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Problems!! Has anyone only fed expressed breastmilk?

Hi,

I'm a new mum of a 10 day old baby. We've been trying so hard with bf - had a false start in first few days with a bad latch so my nipples were left extremelly cracked and 'chewed'. We tried to rectify the latch and I had loads of support from midwives and a feeding specialist but my baby and I are getting so frustrated with trying to get her to latch properly. She either gets on sucks a few times and lets go or gets on and stays on but its remains painful for me, despite the expert saying that the latch looked correct my nipples have cracked badly again.

My baby is grouchy and unhappy having to work so hard for what is probably an ineffective feed and its making me so deppressed that I can't feed her properly. I've been put off using teats on bottles for expressed milk as they may stop her from ever latching but the cup I have used for feeding takes such a long time and is just as frustrating for me and her,

Did anyone experience similar problems to this? what did you do? I am really tempted to just express and feed her with a bottle and teat to make us both happier. Is this ok?

Please help. Thanks x

Replies

  • Oh dear- it's awful when you're so commited and trying hard but you are sooo sore. I would persevere as it will get easier but perhaps try some lansinoh cream on your nipples. I think you can put some cream on before a feed as protection but not sure (could be Kamillison).
  • Hey MrsE,
    Firstly congratulations!
    Secondly, my goodness I didin't think I would hear of anyone who went through bascially the same as us 6 months ago!!!
    Alfie was born by emergency c-section (had planned a home birth!) and while we were in hosp we seemed to be great at bf. Latching on was good but was uncomfy. I just assumed it was coz I wasn't used to it!
    Anyway, we ended up with one horrific day and night at home were I just couldn't feed him. We had someone to come and help at home, checked back into a hosp midwife led unit for help and saw a osetopath. Whilst this was all going on I was expressing like mad and we used a cup for a few weeks but soon he wouldn't take it like that so we had to bite the bullet and use a bottle with a teat. I was soooooooo upset I had my heart on bf and felt liked I'd failed.
    So we managed to feed him for the first 3 months with breast milk in bottles. In the end it all got a bit too much expressing etc and we changed over to formula.
    It sounds like you have and are doing a smashing job and whatever you do will be the right thing for your little girl. At the end of the day as far as I was concerned I was really proud that Alf had the bm for as long as I could manage-may not have been in the conventional way but he got it!!Good luck and try not to worry you will do the right thing for you and your lovely little girl xxx
    Sorry just realised I've waffled on feel free to ignore!!x
  • I've not been in this situation myself, but I know that there are some ladies on here who have gone to expressing all the feeds because of similar problems. So it can be done! Hopefully one of them will see your post and give you some more advice.

    In the meantime, I would definitely suggest using lansinoh if you're not already, it's really good for sore/cracked nipples. And how about nipple shields? I think some babies find them easier to latch on to, and they mightl also help with the soreness.

    I hope things work out for you hun, it really does get easier. But at the same time, if bfing is really not working for you don't feel bad about it- you've tried your best.
  • Hey Mrs E, you may have it sorted by now but I needed time to reply as have been very emotional about my situation.

    I BF for 6 weeks and like you experienced a lot of difficulties and had a veyr unhappy baby who wasn't feeding after a while. I decided to get an electric pump and move to expressing which I have done.

    I have a really good supply altho it is definitely nowhere near as good as a couple of weeks ago when the BF was semi working. I have started pumping fewer times during the day but get more each time and it feels better this way, for me, although I know others have different experiences and can get their supply up by pumping more regularly...didn't work for me.

    I have two full 9oz bottles of EBM in fridge at mo and will pump again in a few hours. I don't pump during the night at all and this hasn't caused me any physical problems but I kept an eye on it as I wondered if it might.

    I feel like I spend a lot of my down time pumping...my baby is pretty fretful and doesn't sleep during the day. When she catnaps, I pump and really, it would be nicer to have a cuppa tea but this is what I want to do to appease some of my guilt for not perservering taking her to the breast. Emotionally, I feel a lot more able to handle my baby who is unsettled and not easy. it has taken the emotion out of it for me which was sad and I grieved for, but I feel better now (stopped BF her on Monday) and feel I am still doing something worthwhile by giving her EBM,

    Am happy to answer any more Qus. you have. Hope I'm not too late in replying.

    There is a website by an American woman called www.exclusivelypumping.com. It still seems to be its infancy but may be worth a look for more info if you plan to do a lot of pumping.

    Good luck with whatever you decide xxx
  • it is very very hard in the early bf stages and so easy to give up - i did with my son and like lizzie says it causes alot of guilt. i am desperately trying harder this time and roxie is 5 weeks old now. its hard esp at night but im determined. she has latch probs which causes wind and colic. hope you are doing better now x
  • Hi!

    Congratulations on your little one. I had exactly the same problem as you, my son was re-admitted to hospital at 8 days old because he had lost too much of his birth weight. He would latch onto the breast ok but would fall asleep or get really frustrated after about 6 sucks. It was really traumatic and all the midwifes told me to give him formula. I was against doing this at first so chose to give him breastmilk but from a bottle. I was also advised to try giving him breastmilk off a spoon but most of it seemed to end up spilt of all over his face! It was strange because the health visitors/midwifes get trying to get me to put him back on the breast but after a shaky start I had lost all my confidence in breastfeeding. I was so much happier because I could see exactly how much milk he was getting and still getting all the benefits of breastmilk. I am now formula feeding him because my milk dried up after I got flu and was in bed for a week when he was 6 weeks old.

    Hope this helps.

    xx
  • Hi Mrs E

    I'm one of those who only feed EBM after we had latch problems (exactly as you describe) and I got to be in sooo much pain than I was afraid to feed her. I've been doing it for 5 months now and it's been hard work, but I know that I've given my baby the best possible start in life. I was so upset that I 'failed' at BF (as I saw it) that in way I've been punishing myself ever since by forcing myself to constantly express for her. I've set myself a target of 6 months and now have less than a month to go - I can't wait for the day to come that I can stop. I use a manual pump, I found I really didn't get on with an electric one which hurt me and I got very little milk. The main benefit of feeding EBM is that you know exactly how much milk they are taking and anyone can feed which can be a godsend to give you a break. Also a pump can't bite or clamp down on your nipples!

    Sorry if I seem a bit negative on the subject but I feel like it's ruled the first 5 months of our time together which I will never get back. I'm sure in a few months time I'll forget every feeling this way but at the moment it seems a real struggle. I would say give it a try, good on you for caring enough to want to fight on for what's best for your daughter. I remember just how hard it was in the first days, make sure you have plenty of support from everyone around you, over doing it can affect your milk supply.

    Good luck whatever you decide xx
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