Who's Breastfeeding???

I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

Do you all recommend breastfeeding? If so, for how long???

Is it painful? I heard it was. Any advice?


~Carol Ann
www.lowcarblosers.com ~ Home of the Monthly Weightloss Challenge

Carol Ann wrote:

I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

Actually, it's Avent. :-)

Do you all recommend breastfeeding? If so, for how long???

I nursed my twins for a little over 1 year. I would have liked to nurse
longer but there were complications with one twin having bottle
preference due to hospital bottles. :-(

With this one, I hope to nurse at least two years, as per the WHO
guidelines.

Is it painful? I heard it was. Any advice?

I only had painful nipples once and it was because I didn't correct a
bad latch right away.

Engorgement was painful for me. It might have been less painful if I
was allowed to nurse longer than 20 minutes at a time. I just didn't
know any better then and the hospital wasn't great WRT breastfeeding.

My advice to you is to learn as much as you can about breastfeeding
BEFORE the baby comes. A wonderful resource is misc.kids.breastfeeding.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

"Carol Ann" wrote in message
news:wFhsb.175485$Tr4.481273@attbi_s03...
I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

The Avent Isis is probably the best out there for manuals. You will be going
back to work, right? There are many, many women who can recommend pumps (and
loads of advice) for WOH moms at misc.kids.breastfeeding.

Do you all recommend breastfeeding?

Absolutely, without reservation.

If so, for how long???

As long as mutually acceptable between you and baby. I nursed my son for 16
months when he self-weaned.

Is it painful? I heard it was.

I won't lie. Initially it hurt. The first couple of weeks can be tough, but
once you are past that, it's all downhill from there. To me, the initial,
temporary discomfort is FAR outweighed by the benefits of breastmilk.

Any advice?

Loads. Too much to get into in one post. Anyone have that link to the 101
reasons for breastfeeding?

My #1 piece of advice to any new mother is to *trust your body to do what
it was made to do*.

My second piece of advice is, hightail it over to misc.kids.breastfeeding
and lurk there for a while. Go in with an open mind and you will be amazed
at what you learn.

--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
remove "no........spam" to reply

I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

I tried the Isis and it did nothing for me (but see later post for more on
that). The Medela seems to be a favorite. I have one that I used once (again,
see later).

Do you all recommend breastfeeding? If so, for how long???


As someone with Insufficent Glandular Tissue, I am not able to breastfeed
exclusively. The most I ever got was .5 ounce. But I say DO IT!!! As all
others will tell you, it's best for your baby, and is reccomended for at least
one year. It's a lot cheaper than formula, which is currently running me about
$40 per week for my 2 month old. It really adds up. Again, I am not able to
fully breastfeed and I am heartbroken that I can't do it for my girls, it's a
wonderful experience (DD 1 was breastfed exclusively for about a week, DD2 for
almost two).



Is it painful? I heard it was. Any advice?

With #1, it was very painful for me, she has horrible latch, etc. #2 was born
to nurse, never had any discomfort at all.

Linda
Mommy to Sophie, 2.5 years
and Eva, 2 months

Carol Ann wrote:


Do you all recommend breastfeeding?


Absolutely. It's clearly healthiest for your child,
and healthiest for you as well (significant reduction in
breast cancer rates, among other things). It's cheap.
It's always available and ready to eat. How many times
is the thing that's most convenient and best for you also
the cheapest?!
Studies suggest that breastfeeding your baby
results in: fewer doctor visits, fewer ear infections,
fewer allergies/atopic diseases, higher intelligence,
better neuro-muscular development, less likelihood of
obesity, and goodness knows what else. Benefits for
you include helping drop pregnancy weight (though you
may retain a little bit of reserves until you wean--
people vary in this), and significant protection against
breast (and likely some other) cancers--and the protection
against breast cancer is *cumulative*! The longer and
the more children you breastfeed, the lower your risk
of breast cancer drops.

If so, for how long???


If you go a year, you don't have to buy formula.
Benefits have been demonstrated up to two years (for the
baby--they've been demonstrated beyond that for the mother).
Regardless, every day you breastfeed provides your baby
with benefits, even if you only breastfeed for a month, a
week, or even a day. Every little bit counts. Personally,
my goal was to breastfeed at least a year so that I could
wean directly to cow's milk (or whatever) and a cup. I
didn't want to deal with formula (not because I think it's
evil or anything--I just didn't want to spend money on it,
nor did I want to have to fuss with it or bottles). I
figured I'd do at least a year, and then after that I'd
wean whenever it seemed mutually agreeable. My first
two both weaned themselves around 15 months. My third
is only four months, so she's obviously still nursing.
I'll do at least a year again this time, and then we'll
see what happens after that.


Is it painful? I heard it was.


I had no pain whatsoever with my first two. With
my third, I had some pain in the beginning when she latched
on. I think it just took her a little while to figure out
that she didn't have to latch on that *hard* to get milk
(her latch was fine--she was just vicious ;-) Still, that
only lasted a week or two. I know others have had it
harder, but if you can make it through the first 4-6 weeks,
it will almost certainly be smooth sailing from there on
out and you'll be so glad you did it.

Any advice?


Obviously, there are a lot of things that affect
whether and how long women breastfeed. There are situations
that can make it more challenging (e.g., working outside
the home, particularly if the employer is unsupportive,
lack of support, lack of information, bad advice, babies
who have health conditions that make it difficult for
them to nurse, etc.). I wouldn't want to judge anyone
else for making whatever decisions they feel they need
to make for themselves and their families. There are
a few things I've noticed seem to correlate with
success, however:

- being determined to succeed
- committing to breastfeeding at least six weeks, no
matter what
- becoming very knowledgable about breastfeeding (There's
a *lot* of bad information out there, some dispensed
by professionals who ought to know better--this information
can sabotage your attempts to breastfeed, so you need
the information up front so that you don't find yourself
in too deep a hole with no way to get out of it.) It
never hurts to have the names and numbers of some experts
handy in case you need them.
- having lots of support from friends and family. If your
friends or family aren't supportive, find some key people
who are. The last thing you need if the going gets rough
for a little while are people who'll keep telling you not
to martyr yourself, it won't hurt anything to supplement
with a little formula, it's selfish of you not to let
anyone else feed the baby, wouldn't you like to get a
good night's sleep, etc. etc. etc.
- having a pediatrician who is informed about and
supportive of breastfeeding
- avoiding supplementing with formula

Obviously, you can't be too militant. There are times when
breastfeeding isn't working and you need help. A few women
will need to supplement. You should know the signs of
dehydration so that you can act if your baby needs help.
But the more you know, the more you'll be able to tell
bad advice from good advice.
The great news is that if you get over any initial
rough spots, it's so darned *easy* after that! There's no
bottle washing, no waiting with a fussy baby to get a bottle
fixed, no running out of food because you underestimated how
much you'd need while you were out, no emergency store runs
because you're about to run out--plus no stinky diapers.
Still, all that pales in comparison with the nursing
relationship. It really is a special bond. That's not to say
that mothers who bottle feed don't bond with their babies or
don't have special relationships with them, but the
nursing relationship is somewhat different and is a
really lovely thing. I also love those nursing hormones.
I remember a few months before I got pregnant this last
time thinking that the older boys were driving me nutso
and I wished I had some of those nice nursing hormones
to turn me back into the Good Mommy ;-) Sure enough,
now that I'm nursing again, I'm more patient with them
all.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Carol Ann" wrote in message
news:wFhsb.175485$Tr4.481273@attbi_s03...
I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

Do you all recommend breastfeeding? If so, for how long???

Of course - breastmilk is what your baby's body is designed to receive, and
your body is designed to provide. Surely there are reasons, sometimes, to
do otherwise, but these are exceptions to what nature has in mind when a
baby is born.

I am breastfeeding my 3 month old daughter, #4. I will feed her until she
weans herself. My oldest self-weaned at 5; one of my twins weaned at 3 1/2
when my milk dried up due to the pregnancy, and would have gone longer
otherwise. One of my twins was fed breastmilk for 21 months, at which point
I stopped pumping for her. It never occurred to me to use formula. I never
wanted to. I don't see the point. And I'm way too cheap to shell out that
kind of money when my body does a better job for free.

Is it painful? I heard it was. Any advice?

It can be. When it's *very* painful, that usually means somebody's doing
something wrong. As some wise person told me three months ago, when my
daughter was born and I suffered a crack at the base of one nipple due to
poor latch, "Breastfeeding is a partnership. Even when the mother knows what
she's doing, a newborn doesn't, and has to learn." For 35 days (I counted),
I worked on getting that crack to heal. I gritted my teeth through every
feed. And it healed. It never occurred to me even once to use formula - all
I wanted was for the process to work correctly, because I knew it could, and
would. I went to lactation consultants for the help I needed. I persevered.
I have a fat, beautiful, healthy daughter, and nursing doesn't hurt now. I
knew in time it wouldn't. If I hadn't suffered an injury, it would have
stopped hurting much sooner, probably within days. It's designed to *work*,
after all.

Some women never have any pain at all. Some have a poor latch that causes
pain, but when that is corrected, the pain vanishes. Some get an injury due
to incorrect latch, and require some healing time before the pain is gone.
Some just take a while for their bodies to adapt to this strange new use of
their nipple tissue. But virtually all women who *want* to, will go on to
nurse, and nurse successfully. If you WANT to, and if it's important to
you - barring physical issues you cannot do anything about, like
Insufficient Glandular Tissue, or medical issues such as cancer that
requires chemotherapy drugs - you will. If you don't want to, or it's not
important to you, you'll find reasons or excuses to use formula. That's all.
The pain, by the way, is irrelevant (that's what I told myself - it's like
labor. It happens, and after it's done, it's done). You will suffer many
aches and pains through your pregnancy, and you'll live with them because
you'll have to. If breastfeeding hurts at first, you endure it the same
way. It's transient. It will go away, and meanwhile, your baby is getting
the food it is biologically evolved (or created) to receive.

--angela

"Carol Ann" wrote in message
news:wFhsb.175485$Tr4.481273@attbi_s03...
I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

Do you all recommend breastfeeding? If so, for how long???

Is it painful? I heard it was. Any advice?


~Carol Ann
www.lowcarblosers.com ~ Home of the Monthly Weightloss Challenge



Oh I so strongly recommend it ... its a wonderful way to both bond with and
nourish your baby.
I'm still bf my 15 mo DD and it has been such a comfort to be able to bf her
in these last troubled days.
I've never experienced any pain, although I did find it difficult for the
first week or so. My SIL had told me to persevere for the first week or two
and I'd do it for a year as it was so convenient and easy (and lovely) .....
As for a breast pump ... I wouldn't be too concerned about that until you
have settled into a bf relationship with your baby girl (when she arrives).
Offering bottles too early can lead to nipple confusion as latching on to
bottles is different ball game to attaching to a breast. However, I started
pumping when DD was about 8 weeks old and continued until about 4 weeks ago.
I have used an Avent Isis manual pump which I have been very pleased with.
If however, I needed to pump significant amounts of milk (ie a return to
full time work) I probably would have hired a Pump-In-Style electric pump
from the ABA (Australian BF Assoc).
There's lots of support, advice and help (and friendship) available over at
mkb .... so head over there for more info.
Cheers
Amanda

--
DD 15th August 2002
1 tiny angel Nov 03

so far the answers seems to be "everyone"


I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

I've tried both and like them both, but I would not plan to pump unless
you really need to (initially I did so I could get a few hours to myself,
then because I had supply issues and now because I'm working part time)

I now have an Ameda Purely Yours, I don't think it's really much better,
but I'm more able to multitask and it is quicker as it's a double pump,
now I'm working I really need the time!


Do you all recommend breastfeeding? If so, for how long???

definitely, absolute minimum 6 months, prefereably much longer


Is it painful? I heard it was. Any advice?

it can be, I was lucky as I never really suffered sore nipples at the
start (I have since if I have managed to pump in a bad position without
noticing), for me once he was latched on it was fine, but latching on
tended to be painful, so I just gritted my teeth. I also got uterine
contractions whilst feeding for about 3 months, I think it going on for
that long is rare.

I approached breastfeeding with a mentality that it had to be done and was
going to be done, initially I planned to do it for 1 year, because til
then any milk they have needs to be breast or formula, now I am better
educated thanks to misc.kids.breastfeeding and I will breastfeed as long
as my son wants, though my husband says he should stop by the time he
starts school!

The hardest bit was not the early days, but between 6 weeks and 3 months
when he seemed to be on a constant growth spurt, YMMV.

My biggest tip would be learn to breastfeed lieing down (on your side), I
learnt this way first (my son was born at night time), then I learnt
football hold, and finally cradle hold.

There are loads of excuses people give for not breastfeeding, don't let
them put you off, educate yourself. There are a few genuine reasons why
breastfeeding is not possible, but I hate it when I hear a story about
having inverted nipples and then not breastfeeding, or some other fairly
lame reason.

I never used a nipple shield and given the stories I've heard it seems
best not to use them, so don't buy them, don't have the temptation,
similarly don't buy bottles and formula "just in case", there are many
times when I would have used them had they been there, but the fact I
would have had to go shopping to get them meant I didn't. The only initial
tools you need for breastfeeding are a nursing bra (I was disorganised and
had to buy one at the hospital shop the day after my son was born), if you
can manage with one til your milk comes in and settles down I would, some
people might find this disgusting, but I wore the same one for a week (I
think I rinsed and dried it over night a couple of times) before measuring
and getting some in the right size, some breastpads, though you could use
a tissue or similar, and it's probably best to be prepared with some cream
or spray in case of sore nipples.

This has turned out to be long, sorry, but I hope it is helpful.

101 reasons to breastfeed link is www.promom.org/101
"JennP" wrote in message
news:beisb.174289$HS4.1443703@attbi_s01...

"Carol Ann" wrote in message
news:wFhsb.175485$Tr4.481273@attbi_s03...
I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

The Avent Isis is probably the best out there for manuals. You will be
going
back to work, right? There are many, many women who can recommend pumps
(and
loads of advice) for WOH moms at misc.kids.breastfeeding.

Do you all recommend breastfeeding?

Absolutely, without reservation.

If so, for how long???

As long as mutually acceptable between you and baby. I nursed my son for
16
months when he self-weaned.

Is it painful? I heard it was.

I won't lie. Initially it hurt. The first couple of weeks can be tough,
but
once you are past that, it's all downhill from there. To me, the initial,
temporary discomfort is FAR outweighed by the benefits of breastmilk.

Any advice?

Loads. Too much to get into in one post. Anyone have that link to the 101
reasons for breastfeeding?

My #1 piece of advice to any new mother is to *trust your body to do what
it was made to do*.

My second piece of advice is, hightail it over to misc.kids.breastfeeding
and lurk there for a while. Go in with an open mind and you will be amazed
at what you learn.

--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
remove "no........spam" to reply

"Carol Ann" ha scritto nel messaggio
news:wFhsb.175485$Tr4.481273@attbi_s03...
I have your recommendations for the Advent breast pump and Medella auto
pump.

I highly recommend Avent Isis breast pump.

Do you all recommend breastfeeding?

I do :-))

If so, for how long???

Don't know, just started ;-) (Erin is only 1 month old). I guess it will
depend on her and the milk supply.

Is it painful? I heard it was. Any advice?

For me it is not painful - ok, occasionally it can be when Erin does her
"vacuum-suctioning thing" (gave me a hiccie a couple of times ;-) but in
general it isn't.
The most painful thing about breastfeeding for me is when the breasts are
full of milk and Erin still isn't awake for her feeding - the breasts then
hurt a lot.
Advice? I thought I needed to learn so much about breastfeeding, spent
months reading about it - but it's the most natural thing in the world!
(of course, in case you don't have any problems).

Don't worry - everything will be ok ;-)

Elly
Mom to Erin - 1 month old today!




~Carol Ann
www.lowcarblosers.com ~ Home of the Monthly Weightloss Challenge