Sunset_Eyes

Hello All,

Had my baby 2 weeks ago and we are planning to go shopping tomorrow. Not outside but to a shopping centre.

How do i prepare my baby for it? M worries about the feeding situation. M breastfeeding! Obviously i will feed him before we leave but what happens when we go out and he is hungry? Shall i take some formula milk with me?

I think he is going through a growth spurt (maybe) as I am feeding him lots but he is still hungry! I keep thinking i am not producing enough milk perhaps? So if i feed him before we leave the house, will he have been fed well for him to last without milk for a few hours? Thats the annoying thing about breastfeeding, you cant tell how much they have had!

Any advice would be much appreciated!

SaadiaB

Hello!

Well the first time breast feeding, I have had experience and have heard of it that there sometimes not enough and some have to give formula also, but don't give up hope and keep on feeding (I know its hard for the mother) and the milk will increase Insahallah.

I understand that first time parents worry more about such things as first time going out, first time teething ect ... as there is no experience.

I have recently had my second daugther and she is also only breast feeded and I went outside with her when she was a week old and we go out everyday, but as I said, its easier for me as I have been through it.

Here are some things that I care for when taking her out.

1. Is she properly dressed, as its getting very cold here, I have a warmbag in the pram and put a warm overall, plus blanket if needed.

2. Feed her fully before we leave and then its quiet for 3 hours and she sleeps peacefully (thank God)
If I do have to feed her as the time is over, I do find a quiet corner and cover myself and feed her, its better than let your child cry. better to feed her and get over with it. Or you can go back to your car and feed her there and come back to the shopping place.

3. Take a bag with cotton napkins for cleaning of the spitting, extra diapers, wipes, cloths, and a blanket just incase a change is needed.

If you are not sure if your baby is not getting enough here are some signs
- is your kid having atleast 3-5 full nappies everyday.
- does he have a healthy colour
- is he gaining weight
if not sure, u can ask ur doc and he will tell you if you need to feed him with formula. You should not if its not really necessary as it will REDUCE your own milk.

hope this helps somehow.

khawateen

first off... CONGRATS!! what did u name him? hoping ure recovering well

otherwise.. its rarely ever about not producing enough.. he probably is going thru a growth spurt.. feed on demand.

feed him before leaving and have some pumped breast milk ready to give to him when he gets hungry outside.. or find a quiet corner and feed him there.. just throw something over ure boob and shoulder..

the 'newborns only need to be fed every 3 hours' is a HUGE HUGE GENRELIZATION.. each baby is diff.. my son had to be fed every 1 hour and his intake was mashallah.. buss mashallah hi kehsakthi hu . i used to worry bout him not getting enuff and why he was hungry all the time.. seemed like i was bfeeding the whole day... but thats normal... hang in there.. its really hard but they settle down slowly.. the first 6 months.. there are quite a few growth spurts and it can be really trying for a bfeeding mom..

so like i said.. feed on demand

i took my baby out at 2 weeks too. infact he had his aqiqa with loads of ppl around him.. he didnt make a fuss .. but then i didnt let ppl hold him.. just left him in his carseat..my mom was also visiting for the delivry so we would take her out for sightseeing adn the baby just slept thru it all.. as long as its fed and changed.. a newborn baby rarely notices anything ..

best of luck!!

SaadiaB

of course not all babies have the 3 hours routine, but mines sometimes needs it earlier and sometimes later. I also supply on demand.

MIAinVA

A lot of women nurse their babies in the changing/fitting rooms of the malls as well, as its warmer than your car in the parking lot and more private

Ira

Sunset eyes, sometimes babies have this need to suck, esp newborns. So it may or may not be that he is hungry, it maybe that he needs to suck.

Going out with a baby the first few times can be pretty nerve racking but it gets easier with time. I dont know about UK but in most malls in the USA, there are nursing rooms right next to the bathrooms. So if you need to nurse him, you can do it there.

somegroovychick

my friend used one of those nursing ponchos everywhere she went- its discreet and covers everything! maybe look into those?

bhenjee

My baby (she will iA be 2 months old end of this month) also has a very small stomach. She needs to be fed every 2 hrs max or so.. I mostly take bottled water and her formula stuff with me. But she doesn't take it too readily when we're outside..

If I've to breastfeed her, we just come back to our car and I just get it done in our backseat and then we're good to go.

Sunset_Eyes

Thank you to everyone for their replies! We finally managed to take him out and Alhumdulliulah he was fine!

Khawateen - we have named him Yaseen and both of us doing well Alhumdullilah. Labour went well too and will share my story in the other thread! Regarding the feeding, i realised that he was going thru a growth spurt which meant he was feeding more and sleeping less too but i think he is out of that stage now. Not looking forward to another growht spurt at 6 weeks tho! hehe!

Sunset_Eyes

Oh and SGC thank you for your suggestion - i actually bought one of those and havent used it as yet. It seems that i will not be taking the baby out that mch anyway as its getting chilly nowadys in the UK!