Advice needed

Baby_on_Board · Jun 27, 2011 9:23AM

My dd is 17 days old today and I started bfing from the beginning and saw a lactation consultant in the hospital a few times where they suggested a nipple shield (due to soreness and her ability to latch on one side) which worked great at the time but now I seem to have problems getting dd to latch wide enough lately and I'm not sure that she is being a very efficient feeder, with the shield it doesn't hurt but she takes alot of time to feed. The Lactation consultant told me to feed her only 15 to 20 mins on each side then express after and offer her expressed milk in a bottle to 'top her up', the trouble is then I end up either pumping or feeding the majority of the time and I feel now she is just starting to expect a bottle after! I don't express after at night of course and use milk from the day express sessions to 'top her up' but in the morning my breasts are now painful as they haven't been drained fully overnight - I feel like it's a bit of a vicious circle. Any advice on how to get better at this would be good although before I spoke with the lactation nurse I would spend about 1.5 hrs feeding dd from the breast each feed time... mind you it isn't much shorter now!

sarah100185 · Jun 20, 2011 6:09AM

hun your baby only 2 weeks, it takes at least 6 weeks for you boobs to be normal. when you get up in the morning just express off what its enough to be comfortable. you body is just trying to work out what milk your baby needs and isnt in tune yet but it will come. now you all healed try not using the nipple shield put her on the one she latchs one good so she gets use to it. if she does have a problem with one boob try doing like a rugby player holds a ball (her legs going around to your back and head other way). then she will be the same angle as she is on the other boob hun. my lo had probs with my right side and made me very sore after couple days of the rugby way it all healed then after couple weeks she latched ok. maybe you shouldnt of introuduced bottle yet that can confuse them and make them lazy. sounds like to me she isnt get the feed of you and just wants the bottle as it easier for them. try going back to basics skin to skin contact, while feeding, try not using the nipple shields and give up on that bottle today unless you want to put her on bottle. from 6 weeks you can start the bottle again hun. hard work i know but she needs to learn to breastfeed like you need to learn. so giving the bottle will just confuse her hun. i hope this help chick and sorry for going on lol. i wouldnt listen to aduvice you were giving either hun. the rugby way would of worked as she can latch one side and you shouldnt give a bottle like i said, they might of caused you more problems

sorry to say xx

sarah100185 · Jun 20, 2011 6:25AM

sorry just going to add a bit more hahaha.

my lo never opened her mouth really wide after a couple days and they tried to say she wasnt latch right even tho her weight gain was great. i tried to do what they told me to do and my lo wouldnt feed and kept pulling away. i know this is quite harsh to say but both times they tried to give me advice i had to go back to basics beacuse my lo wouldnt feed right. you know hun with the weight gain and the nappies if she having 8 wet nappies a day at her age then you doing fine. they told me differnet but in the end couldnt say anything beacuse i feed my lo for 20weeks and she followed the centile she was meant to. i just think every baby does feed different you have to find what suits you and your baby hun. like i said if she gaining weight got wet nappies then dont worry to much about it. i spent the whole 5months worring when i was meant to be enjoying it, so learn from me hahaha. oh and if she cries after every feed for more then that means she isnt get enough either but if she happy without it for an hour then its good sign. my lo was every hour night and day till she was 6weeks lol

welcome to breastfeeding xx

bluebabe · Jun 20, 2011 6:47AM

I won't write loads because it's a while since i was bf my DD who is now 2 and a bit, but I do remember that in the beginning I was feeding her for what seemed like forever ALL THE TIME! Basically she would feed for an hour, every two hours......but it got better and easier, and I managed to keep going until she was 12 months. I think 6-8 weeks is a turning point, so stick with it if you feel you can. xx

-Bliss- · Jun 20, 2011 2:19PM

Hey BoB, responded in BIM but just to add my DS feeds 1-2 hourly at the mo in the day. He also is impossible to keep awake for a full feed! It's exhausting but reassuring to hear it's normal at this stage!!! Roll on 6 weeks!

x

CylieStitch · Jun 21, 2011 6:42PM

I would say definitely try to just keep her feeding from you as by the time she has grown a bit and can latch better, with expressing your supply might not be as good as she wants it to be as the pump cant get as much as she can.

Was the consultant you spoke to a true lactation consultant, ie a certified lactation consultant or just someone calling themselves one, because there is a massive difference.

A true consultant would not advise timed feedings from each side. It doesn't necessarily help and if babyn isn't a particularly efficient feeder by switching at 20mins she may be just getting to the fattier stuff and your switching her over to the more watery stuff again.

But then that might not be the case.

I would suggest finding someone truly qualified to talk to

Baby_on_Board · Jun 22, 2011 12:30PM

Hi Cylie I know what you are saying but she was in the hospital so I assume she is fully qualified! I do wonder about her advice though.

So yesterday I experimented with not 'topping her up' but in the night she was screaming after each feed as she simply would still be hungry afterwards. I really don't know what to do for the best.

Renee+2 · Jun 22, 2011 12:40PM

Nipple shields reduce the stimulation to your nipples so youll start to produce less milkl. You need to wean yourslef off them. Long term theyll make it harder. Is the side shes struggfing with the side you are handed? I found it more difficult getting a good latch on my right boob as im right handed, as i was using my left to get her on iykwim. A feeding pillow was the answer. Get someone to check your p and a. Hth

Baby_on_Board · Jun 22, 2011 1:22PM

I have tried removing the NS after a few mins of feeding but she refuses to latch without it now. What do you mean check my p & a? position & ??? I have a my brest friend feeding pillow which is great!

Renee+2 · Jun 22, 2011 1:37PM

Attachment. What do you mean she refuses to latch on? What do you try? Get bf support back to help. Durng the night is actually the best time to express! Between 2 and 4 but i can totally see why you dont want to lol!

Baby_on_Board · Jun 24, 2011 1:04PM

She basically screams and kicks and won't latch without the shield, I have tried on several occasions, both sides but no! Oh and last night I expressed at 4am while dh gave her a bottle of ex. breast milk but trouble is we're experimenting on quantity right now as we've no idea what she needs/wants! We'll try this a few more times I think and see how it goes.

CylieStitch · Jun 25, 2011 7:21PM

if baby physically cant latch without a shield, it is most likely a tongue tie, and not necessarily an obvious one, my little one couldnt latch without shields, took us til day 3 to realise he was tongue tied, he got it snipped at 2weeks and has fed without the shields ever since with no problem

just cos theyre a hospital feeddin advisor, does not mean they have any qualifications at all

-Spring- · Jun 27, 2011 9:23AM

My little man wouldn't feed without a nipple shield as otherwise I don't think he had enough nipple in his mouth to make him realise what he had to do.

When he got to 3 months I would just keep trying him on without the shield and he did it by accident as he was so hungry and we managed to wean him off the shields.

He was feeding every 2 - 2 1/2 hours till 5 months.

We only stopped BFing at 9 1/2 months when he had 2 top and 2 bottom teeth and accidentally bit mummy a few times...

At night when he was tiny I would always feed him, change him and then feed him again from that same breast so he'd empty it properly and fall asleep before he drank the good stuff.

I also found that I could express really well first thing in the morning with him feeding on the other breast.

Good luck xxx

Advice needed

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