# Breastfeeding



## beckyp (Mar 1, 2011)

I was just wondering?I went to my breastfeeding antenatal clinic last week.  The woman teaching talked about how some women produce colostrum in the weeks leading up to the birth (I?ve actually been producing it for some time and I?m 35 weeks today!) ? I was the only person that admitted to this in the class and said how my midwife had suggested that I freeze some.  

At the time I was a little taken aback because I?d not heard of this before but when I said it to the teacher she said that type 1 diabetics are encouraged to do it.  I talked to her in the break and told her that I AM type 1 but nobody had told me that (except the midwife who was smirking when she suggested it so I wasn?t sure how serious she was ? and she wasn?t linking it to the diabetes) and she said that someone from the hospital should really have spoken to me about breastfeeding by now.  I didn?t get any other information but she took my email and said that she?d get me some information?.I?m still waiting though and I?m not holding my breathe to hear from her.

When did your diabetes team speak to you about breastfeeding?  Did you have to freeze the first milk and was there a reason for it ? also how did you get it and what did you put it in?ice cube trays?!!!  Is there anything I should know about breastfeeding and diabetes?does it affect your sugars and insulin intake?

Thanks!


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## smile4loubie (Mar 1, 2011)

I've not heard this and the docs don't know what type I am but wont test till after the pregnancy but as for storing it I know you can get bags/pots in tesco designed for storing and freezing breast milk. Im sure you can get them in other places its just I've SEEN them in tesco lol x Hope you get your info soon xx


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## rachelha (Mar 1, 2011)

Hello, the midwife at my joint diabetes/pregnancy clinic spoke to me about this.  They gave me some little plastic syringes to put the milk in and bags to label up.  You are talking about v small amounts, way too small for the normal breast milk bags.  I was lucky to get 2ml after 30mins of expressing.  They recommend hand expressing (rather than a pump) the midwife showed me how to do this.  

The reason for it is so that if your babies blood sugar is slightly low when they are born, they can be given the colostrum rather than having formula.  I think it is also meant to help you milk come in properly.  

To be honest for me, I found it a soul destroying process.  I only produced tiny amounts, it took a lot of time, and I found it v weird.  I felt very much like a cow.  I was not leaking at all before starting to try to get the colostrum though.  Fortunately for me, Nathan's bloodmsugarbwas fine so he did not need it immediately after birth.  He still had formuka though as I was so zonked after the birth i coukd not feed him myself.  He did have it the following day as i was not producing much milk, and was still having problems feeding 
him.  Tbh, I don't think I woukd bother trying it for no.2.  That is just my opinion though, I do know people who have had much less hassle getting the colostrum.


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## Chrissie (Mar 1, 2011)

Hi Girls

My specialist diabetes midwife spoke to me about hand expressing & saving milk prior to the birth. You are not supposed to start hand expressing until 36wks as it can bring on early labour, but as soon as you are 36wks you can start hand expressing & saving your milk (i use breast milk freezer bags but you can use ice cube trays). There are a few reasons that they told me that this was a good idea...... 1)Diabetic ladies milk can take a little bit longer to come through than non-diabetic, so if you start hand expressing prior to the birth then the milk should flow easier & breast feeding should be easier to establish 2) Babies born to diabetic mums can sometimes drop there blood sugar levels after they are born if you have a pre-expressed supply of milk they can be fed this rather than formula milk 3) If your baby needs to go to special care (higher risk for diabetic mums/babies) then you have your own milk for them to be given.

You should talk to your midwife for advice on how to hand express & when you should start to do it. (i was told not to use a breast pump before the baby was born). My community midwife was also very helpful with advising me on this.

However...... i didn't manage to hand express & save any milk prior to my baby being born (i was admitted to hospital 2wks prior to her being born with pre-eclampsia & although the midwifes on the ward tried to help & showed me what to do, my body didn't want to make any milk before she was born). I breast fed my daughter as soon as she was born & i have continued to breast feed (she's now 6mths) She was given cup feed top ups of formula milk for the first 48hrs to prevent her blood sugar levels dropping.

Breast feeding does play havoc with your blood sugar levels & i was advised to make sure my sugars were above 5mmols prior to feeding & have hypo treats next to me when feeding, but everybody is different & its just a case of testing & seeing what happens after your baby is born.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnany & the birth the fun really begins once they are born!! & i wouldn't change it for the world
xx


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## beckyp (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks for the replies!  I'm going to speak to the hospital on Friday so see if they suggest it too.  The reason for freaking when the midwife originally mentioned it was because she said that you can get things that go in your bras that capture it all....it all sounded a bit wierd to me but at least I know there is a good reason for it now!  

Is it just me that doesn't have a diabetic specialist midwife???  She knows that I need to be well controlled but has never said anything else and only checks blood pressure and protein at my appointments - what else would she do if she were a diabetic specialist midwife?


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## Chrissie (Mar 1, 2011)

Oh i wasn't told about special things to put in your bra to catch it i think i would have freaked out too  I must admit the whole idea of expressing before the birth freaked me out abit too.

My specialist midwife was based at the hospital so when i had my fortnightly appointments then Kerry would be available too she showed me around the ward prior to my admission & generally anwered any questions, she also came to see me when i was admitted i only saw my community midwife 3 times during the whole pregnancy. I opted to go to Addenbrookes hospital as my diabetes pump care was there (i chose the hospital for my diabetes care through patient choice rather than use a nearer hospital that didn't have the expertese) i don't think everywhere has them but she was great

I notice that your in Essex too Becky so am i


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## beckyp (Mar 1, 2011)

Chrissie said:


> I notice that your in Essex too Becky so am i



Indeedy!  Sunny ole' Essex!


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## smile4loubie (Mar 1, 2011)

beckyp said:


> Is it just me that doesn't have a diabetic specialist midwife???  She knows that I need to be well controlled but has never said anything else and only checks blood pressure and protein at my appointments - what else would she do if she were a diabetic specialist midwife?



I've not got one either. I see a specialist diabetic team when I go to the antenatal clinic at the hospital but not a specialist diabetic midwife if that makes sense. I just see the diabetic care team in the antenatal part of the hospital as it saves them and me going round the houses so to speak lol


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