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In need of advice about breast feeding

Hello ladies.

I need advice on breast feeding. Ive heard bad storied about women who didnt know proper ways of breast feeding which in result gave up. People constantly keep telling me its hard, But im determined which is why i want to know the ins and outs before birth. I would be greatfull to hear and listen to your methods/ day routines ect ......

Questions-

do you express milk for days out or anytime you will be out of the house?

I read that you shouldnt go more than 4 hours without feeding/expressing milk as the milk supply will decrease?

Was there anyone in hospital after bith who was willing to help with first feed? (This is what im worried about. As i dont want the first feed to go horribly wrong) 

Is there groups you can attend on help before birth? 

Replies

  • Hello there,

    I wanted to reply as I understand your worries about bf. I had a cesarean birth in November (3rd baby but had bottle fed 1st 2 babies).  this time I wanted to give bf my best shot. 

    I attended a local antenatal bf workshop which I found helpful but still had lots of questions.  I found the book 'baby led breastfeeding' answered some of them.

    Although I was armed with some theoretical knowledge,  when it came to actually breastfeeding for me it was quite a challenge. I'm going to jot down some things which I learnt/did/wish I'd known but remember every situation is unique to the individual mum and baby :

    Skin to skin contact immediately after birth and regularly in early weeks 

    Ask for help with bf on the ward as many times as you need to. Don't be worried that you're being a nuisance. 

    Find out who you can speak to/where to go for help following discharge (I spent hours at my local clinic in the early days as I was struggling) I also phoned the national bf helpline twice and spoke to my midw,  health visitor and friends who were old hands at bf. 

    The website 'kellymom' is a one stop shop for everything breastfeeding and found it invaluable.

    As for expressing,  I do so from time to time if I am going on a long car journey. I have also expressed when I had a painful engorged breast due to blocked duct and mastitis when I couldn't bear to have baby latch on. 

    Breast milk is produced by supply and demand.  So if your baby is hungry and feeds (whether this be hourly,  2 hourly and so on) the body knows to make the right amount of milk to make available. On that note, it's usual for bf babies to feed 10-12 times in 24hours so you feel like a milk machine! Recognising and preparing myself for this went a long way in helping me stick at it.

    Arm yourself with lots of pillows and cushions as your comfort is key to getting a good position. 

    Eat well and drink more than you usually would as bf makes you thirsty (and fluid intake important for milk supply.)

    Finally,  it can take a while to get to grips with bf. I'd say it was a good (emotional and rocky at times)5-6 weeks til I felt pretty confident with it.  If you're determined then most issues can be overcome. Also remember that if you don't end up bf it's no biggie either. 

    Good luck! When's your baby due?x

  • Hi 😊 Search La leche league - might be one close to you. It is a bit hard at the begining but it is soooooo worth it!! Just feed on demand, no need for routines. Make sure you have some nipple cream - helpful for the first few weeks. Feed as soon as the baby is born, a lot skin-to-skin contact. Always have water near you. Eat well (healthy snacks, as fruits, dried fruits, almonds, nuts, seeds, porridge..) 

    Find Attachment Parenting UK on fb - really helpful. Trust your instincts and your baby. 

    I used a manual breast pump when my breasts were engorged but after a while your breasts know exactly how much milk to produce (I agree with above comment).

    I usually breastfeed my little one when out and about. Easier that carrying a bottle with me. Good luck and feel free to ask me anything xx 

  • Oo yes, nipple cream... for sure!  And a product I've found helpful is a breastvest which is a vest you wear over your nursing bras (either under the bust) which allows your body to stay covered as you feed. Or a cheaper vest could do the same job. And I agree with mirela,  it's tough to start with but so rewarding and worth it. 

  • Thankyou so much both for your replys! That's relaxed me a little! I'm not due until may 14th! But complications may result in her being here early which is why I wanted to be prepared. I am determined I'm a first time mom and just wanted advice from others who have been bf as I havnt got anyone close I can talk to. I will give that book a go sunny :) I'll have to go on a shop to get everything, are the manual pumps as good as the electric mirela ? 

    Thankyou once again xx

  • If you are going to use it occasionally - yes (as I did, only when my breasts were too full or now when I need milk for his baby rice/porridge 😀). I have Medela harmony manual breast pump (£25 in boots). If you plan to use it quite often it's good to have an electric one. 

    I hope you are both healthy and she doesn't come too early x

    Count the kicks is a wonderful page, search it on google or facebook. It will guide you in learning your baby's movement patterns. I hope you will not need it, but Bliss is an organisation that helps parents & babies ("Bliss - for babies born too soon, too small, too sick")

    Feel free to ask me anything xx

  • Yes, sunny, these vests are really helpful 😊

    And Beth - I'm a first time mum too and they were soooo many things I wish someone would have told me! 😀 

    I hope everything goes well and we're right here if you need us 😊 x

  • I've breastfed before but still struggled with my second, it became extremely painful where I sat and cried (bleeding cracked nipples not nice) I called breastfeeding support and they came to my home that same day to help me. Pleased to say we getting on much better now (my little man is 17 days old). I find lansinoh nipple cream the best as it thick and doesn't have to be washed off before feeding. I use a muslin cloth to provide cover when feeding in public - tie it to my bra strap and then use like a shawl. Good luck xx

  • Thankyou so much for your replys! I didn't realise I had more sorry for only now getting back!

    Since my last post I had been told that the medication i was on has not effected my little one !! Which is a relief!  But I still have to go for growth scans just to see if her growth is stable, my last scan she was a little on the big side compared to an "average" 28 week old, but she's healthy :)! I am now 30 weeks.

    Thankyou all for your suggestions I have baught the things that have been mentioned such as books, nipple cream, etc.

    I have also bought nipple shields, what are your thaughts on these? And has anyone used them? I thaught it may come in handy if sore one day? 

    Hope everyone is doing well and your little ones are also:) & once again thank you xx

  • Hiya bet124,  you sound like you're getting organised!  Not long now eh.

    Yes I resorted to nipple shield,  I have the medela ones. They're not intended for longterm use and there is much controversy about them online (so I found)  but they helped me through a very painful time on one side.

    I feel it helped my l.o latch on better this side. Also I can honestly say that if I didn't use one from time to time I would had to have quit bf after 4 weeks. I'm now at 14 weeks and feeling proud that we've been able to continue. 😊

  • Hello sunny :) 

    Getting there now, another 4 weeks left in work then I'll be off trying to get everything ready seems like there's so much to do 😦 started washing her little outfits and baby grows today.

    I noticed that there isn't much positive talk about the shields but my friends mother used the shields on all 3 of hers, but the midwife/ health visitor was telling her not to use them! But it what suits you at the end of the day and the fact you were able to continue this long must be an amazing feeling sunny, hope you and your little one are doing well :) 

    Xxx

  • Hi bet... The shields are a definite positive so far as I'm concerned... immediately after my lo was born he was just completely unable to latch even with the nurses helping... I was so worried that that meant I couldn't bf (we later found out my lo was tongue tied which is prob why he couldn't latch).. Anyway, after about 30mins of trying the nurses came & put a nipple shield on... My baby instantly latched & started feeding!! ☺️. I was anxious about him becoming dependent on them & that he would need them forever... But by 4/5 weeks he was completely off them..l we used the, for every feed to start with. From about 2/3 weeks I started offering him the breast without the shield to start with... Sometimes he would completely refuse, sometimes he would feed for a minute or 2, sometimes longer. I was advised by my lactation consultant to just keep offering without but that as soon as he gets upset then put the shield on so he doesn't get a bad association. By 4/5 weeks he weaned himself completely off the shield & was completely happy taking full feeds without them.

    i honestly think i may not have been able to feed him if the nurse on the first day hadn't given me a shield... I hadn't even thought about shields before then... Assumed they were only to use if you got sore etc.

  • I have been breastfeeding exclusively for almost 9 weeks. i used nipple shields around week 2 to ease pain and they are amazing! But I was worried wether she would go back to nipple. Turned out she goes back and forth from nipple to shield and it hasn't been a problem. 

    The only thing I have found is using the shields tend to be longer feeds. I still have them as a back up but  use them less now as we have both got better! 

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