Can't breast feed for 6 days

[GetDownYouWillFall]

Hello all I need a bit of advice.

My DS is nearly 5 months old and until now he has been EBF.

For reasons I won't go into, I cannot breastfeed for 6 days starting on monday this week. So I can feed him again from Sunday evening.

I've been giving formula (whilst trying not to cry too much) and thank goodness he is taking the bottle ok.

I've also been expressing my milk as much as possible, but obviously this is a gruelling regime of bottle washing, sterilising, making up formula as well as expressing. Oh, and I have a 4 year old to care for as well. It's been a nightmare week.

I'm hoping my supply is pretty established by 5 months exclusive feeding>? Is this right? Will he go back to the breast?

I've been getting a lot of pain and blocked ducts and am scared of getting mastitis. Keep pumping and massaging but it's difficult.

Just need some help and reassurance that I can keep breastfeeding.

Oh! That's good news! I'm glad they were useful. Good luck with convincing DH then! (If that doesn't work, do a bit of stealth feeding). And may I congratulate you on being able to wave goodbye to the breast pump.?

We've reached a compromise! Spoke to DH. I am going to try and start feeding again tomorrow morning, just so that I don't have the worry overnight of him being sedated. Feel so relieved at the thought of feeding again and ditching the wretched pump

Thanks so much for all your help

You've talked to a pharmacist who told you what the rate of transmission to breastmilk is, and what the recommended levels are -- surely your DH should be able to grasp that they will be able to give you better advice than a non-specialist pharmacist who knows the half-life but has no particular expertise indrugs in breastmilk?

Glad you are feeling more settled with your decision now. It's all so frustrating when a so called expert doesn't actually give out the right information to bf mums. The ladies on the BFN drugs info line deserve a medal for all the work they do and mums deserve to have this information made available to them.

Had a re-think, and DH agreed.

I have just fed him

He just fed for an hour bless him!

Feels so good to have fed him again. He won't let me put him down now, and do you know what, I don't care? I love my baby so so much. Didn't realise before how much I love bfeeding and how badly I missed it, also how badly my baby missed it.

Bert you are so right those BfN ladies need a medal

No sign of drowsiness or any ill effects either

Just checked back in -- ad delighted the problem is solved!

Thats great GetDown, I do hope you will feedback this to the pharmacist and fully explain how difficult it is to just not feed for 6 days... so that he understands the stress he has put you (and potentially other bf mothers) through. To someone who doesn't understand bf, not feeding for a few days may not seem like a big deal. I'm not meaning to get at the pharmacist, but it would be so much better for them to be able to point you in the direction of the correct info/or access it themselves if they are not sure/unfamiliar with bf - give them the bfN link so they can give out the correct advice in future.

Bert breathes a sigh of relief and smiles gently at the image of a happy mummy cuddling her baby!!

I've just read this thread and feel totally weepy! What a great example of how mn can help out at critical times like this. Well done everyone, but especially GetDown. Enjoy those cuddles.

you are so right rednellie - exactly what I love about MN, just ordinary mums helping each other out in such a lovely way.

My baby is all comfy and asleep now. Feel so much better.

tittybojangles I agree - it's really not easy at all to "just" not feed for 6 days! This has proved to me what a mess you can get into in such a short period of time! I was seriously worried about mastitis - my boobs were like rocks, and my poor poor baby was distraut.

I will try and find out which pharmacist it was and try and point them in the direction of BfN.

Would hate any other bf mum to go through the trauma and stress I've been through this week.

Hugs and thanks to all

Excellent GetDown, hopefully your actions will help many more bf mums in your situation. Such a shame you had to go through that stress in the first place, but so pleased the wondere of MN could help you.