Is this possible?

[Maruschke]

BF was great with DD1 the first week or so, til I got mastitis and knew something was wrong but my GP didn't believe me. It turned into an abscess, I was hospitalised on IV AB's until it was surgically drained. It stopped my milk production in that breast and I still have visable scar tissue.

So I am a bit hesitant about BF this time around.

I don't have 6 months maternity leave with this bub, just 12 weeks minus whatever I take before the birth. DH will stay home with the baby and DD1 when I return to work.

So I am hoping to exclusively BF until 6 weeks (?) and then mix feed until a year. I am pretty determined to keep the BF up for quite a while, even if it is just a morning and evening feed (I would prefer this).

I know this set up isn't ideal, not the best health wise, but it is all I feel I have to offer this time around.

Any hints on how to get mixed feeding set up? Also, I *thought* that after 2 weeks (or is it 6?) that the majority of the benefit immunity wise has been passed on to the baby. Is this right, or is it longer? What is the best FF to use if you are preparing to comp feed?

I still have no idea if I can get milk out of the left breast, but when I tried to relactate after the surgery I could never get anything out, so I very much doubt I will be a two sided mumma.

Thanks

[onthefly]

For your milk production question, it would be best to talk to an LC, probably.
What a shame you have such little time to take, but good to plan ahead like this. Immunity wise, the protection afforded by breastfeeding continues for as long as you breastfeed Doesn't run out at all. There are 2 kinds of immunity transferred from the mother - one via the placenta inutero which lasts 6-8 months I think and the other via breastmilk.

Will you be able to express at work? That would certainly help you to keep the breastfeeding going. The ABA does have a booklet on breastfeeding and working - $5 from mother's direct. You could also contact the ABA to ask for advice too on the helpline or email.

Hope it works out well for you

[Maruschke]

Thanks.

I have a lot of processing to do and I'm a bit peeved at my doctor... more peeved that I knew better than him and didn't trust myself. I really enjoyed BF while we could. I wish I knew what was possible... I am a control freak and not knowing til the birth whether or not the left side will be able to get milk past the scar tissue is a bit unsettling.

Does the immunity feedback still work in comp feeding?

[onthefly]

Yes, your baby will still get them. health-wise baby is definitely better off receiving some breastmilk than none.

Have you debriefed at all M? Maybe it would be good to have a chat with a good LC for that too? Or the ABA. I'm really sorry that happened to you - really not good enough. Have you made a complaint about it at all?

[Maruschke]

Yes, your baby will still get them. health-wise baby is definitely better off receiving some breastmilk than none.

Have you debriefed at all M? Maybe it would be good to have a chat with a good LC for that too? Or the ABA. I'm really sorry that happened to you - really not good enough. Have you made a complaint about it at all?

I haven't really debriefed but I really want to. It was horrible to go through, a real confidence crusher. I think talking to the ABA is a great idea, thanks MadB.

This is an IVF bub, after mc's and infertility, and after a failed BF attempt with DD1 and a long not so natural labour and long TTC process for her... so it is hard to feel the body confidence to know I can nurse. I think that is the biggest hurdle.

[Maruschke]

I guess I should add that I have previously had chest injuries (like having moles removed) and they have all keloided, which bothers me about the breast scar tissue internally.

I also have ridiculously high levels of prolactin so I have so much milk it is not funny. I had bath sheets stuffed down my shirt that couldn't cope with all the leaking boobs O.o.

[helle]

I'm probably wrong... But I thought the benefits of immunity were present while your bf. so when you stop, they're gone? As bubs isn't getting your antibodies anymore...

[peanutter]

Hi there

When DS was born, I had 1 week off work before he arrived, and 9 weeks after. I then went back to full time work - normlaly out of the house for 12 hours a day.

We still managed to exclusively bf for 6 months (despite having surgery at 4 months) and then comp fed until 10 months. It was a moster effort, but with the right equipment and support from your DH and workplace, it is completely doable.

I bf when at home, and then DH would syringe/cup/bottle feed DS when I was out. And DH did one feed per day for DS from birth (literally from the day he was born) so DS was always used to getting fed multiple ways, and he had no hiccups with adjusting, nipple confusion, or anything like that.

Getting set up: we started with 3 small (140ml?) bottles, 8 big (220ml?) bottles, bottle cleaning brush, microwave steriliser, an electrip pump (though we ended up with two - one at home and one at the office - both were the electric Avent one, which I love), lots of breastmilk cups with lids (probably 20), a little travel esky for the EBM, and that's about it for that side of things ... we also had syringes and little cups of course, but they were only for the very start ...

Otherwise, I had a wheely suitcase packed at work, with handtowels, lots of paper towels, a pack of biscuits, a big water bottle, a little photobook of pictures of DS, a novel, spare EBM cups and lids, my pump, and a spare microwave steriliser, which I used as a drying rack. And 2-3 times a day, I would take my wheely into a spare office, and do my thing ...

I also would pump a couple of times a day at home, and would label and freeze the milk in bags for DH to use.

That's all I can think of right now ... but please let me know if you have any other Qs

If however you're thinking of comping with formula instead of EBM, I guess it would be similar to the above, but just minus the pumping ... but others might be able to give you personal feedback on that

Good luck!

[Maruschke]

Thanks Peanutter. I am considering pumping and dumping at work so I can keep my supply up enough in the early days to support a morning and evening BF. I am sure it will work itself out when this bubba comes along, I really just need to process it in my head though. Last time really wasn't fun.

[peanutter]

no, it sounds like you had a really rough and painful time last time ... personally, I think any bf you do is great, and so good for bub. the more the better, depending on what you can do with your family and work etc.

I'm sure you'll end up with a great solution that works for the 4 of you

[Smoke Jaguar]

Yup, wot she said! Get your supports in place, so that you know who to turn to when the going gets tough. I've had two rough starts - one with Tongue Tie and the other with nipple thrush, and the supports are critical

[Maruschke]

Yup, wot she said! Get your supports in place, so that you know who to turn to when the going gets tough. I've had two rough starts - one with Tongue Tie and the other with nipple thrush, and the supports are critical

Ta Mayaness and Peanutter what I really need is confidence. When the confidence is up you can make a way for BF to work . Please don't shoot me for that generalisation, but I KNOW *I* can BF, I just need to make it happen.

Can the ABA help with finding local LC's?

[peanutter]

mauschke - you're planning 33 weeks ahead for how you're going to bf your baby ... you are going to succeed!

you're going to be a brilliant mumma to #2, and are going to be just fine with bf this time around ... you will be well prepared, you will have all the bits and pieces you need, you will have some great support around you (IRL and here on BB) and you're going to be more than fine.

and you still have months and months to see that

[Kmn]

You might want to get a few more supports in place too (given that you want to control this as much as you can).
Get a pump and make damn sure that it works. If you have one then get it serviced. Get extra bits for the pump so you never have to wash it at work.

Call your local physiotherapist and ask them if they treat blocked ducts. Keep calling around until you find one that does.

Go and acquire a maternity bra that is bigger than what you had last time so there is as little pressure as possible on your scarring.

BF with a big supply difference between sides works pretty well - one boob can make more than enough for one baby. So from that point of view you will be fine.

Meet up with your local LC/ABA counsellor/MCHN. Some MCHNs are great with BF problems, others aren't so good - ask around other Mums and your local ABA and see if you can find the best one in your area.

And then just give it your best shot - last time you got really unlucky; this time should be fine.

And survival kit for leaking boobs:
*bath sheets for sleeping on
*big polar fleece blankets (rather than a doona or wooly blankets) because you can wash them and dry them within a couple of hours. I bought a few 2 metre lengths of fleece from spotlight.
*flat cloth nappies (which slurp up more milk than anything else)

[onthefly]

The ABA may be able to point you in the direction of a local LC. You can also PM Barb Glare - she may know one in your area also.

Things will be different this time.