Breastfeeding in the first few days - how best to get going?

[Utka]

Second baby is due imminently, and I really want (and need, for baby health reasons) to make a good go of bfeeding this time around.

I did eventually manage it with dd (now nearly 3), but had terrible problems for the first 4 months with mastitis and a deep breast thrush infection that my GP refused to acknowledge. Pain was incredible - like burning hot oil in my breasts, before, during and post feeding. Got it sorted eventually (thanks to ace NCT bfeeding counsellor and advice from the Breastfeeding Network on suitable medication), and went on to feed for nearly 10 months - about which I am very proud.

However, I'm really apprehensive that I'll have the same problems this time around. I seem to remember dd being on the breast for ages at a time (40 mins a side for ages), and I've completely forgotten how to start things off so that I can hopefully avoid the cracked nipples that I think led to my mastitis and subsequent infection.

To get my breasts used to it all, how long and often should I be putting my baby to the breast in the first few hours, days etc.? I feel confident I'll know when the baby's hungry after my milk comes in, but what do you do at the very beginning - especially if the baby doesn't seem interested in feeding (this was the case last time, and led to me trying to feed her for ages in order to stimulate interest).

Any thoughts would be great!!

Poor you...the last thing you need is all this anxiety

My ds is now 10.5 months and i had an awful time when trying to breastfeed him at first.
He was born after 28 hours of labour due to failed forceps and then via an emergency section.

Immediately after the birth, i was wheeled thru to recovery, my gown opened and my baby shoved on my nipple! He sucked and sucked for ages but was not positioned properly and this made me very sore. I was unable to move him as my arms were attatcehed to drips etc and he got very upset.

After settling down in the ward, i tried to breatsfeed again but my ds refused to open his mouth. The ward sister literally grabbed my breast, squeezed my ds's cheeks and shoved my nipple in his mouth!! At one point. i had 2 midwifes grappling with my breasts (not very dignified), squeezing my nipples and trying to get a drop of milk out to tempt my ds into suckling.

What i'm basically trying to say is...don't let anyone interfere with what you want to do and how you want to do it. Once we got home from the hospital, i happily breastfed my ds for 7 months. If your baby doesn't seem interested, don't keep forcing it because you'll bvoth end up getting stressed and that will affect your milk supply. Try every now and then and i'm sure you'll eventually get it down to a fine art....and without the pain.

Sorry, slightly longwinded!

You will undoubtedly get some really good advice from the profesionals on here, but I just thought I would say that no two babies are necessarily the same. I didn't have anything like the problems you had with my first but it was very hard-going, he was very reluctant to feed for a long time, then just wouldn't stop and I had cracked nipples and mastitis. I always thought it was all my fault.

However.... 3 years on, different baby, and it was a breeze. Dd seemed to be born knowing exactly how to position herself and fed well and efficiently from the word go. So, I just wanted to say try not to dread it, it may be easier than you think.

Utka - my friend has written a handbook on breastfeeding which will be perfect for you.

It is available as an e.book. Just click on Sharon Trotter and you will get details. It costs £3.25 to download and is easy to read with lots of pictures.
e.book

I would agree with Tamum- a different baby can make for a very different experience. I had terrible cracked nipples etc for months with DD, but have not had the same problems this time with DS. I think I got off to a bad start with DD as she was very sleepy in the first couple of days, which I put down to the pethidine I had in labour. There was no doubt I needed it and it helped me avoid an epidural, but I managed without it in my second labour and DS was much more alert and a much better feeder from the start.
I've also been using Lansinoh on my nipples this time which I believe have made them a bit better able to take some punishment without cracking. I'm not sure what the evidence is for it and maybe I wouldn't have had craked nipples this time anyway, but I do think it's made a difference.
I know how you feel- I wasn't worried about the labour or delivery this time, but was DREADING the feeding, but it has been a much better experience! Good luck!

i bf my dd....shes now 4 months,.... born by c section, took 4 days for milk to come in. for the first few days I just let her suck (alternating sides) whenever she rooted for milk ( all the time!) and on day 4 this brought my milk in (when dd then wanted a day off sucking and my boobs felt like rocks). for soreness/prevention of cracked nipples, vaseline, kamillosan and savoy cabbage leaves were great (serious about cabbage.... put in fridge and when really cold put inside bra when not feeding) the fist week-10 was fairly painful as I'm sure it is for most, but I basically let baby tell me what to do (because I had no clue) and its worked a treat. Good Luck... hope its goes well for you

I'm pregnant with my second child and am already worried about how breastfeeding will go - never managed it with dd1 (she was reluctant, I gave up after a month). I know it's early in my pregnancy but I want to give myself the best chance of succeeding. What I'd like your advice on is whether to join an group (if so, what's best?), buy books (ditto), video etc. Thanks D

the book I've found most useful is the baby whisperer one... think that has good section on breastfeeding.... she gave a good demonstration on one of her programmes too.... look out for it on the discovery health channel.... sure it will be repeated before your baby arrives

Sorry, spod, but the Baby Whisperer is (IMHO) one of the very worst sources of information about breastfeeding. It is based on misunderstandings and lack of understanding about how bf works.

Cabbage leaves will not help sore or cracked nipples.

Best start for any baby is to be close to mum, skin to skin, so feeding cues can be responded to straight away. Positioning and attachment are crucial - bf shouldn't hurt.

Good luck, and help is there if you need it from the various telephone help lines.

I found lansinoh cream really good for cracked nipples in the first few days, especially before the milk came in properly. I also tried another cream with camomile in (camillosan, I think), but didn't find it much use--dd didn't seem to like the taste.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the advice so far and the book recommendation mears. What concerns me though, is that I'd like to avoid cracked nipples in the first place, by building things up slowly, yet everyone seems to get them - am I being naive?!!

I think I've got the positioning thing clear because my GP last time refused to prescribe any sort of medication until I'd been seen 'in action' by the NCT b/f counsellor, who confirmed that the baby was latching on ok. I also used a great book called 'Bestfeeding' which had very clear pictures, and particularly useful advice for women with big boobs.

But does anyone have any advice on how long to let the baby suck at the beginning - I've read so much conflicting advice. I know babies take as long as they need once the milk is in, but is this also the case in the first few days, or is there an argument for building up slowly - say 5 mins each side every hour?

I did find the baby whisperer book useful... obviously its not for everyone... but it helped me... and I'm a first time bf'er... no sore or cracked nipples either.... the cabbage leaves did something for me. In terms of how often to suck... i really let baby do what she wanted so long as she was latched on properly... it only hurt for the first 20 seconds or so. my advice.... and Im NO expert is to try and let baby guide you... certainly in my case baby seemed to have much more of a clue than me! And it is normal for bf'ing to hurt a little for the first week or so... unless you're used to something sucking on you for hours at a time and have industrial strength nipples

Spod, not meaning to get at you but it is not normal for breastfeeding to hurt, not for 20 seconds, not for the first weeks....not normal. Ok, many women find it does hurt, and some of them will discover it gets better by itself, but others will not.
The idea that it is normal for bf to hurt is responsible for a lot of misery, as mothers think they have to put up with it, and soreness turns into cracks which turn into weeping sores....

Soreness in most cases means the baby is not latched right.

ok, substitute 'normal' for 'not unusual' or 'quite common' - as many breast feeders will find that no matter how many books they read the initial days of feeding can hurt simply because we are not all experts at doing it and it can take a few days to get used to particularly if had a section as milk takes far longer to come in, more frantic sucking by baby is likely to give some soreness however well latched on. The point is that if breastfeeding leaves you excessively sore, infected, or is unbearably painful then don't give up feeding - rather seek help. My advice was simply not to be put off if at first it hurts.... things can be changed

utka, I had 3 lots of mastitis in 10 weeks with dd1 and although I experienced the same toe-curling pain latching on initially with dd2, it only lasted for about 3 weeks instead of 3 months this time. take lots of rest. if it hurts more on one side, try the other side first, then switch so that the 'bad' side has a chance to let down. drink a lot of water/clear fluids. eat lots of good food. dd2 didn't have the same sleepy reluctance to feed like dd1 had and seemed to suck a lot more vigorously. I had c/sections with both my girls and that didn't affect my feeding imo. I didn't get mastitis this time, although I had a few red streaks across my breast on one day and a temperature - the emergency doc left some antibiotics at the chemists which my mil picked up and I never used them because I was scrupulous in resting, drinking, massaging the red bits, expressing a little to ease the pressure etc. La Leche were fantastically helpful over the phone. I also had a copy of
Breast is Best by Drs Stanway, which is packed with lots of troubleshooting tips for breastfeeding. good luck

I think the savoy cabbage is to help relieve feelings of engorgement?

I have two experiences of b/feeding. Ds didn't suck much in the first 2 days. I doubt that he got any milk at all. My milk didn't come in for about 10-14 days, which I think was a result of this non-feeding. He ended up in a spiral of weight loss, leading to mixed feeding by 2 weeks old. Having said that, he did breast feed till he was 13 months, but I don't think he ever got very much breast milk.

Dd came along, and anxious not to repeat this, I made sure she fed every 3 hours round the clock. She was also a much better feeder, and at 6 months we have just started solids, and she has NEVER had any formula. So my advice is, start off by being rigid that baby can't go longer than 3 hours. Of course if it wants to feed more often that is great. I think if they get enough milk, they are awake enough to want it. Ds just got really sleepy, and couldn't be bothered with feeding which then made matters worse! And the nurses in the hospital said he should feed every 8 hours!

Utka, it sounds as if you had a very difficult experience made worse by your GP.Would it help to have a direct contact with a bf counsellor before the birth? are there any bf workshops in your area or run by your hospital? If you are anywhere near s London, I think you could get referred to the bf workshops at Kings. I think you can just ring up and ask to be put through to the bf support service. I attended one, and the help was so very practical and specific about getting the position exactly rigght from the word go, and as TikTok says I was lucky enough to avoid a moments pain, soreness or anything, due to tips towards exact positioning. Good Luck - I'm sure experience and a good start will help you avoid problems this time.

I've just made a go of breastfeeding my third after two feeding non-starters, so please believe it can be done.

Previous advice about feeding often is essential- optimum for my son HJ was every 90 minutes day and three hours nightly! Do remember that you produce more oxytocin (vital for milk production) at night, so waking a baby tired through labour might be necessary even if it seems tiring and a little mean. Drink lots, rest as much as possible given your other child, but most importantly have confidence! Contact you local NCT breastfeeding counsellor and tell her you need moral support- they are great!.

Best wishes

Just wanted to say thanks again to everyone who gave me advice. Have been b/f for nearly 4 weeks now and (touch wood), have had absolutely no problems this time whatsoever, not even sore nipples!!!!!

Took it really slowly from the beginning and concentrated on getting the latching on right each and every single time. Also got some great advice from the b/f counsellor at the hospital.

Am really, really enjoying it this time around - something which didn't happen until about the 5th month last time.

so thanks again!

Thanks for the update, Utka, and glad you are doing so well

Glas to see you update Utke - well done