First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 24/02/19 as part of the Sharing Sunday series.

Breastfeeding has been the biggest rollercoaster of my life! Little Alfie and I started out fantastic, 2 weeks into our journey his latch slipped as he was not opening his mouth wide enough to feed properly. I became so cracked and sore, I almost threw in the towel. It was too painful to feed so I opted to use nipple shields but he wasn’t gaining weight. I then decided to exclusively express and luckily he took to the bottle straight away! Eventually Alfie was checked for tongue tie and this was the prime cause, it was cut and we were able to return to breastfeeding. It took me a while to heal but it all worked out perfectly in the end. He is coming up to 7 months now and breastfeeding is the best parts of my day! Any problems i’ve had in the meantime (such as a nursing strike after his injections) I’ve reached out on the Facebook page and have been supported ongoing.

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 19/2/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

But. It’s a very little word, that can cause a lot of problems- particularly for breastfeeding mums. It can often shame us, make us doubt ourselves, leave us questioning our decisions and our feeding choices.
How often do we hear……
“I support breastfeeding…….but.

but….
You shouldn’t do it in public
but…..
Why not just express it now?
but….
Not once they are eating solids
but….
Not after they are 6 months
but…..
It needs to be discreet
but…..
It wasn’t for me
but….
Fed is best.
But.. But….But….

Unfortunately babies don’t know if you are in public or not, they’ve got to eat!

Expressing can be hard work, and many mums don’t have the time or inclination to express, especially when baby prefers it straight from the source.

Milk remains babies’ main source of nutrition until they are one, so they absolutely still need the milk, but also still need everything else they get from breastfeeding- security, reassurance, comfort and love.

Some women prefer to feed discretely, some find getting more of their breast out ensures baby gets a nice deep latch and therefore a more comfortable and effective feed. A mother who gets her breast out isn’t doing anything other than feeding her baby in the way that works best for her and her baby.

And that’s fine, if breastfeeding wasn’t for you, but it is for this mum, so just tell her you support her.

Fed isn’t best. Fed is the bare minimum, it’s what’s expected and needed for survival. Being informed is best. Making an informed feeding choice. Being informed of the benefits, about how to make breastfeeding work and being supported in doing so.

There should never be a but with breastfeeding. Women should be supported to breastfeed if that is their feeding choice. Women don’t need more barriers in their way.
Let’s simply support breastfeeding each and every time we see it, and hopefully society will catch up, and ‘but out’ of our breastfeeding!

Photo by @itsmeguilty

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 17/01/2019 as part of the Sharing Sunday series.

Breastfeeding hasn’t worked out as I’d planned. I tried and tried to get my son (Arthur) onto the boob, but he wouldn’t latch on and feed as I’d hoped he would. I also struggled finding a comfortable feeding position. However, I was determined to give my son my milk, so in hospital I syringe fed my baby after hand expressing, whilst having plenty of skin-to-skin contact.

When we got home I knew we needed help, as I was aware that syringe feeding wasn’t a long-term feeding solution and we were still struggling to breast feed. I called Breastfeeding Together and a peer supporter came out to see us that day and helped myself and my partner to come up with a feeding plan. I would continue to express milk and feed it to my baby using a bottle and I’d also get some nipple shields to help my baby to latch onto my breast. We had a peer supporter visit us every day that week and I also used the connect and share group to ask others for advice on everything from breast pumps to power expressing. The support was invaluable.

Arthur is now 7 weeks old and feeding him directly from the breast is still proving tricky, so I predominantly use an electric pump to express milk for my little boy. However, at night, in the nursing chair, I’m still attempting to feed my son directly from the breast using the nipple shields. I hope that over time, he will feed from the breast more often, but in the meantime, whilst we’re figuring it out, I’m so happy that I’ve been able to find an alternative way of giving my baby the gift of my milk.

This journey hasn’t been easy and if it wasn’t for the peer supporters and the connect and share group, I’d have had no choice but to give up. I’m so grateful to Breastfeeding Together for helping me to find a way of feeding my baby that I’m happy and comfortable with.

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 12/2/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

So, no one wants to be the mum who puts her hand up in an antenatal workshop and asks about how many gins* you can have whilst breastfeeding! We fear being judged for wanting to end our pregnancy prohibition as soon as possible, truth is the majority of mums want the answer to this question!

There’s also a lot of conflicting information out there and old fashioned ideas about what mums should or shouldn’t do whilst breastfeeding.

The information that’s given regarding alcohol is given to all new mothers, regardless of how they are feeding their babies, and that is, that it’s probably best avoided in the very early days to ensure you can stay responsive to your baby’s needs.

Long term, breastfeeding mothers need not avoid alcohol completely. Very small amounts of alcohol do pass into the breastmilk, (think a shot of vodka in a swimming pool kind of concentration) but baby has their own liver and kidneys to process this and occasional/moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to have no ill effects on babies. Alcohol peaks in the breastmilk after around 90 minutes then reduces down again. There is no need to ‘pump and dump’ your milk to try to get rid of the alcohol, your body does it itself!

Breastfeeding and pregnancy are two separate things. The placenta and the breasts work very differently, so the foods and drinks you were avoiding during pregnancy can now be enjoyed whilst breastfeeding- rare steak and wine anyone?!

If you are choosing to have a drink there are some considerations:

• Have someone who hasn’t had a drink with you- especially for that first postnatal drink. If you’ve had a dry 9 months- half a cider could put you on your back! So make sure someone sober is there to look after baby.
• Never bring baby into bed with you if you’ve had anything to drink. We become less responsive, and therefore alcohol consumption can be a risk factor associated with SUDI.
• If it’s a night out drinking, you’ll probably need to express for your own comfort if your separated from baby, we’d probably say discard that milk, not because it’s alcoholic, but because the likelihood is its been expressed in the pub toilets and has been sloshing round your hand bag all night- not optimal storage!
• If you are passing out or vomiting drunk, it’s then unsafe to feed your baby.

So mums absolutely can enjoy a drink whilst continuing to breastfeed, so long as they follow all the safe sleep guidelines.

As for the first hangover with a baby…… well that’s something else to worry about!!

(*Insert alcoholic beverage of your choice!)

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 5/2/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

So, its happened. The labour, The birth. That sweet little face is peering up at you, and your life changes in an instant. There’s not just you anymore, there’s one more!

The first 48 hours after having a baby can be some of the most daunting and exhilarating for lots of mums. But what actually happens to your milk supply when you have a baby?

During pregnancy your hormone levels are all over the place, your oxytocin and your prolactin start to rise to help you body prepare for having the baby. Delivery of the placenta kick starts your oxytocin (love hormone) and Prolactin (milk making hormone) to help your body produce that amazing substance breast milk!

Babies like to feed a lot! They get so much more than just milk from breastfeeding, it comforts them, reassures them, makes them feel safe as well as giving them lovely cuddles with mum, they’ve waited so long to meet you!

Every feed, every latch, helps with the production of your milk. Supply and Demand! The more baby feeds, the bigger your milk supply becomes. Your already making colostrum, thick, sticky and often almost golden in colour its often referred to as ‘liquid gold’.

A newborn babies tummy is really quite small, around the size of a grape, about 5-7 ml. They like to take in small volumes and because breast milk digests quickly and easily they like to feed frequently. At least 8-12 times in 24 hours is a great starting point. Your body is making the ideal amount for your baby and colostrum is jam packed with all the great stuff that baby needs and importantly a big boost of antibodies to help with you babies immunity!

Lots of mums find that in those first few days babies can feed lots, they’re slowly waking up from birth and they’re realising you’ve got tasty milk. Their fat reserves are starting to dwindle after birth and they need to feed more to get them back. Average feeds can last between 10-60 minutes, its tiring for babies to feed so sometimes they will want to sleep at the breast as well as feeding and each feed tells your body to produce more milk for your baby. Night two can sometimes be one of the hardest nights after having your baby. Often they want to ‘cluster feed’, feeding frequently for long periods of time, they know their tummy is growing and they know they’re going to need more milk. Your body is really good at recognising this demand and excellent at responding to it and making more milk.

For lots of mums this is where doubt creeps in, am I making enough? is my baby satisfied? This is a really common behaviour for lots of babies after birth
Trust your body- It knows what its doing!

https://www.nhs.uk/…/pregnancy-an…/breastfeeding-first-days/

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 29/1/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

After spending much of our early years perfecting the way to display our breasts to their best advantage during a Friday night out, suddenly breastfeeding creates a new relationship with our boobs as for some reason ‘Friday night boobs’ and lactating boobs are viewed differently by society. We’re happy to see breasts showcased in a magazine, but not when they are doing what is actually their primary function.
And that’s where the nerves surrounding feeding in public can start. Mums are often left feeling that the public are going to be unsupportive and judgemental, that feeding in public has to be discreet to be acceptable (Which it absolutely can be and should be if that’s how the mum wants to feed) or that it can only be done in certain designated places.
No don’t get me wrong, for many women, feeding in public is a non-issue, and that’s fantastic. The more these women feed and the more breastfeeding is seen and normalised the easier it becomes for the next woman.
But for many women the thought of getting their breasts out in public amongst the potential stares and glares can be very nerve-wracking and potentially remove one if the great benefits breastfeeding- that it is ‘on tap’ and you can literally provide your baby with food, drink and comfort, anywhere and at any time.
So how can we build our confidence for that first public feed? Or continue to feed confidently in public?

Here’s BfTs top tips!

Pay close attention to your baby’s feeding cues and find somewhere to feed before they start to cry.
Find a nice quiet area and perhaps sit with your back to the busier areas.

Go with a supportive friend or family member, some one who can get the drinks and talk to.

Take small steps to build your confidence. plan a short trip, somewhere you know locally, where you know places that you can stop and feed.

If you are on your own, take a book, magazine or your phone (to go on Facebook and join our closed FB group Breastfeeding Together Connect and Share!!) so there is something to focus on.

Go to a group- it’s again about finding your village. You can watch other mums feed (in a non weird way!!) and get some great tips, and if you need to get your breast out more than you would like to, it’s a nice safe space in which to do that.

If people look at you, remember they are not necessarily being critical, give them a smile!!

Like anything, the more you do it, the easier it will become, the majority of people will not even notice you are breastfeeding and remember, the worst that can happen is someone you don’t know may get a glimpse of your nipple for 3 seconds.
But you make things better for others. You empower other women to breastfeed their babies in public. You help to normalise breastfeeding for the next generation.
Breastfeeding mothers- changing the world one feed at a time.

#chinupboobsout

#normalisebreastfeeding 

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 22/1/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

Expressing- for lots of mums it’s an extra little perk of breastfeeding that we can express our milk and give to baby if we are not able to be there when baby wants feeding.
Breast milk is amazing and lasts brilliantly; it’s
ok for around 6 hours at room temperature, 6 days in a fridge and 6 months in a freezer so we can gather up a little stash to use when we need it with our only worry being not to spill it- as whoever said we don’t cry over spilt milk was clearly not talking about breast milk!
Expressing means mums are able to return to work and continue to breastfeed, have a night out (what is it about the excessive number of hen parties that seem to be happening while we are breastfeeding?!) and that dads/partners can join in with feeding.
You can express when you are introducing solids and add your milk to food, even express little bits to have jewellery made!
But there’s another group of mums for who expressing is so much more.
Let’s have a little shout out to our Exclusive Expressers! Some mums will choose expressing as a feeding choice (It’s the second preferred feeding choice as listed by the World Health Organisation after breastfeeding)
However for some mums circumstances such as an early or poorly baby, or a baby who is unable to latch leads mums into this group. It can be a tough club to be in.
Pumping round the clock, then feeding too, washing bottles, labelling milk, sterilising equipment, always needing to be a a few feeds ahead often removes some of the convenience of breastfeeding.
But still mum continues.
Not having a baby feeding at the breast can often mean oxytocin isn’t as high, therefore the milk doesn’t flow as freely, resulting in longer or more frequent expressing sessions.
But still mum continues.
Society is just about catching up with mums feeding in public, but even the bravest of breastfeeding mums may feel apprehensive about expressing in public! So it can be quite restrictive, needing days out and about to be planned to fit in expressing.
But still mum continues.
Mum’s who are exclusively expressing will often say “I’m only expressing”, “I’m just pumping”.
But there is no only.
There is no just.
You are a breastfeeding mother, feeding her baby, it’s just sometimes breastfeeding looks like this

#expressyourself
#sometimesbreastfeedinglookslikethis

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 15/1/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

“Aw, how lovely a new baby, what’s their name, how heavy were they……..”
Wait for it, wait for it…..
“Are they good for you??”
Are they good?! What does that mean? What is a ‘good’ baby?
What people mean is does your baby sleep and do they not really impact upon your life very much, but why does that equate to being good?
A favourite answer was always ” they are very good, they haven’t robbed a bank today” which tended to leave those asking slightly confused as they couldn’t see why their innocent question was met with slight sarcasm.
We are so used to the idea of a ‘good baby’ being an actual thing that we don’t really think of the impact these words have, particularity on sleep deprived new parents.
If our baby ‘isn’t good’, if they don’t simply feed and sleep, are they somehow ‘bad’? And if I have a ‘bad baby’ am I somehow a bad mother/parent? What am I doing wrong? Is my baby broken? Have I broken them?
The thing is these babies are not broken, a ‘bad baby’ is actually perfectly biologically ‘normal’. Our babies are born into an alien world. For the last 9 months they’ve been held, they’ve heard a heartbeat, they’ve never felt hunger, never felt thirst, been at a constant temperature, it’s like the perfect 9 month all inclusive! Then they are born into a bright, noisy, dry environment where they have to work for food and are expected to settle alone without the reassuring touch they have become used to. It’s no wonder that the majority of babies won’t simply feed, settle and sleep, but instead make their needs known.

 

Babies don’t sleep for long stretches, and we don’t really want them too. That frequent waking is a protective factor against SUDI. They are supposed to wake frequently for food, and many babies will need to breastfeed (even just a couple of sucks!) to get back to sleep. Some babies are better sleepers than others and will sleep for longer, sooner; but it’s a rhythm they find themselves. We can’t teach babies to sleep- it’s simply a developmental milestone.
Babies feed very frequently at the breast in the early days because of their tiny tummies and the fact that more feeding means more milk production. We shouldn’t be expecting or wanting babies to go long periods without feeding. Frequent feeding actually helps babies to control their own appetites, keep their blood sugars stable and not overstretch their tummies.
New born babies generally don’t want to be put down. They are not trying to be ‘bad’ or manipulate you, they just don’t feel safe, after all you have been their home for 9 months, in your arms they hear your heartbeat and feel safe and secure.
Babies cry. It’s how they communicate their needs for love, comfort, reassurance and food. They have no other way to do it. But by always responding to these needs, you create and reinforce a secure attachment between you both, so in time they do become more settled and confident that you are only a cry away should they need you.
It’s not always easy to meet these needs and it can be overwhelming, so always seek support, but remember, your baby isn’t broken, they are just adjusting to life on the outside.

 

 https://www.unicef.org.uk/…/relation…/building-a-happy-baby

#goodbabies
#biologicalnorm
#believeinbreastfeeding

 

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 8/1/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

 Returning after maternity leave; it’s a big change and you’ve suddenly got a whole new routine to find, which can be particularly difficult when you’ve spent the last 6/9/12 months getting your head round babies being incapable of learning routines, responsive feeding and your focus being your new bundle of joy rather than your career! The problem with our society is, mothers are expected to raise a family like they have no job, and perform in the workplace like they aren’t a mother. We can feel guilty leaving baby, guilty if we are actually looking forward to it, worry how baby will cope, will they eat, will they settle….. add breastfeeding and continuing to breastfeed/expressing whilst at work into this and it can begin to feel like an impossible task. Many mothers are left feeling like continuing to breastfeed once they return to work is more hassle than it’s worth, especially when advertisements for formula milks convince us that formula follow on milks are the perfect choice for ‘moving on to’. Absolutely, every mother should make her own informed choice about the best way to feed her baby but if more mothers got all the information, if more employers were informed enough to be able to support breastfeeding mothers, more breastfeeding journeys could continue for as long as mothers wanted them to.

Continuing to breastfeed once you are back at work can be challenging, but can be a lovely way to reconnect with your baby after a day apart. It gets that oxytocin flowing and continues to support and reinforce your secure attachment. Your baby can continue to receive your breast milk via bottle or cup whilst with with their caregivers so that they continue to receive all the benefits of breast milk. It’s just going to take a bit of planning!

• Inform your employer, then they can make preparations, like finding you somewhere to express at work.
• Start expressing (if you are choosing to give expressed breast milk whilst you are at work) and freezing it so you’ve got a ‘stash’ to go with baby.
• Allow baby time to accept milk from a bottle or cup. It can take a while to get a breastfed baby used to it. Experiment with volumes, some babies will take just enough to get by then ‘make up for it’ with longer nursing sessions once you are back together.
• Remember it’s not all or nothing- if you struggle to express or can’t express enough milk to fully meet babies needs, moving on to combination feeding (formula and breast milk) is still much more beneficial for baby (and mum!) than exclusive formula feeding- they’ll still get loads of benefits and your body will adjust it’s supply accordingly.
• Know your rights. You have rights and protection in the workplace as a breastfeeding mum, which come under health and safety and sexual discrimination laws. Have a look at the links below for more information.

https://www.maternityaction.org.uk/…/continuing-to-breastf…/

https://www.nhs.uk/…/pregnancy-…/breastfeeding-back-to-work/

https://www.laleche.org.uk/storing-your-milk/

Every mother who returns to work breastfeeding makes it easier for the next. We start to educate our society and continue to normalise breastfeeding for this generation and the next.
Is there anything us mothers can not do?! 

#whorulestheworldGirls
#believeinbreastfeeding
#normaltermbreastfeeding

First published on www.facebook.com/breastfeedingtogether on 1/1/2019 as part of the Topic Tuesday series.

Resolutions are everywhere at this time of year, and whether you plan on making changes or not, we thought we’d have a think about resolutions for Breastfeeding Mums. Here’s our top 5……….are there any more you’d add to the list?!

1. Become Informed.
Whether you are a mum to be, a new mum or nursing a toddler (or beyond), make 2019 your year to be informed and educated about why breastfeeding matters and all the benefits for you and baby, then, you can make/carry on making really informed feeding choices.

2. More Skin to Skin.
Skin to skin is just the gift that keeps on giving! It regulates temperature and heartbeat, calms mum and baby (thanks to all that lovely oxytocin being released) it regulates blood sugars and stimulates the milk making hormones, getting breastfeeding off to a great start! Its also beneficial for Dads/Partners and older siblings to do too. What’s not to love about it? Take the time in 2019 for connecting with your baby in skin to skin.

3. Seek Breastfeeding Support.
There’s plenty out there, Join our closed Facebook group, take advantage of home visits, come to our groups, use live chat, phone us, text us and ask us that “silly question” (FYI it won’t be silly and we’ll have been asked it before!). Find your people and be supported practically and emotionally on your breastfeeding journey…….after all they say it takes a village to raise a baby.

4. Ditch the Routine!
In those early days babies are incapable of learning a routine, instead respond to your baby’s needs for food, comfort and reassurance and things will settle into a rhythm with time.

5. Be Proud.
For giving one breastfeed, for feeding until natural term, for expressing when your baby couldn’t latch, for donating your milk, for doing your first breastfeed in public, for reaching a breastfeeding milestone, for getting through a developmental leap, for making informed choices and for doing what is right for you and your baby.

#believeinbreastfeeding