The Breast Feeding Support Thread

Kathy22

scarepanda wrote: »

She's 8 months old, on solids and loves her food. Nurses a minimum of four times a day. She will take bottles, but can be a bit fussy with them, which is another concern

Your supply is well established at 8 months and if she is eating well and drinking water she might be ok without you. Obviously pumping when away will be needed but your supply should readjust once you are back with your little one. Is she OK with Daddy at night time? That is where my guy would struggle as he feeds a lot at night.

scarepanda

Kathy22 wrote:

Your supply is well established at 8 months and if she is eating well and drinking water she might be ok without you. Obviously pumping when away will be needed but your supply should readjust once you are back with your little one. Is she OK with Daddy at night time? That is where my guy would struggle as he feeds a lot at night.

That's actually a good point, hasn't crossed my mind. She only goes to bed normally for me. When daddy tries to put her down she would fight it all the way and he's a big softy with her and hates when she cries. It's been a while since he had to try get her to sleep though. I'll pump before her bedtime today and see how they get on. She's sleeping the whole night normally, but i don't know if she would if she was fed by bottle at bed time and no breast on offer. I usually breastfed her to drowsiness and put her down semi awake. It's usually the same for naps when we're at home.

Statesbound

Hi there. I breastfed my 1st until she was a year. I stopped as I was 20 weeks pregnant with my next who is due in 2 weeks time. I used the tommee tipee electric pump but only ever yielded 30ml at any pump. I tried all different times of the day, natural remedies etc! I'm considering buying a medula pump. Swing or mini. Just looking for any reviews or recommendations!

Sprites

The Ardo Calypso and the Ameda Lactaline both have great reviews. I've used the Ameda myself and found it very good.

jlm29

Statesbound wrote: »

Hi there. I breastfed my 1st until she was a year. I stopped as I was 20 weeks pregnant with my next who is due in 2 weeks time. I used the tommee tipee electric pump but only ever yielded 30ml at any pump. I tried all different times of the day, natural remedies etc! I'm considering buying a medula pump. Swing or mini. Just looking for any reviews or recommendations!

I have a swing, and I've found it great. It's an open system though, which means its not supposed to be used on more than one baby, I think. Though I think someone has told me it just means it can't be passed on to another mother when you're done. Anyhow. Google it. It seems you're better off with a closed system. The Ardo calypso is closed. As is the spectra s1

Lucyfur

jlm29 wrote: »

I have a swing, and I've found it great. It's an open system though, which means its not supposed to be used on more than one baby, I think. Though I think someone has told me it just means it can't be passed on to another mother when you're done. Anyhow. Google it. It seems you're better off with a closed system. The Ardo calypso is closed. As is the spectra s1

This! I've the swing too. I love it but if I was pump shopping again I'd definitely get a closed system so it can be sold or passed on.

Kathy22

I have the Ameda Lactaline double pump. Have always found it really good, lots of setting options and can run on batteries if you per chance cannot get to a plug. I bought it because it was a closed system. I got it in boots when it was on offer and as I had joined the boots baby club i got 25% off it which made it very good value at around €100. My little guy was in ICU for 10 days after he was born so i pumped a lot and it was great.

cbyrd

My baby was born 4 weeks ago by emergency section, he was 6 weeks early. I'm exclusively pumping as his suck hasn't developed properly yet.
I have a chronic low supply. Yielding about 20-30 mls per breast per pump. It takes anything up to 2 hours to pump a feed. He's on 58mls per feed now and I'm not getting enough.
I've tried porridge made on oat milk with fennel seeds, fennel tea, power pumping, fennel oil on the breast tissue. Pumping every 2 hours, pumping every 3 hours day and night. I'm going for reiki to try and help too.
So herbal remedies are not working.
Without dipping into the medical advice, has anyone gotten a prescription for increasing supply. Is there such a thing?
I don't want to go to the GP if he's going to raise the eyebrows at me

catrionanic

cbyrd wrote: »

My baby was born 4 weeks ago by emergency section, he was 6 weeks early. I'm exclusively pumping as his suck hasn't developed properly yet.
I have a chronic low supply. Yielding about 20-30 mls per breast per pump. It takes anything up to 2 hours to pump a feed. He's on 58mls per feed now and I'm not getting enough.
I've tried porridge made on oat milk with fennel seeds, fennel tea, power pumping, fennel oil on the breast tissue. Pumping every 2 hours, pumping every 3 hours day and night. I'm going for reiki to try and help too.
So herbal remedies are not working.
Without dipping into the medical advice, has anyone gotten a prescription for increasing supply. Is there such a thing?
I don't want to go to the GP if he's going to raise the eyebrows at me

Yes, there is such a thing. I think it's called something like dopermidine and is in motilium.

rainbow kirby

It's domperidone. There's a prescription strength that you'll need otherwise you'll be buying an awful lot of it over the counter.

fits

As well as medicating Have you tried power pumping? I'm not sure exactly how is done. lots of multiple mums doit to increase supply. Also do you pump overnight ( that's really important. Especially between 2 and 5 am).

It might bean idea to try a different pump also. Some are better than others.

Can you do lots of skin to skin with your baby?

I had issues with supply at the start with my twins ( born 37+4 sleepy and jaundiced) ) I ate all the oats, fennel tea, fed around the clock but I had to supplement with formula as well in the first two weeks. You will get there. Good luck!

brokensoul

cbyrd wrote: »

My baby was born 4 weeks ago by emergency section, he was 6 weeks early. I'm exclusively pumping as his suck hasn't developed properly yet.
I have a chronic low supply. Yielding about 20-30 mls per breast per pump. It takes anything up to 2 hours to pump a feed. He's on 58mls per feed now and I'm not getting enough.
I've tried porridge made on oat milk with fennel seeds, fennel tea, power pumping, fennel oil on the breast tissue. Pumping every 2 hours, pumping every 3 hours day and night. I'm going for reiki to try and help too.
So herbal remedies are not working.
Without dipping into the medical advice, has anyone gotten a prescription for increasing supply. Is there such a thing?
I don't want to go to the GP if he's going to raise the eyebrows at me

I rented one of the hospital grade pumps and I found that it made a huge difference to my supply.

http://www.medicare.ie/medela-breast-pumps-ireland/medela-breast-pump-rental/medela-symphony.html

Might be worth considering.

cbyrd

brokensoul wrote:

I rented one of the hospital grade pumps and I found that it made a huge difference to my supply.

I have one. Since I came home from hospital

brokensoul

cbyrd wrote: »

I have one. Since I came home from hospital

Sorry pet, useless advice so!

PhoenixParker

I used domperidone. Basically just told the doctor to prescribe it and he did. It helped but I started at about 3 months and never got a full supply. The cocktail I found best for me was goats rue, fenugreek, lecithin and domperidone.

There's a very good Facebook group for chronic low supply called IGT and low supply or similar. If you search you'll find it. You need to join the screening group first.

Marz66

Congratulations cbyrd. Sounds like you are doing everything right. It might just be that pumping doesn't get as much as the baby would if the baby was feeding itself. You are probably already doing warm massage before pumping, looking at photos of baby as you pump. Can you do skin to skin while u are with baby?

Is there a lactation consultant in the NICU that you can talk to.

If you don't get the advice you need or if your GP is not helpful, you could call Cuidiu or LLL. They are fully trained so they would have come across this situation before.

Hope baby gets out and is able to feed itself soon I think I remember u powered through feeding issues on your last too - well done u are very determined

scarepanda

Well, after 10 months of weight monitoring (by PHN since birth and 4 months by pediatricians), my lo has finally been discharged from the care/observation of the pediatricians. She's still a tiny bundle of devilment (only starting to wear 6-9 month clothes), doesn't stop moving and eats like a horse. She's been tracking along the second centile since Christmas, but everyone is finally happy that she has settled into a growth pattern.
I haven't been all that worried about her weight for the last while, since we first saw the Pediatricians, but it is still a relief that the medical professionals are happy with her. And it's still very weird having people praise me for still breastfeeding, I don't think I'll ever get used to that as it's just so normal for us!

lashes34

Hi ladies, Im due mid December. If I go over and have the baby around Christmas will there still be breastfeeding support/lactation consultants available? Dreading it not working for me and not being able to get the support I need to push through

fits

Honestly it's tough to get someone out around that time. I had my boys on the 13th December but I was looking for someone on Saturday 17th and couldn't get anyone until the Tuesday. Luckily the PHN saved my bacon. Some LCs work together. Maybe ring around and enquire in advance?

bovril

I'm sure there will be someone from cuidiu or friends of breastfeeding available on the phone. It's not as good as a house visit but it might tide you over until you can get a house visit if you do need one.

spottybananas

Yes you should be able to get hold of a Cuidiu counsellor on the phone if nothing else. In our hospital if you give birth on a Friday after 6pm you don't the LC until Monday at 9.30 at the earliest, so even outside of Christmas they can be tough to get hold of!

There are some fantastic fb breastfeeding groups, Irish ones, with thousand of members including experienced mums, LC's, Cuidiu members, etc. They can offer a wealth of information and usually at all hours of the night

jlm29

If you can make it to a Cuidu group before you have baby (bumps are welcome), you'll make yourself some contacts, and have someone to call. They should be available on the phone at least to help you.
Also, most (but not all) maternity hospitals have a lactation consultant, don't be afraid to pick up the phone, even after discharge and ask for help! In general, people are very helpful!

waterfaerie

I would second what others have said and advise you to get some support before you have the baby. That way, not only will you be better prepared, but you will have made contact with the support people you need. They'll be able to tell you when they're available or possibly even arrange to expect a call from you.

Is there a breastfeeding support group near you? I went to a Cuidiú group when I was still pregnant and I'm so glad I didn't wait until the baby was here. The breastfeeding counsellor who runs it has been nothing but amazing. She made herself very available to me when I had the baby and I felt so comfortable ringing her for help because I had met her beforehand. I still go to the meetings now and there are often pregnant women there.

The hospital lactation consultant will be fine if you just need a bit of help but if there is an issue, I would definitely recommend an IBCLC one. You could ask for recommendations at the breastfeeding group.

The one I had was extremely committed. She gave me loads of help over the phone on a Sunday and made time to fit me in for a consultation the very next day. If there was a problem, I'm sure they would make themselves available for you, especially if you had made contact with them in advance.

More than likely, you'll be fine and the hospital LC and/or breastfeeding group will be all you need but if you're already anxious about it at this stage, you'd probably feel better having made contact with an IBCLC, even if you never end up needing them.

lashes34

Thanks everyone, not anxious as such, just thinking of possibilities. Have no idea of groups nearby but will look into it and definitely go to a class or two before baby arrives

scarepanda

I don't know about availability around Christmas time, but I would definitely seek out support before baby arrives from your local support groups. This is one of my only regrets from when I had my LO last year. I went to the hospital bf group before bubs was born and thought that was good enough. When push came to shove though the LC in the hospital was nothing short of useless when I needed her support and guidance the most. I came very close to giving up on day three because of the hospital LC. Even though I should have, I never sought help from a local group after baby arrives because I was too shy, exhausted and I wasn't able to drive after having a section. But next time around it will be something I will do while pregnant.

spottybananas

lashes34 wrote: »

Thanks everyone, not anxious as such, just thinking of possibilities. Have no idea of groups nearby but will look into it and definitely go to a class or two before baby arrives

Classes are good but just going to the group meet ups for tea and a chat and as others have said to get to know helpful contacts is a great idea too, and it's free!

jlm29

I also did a breastfeeding preparation class before I had my first. It was given by Clare Boyle (cork), and I would say to this day it was the best money I spent on anything baby related. I'd highly recommend something like this if you can source one given by an ibclc

PhoenixParker

lashes34 wrote: »

Thanks everyone, not anxious as such, just thinking of possibilities. Have no idea of groups nearby but will look into it and definitely go to a class or two before baby arrives

One thing I wish I'd known. A little supplement while you're working it out does not have to mean the end of your breastfeeding relationship. From all the classes I took and stuff I read I thought a bottle was the death knell of breastfeeding. Turns out I have low supply. My nine month old has been supplemented at every day time feed since he was two weeks old and yet I'm still breastfeeding. I've actually been trying to give up for two months but he's having none of it. Many babies are supplemented a little at the beginning and exclusively breastfed afterwards.

Focus on teaching baby to suck and removing milk from your breasts regularly (preferably via baby sucking, but pump or hands if that's not working). If it all goes to pot on Christmas Day and you can't find anyone, take a deep breath, do what you need to feed your baby in the moment, then keep breastfeeding.

Most likely that won't be necessary, but I've known so many women who thought once they had to offer a bottle that was it and boobs had to shut up shop. With persistence from yourself and the right support that absolutely does not have to be the case.

Cakerbaker

lashes34 wrote: »

Thanks everyone, not anxious as such, just thinking of possibilities. Have no idea of groups nearby but will look into it and definitely go to a class or two before baby arrives

Another support out there is Ciudiu who have a list of trained breast feeding supporters on their website that you can ring for advice or support day or night. Doesn't matter if they're in a different part do the country or not. I've gotten great help from them before. Im not sure if La Leche League have something similar.

Lucuma

I also did Clare Boyle beforehand and she was brilliant. If I had my time again I'd spend the money on a private Lactation Consultant. It's so worth it. Then you don't have to worry about hospital staff being available etc. It's such an important thing it is worth the money for 1 session to get you up and running.