Investing in breastfeeding

Nitha

lauren_1 wrote: »

DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT USING A PUMP BEFORE 5/6 WEEKS

It is vital that you have a decent supply to be able to compensate for a pumping session.

What problems did you encounter with your first?

Mainly the latch after I got engorged (he really struggled) and also really long frequent feeds (he fed for 1-2 hours with about a 1/2 hour break between feeds in the day and 1-2 hour breaks at night). Got him to take breastmilk for 6 weeks through a mix of expressing, nipple shields and occasionally the lucky latch but when my pump broke decided to give up.

pigpen

I wouldn't pay anyone to help TBH.. most surestarts have a breastfeeding peer support group which might be helpful.. at least they will beable to make sure baby is latched on well.. The NCT have 'meet-a-mum' type things which meet monthly in a lot of areas (apart from mine lol) which may be worth looking into.. at least everyone else there will have bf experience and can help.

Failing that there are a couple of us on the flylady thread over on OS who have trained as bf counellors.. and on the pregnancy/parenting threads there are a few others.. you can always ask questions here and we will help if we can. I know there are a bunch of the mums regularly meet up in and around the midlands many of whom could offer practical support if you are local to them..

Midwives and health visitors have miniscule amounts of training regards breastfeeding so are not usually able to offer much help or advice.. unless they have fed their own.. but it may be worth staying in hospital a day or 2 longer as any help is better than none at all.

It may not have been a problem with your latch at all it may have been another issue.. such as narrowed/blocked milk ducts which meant the milk was not flowing properly.. there are a multitude of scenarios it could be.

I have spent nothing on breastfeeding my 4 day old baby.. I have made use of one freebie breastpad (the boob she was laid on leaked while I dished out dinner with my spare hand) so heaps cheaper than FF in my house. Helped by the fact baby knew exactly what to do the minute she was born!

lauren_1

Valli wrote: »

Lauren - liking the sig - I BF mine partly because I was too idle to faff about with bottles/sterilser etc!

I could barely stay awake long enough to shove a boob in their general direction some nights, the though of all that extra work got me through some pretty rough times.

Nitha

One thing that I really found difficult with the midwives was they often gave contradictory advice. I had them come over daily but it was never the same one, I remember one telling me to express off a bit of milk before feeding, then the next day was told not to, the following day was told he wasn't hungry - when you're suffering with new mum blues it's all a bit overwhelming!

falady

Hi there,

Another suggestion is to find out if there is a 'baby cafe' near to you. These are breastfeeding support groups, usually run weekly, where you can just drop in and speak to a qualified midwife or breastfeeding support worker and meet other mums who breast feed.

Our local baby cafe advertises in my doctors surgery etc, so your GP / midwife should be able to point you in the right direction.

Also, the NCT has a breastfeeding helpline, as does La Leche. Let me just dig out the numbers.....

National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212

La Leche League helpline 0845 120 2918

Association of Breastfeeding mothers 0870 401 7711

NCT 0870 444 8708


Hope that helps,

Ali x

lauren_1

Nitha wrote: »

Mainly the latch after I got engorged (he really struggled) and also really long frequent feeds (he fed for 1-2 hours with about a 1/2 hour break between feeds in the day and 1-2 hour breaks at night). Got him to take breastmilk for 6 weeks through a mix of expressing, nipple shields and occasionally the lucky latch but when my pump broke decided to give up.

A lot of new mums really do underestimate the astonishing amount of times a breastfed baby will feed in one day, even 12+ times in 24 hours is considered normal although your nipples might not be so happy about it:eek:

In the early days I found cabbage leaves a godsend (chilled and crushed savoy leaves)

Valli

erm - quite

like the MW who TOLD me natural childbirth was better - then admitted to having had both hers by section. I was arguing for an elective section with DD as I had had 'problems' with DS which had resulted in an emergency section.

Jet

There really is no need to invest in anything other than some nipple cream (Kamilosan was my favoured one) to start off with.

I breast fed forr a year and never expresse :rotfl:d (reminded me too much of my childhood on a dairy farm!).

The thing that will get you through it will be your own determination unless there is any medical reason why you can't breastfeed. You know your baby and your own body better than anyone else, so go with your own instincts.

pigpen

Oh.. I lied... I bought a tube of lansinoh cream!!!!!!!

GODSEND!!

Nitha

is that like the Boots nipple cream? I got some of that on clearance and am actually already using it!! I've had really full breasts during this pregnancy which for some reason has made my nipples sore so mw recommended I used a cream already.