Day 8, want to start breastfeeding, is it too late? I had an emergency c section which knocked me for six and meant formula was introduced almost immediately. I don’t know where to start, I’ve tried feeding my baby expressed milk (I can pump about 40ml in a day) but he still wants a bottle on top at that feed, I don’t know how to undo the want for large volumes of liquid/ temper his frustration over a slower flow enough to breastfeed. I’m in floods of tears at a moments notice that this might be my one baby and my one chance to get it right for him and I’m very overwhelmed with where to start to fix this.
You absolutely can still breastfeed. I'd recommend finding a local breastfeeding support service or calling a helpline for one of the charities like la leche league or something as they should be well versed in how best to approach this. Best of luck x
I had an emcs and milk didn't come in until day 5, i had to give formula but then ended up just bf. I bf both sides every 3 hours and then topped up with formula. I did bf in-between as well. lots of skin to skin, offer the breast a lot. Its very important to feed in the night. I gradually dropped the top ups, took until 12 weeks for all to be dropped
You won't be getting things wrong if you can't or don't breastfeed. I promise. Parenting is a marathon, not a sprint, and you can't do everything perfectly. Those mums who succeed with breastfeeding might end up handling toddler tantrums all wrong. And the mums who handle toddler tantrums perfectly might find teenagers almost impossible. What I'm trying to say is that you can only do the best you can in that moment in time and if breastfeeding isn't going to work out for you, that's okay. Your baby will be absolutely fine.
Put baby to breast every feed, do breast compression, use a bf suplementer, pump between feeds. ASk about ways to improve milk supply, fenugreek and blessed thistle are meant to help and there are meds. It def is possible. If you have to combine feed at least child is still getting your milk. (I dropped the bottles around 6 wksd with my first.)Unfortunately there is a link between c sections and poorer bf outcomes but it,s certainly possible.
Not quite the same as your situation, but I established exclusive bf after a difficult start (long-drawn-out birth/PPH/jaundice/phototherapy/being pushed by hospital to give formula) followed by breast refusal by my dc1. Just kept trying him at breast, then expressing as much/long as I could (mechanical pump hired from the pharmacy), then topping that up with formula and starting all over again - my dc always fed little and often and I never got that much from expressing, so was on that machine constantly. It was all-consuming for the first few weeks, and it took dc1 a while to stop refusing, but we gave the last formula (or indeed EBM) top-up at 4 weeks and I went on to bf him for 4.5 years.
I second the recommendation to call one of the bf helplines.
You absolutely can, expressing 40 ml is impressive so keep pumping every 2-3 hours from each breast. You can use that as a back up, but try to offer the breast before your baby gets hungry and getting the milk flowing beforehand will def help. Offer both breasts until he releases the nipple and the hands are relaxed, you may need to stroke of blow on him to keep him sucking. If he won't latch on you may need nipple shields, but take it one day at a time and one feed at a time. Good luck and congrats
The more you feed the more the milk will come. Daft thing that may work, when you pump cover the bottle with a baby sock so you can't see the supply as your pumping. Not been able to see it can actually help you produce more because your not sat watching it and worrying. Expressing/breastfeeding in night is very important as it's the night feeds that help your body know what supply they need for the next day.
Remember most importantly- FED is best so don't put pressure on yourself. You don't need it. Baby's needs a happy mummy more then it needs breast milk. My milk never came in and I tortured myself for 3 months trying everything but eventually accepted it wasn't meant to be. I wish I had stopped sooner if I'm honest but as mums we do have a habit of making things harder for ourselves because we listen to everyone but ourselves. Please don't make things harder then they need to be. Congratulations on your baby
Like PP, fed is most definitely best and breastfeeding is neither right or wrong, as is bottle feeding. For what it's worth I expressed and used formula too ups for 3 months before we could establish breastfeeding. It's hard work but ultimately it was the right thing for me and DD, but it's not for everyone and tbh I'm not sure if I'd do it again. Whatever you decide will be the right thing for you both.
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