How much help are Breastfeeding Counsellors ?

[Janos]

The reason I'm asking is that I have a two week old ds who I am trying to BF but really finding it a struggle! I really feel like I need someone to sit with me & show me how to get him positioned - are there any ppl that will do this?

I think he is also having problems with feeding because of his age (he was nearly 4 weeks premature)- he just doesn't want to latch on and I am so worried. Currently he is being fed on expressed breast milk so he is getting enough but it's so tiring expressing all the time.

Any and all advice gratefully received!

The NCT will nelp you or you could try the LaLeche League (may not have correct spelling). Your HV should be able to give you contact nos. Some hospitals also have breastfeeding clinics - the JR in Oxford did and they saw people from all over the region.
Good luck - I know it's awful when you are determined but it just doesn't seem to happen. Had these problems with DD1 but got there eventually.

That's good to hear yoyo. I will give the NCT a try - I'm really determined to BF and I don't want to give my DS any formula, but finding it such hard work. He seems to be doing well on my expressed milk which is good to see.

Do you mind me asking how long it took to get BF established? I always felt hat it was something that would come easily, because I wanted to do it but it hasn't turned out that way at all

it does take time to establish- it took me quite a few weeks. do contact someone for help though

In general I think BFCs are wonderful. I've only ever contacted the NCT ones, so I can't comment on LLL. I think sometims local NCT branches have BFCs who may come to you to help you face-to-face if the telephone help doesn't work for you. I went to the NCT headquarters in Acton to meet a counsellor, and she was brilliant.

The NCT Breastfeeding Support Line 0870 444 8708 is also excellent, but sometimes you do need to have face-to-face help. The line is served by mothers at home, so if you cannot be connected immediately someone will call you back very soon. It can be a bit longwinded to get through, but you can bypass all the 'stuff' if it is an emergency and talk to someone straightaway (the message tells you how on the phone).

I don't have experience of premature babies, but I'm sure I have read on Mumsnet that sometimes they take longer than expected before they are ready to learn to breastfeed, and so it's worth persevering both with the expressing and with giving the baby the opportunity to breastfeed. Well done for expressing! Have you tried expressing to music? I've never been much good at expressing, but it was always easier and more productive if I could express to music - Abba worked well .

where are you, janos? i know the cetral london hospitals have b/f clinics and i can also give you the number of a private bfc who practises in s. london. in addition, i recommend the book "bestfeeding" - lots of pictures of what good and bad latches look like. i was told allow 4 - 6 wks to establish b/f fully. good luck and well done for persevering.

LOL pretty candles at the thought of expressing milk to Abba! Well why not I'll give anything a go.

You've actually got cracking a smile about this which is something else, I've been so worried. Thank you!

Janos I had a BF counsellor who kept me breastfeeding. Is there a bf support group attached to the hopital you had DS in? If you call the maternity ward, they'll tell you - it's surprising how they still don't automatically give out info like this. And as others have said, La Leche and NCT will also be able to tell you local to you groups/ individuals.

Good luck and congratulations on DS and how well he's doing.

serenequeen thanks for the offer but no good unfortunately, I'm up in Edinburgh. I do appreciate the offer tho, thanks

I'd recommend the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers - I found them very helpful and they have groups all over the country, many with attending breastfeeding counsellors.

There are several newsgroups that specialise in breastfeeding - they are worth a look if you have access.

It might be worth asking your surgery if they have a 'lactation consultant' or similar - my surgery has a midwife who is qualified in this area, although I wouldn't have known if I hadn't asked!

You could also try asking NHS Direct if they have any information about groups in your area.

Good luck - you are giving you baby the best start and are undoubtedly doing a much better job than you think!

Janos

The Breastfeeding Network have a supporter line offering telephone help (0870 900 8787), but also have a number of support centres which you can go along to for practical help.

Support Centres

I had some help in the early weeks with ds1, which was invaluable as I had a really bad cracked nipple. I was fortunate that the local person lived around the corner and was able to call round. Without this help I'd have given up. Here I am 3 years later breastfeeding ds2!

Good luck, I hope you manage to get some help!

Hi Janos, you are doing really well, expressing is so hard.

My baby, although he wasn't prem was very small and lost weight after he was born (down to 4lb 10oz) and he refused to latch on for the first month.

It was only with the support and advice of a couple of bfc's that I was able to carry on and now he is still breastfeeding at 9 months old.

Breastfeeding counsellors are all volunteer mums working from home so not all can visit you at home but I would advise you to contact all the available groups to see if there is anyone near to you who can.

One bfc suggested bringing ds up from underneath with me sitting on the edge of a chair so in efefct he was horizontal with me supporting his bottom. She is also a hospital midwife and used that technique with prem babies and it was the first time he was able to latch on (though he had still to learn how to suck!)

You may have been given this advise already but just in case I will say it. Spend a lot of time in skin to skin contact. Undress your baby except for a nappy and put him against your chest, take him in the bath with you. try expressing a small amout of milk and dripping it down your breast from a syringe before trying to latch him on so he gets used to the idea that is where the milk comes from.

Also consider (apologies if you are already doing this) using a special infant feeding cup rather than a bottle so that he does not learn the wrong technique.

Some babies just need to grow a little, it is possible, it probably feels like you are fighting a lost cause. You are not, hopefully your ds will start to feed preoperly soon but you do need lots of support.

Try to rest as much as possible, get someone else if you can to do all the sterilising etc and remember that you only have to sterilise the pump once a day. You will also finf it a lot easier if you are using a double electric pump. The NCT hire them out.

Hang in there, it does get better.

I mean ds was vertical with his legs dangling NOT horizontal when I was using the prem baby latching technique.

I had someone from the LaLeche league come to my house with my youngest. She watched me feed, repositioned the baby & that seemed to do the trick.

It does take a while to get bf established, esp with the first.

I used an NCT b/f counsellor, and found her really helpful. She even gave me good advice when I was trying to move onto bottles in preparation for going back to work, as my son would not accept anything but boob! B/F takes about 4-6 weeks to get properly established, both for you and your baby, so stick in there if you can. Good luck, and well done.

Hi Janos

Think you're doing brilliantly. Would echo what the others have said about getting in touch with a bf counsellor, someone who can come and see you if possible. In the meantime, have a look at some of these links for help on latching on and positioning - sometimes the most miniscule adjustment can make a world of difference.

latching

DS is nearly eight months and it took us five weeks to get breastfeeding sorted. He's still breastfed now and I'm really glad I kept at it in the early weeks. Sometimes it takes a while for your baby to learn how to do it, I'm sure (DS would shake his head wildly in the hunt for the good stuff, then close his mouth just a bit too soon - which really didn't help matters!).

Let us know how you get on - and congrats on your little boy!

HM xxx

Janos - just wondering how you are getting on today and whether you've made contact with any counsellors yet.

I had a dreadful birth with DD1 and she just wouldn't latch on properly. Spent weeks in breastfeeding clinic and they eventually threatened admission to hospital as she was in their opinion failing to thrive. Had been through so much by then that I agve her formula but continued to put her to the breast at each feed. She took less and less formula (sometimes none) and was completely breastfed by 6 months. I did express a lot initially but couldn't do that, give formula and put to breast!! So tiring so know exactly how you feel. I fed her until she was 2 and enjoyed it immensely.

The advice on here has been excellent. Do try and see someone as they can help so much with positioning and getting the all-important latch. I have since fed 2 others with relatively few problems but remember so clearly the stress and anguish the first time.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

P.S. Have you tried feeding in the bath? Sounds daft but I found my let-down was much better in the bath.

Hi there Janos. I have used bf counsellors with both sons (it's not necessarily easier the second time) and each time I have come off the phone far more encouraged and thought to myself 'why didn't I contact them earlier'. Having said that, would echo what the others have said about it taking a while to get sorted. And congrats on the expressing - I agree, it is so tiring but at least you know he's getting all the benefits of breastmilk while you try to sort out the latch.

Thank you all so much for the encouraging messages, they've really given me hope - it's good to know that I'm not the only one.

I'm up late having just given ds a marathon (expressed) feed, he is such a little guzzler - am seeing a BF counsellor tomorrow, not a 1 to 1 thing, a drop in clinic at the hospital where I gave birth and she has been recommended so fingers crossed.

Anyway am going to sign off and attempt to get some sleep! I will keep everyone up to date on how things are going when I can. Thanks again.

Good news - touch wood! After attending the BF clinic DS is strarting to take complete feeds from the breast using a nipple shield, on advice of the midwife who runs the group. I also met someone who was having exactly the same problem as me - baby not latching on. It was really reassuring to chat to someone who is having the same problem.

Anyway, I don't want to get my hopes up too much but BF seems to be going well atm. I'm so glad I went along to the clinic

Brilliant news. Well done!

Thanks yoyo. I am enjoying the feeds so much more now, feels so much nicer to feed him this way!

Mine were great, understanding and supportive, gave me useful info too when I wasn't sure what to do... as a direct answer to the question

Many congrats Janos - that's great. We saw a Lactation Consultant (BF'ing counsellor - we're in America) for the first 2 weeks of DD's life - it took 7 weeks until she fed properly from both breasts and we haven't looked back since. DD is 1 in 3 weeks.......
It was expensive ($300 in all) but well worth it - certainly have saved money on bottles and evil formula (IMO).
So glad it's working for you now - keep going - it gets easier & better every day.
mit x