can you get a bottle fed baby to start breast feeding again?

[kreamkrackers]

sorry not got time to look this up for myself to see whether this has ever been done before. dd2 was 11 weeks early and tried breast feeding from 33 weeks gestation. at 39 weeks after trying to feed 3 times a day and also staying in 3 nights to try to establish feeding i switched to bottle feeding her expressed breast milk, 2 days later she came home as she took to this. i'm still expressing about 750ml a day and feeding her via a bottle but i want her to breast feed. she still falls asleep to quickly at the breast and as soon as she's put down wakes back up crying but as soon as she goes back on the breast same thing. if i express after she's fed i work out that she roughly takes about 30ml only. also if she has a bottle she tends to leave about an extra 30ml as well. really need help on trying to get her to feed again but don't know where to get it.

[mears]

You really need the support of a breastfeeding counsellor. Yes it is possible to get her onto the breast directly but you will need support to build confidence. Learning to feed at the breast is different than sucking a bottle. There are training techniques you can use to encourage your DD to stretch her tongue forward in the way tghat is needed to latch onto the breast properly. Can you discuss with your HV who should be able to give you BF counsellor contact no. in your area?

[kreamkrackers]

she seems to latch on properly i think but it is hard still to get her to latch on as she pulls her head back a lot and shakes her head from side to side.

it's the amount she takes that concerns me. she hardly takes anything, my breast feels full still when she falls asleep. she must only take about 30ml from the breast when she takes 100ml from the dr brown bottles (any other bottles she coughs and splutters with). i want her to be able to take full feeds. when she was in hospital she couldn't continuoely suck but now she can but she falls asleep.

the infant feeding advisor was meant to see me in the hospital and for about a week the scbu nurse would phone her and leave a message and she never came and i was at the hospital all day so there was no excuse for it. i then stayed in for 3 nights and then got that fed up made the switch got her home which has made my life a lot better but still very upset over her being on the bottle.

[clairemow]

Can you ring a counsellor from the LaLeche League or NCT as well? Tiktok might have some ideas as well? Keep bumping...

I can't believe the feeding counsellor at the hosptital never came, that's appalling.

Good luck.

[mears]

Try phoning the breastfeeding counsellor at the hospital yourself - she may be able to help.

There is no way you can guess how much milk a baby gets when breastfeeding. If you think she latches on well then there is a good chance she will be able to breastfeed directly. I think your confidence needs boosting because you can't see what she is getting.

Try lots of skin contact and even breastfeeding in the bath.

You have done brillianlty well so far by producing so much milk for her. I am sure you will be able to succeed breastfeeding directly but please get some support.

[clairemow]

bumping for you

[determination]

Hi KK,

You deserve a medal, expressing is so much hard work.. especially when you are bottle feeding and expressing to keep up your supply.

Is your dd happy at the breast or does she cry and get uncomfortable their?

Firstly, i would also recommend contacting a BFing councellor, here are some numbers for support lines.

BFN: 0870 900 8787
LLL: 0845 120 2918
NCT: 0870 444 8708

Also, you would need to ditch the bottles and feed your dd by alternative means either a large feeding syringe or the medela softcup www.breastfeedingheaven.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=11 the softcup is fantastic in the way that it is easy to feed and you control the flow of the milk which means you are unlikely to spill any. This will allow your dd to work on the proper BFing latch and sucking without the confusion of sucking on an artificial teat too.

It is possible. However, it will be hard work and you will need patience and determination.. you have shown that already by continuing to express .

Take Care and keep up the good work