The Breast Feeding Support Thread

lazygal

Not every baby has regression. I was braced for disruption around all the wonder weeks others talked about, but our LO never really changed her patterns. Same with teething, I got so many horror stories but we never had a moments bother with her.


Wolfpawnat, I tried a sling last time but it wasn't for me. I'm hoping that BF will be easier second time around, with fewer negative surprises!

iguana

Absolutely lots of babies don't get the regression, I know plenty of babies who just carried on as they were. In my case we moved house and the next day my husband was in a pretty bad car crash at the same time that my son's sleeping habits started to change so I'm sure his sleep regression was worsened by the move, his daddy disappearing and, as much as I tried to hide it from him, my stress.

icescreamqueen

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Just got a sling to help me feed and be able to play with A at the same time. I really feel like I have a more positive and prepared approach to bf-ing this time. I just hope it goes well.

Can I ask you what sling you got? I'm on the lookout for a sling for BF and for using for going out on walks. I'm thinking of the Moby sling but not sure.

MurdyWurdy

icescreamqueen wrote: »

Can I ask you what sling you got? I'm on the lookout for a sling for BF and for using for going out on walks. I'm thinking of the Moby sling but not sure.

I have a moby wrap and all attempts to breastfeed in it have so far been unsuccesful! I'm not sure what the other moby sling is like though

How Strange

I have a jpmbb and although I've never tried I'd say you could feed in it. I've also got an ergo and one of its claims is that you can feed in it but I've never met anyone who has actually been successful in their attempts.

Nead21

I havent been able to feed in my jpmbb either. I bought a manduca and a girl from my bf group was showing me how to feed in it. I havent tried it yet but she made it look very simple

dublinlady

I can't figure out how to feed with the ergo either! I'm thinking maybe when she's got more head support?!
I'm so happy feeding is going so well for me this time - seems alot easier than with my first! I really can't imagining stopping at the mo, ill be delighted with myself if I get to 6 months, well anything beyond the 13 weeks I did last time! I have a full day at work coming up next week and don't know how the expressing will go, but its only one day - my hub gonna bring her in so I can feed her there during my break so that'll help!

Nead21

Well done dublinlady :-) I was at a bf meeting this morning and the leader said that from 3months on you enter the "honeymoon" phase of bf. I reached my second target of 3months yesterday so im hoping the next 3months will be easier and get me to the 6month mark.

Ive been pumping all week to have enough for tomorrow as we re going to a wedding. Its the longest ive left him and im going to have to bring the pump with me.

CeNedra

Hello,

I'm BF number 3 and she's 7 months old now. Made it to 6 months on my other two but am going to keep going a while longer this time.

All was going well, brilliantly in fact until the teeth arrived a month ago. I started getting a few nips here and there, but this week it is all gone to pot altogether. In the hot weather I've had been offering her some milk a bit more regularly but unless she is ravenous she will look at me, give me a smile and then try to take a chunk out of me. BF has become a game of I'll bite you and see if I get a reaction. Each time I get a bite I put her down and won't offer her milk a second time I can tell you. I've had to cut back offering her milk to really evenings and at night/early mornings, my bf routine is gone out the window. I'm a bit concerned that she is not getting enough milk. She loves her solid food and is eating very well and a very varied diet already. She is taking very very small amounts of water and I offer her the sippy cup regularly throughout the day, water only in that though. She has never taken a bottle for me and I was going to give them a skip entirely this time round.

I'm hoping some of you here have experience of successfully getting past the biting phase. Any advice/idea's welcome.

I should add, she is the most chilled out baby ever and this is far from a big deal, but I was enjoying the B feeding and would like to get back to feeding throughout the day if possible.

icescreamqueen

dublinlady wrote: »

I can't figure out how to feed with the ergo either! I'm thinking maybe when she's got more head support?!
I'm so happy feeding is going so well for me this time - seems alot easier than with my first! I really can't imagining stopping at the mo, ill be delighted with myself if I get to 6 months, well anything beyond the 13 weeks I did last time! I have a full day at work coming up next week and don't know how the expressing will go, but its only one day - my hub gonna bring her in so I can feed her there during my break so that'll help!

Is there any reason in particular the BF is going better now? I'm a 1st time Mum to be and I'm probably naive and think it's going to be easy. Any tips would be great.

wolfpawnat

icescreamqueen wrote: »

Can I ask you what sling you got? I'm on the lookout for a sling for BF and for using for going out on walks. I'm thinking of the Moby sling but not sure.

It's called Mamma's Milk. It was belonging to my friend and she gave it to me as her little guy is nearing 10 months now. She found it great for bf-ing while doing other little tasks, so hopefully I will have as much luck.

dublinlady

icescreamqueen wrote: »

Is there any reason in particular the BF is going better now? I'm a 1st time Mum to be and I'm probably naive and think it's going to be easy. Any tips would be great.

I think for me the biggest change between first & second babies has been my attitude!!! Babies change your life - forever - and while I knew that I don't think I really understood that!! I think with my first I thought by quitting breastfeeding my life would go back to normal somewhat - whereas this time I understand that "normal" has changed and by quitting all I'm gaining is a whole lot of sterilizing!!! I thought id get my freedom back I think - but either way you still need to feed the baby every few hours and bottles are more work! Now I appreciate that the changes in my life are brilliant ones - that I don't want to go back to before baby A & S, they are my life now!
I'm glad to hear it gets even better after the 3 month mark tho - I think I've been lucky this time tho as S didn't have colic whereas A did.
Other things that made it easier this time was that I knew the first 2 weeks would be painful & difficult - and they were - but I knew it would pass. Also I really worked hard on making 100% sure her latch was correct before leaving the hospital and also I ended up getting a lactation consultant out privately to the house when we hit trouble on day 9.

Main thing I think tho is that I'm embracing it rather than pressurising myself! I'm laid back & so is my baby thankfully!! The opposite to what I was like with A - and she is now a very highly strung 17 month old!!!!

liliq

I managed to feed in the ergo! I can't remember how tbh but I did it! Lol. I think at one stage he was too small, then for a while he was a good height for feeding. By the time we were finishing up with the ergo there was no way I could have fed him.
I've fed him recently while he's been in the ring sling. It takes a bit if adjusting but it's doable.

Re the teeth and biting thing... It seems to be a common phase around the 7/8 month mark. I've heard suggestion both if Unlatching, a firm no, and waiting a minute before allowing them to latch on again. If they bite again repeat but wait a little longer.
Another suggestion is to kind of push their head into your boob, if they resist being unlatched. Their nose being pressed against your boob makes them unlatch.

My sons two front teeth are decaying (not due to bfing obviously!) but it's making it so uncomfortable to feed him when his teeth are so jagged

MurdyWurdy

I'm going to try feed again in the sling when the weather is cooler. I bought the damn thing to keep him upright while I potter around the house and get things done so his reflux isn't too bad ( currently we sit him upright on us for 30 mins after a feed to prevent the puking/pain).

It's just too hot for him to be covered by all the material in the wrap so all I'm doing at the moment is feeding him and then have him sitting on me. Then because he's thirsty in no time at all I have to feed him again. I feel like l i'm trapped sitting down. Would love it to get a bit cooler! My husband says not to worry and he'll do all the housework but the point us I want to do some stuff and not just sit all day. Oh well, at least it can only get better!

How Strange

Liliq my little one is over 14lbs and us quote long and I'm finding she's very uncomfortable with her legs in the frog position in the ergo. I can't remember what we did with O but he was smaller at this age. Can I let her legs hang out either side of the ergo yet? I think she'd be far more comfortable like that.

DL +1000 to everything you said. I'm much more relaxed this time around and I'm enjoying my time off much more as a result. I didn't stop bfing until 1 year last time but I know I felt trapped by it for the first 3 months and then I realized how easy it had gotten. This time I found it got easier after the first few weeks as my expectations were different.

Murdywurdy, it's def not sling weather. I only use mine in supermarkets or other cool places at the moment.

I find it's so hot I don't want to be taking her in and out of the car too much so we're really just sitting in the garden. I did a few things on Wednesday so she was constantly in and out of the car for hours and we paid the price with a very very cranky baby (hysterical!) that night.

iguana

I found a stretchy wrap easiest for feeding a newborn in. The Ergo was easiest to feed in at around the 4 month mark (though S is a big baby so was more like a 6/7 month old at that point) and I find the ring sling easiest now as it's the most adjustable. I'm not sure I could still feed him in the Ergo at the size he is now though, I mostly wear him on my back when he's in it and obviously it's not possible to feed him that way.

HS you can get rid of the infant insert when the baby has good head control. I hated the infant insert and found the Ergo very uncomfortable with it. I stopped using it at about 11 weeks and it was the best decision.

How Strange

Thanks iguana. She has very good head control and ages 12 weeks this weekend so I might stop using it now. You're right; it's very awkward with the infant insert.

Blueskye

Bit OT but how does the newborn insert work on the ergo? My boys are 9 weeks, about 10lbs so need to use it til they are 12lbs. They don't seem to fit comfortably in it. They sit on the padded bit with legs out, just looks strange. Not sure if I'm missing something.

dublinlady

Blueskye wrote: »

Bit OT but how does the newborn insert work on the ergo? My boys are 9 weeks, about 10lbs so need to use it til they are 12lbs. They don't seem to fit comfortably in it. They sit on the padded bit with legs out, just looks strange. Not sure if I'm missing something.

My girl 11lbs 4, she sits in it with legs bent up frog like kinda wrapped around me. I just took out the cushion cos she's so long her head was too far up fir the support!! Not sure if meant to do that...! Is it just when they have head support u ditch the insert? She wouldn't be able for it without it yet!



Edit : just found this;
http://support.ergobaby.com/entries/21226867-Why-do-I-need-the-Infant-Insert-and-how-long-do-I-need-to-use-it-

I'm still confused cos my gorgeous fattie will be 12lbs before she has enough head support at this rate!!

liliq

How Strange wrote: »

Liliq my little one is over 14lbs and us quote long and I'm finding she's very uncomfortable with her legs in the frog position in the ergo. I can't remember what we did with O but he was smaller at this age. Can I let her legs hang out either side of the ergo yet? I think she'd be far more comfortable like that

There is a funny inbetween stage where they're too big for the insert but not quite big enough for legs out. When she's so tall though, you could probably put her in it legs out and cinch it a little so she's not overspread?

dublinlady wrote: »

I'm still confused cos my gorgeous fattie will be 12lbs before she has enough head support at this rate!!

It's a weird one! My little man was nearly 12lb at birth and there was no way he had head support then!

dublinlady

It's been 8 days since S pooped... She's 9&1/2 weeks. Hasn't seemed uncomfy until today where she's struggling with farts just a little and not napping well. Have glycerine supp here just can't decide whether to give it or not. She breastfeed other than 2-3oz she takes at 11 as a dream feed ( I use that time to express a little every day as have to work once or twice a week and don't want her having formula just all of a sudden so building a stash of expressed!)

lazygal

I was recommended to give a little pear juice and 'cycle' legs in the air to encourage bowel movements. Maybe give it a try?

Blueskye

Or a teaspoon of fresh squeezed orange juice and tummy massage? I found that helped move things along.

How Strange

DL why don't you eat a few foods with known laxative effects (prunes, pears, berries etc) over the course of today and see how she gets on by this time tomorrow. Also perhaps drink some chamomile tea too and do lots of cycle legs with her. If she still hasn't moved then give the supplement.

For a baby on just breastmilk it's not unusual at this age to not go for up to 2 weeks but the formula may be constipating her a bit so she may need some help.

I definitely wouldn't recommend giving her any foods other than milk at this age. Some recommend brown sugar and water but I'd still go with you eating the food and letting her get it through the milk.

If in doubt email dr jack newman and ask his advice. He usually emails back within 24 hours. He's a mind of knowledge on all things breastfeeding.

implausible

With this hot weather, you may be a bit dehydrated, so make sure to get lots of H20 into you and that might help babs.

dublinlady

Thanks for all the advice! Didn't get chance to use it....
If have her a warm bath & it seemed to have quick effect! Could be chance!

sunshiner

dublinlady my daughter was the same for 4days pharmacist said to use brownsugar and water. it worked within 15mins she had gone and its all good now. 2tsps of brown sugar in 120mls though only give them 30mls to drink. http://www.eumom.ie/Baby/Constipation-in-Babies-0-6-Months.aspx

wolfpawnat

Hey ladies, baby was born this evening and latched and all in just over an hour. Fed for ages. I nearly cried with happiness. Straight on, no issues. So delighted

dublinlady

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Hey ladies, baby was born this evening and latched and all in just over an hour. Fed for ages. I nearly cried with happiness. Straight on, no issues. So delighted

Congrats!!!! That's great news

liliq

Congrsts!!!