Registered User
What bfing myth have you debunked?
I was just thinking of all the misinformation out there about bfing and remembered a few times where I'd been able to correct people IRL by my experience.
One of my close gfs mothers was very suprised to hear I was bfing my (then) 18 mth old DD and asked if I still had milk. I told her I'd have milk for as long as DD fed. She was shocked! Better yet, she's a nurse, so I'm hoping that tidbit gets passed on.
The second time was at a friends' wedding (again when DD was a toddler, only this time over two years, I think) and I bf her so she would settle down at the end of the night. Several women (mums and grandmothers amongst them) were very surprised that DD would still want to bf at her age and that I could bf her just two times a day and still have milk.
I don't remember a specific time but another one is that my bbs went back to their 'normal' size and didn't turn into shrivelled up pieces of flesh with full-term bfing.
Are there any times you've told someone IRL something they didn't know about bfing?
I've tried to tell a few friends that just because they don't get much when they express, it doesn't mean they have low supply. Unfortunately i get the blank look and awkward stare.
It saddens me that there are so many misinformed mummies out there when it comes to breast feeding.
After getting horrible cracked/bleeding nipples the first 3 days after my son was born (he was a chewer!), I sent DP out to get nipple shields as I wanted to persist in bfeeding but my skin needed a bit of a break. We were still in hossy at the time, the midwives told me that nipple shields shouldnt be used, that they will confuse bub, and ill never be able to b-feed properly.
By 9 weeks we had gradually weaned of them and strait onto the boob, it was a learning experience, but DS and I figured it out without too much hassle. I continued to breastfeed up until he weaned himself at 18 months
Im not saying nipple shields are for everyone, but they definitely have their place, and I would not have been able to feed my son for as long as I did without them
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
My BB's didn't go back to the way they were....they got better. 4.5 years of BF and they aren't 18yr old perky, but they certainly aren't shrivelled and hanging past my waist. I love 'em - bigger and better than before BF!!!
Registered User
A lot of people expected me to try breastfeeding with the twins, and then give up quite quickly. I got lots of comments from well meaning people about how even just a few days or weeks would be good. I fed them for 22 weeks and I think (hope) I encouraged a few people, parents and health professionals alike, that multiples are no barrier to successful breastfeeding.
Also after all that feeding my boobs are much fuller than they were pre children.
Registered User
Traveller, we had a member around here who conceived her twin sons through IVF, went through multiple bfing hassles as they were early and needed a supply line, etc, but did get to a successful bfing relationship with both boys that lasted over two years! They self-weaned, from memory. She isn't really around any more, but I'm sure she won't mind me sharing her story. There's a great blog on the interwebz about a US mum who exclusively bfs her triplet daughters too. So you're right, multiples is not a barrier.
BellyBelly Life Subscriber
Well I didn't get to keep my boobs. Mind you, never enough there for them to droop much, so that's something.
Let's see:
Can breastfeed with flat/inverted nipples
Can breastfeed with teeth
Can let children decide when they're done themselves
Can be a really crap expresser and still have plenty of milk
Can exclusively nourish a baby till 6-ish months of age.
Registered User
I wish I had been able to speak to her when my twins were newborn, at the time it was a struggle finding someone who could guide me through the specifics of feeding twins. In the end I did find someone who gave me the best advice (feed them one at a time) and that really helped, so I have written an article about my journey that was published in a UK midwifery magazine and I know has been used by some midwives to help other mums.
Registered User
The nurses in the SCN kept telling me that the quickest way to going home would be a bottle (but that I could put EBM in it if that made me feel better). I had a strict no bottle, no ABM stance with DD (thought she did have some ABM to stablise her sugars and I couldn't get enough colostrum expressed and they wouldn't allow her to suckle at the breast)
But I perservered and we got home quite quickly (DD was allowed home on day 15 - after being born at 34+1)
Don't know if it is a myth or more a misinformation but so many people told me that I would need to put her onto a bottle to get her to suck properly... we did it without any bottles and just a little help from a dummy when she had nasal-gastro tube feeds.
We are continuing our breastfeeding relationship now at 14 months old
BellyBelly Life Subscriber
I'm not sure breasts being smaller after children is consistently a myth. But then I'm not sure feeding has much bearing on breast size at all - so perhaps that's the myth.
I find my breast size is more connected to my overall size. And perhaps even that's genetic, or based on other factors.
Registered User
and these ones - well except for the flat/inverted nipples one - my nipples are pointers (and a nurse even felt the need to tell me that
)
Registered User
You can feed while they have teeth. My milk is better then cow's milk. While I am still feeding at least once a day my bb's are at least 3 sizes bigger then pre-child so no shrivel here.
Registered User
Breastfeeding is hard
Expressing is hard - I can manually pump a 125ml bottle in under 15mins
Bub can't be left for more than 2hr without a feed - bub is demand fed
Registered User
Breastfeeding is hard
Expressing is hard - I can manually pump a 125ml bottle in under 15mins
Bub can't be left for more than 2hr without a feed - bub is demand fed
Registered User
Great thread!
I'll only post my experience with Tristan, as I expressed for Brendan due to multiple issues.
My boobs are bigger than pre-children and not what I would call floppy either.
I breastfed Tristan for 12 months, he's tongue-tied.
I used a nipple shield and successfully weaned straight onto boob.
NICU nurses told me he wouldn't be able to breastfeed for at least a week (that's the only reason they put in the tube - an excuse if you ask me) I demanded to at least try once he was off the vent and cpap, he successfully breastfed at 24 hours old. They also told me he wouldn't have the energy to feed due to being jaundiced (He was jaundiced and sleepy for the first 3-4 weeks) He was born 34+3 weeks, tube fed/breastfed/IV drip for 2.5 days and had bottles overnight when I couldn't get in to the SCN, he was fully breastfed by day 7 when we started to room in.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCT and BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Nothing is impossible, even for prems!
Registered User
When people think you can't express full time as your milk won't stay for long.. wrong. I did it for 10 months and was still getting 5-7 FULL bottles a day. then i fell pg and well my milk dried up.
using a nipple shield is hard.. It isn't if you experiment
Bf ties you down.. don't need to explain that one.
The one where they say oh my milk didn't come in.. Well how long did you give it.. oh about 2-3 days. I am pretty sure with Ds2 and 3 and Dd my milk didn't come in properly till they were just over a week and I had a good Bf relationship (or express) with them.. My milk came in on day 2 with Ds1
'
ETA: and my boobies shrunk post Bfing because i actually lost weight afterwards
I never lost weight when Bf but as soon as I stopped feeding DD. I have lost over 15kg in the last year.. by doing nothing but stopping bf and having babies
Registered User
...that breastfeeding makes you skinny! LOL
Registered User
Haha! I didn't lose any weight during the 12 months I breastfed Tristan. But in the last month I have lost 3kgs
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks