Live chat with Vicki Scott Tuesday 4 December 2007 between 1 and 2pm

[OliviaMumsnet]

Vicki Scott will be here for an online chat with Mumsnetters next Tuesday 4 December.

Vicki Scott is the first baby feeding and wellbeing advisor to Philips AVENT and has been working with mothers and babies across many aspects of baby care for almost 20 years. She is also mum to 23 month old Poppy.

Vicki will be joining us for an hour at 1 o'clock, so get your questions ready, grab a bite to eat and join us then. But if you won't be here during the chat itself, then please post any advance questions for Vicki here.

Thanks, MNHQ

Hi kiskidee - thanks for your post. I?m afraid I?m not very net savvy, and find mumsnet a maze! I haven?t seen those requests, but am happy to reply. You may know that as a registered midwife I undertake a certain amount of relevant study to ensure I?m always up to date. I?ve attended many courses, some more useful than others, with the LCGB (Lactation Consultants of Great Britain), National Childbirth Trust and Unicef/Baby Friendly Initiative among others.

However, I feel that any BF training courses I?ve completed have been supplementary to rather than the basis of my understanding of breastfeeding and supporting mums with their babies. Courses are however always fantastically motivating, and it?s valuable to meet other professionals from all disciplines to share ideas and opinions.

My maternity nursing experience was my most intense learning period - I would sit through pretty much every feed with a new mum for the first 2-6 weeks and be keen to find the answers to all her questions (as you know, there are many!!).

There was no escape - I was still there 2 or 3 days later to know if my advice had worked, or not. If not, we tried something else and I read more books!

Also, it?s worth saying that I?m not an employee of Avent, but completely independent. I have however used and loved their products for many years, both personally and through my work advising new mums.

I don?t think you?re nosy - there is so much conflicting advice out there at the moment, if new mums are to take advice from someone not known to them they should know what experience that advice is based on.

Best wishes Vicki

whoops, x-post. hi vicki.

Hi CoffeeMonster (I?m definitely TeaMonster). Tongue-tie can be a real problem with breastfeeding - it can prevent the baby from being able to take enough of the breast tissue into his mouth and make feeding painful for mum - and unsatisfying for baby. Many babies with tongue-tie however feed perfectly well and have no problems. Tongue-tie is where the frenulum (tag of skin) under the tongue is attached close to or at the tip of baby?s tongue, preventing him from extending his tongue out over his lower lip. This action is quite important to successful breastfeeding.

So, no need to do anything or worry at the moment if it?s all going well, as it sounds to be. ( If necessary, a tongue-tie can be easily separated in a very young baby without a need for anaesthetic). It may be wise to make sure a speech therapist is aware if the tongue-tie persists (some break by themselves) as it may affect speech development.

i'm not understanding your relationship wtih Avent, Vicki. you're independent, but you really think all their products are the best on the market and would appear to recommend no other. i presume they pay you... surely you recognise that takes away your independence?

anyway, lest what JV predicted happens, i'm off. but with a big on my face. good luck everyone.

Hi PCBA - that's really good advice. Different things work for different families so you can def give that a try if it appeals to you. (Personally I couldn't stand the mess!!

Good point about siblings copying each other - sometimes it can be a good thing!

Hi Vicki
My 6 m/o DD has dreadful nappy rash. Do you have any advice on what's best to shift it? (am using disposables btw)

If you are 'completely independent' of Avent, how come the blurb at the top of this page describes you as 'AVENT?s first baby feeding and wellbeing advisor'? Do they not pay you a wage? (to me that is what 'completely independent' will mean but I don't know much about employment issues.)

Also, since you have been on 'many courses' by I agree reputable institutions, can you share with us which ones were the more useful ones.

Also, i understand that actual bf training in midwifery is very limited during the study period and any supplementary training is entirely dependent on the interest of the individual midwife, so, can you give us an clearer understanding of some of the other 'supplementary' courses you have done to support new mums? I understand a lot of these courses are sponsored by formula making manufacturers and that many health professionals attend these courses. did you attend any of these courses in addition to the ones from the organisations you have already mentioned?

Hi PCBA & Mum of Monsters -

Thanks for your posts and thanks for giving me the opportunity to clarify this. I am not employed by AVENT but love working with them as i truly believe that their products are invaluable in supporting mums to breastfeed longer (those mums who don't want to have to be present for 6, 12, 18 or 24 months for each milk feed).

I do belive breast is best absolutely! However, I know from personal experience how valuable it was for me to have the choice of giving my baby a bottle of EBM. I do what i can to encourage mums to avoid formula if they can/want to, for at least the first six months.

If i don't think a product is necessary - or suitable for a mum - i will say so and frequently do (eg. Baby Shows). I am not here to sell products, I am here to give the best advice to mums I can based on my experience.

I work well within my NMC guidelines, and my commitment to mums is more important to me than how many pumps AVENT sell.

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Blameitonthebossanova

Hi there - sorry to hear about your little ones nappy rash - it can come on so quickly. I usually do the following.

Go back to using water and cotton wool and not baby wipes. Dab rather than wipe the bottom and sometimes a quick bath is helpful and more gentle than wiping.

Lots of fresh air to the bottom to let the rash 'dry out'. Depending on the severity of the rash, I would use a good smear of Sudocrem or small amount of Metanium if the rash is particularly bad or persistent.

Change nappies frequently and for a persistent shiny red rash, thrush may be a possibilty so take little one to the docs to get checked out.

All the best - V

Hi Kiskidee,

Thanks for your post earlier, I will come back to you at the end if that's OK as there are lots of other new questions coming through and I want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to have their questions answered.

Talk soon, Vicki

What is your opinion on the plastic with which Avent baby bottles are made of? I understand that there is some concern that the polycarbonate with which the bottles are made of can release Bisphenol A into the baby's milk when the bottles are getting a bit old.

do you think that it would be safer to use polypropylene which are Bisphenol A free and has one of the lowest impacts on the environment of all plastics?

Hi Bebee. Of course you?re not a crap mum!

In addition to the advice that PCBA gave I believe that all babies/toddlers are individuals and prefer some tastes over others. It definitely is worth trying offering a certain food at least 10 times in a small quantity ?it can take this many tries for a baby?s taste buds to accept a food, especially savoury. Try adding some of a food your baby likes to ?wean? him onto the taste. Offer as a finger food as soon as you can- the ?novelty value? is often a winner. Equally, be a bit sneaky! My own daughter is a sucker for anything she thinks she?s stealing from our plates! So, try a bit of reverse psychology as your baby gets older.

I think the main thing though is don?t get too worked up about food refusal, otherwise it becomes a game babies often win! If baby is clearly rejecting a food, and you?ve tried a couple of persuasions-offer something else you?re sure they?ll eat - don?t make a fuss, and try the food again another time.

There?s a huge range of toddler and baby ?snacks? available at the moment, which might make some mums feel their baby needs them. Same goes for fruity drinks. Both can ruin a baby?s appetite. I have found mealtimes always go better if they come to the table ravenous.

Hi claraenglish,

I would say in most cases that after about four weeks or so babies become easier to burp so hang in there!

How are you feeding baby? I ask because sometimes babies take in excess air when feeding, which can often be remedied. Apart from that, I always find a bolt upright position on your lap or over your shoulder works with some firm patting and upward strokes on the back works best for me.

As your baby is older than four weeks, have you tried gripe water? I didn't use this for years after they took the alcohol and sugar out of it! But in desperation, I tried it with my DD and it worked wonders.

Hope you have the same success!

Hi Ottavia - thanks for your question. In your case, and from the info you?ve given me, it doesn?t sound like a problem at all at the moment. Does he lose the dummy at some point and stay asleep all night anyway? If so then he?s almost using it as a lovely cosy way to go to sleep but isn?t DEPENDANT on it for sleep. If, when he comes into a light sleep at night, he?s resettling happily then great if he?s not disturbing your sleep (which is just as important as his!!) If however, you?re having to go back repeatedly in the night to give him the dummy when he loses it, I would say get rid of it now so you can all get some more sleep.

My previous advice to 'jlt' should work for you if you need to drop the dummy now. If it?s not causing too much of a problem at the moment then don?t worry, and drop it later by bribery or persuasion! I remember when I was nanny to a two year old we took his dummy to give to the baby ducks in the park-whenever he asked for it, his parents or I said the baby ducks needed it more and now he was a big boy, did he really need it?!

He reluctantly agreed eventually!

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Can you summarise your best tips for successful breast feeding from day 1?

(And also, would you say you have to have Avent equipment to b/feed? Or indeed any other equipment?)

Hi claraenglish,

Try feeding with him sitting more upright in your lap, but still tummy to tummy. ie. with his feet towards your opposite hip to the side he is feeding from.

This is easier without a pillow and may take a bit of practice. However, the wind can come out more easily as he's feeding. Try taking him off for a burp (if he'll let you!) after the first rush of milk - allow him to pace himself throughout a quick let-down.

As he gets bigger he'll find it easier to deal with a fast flow of milk.

Hi tortoiseSHELL,

I do believe in being proactive in getting bf off to a good start. The main things to concentrate on are:

1. getting baby attached to the breast properly and working on your technique - for most mums, get this right and the rest will follow.
2. encourage a particularly sleepy baby to take adequate feeds. In some cases, demand feeding only works if baby actually demands the milk.
3. don't be afraid to offer both breasts in the first week each time you feed, but make sure after the first week that you encourage baby to finish the first breast first.
4. don't expect your baby's feeding pattern to become predictable for a good few weeks. Go with your instinct and if in doubt offer a feed.
5. don't be afraid to ask your friends, other MNers or breastfeeding counsellor for advice - you will soon realise you are not alone if you have problems!
6. breastfeeding shouldn't hurt if baby is feeding properly so if it is painful ask for advice early.

As far as products are concerned, there are a number of products out on the market to help aid breastfeeding, but none are essential if you are not having any problems. It's good to know in advance what is out there - for instance, personally as i have said before, I found the flexibilty and choice offered by a breast pump really supported me in fully breastfeeding my DD for longer.

Hi Giggi - thanks for posting your question earlier.

This is a problem I?ve come across fairly recently, and is one of those times when the comforter (in this case the bottle) is used to go off to sleep, because your little one likes having it, rather than being dependant on it for sleep. She?s not stirring all night long asking for it back. This makes it less of a problem, but I do wonder how good it is for the teeth.

I would plan on replacing the ?comfort and routine? of the bottle with a sequence of events leading up to putting her down in the cot. For example, playing the same bedtime CD as she?s getting pj?s on, having milk while listening to a story on your lap, brushing teeth, special bedtime hugs & kisses, then into bed with special teddy or whatever she has-say a final phrase, always exactly the same i.e. ?sleepy-time, go to sleep?, then tuck her into bed well. Get your daughter familiar with these things before you start putting her in the cot without the milk i.e. for a few days. Also, she?s big enough to understand now if you start saying that the bottle is to stay out of the cot-she won?t like to hear it though!!

If, when you put her down without the bottle, she makes a fuss - I would go to her, hand her the teddy, repeat your phrase and leave again. If she insists on the bottle, allow her to have it out of bed on your lap, but put her back in the cot before she?s completely asleep, again you may need to repeat this a few times.

The aim is to break the habit, and replace the bottle with other comforts your little one will associate with sleep. They can be very wilful (and loud!) at this age if they don?t get what they want - being strong and very consistent is vital.

Good luck & i hope this advice helps you!

Oooh can I be rude and interupt.

I think it can be really confusing for new mums to hear that is breastfeeding hurts then you are doing it wrong. Nearly everyone I know who breastfed found it incredibly painful for the first few weeks. I remember sitting in bed crying with two breastfeeding counsellors (one NCT and one ABM!) sitting at the end of my bed and comparing notes. I think for some mums and babies it really DOES just hurt for the first few weeks. It can be really offputting to hear that "If it hurts then you are doing it WRONG" because you only have ONE bloody thing to do FGS and if all you hear through the screaming days of agony is that THIS IS YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG then it is a shattering blow. I think it can hurt, even if you are doing it right.

I have breastfed for over 3 years in total. I have ALWAYS found the first few weeks excruciating and the whole breastfeeding relationship deeply physically uncomfortable despite hours of attention and reassurance at breastfeeding groups and having lots of friends who are trained counsellors. I still like to think that I did it RIGHT though.

Will shut up now.

Thanks very much to all the mumsnetters who've asked questions in advance and today. I have really enjoyed this and hope the advice suits and works for you.

All the very best and don't forget to post your top Christmas tips - only 3-weeks to go arrgghh

Vicki x

p.s. - kiskidee, I haven't forgotten you!Just doing your reply now - i will be back once i have a cuppa in my hand!

Morning paper - just seen your post.

It doesn't sound like you are looking for a response, however I just wanted to say well done for sticking with bf despite your initial problems.

All mums want to do the best for their baby and go through some really rough patches in order to do so.

In my experience, in most cases if breastfeeding is painful changes can be made to improve matters, and is always worth a try.

Thanks for your post - V

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