Breastfeeding Forum

Posted: 21 October 2006 at 11:51pm | IP Logged

 OMG cant believe he has taken to the bottle so well. We bought the MAM bottle's because the teats are ment to feel like the nipple, we have had them in the bottom of his wardrobe for ages but I have been putting off giving him one cause I didnt want him to get confused between breast and bottle. It took me about 30mins to hand express 3fl oz and then dp gave him his first feed and Nathaniel didnt bat an eye lid, dp really enjoyed feeding him for the first time as well. Nathaniel was such a greedy guts though cause he ended up  feeding from the breast for another 10mins after this. CAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MEASURE HOW MUCH HE TAKES BEFORE I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS AVERAGE FOR A 5 WEEK OLD - WHAT DO YOU THINK? 

Cause Nathaniel managed to feed so well from the bottle I've expressed another 4fl oz. I'm gonna give him a bf in about 30mins and then go to sleep. Then I'm gonna let dp get up and do the night feed - Oh it sounds sooooooo good to be able to say that!!!!!! Think I'm gonna have to invest in a breast pump though cause its knackering doing it by hand. The second lot of expressing from my left breast seemed to take forever, I didnt time it cause we were watching a film whilst I was doing it but I bet it took the best part of an hour and a half to get the 4fl oz...  

Posted: 22 October 2006 at 12:24pm | IP Logged

lol, I hope the hour and a half expressing was worth it!

I never could get anything by hand, a pump is sooooo much easier!

Well done

Posted: 22 October 2006 at 12:26pm | IP Logged

Wow that is excellent!  A rough (and I mean rough) guide for  a 5 week old baby is approximately 4-5oz for 6 feeds a day!  And that is bottle guides not breast fed guides!  He sounds like he is doing well.  I found it hard to use the electronic pump, but thats becuse my mw gave me a crash course in 10 mins, and then left me to it kind of thing.  Before you invest in one, have a word with your mw/hv, you may be able to borrow one, as my mw left her one with me for about 2 weeks (I only got to use it 2 or 3 times cos I couldn't figure it out)  If you are ever unsure about whether you are producing enough (and believe me it sounds like your doing excellent) or whether he is drinking enough, ask for a test weigh.  This is where your hv will weigh lo before a feed, and then stay with you and then weigh him afterwards.  It doesn't have to be naked weight either and so long as you don't change the lo's nappy before she weighs him afterwards you will have a very good guide as to how much he's drinking.  I bet dh is feeling very proud now that he can help out!  Wonder how long before he gives you the night time feeds back! lol

They used to test weigh as standard when mom had me and my sisters, to let the moms know how much they were feeding, as it used to ease their worries, and if they weren't producingenough the mw's would encourage the moms to feed more often, and try and pump extra out after each feed to increase supply. At the time my sister was supposed to be on about 2.5oz, and it turned out she was drinking 5oz at a time!  So while mom was in hospital she would express milk and send it up to the special care unit!  Apparently she was providing them with about 8oz every 12 hours on top of feeding big sis!

Posted: 22 October 2006 at 1:03pm | IP Logged

Hey well done you!

I thoroughly recommend the meluda mini pump (electric) I was really scared of an electric pump but this one was fab and I used to wander round the house expressing and could get 5oz at a time!

Dont worry about what a baby 'should' be having. Just follow his lead, it changes with growth spurts etc anyway!

Good luck!

Posted: 22 October 2006 at 7:31pm | IP Logged

I used the Medela Mini Electric Breast Pump and it was good, but if I have another, I'll go for the avent one. The avent one has cushioned pads round the top that stimulate the aerola and so help with milk flow whereas the medela doesn't and just works with suction.

I know some mums on here have used dual pumps so that might be of interest to you. MumSam and Busydoc I think?! Ladies?

Well done you! Sounds like you're doing just fine.

Posted: 22 October 2006 at 9:10pm | IP Logged

Thanks for your words of advice and  encouragement ladies. Not managed to express any milk yet today, been too busy shopping in Ikea, it takes a whole day to get round that place! I'm gonna start expressing some now but probably wont use it till tomorow as oh has work tomorrow so I wont be able to get out of the night feed again tonight . The oh can get up in the morning and give him a feed before he goes to work though. 

Even though expressing seems to take forever I find it so satisfying seeing how much I can get out! Cant wait till I get a pump now, think I'm gonna get the avent one cause we have a voucher for that and it's the same make as the sterilser so at least I know it will fit (lol)...