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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

1 2

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Baby Whisperer - a question about breastfeeding

31 replies

HandMini · 22/07/2011 15:01

I have read the Secrets of the Baby Whisperer and generally thought it made a lot of sense, but one thing that I don't think is explained is the advice to feed from only one breast at each feed. Lots of other advice I have heard/read is to offer both breasts at each feed. Does anyone know why the Baby Whisperer advises differently - I can't find any reasoning in the book. Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

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IceCreamCastles · 22/07/2011 15:04

Because the baby whisperer knows nothing about breastfeeding.
Ignore her advice on it completely-it's dangerous quite frankly.

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FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 22/07/2011 15:06

Agreed. The baby whisperer has some good points, but the stuff on breastfeeding is dreadful. This is excellent for advice www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Love-Formula-Successful-Breastfeeding/dp/0954930959/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1311343555&sr=8-2&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

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NewYorkBellini · 22/07/2011 15:06

Oooh, i didn't know you were supposed to offer both breasts Haven't read the BW. dd just seems really milk drunk after one boob so don't offer her any more. she putting weight on ok.

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NewYorkBellini · 22/07/2011 15:07

it's dangerous to only offer one boob? really?

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FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 22/07/2011 15:08

It's definitely a good idea to offer both, to make sure your baby is full, and to keep up supply. If they don't want it, then that's fine too. As I understand it.

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SleepySuzy · 22/07/2011 15:09

I don't know about baby whisperer but it's not dangerous to only offer one boob. How can it be?

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TimeWasting · 22/07/2011 15:10

No, the Baby Whisperers advice is dangerous. I couldn't trust anything she said on any subject when I'd seen her breastfeeding advice.

Some babies are fine with just one side NewYork, but my DS for instance would have starved.

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FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 22/07/2011 15:10

I think the poster above meant that the advice in the baby whisperer in dangerous in general, rather than feeding from one boob being dangerous!

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SleepySuzy · 22/07/2011 15:13

Ah. I often feed from one boob now but it's just the way DD feeds. I used to feed from one, then if she emptied it, swap to the other at the same feed until she was full.

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PIMSoclock · 22/07/2011 15:13

Genuinely interested...
What parts of her advice are dangerous
I know that she died, so is it outdated stuff or actually proper danger to babies??

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NewYorkBellini · 22/07/2011 15:13

see, when dd was newborn she was very refluxy and so one boob was usually ok but if she took any more she'd puke it all up.

blimey, she's 6 months now and i'm desperate to stop which is probably no bad thing if i'm doing it wrong

she's just fed off one boob and fallen asleep. i'll offer her the other and see if she wants it.

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NewYorkBellini · 22/07/2011 15:15

she really doesn't seem bothered so i assume she's full?

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ohanotherone · 22/07/2011 15:16

The baby whisperer has poor breastfeeding advice. The copy that I had said that you may as well bottle feed if you are thinking about going back to work which is ridiculous. Kellymom has good advice about breastfeeding.

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PIMSoclock · 22/07/2011 15:18

NYB both my dc only ever fed from one side at a time. They are both fine. If it's working for you, PLEASE don't be upset. It's fine and you are certainly NOT a bad mother x

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PIMSoclock · 22/07/2011 15:19

Sorry, I was looking for the advice deemed 'dangerous'

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IceCreamCastles · 22/07/2011 15:19

Sorry, bit rushed there- of course it's fine to just offer one boob once you're established and that's what your baby is happy with but the baby whisperer's advice is to just offer one side 3 hourly from day 3.

This really isn't enough for the vast majority of newborns and sets new mothers up to fail as they think they're doing it wrong when their baby wants to feed more often. Also no good for supply

Fat far better to feed young babies entirely on demand

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IceCreamCastles · 22/07/2011 15:22

Nyb- truly sorry if I've upset you- please don't change what's working for you!

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PIMSoclock · 22/07/2011 15:24

ICC thanks for that. I hope had she been alive today still that she would have amended that.
She was a lovely lady who would be horrified at the thought of causing distress or harm to any child

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MoonFaceMamaaaaargh · 22/07/2011 15:38

My heart sank when i saw this thread title. I'm glad others have got here to point out that her bf advice is terrible.

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NewYorkBellini · 22/07/2011 15:51

no problem IcecreamCastles just thought i'd being doing it completely wrong for the last 6 months. she's just stopped sleeping through so maybe i'll just keep offering both boobs in case it's hunger. she's just playing with proper food at the mo, not really eating it!

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cockle84 · 22/07/2011 15:57

It was explained to me to feed from one side and empty to ensure they get the good stuff then swap to the other side to give them a little drink (like adults would often have water after a meal). Then ensure you start from the side you finished on. Was doing this but more recently my little one is less interested in swapping and just snacks.

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homeaway · 22/07/2011 15:58

If you offer the same breast as she last fed on first to make sure that she gets all the hind milk and then move her to the other side. The first milk that the breast produces is the thirst quenching milk and then comes the hind milk which is the really rich stuff. She might not be getting enough of the hind milk or she could just be upping your production :)

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RitaMorgan · 22/07/2011 16:00

There's nothing wrong with a baby feeding off one side per feed, it's just not a good idea to limit a baby to one side. Feed from the first side, when baby comes off offer the other - if they don't want/need it then fine.

Deliberately limiting a baby to one side can be a tactic for reducing supply though.

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RitaMorgan · 22/07/2011 16:02

The important thing, as always, is just to follow what your baby wants :)

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TimeWasting · 22/07/2011 17:05

homeaway, I don't think that's exactly how the foremilk/hindmilk works.

An 'emptier' breast has fattier milk in it. So when baby hasn't fed for a couple hours the first milk that comes out has less fat in it. As the feed progresses the proportion on fat in the milk increases.

When the next feed starts, both breasts will have filled up more, so it won't be the fatty 'hindmilk' anyway.

cockles summarises it well.

Switch-feeding is a good technique to know about for increasing supply, you don't wait for the breast to feel totally 'empty' before changing sides, just change when baby seems to lose interest. And then switch back again, and then again etc. It was doing this that got me and DS feeding well and if we'd believed rotten advice about feeding from one side only then we'd have failed.