an idiot's guide to breastfeeding

[zippyzapper]

OK I have been breastfeeding for 4 months now and would like to know:

1. What on earth is blockfeeding?

2. What is a dream feed?

3. Can I drink diet coke and/or coffee? (I am craving them)

4. Can I drink Decaff?

I do have lots and lots of chocolate...

5. What is baby led weaning and when should I start it?

6. Is it ok if my baby sleeps 6-7 hours at night or is the baby too young?

Thanks!!!

3, 4 and 6, YES
although I gave up caffienated coffee to see if it helped...it didn't but i'm too nervous to go back

block feeding

SPB's answers don't need repeating.

2. When you poke them a bit and feed them while they are half asleep when you go to bed in an effort to get more sleep before they next wake. Some people swear by it but for others it doesn't make any difference.

3. When you throw scraps of food off your plate at your baby Or rather you start around 6 months when your baby can sit ok, has lost tongue thrust and is able to pick up food and put it in their mouth themselves. You just give the baby normal food rather than puree, usually starting with soft fruits and steamed chunks of veg but quickly just giving them the same food as everybody else inthe family (obviously no added salf while cooking etc). Just an alternative way to wean which many people find much easier as there is no extra preparatin to do.

yes for me dream feeding always meant unsuccessfully trying to latch a sleeping baby on at 11, only to be woken at 12 because he'd woken and changed his mind, and yes, he'd like that milk, please
Needless to say i didn't try very often

Ds didn't seem to think it ocunted as a feed unless he was awake

Dd has yet to sleep long enough to try

I only recently started doing 'dream feeds' because I've been too lazy to express before I go to bed and my boobs will be practically exploding by morning if I leave it. Easier to scoop 6 month old DS out of bed and latch him on for about 10 minutes each side!

1. Not switching sides after every feed.... very usful if you have a snacker as it means they get more of the fattier milk and not just constant fore milk

2. A waste of time

3. Yes... although with one out of my 3 babies i found he got very irritable after i had coffee when he was younger... he grew out of it though and i'm able to have coffee now he's 12 months and it doesn't seem to bother him

4. Don't bother, decaf is rank and filled with chemicals

I do have lots and lots of chocolate... GOOD!

5. Great fun... just chuck bits of your own dinner in front of them and enjoy the comedy as they learn what to do with it.... messy but great fun and they enjoy food so much when they wean like this. Start at 6 months or whenever baby can sit completely unaided, has no tongue thrust rflex, can use a pincer grip and has an active interest in food.

6. a sleeping baby is always a good things

thank you all - very very helpful - i feed both sides nearly every feed i have a constant snacker.

i am going to get my caffeine buzz then bounce off the walls and order a wipe down table cloth for baby led weaning.