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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my health visitor is full of it?

45 replies

whatsthecraic91 · 15/06/2022 13:14

Posting here for traffic

I had the health visitor out today to weigh my 4 week old. I am EBF her and mentioned that I might introduce the odd bottle soon. Just so I know DD will be ok if I go out and leave her with my DH etc. I have been using collection shells on the opposite side every time I feed so I have quite the freezer stash, 100oz+ - HV said this milk can't be used for feeding as it is only fore milk & wont sustain her? Is this right? I've never heard of this before!

OP posts:
Sidge · 15/06/2022 13:16

You'd be better off pumping/expressing to collect the hind milk too wouldn't you?

Rather than just catching the leaking foremilk.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 15/06/2022 13:17

Foremilk & hindmilk was debunked years ago. And you’re not supposed to pump before six weeks anyway; later if you can, so you don’t create an oversupply.

But Health Visitors have no breastfeeding training so they’re not the best to advise really. Good luck with the bottles!

Thisismynamenow · 15/06/2022 13:17

That's a load of crap. Does any another food lose all nutritional value when frozen? Your HV is talking nonsense.

Original poster
whatsthecraic91 · 15/06/2022 13:21

TakeYourFinalPosition · 15/06/2022 13:17

Foremilk & hindmilk was debunked years ago. And you’re not supposed to pump before six weeks anyway; later if you can, so you don’t create an oversupply.

But Health Visitors have no breastfeeding training so they’re not the best to advise really. Good luck with the bottles!

So the milk I have will be ok to feed her with? She pretty much said it's not calorific enough.

OP posts:
sereniting · 15/06/2022 13:23

This is a thing. If it's just from breast shells there is a chance it won't be as fatty and calorific as milk from further into a feed/from actual pumping.

It's not recommended to feed only on that milk.

I work in maternity.

sereniting · 15/06/2022 13:24

@TakeYourFinalPosition health visitors are trained in breastfeeding

SomethingOnce · 15/06/2022 13:25

From my experience of pumping, seeing the progressive change in the milk as the breast empties, I’d tend to agree. DD1 had tongue tie and wasn’t sustained by the foremilk - pumping and bottle feeding hindmilk made a real difference.

Original poster
whatsthecraic91 · 15/06/2022 13:25

sereniting · 15/06/2022 13:23

This is a thing. If it's just from breast shells there is a chance it won't be as fatty and calorific as milk from further into a feed/from actual pumping.

It's not recommended to feed only on that milk.

I work in maternity.

Aww that's such a shame!! I have so much of it in the freezer 😢

OP posts:
Original poster
whatsthecraic91 · 15/06/2022 13:26

Thank you I'm so glad I asked her now & on here too or I would have had no idea!

OP posts:
Hugasauras · 15/06/2022 13:27

It's fine to use it for the odd bottle like you plan to do. Please don't get rid of it! That would be such a waste.

ElspethBoomingHowsen · 15/06/2022 13:27

she is correct that the fire milk won’t be calorific enough for a full feed. You would need to pump

eurochick · 15/06/2022 13:27

For the occasional bottle I would use it. I perhaps wouldn't for a whole weekend or something.

Be aware that some babies won't take milk that has been frozen. It tastes bitter to some. As I learned to my cost and had to dump litres of the stuff.

choosername1234 · 15/06/2022 13:28

While it is probably true that the milk in your stash isn't the most calorific milk, it's certainly not going to do her any harm as a feed occasionally if you're going out. It wouldn't be great as a main source of milk but as an emergency stash of milk you know she will take, not a problem. She might just want another feed sooner than usual

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 15/06/2022 13:29

whatsthecraic91 · 15/06/2022 13:25

Aww that's such a shame!! I have so much of it in the freezer 😢

Show quote history

But OP isn't saying she wants to feed "only" that milk, she wants to give the baby "some" of that milk alongside the breast milk. Totally different scenario.
Have you seen this from Kellymom OP? kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/reusing-expressedmilk/

MissDollyMix · 15/06/2022 13:29

When my eldest was born I couldn’t breastfeed him so I feed him with exclusively expressed milk for the first 12 weeks of his life - as advised by medical staff. He did really well on it. No one ever mentioned he was only getting foremilk… anyway, he’s nearly 12 now and doing fine so it clearly didn’t do him any harm!

tealandteal · 15/06/2022 13:29

Don’t get rid of it! Are you planning to pump later on? You could defrost what you have now and add it to the pumped milk.

SomethingOnce · 15/06/2022 13:30

Foremilk & hindmilk was debunked years ago.

Source?

If you pump and pour into small pots you can see with your own eyes the change.

That's a load of crap. Does any another food lose all nutritional value when frozen? Your HV is talking nonsense.

The issue here is not about freezing.

DistrictCommissioner · 15/06/2022 13:32

MissDollyMix · 15/06/2022 13:29

When my eldest was born I couldn’t breastfeed him so I feed him with exclusively expressed milk for the first 12 weeks of his life - as advised by medical staff. He did really well on it. No one ever mentioned he was only getting foremilk… anyway, he’s nearly 12 now and doing fine so it clearly didn’t do him any harm!

OP hasn’t been expressing though.

Sprogonthetyne · 15/06/2022 13:34

It won't be as high in calories as the milk she gets later on in a feed or that you could pump, but it would be fine for an odd feed, especially in the summer when she may be feeding for hydration not just calories.

If it's one bottle over a day of you otherwise feeding, then I wouldn't worry. It might not be ideal if it was the only milk she had for a few days, so if you plan to go away for a weekend you might need to do some longer pumping sessions or supplement with formula, but for an afternoon off or for a night feed when she's probably already full but wants the comfort, it will be absolutely fine.

Amber17 · 15/06/2022 13:46

Does this apply to milk collected in something like a Haakaa, or is that considered a pump cos of the suction?

endofthelinefinally · 15/06/2022 13:51

Pumping is totally different from catching the drips at the beginning of a feed.
Many HVs are also midwives.

Somersetlady · 15/06/2022 13:54

You do what suits you and is best for your child.

provided you have wet nappies and your baby is maintaining weight then just enjoy the bond you are developing.

PinkPlantCase · 15/06/2022 13:57

OP it’ll be completely fine for getting baby used to a bottle. I assume the aim isn’t to replace full feeds anyway?

Charl881 · 15/06/2022 13:57

If it’s just the odd bottle I wouldn’t worry!

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