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Breastfeeding webchat- Mon 21st June, from 12-1pm

To celebrate NATIONAL BREASTFEEDING AWARENESS WEEK, from the 21st-27th June, Philips AVENT baby feeding and wellbeing advisor Vicki Scot will be hosting a breastfeeding webchat on Monday 21st June, from 12-1pm. Post your questions below.

For further advice and information about breastfeeding log onto http://www.mybabytalk.co.uk/

Don't worry if you can't make the actual chat. Post your questions now and Vicki will endevour to answer as many queries as she can on the day...

[Modified by: bxwebmaster on 21 June 2010 10:54:15 ]

Replies

  • Hi Vicki,

    I'm currently 19 weeks pregnant and have every plan to breastfeed once our baby is born.

    I wanted to know if there was anything I could do before the baby arrives to help make breastfeeding any easier for me and the baby?

    Many thanks

    Vicky x
  • Welcome to today's Breastfeeding advice webchat with Philips AVENT baby feeding and wellbeing advisor Vicki Scott.

    Vicki will be here shortly to answer your queries from 12-1pm...

    To celebrate Breast Feeding Awareness Week, Philips AVENT, No.1 recommended childcare brand by UK mums, are also giving away Philips AVENT Electric Breast Pumps!

    Click the link for your chance to win: http://www.babyexpert.com/Competitions-&-Offers/Win-a-Philps-AVENT-Breast-Pump/competition

    [Modified by: bxwebmaster on June 21, 2010 12:37 PM]



    [Modified by: bxwebmaster on June 21, 2010 03:28 PM]

  • Welcome everyone!

    This is Vicki Scott, midwife and baby feeding and wellbeing advisor for Philips AVENT.
    This week is Breastfeeding Awareness Week (21-27 June) and I am looking forward to helping you with any questions relating to feeding your babies so fire away!

  • This is for Yummy_mummy_2be

    Congratulations Vicky!

    Hope you are feeling well and enjoying your pregnancy.
    I hope your question doesn't refer to toughening your nipples with a rough towel, it's totally unnecessary!
    I highly recommend asking your midwife or antenatal clinic for any breastfeeding preparation classes you could join in the last few weeks of your pregnancy. Don't overwhelm yourself with information but do have a look at the NHS website www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk and also my advice on www.mybabytalk.co.uk for hints and tips on how to get off to a great start.

    The first few weeks are key to ensure your body starts producing a good milk supply for your baby. At first your baby will need to feed little and often, approximately every 3 hrs but may sometimes ask to be fed again after just an hour or two. This is normal as he builds up your supply and his stomach is able to take more milk!
    Most important to get right is your technique so do ask your midwife for help if feeding is uncomfortable or if you feel extra support may be helpful for you. Most mums do need a bit of help and support at first.

    All the very best for a great start with your new baby.
  • Hi Vicki, i am 39 weeks pregnant with our first baby. I have every intention of breastfeeding, but am really worried as soo many people seem to really struggle with it, despite ut being natural. Have you got any advice on how to perservere when it gets tough, or any tips on how to make it easier in the first place?
    Thank you
  • Hi Vicki,

    I am currently breastfeeding full time but would like to try and express so my partner can feed at times too. I tried my little boy on expressed milk in a bottle when he was 3 weeks old but he wouldn't suck on the teat to get the milk flowing. He is now 6 weeks old and I am thinking of trying again. I don't know if it makes any difference but he has a dummy and sucks on that ok, so hoping no nipple comfusion would be caused if he were to bottle and breastfeed x
  • hi Vicky, my baby is 20 weeks old and has been breastfed until now. I have expressed but it has been difficult to get him to take a bottle. Ive tried on and off and tried different bottles/teats etc. I just tried again this morning and he seems to drink the milk that ends up in his milk but gets very upset and wont suck the bottle. I'm thinking about trying a cup but am unsure what type to try or if he is too young.

    I am planning on continuing to bf till around a year or so but for example i am going to a wedding soon without the kids and i dont know what to do with the baby!!

    thanks

    Gemm x

    Can you give me any pointers.
  • hiya, me and my husband are trying for a baby, and i definatly want to breast feed, i was wondering a few months or weeks before the birth if its a good idea to buy a bottle or two just in case? in case i dont get on well with it or cant do it? and when i get home dont have to rush about buyig bottles, sterilisers etc? do most ladies do this? or would it be a watse of money? also does it hurt as much as people say it does? and is it easy to pump?

    sorry for bombarding you with questions lol. thanks in advance image
  • This is for picknmix

    Hi there, many mums do seem to struggle at first, this can be for various reasons though-feeding a new baby takes up a lot of time, and can take a week or two to become established, so give yourself that time for both of you to learn what you are doing and to feel more confident.
    If your technique is correct, most other things go well too. You shouldn't be sore, and your baby will get enough milk. Baby should take a large mouthful of your breast tissue, not just the nipple. The problem can be when you or baby think he's doing it right but isn't! If you feel sore or baby is feeding constantly get some help early on.
    Your milk supply takes a few weeks to become established too, so remember that it's ok if your baby feeds at irregular times-feeding when he's hungry should help you build up a good supply.
    Do talk to other new mums too any chance you get-it can take some getting used to the new demands on your life but you'll build up confidence soon!
    You could also have a look at the breastfeeding video blog on www.mybabytalk.co.uk for further advice.
    Good luck with your new baby!
  • Mummy2abluebean

    Hi there,
    Perseverance is definitely needed sometimes to encourage a baby to take a bottle-by now he'll be enjoying his breastfeeds! Using a soother with a baby who is breastfeeding well is not normally a problem, and I would have thought it would help him to take the bottle, but sometimes babies have their own ideas!
    Check which flow size teat you are using-a breastfed baby at 6 weeks will no doubt be getting his milk quite quickly from the breast, so he may do better with a faster flow teat, one with two or three holes not just one.
    Always warm breast milk in a bottle if baby needs encouraging, and a little trick I often use is to gently squeeze the sides of the teat once it's in baby's mouth, to help him realize his milk is in there!
    If he squirms & protests, try walking around with him as you try, or sit him facing away from you. Do try every day for a few days to give him a chance to accept the bottle.
  • Hi Gemm,

    A 20 week old baby can be very determined if he doesn't want to drink from a bottle! Sometimes perseverance makes all the difference, not fighting with your baby, but offering it maybe at a time of day when he's really hungry, getting someone else to do it, and trying distracting techniques. Always warm the milk, use a fast flow teat and try squeezing the sides of the teat to encourage him.
    So do keep trying! Alternatively, using a cup is an option of course. Some babies will take a soft spout, while others will drink more from an open topped cup. Always use a free flow cup so that the milk comes out easily, and sit your baby upright, helping him to control the flow of the milk at first. The Philips AVENT Magic cup for babies from 6 months has a valve which can be removed to make the cup free flowing. Wash & sterilize the cup in the same way as with his bottle.
    Could you have a trial run one afternoon to see how baby does without you around? That sometimes makes a big difference too!

    Good luck and enjoy the wedding.
  • hi vicki, i'm currently pregnant with baby no2, i managed to breastfeed my son unitl 7 months. i would really like to breastfeed this baby also and was wondering how likely it is going to be easier this time round? or will i face all the same hurdles as first time (latching issues etc), and how i can ensure it goes smoothly etc, with ds i went to a birth centre after he was born for breastfeeding guidance from day 2 til day 4 and again from day 10 til 13, but obviously with a son already (he'll be 21months) its not really an option to go and stay in a birth centre this time round (particularly as having a hospital birth) . also do u have any tips on how to deal with ds re breastfeeding as he may feel a little pushed out, etc. thanks in advance
  • Hi Mrs Me,

    They're all good questions!
    Of course, no equipment is needed to breastfeed your baby, but as we know, it doesn't always work out and there's nothing worse than having to send someone out a few days after the birth to buy the first things they see! Look into it in advance and at least have an idea of what you may need just in case. At any rate, if you think you would like/need to give your baby a bottle in his first year, my advice is always to introduce a bottle after the first few weeks and keep it as a regular feature so he will take both breast and bottle. You will need a sterilizer for any other items such as soothers, breast pump, breast shells, spoons too so most families find they use them in the first year.
    Breastfeeding can be painful if it's not done correctly. If the baby doesn't take enough breast into his mouth it often makes mum sore-this can be rectified in most cases though, so you don't have to put up with it! Try to do a breastfeeding class or other preparation before baby arrives, and always seek help from a midwife or breastfeeding advisor in the early days if feeding is uncomfortable-a small adjustment can make all the difference.
    Many mothers find expressing easy once their milk supply is established after the first 3 weeks or so. I found it got easier the more I did it, and found my Philips AVENT pump very easy and comfortable to use, as well as being efficient.
    When you do have your baby, do visit www.mybabytalk.co.uk for lots of information covering all the topics in your questions. There are also real life some video blogs about breastfeeding and expressing.
    All the best for your future pregnancy!
  • The hour is up already! Thanks so much to everyone involved.

    With such a great response there are still a couple of questions for Vicki to answer, please do not post any more from now on.

    Thanks so much to Vicki Scott and Philips AVENT for such informative answers. For further Breast Feeding advice log onto http://www.mybabytalk.co.uk.

    To celebrate Breast Feeding Awareness Week, Philips AVENT, No.1 recommended childcare brand by UK mums, are also giving away Philips AVENT Electric Breast Pumps!

    Click the link for your chance to win: http://www.babyexpert.com/Competitions-&-Offers/Win-a-Philps-AVENT-Breast-Pump/competition

    [Modified by: bxwebmaster on June 21, 2010 03:27 PM]

  • This is for Wow Baby

    Hi there,

    Congratulations on number 2, and on having persevered to feed your first baby for so long!
    Think positive! I'm sure things will be easier this time. You may not be feeling confident just now, but once baby arrives, many second time mums say they do have a confidence gained from those early weeks with their first babies, and a lot does come back to you!
    Latching issues can be easy to solve, an adjustment to your position, how you are holding baby etc. Even just one feed with a midwife there to guide you, in the first days can make a huge difference, so do try to make use of that first day or two while you are still in the hospital and there are midwives around. Don't hesitate to ask for more specialist help-maybe there is a lactation consultant or infant feeding advisor at your hospital who could see you, again in the first day or two.
    Spend time skin to skin with your baby as much as you can until he's latching on well, this makes a huge difference.
    Do also do some preparation before baby arrives if at all possible-looking at the correct feeding technique, and learning little tricks such as how to get your baby to open his mouth wider, and how to tell the difference between a good and bad latch.
    At 21 months, your son will take up a lot of your time! Newborn babies spend a lot of time feeding at first so think of ways that he can be occupied/distracted/kept busy but safe while you are feeding your baby. After a couple of months most babies get a bit more efficient at feeding which makes a difference.
    I know it's obvious, and you don't need me to tell you this, but try to make sure your son gets some special time with mummy throughout the day, so he hopefully won't begrudge baby his special cuddles with you while he feeds. Think of -danger times' such as when reading a book, or having a drink of milk when your toddler is used to sitting on your lap. Can you start now having him sit by your side in readiness for when baby comes along?
    I could go on all day! I hope those suggestions help. I'm going to be in the same situation as you in a couple of months!

    Best wishes
  • Hi Hayley,

    That's fantastic-well done to you! It can't have been easy especially with two others to look after!
    I'm not sure if you are still using any formula milk or whether your bottles are all expressed milk. If it's the latter I would suggest breastfeeding on demand as much as possible. Some mums in this kind of situation carry on expressing and feeding from a bottle for too long as they like to see what the baby is taking from the bottle! If you are producing everything she needs but are expressing into a bottle for some feeds then I would suggest stopping that. Your baby may feed more often for a few days but this is exactly what's needed to boost your milk supply and to get her established in latching on and feeding from the breast.
    If you are using formula milk too then I would probably suggest breastfeeding on demand, top up, then express again shortly afterwards to stimulate your supply.
    You will definitely benefit from individualized help and advice with this though, every mum & Baby in this kind of situation is different, and needs a different plan of action. Use my advice as suggestions and seek advice locally from a lactation consultant, or try the NCT (National Childbirth Trust), one of their breastfeeding counsellors may have specialist knowledge.
    In a nutshell though, I would pretty much always offer the breast first, and put your baby to the breast as often as you can!!

    All the very best
  • Thank you everybody for your interesting questions!

    Hope my answers were helpful.
    Please visit www.mybabytalk.co.uk for more feeding advice, articles and top tips.
    You can also download the Baby Feeding Diary and order a copy of Baby & You DVD which has sections on breastfeeding and expressing as well as other topics such as sleeping, sterilising and weaning,

    Best wishes,
    Vicki Scott
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