BF info for a mum to be please!

[bumperlicious]

Ok, this may sound a bit preemptive seeing as this LO is not due for another 10 weeks, but I don't have a regular midwife to ask and have no idea when my antenatal classes start, so apologies for what may seem like a anxious post (it is!) but I like to be prepared and I know I can rely on you lot to help me.

Anyway, to the point: I have quite a few breast feeding questions which I would love answers for:

1. How soon after baby is born can I try to breast feed, and conversely, how long can you leave it before the first feed (e.g. what if I have an emergency CS or something?) and before the hospital will want to give it formular?

1. I want to exclusively breast feed, but what if I have problems in the first few days, is my baby going to get enough nourishment? How long do I get to get things right, and if things aren't going right how long before you stop producing milk?

1. I would like to express occasionally, e.g. so DH can do a night feed. Any tips on expressing in general?

1. If you breast feed in the night do you still have to wind the baby? What if they fall back to sleep, do you wake them?

1. I really want to breast feed but most of what I read, especially on here, is how difficult it can be and all the problems that surround it. I know you only hear the bad things and people don't post 'well breast feeding is going really well isn't it easy' but I seem to have go into this mindset that it's going to be difficult and I won't be able to do it. Do you have any tips to alleviate my fears? What is the trick to getting the baby to latch on properly?

Ok, I'm done! Sorry for what must seem like really stoopid questions, I just need to know what I am getting into and feel a bit more prepared. Thanks in advance for any advice

Thanks everyone for all the fab advice! Glad this thread is useful to other people as well.

wowzers this thread is amazing, thanks bumperlicious, what good adice it has generated.

Fearscape - Are you saying that the Avent hand pumps are not as good as the Avent electric ones? Or are Avent not a good make to buy? Im still toying with the idea of whether or not to buy a pump before I give birth. One part of me thinks its good to be prepared and then the other part thinks I could wait a while.....as if I have nothing else to think of, while I sit in work doing very little!

The nursing pillow you refer to, is that the round one that you lay the baby in the middle of?

Thanks again for all the great advice. I can't wait to join the club!

Myfairone, sorry for confusion, I meant the Avent pumps are really good! I have only tried the hand pump but would imagine the electric one is good as well. It is worth getting an electric one if you think you will pump a lot, as the hand pump can make your hand ache after a while, but the electric ones are more pricey.

Yes the nursing pillow is round (well sort of C-shaped), it goes round your lap and you lay the baby on it. It raises the baby up closer to your breast so you don't get a sore arm holding him/her there for ages, and takes the pressure off your scar if you've had a cs.

Nursing pillow is also great in bed before your baby comes - can help you get comfy when that bump just gets in the way of everything. Is like a giant boomerang and I still use it to feed DD when I'm at home and I've been feeding her for nearly 5 months. Bumperlicious, I WISH I'd asked all these questions before she was born as I was utterly clueless! Can I just second Avent pump recommendation - I've an Avent ISIS Q - is electric and mimicks your hand motion - not cheap but I got one quite cheaply off Ebay.

Fearscape and SydneyB, thank you for the advice on the pillow and pumps

Going to get myself a nursing pillow for sure and take a look at the electric pumps.

Hope everyone is feeling well today.

Just bumping this because it's been really useful!

Bumping again for all the people who are like me who getting closer and more panicky!

Good luck with the breast feeding. I am still BF my 11 month old just before bed time now. The best thing I could say is to remember that every day you manage to breast feed is an achievement. Some days it will be tiring and you will feel like giving up but if you take each day as it comes you will continue for much longer. It really is a special experience and I am excited for you to have it to look forward to.

Fab that you are thinking ahead and anticipating potential problems. You will be well prepared at least but hopefully you will find it easy and not have any problems. You have read lots of negatives on here, I just wish I had joined years ago so I knew what I might be in for - seriously, I don't think there is enough information out there to forewarn that there may be problems. I had a crap time with all three but I am stubborn and would not give up regardless. It was to my detriment but all the positives kept me going and I did get there in the end with all of them and still exclusively bf my 10mth old.

You can put baby to the breast immediately after birth (vaginal) - in fact thats the best thing to do.

YOU choose how you want to feed your baby - no one (even the hospital) has a right to give it formula

I went through problems with all three but last year my third wasn't gaining weight at first. For the first 2.5 weeks I was having her weighed and also was encouraged to express and log all feeds/amounts etc. She was alert when awake and seemed to be doing all the right things though so she definately wasn't malnourished. I eventually took about 11 weeks (after mastitis and thrush and cracked nipples) to feel like we had mastered it and started to enjoy it. All three took about that time in fact.

An expert would need to advise about stopping producing milk, as far as I am aware it wouldn't happen suddenly

Expressing can be hard work and a bit of a chore if you are feeding especially in the early days when they are feeding more and you are tired. Its nice though if you can to be able to get husband to give a feed at the end of a day when you could do with a break

If baby is asleep after the feed in the night you can put it straight down and it will soon let you know if it has wind. Generally I always tried to get some wind up anyway and if it didn't happen within a few minutes I put her down and she was fine. The longer the feed may help with them sleeping for a bit longer so if baby falls straight asleep, try and rouse a bit to get more milk in.

Breast feeding is the best thing ever for your baby and you so good luck and I hope you find it easy