nightfeeding newborn on expressed milk

[nyldn]

Due to inverted nipples, my 4 day old and I are having latching trouble and I've been feeding expressed milk. he goes from asleep to rage crying instantly and I'm just trying to keep up.

does anyone have any tips? I'm scared for nighttime to come around and it's a constant race against the clock to express enough to feed him. my DH and I are on no sleep and I won't be able to keep this up when he has to go back to work and needs a decent nights worth.

I've unfortunately also had a difficult delivery that's left me sutured and shaken.

thanks

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

Firstly - hugs.

Don't have loads of time to post but I've exclusively expressed for 19 month old DS (22weeks) and 7 month old DD (28 weeks).

If you can search my name - you should find some posts where I've tried to put down my best tips. Key one is a good electric pump and a hands free expressing bra. I use an ameda lactaline so if you search fir that and my name, should come up.

Have you had your little one assesed for tongue tie? Midwives are notoriously shit at picking up on this. So worth demanding a referral to the tongue tie clinic ASAP. Get the midwife in tomorrow and ask

Secondly, this is just my personal opinion, but I was very lucky to be able to express relatively easily. It's quite unusual to get such large volumes (although I somewhat put this down to pump choice). At the time I had the issues with DS and started exclusively expressing, it was very very very important to me that he was exclusively fed breast milk. Fortunately, I was able to. With DD, I had said to myself that if she had the same latch issues, I would supplement with formula as wasn't sure I could express whilst looking after a 13 month old too.

Fortunately, again, I was ok. Do get all the support that you can and try your best with the breastfeeding and expressing but please do not feel like a failure if you do end up having to give some formula. However, at the moment, I would speak to the midwife etc and keep trying

[makkahakka]

I had this and got it working for my second child using little suction things on my nipples (avent nipplette) had to do it before him latching on but it worked and after a few days did not need to use them any more. think I got them from a large boots store

[nyldn]

Thank you both! I will look into those things. We've been working with a lactation specialist and have had some encouraging moments, but he gets stressed when he's hungry and all steps made forward during calm learning times go out the window, so expressing enough is necessary.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

Yes - remember the stressed baby bit. Arms flailing! I used to give a bit if expressed breast milk in a syringe to calm baby down. Found then that it was easier to practice latch then.

My issue was that by the end if week ine they had both lost so much weight that i started supplementing with bottles of expressed milk to keep weight on. Then the lazy things decided they preferred that! Because I was expressing so much, I just went with it but do understand that you will want to look at and address the root cause.

Another thing, have you got a breastfeeding pillow? I used to prop dd up on that in the bed and feed her a bottle of the expressed milk whilst doing hands free expressing. Stopped me having to express then feed etc which makes the process such a ball ache. Once you have built up a bit of a reserve supply, you could try that if baby still not latched on

[tiktok]

Sorry you are facing this. At four days you will not be anything like at full production for expressing. It's too soon to be thinking it's all a catastrophe, honestly. Things may improve by themselves as nature ensures you make more milk.

Of course you need sleep for your own well being. You do not need sleep to make milk. Please don't add that to your concerns.

Hope the bf specialist is explaining all this to you, too.