, ESP as its not as stodgy as formula.
At the least the group my help boost your confidence.
It's definitely not a stupid thing to worry about, when were not used to seeing people breastfeed, and feeds are all about oz etc, its unnerving not having the same numbers, and knowing exactly.
Your body grew your baby from scratch though, that ability to keep growing your baby is still there even though he's on the outside now!
If you want any support or to know about any groups or anything, feel free to pm me 0 -
+1 to all the above.
I don't think there is a surface in this house that hasn't been coated in milk vomit (including my teenage daughter!), but despite the amount that comes up we get lots of wet nappies and she is hitting all her weight targets.
It is hard to know whether your baby is getting enough when you bf but trust your instincts - you know your baby better than anyone
And don't worry about deciding just yet either, just make sure the baby gets plenty of time at the breast to keep your supply up. My lo used to like just hanging out there for the evening if she was going through a growth spurt.
On another note, the other day my husband said "my god is there nothing breast milk can't do?!" He had just read about the hormones in night milk regulating babies circadian rhythms and then saw our little girl transformed from squealing like a stuck pig into a beaming baby after her 4 month vaccinations. Safe to say he's a big supporter of bfing now 0 -
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Ye are all awesome. I had honestly pretty much given up completely til I read your replies just now!
Really, I had completely underestimated the psychological impact that the birth etc would have on me. For me, I can see that it's all being manifested in the whole breastfeeding issue. I know breastfeeding is best, but I can't shake the irrational illogical fear that my boob milk is making him sick. I know it's stupid, but knowing that doesn't stop me thinking it! 0
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