How long did it take for you to get BF established

Replies

• Eyper

  Jun 6, 2011 11:02AM

  For me it was about 6 weeks before it was getting easier. I had latching problems prior to that. DD still took ages though at that age, an hour plus wasn't uncommon.
  
  
  
  For me the last thing I'd want is for the whole family to come and stay just a few weeks after giving birth, at that stage all you feel like doing is sleeping. The baby could be late, or you could have a cs, which will take about 6 weeks to recover.
  
  
  
  Could they stay in hotels instead, and maybe just pop in for a visit?

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• clalee

  Jun 6, 2011 11:16AM

  Thanks A-Nonny-Mouse, it's nice to have someone who's been there saying they wouldn't want so many visitors so soon.
  
  
  
  I think my last hope is they stay in a hotel, he's insistent that they come as he doesn't want his Dad to use up his holiday when they could just come at Christmas. We're 400 miles from both our families, my mum struggles to travel this far and even if she could she's said she wouldn't come up till a bit later on and things were a bit more settled.
  
  He thinks it'll be fine as his mum will help him with the cooking, he doesn't see that it's hard to even relax when we have guests. Last time they came up he got himself into a right flap cooking them a meal he's cooked numerous times before, but apparently it won't be like that when we have a baby.

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• MrsCake

  Jun 6, 2011 11:49AM

  Hello!
  
  Breastfeeding is hard work to start with and it can take weeks to get it sorted. I would say we were I to the swing of things by about 6 weeks. I would say though that I was really worried about feeding in front of people like my FIL but i can honestly say it was not a big deal at all. I just got on with it and noone seemed to bat an eyelid!
  
  I just wanted to say that I agree with the above post in that just 5 weeks after giving birth I could not have coped with family staying! I would not have been able to cope with a newborn and 'hoasting' even my closest family and friends for longer than a few hours! It is a very emotional time and if you are like me and need your own space I would try and keep them in a hotel!
  
  Xx

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• Renee+2

  Jun 6, 2011 1:01PM

  Tell him to bog off! Bf or not, you don't want loads of people being loud and having to entertain them when you have a newborn!
  
  
  
  6 weeks is the golden number in breastfeeding. The vast majority of people stop breastfeeding by week 6. If you get past that it seems easy!
  
  
  
  If you get some nursing tops or dresses its easier to be discrete.
  
  
  
  Build up your confidence by bdfing at bf coffee mornings etc that thew nct do. Bumpsa and babies. At places like that everyone has their boobs out at some point and it stops being an issue.
  
  
  
  I breastfeed my 14 month old. Once you get past a certain point there's no point stopping and increasing your outgoings buying formulae

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• clalee

  Jun 6, 2011 1:42PM

  Thanks Ladies, all advice is more than welcome. There aren't any NCT bumps and babies groups near here, but there is a breastfeeding support group at a near by hospital. I will be looking for more groups when it gets closer to the time, with my family so far away it'd be nice to have some support near by). There was one at my local church but it's closing this week, as it was so poorly attended.
  
  
  
  Rennee - I tried telling him no way, but he threw his toys out the pram. I've kinda been backed into agreeing to them coming to try to keep the peace. Something I'm less than happy about.

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• Socksxx

  Jun 7, 2011 8:56AM

  Hey message for your hubby, my daughter was 5 weeks old at christmas and I was still breastfeeding and really struggling with it. I was seriously tired as she was still feeding several times in the night and she was on the boob on and off all day. Hubby wanted his family to come to us and I said I wasn't ready for it so we went to my sisters. If they come to you he will need to be prepared to cook the dinner and entertain the guests alone because you will be exhausted and probably needing surgical removal to get baby off your boob!! I wouldn't hun. Good luck if you do decide to and good luck with your pregnancy. Oh and it too 6 or 7 weeks before my bfing was firmly established and I was confident at it xx

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• Blue_Gecko

  Jun 8, 2011 8:57AM

  It took me about 4 weeks to get breastfeeding established, the first week was so hard, esp latching DS on. I wasn't comfortable at first BF'ing with an audience so I used to go into another room. As he became better at I learned to be much more discreet and I found nursing tops a godsend. In the end I fed my son until just before his 1st birthday, he self weaned himself off the boob. Good luck x

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• CylieStitch

  Jun 12, 2011 5:37AM

  Though the good thing about bf is that you hav a really good excuse to go hide upstairs in your room at feed time, brilliant for a bit of an escape and peace.
  
  
  
  I know when I had visitors in the first few weeks if it was getting a bit much I'd just take baby and disappear for a bit, no one minded much.
  
  
  
  Good luck with it

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