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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

How long would you give bf a go for? (having problems)

3 replies

Dotty38 · 10/03/2011 11:57

Anyones advise would be greatly appreciated. I've just had my second baby she's now 17 days old. 1st DD is 23 months. I had huge problems bf 1st, didn't latch on for 8 days then poor latch then thrush, mastitus 3 times before giving up and expressing which lasted for 8 weeks before supply started to dwindle.

This time round DD 2 has fed brilliant when born, good latch milk came in day 2. When milk came in she learnt to pull back,maybe the flow was too fast for her and her latch became hit and miss and she seemed to prefer to do it her way (with a shallow latch) causing cracked nipples, then blistering, then bleeding during a feed. I decided to give her a bottle for one or two feeds a day of expressed milk to let myslef heal. Seemed to work and nipples improved have now hardened up, blisters gone and no bleeding. But still struggling, am managing about 2-3 good feeds which are comfortable a day the rest tend to be uncomfy but not agony anymore. I'm getting pain inbetween feeding too. And when my nipple comes out of her mouth it has a white sort of blanched tip as if the blood supply is lost to it and then my boob starts to hurt this happens even when the feed has been comfortable.
Last week my GP said I had deep breast thrush and has treated me and her for that which I can say the thrush pain has gone now (I was able to identify that quickly as I had it recurrently with DD1). But starting to feel at my wits end a bit as I have DD2 to care for. Not sure whether to continue in the hopr the comfy feeds increase and the pain between feeds goes away or shall I just switch to bottles express for as long as I can and then go to formula.

I've seen every midwife going and a bf feeding advisor all say the latch is good and encourage me to continue but feeling rather down about it as stuck indoors trying to perfect the latch with DD2 and DD1 going stir crazy as she's fed up of TV! It's not really the way to go on!

OP posts:
crikeybadger · 10/03/2011 12:31

Are you still getting the white nipple and the pain Dotty38?

Just wondering if this could be relevant to you. Sounds similar as you describe a shallow latch, pain which can be confused with thrush and baby clamping to slow down a fast let down.

If you think this might be what is happening, then there are various ways to sort it out.

Obviously, only you can decide when you've had enough. Remember though that DD is only just over two weeks old, so it's still early days for both of you.

HTH

BertieBotts · 10/03/2011 12:45

I agree it sounds like possibly not the latch which is a problem, but something else. You say you have seen a bf advisor, it might be worth seeking out another - a lactation consultant, or NCT breastfeeding counsellor, la leche league leader - these might all be options to look into.

I would normally say 6 weeks as a point to aim for, but the difficulties you are having don't seem to be the type which will resolve themselves without proper help and support (which is unfortunately more than most midwives and HVs can offer in this country, even those who are "bf specialists" often don't seem to have much more training than the other midwives.)

If it's really getting to the point where you feel you don't want to stop, but you can't carry on, nipple shields could be an option to try?

gaelicsheep · 10/03/2011 23:30

Do you get cold hands and feet OP?

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