New to BF?ing - questions re dummies and weigh ins

[passionberry]

Hello, i'm five weeks in now and it's slooowly getting easier!

Two questions, any advice gratefully received!:

I'm happy to BF on demand when she crys but sometimes it's not really practical - ie when i'm in the street with the pram and when she's in the car-seat. As she's 5 weeks now I'm thinking of giving her a dummy - will I be able to save it for emergencies (when she's really howling in the car for example) or will she soon expect it all the time? I don't like to think of her asleep with a dummy hiding her sweet little mouth!

Also, I missed the HV today . She can't fit me in now for another fortnight and this means DD won't have been weighed for 4 weeks. At her last weigh she had regained her birth weight and a bit more. Should I go to baby clinic next week (not v convenient) or can I wait for HV visit in two weeks? DD has chubby cheeks, lots of nappies, alert etc. She is still in newborn sized clothes though.

Sorry about the v long questions!!

Yes - stop beating yourself up! You don't need to offer breast whenever and where ever if you are BF on demand. For example, if you are walking through town, going on a short drive, having a shower. Your baby will be fine for a bit. She is sitll really really young, and her hunger levels will vary from day to day. It's not that you "haven't got teh hang of making sure that she's full" before you go out - she is just unpredictable because she is only 5 weeks old. Well done with keeping going. I think the main lesson is that you are obviously doing really well with the BF and that you can't always immediately stop your baby's cries. And it's not a reflection on your mothering skills.

Good luck and keeping enjoying your little on.

Sorry I didn't want to give the impression that you should offer the boob whenever they whimper, just that I do because well it shuts him up.

Using a dummy/whatever is IMO absolutely not an indication of not trying hard enough. Half the reason I do the "here's the boob" is because they are too hand (haha) and it works for me because I am quite happy to get my kit out wherever and whenever I feel like it.

Sometimes my babies have had to cry because I am having a shower/making a cup of coffee (though they have both learned real quick to let me make my coffee in the morning). Them having a bit of a cry while you sort something out is not in any way the same as leaving them to scream indefinitely.

To previous posters - yes, sorry for misunderstandings, tongue was firmly in cheek about me not trying hard enough! Tiddler woke up so was typing in haste.

I was serious about using BFing as a good excuse to sit on my arse though.