Breast feeding

[Grewal]

Hi - this is my first Mumsnet post...Had my little one by C section 13 days ago - she's great. Want to breast feed and have perservered through marathon feeding sessions, sore nipples and little support from my midwives ! Is it normal for feeds to vary in length - sometimes she feeds for 15 mins sometimes for an hour and a half. Should I be trying to get her into a routine for feeding and particularly bed time as at the moment I am feeding on demand and just getting through!

[scorpio1]

hello

just feed whenever baby wants, for as long as she wants at this age.

[moondog]

Well done Grewal!!
Perfectly normal Remember it's a supply and demand situation, so the more the baby sucks, the more you will make. Clever eh??

Have a look at this wonderful blog written by a regular poster.
How breastfeeding works

[mamadiva]

Congratulations on your new baby girl and welcome to mumsnet.

Sorry to hear about the lack of support from your midwives sadly it's a common problem.

Think for the first few months it is just persevering whenever she wants to feed just go with it and eventually she will settle into a routine of her own but it might atke a while.

Keep going and if you ever need support mumsnet is here for you.

[CharCharGabor]

Just feed feed feed whenever she asks for it. The best way to get your supply going is to just go with the flow. Don't even think about a routine for ages yet. DD wasn't in a routine until about 8 months and it was her own choice to get into it. You are doing brilliantly, it is hard without good support.

[artichokes]

For the first few weeks it is very normal for the baby to vary the length of feeding, and to feed constantly one day and less the next. Your body is learning how much milk to make for the baby and the baby tells it by sucking as often as it needs.

Soon you will settle into more of a rhythm but for now just relax, feed on demand and enjoy snuggling up with your little one.

[Grewal]

Wow I am so touched by all of your comments - thank you so much for all of your words of support - it is very easy to feel on your own when you come home with the baby - the midwives were just 'get on with it' and totally unsupportive. Thanks again - it's so reassuring to hear people have been through the same thing. xx

[CharCharGabor]

No problems Grewal, keep posting if you need support MN has helped many women continue to bf through struggles and there are a lot of experienced people on here.

[BouncingTurtleSkulls]

Go park yourself on the sofa with the TV remote, some books & mags and a very large bar of chocolate. Feed your dd as much as she want it, and let others take care of your - you need to care of yourself and your baby

Congrats btw!

[madmouse]

Hey Grewal you are doing fab especially after a caesarian.

If you feel like it find out if there is a baby cafe or breastfeeding cafe nearby where you can meet other bf mums and get some well trained support. you come in, get offered a hot drink, settle in a comfy chair, get boob out to feed and someone will come to chat to you about how the feeding is going.

really helped me. see here or ask at your gp surgery/hv

[Grewal]

Thanks again for all of your advice - we had an unusual situation yesterday. Our little one slept from six till ten when I got worried and woke her to feed her - wrong thing to do? Should I have let her sleep until she was ready? Then she had a very fitful night waking every hour and forty minutes for a twenty minute feed but then at 4.45 she stayed on my breast until six - at which point my nipples were in agony Feel like I'm back to square one with the breastfeeding in as much as I want to do it but it hurts so much - I'm pretty sure she is latched on correctly as I know she is emptying my breasts but should it still hurt. These are all questions my midwives weren't interested in answering!

[TettyLouBar]

First of all - Congrats!!

Lansinoh nipple cream - Slather it on between every feed!
My DD used to feed for an hour and a half at first and this went of for weeks before it started to gradually reduce and now (at 17wks) she's got it down to 10 mins on each boob!
Spend loads of time in front of the telly watching reruns and get loads drinks and nice foods and the phone nearby, and enjoy this lovely bonding time!

I dont think I would wake her for feeds (she'll wake when she's ready) but I may be wrong, someone very knowledgeable will be along and tell you the official advice [wink

[TettyLouBar]

!!

[Grewal]

Just wanted to thank everyone again for their kind comments and advice - but after another long day and excruiciating pain - I have decided to offer my baby a bottle. Whilst I know this is not the ideal choice I wondered if anyone has been there and knows the best way to proceed because I know I can't simply stop the feeds instantly - is there a way forward? Thanks in advance.

[scorpio1]

Are there any signs of oral thrush?

[scorpio1]

Also for you, you obv really want to BF. Some people have managed mix feeding.

[Grewal]

What are the signs of oral thrush - could that be causing my pain - it's excruiciating! This afternoon I had tears rolling involuntarily down my face as she was feeding

[scorpio1]

It hurts alot

pink, shiny nipples. Pain in the breast, pain with latch. A white thick 'coating' on babys tongue? Little white spots in their mouth that don't shift easily with your finger?

[Grewal]

I do have painful nipples, constant pain in my breast and it hurts when she goes on, but I don't think she's got the white tongue or spots.

[scorpio1]

breastfeeding network

There is a downloadable thing on there explaining a bit more...

[Grewal]

Thanks for the link

[scorpio1]

Hope you get some answers about bottle; sorry i don't know much about that

[phdlife]

it could also be a bad latch - my ds suddenly started doing this at 18m and I was in constant agony - involuntary shouting when he latched, it wasn't good

see if you can find your local La Lache League counsellor who can have a look, see if there are either signs of thrush, a bad latch, or any other problems.

There is face-to-face help out there, if you need it, you just have to persist a little in finding it.

and welcome to MN

[Aitch]

sounds really sore, grewal, how brave of you to continue with tears sploshing. forget about the bottle, it's done now. i had dd2 by cs six weeks ago, she's had some bottles of ebm, it's not ideal cos it can bugger up supply in the first weeks but it doesn't sound like you had a choice, you poor woman.

have you had a wee look at these clips? they're worth a peek, they helped give me a good idea of what a good latch might look and sound like. good luck, shout out if you need help, i've had loads from the women here.

[SharpMolarBear]

Can you call a breast feeding counsellor? Numbers are on moondog's link at the top on the right.
If you choose to give your baby a bottle as well or instead of bf (I couldn't tell from your post) then fine but please get some help if you want to continue breastfeeding.

[Aitch]

bear in mind that the lines may be busy so you might have to leave a message... so don't bother getting all psyched up.