Breastfeeding Forum

Posted: 03 February 2008 at 7:00pm | IP Logged

Hi i never had any lessons on how to do this.... i knew from research that it had to be the area surrounding the nipple that the baby munched down on but otherwise i was pretty much going blind.... both times mw's where chocolate tea pots.... said oh better show you how to breastfeed..... and walked out of room.....urm so me tried and they came back 1hr later and went oh your doing it.... and walked off again.

I didn't know vaseline etc were any use but found a cold flannel soothing whilst feeding if the meal was a little late and i'd become a little too large.

But stitches (i know tandgent so sorry) a jug of warm water when going was helpful stopped any stining sensations.

Posted: 03 February 2008 at 7:46pm | IP Logged

As you know Ollie was born by C Section too and the mw I had post section did exactley the same as your mw latched him on wrong so I ended up with a huge blister, fortunately as I had fed Fran for 3 years I knew how to latch him on avoiding my blister and it healed very quickly.  If you do get damage to your nipples the good news is it heals very fast due to a very good blood supply in that area, unfortunately it means it blooming hurts too.

I would say yes to the nipple cream.  I suffered really dry nipples and itchiness when I was pregnant with all of mine and with Ollie my left nipple cracked whilst I was pregnant.  So a tube of lasinoh or avent nipple cream is a must.

With Ollie and Fran I had a tin of formula in the house, this was because when I decided I couldn't manage to feed Hayley anymore at 5 days old I didn't have anything in the house and it was the middle of the night.  She was screaming I was crying and luckily I had a brilliant friend across the road who also had a baby and she saved the day or night at about 3am.

Read books, some of them you will find are so pro breast feeding you want to throw them out the window but they will still have good tips in.  Visualise how you will hold your baby in your arms.  How you will support their head, new borns don't like to turn their heads so holding them in the rugby ball style is a good tactic to learn for the first few weeks.  Imagine how you will bring your babies head to the breast and how you will sit to be comfortable.  Make sure you have a lot of pillows and cushions around so that you can prop your arms up.  There is nothing worse than having just got your baby off to sleep on the breast and you want to relax for 5 mins to have a sore shoulder, neck and back.

If you think you will be able to use nipple shields get some of these and have them sterilised incase of sore nipples.  Also Avent do shells that you can put on whilst feeding on one side to collect any leaking milk.  Make sure you have plenty of breastpads and try them before you buy loads of one brand.  You will find some are more comfee than others and some when wet get prickly and uncomfy.  Get a good supportive easy to undo bra.  Make sure you have enough tops that you can feed in without flashing too much flesh.  When at home sit and feed topless (shut the curtains) it's much easier.

And remember it's much easier with a second, your breast tissue has stretched from previous engorgement so it won't be as painful.  You normally get a better let down feeling so know when they are feeding well with the second.  You will be more confident because you are more determined and it's not the unknown this time.

Last of all if you got this far, if you can't do it you haven't failed!!!  As long as you and the baby are happy everything else will come out in the wash, look at Ella can you tell she wasn't breastfed?

Posted: 03 February 2008 at 9:48pm | IP Logged

Hello

I don't think you can prepare - I had so much pain & no milk for both my "attempts" - thank goodness for formula - but twice I really wanted to bfeed

Many midwives tried to help - but it just didn't work for me or the babs.

Dd wouldn't latch on without biting & ds showed little interest!

I admire any mum who can bfeed without curled toes!

Good luck

Posted: 04 February 2008 at 12:43am | IP Logged

• you're in a comfy position- sitting straight with your back supported is good.
• baby is  brought to the breast (remember baby to breast- not breast to baby) with a straight body- i.e.  baby's head is in a straight line with it's body: it's neck isn't turned.  (Euan is feeding at the mo- here's a pic if his lovely straight neck!)(yup- just an excuse for a pic!)
  
• As you may see, I feed without any pillows or support (unless I'm feeding both twins at the same time.)  That's down to the "angle of my dangle" (oohherr mrs).  Sometimes pillows can actually hamper a good position as some folk don't need them, but some can't do it without.  Try out positions with a baby doll to see what's comfy for you.  There's tummy to tummy, the rugby ball hold or lying down (which is a fabulous way of feeding, it's awful you were told otherwise.)
  
• Baby should have a big wide mouth to take the nipple to the back of it's mouth.  If your baby doesn't open its mouth wide enough you can help it my touching the baby's nose and top lip with your nipple (this should encourage it's mouth to open wide) or by mum opening baby's mouth wider by using your finger pressed gently on its chin.

Posted: 04 February 2008 at 9:01am | IP Logged

I think Lynie and the others have covered most of it. There is an article here which might help.

I found the Oscar Dean Breastfeeding Bliss packs fantastic for engorgement pain. Plus the Lanitosh cream sam mentioned.

Dont be afraid to ask for help, and to keep asking until you are comfortable.

Have some comfortable clothes, and a glass of water and a snack to hand.

I'm sure there is some more I can add so i'll come back later.

Posted: 02 May 2008 at 2:42pm | IP Logged

I am due at the end of July and must admit am starting to get very nervous about the reality of it all and all the changes that are happening to my body.  I apologise if I have asked a lot of varied questions in this thread, but it seems the best one to ask and I don;t want to ask lots of different questions seperately.

My left breast is really sore a lot of the time with an uncomfortable tingle, whilst my right breast has an enlarged white bud on the nipple that has appeared over the last 3 weeks or so.  It is not sore, but am going to show my midwife at my check up next week.  I was just wondering if this was normal? 

I plan to breast feed and as this will be my first baby I am trying to gather as much useful info as possible - I have taken the info on nipple pads and shields and cream down, but am really nervous about my breasts being used for their main purpose more than the 'decoration' my husband has come to know and love!

Also I was wondering as you can get nipple cream, can you also get cream for the sensitive tissue around your vagina ? I have been told to rub vaseline into this area to prevent any possible tearing - I am not really comfortable with the thought of using vaseline here as I have always been given the impresion that  this is not the best product to use in this area? 

I am getting increasingly more anxious about the labour and breast feeding- I know what I am going is through is probably totally normal for any new mum to be, but any help support or guidance in this area would really be appreciated!

thanks