A few questions for you 'breastfeeding experts!'

[Charleesawmummykissingsanta]

I have a few questions, i just know one of you fab mumsnetters will be able to answer for me.

DS2 is 3 1/2 weeks old and has been exclusivley brestfed from day one.
He seems to either be sleeping or eating and when he's not doing either he's crying which seems to be an awful lot of the time especially in the evening when he won't be fed/rocked/soothed in any way . I have been told he's 'just a whingey baby' i don't want to belive that at all. Wether it's true or not i don't know but here are my questions.

1. Is there anything i can eat that will make his stomach upset? - he seems to get evening tummy ache, his tummy goes rock hard and he pulls his legs up and screams in pain.

1. Can me not eating and drinking enough effect my supply. - I am terrible at remebering to eat and forget to drink for days on end, i am getting better though!

1. Can my milk come out 'to fast' for him? - it suirts out at such a rate sometimes he seems to have trouble keeping up.

1. Can my milk suddenly dry up? - no reason for this question except my boobs have stopped leaking as much as they did and they seem smaller, but i know he's still getting some.

Also sometimes in the evening he screams and i try to comfort him, it doesn't work. I try his dummy, it doesn't work. I try feeding him, he latches on but then really violently bites with his gums and pulls my nipples and makes me reall sore, he's not sucking when he does this jusy kinda biting. Anyone know why?

Sorry for all the questions i am a firt timer, i think were generally doing really well most the time he feed's regurly and i'm not uncomfortable or in pain and DS is putting on wieght.

[HunkerTheInternetPhenomenon]

1. Some people will swear blind that eating sprouts or grapes caused terrible pain for their baby - personally, I think that babies are funny buggers and it's more likely you'll never know what causes evening crying - was always overtiredness with mine.

1. No. You might feel shite though, so try to eat and drink enough - but it won't affect your milk.

1. Yes, it can do. He'll learn to keep up though - or you can try feeding one-sided for a couple of feeds in a row, but don't do that unless you're sure there is a problem with you having overactive letdown.

1. No, not if you're feeding frequently and for as long as your baby wants you to. You're not feeling as engorged because your body's getting used to making milk and working out when your baby will need it.

As for the biting and fussing - could be that your milk's coming too fast for him, could be he's overtired - try swaddling him, holding him in your arms and rocking him and shushing continuously in his ear (white noise - often works, IME).

Sounds like you're doing brilliantly too - keep it up!

[Charleesawmummykissingsanta]

Thanks Hunker.

Also (if you don't mind) at the mo he's fed on demand basicly when he wakes and starts fussing and snuffling my chest i offer him a boob but will he get into his own routine for feeding or do i have to make him one if so how?

[DizzyBinterWonderland]

yes ditto everything that hunker said!

some days all i eat is quavers and maybe some malt loaf, i just don't have much appetite, but i'm doing fine breastfeeding my 6 month old. but like hunker says, diet is more about keeping mum healthy and happy.

one last thing, have you looked at kellymom.com? it's a fantastic site that will help answer all your breastfeeding questions. i don't know where i'd have been without it

[HunkerTheInternetPhenomenon]

Yes, keep feeding him when he "asks", and don't worry about a strict routine for now.

It will all happen, I promise. For now you're getting to know what it's like to have a baby and he's getting to know what it's like to be in the world.

In a few weeks, when the majority of the growth spurts are out of the way, perhaps try to introduce a bath at the same time every day - or if not a bath, then a "bedtime routine" that happens at a similar time each night and consists of the same things, be it a massage, getting into sleeptime clothes, etc. I found that I could "reset" my babies by having a consistent bedtime routine, even if the daytimes were all different (and they were and are!).

Having said that, also enjoy the portability of a newborn/young baby and don't let the bedtime routine get in the way of things. Go with the flow and if you're finding things unbearable, see what you can change about the unbearable thing. And remember - it all changes very quickly and in another month you'll be worried about different things and wondering why this bit was so hard (but that's NOT to say that this bit isn't hard - it's all relative).

Keep it up!

[TiggernPooh2]

1. I found that if I ate chives, or something with lots of onion in it ds would get tummy ache.

Also kind of on your third point my ds was such a gulper when feeding he gulped down air and gave himself wind which neither I nor the health visitor could get up, it just went into his tum and that hurt him. He would only feed for 10 to 15 mins and when a bfing specialist came out to check his feeding she said he was getting enough but he just ate REALLY fast.

1. Do drink and eat properly not so much for your milk but for you as you are using so many more calories to produce the milk and you will dehydrate yourself. Your body will usually make sure baby is ok first and you second, so look after you!! A really good health visitor once told me you have to drink milk to make milk, not sure if this is true or not but if i drank a pint of milk a day my milk was in good supply.

1. As long as there is a demand for your milk i.e. baby sucking or expressing you will produce it. The reason you are not leaking may be your supply is settling down to his demand which is a great thing.

As for biting I found that when he had a growth spurt he sucked much much more to increase my supply but to begin with it took a couple of days for the supply to catch up with him and he bit out of frustration at not as much as he wanted but don't do anything about it as it will catch up. I think they have a growth spurt about 3-4 weeks though. Its not nice at the time but if it lasts more than a couple of days I am not sure?

With the evenings too my ds was a pain, crying and nothing would settle him till bedtime. This phase will pass, just hang in there.

I hope this has been a bit helpful and well done for bfing. ds is 14 months and still loves his!!!

[TiggernPooh2]

Yes ds was fed on demand. He fed or slept all the time to begin with but he settled into his own routine which then changed from time to time when he was younger but as I said he is now 14 months and has only in the last month changed himself again into having one sleep in the day and in bed at 8pm.

Also ditto to the other points which have been made, some great advice. XXX

[Charleesawmummykissingsanta]

Thanks guys.

I'm glad your all able to answer my questions so easily makes me think i'm perfectly normal asking them!
I'm actually chuffed i'm breastfeeding i never could with DS1 as i was on so much medication. It really is a joy to see your baby having his lunch looking so cozy and knowing that im doing it!

[moondog]

Fantastic Charlee.
Feel very very pleased and smug.
That's an order!!!!!!

[ballbaby]

My ds1 was an inconsolable crier until week 9 when I "put" him on a routine and he changed literally overnight. He still cried but could be comforted. Ds2 I had on a routine from day 1. I understand it's not for everyone but I would recommend it.

[tiktok]

Charlee, great posts already and hope they help you!

I can't resist commenting on Tigger's 'really good HV' who told her ' you have to drink milk to make milk' - what ridiculous bollocks, sorry Tigger, if you liked her otherwise

It is preposterous to tell mothers rubbish like that.

Do cows drink milk (other than when they are calves)?

Do mothers from cultures/ethnic groups where they do not drink milk beyond infancy because they cannot digest it need to drink milk?

[moondog]

'Tiktok in outburst of coarse language shocker'

Hold the front pages!!!!!!

[HunkerTheInternetPhenomenon]

Breastfeeding mothers more likely to be sweary fuckers, didn't you know, MD? (So said someone on a thread ages ago. I think Tiktok joined me on that one saying bollocks soon after too )

[moondog]

lmao

[Elasticwoman]

Since we are knocking myths on the head, could I add that leaking has nothing to do with supply. I hardly ever leaked and had to take those breastpads out before I stuck to them, but always had enough milk and my baby put on 1 lb a week for months. Leaking is to do with muscles in the nipples.

Re tummy ache for baby: what are the nappies like? If green and frothy maybe he's getting too much foremilk (the thinner milk at the beginning of the feed) and not enough of the richer, more satisfying hindmilk.

I think it would be worth having your baby's position at the breast looked at. It could be that ds is not perfectly attached and is getting lots of milk because it just squirts out (at this stage, so soon after birth) but can't milk you properly of the hindmilk. It can sometimes take quite a while to get the positioning/attachment thing working properly.

Never apologise for asking for help. You and your ds are entitled to it.

What do you think, Tiktok?

[eggnog]

Hello Moondog my PMT has passed now.

anyway, cant add much as everyones else's advice is excellent, only that the la leche league website is fantastic for info and advice, totally saved my breasfeeding bacon on several occasions. I found my obstetriacian's advice was generally useless as was my GP.

www.lalecheleague.org

you sound like you are doing a fab job.