Feeding with a shield

[HGE142014]

Greetings,

Im Gareth and using the site with regards for my wife Helen. Our baby Evie was born on Tuesday 14th! Jan :)

Helen has suffered with breastfeeding over the last 48 hours with sore and bleeding nipples and was advised by the midwife to try using nipple shields. They have helped her out a treat for the last 8 hours with feeding. But we can't seem to get Evie in a deep sleep to make her sleep in a Moses Basket as the last 2x nights had her on Helens chest. She wants to feed almost every hour give or take. We know its only early days yet and as new parents a lot to learn.

Before the midwife left today she swaddled Evie and she went to sleep for a few hours in her Moses basket. We can't seem to re-create that again.

Any advice would be welcome.

Hi Gareth,

Congratulations!!

What you describe re feeding frequently and sleeping on mum, or you, is perfectly normal Bless her, she's popped out into a cold, dry, bright, noisy and unfamiliar world; the most comforting place for her to be and to relax is cosied up on her mum, whose smell, sound and heartbeat is familiar to her. Sleeping in the basket will come, and much sooner than you think. Easier said than done, but just enjoy these early days and don't worry about feeling like you get nothing done. Take it in turns to comfort Evie, and don't put too much pressure on yourselves. I never got the hang of swaddling either of mine, but you can get shaped swaddling sheets with instructions, I believe
Nipple shields are ok, despite what some may say. If they help successfully breast feed then great. Do bear in mind though, that your wife may want to get rid of them once her nipples heal so that Evie maintains a good latch without them and it is a lot less faff not using them.
Congratulations, again

Thank you very much MissingMymarbles,

We are finding it hard to keep up with her demands, and trying to comfort her I am(Gareth) finding it hard to get her to calm down and not go to Helen back to feed again within such a short period of time.

She has just fed at 7pm and 25mins later looking for more! She doesn't seem to sleep or feel sleepy after a feed.

Hi Gareth,

Congratulations on little Evie. I am by no means an expert (my son is 6 weeks old), but a few suggestions for you-

Get someone well trained in breastfeeding to check your baby's latch, sore bleeding nipples so soon suggest she might not have it quite right yet. Also ask them to check for tongue tie- this was the cause of my difficulties in breastfeeding at the start. In my area the midwives could send out a breastfeeding support worker, maybe see if you have access to anything similar.

Very frequent feeding and wanting to be close to your wife or you is so normal. The frequent feeding is called cluster feeding and is meant to help milk production. It is hard. I felt beside myself, sore, and worried my baby was hungry. It gets better!

If you want to recreate the swaddle your midwife managed, there are blankets you can but that make it very easy to do. We have some from mothercare, otherwise you can find video demos on YouTube!

Enjoy your little baby x

Thank you very much Imnotbeverley,

I shall look up Cluster Feeding, and ask the midwife tomorrow to check Evie over for tongue-tie.

The miswifes at hospital and our local mw said she is latching on perfect and was weighed today and only lost 1 gram.

And yes I have been looking on youtube for swaddle techniques.

Helen's breasts have become better since the shield and produces a lot of milk at the moment. Her left is a lot bigger as she didn't use that side all of last night due to the sheer pain. But is alternating between each breast.

I'm no expert either but say she tries left one and has a 20min feed, shall we try the right side and see if she feeds more again?

You sound like you are all doing fine! If one breast was feeling fuller than the then I would always start on that one.

It is such hard work at first but you sound like you are doing all the right things. It's such a short amount of time that it's so relentless, but don't try and do anything else but look after your baby - no need to tidy or anything that!

Hi Gareth,

Congratulations to you both I have no extra advice to add to the excellent suggestions you've already been given but wanted to say that I've had a difficult time with bfing (though it's getting better) and my DH's support has been the biggest factor in my continuing through the hard parts so keep doing what you're doing and know how important that is! Well done to both of you!

Okay thank you MumOfTheMoos,

We have been totally lazy all day and spending time with Evie :) It's just so very demanding, we have decided to eat sooner (meal/dinner) rather than later in the evening too. Due to the demand for Helen.

At the moment Evie has had 2x feeds in the last hour and half and is laying on Helens lap fast asleep.

Thank you very much GeordieJellybean

You've had great advice already. Just wanted to say I used shields for about 6 weeks - really helped my babies latch and didnt have any problems with 'normal' feeding once we decided to ditch them.

Has anyone mentioned Lansinoh cream - specifically for sore nipples (and your LO can feed without it needing to be wiped off or anything).

I would get your wife to offer both breasts if your LO seems hungry, but its normal for them to be feeding pretty much constantly at this stage.

My babies loved swaddling - its quite bizarre because it goes against your natural instincts - it needs to be fairly tight and worked best for us if their arms were 'trapped' down by their sides. But if she prefers to lie on your wife, as long as your wife is getting rest too, just go with it for now.

Congratulations by the way!

Thank you Mandy21, Yes Helen is using the cream you said about for her nipples and is much better now she has shields, before she would put some on after a feed and being so frequent with feeding it just wasnt working, now its much better for them both.

And she is offering both breasts, but mainly starting with the left as its so big at the moment.

Helen and Evie are now laying in bed together just chilling as she wanted a feed.

For the fathers perspective what more can I do to make Evie calm/sleep
with like arm moments etc?

Q: When Helens feeds in bed sitting up is it safe for baby to be on her front but on Helens chest when she nods off to sleep etc?

Yes to being on her front on Helen's chest, just make sure Helen is it the middle of the bed, not too many quilts (I used to have quilt say up to my waist, then baby on chest with thin blanket around baby.

As for you trying to settle, sounds bizarre but are you going bare chested? Worked for my H and babies - they love skin to skin.

Hi all! Evie had a good sleep last night, but has been so very demanding with feeding every 30min to an hour and has probably slept for 4hours today!

The midwife suggested she's doing cluster feeding! We are seeing midwife Monday again

Really becoming annoying now!!

It's really early days, it will all get much better

Baby was fed constantly whilst in the womb and has no concept of waiting between feeds, but will slowly get there

If there is a tongue tie then baby may run out of energy and fall asleep after the initial let down. Getting tongue checked by expert in tongue tie can be really helpful

If you are worried give LLL a ring, tonight. 08451202918. Much easier to bounce ideas off a real live person

Some tips for dads are 'tiger in the tree hold, holding baby upright on your chest while walking about and humming - Dr William Sears calls this the warm fuzzies, keeping mum fed and hydrated, giving my shoulder rubs to relax her shoulders which can get tight when mum is holding baby to breast feed for long periods.

Sounds like you are both doing a great job. It really is like being thrown in the deep end of the swimming pool in the early days. You'll get there.

Not 'my' shoulders!!! Mums shoulders ??
I really should proof read before posting!!!

In that case with the young tie, she doesn't sleep at all after feeds and just wants to stay on Helens chest and gives in to sleeping! And has loads of energy.

And she hates to be up right and over my shoulder I can sometimes cradle her in my arms in swing back and forth and get about 10mins quiet time before she's screaming for a feed again.

The deep end for sure! Nothing from antenatal classes work what so ever!

Just a thought about which side to offer. I would either offer the less full side first or alternate. This is so both sides even up a bit and the left settles down to having what is required. Also, always offer both even if Evie doesn't take the second side.

Sounds like you're doing great. And it dies get easier. Honest

These first couple of weeks are the hardest, you are breast feeding 24 hours a day, and it is so tiring. It does settle though. When Evie has finished that 20 minute feed, tickle her feet and try to get her feeding a bit more in that side, as at the end if that feed is the fattier milk, so leave her on that side and just see if she will have a bit more rather than offering her the next breast. It may just settle her a bit more.

How about wrapping her up and taking her for a long walk in the pram? Or the car even. My dh used to do this for an hour or two most days while I rested.

I also used shields, for many months in fact. Your wife could also try expressing a bit if she is uncomfortably full. I agree local breast feeding support is invaluable.

Morning we'll by 12am she settled down on Helens chest until 4am for a feed and change, and then she side fed Evie and we have just got up at 8:40am for a feed & change and she's settled again. We are going to take her out in the pram today for the first time.

I will look at feeding group in my area

Hi OP you're doing a great job. My DS is now 7 and used to feed for England in the early weeks and then only settle on me. Don't expect any kind of routine for a while yet! And then just when you think they are going longer between feeds little one will have a growth spurt and ramp it up again. Cherish all these early days and don't get annoyed as they are over far too quickly.

My only saving grace and hands free time was when I purchased a swing....feed...dozy...swing = 3 hr nap.

You've had some good advice Gareth, but I do want to add one thing: if your wife's nipples are so sore they're bleeding, then the latch is not good enough, no matter what the midwife says - that's not okay.

That level of soreness can be caused by tongue tie, or a simple poor latch.
Shields a re great to get you over the days while the nipples heal, but she needs expert help to fix the underlying problem. Many midwifes do not have much training about breastfeeding and tongue tie, so going to a breastfeeding cafe, or seeing an ABM/NCT/LLL counsellor pays dividends (if you do a quick google for the above organisations you'll be able to find out if they serve your area).

Good luck, and keep going! That first week at home is like being hit by a train, so forget everything else, look after each other, and do whatever it takes to get through it!