5 things I wish I'd known before I started breastfeeding

[twinklegreen]

just reflecting really.

What things do you wish you'd known before you had your baby?

Mine are;

1. the tingling sensation when you get a let down, as it describes in the books, can actually be quite toe-curling, and is completely normal.

2. It can take up to 7 days for your milk to come in.

3. the REAL experts in breastfeeding hold IBCLC or Breastfeeding counsellor training. Midwives and HV's often have very little training (Even sometimes if they are an infant feeding co-ordinator) and often give out incorrect or out of date information and advice. :(

4. You should try to feed your baby as soon as possible after birth, not wait until someone gives you permission. :)

5. The smell of EBF baby's poo is actually quite addictive

Anyone else?

Hi,I am new to this so here goes! I BF both my DS's until they weaned themselves( about 2 years old) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had no problems but realised that I was one of the lucky ones who's babies " got it" straight away. I am TTC number 3 but will have to return to work this time so I will have the challenge of expressing and bottles to contend with!

Dorcas B I am right with you re posterior tongue tie!

wants3 just don't do what I did. I let my manager make me feel bad about needing to express and ended up with mystitis (sp?) and spending my lunch hour in the shopping centre wc

Dorcas B how old will your little one be when you return to work?

Do you know you don't necessarily need to express at all when you return to work? I went back to work (away from home 8:30am - 6:30pm 3 days a week) when DS was 14m, and I fed him in the morning, as soon as I got home and in the evenings. It didn't affect my supply at all.

I don't know if this is the same for everyone, but I was surprised that I didn't have to express as I used to think you had to.

Luckily I am the boss so I can express if I need to! Sorry yours wasn't understanding surpriseEs.

She never told me I couldn't do it my she never tried to accommodate my needs and made me feel bad. Maybe I should try going into management LOL. My supply wasn't affected, on the contrary, I had too much milk

I think it is a legal requirement to provide a room and equipment (fridge) to accomidate Bfeeding mothers. H& S ergs possibly.

I run a Preschool so a bit different from working in an office. My prob would be finding time to sit down to express. I used to only have to look at my sleeping baby to end up with a wet patch on my top! I once got my boob out to feed at a friends house and a stream of milk shot across the room!:0

This thread is fantastic, it should be printed out and given to new mums, it's far more help than most midwives and health visitors!!

Im sure I am repeating points that have already been said but...

• Thta having fed one DS til 8 months, you know that after the relentless feeding marathons, sore nipples, sore boobs, moments of pure despair of feeding a newborn, you will realise how easy it becomes.
• That you will not understand people who tell you it is so hard to leave the house with a baby because you need so much stuff, because with a couple of nappies and some wipes you are free to leave the house with your boobs!
• That after knowing these two points (and countless other things), when told you are expecting twins you will have the confidence to feed them, yet every person you speak to including mw/hv/gp will doubt you ability to do so and will at every given opportunity tell you to give them formula even though they are gaining weight well and are thriving.
• That when the scales tell you that in one week your twins have grown 21oz collectively, your chest will puff out with a pride you never thought you could possibly feel, yet the hv STILL suggests formula!
• That I can sit with the laptop between my legs with my 6 week old DTs feeding and mn'ing hands free!

I have kept coming back to this thread, but have not read every single post so sorry if repeating. Here's my 5...

1. BF does not make your baby totally imune to every sniffle. I was devastated when my 4wk old caught a cold as I had thought this was nigh on impossible due to bf, stupid woman that I am.

1. At some point your boobs may stop getting heavy between feeds and stop leaking, just like that overnight. But it doesn't mean your milk supply has failed, and in fact makes no difference to bf at all. Curious...

1. That some bf babies take a bottle and some never do. But all will take a cup from some point not too long after 6 months, so it doesn't really matter and it's not worth worrying about.

1. The little microwave steriliser that came free with my electric breast pump was totally sufficient for my needs e.g. the odd bottle or syringe and I didn't need the massive steam thing that just took up space on my work top and is now in the loft.

1. That bf would be come so dear to me that I would cry when reading threads such as this on MN

That's it!

• a lactation consultant is worth every penny and I should have got one as soon as I started to have problems. (I did know about them but not fully understood how good she would be)

• a core biopsy of the breast would be the most painful experience of my life. Absolutely awful.

• I wish I had known that the biopsy hole would leak breast milk for 5 weeks and need to be dressed several times a day.

• I wish I had known that friends and family who have never breast fed would say things that would upset me.

• even though I was told about bleeding nipples/ how much I would be on the sofa feeding, I didn't equate bleeding with pain, nor staying on the sofa being frustrating when you are there for a long time.

But it is much better now!!!!

Maybe it'll be the next mn guide!

That I would feel sooo sad when I finsished feeding my youngest.

And that I would still be leaking, when I heard someone else's baby cry, 6 months after my youngest finsihed feeding. I never leaked before that.

One more:

That I would meet such helpful and knowledgeable people on the internet, and that they would give me the support and info I needed to get any BF issues sorted

Been watching this thread with interest - had my DD 6 days ago now and as a first time mum was very keen to BF. Had a tricky start and both nipples got sore and were bleeding a little from the tip - started like blood blisters. Have also got a large lump under my armpit where I had breast tissue that hadn't "dropped" which hurts and is hard...Dr has given me antibiotics but MW is trying to get me referred to a breast specialist. Anyone else had this?

Oh and discovered Medela nipple shields today from Boots - they have nearly totally stopped the huge pain I was getting for feeds and I can highly recommend them :)

Orbinator it sounds like you have gotten damaged nipples and mastitis. The damage isn't normal and should be able to be rectified with a change in positioning and attachment. The nipples shields can be a good temporary measure to help your nipples heal but unless the latch is improved you will probably struggle to maintain your milk supply as your DD will not be accessing the milk effectively.

I would urge you to see a properly trained bf specialist to get help, unfortunately HCPs are woefully inadequately trained in helping mums with problems.

Lists of local support groups here and here and certified lactation consultants here. Your local NCT branch should be able to point you towards an NCT qualified breastfeeding counsellor.

Be careful of self styled 'experts' and make sure that you speak to someone with a diploma from the nationally recognised organisations NCT /ABM/La Leche League/Breastfeeding Network or you see a IBCLC qualified lactation consultant

Orbinator- I had the lumpy under armpit tissue. I got rid of it by soaking in the bath then expressing while kneading it. Once you get the milk out of there it doesn't seem to collect again.

HCP couldn't really help me, I think it's quite rare!

Brilliant thread!

For the first few weeks stay in bed until lunchtime, then have an early night. Feeding lying down is the best! And you can watch the telly in comfort.

Your nipple may well feel as though it has an electrode attached when they first latch on but this should pass.

Get OH to make you up a packed lunch and leave it in the fridge. Just tell him not to wrap anything in copious amounts of clingfilm which can be a pain to unwrap with one free hand.

Mumsnet usually has the answer, although with so many opinions, theories and experiences it may take a while to find the one right for you.

Don't stress, the human race managed quite well thank you before the likes of Gina Flaming Ford!

Poster that sounds encouraging! Anyone know if i'm ok to have a bath with c-section scar? Been a week....

orbinator i dont remember not being told 2 have a bath with scar, tho it was 5 years ago. im sure if u start a new thread asking that question u'll get the right answer, or could ask ur midwife/health visitor?

1. that your hormones are supercharged and you will lactate if a child in outer mongolia cries

1. that black tops are really not suitable unless you like the milk ring look

1. the H/V will come up with crap advice, so if it doesn't make sense, ignore. Mine suggested eating lots of cream to help with the quality of the milk

1. knowing the signs of needing winding as opposed to needing more feeds.

1. when feeding in a restaurant, think about what you can eat with one hand and doesn't need cutting.....

that it could be so different second time round. I was dreading even trying with dd2 after struggling with dd1 but its been an absolute breeze - really enjoying it!