Breast feeding - I have a few questions.

[StaryNightSky]

Hi MNetters

Ok I am currently pr with our first and I am the sort of person who needs to be organised. So I have a few questions.

I was planning to breast feed but I have SEVERE Eplipesy. (I have checked that my meds are ok for breat feeding, which they are) But a major trigger for me is lack of sleep. I need blocks of sleep otherwise I tend to fit. I also have a very SEVERE back injury which means that I can not get to sleep easily no matter how tired.

Now with FF My DP, ILs etc could help with nightfeeds. I now that with BF I could espress milk but the info on this seems to be very conflicting. ie. Some people say that the sucking motion is different and this can be confusing to baby. Some people say that expressing doesn't work. Then there is the whole sterilise or not.

Also (sorry if TMI) I have pre pregrenancy very large breasts. Actully that should be VVVVV large breasts, that are not as perky as jordon's. I am worried that I might suffocate or having trouble with latching on.

I know that a lot of people say it is the best thing for the baby. BUt surely it is more important to have a mummy who is not fitting a in hospital or heaven forbid have a fit whilst holding the child. (I have extended fits that need medical intervention to stop)

What would you do?

I think you need to talk to some breastfeeding counsellors. And maybe just see how it goes. I don't think the size of your breasts would be a problem. But the sleep thing could be an issue.

Thing is, you may find breastfeeding a doddle, and your baby may sleep through easily. Or you may find cosleeping works well for you, and you get lots of sleep. (I coslept with each of mine, when they were little, and this worked very very well.)

Or you may run into trouble, and find that formula is what works best for your circumstances.

Hello,

Oh, I'm sorry to break it to you but you're probably not going to get too much sleep either way! If you BF even though no one else can do it for you, you can do it in your sleep, and it can save a lot of time when you have a screaming hungry child, rather than waiting half an hour to sterilise bottles and boil up water. I wouldn't worry about the size of your boobs either, you won't smother your baby!

You sound as if you would prefer to bottle feed on the whole?

Would you consider co-sleeping? If you have the baby in bed with you- following recommended guidelines- you can feed the baby lying down and don't necessarily need to wake up that much to feed and can sleep through the feeds once the baby is latched on. Feeding lying down is also very good if you have large breasts.

In terms of expressing I think it's best to leave it until the baby is 6 weeks so that breastfeeding is properly established and confusion is unlikely. Alternatively, many babies will take milk from a cup from birth (my little girl will happily take a feed from a cup and always has).

re sterilising. I never bother and it has been suggested that it is unnecessary. If you have a dishwasher this will do the job adequately. Otherwise wash with hot soapy water and leave to air dry.

Make the decision that is best for you and do not feel guilty. You can always try to bf, add in formula and mix feed or switch to formula completely if it doesn't work.

Good luck to you and congrats. My best friend is severely epileptic (grand mal, extended fits, intervention needed etc) and has breastfed 4 babies!

Hi. You sound quite open to both options so keep those opinions going! I would say to try breast feeding to begin with and see how you get on with it. You can co sleep and fall asleep whilst feeding which is lovely and helpful with the tiredness thing
Yous boob size shouldn't make a difference.
You may not take to bfeeding anyway (not everyone does) and so then your decision would be made for you
Congratulations btw and hope everything works out for you
Can you speak to midwife, health visitor or such like about this stuff before you give birth?

I am no expert as somone will no doubt tell you!

Have you thought about expressing and bottle feeding your breast milk? This would be a comprimise, still breast milk and giving you a reall fighting chance at sleeping which, in this situation, seems extremly important that you do.

I b/f, expressed bottled fed for 6 weeks and my ds seemed to take either fine. After I had him I b/f him and then through exhaustion was unable to fill him up so dh gave him a bottle given to us by the m/w's. From then on he was fine to take either.

This worked for me and is just a suggestion

In your case, BF doesn't sound like a good option so would agree with FF. At the end of the day, you have to decide what is best not just for baby but for you as well.

I also have vvvv large breasts and I BF my DS but had to hold my breast with one hand and DS head with the other - it was difficult at first but became quite easy and I had no problem with expressing - I could express about 4oz from one breast but not so much from the other. My DS had no problem with suckling either, whether it was from my nipple or a bottle.

You could always try expressing when baby comes and see how you get on. As long as the breast milk is kept in the fridge or freezer it will stay sterile. Can't remember how long in fridge but freezer is about 3 months.

Wow - hello and congrats!

I have no clue at all about the epilepsy - it may be that the decision is made for you if the safety of you and your baby might be put at risk.

However, you will still be tired no matter how you decide to feed your baby. It's fab that you've got an army lined up to help - use them

I can hopefully encourage you about big boobs. I don't know how big you are, but if it's any help I'm a 32J when breastfeeding and I had no trouble with latching on etc. From what I can tell it's no different and possibly easier with big boobs because there's more of them to grab and put in baby's direction IYSWIM.

I found lying down and breastfeeding quite comfy and again big boobs helped with that I think.

I also used to prop myself up in the corner of a sofa or bed against the wall when doing night feeds and could doze off a little whilst feeding. But baby had to be resting on a cushion rather than relying on me holding him.

There are lots of people on here who have expressed for extended periods of time. It's hard work, but there are big health plus points obviously compared to formula.

If you did manage to get breastfeeding established, some mums like mix feeding too which might be a good compromise for you.

I'm sure you'll get professional advice too, but there'll be other folks on here who can give you anecdotal advice too.

All the best for a healthy and safe pg

Is it wise to co-sleep if you're prone to epileptic fits? Whilst I'm pro-BF, I think I'd be considering FF in your case, or perhaps mixed feeling. Like NQC says, best to have a chat with some breastfeeding counsellors.

Sorry, I would post a longer esponse, but lo waking up and toddler screaming.

I have to say in no uncertain terms that I WOLUD NOT recommend co-sleeping. Whateever decision you make re FF or BF, if you know that lack of sleep is a risk factor for your seizures, then Co-sleeping is stronlgy not recommended - read between the lines on the DoH recommendations about being over tired, etc.... you have a huge added risk factor.

I don't know the specifics of your seizure history, but best of luck, and enjoy your LO when he/ she arrives

Just thought I would add that we also mixed fed our DS so my DH or IL's could help so I could have a rest. Perhaps you could try breastfeeding during the day and your DH and IL's could FF at night.

Hi Guys

God your on the ball with answers

I am not really pro FF or BF. I am sure that there are benefits with both depending on the cirumstances of the individual.

I am really very lucky my DH desperately wants to be involved and is very concerned that I will get all the fun with feeding. Apperantly his father did all the night feeds and the nappy changes I think it must be genetic! not that I am complaining

He is also terribly worried about how I will cope after the birth with sleep deprevation. It is such a big seizure factors with me, also my seizure agrevate my back which makes the whole thing a total nightmare .

I suppose that I just wanted to get the oppinions of other people who had bf or ff. sometimes I find the medical profession are so busy with telling you what the current best practice is they forget to look at what is best for the individual.

We couldn't co sleep - I assume you mean in the same bed not rooming in. As we are both fairly large people and I suffer with nocturnal seizures so would be very unsafe. Beside which I would never want to inflicte my kicking DH on a child.

I really think that in this instance you are going to have to keep an open mind and take things one day at a time when your lo arrives.

Babies are so different - some sleep great on breast milk from the word go, some wake up loads in the night no matter what you do.

I'm assuming your DH will have 2 weeks paternity leave?? If so, can he be with you every time you breast feed to begin with, so if you do fit he can cope with the baby?

Also, even if you are bfing, he can still help with night feeds, by delivering the baby to you, clean bottomed and ready to go. If he can burp the baby afterwards and settle him/her back to sleep, it should limit the time you have to be up, and give you more rest.

This may not be practical long term, but even a week or 2 of bfing has advantages.

You'll be told to sleep when the baby sleeps, by lots of people, and it's really good advice, esp. if you can get someone to take it out for a walk or something, so you get a real break.

Finally, I expressed right from the start,and fed EBM from a bottle as well as breast fed, and never had a problem with 'nipple confusion', so it can be done.

However, if you do end up formula feeding, then don't feel bad - there is so much more to being a good parent than feeding, and I'm sure you will be great!!

I also have a condition aggravated by loss of sleep, and FWIW I slept MUCH better cosleeping wiht dd than I had sleeping apart from ds. But YMMV.

JaneLumley, its not about the sleeping better - its about the risk of having an epileptic seizure in which you are completely unable to control what happens.