Your routines please

[rachmumtobe]

I'd like to try breast feeding when my lb is born in October but I'm unsure whether my ideas are even do able. I don't think I'd feel comfortable feeding in most public places, maybe soft play but not when we're out to eat etc and also I'd like a day every few weeks spent with my 3 year old while baby stays with oh.

So my questions are

Would you advise expressing for those times when I think I might be out and not comfortable enough to bf? And on the odd day I spend out with my lb without baby? Or could I use formula?

Do breast feeding babies feed more often? If so what time are you up in the morning and what's your typical daily routine like?

What would I need to buy?

Thank you

 

[FarmMom]

My lo is only 9 weeks so i don't have long term experience, but i am i one not comfortable nursing in public so i nurse before we kea e to go places. Dd doesn't usually need to feed again if it's a short trip. We used a bottle of expressed milk once at a restaurant but otherwise i have gone out to the car or used a bedroom if i'm at someone's house.

Bf babies feed a ton at first, and it's best to wait until bf us established before introducing a bottle.

You don't need much to start. Nipple cream, some nursing pads (i leak a lot but not all women do), nursing bras if you like, and a pump and bottles since you want to express.

 

[wifey29]

We're in the early days with a toddler in tow. I'm basically following my toddler's normal routine including all our normal groups etc and I'm making sure that I have a lot of one on one time with DS1 while DS2 is sleeping. As for routine I just feed DS2 when he wants it which is roughly every two hours or so at the moment, although he clusterfeeds randomly at times. I also usually offer before we go out and he'll sometimes have a quick feed which tides him over while we're on our way somewhere. I do nurse in public so if he wants a feed while we're out then I feed him then. I keep a stock of little toys/books/snacks in the bag to entertain DS1. I don't really express, just a small amount for DS1. I would recommend waiting until you have feeding well established before expressing regularly. I made that mistake last time and ended up with a massive over supply and recurrent mastitis. You also risk nipple confusion if you introduce a bottle in the very early days.

I think all newborns feed regularly regardless of how they're fed. Breast milk does digest quickly so in the long term feeds will be more regular. Be prepared to have your baby constantly attached in the first few weeks. It's a good thing, it builds your supply.

With regards to buying things, all I have needed are some breast pads, nursing bras and virgin coconut oil (works way better than nipple cream/lansinoh for me). I have found the disposable potty training bed pads very handy under our sheet so if I leak in the night it doesn't ruin the mattress. I have an electric pump from last time, but I haven't even got it out of the loft this time.

 

[cait]

You could certainly express for those situations you mentioned or do a combination of breastmilk and formula if it works for you. I would advise you to introduce a bottle between 4 and 6 weeks and try to keep it up regularly (once a day or every two days) even if you're not going out anywhere. And get OH to do the bottle feed as much as possible. It will help baby get used to the bottle and to OH feeding, and be less likely to refuse it when you really need it. If you do use bottles and pump you might also want to buy a steriliser. Best of luck!

 

[Sarah lo]

It will be a bit crazy to start with as newborns feed a lot (mine fed pretty much non-stop all day) but get to about 6 weeks and you will start to get a couple of hours between feeds that you can use to go for short trips out without having to nurse in public.

We are nearly 9 weeks in and just about have a routine going. Having a toddler means we have to get out and about a lot or she gets unbearably bored. I was scared to nurse in public at first so I bought a nursing cover....and never used it because while I was waiting for it to be delivered I had to just make do without or face the prospect of staying in all day with a grumpy toddler and cluster feeding baby, and I found that actually nobody batted an eyelid and I didn't need the cover.

My little boy only just had his first bottle of expressed milk this morning, given to him by DH while DD and i went swimming and he took ot fine. You need to try and time introducing a bottle so that its not so early he gets nipple confusion and not so late that he rejects the bottle. We left it a bit late waiting till nearly 9 weeks so we were really lucky he took to it! I've started expressing a couple of ounces every night after he goes to bed that I am storing so that hopefully in the near future I can start leaving him with DH now and again.

I don't see why you couldn't use formula if you needed to, just not in the first 6 weeks while you're still building your supply and I would be inclined to express to make up for the formula feed just to keep my supply up.

We feed on demand but our typical routine is like this:
5:30 - he wakes up and has a really big feed, draining both breasts
7:00 - little feed - usually falls asleep during this feed and has a little nap.
9:30 - big feed
12:00- big feed followed by a big 2-3 hour nap
15:00 - big feed
17:00 - little feed then has another nap till bath time
19:00- big feed before going to bed
23:30 - first night feed
01:30 - second night feed - after this he comes into my bed and I don't usually hear another peep out of him till morning

Things you might want to buy:
Nipple cream
Breast pads if necessary (I don't leak so never needed them)
Feeding cover (if you want one for nursing in public)
About 3 nursing bras
Lots of vest tops that stretch for easy access
Breast pump
Bottles and steriliser
Milk storage bags

 

[rachmumtobe]

Thank you for your replies. To be honest it's sounding overwhelming, I feel like we're always in a rush with things now even with just a toddler who likes to do a lot for himself.

I didn't think about what would happen to my milk on the days that I hopefully get to spend just me and ds. I was only thinking about breastfeeding for around 3-4 months, I'm trying to see how long I'll be able to get away with not being in the situation of having to breastfeed in public. Sounds silly I know.

In an ideal world I'd breastfeed at night and in the morning before nursery. Feed expressed milk or formula during the day and then breastfeed again in the evening.

I haven't took into consideration time for expressing and baby getting confused etc

 

[catty]

With my son I breastfeed for 3weeks and expressed/formula fed until 6 weeks. I introduced the bottle to early as I couldn't deal with public breastfeeding and he basically rejected the boob after that. He would claw at me, cry and be so upset until he got a bottle.
This time I'm only on day 8 but I have breastfed the whole time and not let myself give a bottle. I have gone out plenty and had people round. I try and time it so I feed baby and then go straight out so il usually have at least an hour before she wants fed again. We went to nandos for lunch the other day and she wanted fed, I couldn't do it at the table as there were lots of youngsters and I wasn't comfortable so I had to go and sit in a toilet cubicle there are lots of places around here that have baby changing rooms or breastfeeding areas so I am going to use these but I am very new to breastfeeding. I think the main thing is really to try and overcome the worry of breastfeeding in public, I'm very slowly doing that. I wear one top that I pull down and one top I pull up, iv been practising in the mirror and it actually looks like I'm just giving her a cuddle. I then sometimes put a blanket round us and you can't see any boob at all, iv been trying this when visitors come and I'm slowly going to attempt to do it in public. I was wish it was a more normal thing where I live!!

 

[BigAl]

Tbh if it's feeling overwhelming you are better concentrating on the 6 weeks or so of bfing. I think if you get off to a good start, you will have a better idea of what will work for you re expressing/formula etc.

 

[luna_19]

You will need to empty your breasts regularly if you want a proper supply, generally every 2-3 hours whether by baby or pump. Honestly it's so easy to just bf, no pumping, sterilizing, bottles. We nurse in public everywhere and no one cares.

 

[Mapleroo]

My first two kids were ff pretty much from birth, 3rd a mix of expressed and bf until 6 weeks and so far with #4 we are at the 8 week mark of bf and it's going fab! The first few weeks are tough and much harder than ff, but now that my milk is established, his latch is good, his mouth is big, it is so much easier! I had thought about expressing and giving him a bottle once a day but I am too lazy as I hate pumping and to be honest it seems easier to just feed him right from the source lol. I'm not comfortable either with nip and so far have managed to avoid it with timing outings, feeding in the car etc. Even that seems easier to me than pumping and getting bottles ready, but that has just been MY experience. I did find it very confining and overwhelming at first, but it all feels good now. Mind you I don't have a toddler to run around after! Obviously things change during growth spurts, but this is our regular, things are normal routine:
Bed around 10ish, sleeps till 5-6am. Feeds about 7 times between 5am and 10pm. Each feed is no longer than 30 mins and is usually every 2-3 hours.
Supplies I couldn't live without:
Lansinoh
Breast pads (I'm STILL leaking!)
Comfortable nursing bras for when I'm sleeping.
And I did use a pump just after my milk came in to relieve engorgement.
I just recently invested in some nursing tops and they have been great also.
Oh and I have also just started using a ring sling and I plan to practice nursing in that so I can finally do it in public.
Whatever road you decide to go down...good luck

 

[rachmumtobe]

It seems I was maybe thinking I'd be making thing easier for myself by expressing aswell but now I'm thinking not.

I'm now considering just breast feeding for at least 6 weeks like suggested, it'll be cold outside and we may just spend a lot of time at home or visiting family when ds isn't at nursery anyway.

If baby doesn't wake in the night for a feed what then? I remember my ds slept quite well and when I asked the health visitor if I should wake him she said if he's hungry he'll wake himself x

 

[CupcakeBaby]

The first couple of weeks they need fed every 3-4 hours. But after that you can let them sleep. Xx

Honestly pumping and bottle feeding is so much more effort.

I wasn't keen on the tidea of BFing in public at first. But once you're more confident in latching baby on etc you realise how much easier/quicker everything is. My DD was often finished feeding and my boob was back in my bra before my FF friends had even prepared the bottles for their babies.

The first few weeks are tough for sure. But then for months and months of no hassle at all it's all worth it!

 

[Mapleroo]

My lil guy has been sleeping through since 3 weeks. I was told not to bother waking him. While it is a tad uncomfortable in the am because my boobs are pretty full, it is nice to get a full nights sleep