EBM in bottles

[jellyjelly]

I know that every pregnancy/ baby are different but i am trying to be prepared for when the time comes.

DS would not feed off the boob but would have ebm in bottles which i didnt mind for various reasons i can not remember why i gave up and gave formula (he was a greedy greedy boy and i dont think i could have given all he wanted). I fully intend to express if i cant breastfeed but just want a bit more guidance as i like to be prepared so i dont feel so scared. I did express alot in a very short amount of time so volume was not the problem until i got mastitus and my milk dried up very quickly.

I know that if you breastfed for 2 yrs your chance of getting breast cancer goes down my a huge amount which is one of the reasons why i want to express if i cant fed from myself next time.

One thing i dont understnad about milk is if you pump from one side and then the other does the milk not get to much of the first milk and not enought of the hind milk if you have the same pump and move it from breast to breast continually. Is there and etiquette?

Please give advice and thanks

It's really a lot easier to breastfeed directly, particularly if you want to do it for the long stretch. There are things you can do to improve your chances of it going better next time:

• take a breastfeeding course for pregnant mums
• find your local breastfeeding support network and use them (not health visitors. not midwives) if you run into any problem.
• put the baby to the breast as soon as you can after birth
• don't give any bottles in the early weeks

I'm guessing you're trying to be realistic, and assuming you'll have the same problems - odds are, you won't, and if you do, there are things you can do to fix them, so you don't have the faff of pumping, sterilising, etc etc, while managing two kids.

I dont think it helped to be sectioned and then have a big grope by the midwifes who thought it was best to manhandle me rather than show me.

I took the course before and they tole me that i shouldnt cradle the baby as i see everyone do i should have the baby on the right boob and support it with the left!

I think i just kindof went along with the ride and i know that i want to do it differently even if it means pumping through the night for baby to get milk.

Jellyjelly, I have solved thar problem by double pumping!
Babies are much more efficient than pumps: A baby should be left on the breast until he/she has fished before moving on to the second breast. With pumping, you are using an artificial stimulus so its better to go from breast to breast to stimulate supply if using a single pump.

finished, not fished!

Yeah, some people find the cross-cradle hold best. It's certainly worth trying if you're having problems.

A section doesn't help. Nor does the "help" of some midwives. Did you get any help from BFCs?

But what if you cant go from breast to breast but still want to givebreastmilk? Have had a couple of glasses of wine si might not be making much sense?

No i didnt get any help nor would anyone visit me to help and i couldnt go to any groups to get assistnace. Circumstances have changed now and hopefully i willbe able to get to them next time.

NCT were fantastic support to me in breastfeeding,hope it all goes well this time.I managed to express loads but then my darling refused the bottle!

I didnt get any help and everyone left me too it thinking that i knew best and normally i would but not with the amount of sleep i got.

I think next time could be better because other half could drive me to the hospital to have latch checked etc. I also think that next time i will tell them not to grope me and to help me latch and see the signs to needing a feed which i still dont know.