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Breast feeding

beccraarbeccraar member
in 3rd Trimester
hi all, just after some opinions regarding breast feeding.
I tried with my first 4 years ago, had 3 nights in hospital and my baby seemed to be latching on, but I had no milk. I managed to hand express about half a syringe of colostrum, but that's it. After hearing 9 months of how I should breast feed, the health care professionals in hospital were so unsupportive in hospital with my unsuccessful breast feeding they kept suggesting I just try a bottle else I'd never get home, so I did and just bottle fed him instead. Which worked out ok, and he is fine, but I felt so guilty I couldn't breast feed.
Now my second is due in a couple of months, I'm wondering how to deal with this again. Can it be that I just didn't produce milk? I had no leakage at all, no breast pain, nothing. Or did I just not produce it because I gave up? I hear it can take a few days for milk to appear, so why are they so insistent on feeding the baby in hospital before you get to go home, yet they want you out asap.
I am thinking of just bottle feeding again as I'm sure the same thing will happen, but if I don't try I will feel bad also. The UK harps in about being so pro breast feeding, yet when I needed help the most, the midwives were so dismissive and unhelpful. I can't seem to find much information other than everyone should be able to breast feed.
Thanks everyone
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Re: Breast feeding

  • TarHeelMomToBeTarHeelMomToBe member
    I'm sorry your hospital and healthcare professionals were so unsupportive of breastfeeding.

    Your milk can take up to a week to come in.  Mine came in after 3.5 days, after I was already home for almost 24hrs.  I never leaked until baby started sleeping stretches longer than 3hrs (about 3 weeks old), and never leaked very much -- some women don't.

    The baby's stomach is so tiny at first that just a little bit of colostrum is enough.  The more time you spend with baby skin-to-skin and nursing, the better.  

    I couldn't tell if baby was getting anything at all when I was in the hospital, but because I had GD, they tested her blood sugar every few hours and it was good, so I know she got something.  I didn't even realize that my milk had come in after I was home until DD spit up for the first time; I never got really engorged like some women do.  I EBF for 12 months and am still occasionally bfing my 2yo even though I'm 6m pregnant.

    Good luck -- don't let them push you into bottle feeding if that's not what you want.  The site kellymom.com is a great resource on breastfeeding and there is also a breastfeeding board here that can help with questions.
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  • PrimRoseMamaPrimRoseMama member
    In the beginning colostrum is enough. Try again if you want.


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  • YogaSandyYogaSandy member
    I had a nurse who was also a lactation consultant in the hospital. She was wonderful and helped me immensely. Then the health nurse who came to my house once a week after DS was born was also an LC. Try to find an LC. They took the stress off, as I was crying in the hospital because he wasn't latching and all the nurses were telling me something different and I was worried LO would "starve to death". At that point my doctor sent in the LC who had just started shift (and she was close to retirement so she didn't do rounds anymore, she was the ward clerk) but she made a huge difference. Then she kept checking on us throughout her shift.
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  • OSULisaOSULisa member
    It took four days for my milk to come in. I didn't leak or get engorged an was able to BF for 27 months. Being able to hand express colostrum was a good sign. Find an LC to help you this time of you're interested in trying again.
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  • WeringWering member
    My milk didn't come in for 5 days after birth. Feed baby when hungry. As long as they're wetting their diapers, they're getting what they need. Check out this image for an understanding of just how LITTLE your baby actually needs:

    image
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  • beccraarbeccraar member
    Thank you everyone, encouraging to know I may be able to do it after all
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  • sameeha32sameeha32 member
    If it becomes that hard you can try some organic nursing tea. Welada is one you could try
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  • ErinM112312ErinM112312 member
    The hospital that I was at pushes breast feeding. They are constantly in your room making sure you are learning different positions and making sure that your baby has a good latch and how to correct it. My son latched fine even with a tongue tie and a lip tie. We didn't have any issues. We both got thrush, but we got it treated quickly and never had any other issues. We've got almost 25 months behind us so far. 

    image



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  • yaellibellyyaellibelly member
    I would get a LC to come to the hospital and help me privately. don't relay on hospital staff. 
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  • sarahsnowballsarahsnowball member
    Firstly, please don't feel pressured into breastfeeding just because you feel it is expected.
    However, if you want to breastfeed, speak to your midwife about it at your next appointment. She can put you in touch with local breastfeeding groups and you will be able to attend before your baby is born to chat to other mums and the staff who are there to support you. They will be able to offer you some advice and support.
    My son had a tough time feeding at first and it took us a couple of months to get the hang of things. There are a few things I will be doing differently this time e.g. More skin to skin time, feeding him within the first hour of being born.
    There is loads of support out there, it's just a case of finding it :)
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