Breast feeding problems

[simbaandblue]

I had my son almost 3 weeks ago. It was a long labour, very difficult and resulted in forceps delivery and I then haemorrhaged and lost a lot of blood. My son was on SCBU for 5 days and then we were all allowed home. I've had to combination feed since he was a week old and the problems with breast feeding have just got worse. I'm in so much pain when feeding him, nipples are cracked and bleeding. Support lady has been and he is latched on properly. After many tears I have decided to formula feed and express. I have read that anaemia can lead to problems breast feeding. My problem: I feel so guilty that I couldn't breast feed exclusively and now just being able to express twice a day and formula the rest. I was just hoping some mums could give me a bit of support and help me understand I'm not a total failure! I've tried so hard to EBF. I hope you can give me some words of wisdom! Baby is perfectly happy and feeding from the bottle really well. It's just me, I'm a mess about it all!!
Thanks in advance

Anaemia shouldn't lead to problems breastfeeding.

If you want to get him back to the breast this should be possible, if you want to do this of course. If you post in the breast and bottle feeding section the ladies there are amazing and will be able to offer support and advice.

If not, don't feel guilty! You have a beautiful happy 3 week old and you should be absolutely proud. Breastfeeding can be hard work, it's not always easy to establish, and you will have given him a whole host of benefits by breastfeeding for the first week of his life, that means he's had the colostrum, which is like liquid gold.

Congratulations and enjoy your baby :)

Oh bless you! I had a straightforward labour with my first but never produced milk. I struggled for four months. Resorted to top ups, fennel tea, expressing after every feed (in tears whilst baby yelled and never got an amount big enough to measure) and taking domperidone. Phew! Emotional torture and unimaginable guilt.
My hulking great DS is nearly 10. Health professionals have predicted he will reach well over 6ft. He is happy, healthy, has friends, enjoys school and hobbies but thinks I'm the most embarrassing parent ever (so pretty normal!) Loving and cuddly in private but don't tell anyone!
You did (and will continue to do) the very best you can. Your baby won't remember how you fed him. Unless I misunderstood he's still getting some breastmilk. Good on you!

Thank you, to both of you. It helps to hear that. So much pressure is put on women to breast feed that when it doesn't work out the guilt it just horrible!
I'll post in breast feeding as well! Thanks again xx

Come back or pm if you need to.
Having a baby is hard work.

Have you tried nip shields? I too was very sore and bleeding to begin with. My mum caught me crying with pain whilst feeding and got me some nip cream and shields and said they were worth a shot. I only needed them for two weeks and it only took a couple of days for my baby to make the adjustment after I'd healed.
Now I'm four months on and ebf no problems.