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Infant feeding

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

TRUE OR FALSE - You must not express within the first 6 weeks if you are B/feeding

48 replies

VeniVidiVickiQV · 12/01/2007 16:58

Answers please?

OP posts:
mamama · 12/01/2007 18:55

FALSE

I think the concern is that bottle feeding may cause nipple confusion (same reason for not giving a dummy in the first 6 weeks if you want to BF)

However, sometimes there is no option and bottle feeding EBM is surely better than not breastfeeding. You can feed a baby from a cup though but it's slow and messy.

Poor woman.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 12/01/2007 22:17

Yes true, cup feeding is what you do with newborns that you want to b/feed isnt it?

So it really is a crock of shit entirely, isnt it?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 12/01/2007 22:19

FALSE.

I did!

Never had a prob w/supply or nipple confusion, either.

I had a stonking supply.

Flossam · 12/01/2007 22:20

I plan to do it more second time around. I didn't really express much last time. But in the end I had problems with supply (I had previously been trying to reduce what was thought to be an over supply - it wasn't). So I'd rather go the other way next time!

themildmanneredjanitor · 12/01/2007 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lizzylou · 12/01/2007 22:21

I did with both DS's, in fact I started expressing 2 days after DS1 was born in order to increase milk supply.
Both boys were very hungry and rather large babies.

fruitful · 12/01/2007 22:22

You what? Both mine were fed expressed milk down a nasal feeding tube to start with - it was either that or formula (also down the tube).

Right, will read thread now!

fruitful · 12/01/2007 22:27

Ah. You're not asking about expressing, you're asking about feeding expressed milk in a bottle.

Well, dd wouldn't drink it from anywhere but the source. Bf'd for 9 months. Ds had a bottle of EBM a day from 3 weeks on. Switched to formula at 8 weeks cos was all going pear-shaped. Don't know if it was related or not.

mears · 12/01/2007 22:27

False. No problem with expressing.

HOWEVER - there could be a problem at 6 weeks if you express to bottle feed baby EBM instead of doing night feeds for example. Night feeds are important for milk supply therefore missing out breast feeds could reduce supply which can cause problems with hungry baby.

Expressing doesn't necessarily make breastfeeding easier - it can take longer to express than it does to feed. Baby is much more efficient than the pump at removing milk.

A lot of mums aren't very successful at expressing initially and worry then that they don't have enough milk. This has a knock on effect on success of breastfeeding.

I personlly think that all breast feeding mums should express milk and store it in the freezer for future use. All mums should be taught how to hand express instead of buying expensive pumps.

Until breastfeeding is established - ie mum is confident in latching baby, nipples are fine and baby sucking well, then expressing to give bottle feeds should be avoided.

mears · 12/01/2007 22:28

False. No problem with expressing.

HOWEVER - there could be a problem at 6 weeks if you express to bottle feed baby EBM instead of doing night feeds for example. Night feeds are important for milk supply therefore missing out breast feeds could reduce supply which can cause problems with hungry baby.

Expressing doesn't necessarily make breastfeeding easier - it can take longer to express than it does to feed. Baby is much more efficient than the pump at removing milk.

A lot of mums aren't very successful at expressing initially and worry then that they don't have enough milk. This has a knock on effect on success of breastfeeding.

I personlly think that all breast feeding mums should express milk and store it in the freezer for future use. All mums should be taught how to hand express instead of buying expensive pumps.

Until breastfeeding is established - ie mum is confident in latching baby, nipples are fine and baby sucking well, then expressing to give bottle feeds should be avoided.

fruitful · 12/01/2007 22:31

Fab. Shall bear that in mind next time then!

VeniVidiVickiQV · 12/01/2007 22:31

Right, mears - thank you.

Flossam - I didnt want to say on the other thread as it wasnt appropriate but...

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!

OP posts:
laundrylover · 12/01/2007 22:35

Lizzylou pop onto the March thread and let us know how you are getting on! Sorry for hijack.

I say false but just another thing that highlights how crap bfing advice can be in this country...

kathryn77 · 12/01/2007 22:59

False, I do not think nipple confusion exists.... had trouble breast feeding to start off with and used nipple shields to help.... baby went from nipple shields, to breast to bottle and back..

happy as long as he is fed.

Flossam · 12/01/2007 23:16

Thank you VVV! Are you back on MSN yet? We will have to catch up soon.

Twinklemegan · 13/01/2007 00:46

It's an anecdote I know, but my DS got used to breast, with and without nipple shields, and bottle with no confusion at all. All within the first two weeks (not out of choice).

NotQuiteCockney · 13/01/2007 09:26

I'm sure some babies don't suffer nipple confusion, but I had a very hard time getting DS1 to go from nipple shields to breast. Until he was three months old, he never had a feed directly. It wasn't good for my supply, and was a big problem.

And I'm pretty sure there is evidence that offering bottles at the very start can cause latch problems.

fennel · 13/01/2007 09:29

I did, every time. without it would have given up the BF with dd1 as it was so unbearably painful.

no supply or nipple or other problems.

and am sure I BF for longer with each because they could have expressed bottles.

mears · 13/01/2007 09:44

The problem with nipple confusion is that you don't know in advance which babies will be affected. As a midwife I did see many babies refuse to suck from the breast but happily suck a bottle. That has improved greatly since we advised not to use dummies or teats when establishing breastfeeding. Babies are now syringe or cup fed until they master breastfeeeding when there are problems.

olivo · 13/01/2007 17:20

i expressed from day 2 as dd was in scbu and after the first few days, that was what they fed her through her tube. she didnt/wouldnt take a bottle though till about 7 weeks. now she has both.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 13/01/2007 20:28

Yes I am floss!

have you got my addy?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 13/01/2007 20:34

I expressed my left boob for days after DD2 was improperly latched on the day she was born and I had three nasty blisters by evening.

WEnt home, phoned the NCT, and followed their advise and then went to the counsellor's house. She later come to mine, too.

Saved my bfing!

Flossam · 14/01/2007 09:37

I think so VVV - don't know if you are about now but I shall sign in anyhow.

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