First couple of days?

[Flossie2]

When I tried breastfeeding last time I found that the first night there was almost nothing there and my poor daughter screamed all night, making us resort to grabbing a bottle of formula. With other children in the house a frantic screaming baby isn't ideal so soon and I wondered if anyone has any tips on how to get the milk there sooner?! I am due in 3 weeks and want to give feeding a good go this time but also to keep things as calm and unstressful for the rest of the family as possible. I know milk comes in by about day three but what do do with a very hungry baby in the meantime? Thanks for any advice.

Im no expert but hopefully one will come alomg soon

As i unferstand it, colostrum is there right away, soem women even get it befroe birth. Tnis should be enough for your baby until your milk comes in. So i dont unferstamd why your baby was " very hungry". Were you in hospital or at home? Did you go on to bf ?

I can understand why you are anxious, no one wants a screaming baby, whether or not they have other children!

:( :( flossie - your baby would not be screaming with hunger on day/night 1...babies are not designed to be hungry as early as that (though many will take a bottle if it's offered). There are several reasons why a baby might be distressed and screaming early on, but the one that's least likely is hunger :)

There is only ever tiny amounts of colostrum available to the baby in the first day or so - maybe 5-10 mls at a time. Babies do need it, of course, but that is all they need.

Your baby may have wanted to be close and snuggled up to you, and cried when this did not happen. Or perhaps she had had a rough time during the birth.

Whatever.....you can talk to the midwife, or call any of the helplines, and go through what happened and think about how best to calm your baby and keep him/her happy this time round. Normally, there would be no need for formula :)

TIKTOK - i don't need the sad faces thanks! this is my fourth baby and I am a happy and confident mother. I have breastfed before. It was merely a question asking for advice. I found neither replies very helpful, just rather patronising. No further posts required thank you!

Woah! I don't think anyone said anything out of turn! [Shock]

Bloody hell.

The :( were there as a shorthand way of saying 'it can't have been much fun coping with a screaming baby and worrying about it happening again'. You yourself talked about your 'poor daughter' and your further concerns about a 'frantic' newborn.

I gave info to you which you can use if you want. Or not. You asked how you could keep things as calm and unstressful as possible. I explained what happens in the first day or so, gave you suggestions for finding out more, and you called me and another poster who made the effort to respond 'patronising'.

Happy new year and a better mood for 2012 to you, I think.

That was out of order OP!!
Tiktok I am due in the New Year too (with number two) and was wondering the sane question about feeding in the first couple of days. I found your answer very helpful and will be showing it to my DH. I have reread it several times and absolutely cannot see why OP took offence.

Wow, you are a very rude woman OP. You owe tiktok an apology. She spend a lot of time on mumsnet advising women on bf.she is indeed an expert and Her post to you was very practical and empathetic

As i said, i know nothing about bf beyoind my own experinec of 5 years. I just noticed your post was unanswered and thought i woudl bump it for you.

Ummmmm, OP. You asked for advice. Tiktok gave some. Not sure what the problem is there.
But good luck with the birth and hope your baby is content however you decide to feed and when.

What Tiktok told you happens to be the advice everyone gives so if you don't like it it's not Tiktok's fault!

Unfortunately the first few days of bf can be stressful, but just try to relax and things get better when the milk comes through.