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Breastfeeding advice \ tips?
I'm sure this has been posted many times before, but just wanted to ask for your advice on getting started with breastfeeding.
I already have a 2 year old who was born very prematurely and I was never able to properly establish bf'ing. He was on TPN (a special nutrition solution direct into his body) as he couldn't tolerate either breast milk or formula. He could only come off the TPN once his stomach was mature enough to tolerate milk. As a result I was put under a lot of pressure to express which I did round the clock and gradually we got him off TPN. After being tube fed into his stomach for a few weeks we tried bf'ing but I really struggled getting him to latch on. I tried nipple shields, putting bottle teats on my nippes, everything. I got lots of support from the neonatal nurses but none from the breastfeeding support midwife who was `too busy' to come into SCBU to help me. In the end I felt like a complete failure... my milk never came in properly and I really didn't want to take domperidone to increase it. We had no option but to go with bottle feeding expressed milk and having to increasingly top this up with formula. In the end after 10 weeks of expressing and failing to establish bf'ing properly and with my milk dwindling I gave up.
My husband is now quite anti bf'ing having seen how stressful the whole experience was last time. I would still very much like to give it a go for baby #2. But I feel very anxious about it.... Last time the nurses told me that I had small rather flat nipples and that was part of the problem. My nipples haven't changed so it's making me fear that I will be a failure once again....
Sorry for the essay but just wanted to share some of the background with you... I'm due at end of May so thankfully this baby won't be prem like that last one! Any advice or tips would really be appreciated xx
I already have a 2 year old who was born very prematurely and I was never able to properly establish bf'ing. He was on TPN (a special nutrition solution direct into his body) as he couldn't tolerate either breast milk or formula. He could only come off the TPN once his stomach was mature enough to tolerate milk. As a result I was put under a lot of pressure to express which I did round the clock and gradually we got him off TPN. After being tube fed into his stomach for a few weeks we tried bf'ing but I really struggled getting him to latch on. I tried nipple shields, putting bottle teats on my nippes, everything. I got lots of support from the neonatal nurses but none from the breastfeeding support midwife who was `too busy' to come into SCBU to help me. In the end I felt like a complete failure... my milk never came in properly and I really didn't want to take domperidone to increase it. We had no option but to go with bottle feeding expressed milk and having to increasingly top this up with formula. In the end after 10 weeks of expressing and failing to establish bf'ing properly and with my milk dwindling I gave up.
My husband is now quite anti bf'ing having seen how stressful the whole experience was last time. I would still very much like to give it a go for baby #2. But I feel very anxious about it.... Last time the nurses told me that I had small rather flat nipples and that was part of the problem. My nipples haven't changed so it's making me fear that I will be a failure once again....
Sorry for the essay but just wanted to share some of the background with you... I'm due at end of May so thankfully this baby won't be prem like that last one! Any advice or tips would really be appreciated xx
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Replies
the best tip is patience i think. you have to remember that the baby needs to learn how to feed as well as you. you have to learn the right postion for you and the baby some hv and mv try and show you what they think is best, you have to find whats best not them. ask them about latching postions and dont be afraid to.
as for you first baby YOU DID NOT FAIL.....
you did as long as your mind and body would let you thats not failing. it also doesnt mean its giong to be the same with this one. every baby is different.
tip for the nippes roll them with you fingers to simulate them before you put baby on that might make them easier for baby to latch, if it doesnt get off to the good start you want.
lastly just make sure the baby mouth is wide open and quickly put to the breast when it is. hold back of the neck is easiest way. remember if it hurts after the first few sucks the baby isnt latched right and to take off and start again. thats all the advice i can give you hope it helps hun