cup feeding EBM to newborn - reassurance needed that breastfeeding can still be established

[bedecca]

I am after some advice and reassurance from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

My sister gave birth early on Friday morning (hurrah, I am an aunty!). She is a little baby, 6 lb ish, and was 3 weeks early. It was a very quick birth with no pain relief.

It is now day 4. They are still in hospital as baby is very jaundiced and in a light box. She will latch on for a few sucks but then drops off. My sister has been brilliant at hand-expressing, and syringe fed her lots of colostrum. After a couple of formula top-ups her milk has now started to come in, and she has succesfully expressed for the last few feeds. She is trying a breastfeed each time, then topping up with cup-fed EBM, which the baby is taking very enthusiastically.

So.... what I really need is positive stories and advice about sleepy newborns who have cup-fed initially, then got to grips with latching and breastfeeding a bit later on once stronger and more alert.The midwives are being very supportive, and are helping her at each feed. I keep telling sis that she is doing brilliantly and that I am sure her baby will get the hang of breastfeeding if she keeps trying. I am hoping this is true...

[Amberjee]

it does happen bedecca. our LO is now 5 months, but wouldn't latch on in the beginning, i syringe fed him and ended up using a nipple shield to feed him for a bit, but with the right help was able to get him to latch on and we are still going strong. i wouldn't give up breastfeeding for the world.

i would suggest getting some help from a breastfeeding counsellor. even though the midwifes can be good, they don't have the same kind of training that BF counsellors have - it can really make all the difference. it sounds like your sis is very committed and that's the main thing. if someone can come and see and give her help with the latch, i'm sure it will be fine and get easier each day.

best of luck. to get in touch with a BF counsellor, try

NCT Breastfeeding Line 0870 444 8708

La Leche Helpline 0845 120 2918

Breastfeeding Network supporterline 0870 900 8787

[hoxtonchick]

i have diabetes & both my children were cupfed (with formula) when they were newborn to keep their blood sugars at a reasonable level. i breastfed them first for each feed before offering the cup. i breastfed ds for 6 months & dd for 18 months. hope it all works out for your sister.

[Guitargirl]

This was the same for me - DD born jaundiced, had difficulty latching on, wouldn't latch at all or if she would then would fall asleep straight away. We syringe fed colostrum and cup fed formula and then she also had a few bottles of formula. Continued trying to latch on in the meantime. By day 5 with help from visiting midwife (we were at home by then) she was latching on much better. We stopped formula top ups on day 9 and DD has been exclusively bf since then (now 5.5. months). Your sister sounds like she's doing brilliantly.

[bedecca]

It is great to hear that, all of you. Thank you. She's very keen on getting specialist help, but would a breast-feeding counsellor visit her in hopsital? I was assuming we'd wait until she got home then call for help then.

[Amberjee]

its likely one could come to hospital - worth calling and asking. xx

[islandofsodor]

I'm at work at the moment so can't go into detail but ds breast refused for 4 weeks, I cup fed expressed he then went on to breastfeed perfectly for 15 months.

Please contact julief1_bw @ hotmail dot com if you want support on a mum to mum basis (am a peer supporter)

[bedecca]

Amberjee - thanks for that. Will talk to sis and see what we can organise.

islandofsodor - that is such a lovely offer. Will tell sis. Hopefully she will be home in the next day or so, and she may well contact you. Can I just leave it at that for the time being?