Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

No choice in the matter I have to stop on Tuesday.....

14 replies

mummyjojo2D · 08/01/2006 22:04

Im going in hospital on tuesday for at least a week for chemotherepy folowing a molar pregnancy. I only got the letter on friday so not much notice. I'm still BF my 16 mo DD and Im sure I cant bf while having treatment. My problem is dd has never taken any other milk as a drink so it is going to be a huge shock for her and she is quite addicted. Im really worried about how it will affect her. And as she feeds loads I guess I'm going to get engorged breasts.
And thats before I even start to worry about the Chemo....

OP posts:
NewYearsRacerLution · 08/01/2006 22:08

sorry to hear about this. hope it goes well x

edam · 08/01/2006 22:09

Hi mummyjojo2D, sounds like you have had a terrible time of it. I don't know the first thing about chemotherapy so no advice, just couldn't pass your post without saying something supportive. Expressing might help with engorgement, I guess?

FrayedKnot · 08/01/2006 22:16

mummyjojo2D this sounds very upsetting for you. Yes I think I would take pump into hospital with you incase you need to take something off.

It's pointless saying don;t worry about DD because you will, but fwiw when I stopped BF DS at 18 months, one night, instead of his bedtime feed, I offered him a cup of milk, and he grabbed it and drained it down without a backward glance.

I was quite upset because I enjoyed his bedtime feed so much, in terms of the closeness etc, but it really didn;t seem to bother him at all.

I hope it goes OK for you, sorry you've got to go through this.

julienetmum · 08/01/2006 22:18

(((((huge hugs))))

You are right you can't breastfeed during chemotherapy but it is far better for your dd to have a mummy who is well than one who is sick. You have given her a great start, now concentrate on yourself.

You may have to express for comfort, watch your temperature and watch out for any lumps. The last thing you need is mastitus.

Lots of luck for Tuesday.

Yorkiegirl · 08/01/2006 22:20

Message withdrawn

Original poster
mummyjojo2D · 08/01/2006 22:25

I think because its going to be so sudden for her and i wont be at home, im woried that it will affect how content she is. She really enjoys bf and she still feeds once in the night or early morning so Im sure her sleep patern will be affected. im just scared it will change her and how close she is to me.

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyjojo2D · 08/01/2006 22:30

julienetmum, your right mastitis is the last thing i need to go with all the other side effects of the treatment.

OP posts:
Pip · 08/01/2006 22:38

mummyjojo2D, her sleep patterns may be affected for a while but the closeness between you will not. Please don´t worry about that. You can still be incredibly close without b/f, it never made any difference with my two when I stopped.

Will your DD be coming to see you in hospital? I hope your treatment goes well, good luck with it x

Heathcliffscathy · 08/01/2006 22:41

mummyjojo you have breastfed to 16 months and have given her an amazing start. i'm so sorry you're going through the distress of a molar pregnancy.

it may be tough for a few days but little ones are so resilient and so adaptable (as well as being sticklers for routine) and i bet she is back into a routine without breastfeeding before you know it.

concentrate on yourself and getting better.

x

Original poster
mummyjojo2D · 08/01/2006 22:48

pip, Yes dp will bring her to see me, thanks for your advice.
Thanks everyone for advice and support. It really helps

OP posts:
Pip · 08/01/2006 23:03

I´m glad she´ll be visiting you in hospital as I think it would be a huge shock to her if you suddenly disappeared for a week or so. Make sure you keep up the cuddles and affection and I´m sure she will be fine.

When DS2 was 3 weeks old he was seriously ill and I had to spend a week in hospital with him. It was the first time I had ever been away from DS1 (2 yrs old at the time). I really worried about being away from him but I needn´t have done. He was still in his usual environment at home with his dad and coped with the hospital visits really well. It didn´t have any lasting effect on him either.

I don´t know anything about molar pregnancies but I hope you make a quick recovery. Take care x

nanneh · 09/01/2006 11:44

mummyjojo
I found this very interesting piece in breastfeeding.com - Dr Jackman is a world known expert on bf.

It says that it is possible to bf after chemotherapy, it depends on duration of procedure. Also doctors can test your milk after the treatment to make sure that the toxic element has gone...you can keep expressing and dumping until your milk is safe. Apparently some women have been able to go back to bf after 3 - 4 months even !

Best of luck with the treatement !

have a look atthis

Em32 · 09/01/2006 12:03

Good luck, I hope you are not too sick with it. You have given your dd a brilliant start, yes she will probably be upset but she will be ok. I only managed to bf ds for 6 months and he's a perfectly happy little monkey. Interestingly for you maybe he gave up his bottles of his own accord at about 18 months and now won't take milk at all except in food or on cereal and he's still doing ok at nearly 2. He gets lots of hugs and kisses and seems very happy despite lack of bf.

Original poster
mummyjojo2D · 09/01/2006 15:22

nanneh. Thanks for that link, very interesting info I will take my pump and see if i can maintain my milk so dd can go back to it if she wants too.
I feel a bit better about it today mainly down to all the advice and support here so thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page