nipple confusion problems

[slowangels1]

I seem to be posting alot of problems here recently , but then, I seem to have alot of probs with feeding

DD is 3 weeks. We have been topping her up at feeds with formula for about 2 weeks under mw advice as she was loosing weight. She seems OK now but they want me to continue with some bottle top ups as they seem to think it's working well with her weight gain so why stop.

Problem over the past week or so is that she's getting confused re: latching on to me because of bottle feeding. When it first really became a problem I thought it was due to the thrush we both have (she had/has it in her mouth and me in nipples) and she might be uncomfortable in the mouth, but, we still have the problem and, although she's still being treated for thrush, it looks like it's pretty much gone.

She now either just does an odd sucking thing on my nipple like I was a bottle and doesn't get anything out or she sort o latches on, but only for maximum of 5 seconds (yes, I'm sad enough to time!) where she sucks and then comes off and we have to start over again.

Feeds in the past couple of days have taken 1 - 2 hrs of me trying to latch her on and then eventually giving her a bottle of top up after but with a bit more formula as she's not getting much from me.

Past 2 feeds I've been in such despair and she hasn't got it and has been so upset and hungry I've just expressed and given that to her in a bottle.

Really not sure how to go about getting her back to feeding on me. Asked hv and mw and they just tell me she'll get it eventually, but, their not the ones trying to get DD to latch on to me for 2 hrs when she's getting more and more hungry

Any advice or ideas?

at advice given! This is the kind of reason why so many mums give up bfing in despair.

I really would see a BFC or clinic near you asap and keep going back. My local NCT BFC and BfN clinic both helped me enormously when DD and I needed ongoing help after transitioning back to ebf.

Make sure she opens her mouth wide, with tongue down and head tilted back, before latching her on. If she sucks just the nipple, take her off and try again. It's incedibly frustrating, but she will gradually learn that she needs to open her mouth wide to get the milk.

When giving a bottle, only put the teat in her mouth if her mouth is wide open, with her tongue down.

You can work on dropping the top-ups and IME it will make your life so much easier!

Ok I think droping the bottle is possibly the answer. But your DD is now relient on top ups so you need a plan to increase your milk supply and slowly drop the top ups. I think changing the top up from bottles to another form of feeding, cup feeding or using a suplimental feeding system (which are small caplilary tubs you attach to your nipples google it I know at lest Medela do one) to stop the bottle perferance issue is going to be key.

Your going to need RL help from a BF counciler in order to do this and a plan in order to reduce the top ups they should help you with this. Try one of the support lines.
National Breastfeeding Helpline
0300 100 0212

NCT Breastfeeding Helpline
0300 330 0771

La Leche League Helpline
0845 120 2918

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
08444 122 949

It will be hard work but is perfectly doable if thats what you want.

Good luck

thanks both - japh you are quickly becoming my feeding guru

we struggled all morning and ended out giving bottle again through despair but for some reason the late afternoon and early evening feeds were fine - she latched on well and fed for aaaaggggeeeeessss. I'm not sure why this is but I really hope she keeps this up. We've decided to drop the top ups except one in the evening and night time. I'll use that suplimentary feeding thing mig suggests if DD needs the tops ups, but want to try and drop top ups as much as poss if I can to just eliminate the prob if poss and get her exclusively bf as much as poss (except for one night time feed DH can do)

I've phones the NB help line in the past mig and they were pretty good so if she stops feeding again will ring them for advice. I went to bfing help centre drop in thing a week or so ago so if needed will go there again for help, but that's no until a wednesday.

I'm quite stubborn and when I want to do something I kick my heels in and get quite stubborn about not failing - luckily, bfing is one of these things so will try as much as poss to keep going.