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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Please inspire a reluctant breastfeeder!

121 replies

jasper · 28/03/2002 00:05

What's so good about breastfeeding? ( apart from all the stuff that benefits the baby )
Please share your stories.
Eulalia/ tiktok, are you there?

I need inspiration.

Baby Jasper is nearly three weeks old, totally breastfed so far but I am finding it painful and difficult, and in danger of giving up.

PLEASE inspire me with stories about how the pain gets less ( bf counsellor has confirmed latch etc is good).

Even with no pain I can't imagine bf ever gets enjoyable so please convince me of this too.

Thanks.

OP posts:

vix5868 · 02/04/2003 15:06

Hi Jasper

Just to add to all the good advice here - I took an age to get the hang of bfeeding, at least a month before soreness went (I used a nipple shield for a few feeds on one side as that boob was hell) but after that it suddenly all got sorted out and we got on very well this it. One thing that helped was when I had the knack to get rid of the cushion ds had been lying on to feed and just feed him in the crook of my arm - so much better and more natural, I found. From then on it was great, I started expressing and dh did late evening feed. I even went away for a whole weekend when ds was only 3 months, leaving milk in freezer for him. In the end he was totally b/fed for 5 months and then gradually mixed feeds until just over 7 months and I was very happy to have done it after the teary start we got off to. Also, as I am the laziest mother alive, I liked not having to faff with loads of bottles and sterilizer every day.

Keep your chin up - I know that's hard to think about in the wee hours when your boobs are on fire and the baby has just fallen asleep on you after 2 minutes of feeding, but I wish you all the best of luck.

Meanmum · 02/04/2003 15:16

I don't know if I'm offering inspiration or not as I'm of the view if it isn't working don't put yourself under the pressure.

However, I was very lucky and had no issues. I think we had latching on problems as he suffered from colic but other than that he fed like a trouper.

I do remember my mum telling me that when she fed my little brother she suffered from terrible mastitis and cracked nipples. Her health nurse told her to sit out in the sun topless. The sun is a great cure. It will make you feel happy but also helps ease the mastitis and clears up the crackned nipples. Hopefully you don't live in a built up area like me so no one will see you enjoying the sun topless in your backyard.

I hope it is going better. Even though I am of the don't stress group I found it so much easier as I didn't have to lug loads of stuff around and we were so incredibly mobile.

vix5868 · 02/04/2003 15:32

Duh - just realised I replied to a way old post! Congrats on sticking with it Jasper, glad it all worked out, well done!

KeepingMum · 02/04/2003 15:41

Well done Jasper for doing it this long. I fed ds for 13 months, by the end it was only the bedtime feed. I was only going to do it for a year and didn't have the heart to stop on his birthday so carried on for a few more weeks. Then one evening dh gave him a beaker of milk, which he wolfed down, slept the best he had for months and made me feel really inadequate. He didn't even try for a feed. A few days later he came down with an ear infection and I thought I should try breastfeeding for comfort, but he just looked at me with puzzled eyes when I tried. I guess they have pretty short memories. Not sure if your ds will want to go back after a week, if you were ready to stop give it a go, if he does thats great and if he doesn't you were prepared any way. I wasn't that uncomfortable after stopping, but I don't think I was probably making enough for one feed hence the bad nights (poor thing was probably starving). Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Tissy · 02/04/2003 15:59

As we're on the subject, I was going to start another thread anyway...

My dd is 14 mo old, and down to 2 feeds a day, morning and bedtime. I'm pretty certain we can substitute the am feed with a beaker of milk in the hurry to get to nursery, she can probably be distracted! But what about bedtime? If dh gives her a beaker of milk and a cuddle before she goes to sleep, how long before I can do it?

I can't say I'm looking forward to stopping, but she is getting a "big girl" and I suspect dh would like to get his hands on my chest again

SoupDragon · 02/04/2003 16:11

TBH, it was not time at all before either of my DSs let me give them a beaker of milk. With DS!, my milk had simply suddenly dried up so I guess there was no smell to confuse him. With DS2 we'd gone away for 2 nights I think and it wasn't a problem for me to give him a bottle when we got back. Well, it was a problem for me, but DS2 wasn't bothered!

JanZ · 02/04/2003 16:17

Congratulations Jasper on lasting this long, after your initial concerns.

Not much to add really - agree that expressing a bit would help the discomfort and also ensure that you still have a supply at the end of the week. If you only do enough to stop the discomfort and your ds decides when you get back that he's no longer interested, then at least you're half way to "proper" stopping.

Go and enjoy your break!

Meanmum · 02/04/2003 16:20

Tissy - It took only 2 days of my dh giving a bottle for my ds to accept one from me. I as still breastfeeding at the time but needed to get him onto bottles before I went back to work.

He had no issue after the second day of taking a bottle from me but he was a lot younger than your ds.

She may need a little longer because she is probably more stubborn (as mine is now at the same age) but will understand very quickly if you stand your ground and don't give in.

JJ · 02/04/2003 19:06

Jasper, I'm on day 6 of weaning my youngest from the breast and he's still very interested. He's 18 months and was feeding 1-3 times daily. I'm not engorged or anything, though... I don't think I was producing that much milk.

My friend who breastfed for 3 1/2 years left for at least a week when her daughter was young (don't know exactly what age) and then continued with no problems.

Hope it works out for you.

pupuce · 02/04/2003 20:23

FlorenceUK

I was away from her for 2 feeds and when I came back she flatly refused (I thought that was because she might be croos)... DH says that he could see she was less keen but I didn't... but he is right as she was BF one side only and running away to play... She has around that time shown many signs of independence... so I guess it's part of her development.

Demented · 02/04/2003 22:14

Jasper, I can't give any advice about the week's break as I have never done this before but just wanted to congratulate you in continuing so long. You must be delighted with yourself and your little bubba!

Original poster

jasper · 02/04/2003 23:40

Thanks everybody. Thanks JJ in particular as that was the answer I was looking for
I should say I DON'T want to give up bf, which is what I meant by turning into Crazy Breastfeeding Lady.
If I thought ds would give up prematurely after my week away I would NOT go.
A wise friend advised me today if he does reject after a week off he was probably ready to give it up.
Any other advice gratefully received.

OP posts:

prufrock · 03/04/2003 08:57

Jasper I had 3 days away when dd was 9 months. I was feeding morning and night by that stage. I had problems because I became so full, and couldn't really hand express much, but no problems at all with dd not wanting me when I came back. I actually woke her up as soon as I got back from the airport as I was about to burst and fed her. Even though she had had a full feed two hours before she happilly "relieved" me for 5 minutes .

I would temper that with the fact your daughter is older, and you are away for longer, but as you said, if she does stop, she was probably ready to anyway. Just take a pump, and breast pads!

GeorginaA · 03/04/2003 10:56

Jasper I think your friend is right about the ready to give up bit. Even though ds was only 8 months old he hadn't been that interested for a good couple of months before hand (he was one of those babies that as soon as he'd tasted solids, milk just wasn't that exciting anymore) - feeding was much much shorter (compared to his old leisurely 45 min feeds) he was constantly looking about (and taking my nipple with him ouch) and getting very fidgety. He was probably ready to give up by then (it's just that I wasn't sniffle!)

florenceuk · 03/04/2003 15:49

Thanks Pupuce for the info, sorry Jasper to cut in your thread! JJ how is the weaning going? I might wait to see if DS decides for himself that he is not that keen, but will try out a few nights with a beaker as well to see if that goes down OK (thinks not!)

elliott · 03/04/2003 16:09

Jasper probably the best predictor of whether you can get away with it is your own gut feeling about how keen ds is on the boob...
I always had the gut feeling from very early days that my ds had a very 'functional' attitude to bf - just somewhere to get food from - and not a patch on the real thing!! Other babies are clearly different....so good luck!!

Original poster

jasper · 04/04/2003 00:09

Thanks again everyonme.
Interesting point Elliot. He is definately very keen on the breast so I suppost that bodes quite well.
I think I will probably go to the family wedding (it's in Canada) and hopefully can continue to bf when I get back.

OP posts:

JJ · 07/04/2003 10:29

Just to reassure you again, Jasper, I gave in after 7 days of weaning and he was still very interested. He's back on the wagon now. Have to say that I hope it takes this time. Although, while weaning, my husband is getting up in the night with him and putting him to bed.

Original poster

jasper · 07/04/2003 10:56

Thanks JJ.
I think that has clinched it for me - I'm off to book the flight!(it is for my cousin's wedding in Canada)

OP posts:

jamsy · 07/04/2003 12:12

Hi folks
Just picking up this thread so sorry if I'm being irrelevant: When I stopped bf because it suddenly felt really weird to be feeding a toddler not a baby, I couldn't understand why I was still getting so uncomfortable, leaking at night etc after a whole week. This was frustrating especially as I had felt I wasn't giving him much in the end when he was 12 months. My godmother suggested drinking less water myself (a convinced 2 litre a day gal) and that did the trick - back to cleavage-less wonder in no time.
(Can we come?)

Original poster

jasper · 05/06/2003 23:52

I was away for 8 days and bf has resumed without a hitch.
Thank you all once again for your support.

OP posts:

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