The Breast Feeding Support Thread

icescreamqueen

Has anyone lost weight through breastfeeding? My baby is a real guzzler and I'm a lot hungrier than usual. However much I try, I never seem to have the time to cook proper meals. I'm waiting to keel over some day.

Neyite

icescreamqueen wrote: »

Has anyone lost weight through breastfeeding? My baby is a real guzzler and I'm a lot hungrier than usual. However much I try, I never seem to have the time to cook proper meals. I'm waiting to keel over some day.

Yeah, you burn through a lot of calories breastfeeding. I pinged back to my pre-baby weight within months.

But you do need to eat to stop yourself from getting ill- even if its a quick boil of porridge in the mornings and if you do "wet" type dinners( stews, bolognese, curries, lasagne etc) in bulk and freeze them then when you are wrecked you can just quickly reheat something. You can also so soups for a healthy lunch and freeze them.

MurdyWurdy

I've lost a little bit but I think all the mountains of chocolate I'm milling into myself means I'm not losing or gaining anything. I think I may have to breastfeed my boy until he''s 21 at this rate - I really need to eat a bit better but it's only in the last week that we've got into enough of a routine that I'm cooking again. I need to cut out the chocolate and crisps methinks

It's only 9 week since I gave birth so I'm hoping there's still time for breastfeeding to have it's magic effect!

Nead21

Little man is 4 months now and im SOOOO hungry all the time. Back to my pre pregnancy weight awhile now. As far as I know the real weight loss from bf is from 3 to 6 months....something about having used the pregnancy fat stores so you now start burning extra fat. (I think I read that or maybe I made it up...im very sleep deprived!)

On a side note. Yesterday at mum and baby yoga was the first time breastfeeding mums outnumbered bottle feeding mums 2:1 Yay

MurdyWurdy

Unfortunately as I had hyperemesis I was at my pre- pregnancy weight shortly after giving birth. However my body shape has changed so I've less weight than I did on my hips, thighs and shoulders but it's all redistributed to my stomach instead

I have a proper mummy tummy to lose. Hope you are right about the real weight loss being from 3-6 months!!

gravid

i think ur right about the 3-6 months... i am roughly 5kg lighter than pre-pregnancy now (bf 7 months) and i eat waaay too much chocolat every day. i do eat fairly healthy other than that tho, and my little woman is still only tasting solids so havent excluded any b-feeds yet. im hoping i will be able to stay this weight as i was slightly too heavy for my liking before. might have to cut down on the chocolat tho :-(

the last month she has become more clingy and i cant put her down in her cot without her waking up so i surrendered and she has been sleeping in our bed for last few weeks and she feeds in bed more or less every 2 hours all night! prior to 6 months she slept in cot and only woke for a feed one time/night. im hoping this is a phase but it is dragging now. my husband is a heavy sleeper so he's in the spare room. i find it hard to motivate myself to try putting her back in cot as it is so much easier to co-sleep and feed her without getting up. but i suppose things wont change unless we make the effort...?

Blueskye

It's so hard gravid isn't it. I have twins and they slept in their cots very early on but that's a distant memory now they are 14 weeks today. I surrendered to co sleeping for a while but found they'd feed even more often if in bed with me. And when I'd move away from one baby to feed the other, the first baby would wake and I'd end up feeding him again to get him to sleep. Now one boy sleeps in his buggy carrycot in his cot but the other boy sleeps only in his bouncer or with me. They feed every 2 hours at night!!! I know I'm going to have to do something about it but its so hard when you're exhausted.

This morning they woke at 5am and I fed them but they wouldn't go back to sleep. 2 hours later we were all still up.

I feel your pain Murdy. I thought bf twins I'd be stick thin by now but I have a mammy pouch I hate. I am eating loads of chocolate, especially when I'm totally wrecked tired. So that's not good but I am eating well otherwise.

How Strange

A is now sleeping part of the night in her moses basket which is in her cot beside the bed. She def feeds more if she's in bed with me.

Maybe it's a boy/girl thing. I'm now lighter than I was before I got pregnant but the weightloss didn't really happen on my son. I did cut out cakes, biscuits wtc this time around and only eat dark chocolate. My appetite isn't as huge either though.

My ass and hips are much thinner and my waist is still quite thick which is the complete opposite of my normal body shape.

I lost the tummy when I cut the crap out of my diet 5 weeks ago. It was hard to deny myself a piece of cake or an ice cream every day but it's paid off. I've done zero excerise so far too and at this stage on my son I was walking twice a day.

wolfpawnat

Finally convinced S to feed with me lying on my side. Lovely and comfy. Onto week 4 now and her stomach is finally back to normal after last weeks dramatics. I am loving bfing. Though I express after every feed and store milk for night feeds as she is a lazy feeder at night, so she takes bottles of express then. Any one able to recommend freezing containers that are fairly reasonably priced. I always feel companies take advantage of bfing mums for what supplies we need as we don't buy as many as ff mums.

How Strange

Do you mean for freezing milk? I freeze the milk in the bags for expressed milk. I bought the boots ones this time and I don't really like them. I prefer the lansinoh ones. However I rarely express so a box of bags lasts ages.

icescreamqueen

I had an awful unsettled night with CR last Thursday night. She cried non stop for 3 hours and she had awful diarrhoea throughout the day. I said it to the PHN when she called the next day and she said it might have been something I ate which unsettled her. Then I remembered that I had eaten half a big bag of Doritos on Thursday. Since then I've cut out most junk food as I don't want to go through a night like that again and obviously want her to have nutritious milk. BFing her has definitely made me eat better. Hopefully it'll pay off with the weight loss.

emer_b

Baby is 11months now and we've just had our last breastfeed, all 30 seconds of it! Fed her exclusively for 7 months, then very gradually weaned over 4 months. My milk has finally dried up.

I feel very proud to have done it and can't recommend it enough to any mother.

Although I was lucky to have had very few bf difficulties I found this thread a godsend on the more challenging days. Thanks to all for the support and encouragement. I will definitely keep checking in so that I can share any tips with other mums.

holding

Emer what a lovely story, well done you.

Wolfpawnpat I bought the boots bags, it was ten euro for a box of them. Rip off I thought, but then I don't use them very much as like How Strange, I rarely express. Going to try and pump more though.

dublinlady

Well done Emer b - an amazing achievement! You must be thrilled with yourself! If I continue half as long ill be proud!!

I use the medela bags or the lansinoh ones but would say I've only used 5/6 since I started as usually it gets stored in fridge and used within couple days. Ill be working in September tho so might use more then. I like both those brands but they are pricey!!! But then expressed milk is very precious!!!

I'm just back to the weight I was before my first daughter this week - having the 2 sections within 15 months has made a right mess of my belly tho and its a flabby mess!! I run tho so hopefully that'll help - my youngest is 14 weeks and to be honest I didn't loose the last half stone from breast feeding & diet - It was when I started running again it came off! I still have half stone to loose til my target weight - I really hope it's right about breast feeding & weight loss after 3-6 months!!


Blue sky - fair play - you just be exhausted - your doing amazing to be feeding those babies - total respect!! s is the same age as the twins and I'm knackered from her!

I really think this is the last week she'll fit in the Moses basket - I really don't want to move her into her own room - looking fir a second hand crib - the cot won't fit in our room. My husbands dying to get her into her own room I think - but she's still doing a feed at 3-5am so I don't want to be trying to settle her after that and also her room is beside my 18 month olds and don't want her to wake her!!! Hmmm decisions decisions! I don't really want to co sleep - even tho I usually do from 3/5 am til 7!
Maybe ill just put her in her own room til that feed & then bring her into bed. I think a crib would be a better soln tho - do u get much more time out of them than Moses basket?

holding

Dublin lady my guy, 4.5 months, has grown out of his moses basket too. I had a crib for him, which took about 2 weeks longer for him to grow out of. It depends on the one you get, but my crib had only about 2 inches clearance on the basket all around. He's in a big cot now in our room, it's squashed in there really!

Blueskye

I used to run a good bit too but don't know if my boobs could hack it they are so massive! Literally just started walking only a week ago. I find it hard to get time to do much of anything, it's so busy. But it is getting a little easier.

Nead21

I started jogging a couple about a month ago. I was really worried about how the boobs would fair but I wear a sports bra and a tight tank top bra thingy for extra support. Seems to work.

I also invested in an electric pump. Dont pump alot but will need it when I return to work I think. Hubby and myself are planning our first night away in a couple of weeks so pumping to ensure I have enough bottles to give ti my mam.

icescreamqueen

Urghh I've had such an unsettled evening. My baby was in her normal routine up until 6 o'clock and then wham she's been feeding every 10 mins since then. Is there any reason for this?

emer_b

icescreamqueen wrote: »

Urghh I've had such an unsettled evening. My baby was in her normal routine up until 6 o'clock and then wham she's been feeding every 10 mins since then. Is there any reason for this?

During the first few months I had lots of evenings where she just wanted to feed for the whole evening. Cluster feeding. Fairly common from what I've heard. Very demanding on you but not too bad when you learn to expect it every now and again.
The first few times it happened I remember looking at my husband in horror when he kept bringing her over saying "she's hungry again!".

icescreamqueen

emer_b wrote: »

During the first few months I had lots of evenings where she just wanted to feed for the whole evening. Cluster feeding. Fairly common from what I've heard. Very demanding on you but not too bad when you learn to expect it every now and again.
The first few times it happened I remember looking at my husband in horror when he kept bringing her over saying "she's hungry again!".

Thanks for the reply. I feel at this stage I have nothing left to give. I'm totally exhausted and just when I think she has nodded off and gone to sleep, she wakes up and wants more. I just hope tomorrow she is back to normal

MurdyWurdy

Cluster feeding - it's a bitch but so common. I had lots of nights I fed every 30 minutes then he stopped doing for a while. Until tonight when he was at it again. I'm wrecked. He went through a phase of doing it every night for about two weeks. Imo when they're so young they aren't really in a routine yet anyway so you just have to go with it!

It is exhausting but in my experience they do it less as they get older. All you can do is sit on the couch with them, put something good on tv and make sure you have someone to bring you lots to drink!

aknitter

My mammy pouch showed no improvement until I started pilates, then I got pregnant again! Can't sign up for a class in september as not sure what evenings my hubby will be in college (masters by night), so I'll try and do the "30 minute shred" a time or two during the week. So hard to find time with college for hubby, eldest back at school next week, appointments with the second for speech therapy and dermatology and I volunteer once a week.

For freezing breast milk I found ice cube trays to be the best as you can freeze small amounts, great for when weaning and making up rice or what not.

Had the opposite of cluster feeding today, had to express as he seemed tired and didn't take too much leaving me full - hate that cause I'm afraid then the supply will drop!

iguana

I lost all my weight at about 4 months but I was so tired in the aftermath of my husband's crash that I started drinking lots of cola and put it all back on and then some. Sugary drinks are awful for making you gain weight, I managed to convince myself it would be fine as I was breastfeeding but losing 500-800 calories a day feeding doesn't counteract taking in 1000 calories worth of cola (and chocolate). I stopped drinking them about 3 weeks ago and I've dropped the weight again. And breastfeeding might use up the equivalent calories of going to the gym for nearly an hour everyday but it won't tone up your muscles. So I've just set up a bike seat for S so we can go on cycles together. Took him out for the first time this evening for a little test run and it was brilliant. Looking forward to adding a few long cycles a week to our routine.

Oral Slang

wolfpawnat wrote: »

I have a farter too. And she is a loud one at that. V gassy today. I am worried she has reflux. She has screamed the last 24 hours. Or could it be that someone gave her a bottle of formula. My stepmother arrived yesterday and rather than using the bottles of expressed milk in my fridge she purposely used the little carton formula I had hidden at the back of the press in case of an emergency. I came out of the shower and saw the carton, I went nuts. She was mouthing how can they take her for weekends if she is bf. I wouldn't ask her to post a letter let alone take my child for a weekend. That cow turned up at my door unannounced and did that. I am infuriated. Sorry had to rant

Can't believe she did that, I'd be fuming - I read your post on EBI the other day & couldn't get over the cheek of her. I had had an emergency stash in my press too when I first had my daughter, but thankfully never had to use it. Won't be doing that this time, fingers crossed everything goes as easily as 1st time round. I'd never forgive someone that did that to my child without my permission.

Oral Slang

cyning wrote: »

C severed her lip tie in a fall but has a gap between her two front teeth because of the lip tie.

On a totally different topic someone please tell me my milk will start to dry up soon. I don't have the energy to wean C right now, getting out of the house is an ordeal and she's feeding worse than a newborn I'm 10 weeks now.

Had been hoping that my little one would sever her lip tie, so the gap in her teeth would be gone when her adult teeth came in, but at 22 months it's still there, so presuming we're stuck with it.

Afraid to say it, but I'm 27 weeks pregnant, my milk dried up at about 16 weeks & that hasn't stopped my little one nursing. I've reduced her down to 1 feed a day at this stage - usually going to bed. I was feeding her going to bed, 2 or 3 times a night & getting up in the morning when I first got pregnant, so a big improvement. The pain of her feeding is a killer though - what it being sometimes painful anyway, due to her lip tie, alongside having sensitive nipples while pregnant & no milk left. Hoping in this last trimester I can somehow reduce her feeding to once every day or so & wean her that way. Went out last night & she went to bed for her daddy fine, but then this morning, she was begging me for it, so I caved. Usually not bad in the morning, I can distract her with breakfast, but obviously missed it last night, so really wanted it this morning.

lang

Anyone any experience of cluster feeding at day 9-10 old? Our little one is very demanding from about 10pm at night until about 5/6pm the next day. She is pretty much connected to my wife permanently at this stage. My wife is very tired, but is in good spirits otherwise. Thing I have noticed is that our little one will feed, will 'flake-out' and be sleepy while lying on (or near the boob), but as soon as we try to put her in cot/moses basket she becomes unsettled. Anyone any experience of this?

From what I have read you should not formula feed during this period as it will interrupt the milk supply but I've given her about 20mls the last two mornings as wife knackered and little one very unsettled. Wife has no milk left to express at the minute as little one is drinking her dry with each feed.

How Strange

Constant feeding and wanting to sleep on the mother are definitely normal or were for me anyway.

If you think about it of course the baby wants to be with its mother all the time. They've been together for so long and now he's being put in a cold place that he doesn't know.

On my second baby, almost 4 months, I just went with it and let her sleep on my chest from day 1. I'd prop myself up with pillows so I could sleep but she was safe. We slept like that until a couple of weeks ago.

The cluster feeding is also important as it's building supply for the mother but it's a way of connecting for your son as well and it's a huge comfort to him to be so close to his mum.

Breastfeeding is definitely labour intensive at the start but it does get much easier. The best thing your wife could do is stay in bed or lie on the sofa as much as possible.

lang

How Strange wrote: »

Constant feeding and wanting to sleep on the mother are definitely normal or were for me anyway.

If you think about it of course the baby wants to be with its mother all the time. They've been together for so long and now he's being put in a cold place that he doesn't know.

On my second baby, almost 4 months, I just went with it and let her sleep on my chest from day 1. I'd prop myself up with pillows so I could sleep but she was safe. We slept like that until a couple of weeks ago.

The cluster feeding is also important as it's building supply for the mother but it's a way of connecting for your son as well and it's a huge comfort to him to be so close to his mum.

Breastfeeding is definitely labour intensive at the start but it does get much easier. The best thing your wife could do is stay in bed or lie on the sofa as much as possible.

We've been pretty much doing the above since day one. My wife hasn't had to lift a finger (nor would I expect her too) since both came home last week. Lots of skin-to-skin going on between both and baby is feeding on demand. My wife is very clear that breastfeeding is the way to go for us and I'm supporting her as best I can. It's just good to hear that other people have gone through the same thing. It definitely gives me the confidence to continue to support my wife in what she is going through. As I said, her spirits are very high, she's just knackered.

The last few mornings I've taken baby downstairs and we have a cuddle and a sleep until about 7/8am ish to allow my wife get a few good solid hours sleep in a row. It's good to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Luckily, we also have the support of an Independent Community Midwife who we can call upon for support when needed. Baby, Mother (and Father ) are doing good.

How Strange

Congrats btw

Having a baby, especially the first, is a huge change in your life. A partner who is supportive of breastfeeding is worth his weight in gold. My husband is 100% supportive and encouraged me to continue when I wanted to pack it all in.

I think those first few weeks of feeding are difficult regardless of what way you do it but it does get easier. Have a read back through the last 20 pages or so of this thread and you'll see posts from all of us saying how exhausted we were etc. The first 6 weeks are definitely the hardest and it gets easier by degrees after that. Now at 15 weeks we're in cruise control mode. She feeds every 2-3 hours but it takes 5 mins and we're done.

holding

Lang that sounds totally normal. You will get through it, you all three of you will, and it does get so much easier, it's totally worth continuing. The only thing I would say is try to avoid the formula top ups in case they interfere with a. supply and demand, b. nipple confusion or c. the gut flora thing. Neither of those three things might happen, but then again they might so it's as well to avoid if you can at all. Also, from week 4 I found a soother a real help. I waited until week 4 as the book I had at the time recommended not giving the baby a soother before then, in case of nipple confusion, but as he was still cluster feeding and building up his supply at week 4, I found the soother would give me 30 mins or so off to recover and tg we never experienced nipple confusion. I knew it was a risk but I was in tears lol so went for it!