Breast feeding for first time tips

[TisforTucan]

I feel stupid posting this but here goes, I've had 2 babies and currently pregnant with 3rd and final baby. I desperately want to breast feed this little one but I want to be prepared.

I collected colostrum and managed to get to week 5 but feeding but always ended up substituting with bottle. Any tips to help this time? Also what about pumping, I get a really good supply with every baby but I'm confused on pumping and was told not to early on.

I seem to really complicate BFing and end up panicking that I can't do it, so lots of advice is appreciated.

Congrats on your pregnancy. Just to ask - why do you always end up substituting with a bottle at week 5? Do you feel like your supply isn’t enough?

Link in with a lactation consultant and local breastfeeding support, that’s the most helpful thing you can do.

Find the details of your local breastfeeding support groups and go to them. You could even go to one now to get some tips on how to start.

Talk to your midwife, maybe plan for a visit from the hospital Infant Feeding team before you are discharged to give you some confidence. Some extra support may be all you need to get through, if confidence is the main issue.

The other possibility is support from a private lactation consultant- if you can afford it you might approach one now, so you know how to get hold of them if you need them.

You don’t need to express colostrum or pump, many women breastfeed successfully and never express at all. If you express a lot in the early weeks you can get an over-supply of milk that can cause it’s own issues. For you, being anxious about feeding anyway, I would keep it simple and not plan to pump unless advised to by a medical professional.

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope feeding goes well this time round

Readjust your idea as to what the ‘normal’ or ‘by the book’ newborn experience is, because it’s largely bollocks, especially in breastfed babies. Baby wanting to be on or near to the breast 24/7 is normal. Baby becoming fussy, crying more and cluster feeding in the evenings is normal. Baby chugging a bottle despite having breastfed for the last 3265193 hours is normal (it’s all suck reflex, it doesn’t indicate a problem with your supply).

Lots of threads involving people getting in a pickle with breastfeeding are due to being adamant they need to build a ‘freezer stash’ and forgoing actual feeding with attempting to pump. My advice would be don’t do it until baby is in a routine and you can have a set time each day/night to do it, that doesn’t potentially clash with a feed. If you need a break before then a bottle of formula is completely adequate.

Trust your body. Obviously if things are going wrong (baby isn’t gaining weight, or has symptoms you can’t explain) then seek help. But if baby is generally content, gaining weight and pooing/peeing enough, chances are your body is doing everything it needs to do.

Congratulations!

so my advice is:

• accept there’s going to be some tough times early on. But the easy, wonderful, sweet moments will far outnumber and outweigh the tough times soon enough!
• feed responsively, if baby looks hungry they probably are, even if you fed for 45 mins 10 mins ago. Go with it!
• get ample amounts of tv shows lined up and download the apps on your phone too.
• download an app such as baby tracker to keep track of when you last fed and which side etc. takes away the mental load of remembering
• find and link I. With your free local breastfeeding support network, they’re a godsend. We have FAB in my area but not sure if it’s just a Lancashire based thing.
• follow accounts such as Le leche league and mamas milk on insta for quick helpful guides and support. Also follow FAB (families and babies) even if they aren’t local to you, so many useful resources.
• your supply will be enough! Let baby feed all the time - don’t expect 2-3 hour gaps, not bloody likely.
• tgey feed a lot at night as that’s when your body can produce the most milk, accept it and get a snack tray ready next to your bed!

the first few weeks are hard going but sore that it’s a breeze.

in bf my 2nd who is 8 weeks old, and she feeds every 1 to 2 hours, sometimes kii I re so times less. Between 12-16 times a day, mostly for 5 mins, but sometimes up to 20, and sleeps solidly from 9pm til 5 then 6 til 9 again. So some bf babies do sleep through. My eldest did not! But we survived s d had d as mother 2 years later!

oh also but lanisoh and apply it generously, drink plenty!!!

good luck

Congratulations!!

So I never planned on breast feeding my baby as none of my friends have and now she's turning 2 next week and I'm still feeding 🤣

Advice I can give is to relax about it, remember positions which you found comfy to feed, co sleeping helped the tiredness as I didn't have to physically get up to feed her and just feed on demand. Some babies get hungry more than others. It doesn't mean your milk isn't enough.

My DD was a hungry baby and it felt like she was constantly on the boob. I think everyone I know has now seen my boobs cos she just wanted to feed constantly 🤣

Good luck OP xx

Thanks everyone for your lovely responses, plan on just staying really relaxed about it and going with the flow. I'll have one in school and my two year old at home but this time my DH will be working from home so fx he can help out. 2 year old is super chill too so hopefully while we get in a routine it will be ok.

@ShirleyPhallus I supplimented on advice as DC2 lost over 10 per cent initially and we went into lock down, I had a major anxiety attack about going back in hospital during covid. My health visitor back then refused to come out (didn't see one until dc2 was 2 months old) so I just had a midwife ring me and I was on my own. I did really well, ended up being able to pump 3oz initially but found dc feeding painful and no idea what I was doing.