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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Breast Feeding friend is literally being sucked mad by NB, Need wise words ref using a dummy!

24 replies

TalkroundupElf · 03/04/2008 20:15

Ok, so the baby is only just over 24 hrs old, but already has literally being sucking the life out of her mum. She was a very big baby at 10lb , and my friend was wanting to use a dummy between feeds as baby seems to have a VERY strong sucking reflex, and constantly wants to be on the breast. Unfortunatly she was told off today by her midwife for wating to do so, as apparently they dont 'recommend' this for BF babies?

My friend has a 4 year old child aswel, so really does need to be able to have some time during the day to enable her to get on and do stuff with the her.

What are your thoughts, and if this IS a load of old bollox, can anyone recommend a really good dummy which has similar properties to the breast in terms of shape, size etc

Thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

TalkroundupElf · 03/04/2008 20:16

[wanting]

OP posts:

EffiePerine · 03/04/2008 20:18

Has her milk come in yet? If the baby is feeding all the time, it's to stimulate milk supply. This is a natural (and pretty clever) process and the feeds should space out a bit once supply has been established. I wouldn't use a dummy this early on TBH.

If the baby is 1 day old, surely she should be resting anyway and having someone else look after her 4 yr old?

EffiePerine · 03/04/2008 20:20

more info on nursing newborns here

www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing.html

and on managing newborns and toddlers

www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/newborn-toddler.html

chibi · 03/04/2008 20:21

Giving a dummy is bollox at this stage I'm afraid - the baby is wanting to feed frequently because this will help bring the milk in. A dummy can be used later I think when feeding is well established, but this is a matter of weeks rather than days.

Once the milk comes in, it shouldn't be quite so full on (relatively speaking - iirc my dd was feeding every 2 hours for about a half an hour at a go for the first few weeks).

Is there anyone who can help her with her 4 year old/give her a break by pitching in with housework and cooking? I was lucky enough to have both my dh and mum helping so all I had to worry about in the forst few weeks was feeding dd - I think this support was one of (maybe the most important) reason why I have been able to continue bf dd.

StarlightMcKenzie · 03/04/2008 20:23

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Original poster

TalkroundupElf · 03/04/2008 20:24

The midwife was saying that you shouldn't use dummies with bf babies at all - and yes we understood why baby was wanting to feed so much now. The problem is going to come when she gets home and wants to use the dummy in days, maybe weeks to come.

Is using a dummy going to make bf tricky for baby? Sorry if i sound a tad thick, but i have very little experience of the ins and outs of breast feeding and just want to be able to support her properly and not give her misleading info

OP posts:

sweetkitty · 03/04/2008 20:24

Sorry but with a day old baby all you are meant to sit and do is feed and do nothing else, she's just given birth and needs to rest.

Her clever little baby is putting in her first orders for milk and the more she sucks the quicker her milk will come in to satisfy her.

I had one like this we nickenamed her Dyson, I think I gave her a dummy at about 4weeks as she was using me as one, she spat it out and refused it at about 4 months though think once she realised there was no milk coming out of it.

It will get better for her she will not be chained to the baby 24/7 and will be able to get some time with her 4yo.

kiskideesameanoldmother · 03/04/2008 20:25

the sucking will help her milk come in soon. size has nothing to do with a NBs need to suck. the all do. just 24 hrs ago, he had all his needs taken care of 24/7.

Would she consider having him in a sling so that she can pay a bit of attention to the 4yo as well? Get family or friend to pay special attention to the 4yo for a few days.

TBH, tiny babies will breastfeed very frequently in the first month or two so considering ways to accomodate this is a good ides.

Dummies are not advised for bfing babies while bfing is being established as mum has to establish a good milk supply and the most efficient way of doing this is to make the baby feed.

advice on dummy use maybe print for her. A good idea is also to google 'hunger cues' 'breastfeeding'

Original poster

TalkroundupElf · 03/04/2008 20:27

oh god no, she's far from fed up with it

But was gob smacked when the midwife told her it was a no no, even though she did so with her first born - i guess things change, or she wasn't given the right info first time around

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EffiePerine · 03/04/2008 20:27

I think the main prob with dummies is that the sucking reflex is linked pretty closely to bfing and supply. So if the baby is having a growth spurt, they are programmed to feed more to stimulate milk production. if they are sucking on a summy it confuses that.

Having said that, many bf babies use dummies with no problems. DS never took to one, so I don't have any experience. I think you need to wait a few weeks before introdcing one though.

EffiePerine · 03/04/2008 20:28

Aha!

www.kellymom.com/bf/start/concerns/pacifier.html

(couldn;t remember what the Americans call dummies!)

LIZS · 03/04/2008 20:29

I'd be surprised if she was told it was a total no-no later on but now not a good idea for all reasons stated below.

StarlightMcKenzie · 03/04/2008 20:29

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EffiePerine · 03/04/2008 20:29

so avoid for 1st 3-4 weeks and poss 1st 6-8 weeks (depending on your POV).

Has your friend got a sling? Supposed to be good for bfing and doing other stuff at the same time

moondog · 03/04/2008 20:29

The sucking is what makes the milk come. No sucking,no (or much less) milk.

StarlightMcKenzie · 03/04/2008 20:31

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Ceolas · 03/04/2008 20:33

I would avoid a dummy for just now. I had a 10lber and fed pretty constantly for the first few weeks.

She needs lots of help with everything else apart from the feeding, imo.

Original poster

TalkroundupElf · 03/04/2008 20:35

I'm pretty sure she hasn't considered a sling. What would you suggest to be the best ones? Maybe i could put that to her when i see her at the weekend. Her nipples are already horriby cracked, i just feel so sorry for her. The midwife checked how she was latching her on, and there didn't seem to be any problems with that which was great .

Her partner is taking some time off work, so he'll be around initially.

OP posts:

Ceolas · 03/04/2008 20:37

If you haven't bought her a gift but were intending to, can I suggest pouch sling and/or lansinoh

Original poster

TalkroundupElf · 03/04/2008 20:39

Oh my sister actually bought her some Lansinoh today, so hopefully it will help her, as long as she actually remembers to use it

OP posts:

EffiePerine · 03/04/2008 20:40

Lansinoh is a must (unless she's allergic to lanolin, in which case Kamillosan?). As are decent breast pads .

However well bfing goes, she's likely to be a bit uncomfrtable and completely knackered in the first weeks, so anything that will make her life easier!

kiskideesameanoldmother · 03/04/2008 20:42

heavens, if her nipples are already cracked she needs to see someone besides the MW to check her latch. A lot of midwives are not able to check latch. Cracked nips are usually a sign that latch needs improving.

Can you get her to phone the helplines asap? here has them down the side of the page. It will be best to see someone IRL asap. the helpline people should be able to put her in touch with local people she can go and see.

anonymama · 03/04/2008 20:43

Dummies may cause the baby to have "nipple confusion", so not ideal in early weeks. Later on they may delay speech development - even those little gurgles and coos at 3mths + are part of the baby's attempts to communicate and can be thwarted by using a dummy too frequently.

FWIW, I have found breastfeeding DS2 (14wks) with big brother (26mths) fine. I prepared the BB with the book "My New Baby" which shows lots of pictures of the mother BFing, and went on loads about how babies had mother's milk and big boys drank cow's milk etc. As such, the brother doesn't know any different and has not made a fuss.

In terms of practicalities, I haven't used a sling - I prefer to sit down and feed - but after a while you can BF with one hand free - leaving a little extra capacity for turning the pages of a book, cuddling the brother in front of the TV, etc. Also, when out and about, there is nothing extra to carry beyond a couple of little nappies. Plus, I am not wasting time sterilising equipment for feeds etc. which frees up more time for the sibling too.

Hope this helps.

anonymama · 03/04/2008 20:44

PS (to add to EffiePerine's comment of 20:40:56) I think Kamillosan contains some lanolin too, so might need an alternative if allergic to that.

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