Breastfeeding, help!

[dramallama55]

I am 26 weeks pregnant and hoping to breastfeed but I haven't done it before and I'm already getting myself in a panic about how it may (or may not) go. I've bought a couple of books and am trying to familiarise myself with the logistics of it but some cold, hard facts from people who've actually done it will probably help most. So...

How soon after birth do they need to be fed?

How do they latch on? (There is some basic info in my books about how to position them etc). But essentially is it just a case of bringing baby to the breast and seeing how they go?

How often do they need to be fed? Should they be woken from sleep every few hours if they don't wake up naturally?

If my milk doesn't come in straight away how soon can they last without a proper, full feed? Hours? Days?

If you decided to swap to a bottle after a few weeks/months did you find that baby adjusted well or did they reject it?

Hi, congratulations on your pregnancy and on deciding to breastfeed

It’s normal to have loads of questions. People often think because it is ‘natural’ then it should be intuitive – but it’s a learned skill, just like learning to drive — and just like things like driving, once you get the hang of it you can just do it so easily you don’t always notice!

The most important thing is to know that you want to breastfeed and can figure it out. Lots of lovely cuddles, skin to skin, as soon as possible after your baby is born, can also help with latching, milk coming in, etc.

Do you have a supportive partner, midwife, or friend?

In the early days with mine, I found Mumsnet to be amazing – I breastfed all three of mine (including twins) and promise you at the start I had zero clue or confidence!

Keep posting. Breastfeeding can be tricky at first (not always) but once you and your baby get it, it’s the most straightforward and coolest thing ❤️

It’s really important to know that the newborn stomach is absolutely tiny, and needs literally millilitres of colostrum in the first few days – I seem to recall something about the size of your fingernail. Mother nature is super clever and gives you time to figure it out…

The other thing to remember, is that even giving a tiny bit of formula in a syringe during those important early days when milk production is hormonally driven, can really interfere with the natural way of things. Because of the hormonal changes in your body as you give birth and start to nurse your baby, it can take a few days for your milk to come in, particularly if you end up having a Caesarean – and that’s normal and okay.

Thank you for replying. I am under midwives obviously but there doesn't seem to be much support in the way of classes or groups locally to me so I'm really having to research hard myself.

I'm just scared of getting it wrong. Not giving enough or having a baby that's very unsettled and unhappy. When I had my last dc I wasn't given any encouragement or help. In fact as I had an EMCS he was pretty much removed from me and given a bottle by the hospital staff before I had chance to have any skin to skin or anything like that. So I really am clueless.

With my first we were in special care as he was early. It took us a while to establish breastfeeding (he was tube fed with expressed my initially). The midwives were great though and showed me lots of techniques. Locally to me there are a few breastfeeding support groups, perhaps check if there are any local to you?

Congratulations! I've had 2 children. Breastfed my first for a year and still breastfeeding my second. With both of mine, the midwives encouraged me to put them on the breast almost as soon as they were born. They just kind of latch on and instinctively start sucking.

I found breastfeeding hard to start with, with both of mine and the initial days / weeks were painful. I hate it when people say 'it shouldn't hurt if you're doing it properly'. In theory that's true, but it doesn't account for the fact that it's a new skill that both mother and baby has to get the hang of. Most new skills require practice and that's exactly the case with breastfeeding. Once you and your baby manage to master a good latch, it gets much easier. I watched lots of YouTube videos of how to get a good latch and different feeding positions. I also recommend that you get as much help from the midwives while you are in hospital. I buzzed them at every feed to start with to get their help and guidance.

As for frequency of feeding, it's very frequent in the first weeks so make sure you get lots of help with everything and keep well hydrated and fed.

My milk didn't come in for a few days with both but your body produces colostrum in that time which should be enough for your baby until the milk comes.

Overall, I've loved breastfeeding, but the first few weeks were tough and I definitely had days when I wanted to give up (with both of mine) but I'm glad I didn't. Once me and my baby got into the swing of it, it became natural and easy and I found it very convenient and a lovely bonding experience. Best of luck with it all!

Oh and you will panic and think you're not producing enough and you'll likely worry about your baby gaining weight. I did with both of mine. It's hard not being able to 'see' what you're giving your baby and trusting your body is doing what it needs to. As long as your baby is having regular wet and dirty nappies then that's a great sign all is as it should be. Breastfed babies also lose weight in the first few days, that's totally normal. My first lost 7.5% and my second lost 11%, but by day 5, they were both gaining again.

How soon after birth do they need to be fed?

With my first about an hour after birth as they wanted skin to skin to warm him up and checks first. My second latched on as soon as she was placed on my chest. The midwife will tell you when.

How do they latch on? (There is some basic info in my books about how to position them etc). But essentially is it just a case of bringing baby to the breast and seeing how they go?

Yes essentially. A handy tip to remember is nose to nipple as this encourages baby to open their mouth. A midwife will help you.

How often do they need to be fed? Should they be woken from sleep every few hours if they don't wake up naturally?

At first pretty often. Both of mine were about every hour at first. At first, yes wake them after 3 hours.

If my milk doesn't come in straight away how soon can they last without a proper, full feed? Hours? Days?

It won't come in straight away, this can take a week. They will feed from the colostrum at first.

If you decided to swap to a bottle after a few weeks/months did you find that baby adjusted well or did they reject it?

My DD took to a bottle fine at 6 weeks for the odd feed but I've been lazy and not offered any in months so I don't think she would now.

When I breastfed my first, noone in my family had. I replied mostly on mumsnet and the kellymom website for info (along with HV and midwife) Remember there will always be someone scrolling mumsnet doing the nightfeed!

I’m a huge la leche league fan, this link answers all of those questions and if you click the “breastfeeding information” link you’ll find the answer to almost every other question you can think of. www.laleche.org.uk/breastfeeding-your-baby-easy-read/

Have a read, find your local group and go as soon as you want, we love pregnant ladies at my group.

Oh Christ my baby didn’t have a drip of anything for about 48 hours
We hada nightmare and were in ,post section, for about 4/5 days the baby wouldn’t latch !
So I was told to keep doing skin to skin, putting his little face on the nipple. He would wriggle down to it and then be like “nah…”
What I didn’t know was that he was tongue tied and jaundiced - so not only was he struggling to latch- he was too sleepy to keep trying !
So that threw a spanner in the works - I was made to feel like I wasn’t trying , but in reality - it probably wasn’t going to work for us.

So I asked to combination feed.
Baby had expressed milk and formula, and used a nipple shield to help the baby latch.
Expressing , for me , was it’s own type of Hell.
They’ll tell you to pump 8-12 times a day, I was lucky if I managed 2!?
But I persisted- when I should’ve just left it and formula fed.
The baby kept dropping weight and the health visitor seemed more keen on killing me with breast feeding advice rather than the fact that my baby was loosing weight !?

Combi feeding is good and bad - you know the amounts your baby’s had exactly , but you have to offer boob first and then bottle -or anything you’ve expressed. ( and you can mix them!)

It also gives family a chance to feed and give you a break!
Some day introduce bottle weeks later, but myself and a friend both did from day3 and it was fine. ( her first baby wouldn’t take the bottle after a few weeks , her second she tried straight away)

We managed to go “fully” breast months later when the baby finally latched without a shield
( I can’t believe I persevered like a nutter for so long) BUT it was a glorious feeling when it happened!
But I choose to keep the Dreamfeed a formula bottle, so the baby was getting plenty of VitD (otherwise you must give baby drops orally!)?

So you must - get your latch and position checked ! It’s not supposed to hurt!

• you MUST feed between 12-3am - this is the “sleepy “milk for baby and it also stimulates your supply for the next day!
• expect to feed more often and responsively,they’ll be less time between feeds than bottles - ans remember there’s no set time ,despite this people will say “ oh 90-120!mins between feeds” Respond to your baby’s queues and try and forget times.
• get a long phone charger
• prepare for wet bedsheets and swollen breast
• you may become adverse to it!

It’s so very hard but lovely. I adore to settle my baby when he’s teething, wants a cuddle or comfort , upset but I don’t know if it was worth all the upset at the start.

Best of luck and remember, fed baby is happy baby. Do what you can for as long as you are able.
Especially if you’ve other children