The Breast Feeding Support Thread

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Has anyone expressed breastmilk while pregnant? I am unable to bf normally and with my son, I ended up pumping (exclusively for 3 weeks and combined for another 3). I found the pumping on demand extremely stressful and I was in such a state, it eventually put me off I swore I would never put myself through it again but now that I'm pregnant again, I know it would be the best thing for the baby. It would take a lot of pressure off if I were able to pump even just a little each day to help build up a bit of a supply. Is this even possible or am I being ridiculous? I've read some conflicting information online.

cyning

Bella Most Rubble wrote: »

Has anyone expressed breastmilk while pregnant? I am unable to bf normally and with my son, I ended up pumping (exclusively for 3 weeks and combined for another 3). I found the pumping on demand extremely stressful and I was in such a state, it eventually put me off I swore I would never put myself through it again but now that I'm pregnant again, I know it would be the best thing for the baby. It would take a lot of pressure off if I were able to pump even just a little each day to help build up a bit of a supply. Is this even possible or am I being ridiculous? I've read some conflicting information online.

You can pump (well hand express I think) colostrum and freeze it, but anyone I've ever seen doing it is getting like 5ml syringes. Your milk won't come in until after baby comes I'm nearly afraid to ask in case it comes across as seriously patronising and that's not what I mean at all, but can you definitely not feed if you would like? Would seeing an ibclc help? Not all lcs are the same. Again I am so sorry if I'm asking daft questions.

Also seriously kudos on pumping for 6 weeks it's an extremely hard thing to do I honestly couldn't cope with pumping at all.

Were you using a hospital grade pump? Could that help?

fro9etb8j5qsl2

It's because of a back problem (and super large boobies ) that I can't bf normally, I basically cannot get into any position where getting a baby to latch on would be possible I saw a lactation consultant the day after having my little boy and she tried everything but in the end, all she could do was show me how to hand express colostrum and feed it to the baby with a syringe. I wasn't using a hospital grade pump, that definitely would have made things easier, but what really got to me was the doubling of time and effort with having to sterilise the pump and bottles and then spend half and hour hooked up and another half an hour feeding the baby. Not to mention having a super hungry crying baby waiting on his dinner. So, only colostrum will be produced before the birth then? I was half hoping that after a few pumping sessions would encourage the milk to come in. Wishful thinking!

cyning

Ya pumping is a pain alright! The hospital grade pumps are much better so would help get more milk as they stimulate the breasts better which means once your milk comes in you mightn't need to pump as often.

I have the opposite problem with small boobs so no help there I'm afraid!

Would nipple shields help I wonder? It wouldn't solve the bad back etc but they are much much easier for baby to latch on to?

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Unfortunately, it's not the latching on that's the problem. Because of my back, I literally cannot hold the baby in a breastfeeding position while sitting/standing/lying down (also hampered by the size of my boobies) I tried every position, slings, pillows etc and the only way I could breastfeed was when my OH was holding the baby in position for me which wasn't really practical to be doing 7-8 times a day

cyning

Haha no definitely not! Hospital grade pump you can hire them might be the way to go so... But obviously whatever works for all of ye! Like three weeks of exclusive pumping with a regular pump is amazing!

morebabies

New question from newbie to bfing. I had a baby last week and even though I didn't bf my other kids I'm determined to make it work this time. And am just about managing.

Except since my section last wk I am constipated - PHN advised me not to take doc's laxative prescription from hospital because she feared it would affect baby through milk, so I ignorantly ate loads of fruit and drank prune juice, and hey presto, gave newborn baby a dose of diarrhea, but no effect on me.

Any advice please? I'm also taking iron at the moment which is not helping matters.

cbyrd

Is there any reason why your still taking iron? This and muscle damage/fear of bursting stitches can play a part. Try to drink loads of water.. its good for breastfeeding too.

morebabies

cbyrd wrote: »

Is there any reason why your still taking iron? This and muscle damage/fear of bursting stitches can play a part. Try to drink loads of water.. its good for breastfeeding too.

Yeah, iron levels were very low after section so nurse advised me to take them for 2 weeks. One week to go...

Bagheera

I had this and stopped taking the iron and took my chances. I also drank gallons of water even if I didn't feel particularly thirsty. Something that seemed to help me too was a slice of melon first thing before eating anything else.

How Strange

Brown soda bread, pears, prunes and parsnips, lots of water always worked for me. I would take some fybrogel (sp?) if I felt I needed something more.. However, get in touch with your doctor and ask are the laxatives contraindicated for breastfeeding. If you can't check with the doctor go to your local pharmacist and ask them to check for you. Perhaps you need a little help to get things moving along and if the laxatives are safe you might as well take them.

Edited to say that I never take iron supplements unless I've had blood tests to prove I've low iron as they make me really constipated.

cbyrd

The iron is most likely whats causing it, you should ask the gp if you can switch to floradix, it's a natural iron supplement and much easier on the system, I can't take iron in synthetic form at all, it makes me puke (like all day morning sickness) and constipated. I'm 28+4 now and just started taking the floradix again as my levels were 11.6 last week. I know it's only a week but a week is a long time when you can't go (and loads of water!!)

fro9etb8j5qsl2

My doc told me it was ok to take dulcolax liquid when I was constipated after having my baby and the breast milk had no ill effects on my little fella.

happywithlife

Mrspostman - stupid question maybe but did you try the rugby/football position last time? And cushions or old pillows instead of the actual breastfeeding cushion

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Yup, short of standing on my head, I tried everything. I think I spent half the first 3 weeks trying to actually bf and the other half hooked up to the pump lol Ah well. I'm definitely considering the hospital grade pump for this time around, I won't put myself under the same pressure but even if the baby gets half bm and half formula for the first few weeks, at least it'll be something

happywithlife

Ach that's frustrating
I came in at a H cup when I was fb my second - rugby hold worked a treat for us
I'm bf my third currently and this is the first time I've ever been able to do laid back feeding in bed which is handy. I couldn't use the bf cushion with my second either everything combined was just too ...bulky lol.

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Yikes I feel your pain, I was a GG cup before I got pregnant and was up at JJ by the time I gave birth, even though I didn't put that much weight on :eek: Shrank back to a H after having him and now, at 17 weeks pg, I'm growing out of my HH bras again My back problems stem from my pelvic joint and I can't sit upright for more than a few minutes without shifting so any seated position was out and lying down, it was impossible to get him to latch on because of the size

ncmc

Im a bit worried about my supply this week, baby is 12 weeks old and has been off form for the last couple of days. According to the Wonder Weeks app she is in the middle of a leap so I was blaming that. But this evening I tried to pump (she had gone to sleep without having a decent feed) and I got nada in the pump. I hadn't fed her in hours so should have been able to express something. I'm now wondering if she's cranky because she's hungry. I had been trying to diet the last couple of weeks to lose some baby weight and I'm worried I've affected my supply. Does anyone have any tips to increase supply? I already eat porridge and am planning to get some fennel tea tomorrow, anything else I can do? I feel really guilty that I may have sabotaged my supply.

How Strange

First of all stop worrying. If your daughter wasn't getting enough milk she certainly wouldn't be sleeping. Around 12 weeks there's a growth spurt, wonder week and most babies are teething. There could be another 20 things going on that we don't know about. Also, your supply has most likely adjusted to your daughters feeding patterns so you don't get that really full feeling anymore

You're just on the brink of the easy stage now. You've put in all the hard work in the last 12 weeks and breastfeeding is about to shift into cruise control.

To increase supply oats, fennel and fenugreek are all the recommended ones. I don't think dieting has affected your supply. It's just adapted.

kandr10

ncmc wrote: »

Im a bit worried about my supply this week, baby is 12 weeks old and has been off form for the last couple of days. According to the Wonder Weeks app she is in the middle of a leap so I was blaming that. But this evening I tried to pump (she had gone to sleep without having a decent feed) and I got nada in the pump. I hadn't fed her in hours so should have been able to express something. I'm now wondering if she's cranky because she's hungry. I had been trying to diet the last couple of weeks to lose some baby weight and I'm worried I've affected my supply. Does anyone have any tips to increase supply? I already eat porridge and am planning to get some fennel tea tomorrow, anything else I can do? I feel really guilty that I may have sabotaged my supply.

I'm not sure about dieting and if it is making your baby hard to satisfy. With pumping I often found at night I'd get little or nothing but in the morning I'd get buckets. Have you tried to pump again at a different time? Pumping after you feed would help your supply too.

When you feed your little one does she get fussy at the breast? Or does she suck well? Are there any indications at feeding times that she's not satisfied? It could be a growth spurt or leap and not necessarily your supply.

ncmc

Thanks ladies, I'm a bit calmer this morning! She slept 11 hours and had a great feed this morning. I haven't been pumping much the last couple of weeks but when I do, I normally pump in the morning. Although the night before last I gave her an expressed bottle and pumped and got plenty. I'll get some fennel tea just in case and make sure I'm eating enough and drinking water. I'm terrible for not drinking enough so that probably doesn't help.

kandr10

ncmc wrote: »

Thanks ladies, I'm a bit calmer this morning! She slept 11 hours and had a great feed this morning. I haven't been pumping much the last couple of weeks but when I do, I normally pump in the morning. Although the night before last I gave her an expressed bottle and pumped and got plenty. I'll get some fennel tea just in case and make sure I'm eating enough and drinking water. I'm terrible for not drinking enough so that probably doesn't help.

None of those things will do any harm of course. But don't be beating yourself up over it.

Jerrica

Has anyone else used the Medela Pump and Save bags? I was scheduled for surgery today at short notice and had to try to pump out as much ebm as I could manage in the last couple of days in preparation, but it was cancelled at even shorter notice and I've been left with a few portions of ebm in the fridge. I picked up a box of the medela bags in Boots today and so far so good. They're expensive enough (€13.99 for 20, non reusable) but super easy to use, and I can see myself building up a decent stash of ebm with them.

RentDayBlues

Jerrica wrote: »

Has anyone else used the Medela Pump and Save bags? I was scheduled for surgery today at short notice and had to try to pump out as much ebm as I could manage in the last couple of days in preparation, but it was cancelled at even shorter notice and I've been left with a few portions of ebm in the fridge. I picked up a box of the medela bags in Boots today and so far so good. They're expensive enough (€13.99 for 20, non reusable) but super easy to use, and I can see myself building up a decent stash of ebm with them.

I've used the tesco own brand ones, min better value and 40 in a pack. I know from my first that I wasn't really able to express a lot after 7 months but the supply I had in the freezer lasted me until she was 13 months (6 months expiration)

Have about 45 ounces in freezer now but would like to get another 20 or so in the next month to have a large stockpile.

If my freezer ever dies I will cry!

kandr10

Jerrica wrote: »

Has anyone else used the Medela Pump and Save bags? I was scheduled for surgery today at short notice and had to try to pump out as much ebm as I could manage in the last couple of days in preparation, but it was cancelled at even shorter notice and I've been left with a few portions of ebm in the fridge. I picked up a box of the medela bags in Boots today and so far so good. They're expensive enough (€13.99 for 20, non reusable) but super easy to use, and I can see myself building up a decent stash of ebm with them.

I've not used the Medela but I've used the tommee tippee. I've also used these one ounce tubs from vital baby and found them handy cos I could pop them out and keep the cubes together in portion sizes if you get me. They're re usable where the bags aren't.

Hope your surgery isn't too serious and you're not waiting too long for it now

Jerrica

RentDayBlues wrote: »

I've used the tesco own brand ones, min better value and 40 in a pack.

Tesco do them?? Even better!! Only bigger stores or all of them I wonder?

Sligo1

Jerrica wrote: »

Has anyone else used the Medela Pump and Save bags? I was scheduled for surgery today at short notice and had to try to pump out as much ebm as I could manage in the last couple of days in preparation, but it was cancelled at even shorter notice and I've been left with a few portions of ebm in the fridge. I picked up a box of the medela bags in Boots today and so far so good. They're expensive enough (€13.99 for 20, non reusable) but super easy to use, and I can see myself building up a decent stash of ebm with them.

I have them! I found them great for building up a stash. But they are very expensive. The only thing I found is that now Lilly is older she could take 200ml in a feed. And the bags only take 150ml. Maybe I'm being a bit of a stinge but having to use 2 bags for a feed at the price they are is a bit much... But they are so easy to use with the pump.

Jerrica

kandr10 wrote: »

I've not used the Medela but I've used the tommee tippee. I've also used these one ounce tubs from vital baby and found them handy cos I could pop them out and keep the cubes together in portion sizes if you get me. They're re usable where the bags aren't.

Hope your surgery isn't too serious and you're not waiting too long for it now

Sorry kandr, I missed this somehow! I have four of the Tommee Tippee pots too, my ones only store 2oz,and I normally get 2.5-3oz every time I pump and I *hate* throwing anything away!! Being reusable is a huge plus though. It'll be interesting to see how the bags vs pots compare.

It's only minor surgery thankfully but I'll have to go under general anaesthetic so it'll take a bit of planning. My orthopaedic surgeon booked me in before consulting the anaesthetist, and they postponed it because they said no way would they put someone 4 weeks pp under a general! I need a frequent flyers mileage card for the hospital at this stage

Sligo1

Good luck with the surgery jerrica!

I never thought of the pots... They sound great. I find I don't freeze much now tho as since Lilly is taking a bottle I'm giving it to her everyday from when I express in the morning. Scared she will decide not to take bottle again...

RentDayBlues

Jerrica wrote: »

Tesco do them?? Even better!! Only bigger stores or all of them I wonder?

I'm in dublin and have gotten them in dundrum, merrion and Stillorgan, as well as online.

I was in need of some recently and couldn't find then in dundrum so bought the tommee tippee ones and they are identical to the tesco ones for half the price