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Infant feeding

help please - new mum confused over 1 boob or 2

9 replies

FOZZ · 01/03/2007 08:43

please help! BF my DS who is 1 month on Saturday and has gone ok so far. However past couple of days is not satisfied and cannot go for more than 2 hours max between feeds. Also stays awake loads for one so little and I am worried he is not getting enough to eat. have had conflicting advice about offering one boob or two at each feed. If I am winding and bum changing part way through a feed I check to see if milk still in boob 1 as paranoid about 'hind' milk - there always seems to be some there so I put him back on the same boob - but should I be offering him boob 2 in an attempt to satisfy him??

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tortoiseSHELL · 01/03/2007 08:46

You'll never actually empty the breast - there's always another drop there. Tiktok always says to offer both breasts at a feed.

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skirmish · 01/03/2007 08:48

everything i've read seems to say offer 2nd breast...baby won't take it if they don't want it

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LucyJu · 01/03/2007 08:51

I'm not sure how you are checking to see whether there is any more milk there... Breasts are never empty in the way that a bottle is empty.
If he is appearing to be hungry, feed him from both sides. Try not to get too hung up about the foremilk/hindmilk business. I think in most cases, this evens itself out over the day.

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gigglinggoblin · 01/03/2007 08:55

i have had same conflicting advise. mw i spoke to yesterday said keep him on boob 1 for 30 mins, remembering he may want a break in the middle, then offer boob2.

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FOZZ · 01/03/2007 09:04

thank you - will try second boob after initial feeding frenzy!!!

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DizzyBint · 01/03/2007 09:12

you shouldn't measure feeds in minutes. gigg..your midwife needs updating. has she had any breastfeeding training beyond the very basics? some don't!

fozz...don't worry, you're coming to the 4 weeks growth spurt. there's another at 6 weeks. your baby wants to feed feed and feed so your suply builds up ready for his growth spurt. you just follow his lead. if he comes off the breast, still wants more, offer the other side. still wants more? go back again to the first side. it's all ok, your body and your baby work it out. you don't need to 'empty' your breast. some baby books still tell you to do this, as do some ill informed midwives.

the hindmilk thing is a sort of myth. you don't have to get your baby to 'reach' the hindmilk. it's all mixed in really, there isn't a cut off point you have to get to. think of it like a hot tap. when you turn it on it's cold (foremilk) then as you leave it running it gets hotter (hindmilk). if you then turn it off when it's hot, and turn it on again quite soon, it's still hot. and it never runs dry!

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FOZZ · 01/03/2007 10:07

ahh dizzybint - how lovely - this makes me cry!!! - (emotions still a bit twitchy). DH thinks I read too much / take too much notice of what text book baby will do - will follow little mans lead and offer both boobs whenever!! - at clinic today so will see how weight is going

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DimpledThighs · 01/03/2007 10:10

You are doing really well!

I always used to feed from one boob - wind and then offer the other. Make sure you alternate between which one is offered first.

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tiktok · 01/03/2007 21:11

Fozz, a shame your midwife has confused you.

Forget the clock

Go by your baby's behaviour.

Many babies need 2 breasts, at least some of the time.

Always offer the second unless you know for sure by experience the baby never wants it.

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