Tips for breastfeeding AND rate our names!

[herringboner]

Hello mumsnetters.
Impending DC2, sex unknown. This will be our last. Both IVF children and very grateful for them.

DD I couldn't breastfeed. I wanted to but I wasn't long out of cancer and was on a lot of medication which wasn't safe to breastfeed. When I say wasn't safe, there's no evidence either way. So she was bottlefed from the off. I had a LOT of milk and it made me so sad to waste / make it all dry up. I don't know if it will be the same with DC2 I know every baby and pregnancy is different in regards to supply. But know im off most of the medications I would really like to try and breastfeed. Or at least combi feed. Expressing doesnt interest me so if we did combi feed it'll be with formula. But as I knew I had to bottlefeed last time i know absolutely NOTHING about breastfeeding so hit me up with your best tips!

Secondly, our shortlist. Last name Carter.
Boys:
Fletcher James
Morgan James

Girls:
Bonnie Alice
Noa Grace
Eden Grace

Thank you!

Anyone about?

James Carter was a president and so that's what springs to mind with James being a middle name. Also think your boys names sound like surnames.

I love Morgan James, lovely name. Of your girls choices I think I’d choose Eden Grace (though personally I like Alice Grace the best of all your options).

My best tip for breastfeeding is to find a good support group or lactation consultant before you need them as it’s so good to know where you’d go with questions. I joined a le leche league group who were really helpful with advice especially on positioning the baby right.

Few more small ones:

When you are ready to feed the baby put your nipple near their nose and hopefully they’ll open their mouth wide - this is when to help them latch to get them on comfortably.

Lansinoh cream is amazing if you get sore nipples at any point.

Get a travel mug or huge water bottle so you can have a drink with you all the time when trapped under baby feeding, and maybe some snacks. And a good book or boxset too.

Fletcher Carter
Noa Grace Carter

Love both of them.

My tip for breastfeeding is not too overthink it! Plenty of animals manage it withoutb social pillows, youtube, lactation consultants etc. They have their place if you run into difficulty, but first pass, just put baby on nipple and hopefully it'll work fine.

I bf for over 2 years without reading a book, watching a video or having any form of 'support'. I didn't even want to bf, but baby just helped herself and never really let go. I clearly got lucky - many don't, but it's not a science. Often the baby will just latch on by instinct, though some are clueless!

Oh, do learn how to break latch though (little finger in corner of their mouth) in case you need to. 😃

Best of luck with baby.

Not Fletcher! It makes me think of the Porridge sitcom.

Thanks for the above. Very useful information.

I also like Fraser for a boy but DH vetoes.
PP mentioned they sound like Surnames. I agree. But those are the names I like or gravitate towards too.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

TIA!

Fletcher Carter are you serious??

My top tip for sore nipples is, when you've finished feeding, to rub a bit of breastmilk on them and let them air dry. Works like a charm!

Breastfeeding tip.
Join a local support group. Breastfeeding might be natural but it often does not come naturally. Getting the initial latch (baby's mouth correctly on breast) position correct is important and needs experienced help. It reduces nipple cracks.
Be patient. Nurture yourself.
Set up a play area including a snack and water for the older child so she will be happy while you feed.

Of your names I prefer:

Grace Eden Carter
Bonnie Alice Carter
Morgan James Carter

Fletcher is nice but the ending sounds difficult with Carter.
Do you like ..
Frederick
Lloyd
Flynn
Edwina
Chelsy
Camilla

1. Join a breastfeeding support group as soon as possible (many welcome pregnant women)
2. Follow infant feeding experts like Olivia Hinge and Kathryn Stagg (latter has a what to expect day by day then week to week etc on Instagram)
3. Be prepared it is normal to doubt your supply and KEEP GOING ANYWAY (unless your baby drops two centiles and you're recommended to go onto a supplementary nursing system)
4. Learn about how a contented baby in between feeds, wet and dirty nappies and growing into the next size of clothes tells you your baby is getting "enough".
5. Always have a snack and drink caddy to hand because you can get caught on the hop with cluster feeding in the early weeks and need to stay fueled up.

Best of luck. I love it (and am an extended feeder of two at the moment). There are challenging times but it's the most wonderful gift to your baby in terms of the invisible health benefits.

I'd go with Morgan James or Eden Grace.

Nipple shields can save you (and your nipples!). I used them for the whole year as dc could never latch. Don't feel bad whatever happens it's hard enough without guilting yourself over things. Your best effort is good enough. Go with your gut instincts.

Grace is SUCH an overused middle name... The first names are lovely, but I personally would want a bit more of a unique middle name :)

(I know about 8 girls + women with the middle name of Grace, including my sister).

Pay to have their oral function assessed very, very early on (and have it dealt with straight away before LO gets into a habit of how they compensate with their latch).

Be very vigilant with dirty nappies assessing for excessively runny/watery and/or mucous and cut out dairy (and soya) if you suspect either of these things to be happening.

These are your two reasons for reflux, and if you don't have to deal with it then you take a massive weight off both of your shoulders.

Congratulations! I love Bonnie, that was v high on our girl list. We ended up with a DS who we called Fred.

In the early days, do lots of skin to skin and find somewhere comfy where you can nest in front of the telly and try different BFing positions. My DS would only latch effectively with the rugby ball position until he was about 4 weeks old. Also just feed on demand, every time they cue - this will establish your supply.

You say you're not thinking of expressing, that's totally fine however I used a manual pump periodically during the first week and it sort of pulled my nipple out a bit which improved his latch. Something to think about if you're struggling a few days in,.you can order cheaply on Amazon.

Get them to check and double check for tongue tie as soon as possible - I had DS checked the day after my section and refused to be discharged until they'd had a proper look.

Join a BFing group! Great socially if not anything else.

Follow feeding consultants on Instagram.

Finally, completely agree with a PP that recommended learning what a well fed BF baby looks like! It can be worrying not knowing exactly how much they've had but you can work out that they've had enough in other ways.

Find a decent lactation consultant led drop in in your area and visit now. As well as getting some tips at the time, it will help immensely if you know what the format is, where to park, what to expect before you're in newborn fog.

If you can stretch to it, get a private lactation consultant appointment in the first week after baby is born.

Keep going to the group. In fact, even if no pain and baby gains weight nicely, please just go and get specialist eyes on your latch especially if you have an abundant supply. As a long time BF peer supporter, I have seen many mums who have great supply come to us around the 3-4 month mark because baby feeds like a newborn - essentially they don't latch properly but get loads of milk without trying, but by the time they're upwards of 3 months it's not quite enough anymore and at that point it's hard to correct.

Good luck!

Well fuck me you woke up and chose rudeness for the day!

Thank you everyone so much for all the advice, I'm really eager to do it this time so will stock up on the nipple cream and some shields. I'm lucky in my down we have a few breastfeeding drop in groups and a IBCLC from what I can see.

Would you advice taking some ready made formula to the hospital too or shall I leave that out?

Thank you for this. I know Rose & Grace are a bit of a filler name. We chose Rose for a Penny as we loved Penelope Rose and it went well with our last name (and it's a family name) but I'm happy to play around with the middle names this time.

I quite like Maria for a middle name.

Bonnie Maria
Eden Maria

I'm not sure Noa Maria goes well but Marie sounds quite nice. I don't like Marie as much though. Any ideas welcome!

Breastfeeding tip - the more they feed the more milk you produce, if you combi feed it will affect your supply.

I think camilla is a really pretty name. I like nn Millie / Mila too. I'll see what DH thinks.

Thanks for the advice too!

Sounds like u have used surnames for the boys names, so everyone will be think are they yr or hubby’s previous conquests.
Bonnie is a dogs name.
Noa - have u made it up?
Eden ok but a bit boring.

Morgan and Bonnie preference here

Congrats on the babies and the beating breast cancer!

BF tips -

• understand that you're aiming for the baby's soft palate - if latch isn't deep enough then the nipple gets crushed on hard palate and that's what really hurts
• know what a good latch looks like
• tickle their nose with the nipple then wham it in when they have their mouth fully open for a deep latch
• babies pick up on stress and body posture - try to relax
• get yourself a bottle with inbuilt straw, and a little bag to carry around book, muslin, phone, remote control, snacks etc as when you sit down to feed it can be a looong time
• find out details of local lactation consultant if you need it
• find out details of local breastfeeding support groups/drop in sessions
• use kellymom as a resource for dealing with any problems - it's really in-depth and written by people with expertise. So much BF advice out there is contradictory or unclear which can be maddening when you're in the thick of things - just use kellymom site
• remember that BF training is really, really hit-and-miss in the UK - I was very distressed by midwives, nurses, doctors, HVs etc all having different takes on it and telling me I was doing it wrong in different ways - in hindsight they were doing their best with minimal training

Most importantly - you've already done amazing things with your body, don't beat yourself up if BF isn't for you, for whatever reason. It's good for you and the baby but there's a limit to what it's worth going through to get that benefit. The research into BF is not well funded and we've barely scratched the surface in understanding underlying mechanisms.

Good luck!

Penelope Rose is a DREAMY name! So pretty :)

Eden Elise Carter
Eden Imogen Carter
Eden Iris (or Lily) Carter

(It could be pretty to have a flower theme for your girls' middle names).

I like Noa Everly Carter.
Also Noa Olivia Carter.

For a boy, Nathaniel James Carter is a lovely name.

(but I actually also will go against the grain and say I don't mind Fletcher with your last name).

Good luck, such an exciting time 😻