Tips for mums to be - new mothers

[cheezelkat]

The first 6 weeks of breastfeeding can be tough, so I thought we could all postt some tips and advice on how to deal with breastfeeding in the first few weeks - and education plays a large key to success in breastfeeding :yelclap:

My tips are :


Expect to feed often for the first few weeks - more than you anticipate. This is normal and necessary for the milk supply to maintain itself. Having your baby weighed before and after a feed will let you know if your baby is getting enough milk if you have any concerns.
Seek help early if you encounter problems - no matter how silly it might seem.
Learn to nurse lying down, so both you and bubs can get some much needed rest.Any others?

[the_queen]

Buy a big tube of LANSINOH and use it often!! Use it before you need it!! Start applying it to your nipples after each feed, from day one. :yes:

[blueeyes]

**Invest in good bras (they make you feel comfortable while bf and in those early engorged days)

**Have the phone numbers of contact people handy (ie Lactation Consultant, Hospital, ABA, Karitane etc). Comfort is only a phone call away.

**Big deep breath, relax and enjoy the most beautiful relationship between you and your child

[shed]

this thread is for me :yes:

coz I have questions:

first one is

Nine days in and there is ALOT of milk going to waste here. Dripping on everything.

I was talking to my friend on the phone and she goes "how's our baby" and it made the milk start dripping, and I mean DRIPPING. My shirt was wet through completely all down one side, like wringing wet.

does this settle down coz this is kind of ...cold!!

I have the breast pads, but I just want to know if this is just because its at the beginning?

[Areca]

yes it settles down! Your body usually takes around 6 weeks to regulate. You won't get that engorged feeling everytime bub wants a feed either. it doesn't mean that you aren't making as much milk, just that your body is getting used to the demands. In the meantime, keep up with the breast pads. I stopped wearing breast pads altogether by the time dd was 3 months old. (sorry no caps,,,bf at keyboard)

[SilverStarfish]

For me the excess dripping stopped after a few weeks. Hope the same goes for you, cos I know how irritating it is!

My tips have already been covered I think...

* Get measured and fitted for some good maternity bras.
* Learn to feed lying down - it can take a few goes to get it right.
* Let it all "hang out" as much as you can between feeds in the beginning.
* Hang in there, but ask for help as whenever you needed it.
* Expect to feel like the baby is "permafeeding" at first. Nurse often, it helps.
* The engorgement (aka Rocky Mountain Mega Boobs!) will go away :)

[cheezelkat]

Shed - why don't you pop a bowl under your breast, catch the milk and freeze it?

[shed]

catch it and freeze it? ummm...

is that what people do?

But how do i get it back in there to feed it to him? LOL

Next question:

the boss makes noises like hunger and does his "little bird" impersonation (so cute) and then when I put him on the boob he sucks once or twice and then falls asleep. wtf? I don't let him cry as such, I don't want him to cry, but if he's not hungry then why is he doing his little bird thing? does he just want comfort?

[Areca]

Yep it definitely sounds like comfort sucking to me. I was confident with DD's latching and introduced a dummy. That didn't last long, she didn't want a dummy but she was happy to suck on one of our fingers! When I was 100% certain she didn't want to be fed we would give her a (clean) finger to suck on. She was only about 8 weeks old when we put a stop to that.
At Baden's age I'd let him suck away, even if it is comfort. Once he is a bit older, and you are used to his feeding cues and know that it is just comfort you can put a stop to it then, if you want to. If you are happy to keep going then that's fine too! Some people will try and tell you that they will never learn how to go to sleep etc. without a boob if you don't stop it but I'm yet to see a 16 year old need to be bf to sleep! Even if you start off like that now, and then decide later that you want to stop the comfort sucking you can, it's not an all or nothing. Just go with the flow and do what feels right for you.

I have a freezer full of frozen breast milk, but DD will take a bottle (it's good so I can go out occassionally and not have to worry about being back in time to feed her...she's never had formula either, always been expressed bm) so if you want to catch the milk and freeze it then go for it but if you don't plan on introducing a bottle then there's no need. My friend is still bf'ing her 1 year old and has never given her a bottle, or expressed once.


One thing I was thankful I knew was that they go through growth spurts, and they will just want to feed and feed and feed. It doesn't mean that you're losing milk...unlike a bottle, where you can go 'oh they're still hungry' and just give them some more our bodies have to learn to make the extra needed and this can take a few days - a week. It doesn't mean our babies are starving either, just means that for that amount of time they need to feed more often. Our bodies constantly produce milk, we are never truly 'empty' and if you try expressing and can't get anything out that doesn't indicate your milk supply either. some boobs just really know the difference between a breast pump and a baby and won't be tricked!

Typically growth spurts are 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year but DD had them at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks, 4 1/2 months, 5 1/2 months, and 6 months.

[cheezelkat]

Liam doesn't take a bottle but I make breastmilk slushies. Just freeze it into cubes and break them up into shavings with a metal spoon and feed them to bub.

[*Chels*]

My suggestions are to not stress about feeding.While in hospital I had to fill in this breastfeeding sheet like what times I fed,how long for etc etc.I would stress he hadnt fed long enough,or if he had just fed I would count out what time he next needed a feed.
Once I just threw out that stupid sheet and let him take the lead it was much easier!!
Also lying down to feed was the best thing I ever discovered!!!!
ALWAYS seek advice if you are struggling!!Never let anyone try to tell you you should "top up" with formula,or wean bubba if they get "too old".
Follow your instincts and enjoy breastfeeding!!!:yelclap:

[faery]

if you are on your own, set up your own "feeding station" with water, tea, snacks, a book, magazine, whatever you think you will need while you are feeding, cause no one will be able to get it for you, it can be hard to get up and you will probably be there for a while!

invest in a really comfy chair

ignore everyone who tells you your baby is small. tell them they are normal!

learn to feed lying down! even small breasted women can do this (one right here)

read a good breastfeeding book. i was taught at the amazing mullumbimby birth centre how to feed. but by the time we were at home and alone it was much harder. so i read "bestfeeding" and really studied the pictures about attachment and positioning and sitting well upright and suddenly it got much easier.

also remember that it's only the first little while that you need all the "props". once you are used to it and comfortable with it, you can feed anywhere, anytime and in any position!

[tanni_83]

Join the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Go to the first meetings while you are pregnant. They are very very supportive and those first meetings to get the 'feel' of things are free.

Their website is http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au ....find a group in your area and go along! You WONT regert it..i didnt! :thumbsup:

Other then that, everyone else has sumed it up pretty well!! :yes:

[PinkBinkie]

Great tips............I hope to breastfeed my second bub, no success with my DD. I only lasted a week but it felt like a month! She had oral thrush and I didn't know until she was 6 days old. My nipples were so sore I was miserable, plus I couldn't attach her properly. Every feed I balled my eyes out. Was so relieved when I went to formula, but also felt guilty and sad that I didn't get to breastfeed for longer.

I'm planning on joining the ABA this time, and going to meetings while still pregnant. I think I was too head strong first time around, I had no idea it would be so hard or so painful. I wish I asked for more help and stuck to it, but I'll know better this time :fingerscrossed:

What breastfeeding book would you recommend? (plus author please so I can find it at book store). I find pictures great too - positioning etc

Thanks

[Manxie]

Great idea:-

My top tips

When you are starting out find one person who you feel comfortable with (mine was the lactation consultant in the hospital) and only listen to them/get them to check your technique. Every midwife/health visitor etc has a different technique and you get really confused if you listen to all the advice. I only listened to the lactation consultant and when others asked whether they could watch me feed bubs I said no thanks!!


Tell DH/partner beforehand that you will need their support to be sucessful it takes time, energy and patience to get it right.

Remember that eventually you will be one of those mummas who can just lob out a boob and bubs will jump on and easily be able to feed in the dark:eek: I never thought this would be possible in the early months.

Dont worry about telling people to leave the room when you are feeding if you do not feel comfortable feeding in front of them

[*Chels*]

oH YEAH,I was so embarassed when I first started feeding-I had to be alone.Now I will flop my boob out anywhere LOL

[stellarella]

this thread is for me :yes:

coz I have questions:

first one is

Nine days in and there is ALOT of milk going to waste here. Dripping on everything.

I was talking to my friend on the phone and she goes "how's our baby" and it made the milk start dripping, and I mean DRIPPING. My shirt was wet through completely all down one side, like wringing wet.

does this settle down coz this is kind of ...cold!!

I have the breast pads, but I just want to know if this is just because its at the beginning?

Hi Shed. DS is only 8 weeks but things have already settled down for me. I actually rang ABA with this same prob. I could soak a terry nappy with one breast while feeding from the other and they would be engorged after 2 hours if bub didnt feed.

My let down would choke DS and squirt everywhere :o

I wore alot of breast pads (still do).

It will settle down, eventually, I still get engorged when he sleeps 7 or 8 hours but it has improved immensely.

If you have prob with fast let down choking bub. Express a bit by hand til the let down slows down or get bub to suck til you feel the tingle then pull of til it slows.

Goodluck

[KiLLaKaZ]

plan to spend the first 6 or so weeks devoted to attending to your bub. this means thinking of bub's needs & not your own (so u don't get as frustrated with lack of sleep, not being able to do housework, etc.) if you don't have someone to help with cooking meals, buy healthy microwave dinners or other healthy food from the shops (i bought a lot of the fresh organic soups from the dairy section at coles!)

[jess_live_die]

i breast feed my 1st daughter for 2days and she tore my nipples and i breast my 2nd til she went into hospital at 4 weeks and its so much cheaper i say go for it.

[bronny-jane]

:D i was going to start a thread like this today, i want as many tips as possible and brutal truth:D

so when everyone says expect bub to be on the breast alot in the first few weeks how often is alot?

what do i do if i get mastitis?

should i cup feed expressed milk or bottle feed her it when she is baby sat?:D

[bronny-jane]

i have another one, how often should i change breast pads?
and should i use disposable ones or reusable?

[Goosie22]

I would say reusable, I like the wool ones. And you should change them every couple of feeds, much like peri pads or tampons. Moist dark places are the places jerms like to live.

Reuseable peripads (if you use them are also good as breastpads) really good at night (and you havnt wasted any money then as you can never have too many reusable mama pads can you?)

[becca74]

so when everyone says expect bub to be on the breast alot in the first few weeks how often is alot?


Expect to be feeding non-stop :laughing: and it cant get any worse than that....

(You know the addage, underpromise-overdeliver)

Your body will need to readjust itself for a couple of weeks, so you will need to rest anyway....

Set yourself up as a queen bee on her throne (sofa and/or bed), with what you need about you (ie, remote, drink, food, magazine, lanisoh, breast pads..etc etc)....everyone else should be at your beck and call.....(other cultures do this 'babymoon' for 40 days, and our culture did up till the industrial revolution!).....and to avoid lack of sleep from constant feeds, sleep when bubs does - curl up in a cosy little ball together....

During your babymoon, your priority is being with bubs.....you have been physically connected for 9 months, so just see the constant feeding as you still being connected continuously.....it is so lurvely :D Also by feeding constantly, you are more likely to avoid mastitis. Generally mastitis occurs when you try to do too much too soon, and get run down. You will have just gone thru the physiological equivilant of climbing mount everest, so you will need to take it easy!

Dont let DP/DH whinge that you are being disorganised etc (my DH does:devil6: )....that is a crock. The babymoon only lasts a few weeks, and by then you will be starting to get on top of things naturally.....and bubs will be going longer between feeds....it is such a short period of time that it is so worth investing those few weeks of your childs life to 1on1......so dont feel guilty!! DH/DP will have you back before he knows it, as you will start on the next venture together in your relationship - trying to avoid getting pregnant again so soon! (unless you want to ;) )

[shed]

Okay, six weeks on and I have got myself well and truly sorted now and now I have returned with a tip (yay!!).

My tip is:

Make sure you let your nipple dry before putting on the breast pad. Just clip your bra back up but leave the pad in it to one side for a minute or two, before putting it back on.

otherwise it can "stick" (ow!) when you go to feed again.

That's my tip!! :D

[Seekrit]

I'm going to put this everywhere.


In the first few days of having the bub, you don't have milk but instead COLUSTRUM. YOUR MILK WILL COME IN! Yes, the bub might act hungry but don't fear, the suckling on your boosies will encourage the milk and before you know it (well, after 3 - 5 days) you will be overflowing with milk! :smiliedance:

It is meant to hurt for the first few weeks. Don't read the ABA literature that says if it hurts, you've got it wrong, they're talking about people who have been feeding a while, not about the newies.

When bub feeds frequently at night, don't panic, it's not your supply.. more often than not baby is tanking for a good night's sleep. Cobey started doing this at the start of the week and we've had 4 sleep throughs!!!


Bronny - Bottle of cup, either is fine. My bub's going to be a "Brottle" bub when I return to work, my CHN recommended that I start getting him used to one bottle a week now.. but she said that if he won't take a bottle very well to try a sippy cup from about 3 months. :)

[my_lot]

when i b/f dd they were available in department stores. when i b/f ds i couldnt find them so used disposable and my mother made a few washables out of cloth nappies for me.

so id like to know where to buy the washables from? just online (if so what sites and what ones do you like)

or is there shops you know of that sell them?

ta

[shed]

Avent or Nuk, from Target.

I got the Avent ones first, but they have a lacey side which I don't like coz you have to get the side right (scratchy). I bought Nuk yesterday, they are still in the pack but it looks like they are both fleecy sided so it doesn't matter what side you put in.

[cheezelkat]

Seekrit, you are so right about it hurting at first. Its one thing I didn't expect and it sucked, but it did go away.

[meshan]

A nipple shield saved my sanity. I know the pureist don't like them but I found them a God send - kind of like training wheels for breastfeeding!!! It made latching on easy and I had no sore nipples.

After a few months I was able to discard it.