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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

questions from a very-soon-to-be mum

40 replies

cakewench · 14/02/2009 15:23

Hello!

I'm due to have our first baby... tomorrow. I'm very keen to BF. I've noticed on online forums (and various magazines, etc) that women talk about having some leakage far in advance of the birth, sometimes up to a few weeks ahead of time.

I haven't had any of this. Outside of the fact that they've gotten bigger (but not larger in the last month or two - just whatever growth happened during the second trimester) I haven't noticed any change at all.

So I'm wondering, should something be obvious by now? I just worry, like every new mum I suppose, about whether or not anything is going to happen when it needs to!

(I ask also because I've already been forewarned to do 'as much research as possible' on my own, because the MWs at my hospital are too busy to help much with this. Also, follow-up visits by the MW are next to nonexistent in my area of Leicestershire, according to all of the ladies from my antenatal group.)

OP posts:
CarGirl · 14/02/2009 15:27

I never leaked at all, had 4 dc bf the youngest 3 was hideously engorged and never leaked before or after!

I would get 2 or 3 books about bf, I read 2 a lot during my pregnancy and they really helped me I knew all the important things like it really shouldn't hurt!!!

Hopefully someone will come on here with some recommendations of some good bf books that cover all areas

Kellymom is very good website all about bf.

moondog · 14/02/2009 15:31

No.Never leaked either.Well, 1 drop in 2 pregnancies and 31/2 years of breastfeeding.

Lotso f brill inof and support here on MN. Best of luck!

BennyAndSwoon · 14/02/2009 15:31

I never leaked and fed all of my three with no supply problems.

Have the BF helpline numbers handy. Find out if there is a BF cafe or group near you.

CarGirl · 14/02/2009 15:34

Absolutely find out about your local NCT & LaLeche groups as well as NHS feeding consultants.

I never struggled with supply either had 91st centile babies who all slept thru from a young age on breast milk so do not get lulled into thinking that your not providing them with enough or that a ff will help them sleep thru the night.

LoveaDAISYcal · 14/02/2009 15:35

No pre baby leakage here either and i don't get much in the way of leaking when feeding other than the first few weeks.

Some useful links

www.kellymom.com
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk
uk
www.howbreastfeedingworks.com

Good Luck

LoveaDAISYcal · 14/02/2009 15:36

oops, the third link was meant to be:

www.thebabycafe.co.uk

HeadFairy · 14/02/2009 15:37

I didn't leak at all with ds, apart from when he would cry at night and then it would spurt out of me, but that stopped after about a fortnight.

Best bit of advice I'd give, follow your baby, let him/her feed as long as they want, even if it seems like hours on end. They are following their instincts which are a lot more in tune to breast feeding than any website/book/forum can be. I made the mistake of assuming that all babies fed in about 40 mins, turns out my ds liked a good 2 hour feed. It took me a while to realise that.

Poledra · 14/02/2009 15:41

Get yourself some good books, DVD boxsets and nice cold drinks, and prepare to spend hours on your sofa feeding. Enjoy ( as when you have DC2, you'll have to watch CBeebies/read picture books to DC1 instead ).

Original poster
cakewench · 14/02/2009 15:54

So much excellent advice already!

Thanks for the links, I've bookmarked them and am going through them now. I think the latching videos should be very helpful- I've heard that is often the source of problems.

I appreciate the reassurance on the leaking issue. I suppose I will just have to wait (er hopefully not too long, I'm feeling more than due at this point) and see.

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 14/02/2009 16:41

I haven't seen those latching videos but anything's got to be better than those pictures of a baby with an obligingly wide open mouth. My ds didn't open his mouth wide enough for weeks. I had to work out a way to slide him further down on to the nipple.

madmouse · 14/02/2009 16:52

not a drop of colostrum beforehand and never wore breast pads after, still bf for 11 months!

wishing you a nice straightforward labour and all the best with breastfeeding. Keep coming on here!

ilovemydogandMrObama · 14/02/2009 16:59

moondog -- 31 years of breastfeeding? wow

ilovemydogandMrObama · 14/02/2009 16:59

Oh, 3.5

moondog · 14/02/2009 17:07

I always do that on MN, and get saME COMMENTS.
Am no Nadia Suleman, me.

CherryChoc · 14/02/2009 17:41

Contact your local NCT branch (find it here) and see if they have a breastfeeding counsellor you can contact by telephone. Program the number into your mobile (most hospitals allow you to use mobile phones on the postnatal ward, check though) and phone it if you are having problems.

The La Leche League helpline is 0845 120 2918 - this is 24 hours but only if it is urgent. Evening and weekend calls are fine though.

Don't panic if the baby doesn't seem to want to feed straight away - every few hours or so, try putting him to the breast but don't beat yourself up about it if you sleep for the first few hours and he doesn't get fed at all. All I wanted to do after the birth was sleep and I felt awful when I realised my baby had been in the world for 6 hours and hadn't even been fed or changed yet, but it was fine - I asked a midwife to help me latch him on (I found lying down easiest) and he took to feeding straight away. In fact he never even lost weight.

Remember Tummy to Mummy (in whatever position - sitting up, lying down, he needs to have his tummy facing towards you so he doesn't have to turn his head) and Nose to Nipple - to get him to open his mouth wide enough you need to sort of poke near his mouth with your nipple and then aim it at his nose!

You probably won't be able to tell at first that he is getting anything - don't worry, he very likely is. If you look just under his ear you will be able to see a little movement which means he is swallowing.

Good luck with the birth!

Catitainahatita · 14/02/2009 17:46

Hello. I am a v. skinny lassie, always have been. During pregnancy my breasts (if you can call them that, I don't even fill an AA cup.. I've seen blokes with more flesh in that area) did not change at all, although I did leak a few wee drops of colostrom. A week after giving birth my breasts expanded (like in James and giant peach to a D cup!!) and were like that for a few months while I BF. A year later, and no more BF (Boohoo, it is lovely, I promise) I am back to normal.
Don't panic, BF is not difficult. Here in Mexico I had no help, no counselling, no Laleche league, no BF cafes, no family or friends to help out, but I figured it out. As will you. Be patient and experiment with positions ifyou find it tough. For example, all sites say feeding lying down is the easiest. Not once did we manage it. DS prefered sitting up always.
I do recommend Kellymom though and those sites with videos then you can see how it is done and have an idea.
Good luck!

Catitainahatita · 14/02/2009 18:01

Forgot to mention... that in the hospital they force fed the poor wee mite bottles on the drs. instructions. This didn´t stop me etablishing BF once we got home. I say this because the sites can freak you out with their warning stories about nipple confusion and such like. Just because it could happen DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WILL HAPPEN. Chances are you will have no probs at all.

itwasCYTEENagewedding · 14/02/2009 18:13

I didn't leak a drop before DS was born and had similar worries to you...within a few days of letting him feed as often and as long as he wanted, my cups ranneth over, so to speak Still bf now he is nearly 6 months and a strapping young lad.

If you can get into Leicester there is a bf cafe on Wednesday mornings, Cafe Mama, at the Unitarians Meeting House - it's really nice and friendly. Also, not sure where you are having your baby but the MWs at the birthing centre in Melton Mowbray are absolutely fantastic at helping women to establish bf, they got DS and I off to the right start (I had him in hospital but transferred there for aftercare).

Best of luck and I hope you pop soon!

Sachertorte · 14/02/2009 18:26

Good luck Cakewench. There is some great advice here and links - come back if you have problems. Be prepared to buy LANSILOH a fairly expensive nipple cream, but the best. It sorts out sore nips like no other. Also be prepared to feed very very regularly, it might feel like constantly (!) This is normal! Even if it´s awful to begin with chances are you will love bf in the end!

Mungarra · 14/02/2009 19:56

I never had any leaks when I've been pregnant. I've breastfed 3 children.

Babies don't feed that often in the first day or two (they're too sleepy), but after that the feeding seems relentless for the first few weeks. This is normal and necessary to build supply. It does not mean that there isn't enough milk.

Good luck with it. The first week or two can be painful (your nipples aren't used to it) but it does get better.

itwasCYTEENagewedding · 14/02/2009 20:16

Oh, I forgot to add: the frequent feeds are actually a great reason to spend plenty of time sitting down and resting after the birth preferably with endless cups of tea and snacks being brought to you.

Original poster
cakewench · 14/02/2009 22:28

wow CYTEEN, I had no idea it was possible to move to St Mary's for aftercare. Is that something you arranged in advance?

I'm booked in for Leicester General. While my antenatal group (7 of us total, 5 have had their babies in the last month) all went to the same hospital and had no complaints about the MWs, they did say it was extremely busy and aftercare was near nonexistent due to, presumably, understaffing. They also said checking out took ages, for the same reason. Care, when they had it, was very good, though.

I've heard lovely things about St Mary's, but for a few medical reasons, I opted for the hospital for the birth. I would be very interested in aftercare there, but I wonder now if that's something I would have needed to arrange beforehand, like the hospital...

I've picked up some Lanisoh already! :D Not trying to plan for the worst, but also don't want to be caught out and wishing I had it...

OP posts:
Poledra · 14/02/2009 23:16

cakewench, I used Lansinoh prophylactically with DDs 2 and 3, to make sure I didn't get any problems after rather nasty cracks with DD1 (and not discovering Lansinoh till a few weeks after the birth )

itwasCYTEENagewedding · 15/02/2009 11:13

cakewench you certainly can transfer to St Mary's postnatally - not sure if you would need to arrange in advance (I was booked to have DS there although had to be transferred to the LRI) but definitely worth checking out. I can't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to make arrangements now - speak to your MW. Really your MW or your antenatal teacher should have told you that you can go there after the birth...anyway, I can recommend it, it's much calmer and there is all kinds of help on hand

SparklingSarah · 15/02/2009 11:34

Congrats in advance!

I'm not far from you so I speak as I find.
I had my own midwife who came out to me for the 10 days she was very helpful and supportive because I expressed my wish to BF solely.

I found when I asked for help politely but firmly I got it when I gave out I'm fine vibes I was left alone both fine for me.
You have to be honest noone is judging you
if you say I'm fine when actually you're not noone will know or help so if you say ok look bla blah blah then they can help.

WIth Bf it's another thing where you have 10000001 tales but your experience will always be your own.

I've not had a baby in hospital so I can't say about how they do things in there but after Daniel was born I had the community midwife sit with me on my own when I felt a little less groggy and had a big drink and have me hold baby comfortably then get my breast near him to smell the milk and let him reach for it
then gently push him on he suckled for a bit a few more goes he got the hang of it.
It takes time like anything does.

The first few weeks I ached like hell but cabbage leaves are the best ache cure I found place them in your bra and they are like magic!
I've never cracked or anything and I've always made sure that he was latched on properly.

make sure you are eating & drinking properly and your milk will always be in good supply.
I never leaked prior and swelled a little beforehand but within 12 hours of birth I could have fed 1000's of babbys

If you are near Kettering Sure Start has a BF group that meet on a Monday afternoon drop in session lovely people all normal mums who just want to have a chat and a cuppa and ask any questions if not sure there is one near you

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