Breastfeeding advice needed for a friend

[Boco]

Hello
My friend has just had her first baby a few days ago - a very gorgeous little boy. (just saw the pictures - awww]

Apparently he was very sleepy for the first two days so she wasn't allowed home and was persuaded to give formula and agreed as she was sleepless and very stressed. She was then sent back to A&E the next day by the midwife as feeding still not going well, he was checked over and is ok, just a bit jaundiced.

He's now started to bf - but sounds like maybe the latch isn't quite right yet, and she's mix feeding and expressing - but i think is trying to get bf established. Now she has a blocked duct too.

I advised lots of skin to skin - and she's trying to get in touch with a bf supporter. What else can I recommend?

sounds like she has had very poor support in the hospital. The reason given for formula supplementation - sleepy baby - is, well, a non-reason.

Her blocked duct might well be linked with the mixed feeding she is doing. Breasts need to be 'used' often to avoid engorgement and engorgement can lead to blocked ducts.

She desperately needs someone who can sort out the mess - some peer supporters are great but they are not trained to sort out messes. She needs a breastfeeding counsellor, or a breastfeeding specialist midwife or a midwife who knows a lot about bf.

Skin to skin is great and will definitely help.

Baby needs careful monitoring - should be pooing several yellow poos a day by now and weeing lots and lots. Probably should be weighed, too.

Thanks Tiktok, hopefully she'll get hold of a bf cousellor.