The Breast Feeding Support Thread

humptyn

Confused!9 wrote: »

I'm on here to offer some BF tops as my fella at 13 months does not feed during the day, too distractable, but we love our morning feed in bed.

It's weird how some people are so hostile to BF (and weirdly I've only ever found it from women) - sad for them really but that's their problem.

Tops are size 12/14, M/L, and free to a good home. I'm in Limerick.

If still available I would love them as I only have a few and constantly rotating in wash. Going on hols soon so would be great.

I'm in Clare so could arrange to meet you and promise to do the same with these and my own when we are finished for a fellow boardsie.

humptyn

Ladies, I need your assistance. Heading to NYC with our nearly 5 month old this weekend and have been ebf with a pumped bottle here and there. So where we are staying has no microwave or steriliser.

Problem is the little fella had been in what I believe is a nursing stork for the last couple of days. He was getting increasingly distracted but now cries when I even out him in any nursing position. I think it is his teething and he constantly has hands/my finger etc in his mouth and is ok with soother/bottle but just not boob.

What do I do? Feeling pressure from upcoming trip and also afraid to lose my supply despite pumping.

aknitter

humptyn, been there, my baba did it I put it down to a nursing strike, see some links below for help. What I did was a gentle coaxing back to the boob and if anything I've been too successful and now he seems resistant to the bottle. Good luck with the hols.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_nursing-strike_8490.bc

http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/back-to-breast/

Also at lot of people recommend Dr Jack Newman - email address is on here if you look.

humptyn

aknitter wrote: »

humptyn, been there, my baba did it I put it down to a nursing strike, see some links below for help. What I did was a gentle coaxing back to the boob and if anything I've been too successful and now he seems resistant to the bottle. Good luck with the hols.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_nursing-strike_8490.bc

http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/back-to-breast/

Also at lot of people recommend Dr Jack Newman - email address is on here if you look.

Thanks aknitter - hope we get back to it as successfully too. Did it last long for ye?

I am so worried that I will be too pushy with him and he will reject it outright (it happened my mam with 1 of my sisters and she had to give up bf at 3 months).

aknitter

It lasted about 2 weeks from fussiness to back to boob. I used to feed from the bottle with his cheek on my boob, I went bra-less for a while so access was easier and I fed him lying down (sometimes that the only way he will feed now). I think the best advise was to be patient (hard I know) and if he refuses the boob to go with it and make it like thats no big deal (even though inside you are screaming with frustration). I worked at it cause my last boy refused the breast and pumping didn't work.

Will your fella still take night feeds from the boob? If so try to get him on the boob as soon as he wakes and is still sleepy (helped with me).

Its a problem that can be overcome, you're doing so well and it'll come right.

lmullen

Humptyn you can get cold water steriliser bags that might be handy for you or get some Milton tablets. Hopefully he'll be back on boobs though!

liliq

We started night weaning last week, so far so good!
I was worried it would be really stressful- if it was I wouldn't have kept it up, but it's been pretty easy! He has a booby feed on the couch, we do a night night boobies, and then bed. And i don't feed him til 5am if I can, he straight away started skipping his 1/2am waking for a quick feed. Last night wasn't great, and tonight he just wast tired but apart from that it's been fine!
I'm hoping that means he's ready for it! I know I am. Looking forward to a few full nights sleep after 2 years!

holding

Fair play for doing it for so long liliq, good luck and hope it goes smoothly!

dublinlady

I tried to reduce from 3 feeds a day which was going fine, to 2 and I woke up 3 mornings a go with no milk I couldn't feed her and haven't been able to since. I'm still trying each time but then have to give a bottle as she's so upset. Then I try pump. Or if away from her I just pump and only get maybe an oz or 2 if even when I was getting 6-8 oz last week. I am just feeding / pumping morning and night as that all I want to breastfeed but it's just not happening. Didn't expect supply to disappear like that! Up until I went from 3 to 2 I was regularly engorged! Now nada. She's 25 weeks since Tuesday so I'm happy I managed to feed her for the 6 months and I always thought I'd stop at 6 months - it's just that now it's arrived I kinda wanted to keep morning at evening feeds so didn't expect my milk to let me down - thought if have a choice about stopping. She's not doing great on the formula either

wolfpawnat

Jesus, that's a bit of a shock DL.

I had the PHN here for the 3mth check up yesterday. S went down from the 25th to the 9th percentile by her 6 week check up. And she was under the 9th percentile for head circumference and on the 9th for height, so all and all a small little lass. Well she is still at the 9th percentile for weight, but went up to the 50th for her head circumference and all the way to the 75th for height!!! She is doing some great growing. And to make things even better, the nurse was delighted with her and commended me for exclusively BFing while having an older child and having to try and manage everything with no car (even for Dublin and a good transport system, everything is a bit of a journey). I am so happy with how things are going. Nipples are very tender though, can that happen?

How Strange

Oh DL that's a shame. You could probably get your supply back with a bit of effort but do you have the time now that you're back at work?

I lost my supply on O very quickly as well. Once we went to 2 feeds a day it disappeared.

We bought formula a few weeks ago as I went away for a weekend to repair my sanity but we hardly use it now as A doesn't like it. She'll drink it but then wants breastmilk.

You did a fantastic job getting her to 6 months though.

Wolfpawnat it's great that your little one is thriving. It's such a reassurance to see them so healthy.

aknitter

Dublinlady - that sucks but can happen, if you want to continue you could try motillum (sorry about the spelling), it's more readily available to you instead of the herbal stuff and the milk bank recommended it to me if I had supply issues. But you have done so well.

Wolf thats great, its so nice to have supportive PHN's and so nice to have someone say 'You're great!'

I seem to have a boob monster too, he won't take bottles of anything only boob! But I must be doing something right cause he's 20 weeks old and is 15lb 8oz, birth weight was 7lb 7oz and they are to double their weight by 6 months and we're ahead there so all is good - in fact he is more than welcome to he fat in me!!!

dublinlady

I am sure if I could pump maybe every 2 hours and take lots of motilium and fenugreek etc it would come back - but I just don't have time - how strange I've been back at work for 2 1/2 months now so it was indeed a struggle at work but was doable if I just ended to pump twice a day... I had a great supply so was literally filling bottles with the drop in three feeds to 2 it disappeared - but in hindsight I would have stuck with the 3 for a but longer if I knew that would happen. But I suppose i didn't and it's happened now so I just need to be proud of the six months I did and accept I tried my best - if I was able be at home all the time I know it would have been easy to have done this better for her but because life doesn't allow me to be I know I am doing my best for her overall. It's been a few days now of pointless pumping so i think I have to consider letting go. I'll have more babies and this one certainly is thriving with the love she's had so far and will continue to get every day of my life.
Bug thanks for all the advise and tips over the last 6 months - this thread rescued me from many a tricky moment!

livinsane

Pumped my first bottle today (well all of two ounces) so dad got his first feed of our four week old. Delighted he took the bottle without any problem.

Do ye have a recommendation as to how often a bottle should be given? I only want to give the bare minimum just to keep him used to it.

dublinlady

I kept pumping - and after 4 days of no milk.... It is back!! I had given up hope - just shortly after I wrote my last post it just came back - Sod's law!!! Weirdly the times I have milk are not first thing and night - it's 11am and 6 pm - don't care - I'm so grateful ill do any time! Don't know what I'm doing now - but ill mind my supply until I decide!!

How Strange

That's great news dublinlady

holding

livinsane wrote: »

Pumped my first bottle today (well all of two ounces) so dad got his first feed of our four week old. Delighted he took the bottle without any problem.

Do ye have a recommendation as to how often a bottle should be given? I only want to give the bare minimum just to keep him used to it.

Good for you livinsane, it took me months to get let down and learn how to pump. 2 oz is great for a start. Depends on why/ when you want him to take the bottle. Once or twice a week should be okay. If he uses a soother as well, he's unlikely to forget how to take the milk from a bottle.

Some more info - http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/

and of course you don't actually have to get him used to a bottle at all (though most mums find it handy for the baby to take a bottle of expressed milk while they are away from the baby) - http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/alternative-feeding/

livinsane

Thanks holding, that kellymom website is brilliant. I mainly want the option of a bottle because Id like to make my work Christmas do for a few hours without being freaked that baby is starving without me! Cant see myself going to the trouble of expressing otherwise. Might just do a bottle a week til then.

I subscribed to the breastfeeding subreddit on Reddit thinking it might be a good resource but its just full of pointless photos mums have uploaded of their babies/children latched onto the boob!

lang

livinsane wrote: »

Thanks holding, that kellymom website is brilliant. I mainly want the option of a bottle because Id like to make my work Christmas do for a few hours without being freaked that baby is starving without me! Cant see myself going to the trouble of expressing otherwise. Might just do a bottle a week til then.

I subscribed to the breastfeeding subreddit on Reddit thinking it might be a good resource but its just full of pointless photos mums have uploaded of their babies/children latched onto the boob!

There is also the option of freezing your milk too. We've been told by the PHN that you can pump and keep this in the fridge. When you go to pump again, pump into a new bottle and put this in the fridge also. Once this second bottle is cooled you can add it to the first. You can repeat this for up to 12 hours from when you first pumped. You shold not pump straight into the cooled milk. Then freeze the whole lot. Got freezer bag thingies from Boots.

Originally we thought you couldn't 'top-up' the bottles so were freezing only 0.5-1.0 Oz at a time.

dublinlady

lang wrote: »

There is also the option of freezing your milk too. We've been told by the PHN that you can pump and keep this in the fridge. When you go to pump again, pump into a new bottle and put this in the fridge also. Once this second bottle is cooled you can add it to the first. You can repeat this for up to 12 hours from when you first pumped. You shold not pump straight into the cooled milk. Then freeze the whole lot. Got freezer bag thingies from Boots.

Originally we thought you couldn't 'top-up' the bottles so were freezing only 0.5-1.0 Oz at a time.

Yeah the lansinoh bags are great!
I add milk together for a day tho! Then freeze it! Well I don't now as don't have excess now. But was handy for first few months!
My body settlingt into the two feeds which is amazing - delighted. Feel like my family and friends are uncomfortable with we feeding past 6 months.. They don't say it... Just act it - well actually a few said it..! I know it's ignorance and I'm not annoyed at them - I didn't think I'd be comfortable with it either but now I'm here it just feels nutural and right. Think I'll become a closet b'feeder.....

How Strange

I just say I'm doing it to help her immune system as she's had so many colds. I'm continuing for more reasons than that but it seems to stop any more comments as they can't really argue with that.

I really want to continue to 11/12 months just like her brother.

She's in crèche now fulltime and she's starting eating lots of solids and managed on one feed today. I hope to cut that out within the next few weeks as I know I won't have time to pump in work. She's such an easy going girl that i think she'll be ok.

How Strange

On the downside to solids the breastfed poos are gone and we've now got grown up smelly ones.

Nead21

Oh god the poos are horrendous! It almost makes me miss the runny ones...almost.

Ive stopped pumping during the day at work and at night now as it was killing me. Im still feeding É in the morning, evening and nightime and he gets formula now during the day. I feel less stressed now without worrying about pumping and im still bfing. It's not really what i wanted but it's the best option for now. My boobs seemed to have adjusted well so hoping to keep feeding him for awhile yet. He's 7months next week.

How strange is your little one sleeping any better?

lang

How Strange wrote: »

On the downside to solids the breastfed poos are gone and we've now got grown up smelly ones.

Nead21 wrote: »

Oh god the poos are horrendous! It almost makes me miss the runny ones...almost.

Thanks... still have this to, hmmm, look forward to!

Roesy

Am breast feeding but little miss gets a bottle feed during the night usually. She is used to getting a bit of formula from the beginning as she had jaundice and needed to be topped up in the hospital. As of yesterday evening my left breast feels sore and hard and hot inside. The thoughts of latching her on are agony so I expressed the last three feeds. Anyone experience anything like this before and have any tips/recommendations to help. Not looking for medical advice, will see a doc if it continues. I just can't get an appointment today.

How Strange

It sounds like blocked ducts or mastitis. I'd say keep a close eye on it and if you've a high temperature for more than 18 hours then go to the doctor for antibiotics.

The best treatment for blocked ducts is to get into a very hot bath and put the affected breast in the water. Then hand massage from the sore area towards the nipple. You need to get the milk flowing freely so it may take a few baths and vigorous hand massaging.

You also need to empty the breast completely at each feed/pump session and you need to do it frequently. Direct feeding is best even though it is sore. I'd say every hour to hour and a half for today.

You can use a hot compress before feeding/pumping and a cold compress after. You can take ibuprofen for inflammation.

Finally put your feet up and rest. Ideally get into bed and stay there for a couple of days but if that's not possible then lie on the sofa as much as you can. The good news is that blocked ducts clear very quickly once you start treating it and mastitis responds very well to antibiotics but either way your body is fighting an infection so take it very easy over the next few days.

Roesy

How Strange wrote: »

It sounds like blocked ducts or mastitis. I'd say keep a close eye on it and if you've a high temperature for more than 18 hours then go to the doctor for antibiotics.

The best treatment for blocked ducts is to get into a very hot bath and put the affected breast in the water. Then hand massage from the sore area towards the nipple. You need to get the milk flowing freely so it may take a few baths and vigorous hand massaging.

You also need to empty the breast completely at each feed/pump session and you need to do it frequently. Direct feeding is best even though it is sore. I'd say every hour to hour and a half for today.

You can use a hot compress before feeding/pumping and a cold compress after. You can take ibuprofen for inflammation.

Finally put your feet up and rest. Ideally get into bed and stay there for a couple of days but if that's not possible then lie on the sofa as much as you can. The good news is that blocked ducts clear very quickly once you start treating it and mastitis responds very well to antibiotics but either way your body is fighting an infection so take it very easy over the next few days.

Thanks for that How Strange. Will try that with next feed. Funny, was feeling shivery and off last night but never thought it could be to do with my breast.

With regards the bath, it might be a bit of a silly question but baby is only 8 days old and I still have stitches. I'm assuming that it's ok to have a bath and probably just not use scented products?

banbhaaifric

Plus 1 to everything How Strange said. Had a similar thing recently but luckily it cleared within a couple of days and never turned into an infection.

I know it seems painful, but the best and most efficient way of getting the breast cleared is to let your baby feed. That baby is like a breast emptying machine! and if you let her feed often she will empty the breast much more quickly (and it will be good for your supply too).

And rest! it is early days for you. Snooze and feed and you should be right as rain, but keep a close eye out for any signs of infection.

How Strange

Oh dear, you poor thing. I've had mastitis in the early days on both babies and it's tough going. Check with your phn or hospital about the bath just in case. Absolutely only water. I had stitches 'down below' and only had water with no soap etc.

Just take your temperature now so you know if it's high or not. Then monitor it regularly over the next 12 hours or so. You can go back to your hospital over the weekend if your symptoms don't improve.

I understand why you want to give a bottle but would you consider exclusively breastfeeding for a few days until you get over this?

From now on you'll have to be vigilant for signs of blocked ducts or mastitis and latch the baby on or pump at the first sign of a lump.

Best of luck and hopefully you'll be over it by this time tomorrow.

nikpmup

Oh Roesy, my sympathies! I had mastitis, I felt awful for a couple of days, fluey and really really sore. The good news is that by doing as How Strange says you can clear it - definitely massage the breast and empty it completely. It is very sore but the best way to sort it out is to feed more! If you still feel achey & shivery get to the doc for antibiotics.

I bought a cheapo hand pump from boots that I used to pump a little during the night - getting up to do a full pumping was killing me, but by hand pumping for a few minutes each side I was able to empty the breasts a little so they didn't get engorged. Might be worth doing while your husband is feeding herself