Hi all,
I haven't posted here before but I'm so confused as to how to proceed feeding my daughter, who is 5 weeks old. I have a huge amount of guilt and shame and I don't think I've ever cried so much in my life as I have over her feeding issues.
I'm so committed to breastfeeding but I've had a really hard time. DD was diagnosed with tongue tie on day 1 in hospital. I had scabs and bleeding nipples. Wouldn't have minded so much if she was ever actually satisfied after a feed, but poor thing just couldn't suckle. We agreed to mix feed once home and I'm glad we did because I feel she wouldn't have thrived.
I saw a lactation consultant within the week and was put on a programme of expressing, medication for milk supply and DD was diagnosed with tongue tie, she also has a high palate and short tongue. In addition I've got flat nipples!
I never had much luck expressing so I 'didn't qualify' for NHS surgery for her, which is apparently given to women with successful expressing and a huge supply despite the fact that my baby couldn't suckle. We finally paid for private surgery on day 18 after I felt I was losing my mind. I'd been fobbed off by everyone, it's as if I was being told I wasn't good enough to breastfeed and my daughter would have to live with tongue tie. I'm still under the 'care' of two lactation consultants but I get different information from everyone!
DD has suckled so much better since the surgery but I still need the nipple shields and she's never satisfied after a breastfeed. Typically she is on each breast for 30 minutes and I'll then supplement her with formula at most feeds. This was the advice from the HV and one of my consultants. Obviously they'd prefer if I could express milk but I've never been able to. (Most women in my family who EBF couldn't express either, but their babies thrived.)
I've been reading on the Internet things that seem to contradict my consultant, that I should let baby suckle indefinitely. So this week I tried to do all breastfeeding. Well, she was on for SEVEN FULL HOURS Monday and was never full! I could see the milk coming out of my breasts but eventually I had to give her a bottle and feed myself. Is this what everyone else does? Is that amount of time normal? I keep hearing that babies can feed in 30 minutes flat!!
What should I do? I'm ok with long feeds during the day but even my 'short feeds' take 2-3 hours with a bottle. If she were only ever satisfied I wouldn't mind the length if time. (Well, except for the fact that I can't eat, sleep, have visitors, or leave the house...)
Thanks for any advice!
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Infant feeding
Help - tongue tie, mixed feeding, confusion...
30 replies
PeshwariNaan · 13/02/2013 13:31
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