Breastfeeding a newborn and managing to ride?

[Jerokee]

whoops... on phone...

combi fed breast and formula, my daughter had no problems with taking breast and bottle and would recommend the Tommee tippee closer to nature range. Unfortunately expressing didn't work for me either.

Now she is on formula, we get up to 4.5 hrs between feeds so I feed around half 7 go straight up yard, hack or school depends if friend is around ir not, muck out, feed and nets done for evening and sonetimes even ride friends horse too!!!

It's all down to establishing a routine. You will get there, it just seems all such a long way off at 2 weeks.

Good luck and listen to your body. For information, it's only now from 6 weeks that I've really been able to school properly and jump a decent fence! And I'm rediscovering muscles I had forgotten about!!!!

Good luck x

... and congratulations on your new arrival x

 

[foxy1]

I breastfed all my 3 babies to the age of about 2 years (not at once ) I do find at about 6 weeks they started wanting feeding more frequently for longer, as they need to suck to stimulate more milk production for a growth spurt. Lots of people give up at this stage but if you can manage with this part then it gets much easier.
I used to carry mine around in a sling, either on my front or on my back depending on what I was doing, and I just used to discretely feed whenever they needed it. I never stuck to a routine and find that babies soon settle in to their own rhythm, and I knew when they would wake up so could plan around that.

I found with mine they hated bottles of any description! If they do have bottles it can reduce your milk supply as your body makes milk in response to baby sucking, so go careful with that. Once they got to 6 months I started to give baby rice and mushed up fruit and little drinks from a cup.

I was riding again from 5 or 6 weeks, barring when they got poorly etc.

It really is the loveliest time so try to enjoy every moment, it goes so fast you will be
wondering where the time went

 

[Booboos]

I am EBF Lily at 6 months now and it is hard work! She eats often and a lot, at first she would eat up to 12 times a day, sometimes in 3 hour stretches! It got slightly better by the 3rd month, but then the 4th month growth spurt set in and she was just feeding all the time! It is a bit better now but she still feeds a lot at night so I am quite sleep deprived.

I got back in the saddle on week 7 after a c-section but didn't really school till week 9, I've been having lessons for the last 3 weeks (so kind of back to some sort of fitness!). When the weather was good it was a lot easier as I dragged L with me everywhere in the buggy. I would bf, then tack up, bf, then ride, bf, then do the horses, etc. I have a lot of help from my groom who brings in and sorts out the horses, especially on days when I can't do much.

I think the main thing is to be prepared to go with the flow and not make too many plans, babies have a way of ruining plans! If the baby is going through a growth spurt you just have to resign yourself to a chilled out day in front of the telly/computer/book with a baby attached to your breast!

A brilliant source of information for bf is kellymom.com

Regarding expressing, I use a Mendela pump which is really good (well worth spending some money to avoid the pain and actually get some milk out!). I had to use it in week 6 because OH went to hospital and I had to leave the baby and visit everyday. L took to the bottle fine...but now refuses the bottle which is a bit of a nuissance. I suppose she is not that desperately hungry all the time anymore.

 

[Wagtail]

I had my baby 2 weeks ago and am hoping to ride in a months time. Im breastfeeding and am finding it difficult to spend much time with the horses as she wants feeding all the time so am wondering how im going to be able to start riding again. Did anyone else manage to juggle breastfeeding with riding and how did you do it?im wondering whether to try expressing an a few weeks?

I had an excellent experience expressing milk. By two weeks I could express a good half a pint at a time. Plenty to keep my baby going whilst I had a couple of hours out. I recommend the electric expressers. Also, breast fed babies often don't like the standard bottle teats. Invest in some which use a bag and a nipple designed to be closer to nature. I used the platex bottles. Not sure if they still do them?

 

[lilaclomax]

Sorry - just typed the following and realised it is a little like my life story, hopefully it helps x

With my first I was back working on a Polo yard from around the time she was 12 weeks up until 6 months She never got used to the bottle so I fed her as I arrived at work, popped her in the tack room whilst I did a couple of hours feeding, turning out and loading the horse walker, then second feed and she was then strapped up warm and on my back in a sling as I mucked out!
At lunch I took her to my childminder and fed her on arrival, she would then last for 2 and a half hours so I could ride! I gave up the job when she reached 6 months as she was becoming more active and I needed a better paid job!!!

Number two was a much easier baby, I only had three months of BF as I had to go back onto medication for my MS, 3 months of expressing and filling the freezer was great fun - I BF over night and during the day whilst my OH took over with a bottle at 8pm and 11pm so I could get some sleep through until around 2-3am. Around 3 months feeding had become more structured and she could go longer between feeds, the only downside was the drastic cut off point from feeding and expressing to nothing - that pain was worse than the actual birth

 

[leskaneen]

Best advice i can give is listen to your body-I was riding again within a week with all 3 of mine-but then I was lucky with no birth complications-even a demanding baby can be left for an hour or two-a good support bra and pads are a must though!!xx

 

[Feisty Mare]

Not read all the responses but it is absolutely manageable, particularly as you are lucky enough to have horses at home. I found the best way was to feed then go out immediately to ride, this minimised baby grumbling for a feed too soon with whoever I had left her with, and also the overfull breast feeling! Get a good bra! I did express and leave a bottle sometimes but often she wouldn't take much of that and hang on until I got home.

 

[Magicmillbrook]

It can be done - with my last I was riding (well pottering) at about two weeks, Evie settled into her own BF routine very quickly. I didnt worry too much about riding during the week, just pttered arounbd with Evie in the sling or pushchair doing the day to day jobs, poo picking, hay, ragwort patrol etc. At weekends when OH was home I would bring my horse in and groom, go in, have a rest, something to eat and BF, then go out and tack up and ride whilst I had empty boobs and could relax knowing that my boobies wouldnt be required for a few hours.

I agree you will need super scaffolding bras and pads. i got some lilly padz - which are a sort of silicone resusable thing that sticks on snd stops the milk flow rather tahn absorbing it, they were greaT

I realy rate BF, but then I am lazy and couldnt be doing with mixing and sterlizing and getting up in the middle of the night to heat up bottles.

 

[UKa]

Haven't read all posts but I was very determined to carry on with my horse with baby in tow and managed to BF as well as ride with both my children. Back in the saddle within 2 weeks after birth of each of my boys but everyone is different and experiences are different so it will only be you that can decide in the end what is good for you. Both my boys came to the yard with me every day pretty much from one week old and whenever they were hungry I would feed them in the car. As they don't need feeding 24/7 there will be some gaps so you can get on with things and maybe ride (well, mine were parked in the car seat at the side of the arena in a sheltered area while I rode and when a bit older, in a buggy). In bad weather I would take the car next to the arena so they could stay in the warm...

While small, both my boys have been at the yard all the time, kitted out with waterproof overalls, tights for the very cold days and snowsuits etc

It can be tough sometimes - but it was doable and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way I only wish I could have been at my current yard when I was pregnant as now she can live out in the summer where before I had to muck out every day any season...

 

[jendie]

The first few weeks of breastfeeding are absolutely exhausting because the baby feeds soooo often. By the time he/she is six weeks old there is every chance it will have settled into more of a routine and you should get at least two-three hours between feeds. Mine never did get to the magical four hour mark Breast feeding is all about supply and demand so if you start expressing a little after each feed you'll soon find you have enough in the freezer for an extra feed. I'd put this in a bottle and leave it with the carer, then you'll be able to enjoy your ride without that awful nagging worry that the baby will be starving in your absence. It should be OK to collect over a 48-hour period in the fridge and then freeze the lot. Don't add 'fresh' milk to a batch that has already been frozen. Use sterile containers, plastic bottles are best.

Good luck. It does get easier!!

 

[sparky1981]

thankyou so much for all your replies.im really hoping i can start riding in a couple of weeks only for 20mins or so as my horse is unfit too.should i start expressing once a day to get my breasts use to it?or can i do it on the odd day i need to?dont want to mess up my supply?

 

[Jerokee]

Expressing shouldn't mess up ur supply because it will trick your boobs into the idea that they are feeding baby, as far as boobies are concerned if milk is coming out on request (baby or pump) then milk is still in demand!!!!

 

[Thornhillstables]

thi spost gives me hope - i am due in May and missing my riding SOOOOO much i run a livery yard so am around them all the time but really missing riding and desperate to get back into it. I am now more confident that it IS possible to do both, all you wonderful ladies who have managed to have babies and get back on you inspire me!! I am going to express as early on as possible as I want hubby to feel involved too and if can get baby to take bottle too then at least he will get to feed once in a while!! Excited for my new arrival and getting back on my horsey who is currently being ridden by another rider so she will be fitter than me come the summer!! All good thank god you have brought up this subject as all my non horsey mum pals are telling me I will not want to get back on and that thought has been terrifying me, but you have all put my mind at ease

 

[ponypilotmum]

the first few weeks can seem like you're permanently feeding, especially if you're breastfeeding. But it will pass by about 6-8 weeks, and you could get 2-4 hours between feeds. Invest in a good sling (i have the babybjorn active one) so you can have baby close and be able to do simple chores like prepping feeds and housework, it will free up your time.

 

[mulledwhine]

As has already been said, give it another couple of weeks and she should go for two hours imbetween, that freedom is lovely.

I spent my hours wishing that time would come, and all of a sudden she is 6!!'!!! And I wish I could get those days back

 

[mainpower]

I'm really enjoying this thread... I am a Materniyt Support Worker and part of my role is BF support... I've been quite surprised by the sheer volume of women I meet at work who feel they can't BF for whatever reason (and the midwives whose advice is to give them formula)... how has the human race survived so long? So it's nice to read about positive experiences!
My own experience is that with my first I rode until a few days before he was born, back riding after 5 days (I wouldn't reccomend it, my ligaments had stretched and softened and I did too much too soon), I kept my horses behind my horses cafe so could nip out to ride while he had baby in a sling, cooking the fry ups and giving him a bottle of EBM at the same time!

 

[Luci07]

I'm really enjoying this thread... I am a Materniyt Support Worker and part of my role is BF support... I've been quite surprised by the sheer volume of women I meet at work who feel they can't BF for whatever reason (and the midwives whose advice is to give them formula)... how has the human race survived so long? So it's nice to read about positive experiences!
My own experience is that with my first I rode until a few days before he was born, back riding after 5 days (I wouldn't reccomend it, my ligaments had stretched and softened and I did too much too soon), I kept my horses behind my horses cafe so could nip out to ride while he had baby in a sling, cooking the fry ups and giving him a bottle of EBM at the same time!

You had a horses cafe?! What's that??!

 

[Scoundrel]

My Baby is now 10 weeks and I wanted to breastfeed exclusively however she was born with tongue tie so was unable to feed properly from the breast so had to express from her being about 5 days old. She had her tongue tie snipped at 4 weeks and now breastfeeds well however I have continued to express and feed from a bottle as it fits better with my day to day stuff. I can leave her with her Dad or Grandparents while I go and play horses for an afternoon without the stress of thinking I have to be back to feed her. Agree with keeping your freezer full you can never have enough!! Means I can have a lovely baby free day out with my husband this Friday without feeling guilty.
It really is whatever works best for you, some people just don't get on with expressing but it works for me just take my little cool bag everywhere with my pump and a cool pack in. Gave me back my freedom

I recommend the Medela harmony manual pump - takes less than 5 mins

xx

 

[mainpower]

You had a horses cafe?! What's that??!

See... I've still got baby mush brain after all these years.... husband's cafe!!!