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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

i didnt want to breast feed at first, i want to try it now ..

13 replies

Mummyto2boysand3girls · 08/04/2009 13:46

i want to try and breastfeed now but ds is 2 weeks old is it too late? i have been expressing so i still have milk.

OP posts:

AitchTwoOh · 08/04/2009 13:49

i don't think it's too late, no, good for you for wanting to give it a go. have you tried the baby at the breast? what happens? does he root?

Flibbertyjibbet · 08/04/2009 13:50

I believe its possible to relactate but not sure how long its possible for after the birth. If you've been expressing you should be ok, but if baby is used to a bottle type flow you'd have to persevere if he won't take the breast at first as breastfeeding is a lot harder for them to get the milk out.

Just bumping for you till someone in the know comes along.

SamJamsmum · 08/04/2009 13:51

It's not too late. LOTS of people have babies in special care or with a medical reason as to why baby might not latch on initially. The fact you have been expressing is obviously great.
I suggest you give one of the helplines a ring and chat to a counsellor. 0300 100 0212 is the NHS helpline.
She'll probably suggest some skin-to-skin time to start you off. Things will depend on how easily baby latches on and how much expressing you have been doing. For latching advice google to find Jack Newman's videos on latching.

I really hope it goes well for you and IT IS NOT TOO LATE.

Original poster

Mummyto2boysand3girls · 08/04/2009 13:54

i havent actually tried him on the breast thats why i was wondering if it was to late. been wondering if he would latch on .

OP posts:

SamJamsmum · 08/04/2009 14:00

Just have a go. Even if he doesn't straight away it won't mean he isn't going to. Take off your top and everything he's wearing apart from his nappy and just hang out on the sofa with a blanket round you. Put the TV on for anyone else around who may need entertaining. I wouldn't even 'try and latch him on' initially. Just hold him against your chest. Maybe squeeze a little milk out with your hand and let him smell it. Just see what happens. Don't feel it's make or break if he doesn't latch on straight away. It may take him a little time but it can happen for sure. If he starts nuzzling and licking that's great next step. Then he might even latch on himself.
Really worth ringing a helpline. Someone will be happy to talk to you.

misscreosote · 08/04/2009 14:11

I don't think so at all, go for it .....

I didn't start expressing until day 4 or 5 even as DD was in NICU and I was a bit confused, then we only started BF once she got better at about day 10, and I then BF her until she was 1 year. Give it a go and see! BF isn't necessarily harder work than bottles, just depends on your own personal flow rate (and you're probably still quite 'full' at this early stage as well). We had problems with latching on initially (I think just because DD was still quite weak) and found nipple shields a great help, so you could try those as an interim step as well (but be careful they don't make your milk supply drop, as if you have a slow let down, they can be quite hard work for the little ones - I spurted everywhere, so was never an issue for me!).

I also found the 'my brestfriend' feeding pillow invaluable for getting the positioning right (and also the book by Claire Byam Cook on breastfeeding for various issues along the way) - but you don't need all that just to start, just sit down when baby is hungry and give it a go! Good luck

AitchTwoOh · 08/04/2009 14:14

definitely have a go, and give the helplines a shot too. they're listed on www.howbreastfeedingworks.com

doulalc · 09/04/2009 00:19

Definitely not too late, and since he is only 2 weeks, it hopefully won't take too much effort. Watch for early hunger cues....sucking his fist, smacking lips, tongue thrusting....anytime he is quietly alert and put him to the breast. It will be much easier when he is calm and not overly hungry. Try for skin to skin contact...entice him with some drops of breastmilk expressed onto your nipple. Offer it very frequently (every 2 hours during the day...or sooner if he shows any hunger cues) so that you both have ample opportunities to get comfortable with what you are doing and you start to receive the stimulation necessary. Consider getting a breast pump to allow for further regular stimulation if he doesn't latch well to start. Always offer the breast before a bottle and increase the length of time at the breast, while gradually decreasing the time with a bottle. If your hv is very knowledgable, get some extra support from her as well.

auntyspan · 09/04/2009 08:11

Kellymom has some great advice on this, here

HTH x

LtEveDallas · 09/04/2009 08:20

DD was is SCBU for 4 weeks and I was only allowed to give her EBF.

Took her home and spent a full day in bed with her, just us two. By the end of the day she was feeding happily . I think the key for me was that I wasn't trying to do anything else - I was waited on hand and foot (just for that day, and never again lol) so there was no pressure.

It can be done, she took 2 or 3 tries to get latched on and the first feed was actually quite painful (for me, not her!) but from then on it wasnt a problem. I was even able to sling-feed her walking around Toys R Us

I hope you manage - for me it was the best thing I ever did, and I still miss it now (Dd is 4)

purplemonkeydishwasher · 09/04/2009 08:28

turn up the heat, strip off (both of you), take him to bed and cuddle. skin to skin contact will help stimulate milk production and he will associate your breasts with cozy loviness.

CherryChoc · 09/04/2009 11:58

Just wanted to second everything everyone else has said, and also just to add with positioning, whether you are sitting up or lying down in bed, his tummy needs to be facing your tummy, so he doesn't have to turn his head to feed. This was the one thing I could never remember to start off with.

Good luck!

piximon · 09/04/2009 12:13

Just wanted to say it's great you want to and it's not too late.

My SIL didn't start straight away. She had wanted to but didn't really have any support. She also seemed to think that she needed to wait for her milk to come in. or should that be it's her 3rd baby and surely midwives should have talked to her before now.

Her first feed was painful, but a quick chat over positioning with midwife/HV and that was all sorted and baby is now mostly bf.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

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