premature baby & breastfeeding

[tuxseli]

My dsis recommended this site.

I had my DS by emergency C section, 5 weeks early. He did not have the suckling instinct at first, and I later found out he has tongue tie.

I have been expressing and doing as much skin to skin as possible, but he is fed through tube and has began taking bottles of express milk.

I have an appt to sort out his tongue tie but the DR said this would not make much difference to help with breastfeeding.

How can I encourage my baby to breastfeed? Will we get established? my expressing is now reducing and I'm worried about my supply.

Any help or advice?

Thank you.

[scandichick]

Sorry I can't help with the rest, but him my experience tongue ties can be hugely detrimental to breastfeeding and some doctors have no clue about breastfeeding, so I'd get that snipped asap.

Can you get a lactation consultant to help you? I'd also recommend the Kellymom website, it has lots of good advice for both increasing supply and getting babies to latch.

Good luck, expressing is such hard work, well done for sticking to it for so long!

[artisanroast]

My daughter was 4 weeks early and although she didn't have tongue tie we did start with only expressed breast milk in bottles.

We used mimijumi bottles as they are very similar to the breast. They require the baby to suck before they can get any milk out.

We did skin-to-skin at least once per day and finally at 3-4 weeks I established breast feeding with my daughter. It was hard work and I felt like that was the only thing I did for 4 weeks (some days I didn't even get a shower!) but we got there. She now feeds well from me.

I almost think we were luckier overall as she will easily take breast or bottle although for the past 2-3 months I have only given her breast (except 2 excursions for me and DH).

Hang in there. You are doing really well. Breastfeeding is amazing when you manage it (and I am sure you will)

xx