The Breast Feeding Support Thread

How Strange

Dr.Winston O'Boogie wrote: »

Hello all, GF and myself have a new born baby (3 days old), however its proving very hard to get him to BF as he is asleep nearly 24/7! Is this normal in a newborn? The odd time he is awake he falls asleep mid feed and its hard to wake him from his snooze. Responds better to bottled expressed milk for now.

Anyone else had this and had to bottle feed initially as the baby was too tired for anything else?

Congrats on your little boy

It's normal for them to be very sleepy for the first couple of weeks. I'd suggest you avoid using bottles right now as it's a lot easier for him to draw milk from a bottle teat than from a nipple and he may decide the nipple is too much hard work and refuse it. The usual methods to wake then are to stroke his cheek while feeding, strip him down to his nappy while feeding, use a wet facecloth on his cheek, mum and baby do lots of skin to skin. The skin to skin is very important in these early days as he knows his mums smell and if she puts a bit of milk on her nipple he will also get to know this smell and go rooting for it.

It's important than your partner spends as much time with the baby as possible so lying on her of she's on the sofa or stay in bed together for a few hours. It's extremely draining and exhausting at the beginning but it does get easier until it becomes second nature. In the meantime rest as much as you all can and enjoy it!

If you feel you have to supplement then use a cup, a spoon or a syringe. None of them are a nipple substitute so he won't prefer them.

Don't worry he will wake up and then you'll be back to tell us he doesn't ever sleep and just wants to feed 24/7 :P

ncmc

My little girl was the same, very sleepy and hard to feed in the early days. I think it's worse in the hospital with the heat. As How Strange said, strip him off, cotton ball soaked on cold water on his cheek, tickle his feet. Just try and feed very frequently, even if he's only getting a few minutes each time, if you feed frequently, he'll get what he needs. Their little tummies are tiny at that stage so he really needs very little. He's taking the bottle because it's so much easier to get milk out of than the breast, he literally can do it in his sleep. So it is worth persevering with the breast so he doesn't get too used to the bottle and too lazy to feed from the breast.

kknitter

Hi all,

Started solids couple of weeks back,baba is now 6 months. His feeds have reduced a lot, during the day I m lucky if he is interested one or two times in the milk. He feeds well for the last feed before he sleeps and then during nights and in the morning 2 feeds. He is currently just having pear and sweet potato. Are the reduced feeds fine? I try and feed him but he won't take if he is not hungry or interested. Not sure I should be delighted with the reduced feeds or not.
Also one more question, many a days his poop is green, even with pear n sweet potato should it be green? I am aware my diet might be causing it as well.
Again not sure is it common?
Should I start water as well now? If yes how much should I offer? I bought tommy tippe first cup, tried it with him but it seems flow is too much for him, as he couldn't gulp fast, should I keep offering the cup n he will get used to it or wait few weeks and for now offer water with spoon?
Too many questions 😊
Your help would be really appreciated.

How Strange

I think it's normal enough that they reduce the day feeds and do most of their breastfeeding at night. You're doing everything the *right* way as long as you're not restricting breastfeeding at night. If she's 6 months you can introduce all foods and you don't have to start with a little bit of vegetable and fruit. That's really for babies under 6 months.
Stick with the sippy cup despite the mess as she'll get the hang of it very quickly.

Sligo1

How Strange wrote: »

I think it's normal enough that they reduce the day feeds and do most of their breastfeeding at night. You're doing everything the *right* way as long as you're not restricting breastfeeding at night. If she's 6 months you can introduce all foods and you don't have to start with a little bit of vegetable and fruit. That's really for babies under 6 months.
Stick with the sippy cup despite the mess as she'll get the hang of it very quickly.

O no! . So when they start solids they may wake more frequently during night for feeding??

Bagheera

Sligo1 wrote: »

O no! . So when they start solids they may wake more frequently during night for feeding??

Not necessarily. My son is now 28 weeks and since he has started taking solids properly he definitely sleeps better. He still wakes for night feeds but less frequently!

Kknitter At this stage I have introduced chicken, fish, beef, eggs and wheat as well as a variety of fruit and veg. To be safe only introduce new foods during surgery hours. I'm also using the tommee tippee sippy and it just takes time to get used to it. Poos change quite a bit as well with solids as some stuff goes straight through them.

kknitter

Bagheera wrote: »

Not necessarily. My son is now 28 weeks and since he has started taking solids properly he definitely sleeps better. He still wakes for night feeds but less frequently!

Kknitter At this stage I have introduced chicken, fish, beef, eggs and wheat as well as a variety of fruit and veg. To be safe only introduce new foods during surgery hours. I'm also using the tommee tippee sippy and it just takes time to get used to it. Poos change quite a bit as well with solids as some stuff goes straight through them.

Thanks a lot bageera, that helps a lot. I will stick to the cup then.

Soooky

Ok I know this will prob sound pathetic but anyway :rolleyes:
Is anyone else's hair still falling out by the handful after nearly 8 months of b'feeding? After the initial post pregnancy hair loss at 4 months, my hair had started to grow back (all those little wispy bits at the front anyway:rolleyes:) but over the last 2 weeks it is falling out big time!! My hair is long so it prob looks worse but even my OH has commented on the amount that I'm losing around the house, the car etc. Have underactive thyroid (on medication & it had been stable) so had bloods taken on Friday to get that checked but just curious to see if anyone else had this happen this long after?

cyning

Even with a controlled thyroid your hair loss is going to be worse post pregnancy unfortunately! Mine was absolutely awful but it does grow back... Mine is everywhere at the moment hubby asked me did I need a hairnet... Was not impressed

Soooky

cyning wrote: »

Even with a controlled thyroid your hair loss is going to be worse post pregnancy unfortunately! Mine was absolutely awful but it does grow back... Mine is everywhere at the moment hubby asked me did I need a hairnet... Was not impressed

Oh good at least I'm not the only baldy then :D

Yeah its pretty rank alright, am gone mental trying to gather it up as baby is at the licking the floor/carpet stage now :D

Now I understand why some women go for the "mammy haircut" after having a baby - always swore that wouldn't be me :rolleyes:

livinsane

kknitter wrote: »

Hi all,

Started solids couple of weeks back,baba is now 6 months. His feeds have reduced a lot, during the day I m lucky if he is interested one or two times in the milk. He feeds well for the last feed before he sleeps and then during nights and in the morning 2 feeds. He is currently just having pear and sweet potato. Are the reduced feeds fine? I try and feed him but he won't take if he is not hungry or interested. Not sure I should be delighted with the reduced feeds or not.
Also one more question, many a days his poop is green, even with pear n sweet potato should it be green? I am aware my diet might be causing it as well.
Again not sure is it common?
Should I start water as well now? If yes how much should I offer? I bought tommy tippe first cup, tried it with him but it seems flow is too much for him, as he couldn't gulp fast, should I keep offering the cup n he will get used to it or wait few weeks and for now offer water with spoon?
Too many questions 😊
Your help would be really appreciated.

Our milk feeds decreased when solids were started, but he increased again as time went on. You are doing the right thing offering it. He'll take it when he wants. It's great that he's sleeping well at night! It's funny, even though it should be a good thing to get a break from nursing after all those months, it's impossible not to stress about it!

We had green poop at the beginning of solids. Nothing to be worried about. The food will cause that. You will miss the breastmilk poos :pac:

I too stressed about the sippy cup but I know now, in hindsight, that it was the biggest waste of time at six months. I got him a tommy tippee no spill one, he just chewed on the rubber teat and wouldn't even try to drink. I eventually gave up and used a bottle for water and let him slurp out of a plastic shot glass (lots of fun!). He never drank that much, just a few sups a few times a day. Then I tried the cup out of the blue last week (he's 9 months now) and he gulped a load down! He's using it every day now.

livinsane

Soooky wrote: »

Oh good at least I'm not the only baldy then :D

Yeah its pretty rank alright, am gone mental trying to gather it up as baby is at the licking the floor/carpet stage now :D

Now I understand why some women go for the "mammy haircut" after having a baby - always swore that wouldn't be me :rolleyes:

My niece was playing with my hair and said "why is your hair all white on top?". I freaked, thinking I was gone grey. Then she said, "oh it's only your head". Great, so I'm bald instead of grey.

SmokeyEyes

Our baby is only a month old so Im trying to enjoy the last few weeks of thicker hair!

Im breast and bottle feeding and can only feed easily with nipple shields on as my nipples are flatish and the little man has trouble latching on and gets really upset. It's working out well with combined feeding so far!

livinsane

That's great that it's working out. I had the same problem with flat nipples. It is a headache when baby keeps slipping off. You could try making a "nipple sandwich", which is folding it together to help baby latch. This worked for me and I also used to sort of drag the nipple sideways into his mouth. As the baby gets bigger, his latch well be so strong that he'll pull the nipple out himself. I'm proud of my little ones now!

Cameoette

Hi ladies,

First time mother here, hope to be breastfeeding my baby who is due in 4 week's time. Optimistic and looking forward to it even though it's going to be challenging I am sure!

So here's the thing: I've been invited to a wedding when the baby will be 7 weeks old (assuming she arrives around her due date for argument's sake). The venue is only 10 minutes from my house. My partner is invited too.

Have any of you experience in bringing your little ones to a wedding round this age? How did it go?

Initially I thought I would express and leave milk for her dad to give her, and attend wedding myself, bringing pump with me. After a chat with my mam and sister (both experienced Bfeeders) I realised that might not be an option! My sis said despite expressing successfully her baby refuses the bottle from her husband. My mam mentioned that being separated from baby might trigger let down if I'm thinking about her (happened to her back in the day). So I am thinking maybe bringing her is the only option. I would attend ceremony and dinner and leave before the band.

Love to know what you guys think. Cheers!

Sligo1

Cameoette wrote: »

Hi ladies,

First time mother here, hope to be breastfeeding my baby who is due in 4 week's time. Optimistic and looking forward to it even though it's going to be challenging I am sure!

So here's the thing: I've been invited to a wedding when the baby will be 7 weeks old (assuming she arrives around her due date for argument's sake). The venue is only 10 minutes from my house. My partner is invited too.

Have any of you experience in bringing your little ones to a wedding round this age? How did it go?

Initially I thought I would express and leave milk for her dad to give her, and attend wedding myself, bringing pump with me. After a chat with my mam and sister (both experienced Bfeeders) I realised that might not be an option! My sis said despite expressing successfully her baby refuses the bottle from her husband. My mam mentioned that being separated from baby might trigger let down if I'm thinking about her (happened to her back in the day). So I am thinking maybe bringing her is the only option. I would attend ceremony and dinner and leave before the band.

Love to know what you guys think. Cheers!

Hi there, I went to a wedding (10min from home) when my little girl was 4 weeks. My husband went for the whole day and I just joined them at around 5.30 for the dinner, speeches and afters. Would've been too wrecked for the whole day tbh.

I left some expressed milk at home for my mum to give her and put her down. And I brought my pump with me to express during the night. Baby took the bottles no problem back then. I have read its when they are in to their second month they are able to distinguish between bottle and nipple and assert themselves more in their preferences. After that wedding my baby refused the bottle for months! Finally got her to take it again a couple weeks ago (thank god!).

If it were me and I know some people may disagree... I would get her used to a bottle from an early age and give one or 2 bottles of EBM every week so she is used to it and you are not tied to the house.

I think you'll be pretty tired for a full day at a wedding with such a young baby. But also, when they are a few weeks all they really do is eat and sleep unless they have bad reflux etc. they are very easy. But you may only still be recovering yourself which you need to keep in mind aswell. Congratulations and goodluck!

How Strange

If it were me and the wedding was so close to my home I'd go and leave expressed milk. You're close enough to go home if you have to or want to. Bringing the baby would be quite easy at that age but it might be nice for you to get away for a few hours by yourself. The nice thing is your baby is close by so you can change your mind even while you're there and go get him/her if you want to,

Best of luck with the next few weeks

Cameoette

Thanks so much for your replies. I think I'm going to leave her with her dad and some expressed milk and come home if I need to! And maybe go to the afters instead

Jerrica

Hi everyone, I'm a recent migrant from the pregnancy forum Day 3 of breastfeeding and all is well, my milk came in today so my little lady is enjoying herself immensely! We just changed her nappy and there was a small dark orange stain along with her wee, I presume this is urates? If she's feeding well is it anything to worry about?

How Strange

Congrats Jerrica and it's great to hear things are going well. I can't remember much/anything about those early days. Perhaps ring your phn in the morning and double check. Just to put your mind at ease.

detoxkid

Yes, my daughter is 8 weeks and around day two or three she had a reddy orangy 'poo' in her nappy, nothing to worry about. I was at home at the time and I rang the hospital as it looked a bit like blood bit they assured me that all was fine. Sounds like the same thing!

Sligo1

detoxkid wrote: »

Yes, my daughter is 8 weeks and around day two or three she had a reddy orangy 'poo' in her nappy, nothing to worry about. I was at home at the time and I rang the hospital as it looked a bit like blood bit they assured me that all was fine. Sounds like the same thing!

If it looked like blood you know baby girls get a "false period". I nearly had a heart attack day 4 when I saw the blood until my husband informed me that a midwife had told him this was normal. Apparently it's something to do with the mothers hormones.

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

Hello all having a few issues with breast feeding. A nurse asked us to exclusively breast feed our baby for a few days as they had previously been mainly feeding on bottles (he is ten days old) and it was now the last chance to get him used to breast feeding.

However we are not sure if he is getting enough food, he sucks most of the time but not very hard and falls asleep a lot. After near a day of this he got very sleepy and it was like he had no energy reserves. The reason he was bottle feeding in first place because he was similar in his first few days and losing weight and had low blood sugar as a result of not getting enough from breast. Once on expressed bottles though he perked up big time.

My partner is now too worried that he is not getting enough food and has gone back to expressed milk and feeding via a bottle. She is determined to do this for the next few months which I think will be very tiring and stressful. Has anyone else gone down this route? Also regarding breast feeding however can you ever be sure they are getting what they need?

Sligo1

I was always told 15min on each side for a newborn. But I always found my daughter would fall asleep after 10mjnites total. Things you can try to keep baby awake are stripping them down to their nappy and feeding. Changing their nappy half way through to wake them up. Tickling their feet whilst feeding or rubbing their cheek/jaw whilst feeding. To know if they are feeding correctly baby should be swallowing after every suck or every second suck. You should be able to see them swallowing by looking at them. That way you will know your baby is getting milk.

Regarding the length of time feeding, as I said my baby would only suck for 10min. At first I was worried so got a lactation consultant to come and see me feed. She informed me that I was actually one of the lucky ones! Apparently I was producing lots and lots of good milk which was why my baby only needed to suck for the 10 minutes to fill her. Her weight increased 50gms after a 10 minute feed so she was definitely getting loads!

There are breastfeeding support groups your OH may find helpful like la leche league or cuidiu. And I would also recommend seeing a lactation consultant to advise your OH on different feeding positions and times needed for feeding. This can be a really stressful time and its important to get loads if support if your OH wants to continue to breastfeed. Even of its just to put yours and her mind at rest.

If your baby is putting on weight he/she is probably getting enough

How Strange

I think your partner needs to get in touch with her local ciudiu or la Leche leader who are essentially free lactation consultants. The contact details for both organisations are on the friends of breastfeeding website. There's something going on that needs to be checked out before your partner loses all confidence in breastfeeding and gives up.

Jerrica

Sligo you were right, it was her mini period, it's caused by my hormones when my milk comes in, and her nipples are slightly swollen for the same reason Uranus would be all through the wee stain apparently whereas this was a concentrated patch.

I had a lactation consultant with me last night and it was so, so helpful, it's such a flipping shame the service isn't made more available to all women who want to breastfeed. My supply is great and my little lady is a fab feeder with a healthy appetite, but I hadn't been latching her quite and my nipples are fairly battered as a result. One of them is even showing early signs of infection I've been using lansinoh and multimam compresses but they're just relief from symptoms, apparently the way I had her narrowly latched meant that she was doing a lot of nipple suckle instead of drawing down the milk from stimulating the whole areola. I feel a bit dejected if I'm honest, but at least now we have a solution. I have to get a prescription for the Jack Newman ointment and I'm using a nipple shield for the badly affected nipple.

Sorry for the waffle, I was just so determined to bf and it feels like I've failed or somethinf

kandr10

Jerrica wrote: »

Sligo you were right, it was her mini period, it's caused by my hormones when my milk comes in, and her nipples are slightly swollen for the same reason Uranus would be all through the wee stain apparently whereas this was a concentrated patch.

I had a lactation consultant with me last night and it was so, so helpful, it's such a flipping shame the service isn't made more available to all women who want to breastfeed. My supply is great and my little lady is a fab feeder with a healthy appetite, but I hadn't been latching her quite and my nipples are fairly battered as a result. One of them is even showing early signs of infection I've been using lansinoh and multimam compresses but they're just relief from symptoms, apparently the way I had her narrowly latched meant that she was doing a lot of nipple suckle instead of drawing down the milk from stimulating the whole areola. I feel a bit dejected if I'm honest, but at least now we have a solution. I have to get a prescription for the Jack Newman ointment and I'm using a nipple shield for the badly affected nipple.

Sorry for the waffle, I was just so determined to bf and it feels like I've failed or somethinf

How have you failed when you looked for help, found out the problem and are sorting it? Nothing wrong with that. You're doing your best and in a few weeks you won't remember this happening. Seriously! Baby brain mush deletes all records fair play to you!

How Strange

Jerrica you most definitely haven't failed at anything. You had a problem, you reached out for help, you got it and you're on the road to recovery and successful breastfeeding. I'd call that a success. So many mums just stop at that point because it's so overwhelming. I did exactly the same as you on my second. She wasn't latched on properly so I got mastitis and my nipples were in ribbons and on the verge of infection.

Definitely get the ointment as it will help against any possible infection although use it very sparingly as it's very strong. Between feeds use the multi mam, dab some breastmilk on them and leave your bra off for a couple of days. Your nipples will heal amazingly fast once the latch is corrected.

Congrats again

Sligo1

Jerrica you definitely haven't failed!!! You asked for help and have found a solution rather than just giving up and that's really admirable! Hopefully you will heal up quickly and you won't be as sore. I was always getting blocked ducts in the beginning and ended up in hospital once with mastitis due to the amount of milk I was producing and little Lilly Wasnt the most hungry baby. I felt like the ultimate failure! But you keep going and it gets so much better!

You're brilliant. It's the early days that are the hardest so once you get through them you will be flying . Hope you're feeling better soon.

Jerrica

Thanks so many choices everyone, I knew breastfeeding would have its challenges but I didn't expect them to hit so soon! I really want to keep going and stick it out, I really appreciate the supportive words we'll just have to take it one feed at a time. Thanks again.