to think that the health visitors advice was actually unhealthy?!

[brightongirldownunder]

I'm recovering from a nasty bout of gastric flu and my breastmilk supply was next to nothing, so I called the HV yesterday for support... guess what she said??....
Considering I have just started weaning my 5 month old son that if he wasn't getting enough milk from me, I should start feeding him plenty of dairy in the form of cheese, yoghurt and milk(??!!). Then she had a go at me for still feeding DS 6 TIMES A DAY...So, basically her theory is for me to drop breastfeeds and give as much food, especially dairy as possible at 5 MONTHS? I am perplexed - surely the guidelines don't recommend this?
I got absolutely no support re:building my supply up again and considering how very crap I feel post flu I really could have done with a sympathetic ear.

[PotPourri]

Crap support. I think when things are better you should consider talking to her again and explaining how rubbish that advice made you feel. In the meantime, get onto one of the bf help lines. And eat plenty of calories to give yourself the energy to get back on track.

Logic (but not medical training) tells me that you need to feed more, rest as much as possible, and drink plenty to get your milk supply back up.

Good luck. Hope you feel better soon,

[TheDevilsConcubine]

hmm. HV are utterly full of shite as far as Im concerned, they don't listen and they don't care.

how do you know your milk was nxt to nothing, was your son starving hungry?
you can drop to feeds between meals now - but only when you're ready

hope you are feelin better

I found Lorraine kelly's weaning book v helpful, it starts at 4mths onwards

[Huffythetantrumslayer]

I'm sure there will beloads of people soon with advice on your supply but I don't think starting him on solids is the way to go unless you feel he is ready? It sounds a bit like bollocks to me too.

[peedieworky]

Oh that sounds rotten. Totally empathise. When my DS was just days old I had a stand-in MW while mine was on holiday. When she arrived I was feeding my DS and as she went to leave I went to feed him again. She told me off for being a "human dummy" & insisted that he "couldn't possibly be hungry". I cried for a day over that..

[TheDevilsConcubine]

they are nasty bullying twunts at times aren't they.

[RitaMorgan]

Rubbish advice, but unfortunately HVs don't get much/any training on breastfeeding - you're better off calling one of the helplines.

HV should have known that dairy products aren't recommended for babies under 6 months though.

6 breastfeeds a day is totally normal for a 5 month old - you don't need to drop any feeds, your baby will do that himself.

[brightongirlnolongerdownunder]

Well I have started DS on baby rice and fruit because he was literally trying to take food out of our mouths! He was showing all the signs of hunger that you relate to determining its time to wean. Saying that, the thought of filling him with dairy is weird, isn't it? His tummy isn't ready surely?
I'm going to get lots of sleep and try and eat as much as possible - which is still hard as I feel nauseous.
How often should I be feeding him? Sometimes he may ask for milk 3 times at night too. He is giant at 20 lbs..

[TidyDancer]

Very wrong 'advice'. I'm not a fan of HVs. I declined to see one with DD.

[brightongirlnolongerdownunder]

Thanks Rita - i thought as much - DD was still having 8 feeds a day at this age and showed no signs of wanting to wean, so this is all very new for me..

[RitaMorgan]

Keep feeding on demand and you can't go wrong. I started cutting down on nightfeeds once my ds was established on solids, but purely for selfish reasons of wanting to get more sleep!

At 5 months milk is by far the most important thing - any food is just for exploring tastes and textures.

[brightongirlnolongerdownunder]

I just don't understand what they actually think they achieve by behaving like this. I felt even more useless after the conversation with her.

[glassescase]

Drink LOADS of fluids, and do try to rest if you can. Never mind the un-necessary tasks, close your eyes to the mess, you can catch up when you feel stronger. Focus on what you and the baby need, and feed when he needs it.

[MeconiumHappens]

Poor health visitors :( I know several bloody brilliant ones, what a harsh rap to get because of one twunt.

Lots of food, drink, rest and tons of stimulation at the boob to encourage supply. Phone le leche league or similr for some advice. Speak to a different heath visitor also, and let her know the advice you were given so she can tell her colleague to get with the program!

[RitaMorgan]

You don't need to drink excessive fluids, just drink to your thirst.

[FutureNannyOgg]

My 11 month old eats lots of solids and is on at least 7 breastfeeds in a 24 hour period. When he was 5 months he was still feeding 2 hourly in the daytime.

[marriedinwhite]

It may have been bad advice but you have done jolly well to keep the bf going to five monthsin my opinion and have given your lo a FANTASTIC and very loving start - not your fault that it went off piste at this stage - and perhaps your HV has many many mothers on her books who aren't as dedicated as you. Mine are 16 and 13 now and back then it was very very normal to start weaning between 12 and 16 weeks. Mine were big and fat and very hungry and seemed very ready at the time and don't appear to have come to any harm. By 16 weeks dd was downing a ski yoghurt . Dons flack jacket to deflect mn flaming!

I'm sorry you have not been well and have had a big hiccup. Get yourself better and if to do that it means lo is weaned a teeny bit sooner than you hoped no harm will be done. Far better lo has a well mummy with lots of energy than a few weeks total bf IMO.

[ShowOfHands]

What you eat/drink does not affect supply unless you're severely malnourished. Though it does make you feel rough not to eat/drink to your own needs.

Considering babies need only milk till 6 months and then mainly milk till 12 months, you're not feeding too much at all.

I fed to demand and dd thrived. It made sense to listen to when she was hungry/thirsty as opposed to me deciding for her. Especially when it's the middle of summer and thirst increases anyway.

[ZhenXiang]

Every child is different trust your instinct, 6 feeds a day is fine DD had more at 5 months (3 feeds in the night was the minimum) and was having baby rice, fruit and vegetable purees.

Didn't start dairy until 6 months. The more you put him on the breast the more your milk supply will be stimulated.

It can build up again, DD was feeding only once a day at 20 months when she caught a tummy bug, couldn't take food so she fed every 2 hours and my milk supply increased back up to meet her need!

If your tummy is finding food difficult rice dishes cooked with stock for the nutrients, and building up to adding a small amount of chicken and vegetables like a risotto are good. Soups with rice in also good, settling on the stomach.

Didn't bother with HV after 5 week check up and won't again when DC2 is born either. I go to GP if I have real concerns as HV knowledge is so variable and often advice is wrong.

[brightongirlnolongerdownunder]

I'm presuming I have some kind of supply as have just experienced first mini let-down for over 3 days, though it took about 10 mins for DS to bring it on.. How sad am i that I actually celebrate that kind of thing?!! Off to grab some sleep and possibly dream of drowning HV in vat of Dairylea...