To try breastfeeding again?

[incogneto]

So.. I did intend to breastfeed but had a traumatic delivery ending in an EMCS. Was exhausted from all of the drugs and 2 failed epidurals so was unable to establish bf'ing in the first few days.

DS was given the colostrum that I could manage to syringe in hospital with top up of formula. Day 3 came and I gave into the bottle, he wasn't latching and they've discovered he has slight tongue tie and a dip in the tongue.

He's been a different baby since being on the bottle and seems much more content, but now my milk has come in and I'm thinking of perhaps giving it another try.

What are your experiences of combo feeding? Does it work or just cause confusion?

You're doing really well to persevere. My DS struggled to latch and didn't latch reliably until day 9. I found a brilliant support group and the woman who ran it was a midwife at the hospital who got him on and then we never looked back. She had time to sit with us and try all sorts of different things - the bonus of having a midwife do it but without the time constraints of being in the ward!
In the early days when I was engorged, I found that hand expressing a bit off (or having a shower/bath to let the hot water do the same), then squeezing it a bit and sort of 'posting' it in his mouth helped him latch.
Good luck - it's not easy to get going but it's so worth it.

Both times that I've bf I've used nipple shields in the first few weeks. Partly for the pain and due to one of my nipples being flat. I recommend medela or MAM.
Your baby also might find it easier for now if they are used to bottles.
Congratulations

Try it but also don’t worry if you can’t manage it. You might need to find specialist support though for combi feeding. I found the midwives fairly useless for advice on mixed feeding. Expressing can be really tough so you’ve probably got more chance of carrying on with breast milk if you can feed rather than expressing.

You could try nipple shields to begin with as they'll feel more like the bottle teat. Good luck!

Good for you for wanting to do it. Keep trying but don't be hard on yourself if it doesn't happen.
You sound like a lovely Mother.
Congratulations on your baby .

I was poorly and exhausted after my EMCS. DS was exhausted too so had little interest in feeding. It was something like day 6 or 7 before my milk came in properly and until then it was just trying everything by hook or by crook.

When I was engorged, it worked best to hand express some milk into a medicine cup to relieve my discomfort and improve my shape, and get the edge off his hunger so he had more patience for latching. We got there in the end.

Try it but also don’t worry if you can’t manage it. You might need to find specialist support though for combi feeding. I found the midwives fairly useless for advice on mixed feeding. Expressing can be really tough so you’ve probably got more chance of carrying on with breast milk if you can feed rather than expressing.

@incogneto how are you doing?
Remember don't feel bad if it becomes too much and you just want to FF. I am all for Bfing and combi feeding but most of all is a happy mummy.

Having a newborn is hard.

Keep trying as long as you want, don't be pushed into stopping trying to combi feed if it's what feels right for you but equally if it's too much don't feel bad at stopping.

I personally found expressing soul destroying but was fortunate I was able to breast feed even if I couldn't express.

Take care, rest up and be kind to yourself. You just grew and delivered a whole new person and now are keeping them alive. You are rocking it!!