Advice needed on few bf queries

[keatonsMummy]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this! And a new mum too. My baby is 4 weeks tomorrow and i've been breastfeeding since birth. Its going well, bt i have a few questions.

Firstly, I have a lump in my left breast that feels very tender to touch. Is this likely to be a blocked duct? Has anyone had a blocked duct? How do I get rid of it?? Should I go the doctors or try to resolve it myself first?

My OH wants me to start expressing as he feels he is missing out on feeding. Is there an age that I should introduce a bottle? How much do I need to express? I don't want to do it too soon, in case i mess about with the breastfeeding which we are doing great with!

Finally, sometimes when i am feeding Keaton, he gets frustrated and starts to moan and throw his arms and kick his legs. I don't know why he does this. I think I have enough milk, as I am constantly leaking and always tingly when he isnt eating!

Thanks in advance for your replies. I appreciate you taking the time to help me, as I finally realise how hectic it can be being a mum,

Claire xx

 

[Jemima]

Hi there and welcome.

First of all, well done on breastfeeding your little man. The first few weeks can be tough, can't they?

I have never had any problems with blocked ducts or mastitis but I know from others that a blocked duct feels like a tender, swollen lump on the breast and your skin can sometimes be quite red around that area. I have heard that the best treastment is rest for you, heat on the affected area (warm flanel, hot water bottle) and make sure that your little fella drains that breast well during feeds. This should ensure that it clears up by itself within 24 hours. Obviously, I'd definitely see your doctor if it gets more painful or doesn't improve.

The blocked duct could be the reason why your baby is fussing when feeding as it might be affecting the flow of your milk? Otherwise, with Poppy, whenever she screamed or fussed it was almost always to do with wind/colic, especially around the age your LO is. Infacol always worked for us. And it's easy to administer with a dropper.

The advice on pumping is to leave it until feeding is well established. Some babies are fine taking a bottle early and others don't have a bottle until later. Six weeks is the time most mums leave it till from what I've read. But, be warned, don't leave it too late...I did, and Poppy has consequently never taken one!

Good luck with everything, sounds like you have got off to a great start!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Welcome!!

Jemima said pretty much everything I would have!

Well done on getting off to a great start - a couple more weeks and you'll be home and dry!

 

[Bec L]

Hi, congrats and well done for doing so well so far

When you do decide to express, I found it easiest to try to express at the same time each morning. I usually fed from one side and expressed from the other. Some days I barely got 20mls, other days I got 80-100, it was all a bit random! I usually just expressed once or twice a day, and whatever I had I put in a bottle for my hub to give her at night and I pretty much always ended up feeding her straight after as this is the only way she would settle for the night. Maybe because of this, she eventually decided she didn't want to bother with the bottle anymore and stopped taking it at 4 months. Hopefully your LO won't be so stubborn

Good luck xx

 

[mrs shine]

Hi there,

My little man does the frustration thing sometimes too usually clamps down on my nipple and thrashes from side to side! I just take him off and wind him and then he's fine again.

I waited til about 6 weeks to express and another week to give a bottle, he was fine to start with but now won't take the bottle from me at all and screams til he gets boobies. I'm gonna try getting someone else to feed him with the bottle and see if he'll take it, fingers crossed x

 

[mommyof3co]

It def sounds like a blocked duct, no need to go to the dr unless you start having flu like symptoms which would mean you have mastitis. You should try taking a hot bath and soaking and massaging it or a hot shower and massage that spot alot, also nurse on that side alot even though it's probably sore. But that should make it go away.

With Hayden he never had a bottle, neither of us ever wanted him to have one so Mark just tried to bond with him in other ways, like bathtime, playtime thngs like that. But Casen my middle son did have a bottle, he had pumped milk by around 2-4wks and was fine, never had any problems with it. But he only had one once every couple of weeks for a couple months then after that none really until 11mo, so really only a handful of times.

When he gets frustrated is it in the first minute or so? Maybe it's before the milk lets down and he's really hungry so he's impatient? Or maybe he has a bit of gas and needs to be burped?

 

[thelilbump]

:wave: hello and welcome to bnb.

well done for getting through the first weeks of breastfeeding.

So to answer your questions
1) the lump. I take it you know it's from BFing, wasn't there before? There are lots of things to help budge it, take a hot shower and massage the lump down your breast. Put a hot flannel on the area. Feed Keaton from that side to try and get him to pull it out if you will.

2) expressing. They say it should be 6 weeks really but women do it before. I tried expressing but my baby would never take to the bottle. My OH changed her bum instead and that was his role, i put it in and he took it out, seemed fair to me lol! When he went back to work he started taking ver bath time so he still had an important role.

3) i'm unsure why your son does this but someone else might have a better idea. The tingling and leaking will calm down in the following months.

Hope thats of some help.