a couple of questions...

[xxxleeleexxx]

hi all. im planning on (hopefully) successfully breastfeeding this time round and im not really sure on some things.

like when they are on the boob when do u change sides?
if u want to express a bottle when do you do it? and how if your baby is in a routine?
i keep thinking that if i am solely breastfeeding then if i expressed in between a feed there wouldnt be enough for the next feed if not giving the bottle right away?

arghhh i dont know!! any advice is very welcome on ANYTHING!! lol
think im having a planned c-section this time and i had a low milk supply last time that didnt come in till 4 days. plus baby weighed 11lb 14oz.

has anyone breastfed a baby that big from birth successfully?

thank you all xxx

 

[Nervous_1]

My top tip for surviving breastfeeding has to be Lansinoh! Use before and after every feed - it's safe for LO - and can really help in the battle with sore nipples!

You offer the other boob once baby has finished with the first boob, ie when they unlatch. Then next feed you start on the side that you finished the last feed on.

If you express after a feed you may not get much milk initially as baby has drunk it nut you will be sending signals to your brain that more milk is required and after a few days you should get more. This way you don't take any milk that baby requires.

If you are going to give your baby a bottle of expressed milk you should pump at the time baby would normally feed from you otherwise your body will think that the feed is no longer required and your supply could suffer. Don't give a bottle til baby is around 6 weeks old and breastfeeding is well established though as it may cause nipple confusion.

It's my experience that there is no real routine for a breast fed baby. The only thing I can say is routine is that my LO will have a feed every 1.5 to 2 hours. I feed on demand which means that I let him decide when he wants a feed. This is recommended and in the first few weeks is very hard as it seems like baby is surgucally attached to your boob! However this phase does pass and everything becomes so easy after that!

Good luck with the pregnancy! If you'd like more help then feel free to pm me

 

[maybebaby3]

good luck! the advice from nervous is what i reckon you should do too though with DS1 i successfully pumped and gave a bottle from 4weeks without any nipple confusion!

 

[xxxleeleexxx]

If you express after a feed you may not get much milk initially as baby has drunk it nut you will be sending signals to your brain that more milk is required and after a few days you should get more. This way you don't take any milk that baby requires.

so if i were to express then straight after a feed is the best time? sorry i really want to get it right this time but would like OH to be able to do at least one night feed every so often after 6 weeks. during that night feed if using bottle instead does ur boobs just leak tho cuz its missing a feed??

sorry if im not making sense!! xxx

 

[Nervous_1]

After a feed is probably best yes

You might feel uncomfortable if you miss a feed, like you're slightly too full. Just express off a little bit if you get this.

As for leaky boobs, some ladies are lucky and don't leak at all once their supply has settled down. Others can and do leak at any time (myself included), most especially at night time. Just use breast pads and you'll be fine

 

[kmac625]

I agree with everything that has been said so far. My advice as far as expressing goes is to do it about 30-45 minutes after you've fed as there will be some milk to pump but enough time until the next feed. Also, for the first feed of the morning I would feed Clara from one side only and then pump the other side.

 

[TigerLady]

Otter was 8 lbs 14 oz. So, not as big as your LO, but big nonetheless. I know a lady on here who BFed her boy and he was over 10 lbs.

No matter how big the baby is, they don't need formula. Honest. I got yelled at by a nurse when Otter was born because I refused to give him formula. She was convinced I was starving him because he was a "big baby and needed extra." Prat. He was just fine, thank you!

Milk not coming in until day 4 is normal. Especially if you had a section and/or difficult birth. I had both my kids via section. My milk came in on night 3 with Otter and nights 3-4 with DK.

 

[lovealittle1]

Great advise from everyone. I also recommend going to any breastfeeding groups that are available to you. I really struggled in the beginning and it was nice to go to the group and talk to the lactation specialists and other mummies that bfed. I still go but now it's usually me giving advise to new mummies. Check out Dr Jack Newman's website for tons of great bf info https://www.drjacknewman.com/
All the best.

 

[Roffey82]

All the advice given is fab and is exactly what I was told too
I also strongly advise going to breast feeding groups it was my saving grace. In the hospital I wasn't given much help so when I got home I was doing what I thought was right but by day 3 I was in agony. So I took my mum with me (good idea to take someone with you as youll get told lots and then thry can also she tge correct way so u know your doing it right when you get home.)to breast feeding group and it was so helpful. I wasn't getting the latch correct so LO was getting fed up before eating enough which I could tell as his weight dropped loads and he became jaundiced which I'm positive was because he was dehydrated. Anyway hope this helps

 

[xxxleeleexxx]

thank you everyone you have really helped me ALOT!!
i wish i had this kinda info with my Daughter but no-one seemed to want to help me it didnt help that her first feed was formula AGAINST my wishes because i was still in surgery, for 4 hours she took 110mls and i only ever managed to express 30mls so i struggled.

thanks again
Leanne xxx

 

[Nervous_1]

If someone tells you that formula is best this time around stick to your guns and demand the use of a hospital grade pump (if you can't put LO on the boob that is)! And don't panic if LO just wants to sleep - it took my LO 24 hours to take his first feed and he was fine.