New to breastfeeding..few questions please?

Question

Ok this is my 2nd child and first time to be able to breastfeed. I have a few questions:
1. I have to pump them feed to son b/c he is unable to latch. What is normal color of breastmilk? Son was born 3 days ago.

2. My nipples look like they are pealing from a sunburn...they don't hurt..just pealing...what nipple cream should I try?

3. What foods/drinks can I have/need/or need to avoid while breastfeeding and why?

I know a few things from others like brocolli is high in giving the baby gas but not sure of what other items are out there too.
Thank you in advance!!

Answer 1

Congratulations on choosing to breastfeed!

1. My son was unable to latch on for the first 6wks i used a nipple sheild to help him suck then slowly got him sucessfully on the breast. Breastmilk comes in 2 kinds - foremilk (white/blueish and watery) to quench thirst then hindmilk (thick white/yellowish) which contains fat and proteins. If you pump you can see the change in consistancy as you pump.

2. Pure 100% lanolin rubbed in with a bit of breastmilk is best and does not need to be washed off before feeds.

3. Any foods can be eaten in moderation though i have personally found grapes makes him poo more (but handy to eat if hes constipated). If you have any allergies in the family avoid allergen provoking foods (nuts wheat etc). Avoid too much caffine as it can make your baby jittery and limit alcohol to 1 or 2 units a day (drink after a feed to minimize intake or pump)

Answer 2

1) Do NOT give up trying to latch almost all babies will learn by 6-8 weeks even if you do nothing. However they will learn much sooner with the proper help. Breastfeeding directly at least some of the time is much healthier and easier. Also exclusive pumping is more likely to cause supply problems.

You probably have transitional milk at this point. It should be yellowy or even slightly orange. It could still be clear but is probably opaque-ish. Eventually it will become more blue-white like cow's milk. However yellowy, orangey or even slightly greenish milk can be normal.


2) Peeling skin sounds like a real problem, possible thrush or another infection. You might need something more serious than simple cream. Or you might be using the pump on too strong a setting. Either use lanolin or olive oil. Or if you can get the ingredients "all-purpose nipple cream":
http://www.bflrc.com/newman/overheads/All%20Purpose%20Nipple%20Ointment.htm
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/03b-treatments_sore_nipples_breasts.html

3) There is NO food you need to avoid just because you are breastfeeding. There is NO WAY the fiber in broccoli which gives adults gas can be passed through the breastmilk and give the baby gas. Cultures that eat large quantities of alleged "gassy" foods (such as curry, spicy, cabbage, etc) tend to have LESS infant colic and gas.

The only thing you should watch is herbs (but not the amounts commonly used to flavour food, only high levels such as tea and tinctures) and you should limit alcohol.

My baby is gassy. Is this caused by something in my diet?
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/gassybaby.html

Can a nursing mother eat this food? FAQs
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-foods.html

Answer 3

Why is your son having trouble latching. Pumping is not a great option. The color of the milk will be slightly blue in color and then will become more white.

In order for him to latch on, Take the breast and brush his mouth while he is hungry. He needs to open wide and then shove- not the gentlest word but the closest thing to it- as much of the breast into his mouth. If you don't get his to take the breat in the next day or so you won't make it in breastfeeding!

You nipples are adjusting to the milk coming in. I thought that the pump was harder on my nipples than the baby! Use Lantolin. Use the type that you don't have to wash off- available at most grocery stores in the baby asile.

Foods to avoid, a lot of alchol. One glass of wine is ok a day but no more. The reason that you don't drink when pregnant is that the alochol stays in the placenta, so it isn't filtered away. A little bit that would be in your bloodstream would be okay for the average baby- I just sipped occasionally.

Avoid decognestants because that will lower your milk supply. Avoid any drugs unless your peditrican knows about it. Drink lots of fluids. Everytime you pump or feed, you need to be taking in fliuds as well.

Your nipples will be sore for the next few days and then they will get use to feeding. After 10 days, you will be used to it.

Get help from a lacation specialist in your area. Call the hospital and they can refer you or call La Leche. You need someone there who can help you get your sons latched on and can support you through this time!

Answer 4

First of all, you cna pretty much eat anything. use lansinoh nipple cream- it comes ina purple tube. breastmilk rages in colors it can be watery looking like skim milk or yellowish. it cna be almost clear in the begining- you should keep trying to get teh baby to latch- it took me 4 days to get my son to latch without ever giving hima bottle and its normal for breastfed babies to lose a little wwight at first. you need to avoid certain med alcohol and things like that- foods it doesnt really matter- i contin une with my normal diest and i have been breastfeeding for nearly 8 months. you should be still taking your prenatal vitamin so you cna be healthy- what i ate never gave my son gas even if i gave me gas- if your baby gets too much foremilk then it can cause gas- the bottle is more likely to give more gas anyway- good luck
EDIT latching is a learned process and most babies dont latch on well the first time or even for days the best thing you can do is too keep trying so you can keep your supply up- not to mention it much easier

Answer 5

The normal color is about a clear/blue white. The peeling is normal. I used Lansinoh ointment. Avoid caffeine and spicy foods for now. Some people say avoid honey and nuts because of allergies but I loved peanut butter and my daughter never had an allergic reaction. Many vegetables can give you and your baby gas, so pay attention to that. Good luck!

Answer 6

Congratulations !! #1... have you tried a nipple shield... I had same problem and I used a nipple off a bottle and placed against my own nipple.... my baby sucked and created a suction from nipple against my own and it worked... doctor reccomended that. Breast milk is usually a light milky color...can have a very slight yellowish but mostly light white... kind of off color white...
#2..I am not real sure... I would just buy a good lotion or balm...Vaseline Intesive care and be sure to wash good before feeding...when he is finished feeding..apply more lotion.
#3Anything that would normally create gas for you..stay away from..carbonated drinks... cabbage...lettuce.....beans...broccoli... milk... every body is different. I would say it safe to say that anything in the past that caused you gas..stay away from.... also... any rich tomatoe based foods such as lasagna...spagetti..... watch out for those...can give you heart burn and also baby.
Good luck..... and again..congratulations !! Hope my comments helped... Jackie

Answer 7

You want baby to latch, pumping is not as efficient as baby nursing. PLEASE have an IBCLC come see you. This is not something you want to let go. You establish your milk supply in the first six weeks, and if you don't get on it, you are setting yourself up for failure again. I think it's GREAT that you're going for it this time around.

I actually found that putting a bit of breast milk on the nipples and letting it dry worked best for healing mine.

You will have colostrum first and then it will turn to milk.

Don't worry about avoiding foods at first, except of course for your typical drugs: alcohol and caffeine.

Answer 8

breast milk looks alot like ragular milk but its a little more watery looking. for the nipples try udder budder my mom used it when she was breast feeding and so did i. make sure you drink plenty of fluids like milk and juice. avoid alcohal (of course) and soda pop.