The Breast Feeding Support Thread

highly1111

Thanks everyone for the advice re the very sore nipple. I think that she must have cut or bit me because I didn't feed her from the right side at all yesterday and i'm much better today. That side obviously needed a break. I'm delighted it's not thrush though - that does NOT sound pleasant.

on another note, she is finally taking a bottle for us. We went back to the nuk ones with the latex and she appears to have taken to it - no fights in the last couple of tries. Fingers crossed.

Oral Slang

Don't agree with leaving a baby cry either, cortisol floods their bodies & increases their stress levels. I've a 22 month old & have never left her cry. She's only recently started sleeping through - thank god, as I'm 28 weeks pregnant & need some rest before the frequent wakenings start again.

I work with 3 other people that have kids all around just gone 2 & not one of them slept even though they're all formula fed, so definitely it's bull to say they sleep better with formula.

In terms of moving a baby to their own room, just in case anyone here doesn't know, they recommend that babies stay in their parents room until 6 months, to reduce the risk of SIDS. Apparently babies mimic the breathing pattern of their mother (or parent). I know there are loads of risk factors that can attribute or help prevent SIDS, but just thought I'd mention it.

MurdyWurdy

Oral Slang wrote: »

Don't agree with leaving a baby cry either, cortisol floods their bodies & increases their stress levels. I've a 22 month old & have never left her cry. She's only recently started sleeping through - thank god, as I'm 28 weeks pregnant & need some rest before the frequent wakenings start again.

I work with 3 other people that have kids all around just gone 2 & not one of them slept even though they're all formula fed, so definitely it's bull to say they sleep better with formula.

In terms of moving a baby to their own room, just in case anyone here doesn't know, they recommend that babies stay in their parents room until 6 months, to reduce the risk of SIDS. Apparently babies mimic the breathing pattern of their mother (or parent). I know there are loads of risk factors that can attribute or help prevent SIDS, but just thought I'd mention it.

No, I am aware that they say 6 months. the SIDS literature is burned in my brain at this stage We're taking it into account.

Oral Slang

Ah yeah, I know everyone has their own opinions about the risks of sids. I've co-slept with my daughter, so personnally don't know if I agree about buying new mattresses for every child (unless the previous child got sick on the mattress or something which my daughter never has).

Leaving them in my room til 6 months is just 1 of the points I tend to agree with.

Das Kitty

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

The SIDS literature is burned in my brain at this stage.

I just burned the SIDS literature.

The guilt-book I call it. Yes, people want to reduce SIDS incidents, but holy hell, the recommendations in that leaflet are nigh on impossible to follow. And god-forbid the worst happened, there's always going to be one thing in it you didn't do, and the guilt must be crushing.

I moved our lad out at 17 weeks because no one was sleeping at all. Whatever works for your family I think is best all round.

In breastfeeding news, I have my kit together for the hospital.

Lansinoh and a few other types of creams and compresses
2 sets of breast shells
2 sets of breast shields
Tommee Tippee teat cleaning wipes (only discovered these recently, will be great for giving the shields a good cleanout after a feed if I end up using them)
bf book

MurdyWurdy

The guilt book is a good name for it actually! There were many nights that the SIDS advice had me all worked up - when I could only get my LO to sleep in his rocker or on me (due to bad reflux). I'm sure it has saved lots of lives but I did find all the advice very overwhelming. I've actually just thrown it all out, as I just did a clean up of all the paperwork that's accumulated over the last two months. Also threw out all the breastfeeding literature because it was about getting started etc and feeding in the first few weeks. Felt good to be at this point

That's one thing stopping moving the baba in to his own room at 3 months instead of 6 months - that something will happen and it will be all my fault for moving him early I just think we would all sleep better separately, he's a noise sleeper so he disturbs us a lot, also every noise has me thinking he's going to wake up and want a feed so I sleep very fitfully. My husband and I are sleeping in the bedroom in shifts, one of us sleeps on a fold-out bed in the sitting room. We swap over during the night just so we both get a 3/4 hours uninterrupted sleep. He goes down at about 8pm and sleeps by himself for a few hours with the baby monitor on. I've noticed he sleeps very peacefully for those few hours but this changes when we go into bed. I'm just not sure what to do really! My gut says to put him in his own room but my head is fighting with me about it

Sounds like you are well prepared Das Kitty! If you haven't thought about it already, I'd also suggest a feeding pillow (or an equivalent like a big thick normal pillow). I have a v shaped back pillow thing I bought in House of Fraser and my hubby brought it in me in the hospital. It was great for help latching him on etc

holding

Another vote here that the formula fed baby sleeping through the night is rubbish stuff. My little dude has never seen a drop of formula but has slept through midnight-9am since he was a month old (now doing 10.30pm-8am). I think it's all down to their personality. I have a sleepy guy.

Looking for any tips please. Baby is almost 5 months, is drooling like crazy, and also has a lot of reflux, so his little chin is terribly dry and red. I've tried elave cream and burts bees baby oil, but no difference. Lansinoh worked there for a day, but hasn't seemed to since. Any tips?! Whatever I put on will have to be digestible because he eats his hands all day.

He also has nappy rash at the moment, I think because I put him in disposables a couple of days ago (he's normally in bamboo cloth but we were travelling), anyway is Sudocream the best thing to use there - does that soothe them too or is that just a barrier cream? LOL i also tried the Lansinoh down there, no joy!

Nead21

Holding the nappy rash is probably due to teething as well. My little fella has a touch of it too and is drooling like mad. I use burts bees nappy ointment. I found it great and have used it on his face for spots also. Weleda nappy cream is also reallt nice.

holding

Thanks Nead, will definitely hit the health food shop in town when I'm in next and pick up one of those two to try. It's so great to get a personal recommendation, as the stuff I've been trying has just not been great.

Wondering should I also leave out bubble bath or other shampoo type things when I bath him, and just use bath oil instead? Poor little guy really has these awful red and dry patches of skin on chin and bum

Sorry girls, this is a bit OT from the breastfeeding!

wolfpawnat

I thought the hard week was week 3, this is week 5 and we have cluster feeding all day for the last few days and A LOT of angry cries and big farts. I wonder, taking into account S's reaction to the formula milk fiasco nearly two weeks ago, if she is lactose intolerant and is getting gas due to my 500ml minimum consumption of milk a day? Or could she just be a colicky baby. The feeding itself is going amazingly and I am able to express a good bit so finally getting a bit of a store up in case I ever can't feed her myself for a feed or two. I got the lanisnoh storage bags that someone suggested (can't remember who) and they are great.

holding

Wolfpawnpat was she early or overdue or anything? The wonderweeks thing dates from their due date rather than their birth date. There's a big growth spurt at 6 weeks, oh I remember it well!! If you have an iphone you could download the wonderweeks app and keep an eye on where her development is so you feel a bit more warned.

I'm a bit skeptical of the dairy thing tbh. I consume no dairy ever, haven't for years, nor egg, and my baby has been just as cranky as any other

wolfpawnat

holding wrote: »

Wolfpawnpat was she early or overdue or anything? The wonderweeks thing dates from their due date rather than their birth date. There's a big growth spurt at 6 weeks, oh I remember it well!! If you have an iphone you could download the wonderweeks app and keep an eye on where her development is so you feel a bit more warned.

I'm a bit skeptical of the dairy thing tbh. I consume no dairy ever, haven't for years, nor egg, and my baby has been just as cranky as any other

I am going through my diet and the only thing that is the same day to day is milk, the rest of the time it alters a lot, everything from spicy food to bland. I am a caffeine fiend, but having checked that online, that would cause her to be awake unless I went excessively overboard so I dunno. Her brother suffered severe colic and reflux, but that was the formula....well I think it was anyway. She just cries and as soon as you move around her legs, bum and belly, she farts a bit, and is fine again.

She was a few days early, nothing extreme, but in the last two weeks she is growing like a weed. Before that she looked very small (people always asked me was she prem) even though she was 7 pound when she was born, she was tiny, dates may not have been right, but I am sure enough they were. I dunno, each baby is so different. It can be stressful sometimes.

highly1111

Murdywurdy - if your heart and head are telling you that J would be better off in his own room then I would try it. Remember, if it doesn't work out or if you're too worried about him, you can always move him back in. You are always going to have the same anxiety weather you move him now or in a few weeks - you have nothing to lose by at least trying him!! It's not like he won't be allowed back in if it doesn't work out!! It's all trial and error. We were worried that P would wake up and get all freaked out being in such a big cot v the moses basket and of course she loves the space!! it's all guesswork at this age! We try different things and see what works. As for the SIDS thing - you'd drive yourself demented with everything you should and shouldn't do!! When I had my eldest (just 4 years ago) we were told to swaddle and then when I had number 2 two years later we were told not to swaddle.....The only thing I wouldn't do is ever allow smoking in the house and put them on to sleep on their tummy (and obviously no blankets, pillows etc). Anyway, just my tuppence worth.

Holding - Lassar Paste (looks like sudocreme but has much more zinc in it) is amazing for nappy rash and if the baby is cut I also recommend germaline because that's like savlon for bums! Sudocreme isn't a barrier cream - the best thing to use for barrier is Vaseline. We were having a terrible time with number 2 a few weeks ago and my sister recommended it and i'd never heard of it but it's amazing. It is about €8 for a small tub but you'd only use it until things clear up - it contains a lot of zinc which is apparently excellent for nappy rash (who knew!?!?!)

wolfpawnat

The whole SIDS thing is completely contradictory in some ways and would have you unable to sleep at night if you took it all to heart. There are clearly obvious things not to do, blankets and the like, though even the sleeping there are merits and worries to each position. I do the "back to back" myself, but I worry about her choking on coughed up food, the stomach position they don't do that, but the could suffocate. There is no winning.

Highly, you were told not to swaddle? I have a 4 yo and newborn too and the nurses swaddled both in the hospital.

Das Kitty

Back to sleep is the only one of the recommendations in that book with a good amount of strong data supporting it. Even then, that's just correlative data.

highly1111

wolfpawnat wrote: »

The whole SIDS thing is completely contradictory in some ways and would have you unable to sleep at night if you took it all to heart. There are clearly obvious things not to do, blankets and the like, though even the sleeping there are merits and worries to each position. I do the "back to back" myself, but I worry about her choking on coughed up food, the stomach position they don't do that, but the could suffocate. There is no winning.

Highly, you were told not to swaddle? I have a 4 yo and newborn too and the nurses swaddled both in the hospital.

Yep! told to swaddle in 2009 and not to swaddle in 2012 and 2013!! We swaddled the eldest two as they loved it. Would have swaddled P too but she was born right in the middle of the headwave....

wolfpawnat

highly1111 wrote: »

Yep! told to swaddle in 2009 and not to swaddle in 2012 and 2013!! We swaddled the eldest two as they loved it. Would have swaddled P too but she was born right in the middle of the headwave....

It was hot when my lo was born too, but they still lightly swaddled her to settle her. Everything changes so quickly recommendation wise. There is always new data that contradicts older stuff.

dublinlady

Eugh - today I was trying to feed S when she started screaming - very unlike her! My mum was there - I said aww she must have a windy pain - she insisted no she wasn't getting any milk. I could feel I had a full boob so knew that wasn't the case and she had milk running down her chin!! I took her off got her lying flat & kicking& she did a huge fart. And then she happily fed & was content after. I couldn't believe it tho - my mum has always been supportive til now - then all of a sudden as soon as she started to cry - I must have been starving her! Frustrating!

How Strange

I use the Burt's bees nappy/diaper ointment for nappy rash and bepanthen if it's really bad. We've never had nappy rash that bepanthen couldn't treat. Whenever he gets that red rash on his face I use fucidin or bepanthen. I've never used sudocreme or Vaseline.

DL A had awful wind last week too which I think came from me eating beetroot which wasn't completely cooked. The wind coincided with the two days I ate the beet root for lunch.

My mam was also saying she must be hungry and why else would she be hysterical. I guess they don't understand that what we eat can sometimes affect their little tummies.

Oral Slang

egg whites are supposed to be great for nappy rash as is the Doc Morris own blend nappy cream. Anyone ever tried breast milk on it? I haven't, but I've heard it can help heal it too & as it works on so many other things, it could be worth a shot.

aknitter

My little fella had bad nappy rash for a while and I used canesten on it (the 1% version) and it worked a charm - this was after sudocreme, bepantem and caldese (pink tube).

For dry face I used liquid parrafin - best put on when they are asleep.

If they are very dry I would not use any bubble baths etc but oilatum bath additive is brilliant - we use it on both the younger two as the 2 year old has eczema and am just cautious about the baby. or what did soothe the older boy was a bath bomb from Lush and it was 'ickly baby bot', he developed and allergy to it and we had to stop using it but its got lavender and chamomile in it to soothe the skin (his skin is sensitive and he can develop a reaction to something he's used for a while - we have a lot of stuff no longer suitable for him!)

Das Kitty

Coconut oil is fabulous for the treatment and prevention of nappy rash. And you can get a big ole tub in Dunnes for less than 6 euro.

Oral Slang

Yes, Das Kitty, keep forgetting about Coconut Oil. Wouldn't mind but we have a tub of it at home, must remember it the next time a rash appears. Teething the back molars at the min, so rashes come & go quite frequently.

How Strange

Coconut oil is supposed to be a wonder product

M007

what are the food to avoid to take when BF to avoid wind etc

dublinlady

M007 wrote: »

what are the food to avoid to take when BF to avoid wind etc

Most commonly - onions, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, beans , cauliflower. However not everyone reacts to each of these and so impossible to say - try everything until something is an issue!

aknitter

I have to avoid fizzy drinks as the fizz comes through the milk making winding harder - poor boo looked like he had colic. Haven't noticed anything else though

lazygal

Where do people get the coconut oil? Is it in a tub or jar or bottle?

Das Kitty

I'm 99.9% sure fizz can't pass into your breastmilk.

I mean it would have to pass into your blood as well at that rate, and I'm certain having fizzy blood would kill you stone dead. :pac:

Babies can be very sensitive to caffeine, which does pass into your blood, even in tiny doses. That's why a lot of people can't eat chocolate. There's caffeine in a lot of things so it can be hard to avoid completely.

I've opted for naturalising my baby to caffeine by having my morning cup of coffee during pregnancy

Das Kitty

lazygal wrote: »

Where do people get the coconut oil? Is it in a tub or jar or bottle?

Jars or tubs.

It's normally solid at room temperature in Ireland.