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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Is there a secret to succesful breastfeeding???

92 replies

Helenemjay · 13/12/2005 21:24

You hear so many stories of how and why breastfeeding failed or never worked out for so many people, what about the when its a great succes and baby is fed for months/years how can some people manage that and others cant?

OP posts:
popsycalindisguise · 14/12/2005 11:03

sheer bloodymindedness
having faith in your body
accepting that you will do very little else for the first month
getting the latch right
offering a feed whenever they are awake

Nightynight · 14/12/2005 11:12

yes, agree about the bloodymindedness, and not listening to people who tell you to switch to formula

OComeOliveFaithfOil · 14/12/2005 11:22

Friends who have been there done that help enormously - you can phone them and get reassurance.

Midwives helped me massively, although I had a section so was in for 5 days, invaluable for helping me get the latching right.

DO NOT TRY A ROUTINE IN ANYWAY WHATSOEVER. Just sit there and feed feed feed feed feed. IMO anyway, even if you feel you are glued permanently to the sofa and have zero life!

Eat lots and drink lots of water. Make a pile of cheese sandwiches in the morning so even if you have no spare time later (distinct possibility) then you have food ready.

Count to 10 when they first latch on in the early days - that OUCH will go by the time you get 9.

Enjoy your ickle wickle bundle, they get big quick.

walkinginawinterBundleland · 14/12/2005 11:28

imo, the crucial thing is support (from midwives, family, MN ) in terms of advice, fetching/carrying/feeding you while you're getting on with the important business of breastfeeding.

lovecloud · 14/12/2005 11:28

perserverence!!!

most people will suffer pain when getting the hang of breastfeeding.

the midwifes and health visitors told me my baby was latched on right but my nipples still hurt like mad and bled.

but after two weeks of excruciating pain and when I was thinking about switching to formula (just thinking)the pain spain suddenly lifted and the feeding times became regular and shorter and then the enjoyment came that I can not describe. I "LOVED" breastfeeding! I breast fed her for 8 months and stopped because I could not wean her onto food. She was just not interested in eating. I had the hv's on my back to get her eating.
This time I will just go with the flow and if my baby is not ready to eat then I will follow them instead of text books. When you are a first time mum you are so worried about doing things "right" and listen to anyone who tells you they are qualified but really you need to follow your baby!

My advice is

  1. Be prepared for pain, lots of it!!!

  2. Remind yourself just like labour it will end soon and there is a great reward at the end of it.

  3. The baby wil take what he/she needs so dont worry. If you do have a really sleepy baby, just undress them and feed with skin to skin contact to keep them warm. Babies HATE being naked and its a great way of waking them up.

  4. It might feel like they are feeding all day but they are stimulating and the supply they need and when your body works out what your baby requires it will soon settle into nice regular feed about 10-20 minutes. My friends baby actually feeds no longer than 5 minutes 6 times a day - GREAT!!!

  5. In your birth plan say you would like a midwife to observe your first feed with your baby to ensure he/she is latched on. When in hospital do not feel embarassed to keep asking midwifes to watch the baby latch on every feed. If yuo get it right then you are sure to succeed.

  6. Nearly every woman can breastfeed, you need support!!! That means your partner should do everything he can in the house and for you in the early days so you can just concentrate on feeding and loving your baby.

Good luck!

popsycalindisguise · 14/12/2005 11:32

breast compression for sleepy babies

hunkermunker · 14/12/2005 11:33

Popsy...have a weird image of you squeezing babies in odd places now

popsycalindisguise · 14/12/2005 11:34

oh yes....
on yourself lol

Tatties · 14/12/2005 11:41

Determination, no formula in the house (because I wasn't going to need it!), great support from dp and mum. Also going into it with the realistic attitude that it would be hard for a while, but knowing that it would get better. I really wanted to bf, it is so important to me, so there was no question of me giving up just because it was tough to begin with. Oh yes and ignoring any comments about "enough milk?"

chipmonksRoastingOnAnOpenFire · 14/12/2005 12:00

at the 6 week mark ,when they suddenly start feeding all the time don't give up! They soon settle down again!

Original poster
Helenemjay · 14/12/2005 12:01

Wow! its good to have lots of peoples different opinions, i am currently breastfeeding dd who is 13 weeks and she is my third baby, after a hard few weeks of bfeeding what with sore boobs, blocked ducts and a constant howling baby i figured bottle feeding MUST be easier and so switched after 3 days i realised it was no better at all and not only was dd still squawking her head off but now she was throwing up all over too! so i quickly took breastfeeding up again and with a little help from fenugreek we are back on the exclusive breastfeeding road again, and this time we are doing much better as i now know it wasnt my milk that was the problem but more like my stress thinking it was and so i have gone and got myself a grip and put in a little of my routine and a little of what suits her and we seem to be doing better - dd is currently up in her bed sleeping - not crying!! YAY!! it seems since i know in my own mind that my milk was fine it has been better! is alot of breastfeeding based on your state of mind do you think?? if your convinced you cant do it - does it affest your milk? is that why so many people give up? i ask as i feel so many of my friends that have given up are quite sensitive people and find little things knock there confidence, the one person i know who bfed her dd until she was 15 months is a very confident pushy and very wilful person, dont get me wrong, im not saying quiet timid people are doomed when it comes to breastfeeding, but confidence seems to be the key sometimes???

OP posts:
Original poster
Helenemjay · 14/12/2005 12:04

Agree with people about NOT having any formula in the house too by the way! - that was my downfall with all 3!!!

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 14/12/2005 12:07

I think confidence does help, yes. But I don't think that being unconfident affects your milk supply, rather it impacts on how you read your baby's cues.

For instance, if your baby's being unsettled after a breastfeed, you might either interpret that as a tired baby or one who is not satisfied on your milk. The former means the baby gets a cuddle, a walk about in a sling, a push in a pram, a rock in a cradle, another go on the boob, perhaps. The latter may mean the baby gets a formula top-up and done too often, this can end up being the end of bfeeding.

hunkermunker · 14/12/2005 12:08

And HE - really glad you're back to exclusive bfeeding with a more settled baby - congratulations! Are you getting more support from your family? That's a big influencing factor too, IMO.

beejay · 14/12/2005 12:09

It's funny that so many people had to deal with comments about whether the baby was getting enough milk. Nobody ever said that to me and the thought didn't even occur. Why do people say it? Surely the baby always gets enough when being fed on demand ( or am I being completely naive?)

foundintransleightion · 14/12/2005 12:12

Well done Helen!!
Determination, really wanting to crack it, really counts for a lot (speaking as someone who moved from mixed feeding to exclusive bf after an unfortunate start).

Original poster
Helenemjay · 14/12/2005 12:27

Thanks HM my family are a little better but not great - but i dont care, me and dd have lots of lovely booby cuddles and noone can take that away!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Helenemjay · 14/12/2005 12:31

Thanks FIT, determination was a huge help! well done you too!!! its tough is breastfeeding! - but well worth it!

OP posts:
littlemiracle · 14/12/2005 14:07

Hi everybody,

I'm new to this and could really do with some help. After having breast cancer i was given the go ahead to have a baby, who is now 10 wks old. I'm only able to feed from my right breast as left one is pretty much display only! Initially, I did what i was told and breast fed exclusively for 6 wks but she always seemed hungry so i started her on formula as well about 3 wks ago. the problem i'm having is that she only feeds for 5 maybe 10 mins on the breast at any one time, and then is hungry again after an hour or so, but she won't latch on. If I keep persisting, it usually ends in tears and the last thing I want to do is to put her off the breast. It's at this point i offer the bottle.She feeds well on this taking 3/4 ozs in one go, so i've started to alternate between bottle and breast - not sure of this is the right thing to do. I've heard that the first 5/10 mins of feeding is foremilk and then the hindmilk comes through. If this is true does it mean that the little one is missing out each time? She was 6lbs 11 oz when she was born and is now about 11lbs so weight gain is steady.I've tried to explain this to my health visitor but she's not much help.
Please can someone help.
Thank you

moondog · 14/12/2005 14:12

Wow lm! Much respect to you!!

The less you offer the breast,the less milk the baby will get. More formula = less brestmilk production sadly.

You need to start your own thread,so that it will be seen and responded to more quickly. Tik Tok and Mears and Pupuce are our experts (amongst many others.)

Welcome btw.

milwardmincepies · 14/12/2005 21:38

happy that the bf worked out helenemjay xxx

nanneh · 14/12/2005 22:36

Getting the facts right ! Knowing what formula milk is made of will give any mother an incentive not to put it inside her baby. A little knowledge is a wonderful thing.

I had a lot of ups and downs, lots of crying due to stress, lack of help and support, lack of sleep, but I never gave up. Still bf my 17 month old boy and will go on and on until he wants to stop (hopefully well before he goes to univerity !!)

Nettee · 15/12/2005 12:52

Getting as much information as possible before the baby is born - go to the classes, read everything you can. Then you can get the latch right and not have sore nipples and you won't worry about how much baby is feeding because you know that they will feed lots for the first few weeks.

Not worrying about anything else but feeding and sleeping for the first few weeks.

Luck

Original poster
Helenemjay · 15/12/2005 13:58

Aww thanks milwardmincepies! - me too!!

OP posts:
mymama · 16/12/2005 11:53

definitely the latching on. I bf dd and ds1 for 13 months and ds2 for 18 months (due to dairy allergy). With all 3 I would "make" them latch on properly. Some feeds I would have to "detach" and reattach them several times until it was correct position. I fed whenever they wanted to and for how long they wanted to for first two months until they settled into a routine. I used to leave my bra unclipped at the top on the last side they fed so I would remember which side was last. I did have mild mastitis that I managed to "feed" through without meds and I also had a "germ" enter through a duct that required cream. BF can be difficult and demanding but if you can work your way through the first couple of months it does settle down. I personally am too lazy and cheap to bottle feed .