On the ward (after your baby was born)

[Kiddo]

I was in a bay with three other women and I really couldn't tell you how they fed their babies. We didn't really speak other than hello.

I had a fairly positive experience though. The mw spent time with us showing us how to get a good latch and checked in now and again to see how we were doing and offer advice. They checked Harvey's latch before we left and all the hospital staff I spoke to were very supportive of our decision to bf.

 

[punk_pig]

The hospital i was in said it was pro breastfeeding but I soon realised that this didn't mean a consistent approach to how to do it. really upset me because I felt criticised everytime I was checked on all because I was following the advice of the previous shift midwives and the current shift had a different approach! One woman was lovely, calmed me down, reassured me and showed me a new position to try. Even when I could only express 0.1ml colostrum she said well done and reassured me every little helps. The next shift an absolute bitch manhandld my boobs AND my baby and when I said I didn't think the latch was rigt because it was hurting she said everyone get cracked nipples and I just needed to "toughen up" my nipples. Sure enough though when LO came off my nipples were traumatised and it took ages to heal after that. I was too scared to insist on re-latching as I thought my baby was starving but I should have trusted myself. Same bitch complained when I buzzed in the middle of the night for help complaining that she'd only helped me two hours ago and why was I trying again so soon - despite the fact that I'd been instructed not to leave it more than two hours between feeds!!!

 

[PreggyEggy]

^^ Wow that is absolutely shocking, my baby was on the boob at least once every half hour for the whole 3 days I was in hospital, and everyone else's seemed to feed that often too! How could a brand new baby be expected to go 2 hours?

Anyway, I was in a ward of 3 beds for 3 days and in one bed there was a lady that had been there for a few days before me and I left before her. Her baby was 4 weeks early, and the poor little thing just could not latch. I thought the midwives were amazingly supportive, it seemed she had seen every single one, and each of them spent loads of time with her trying everything and helping with things like cup feeding and expression.

I had problems too, especially in the middle of the night, and everyone I saw was lovely.

Out of the 4 other women I saw come and go, only one was FF.

 

[minties]

I had my own room, didn't see any other mothers, but the hospital I birthed at had a strict breast-is-best policy. I had plenty of midwives and nurses encourage and help me with breastfeeding.

They got me to keep a log of when baby fed, for how long, and how I felt about each feed (i.e, he latched well, or he fell asleep during).

 

[Mummy2CandF]

I was in a very similar situation when I had my little boy, only mum bf in a ward of 4, they were all very vocal and demanding and made me uncomfortable to be bf really as they were constantly asking for bottles etc. The mw's were constantly busy with them and because I was quiet left me to it. As a result I rushed my discharge so I could get home and really get things going with the bf. This was a mistake on my part as when I got home I couldn't get little man to latch and long story short we ended up back in hospital the night after to get more bf assistance!

This time I hope that I can expect some more support from the staff to make me feel confident with the feeding, I will have to be in hospital longer due to a csection so hopefully any problems will occur while I am in so that by the time I get home everything will be good. I will certainly be asking for help when I need it!

 

[discoclare]

I had a c section with complications so was in hospital from Friday to Tuesday. During that time there were seven (from memory) other women in the room with me at some point or another. They were all BFing (well 2 were expressing as they didn't have their babies with them because they were in SCBU).

 

[florabean1981]

I spent one night at the hospital, where I shared a ward with 3 other women; it was very, very late at night & I was totally out of it, so i've no idea how they chose to feed their child, but I BFed & was checked on every 3 hours & was asked each time whether he'd woken for a feed, how I was feeling, did I need any help etc....I then transferred to a mifwife led unit for 4 days, where the support was brilliant. They helped me with everything, if they heard my son crying, or me up & about in the night or anything, some one came & offered me a warm drink & biscuit (to keep my energy up!), sat with me & chatted to me so I didn't get bored or anything, checked my son's latch, offered advice, came within seconds of me ringing the bell if I rang it for help getting him latched on etc... They're support & advice was exceptional. When I was discharged, they gave me a leaflet with all the local BFing cafe & LLL groups in the county, aswell as a little sheet of paper with 'Where's best to BF' in our 3 local towns, like John Lewis, Mothercare, Boots, etc for those who didn't like feeding in public, which was awesome for me

I defo think good support in the early weeks is essential both for establishing BFing & keeping your own sanity!

 

[MrsBandEgglet]

I spent one night at the hospital, where I shared a ward with 3 other women; it was very, very late at night & I was totally out of it, so i've no idea how they chose to feed their child, but I BFed & was checked on every 3 hours & was asked each time whether he'd woken for a feed, how I was feeling, did I need any help etc....I then transferred to a mifwife led unit for 4 days, where the support was brilliant. They helped me with everything, if they heard my son crying, or me up & about in the night or anything, some one came & offered me a warm drink & biscuit (to keep my energy up!), sat with me & chatted to me so I didn't get bored or anything, checked my son's latch, offered advice, came within seconds of me ringing the bell if I rang it for help getting him latched on etc... They're support & advice was exceptional. When I was discharged, they gave me a leaflet with all the local BFing cafe & LLL groups in the county, aswell as a little sheet of paper with 'Where's best to BF' in our 3 local towns, like John Lewis, Mothercare, Boots, etc for those who didn't like feeding in public, which was awesome for me

I defo think good support in the early weeks is essential both for establishing BFing & keeping your own sanity!

Wow! Sounds like you had a wonderful experience xx

 

[Reds05]

I've had 2 completely different experiences of breastfeeding.

With DS1 I never had skin-skin contact for a good while as he was taken away to get oxygen and I was getting stitched by the time he came back. I personally think that had an impact on my unsuccessful feeding. He did latch on but was lazy with it and don't think he was on properly. When I buzzed for a midwife to check, she came up, manhandled my boobs and shoved his face onto it!! Needless to say, I only lasted a fortnight feeding him myself as it ended up far too painful and stressful.

This time round was great. Had a water birth and DS2 was put straight onto me for a good 5mins before I needed to get out and deliver the placenta. As soon as I was dried off he was put back onto me and I tried feeding him. He went straight on and fed for 20mins. I stayed on the labour ward to get an early discharge and although he didn't feed that great as was very mucousy, whenever I did latch him on I would buzz for someone to double check I was doing it right. I saw 3 different midwives and they were all more than happy to sit with me and check he was feeding fine. When I got discharged and saw the midwife at home I explained that I still wasn't sure I was latching him on right (confidence had been knocked from previous experience) and she arranged for a maternity care assistant to come out the following day and sit with me. She was invaluable!!! She asked what problems I was having and watched me latch him on. She then gave me a few helpful hints on better positioning etc. and gave me a list of the support groups in my area. She was a godsend and has given me the confidence to carry on even though my left nipple is still very painful (I know it will get better so will persevere)

He is now feeding great, every 3 hours and seems very content. Planning on going to the support group once I've got feeding properly established.

I firmly believe that if you get the correct support in the beginning you are more likely to succeed - I just wish that all hospitals etc understood this!