Breastfeeding expectations / help

[Maybemaybenot76]

Due my second very soon and hoping to breastfeed. My first was a struggle, couldn’t latch properly (or, I couldn’t latch him) - I ended up exclusively pumping for him and then combi feeding from around 3 weeks. I had zero help from anyone with breastfeeding.

This time round I’m determined, but what typically happens? Milk wasn’t in for me straight away, we syringe fed colostrum but it wasn’t enough - baby was crying constantly, so we formula fed whilst in hospital.

Is it the same again? Are you supposed to give formula whilst in hospital, but put baby to breast to encourage your milk to come in? How often do you do this? Until your milk is in?

Join your local La Leche League group on Facebook. Find a certified lactation consultant either locally or who can do remote appointments. Do not rely on NHS support as you’ve already found it is not good where you live. My babies were born small/early and successfully breastfed. I stayed in hospital with each one for around 4-5 days until feeding was established. I can’t remember exactly when my milk came in but I just put them to the breast whenever they cried.

@Lammveg My breasts were never emptied or even much reduced in size at all whenever baby “fed.” My feeling at the time was that he was trying but wasn’t able to get enough milk out. Is this not likely? I was always having to pump for relief.

Hello. My first couldn't latch. I stayed in hospital for two days post birth with tonnes of support and the midwifes count get him to latch. I think there are babies who just don't. We went straight to formula on day 3.

With my second I wanted to try again. I had a consultation with a breast feeding counsellor to make a plan for the first few days. I wanted to feel confident when my baby was born that I would do it right this time.

When my second was born (emcs). He was born rooting and latched straight away. I wanted to share this as so many people don't get some babies just don't seem to get how hard it is when a baby won't latch.

In the first few weeks it's common even when feeding/having fed baby to be 'engorged'. It's just your milk supply working itself out to match what your baby needs. This isn't to say you didn't have problems last time. But you can also look at the baby when they're feeding and see/hear them swallowing every few sucks. Their cheeks will be round and their ear should be moving slightly as they feed.

A bigger indication that they're getting what they need is the wet and dirty nappies

My first went to neonatal straight after the birth and I wasn't allowed out of bed to see him for 10 hours after the epidural so they started him on formula. I hadn't done any colostrum collecting. Anyway, once I was able to start breastfeeding I was still topping him up with formula for the first couple days but once I was confident he was feeding away fine I dropped the formula. It was handy that he was used to both from the start though because he never had a problem taking a bottle of expressed or formula on the rare occasion that I wanted him to.

It was 6 weeks into breastfeeding that my breast started to feel "empty" after feeding. Their tummies are so small at that age. Make a cup of tea and take a table spoon out - can you notice the difference?

I found watching videos of good technique very helpful, you could do that in the run up to birth. I wouldn’t plan to syringe colostrum - that sounds like a good back up plan if latch isn’t happening, but as others have said, baby on breast is putting the order in for milk to come when it’s needed, so you want to do that a lot in the early hours. Both mine had quite rubbish latches but survived fine on the small amounts of colostrum for a few days, try not to worry that baby is starving, the process is designed that way.

You can hand express colostrum prior to giving birth, if you speak to your midwife about it they can give you a kit for it. I did it because I had diabetes and ds had to eat at certain intervals so I wanted a back up. You collect into little syringes and then store them in the freezer so you have them to fall back on. I found at one point ds was too tired to feed so I just gave him a little taste and it was enough to get him interested in feeding. So I'd recommend having a little stash but once baby arrives you are better putting them to the breast instead of using anything else initially. It let's them practice feeding and gives you a chance to Identify any feeding issues. Your issue with your first was most likely the lip tie you mentioned. That should had been picked up by the midwives straight away and cut within a day or two so you were let down there. But this time round you know more and will know to push for an assessment etc.

I did the same with ds, it took me until he was 5 months to realise he wasn't gaining well due to tongue tie.