questions for you BF experts

[margherita76]

Sorry to scatter post but I might as well get all my questions out ( even if they have been posted a million times before )

I haven't had any particular problems with BF and it's going OK but I still don't know if I should change boobs. If anything I have too much milk so I tend to stick to one so that we can get through the fast milk bit, which I think makes her windy and unsettled.

Does coffee affect the milk? I only have one (strong) one in the morning but should I wait so that it doesn't affect the milk? I'm sure she was fussing more this morn as it was timed that I had a coffee then fed her. Or am I being paranoid?!

Can I start expressing so that DP can do a 3 am feed? How do we do this without a microwave (does milk have to be warm) and will it mess up the BF that is going fairly well? DD is one month.

lastly (phew!) I have a bug / virus (sore throat, bit achey) and am worried that the baby will catch it and wondered if this is inevitable.

thanks to anyone who has any advice / managed to get through the entire post!

Hi, I'm not an expert but I am knowledgeable in this department though I may say so myself

You could be making more milk in one breast because you are feeding more from that particular breast. It works on a supply and demand basis but sometimes one breast tends to just make more than the other anyway. Not a problem so long as you alternate at each feed. If you don't use the other breast then your milk will dry up in that one and you could look temporarily lop-sided. It can take several months for your supply to settle down.

I really wouldn't worry about the coffee, what you eat affects very little breastfed babies. One coffee won't make any difference. Fussiness could be down to anything.

Expressing depends on how old your DD is, introduce it too early and she could become nipple confused, too late and she might not take from a bottle at all. I'd say wait at least 4 weeks and see how you get on. You should never heat BM up in a micrwave as it destroys the live components + the risk of scalding. Just warm frozen BM up in a jug of hot water. Babies don't mind fluids that are room tempreture. It will only take a few mins to defrost this way.

If you are unwell than keep feeding your DD as you will pass the immunity onto her. If she does catch it then your BM will help her to fight it. Great isn't it!

Hello- not an expert but will attempt to answer your questions!

Congrats on your baby! I didn't change breasts when feeding ds for ages- just fed one side at one feed and the other side the next feed. It's really up to you to be honest. Continue what you're doing if you're happy with it, or you can feed on one side until she slows, then offer the other side, and next feed offer the second side first IYSWIM.

I personally wouldn't have survived this long without caffeine, and one cup a day really isn't anything to worry about in my opinion.

As your dd is only a month I really wouldn't express for a night feed at this stage, sorry. Your prolactin levels are higher at night and so night feeds are really important in terms of milk production. Have you tried feeding her lying down so you can doze as well?

And virus- if she gets it, she gets it unfortunately. It's horrible the first time they get ill but she'll be ok!

I had a really bad headcold a couple of weeks ago, I could barely function for 24 hours. I continued with breastfeeding and DS didn't catch it!
I also drink coffee (2 cups a day) and it doesn't seem to effect him.
I try to swap breasts at each feed but regularly forget whether it should be left this time or right. I do not offer both during one feed, he doesn't seem to need or want more.
Pebble

OK thank you for your prompt replies - which are v reassuring. I'll wait a couple of weeks before expressing - I think 6 weeks is the recommendation. I'm going to stay with family and I think they are all dying to have a go feeding but I also think expressing now may cause more problems that benefits.

I do feed her lying down at night but I feel a bit confused when I wake up and find sleeping (grunting) baby - ie has she actually fed? did I dream that?! I guess I am getting used to broken sleep. Interesting about the prolactin levels as well.

I also forget which boob, a friend recommended a safety pin to remind but I imagine I would just forget to move that as well!

Thank you again

Don't worry too much about making extra work for yourself expressing for others to have a go, it will not be long till they can have a go with the solid food which will be easier! See if you can get them to volunteer for nappies instead...or at least cuddling your DD while you get a break :) My DS spent most visits sleeping on any old person's knee it seemed.

We did about 1 expressed bottle a week for my DS from 4 weeks, I knew I'd need him to drink ebm when I went back to work. I really had to express when DH was giving him the bottle though so it doesn't save much hassle! I did evening feeds normally I think, agree that the night feeds are important - especially early on.

I somehow worked out which boob was last by which way round I had put him down in his crib - I was hopeless as well...

Congratulations on your baby and all the best.

I would also add that my DS will take milk straight from the fridge. So see if yours will go for that (no harm trying) and save yourself another task.

thank you jaggy. tis true what you say about extra work and expressing and fannyb, when the time comes I'll see if the straight from the fridge thing works. DD is already used to showers and water on her face ( she doesn't know any different and I was determined she wouldn't flinch at water ) do I sound odd now?!

I don't think that's odd! I've always made a point of dribbling water on ds's face when he has a bath for exactly that reason! He loves it! I also act like all the stuff babies are not "supposed" to like (face wiping, nappy changing etc) is fun cause they really pick up on your mood imo.

agree with above advice (am still bf-ing 14 month old)

the illness issue is one major reason I am still going and will go through this winter. Adults make antibodies against things like the common cold, babies can't. Therefore as we're around the same environments we will catch the same bugs and I'll make the antibodies and we'll get better together.

And my god the snuggling is lovely.

I know exactly what you mean about not knowing whether you've fed or not when you've drifted off! but your baby will make sure you're informed, don't worry!