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September 2015 Moms
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FTM worried about Breastfeeding!!!

rheannaburheannabu member
in September 2015 Moms
I'm a FTM and wanting to breastfeed my baby exclusively for the first 6 months of their life however I can't help but think that it will be very restrictive as I will have to be available for feeds constantly. I have read posts of mums not wanting to leave the house of fear of feeding in public and don't want to feel like I'm leaving my partner out as he wont be able to take part in the feeds. Any mums who have breastfed have any advice?! Really don't want to feel like I have to bottle feed purely from my own fears of breastfeeding!

Thank you
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Re: FTM worried about Breastfeeding!!!

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  • rheannaburheannabu member
    I looked into that however it is not recommended until 6-8 weeks due to confusion that it could cause and the baby then may not latch correctly onto the nipple. I had also read that pumped breast milk has to be used within an hour unless stored in the fridge or freezer which again is restrictive. I totally and completely want to breastfeed but can't help but feel most advice from mums leans towards bottle feeding.
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  • str13str13 member
    I initially breastfed each of my girls. I honestly wasn't worried to breastfeed in public! But they have nursing covers that might make you more comfortable! I eventually started formula feeding and still did all feeds by myself until 3 months anyways, DH would've loved to, but I was crazy and wouldn't let ANYONE!
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  • str13str13 member
    rheannabu said:

    I looked into that however it is not recommended until 6-8 weeks due to confusion that it could cause and the baby then may not latch correctly onto the nipple. I had also read that pumped breast milk has to be used within an hour unless stored in the fridge or freezer which again is restrictive. I totally and completely want to breastfeed but can't help but feel most advice from mums leans towards bottle feeding.

    I'm having to pump now, the nurses in the NICU said that one hour is what you're told, but that 4 hours is acceptable.
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  • rheannaburheannabu member
    str13 said:

    I initially breastfed each of my girls. I honestly wasn't worried to breastfeed in public! But they have nursing covers that might make you more comfortable! I eventually started formula feeding and still did all feeds by myself until 3 months anyways, DH would've loved to, but I was crazy and wouldn't let ANYONE!

    That's great - I think having a cover would make me feel a lot more comfortable - it is most likely my insecurities of what others might see as opposed to anything else that worries me most about it.
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  • rheannaburheannabu member
    str13 said:

    rheannabu said:



    I'm having to pump now, the nurses in the NICU said that one hour is what you're told, but that 4 hours is acceptable.

    4 hours is a lot more practical!!
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  • rebeccabloomwoodrebeccabloomwood member
    rheannabu said:

    I looked into that however it is not recommended until 6-8 weeks due to confusion that it could cause and the baby then may not latch correctly onto the nipple. I had also read that pumped breast milk has to be used within an hour unless stored in the fridge or freezer which again is restrictive. I totally and completely want to breastfeed but can't help but feel most advice from mums leans towards bottle feeding.

    You can also bring milk chilled in a cooler bag or frozen even with ice packs around it until you're ready to use it.

    Nursing in public cam be daunting at first but with a cover it might make you more comfortable. We'd often find that I wouldn't need to nurse in public. Many malls have nursing rooms or private areas for mothers. If visiting someone you can always duck into a bedroom or office if that makes you more comfortable.

    All babies are different but many only need to eat every 2-4 hours. Sometimes I'd do a quick nurse in the car before we went in somewhere and it would give me plenty of time to do whatever I needed to do.
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  • ForeverEverAfterForeverEverAfter member
    It gets easier as you go. I EBF til a week before 6 months, and the only time I ever used pumped milk in public was at a wedding at 9 mo, and that was because of a snug shift dress and not wanting to miss speeches (she refused bottles, but by that point could drink from a sippy cup).

    I remember stopping for supper on the way home from visiting family at 2 weeks pp. I BF in a corner booth, snug to the wall, facing the corner-I was soooo nervous! At 2 months pp I went to a BRU that didn't have a nursing room, and some guys were sitting in the glider section, so I BF her while browsing the aisles. No one batted an eye-most people probably couldn't tell what I was doing (nursing shirts, or wearing a tank under a shirt, so you pull that down and shirt up-it's super discreet). If you babywear, ring slings and wraps are easy to position baby to BF on the go too, and the carrier hides it. I'm a very modest person, but I've BF everywhere, she weaned at 26mo.

    As for DH, he bonded in different ways. He tried giving her a bottle but was beyond frustrated. His favourite was skin to skin time while watching TV. When she got older her took over bath time too.
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  • MufflerloveMufflerlove member
    To be honest I didn't really want to leave the house the first while. Once we started leaving I didn't feel confidant enough in my breastfeeding abilities in public so I just nursed her in the car. It worked fine and I had a change area in my car. Malls and baby stores typically have nursing areas as well with change tables and chairs and they are usually private.

    As for my husband I did pump once a day for he could give her a bedtime bottle. I wanted her to be able to take a bottle incase for whatever reason I couldn't be there. I ended up with surgery two months postpartum so I was glad I didn't have to worry about a bottle with her. He enjoyed it and he put her to bed all the time when she was a baby.
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  • MufflerloveMufflerlove member
    This is a good breastfeeding website. Here are the storing breast milk guidelines.

    https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/milkstorage/
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  • etayisloveetayislove member
    Finding your local La Leche League and going to a meeting or two before you give birth would be beneficial. You've been given some good advice here :)
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  • WDDCHWDDCH member
    I want to touch on the issue of daddy being left out. Feeding baby is not the only way to bond with baby. My husband doesn't feel like he misses anything because he doesn't feed baby. He sits close, makes sure I have water and am comfortable and helps change diapers and burp afterward. It's a team effort. It is what you make it.

    Nursing in public isn't that bad. I personally never spend hours upon hours away during the day. If I run errands then I feed baby before I go and then when I get back. If baby happens to be hungry at some point when I'm out then I ask to use a dressing room so I have somewhere to sit and have privacy. Or I'll nurse with a nursing cover. I don't feel tied to home. I'm grateful I don't have to take bottles and have to mix formula -milk is ready and available from me, anytime and anywhere. The older baby gets the further apart nursing times are.
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  • jizzypuffjizzypuff member
    rheannabu said:

    I looked into that however it is not recommended until 6-8 weeks due to confusion that it could cause and the baby then may not latch correctly onto the nipple. I had also read that pumped breast milk has to be used within an hour unless stored in the fridge or freezer which again is restrictive. I totally and completely want to breastfeed but can't help but feel most advice from mums leans towards bottle feeding.

    It kindof depends on the baby not all babies have problems with nipple confusion. My cousin just had her baby and it goes back and forth from bottle to breast with no problem.
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  • junebaby20junebaby20 member
    DD took some pumped milk right away. And took a paci. It all depends on the child. There was a short period of time were she refused a bottle but powered through that. Also there is a rule of 5. 5 hours freshly expressed at room temp, 5 days in the frig and 5 months in the freezer. I think the 1 hour rule is if they only took a few sips from the bottle, you have to use the rest within a hour or you have to dump it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
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  • rheannaburheannabu member
    Thank you so much for the replies ladies! Definitely gave me plenty to think about. I for sure think a bf cover would give me a lot more confidence in public and will speak to my partner about alternative ways he can bond with the baby until I can express and bottle feed without worry. Thank you for all your help!
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