Breastfeeding nightmare. Low supply, poor latch, now thrush

[EggBobbin]

Please help. I’m in such a hole about feeding my 15 day old baby. I can’t talk about it without crying.

Baby was early term and low weight (5lb 2oz, 38 weeks). Has a small, weak mouth and a shallow (excruciating) latch. The plan, as per LLL webpages was to not bother working on latch and build up supply until baby reached due date/got stronger and then try to breastfeed exclusively. We were giving formula top ups due to jaundice and low birth weight.

I was feeding occasionally/at night but I got such awful sores all over my nipples I exclusively expressed for 4 days. During this time I discovered my supply is low. By day 10 it should be roughly 750ml but the maximum I ever expressed was 400ml- this involved expressing 2hrly on a 24h cycle and is simply not sustainable for me mentally or around my older kids’ needs.

I’m on fenugreek and porridge, also oat milk milkshakes. We have hours of skin to skin.

Since last week baby has had this yellow plaque along her gum. It was swabbed and the swab came back negative for anything at all but we started thrush treatment which although initially looked to clear it up now seems less effective (4th day of treatment).

Once the swab came back negative as she was at her due date I tried to breastfeed again and after 4 feeds I’m right back where I was with angry black blood blisters on both nipples, it hurts to wear a bra let alone continue feeding.

I’m seeing a lactation consultant today who has suggested I may have insufficient glandular tissue (A cup). I’m considering Domperidone but not sure if there’s much point if we can’t actually latch.

I just feel so broken. It’s stripping all the joy out of this time but I don’t know what to do or how to stop feeding or if I want that. Surely it shouldn’t be this fucking hard.

Yesterday I really laid off the pumping schedule and only expressed when my breasts felt full and I got less than 300ml. Surely Domperidone won’t double my supply.

Guess I’m hoping someone who has slept more than me can unpick what the main problem is and give me some advice

I am sorry you are having such a hard time. I think some people just have lower milk supply and as a new mum I don’t think it is worth it if you are having such a hard time. I did exclusively breast feed my children until 6 months and I found the following helped.

Expressing: I had the Medela double electric breast pump. It was really good and recommended by my maternity nurse.

Feeding/expressing often: it sounds like you already are doing this. I “accidentally” did this with my oldest (5 pounds 6 oz) as I worried that she was on the small side.

Adequate rest: I slept in the day when my baby slept. I would never have managed otherwise.

Expressing extra in the morning: if you had a decent nights sleep, supply is often highest in the morning. I would express every morning and use that milk to “top up” my supply in the evening as my supply was lowest around 6/7pm.

Proper latching: I made an appointment with a breast feeding consultant who helped my to get the baby to latch on properly. It was a massive difference when properly latched on and not. It hurt quite a bit when the latch was wrong.

Try to relax: easier said than done, but it had a big impact. It was hard in the beginning when expressing and it was easier if I looked at my baby or a photo of my baby.

But at the end of the day, I was lucky and had lots of milk. I would probably have bottle fed if it had been to hard.

Op you're having such a hard time of it. Well done for where you've got to so far, tears and all. BF isn't everything. Yes it's lovely when it works but if you are losing your sanity then it is ok to stop. Equally if you want to persist then it sounds like you're going the right way about it getting help. La leche league is running online. The one in West London said just put that you live in eg ealing and access their services. They're so nice and can really help one to one or in groups.
I had thrush with DS 3 and oh my goodness it was agony. I also had an infection that needed antibiotics. I've never felt anything like it. Once that got better the cracking and bleeding stopped (also tongue tie). It was such a relief and now it's so much better. We have managed to keep going.
Pumping is hard work and is often harder in the evening than the mornings. But not getting much out doesn't mean no supply. Pumping isn't as efficient is all. If you can, get a double hospital grade pump (they're about £150 new or you can hire from chemists). You can cut holes in an old top and put the cups through to hold the pump in place so you are hands free (or buy the special bra if you have the cash).
In the end you need to do what keeps you saner. Huge hug and don't let anyone string arm you into something you don't want to do.

I feel so sorry for you. My DD weighed 5lb 6oz at full term and I ebf for 6 months but it was hard at first. I could never express milk, got a few ml at most but DD grew fine so the supply must have been ok.

After a few weeks I developed thrush (absolute agony) and the nurse prescribed Nystatin for us both and it was just shit. Really fluconazole should be used for thrush but doctors are reluctant to prescribe to breastfeeding mothers. Anyway I started using Citrocidal (grapefruit seed extract) and that seemed to stop the thrush.

When bf works it is so easy (almost the lazy option) but if for whatever reason it's not working for you there is no shame in switching to ff.

Thanks all. Met with the infant feeding lady today and feel much better. She got a Dr to look at the ‘thrush’ and the Dr diagnosed a gum abscess (quite annoyed the GP fobbed us off, as was the Dr). So we’ve got some antibiotics for that. I think that was really stressing me out so feel much better it’s been properly seen.

Decided I’m too emotional/run down to make any huge decisions so she’s loaned me a fancy pump and advised to pump maybe 4x a day just to keep my hand in in case I do decide I want to continue but give more space for my actual life is between.

Going to see how latch is once this abscess clears up as baby must have been in pain