What would help?

[NoBiggy]

Just thinking ahead, my sis is due a baby soon, if she needs any help with bf how could I assist? When people talk about needing support what sort of thing do they mean?

Encouragement that she is doing a great job, that initial difficulties are normal and can normally be overcome with the help of a bf counsellor. Having the helpline numbers ready.

Familiarity with the basic facts, e.g.

• Milk doesn't come in for several days. This is OK and the baby will be fine on colostrum if he/she gets plenty of chance to suckle
• There's a basic supply and demand equation. If the baby suckles often then supply will increase. If you start topping up with formula then supply will decrease
• Babies do often feed all the time in the early weeks, or what feels like all the time. They have to build up your supply from nothing to enough to sustain them for six months
• It can be emotionally draining, and 5-8 weeks is often the most difficult time
• Some pain is normal at the start of a feed but if it lasts throughout the feed or nipples are getting sore it's worth getting the latch checked by a professional

Encourage to focus on one feed at a time or one day at a time at the difficult times.

Encourage never to make a decision to quit at night -- rethink in the light of the next day.

Remember that the key issues are whether the baby is happy, alert, gaining weight (even if slower than the HV wants), and has plenty of wet and dirty diapers. If those things are all in place then she is doing a great job and should be reassured of that. If any of them looks like a problem then one of the helplines should be able to give advice.

Don't expect bf to be easy. It can be a hard slog but it's worth it.

I always say refuse to leave hospital until you are comfortable at getting baby to latch on. It makes all the difference, in my experience.

That most people worry about their supply at some point but that most people do have enough milk, or can increase supply by simply feeding more.

I think it's because the whole system is geared towards measurements, ounces taken, ounces gained, and of course breasts don't have measurements marked on them... it can be hard to trust your body when your baby is fussy and seems to have been feeding forever. Thats when you really need support and for someone to tell you you're doing a good job - unfortunately you don't always get this from the health professionals .

If she's got internet access, tell her about mumsnet - support from people who are going through the same thing is a godsend.

Thank you, so difficult to remember how it started off, but yes, good point, knowing that your toes curl to start with and that's normal and not a reason to stop! Good one to remember!

The 5-8 weeks thing may be a bit of a test, I think she intends going back to work about then.

missgriss, what can the hospital do about the latch? I keep reading about midwives pressing little baby heads at bosoms - is there something else they should do?

Shonaspurtle, they have a pc but she doesn't really use it - I think it's a shame, as, especially with my first, I was every day posting on my birth club and in the chat room every lunchtime (not mumsnet, one of the others ). I remember my pregnancy for those times as much as anything else I think.

Some midwives are properly trained in bf and marvellously helpful, some aren't (most don't have more than a few hours' training in it). Bad help (e.g. just shoving baby on) can be worse than no help at all. I think if she's having problems and midwives aren't able to help then getting in touch with a bf counsellor is a good plan.

Going back to work at 5-8 weeks ! Probably will be difficult to bf or give EBM exclusively, then (although I seem to remember that Xenia, who went back to work then with all her children, managed to breastfeed them all so presumably it can be done). Is she set in stone on that or is it just the way she's thinking at the moment?

Wasn't a planned pregnancy, so they're not in a position to take the full maternity leave (as they need her wage).

She will be able to take the baby with her, so bf is still possible. Don't know what would happen if she had to spend so long feeding that she couldn't do her work as well as previously.

I found the mw's excellent in the hospital at showing me what to do. (The hospital I went to had a BF counsellor, I don't know if they all do?) They showed me how to get dd latched on, different positions I could feed her when I was getting sore etc. I a lot more confident about being able to BF on leaving hospital with dd and managed to feed her for 11 months.

Stark contrast to when I had DS (who is older than DD) and I got out of hospital the following day being utterly clueless at knowing if he was latched on correctly. Suffice to say, I didn't last a week BFing him

missgriss! Haven't "seen" you since Eurovision! How are the skewers coming along...

Hah! I'm finding it increasingly difficult to type due to the fact my eyeballs are attached to said skewers

Whoever voted for that heap of shite should be made to listen to it on repeat until the end of time as punishment

Needing support literally - a good nursing bra

Am gonna copy and paste the tips I've just posted on another thread.....

For engorgement try savoy cabbage leaves.

I always thought nipple shields were just a gimmick - a way of making money out of new mums eager to bf how wrong was I? They were a godsend for me-a wonderful invention, although all the info I had from my hosp said not to use them cos it can interfere with the latch and to be honest it did, lo started to curl his bottom lip in after using them but bf co-ordinator helped us to get it right again...which brings me onto my next point - if you feel things aren't going well, ask to see the bf co-ordinator, mine was wonderful and next time I am not leaving the hospital until I have seen her - may even kidnap her !

Don't give in to pressure to ff if you don't want to!

That's just based on my recent experience good luck!

A good nursing bra, I'm sure I've never seen one - mine's more like a sling, and you can see the zips through my clothes.

Thanks, looks like bf counsellors are worth their weight in gold - I know the hospital has some, don't know how often they're about.