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what happens if you are ill while bfeeding?
hi im 27 wks and hoping to bfeed as i didnt manage with first child who is 3.
just thinking things over and wondered what happens if i was to be ill? or had to be in hospital or somewhere away from baby? (im just thinking of things that prob wouldnt happen but just in case) ..could the baby be given formula then? would it upset their stomach to be given formula after being used to breast milk? do you have to change gradually?..i understand in this instance it would be difficult to get back to bfeeding cause of milk supply.
also are you allowed to take paracetamol and medicunes like this? do you just avooid the same things you would avoid in pregnancy?
just thinking things over and wondered what happens if i was to be ill? or had to be in hospital or somewhere away from baby? (im just thinking of things that prob wouldnt happen but just in case) ..could the baby be given formula then? would it upset their stomach to be given formula after being used to breast milk? do you have to change gradually?..i understand in this instance it would be difficult to get back to bfeeding cause of milk supply.
also are you allowed to take paracetamol and medicunes like this? do you just avooid the same things you would avoid in pregnancy?
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Replies
Hope that helps
Kerry
I have been b/f for 8 months and have had a few bad colds and a flu bug over xmas but no stomach bugs luckily.
Its just the same if you are bottle feeding really - you feel terrible but have to carry mums don't get time off to be sick.It has never effected my milk or made baby sick or anything - its just tough going if you are still doing night feeds as its only you that can do them.
One time when I was so tired my hubby gave lo a bottle of formula and she was fine with it - so for the odd emergency it would be fine.I think any problems would occur if you did this to often as it would effect your milk supply.
When I felt really bad one morning at the weekend I stayed in bed and hubby just brought baby up for feeding.That is one plus side feeding lying down in bed - its great especially at nite you feel less disturbed.
I bottle fed my first baby after trying to b/f and was lucky that it's worked out 2nd time around .
I have copied some stuff about b/f and baby being ill.
4. Breastfeeding reduces the likelihood of inner ear infections, such as glue ear. A breastfed baby's sucking action is different to that of a bottle-fed baby. So, it helps to keep the ears healthy.
6. Mum's immune system is constantly on the look out for infection and illness. When it detects anything white blood cells flood her milk and therefore baby has an improved immune response. As a result gastroenteritis, a nasty tummy bug, is much less prevalent in breastfed babies.
9. Baby can always be comforted when distressed or ill. Sucking on a lovely soft mummy-smelling breast is extremely comforting. It is also much less harmful to teeth than a sugary drink or feed.
When my 1st was 4 months old I had to have my wisdom teeth out under a general anaesthetic so gave him a good feed before then expressed for the next 2 feeds and gave him previously expressed milk for those 2 then we were back to normal as by then the anaesthetic was out of my system xx
I am breastfeeding and was separated from my baby for 4 days and then as he was sedated for over a week (long story, intensive care etc) he didn't take any milk until about 10 days old. I expressed every day (about 6 times) and when he was well enough to take milk he had botles at night and i breastfed in day. This only happened for a few days as I then stayed at the hospital overnight to stop the confusion. He feeds well and even now has a bottle as his last feed so think not a problem. Have gone off the subject now but you get the idea!