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New mum to be preparing to breastfeed

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  • 03-04-2012 9:10pm
    #1
    littlemissfixit
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭


    Hi all! I am due with my 2nd in a few weeks and was just remembering how it was with my first, and as we had a very rocky start at breastfeeding, I wanted to address the problems I encountered so new mums to be here wanting to breasfeed could prepare better than I had.

    Anybody else advice would be good too.
    And I didn't put this in the newborn/toddler breasfeeding thread the reason being that the main problems I encountered were in the first days, still at the hospital.

    I was determined to breasfeed, new it wouldn't necessarily be a walk in the park, but for me there was no other options. But to be frank, I didn't know the very intricate details that can make or break the experience.

    The birth of my daughter went really well, without pain relief, but I wasnt able to breasfeed her straight away, the midwives had to transfer me because the hospital was very busy and they needed the delivery room, which meant the first attempt was about 1h30 after the birth:
    *It is shown that the sucking reflex of the newborn is strongest in the first 30min after birth, so INSIST to breastfeed straight away.

    My daughter was obviously very tired from the birth so wouldn't feed nearly at all after. The nurses were very busy and I got very little support:
    *again insist to see a lactation consultant as soon as possible if there are concerns
    A nurse gave a bottle when my daughter was 12hrs old, if I had known this would lead to more problems:
    *Ask for other feeding methods which wont interfere with breasfeeding as much like spoon or seringe feeding

    Im sure I'll think of other things, but these are the main things I would have liked to know, and I wont make the same mistakes this time around.

    I ended up breasfeeding her for 9 months, but that was after 6 long weeks of expressing 8 times a day. Dont want to go there again!


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    #2
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    littlemissfixit well done on getting to 9 months on your first and fingers crossed for your impending arrival. I think you've summed up the usual problems encountered by new mums in hospital.

    I'd suggest putting on your birth plan, if you're going to have one, or if not on your records that your baby should not be given formula without your consent.

    After that just loads and loads of skin to skin. Don't leave him/her in those plastic cots (I did this too but when the next time comes I definitely won't) but take him/her into bed with you and do skin to skin. Lots of babies are slow to start feeding but constant skin to skin and laid back breastfeeding (look it up on YouTube - its fascinating!) will encourage even the laziest baby to find the breast.

    As you know babies don't 'feed' until day 3-8 (depending on when your milk comes in because a c section can delay it) so for those first days it's all about latching on and colostrum.

    The best resources are dr jack Newman, kellymom and dr sears on line and the la Leche league and Cuidiu if you need to speak to someone. Good luck and fingers crossed for an easier start to breastfeeding next time around!


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    #3
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    I agree with above i had disasters in the hospital both times, i just wasnt in the fighting mood. you just dont know how it will pan out but by making it to 9 months last time you will have a degree of confidence and you will know what you need.


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    #4
    annamcmahon
    Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭annamcmahon


    Check if there is a Cuidiu or La Leche League group near you. It's a good idea to go to a meeting or two while you're pregnant so that you can meet the leader. Then if you need help after baby is born you know who you're talking to. Feel free to ring them from the hospital if necessary, as crazy as that may sound.

    I agree with How Strange about putting no formula to be given in your birth plan. Make sure that your birth partner knows to say no to any offer of a bottle. It's also good to let them know that while babies are born wanting to suck that doesn't mean that they are hungry. They have been fed by your blood up to the minute the cord is cut. They root on instinct but giving them a finger to suck is usually enough. Also breastfed babies can feed, or at least suck, all night on night 2. Most women aren't told this and think they are starving so often take a bottle when offered. It's just the baby stimulating your body to start making milk rather than colostrum.

    I will be forever grateful to the midwife in NHM who told me to co-sleep on the 2nd night so both me and baba got some sleep.


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