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Infant feeding

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

When did you accept defeat?

110 replies

metalelephant · 17/11/2011 11:08

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dribbleface · 05/12/2011 16:57

weigh in didn't go well. dropped another centile to 9th. only put on 6 ounce's in 2 weeks. Sad. not sure what else i can do.

metalelephant · 05/12/2011 17:55

Oh dribbleface I'm sorry things are tough... I know it's an obvious question but have you recently talked to a lactation consultant? Could you afford to go private? Then you wouldn't have to wait for a referral.
Did they say anything helpful at the baby clinic? Sending you a hug x

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dribbleface · 05/12/2011 19:44

hi. Didn't have anything of much help to say, just to ensure i eat and drink well (which i understand to not be an influence from tiktok's posts) and that i should feed him in a quiet place, which is not easy with a 3 year old. who knows, I'm feeling down today but will give LLL helpline a call tomorrow also have his 6 week check, which they do at 8 weeks here with GP tomorrow so will see what he has to say, I'm just disappointed, trying so hard. good luck for you check tomorrow. let me know how it goes.

TitaniaP · 05/12/2011 21:56

Dribble - so sorry to hear that. I know only too well how demoralising low weight gain is. I can't remember your specific circumstances I'm afraid. I'm also no expert but I'm sure if you started a thread asking for help people would give you some suggestions.

metalelephant · 05/12/2011 23:09

Dribbleface, do try to see a specialist in person, maybe LLL can help you there. I really wish I could be of more help...

Titania, how are you?

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metalelephant · 05/12/2011 23:11

By "specialist" I mean a breastfeeding counsellor or consultant as a health visitor may not always be well trained in breastfeeding. Sorry if I'm just repeating the obvious.

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TitaniaP · 06/12/2011 09:28

Metalelephant - mostly good here - getting over a hideous cough & cold. (DS not me)! Feeding is going well (mostly) and he'll be 6 months next week !

Hope it's going as well for you too!

metalelephant · 06/12/2011 10:21

Wow 6 months! Congratulations, that's a breastfeeding milestone isn't it? Are you getting any "when will you stop breastfeeding" comments yet? Mine is 8 weeks tomorrow, and I have been asked a couple of times... I like to reply when she goes to university.

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metalelephant · 06/12/2011 10:22

Get well soon Titania baby Smile

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dribbleface · 06/12/2011 15:03

metalelephant how did your check go today? ours went ok, doctor wants me to supplement him, think i will and see how mixed feeding goes. titania thanks for your support and i hope your little one is better soon.

metalelephant · 06/12/2011 16:43

Hello dribbleface, it went well today, she's put in a fair amount of weight which is great though I'm now starting to phase out the domperidone so a bit apprehensive about what that will do to my supply.

I'm glad it went well with the gp, mix feeding could be just what you and ds need, even a litte bit of consistent extra calories can make a big difference both to his weight and to your levels of calm!

What I would do (and ^will* do if the lack of domperidone makes a difference) is have somebody else give lo a bottle of formula while I express so my breasts won't miss a feed... Have you been expressing at all? When I was mix feeding dd as she was under her birth weight at 3 weeks, I would express even when my breasts produced very little and kept going for at least 15m per breast. That can boost your supply, again sorry if you've heard this a million times already!

The important thing is you've been doing well and you're going strong and we're trying our best!

M x

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metalelephant · 06/12/2011 21:06

By "fair amount" of weight, I meant 9 oz in 2 weeks (I think metric and had to do the conversion). So not much more than your lo, dribbleface.

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TitaniaP · 07/12/2011 21:15

Rubbish day for us today. 1oz in two weeks (and I was feeling great earlier in the week). Oh well - I guess he's not ready to drop those top-ups yet after all.

metalelephant · 07/12/2011 22:05

Titania, being ill probably contributed, don't you think? Is he better now? How are you?

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TitaniaP · 07/12/2011 22:19

Metal - you're right it probably is (he is better now thanks, and I seem to have escaped the dreaded lurgy!). It's just he is so tiny, he can ill-afford such a small weight gain. I also thought all was going so well. Two steps forward and one back it seems.

I've been visiting friends today and he's been dead grumpy, and hardly fed at all. Got home and DH says "his cheeks are red, is he teething". So with a bad cough and potentially teething its hardly surprising, but it doesn't stop me panicking! Anyway thanks as always for the support.

metalelephant · 07/12/2011 23:20

Hope you're all healthy and happy asap! Smile

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TitaniaP · 08/12/2011 09:00

Many thanks Metal. Hope things are good for you too.

metalelephant · 08/12/2011 18:58

Cheers Titania, I think she's doing ok weight wise (we'll see in 2 weeks and meanwhile I'm phasing out the domperidone) but the latch is going wrong again as my right breast feels chomped on again! It even takes a funny shape while feeding, I keep trying to relay j her bit her mouth remains stubbornly semi open... Sad back to the breastfeeding cafe tomorrow!

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metalelephant · 08/12/2011 18:59

Relay her = relatch her

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dribbleface · 08/12/2011 20:30

metalelephant i really admire your determination and hard work. well since introducing bottle the little bugger is even less happy to breast feed, too much like hard work i guess. so I'm expressing and bottle feeding this and one formula feed a day. also letting him breast feed when he likes but more for comfort as he'll only feed for 5 minutes. but as i know he's getting his milk anyway I'm not worried. expressing a bit of a pain but i can express 5 ounce's in about 10-15 minutes. feel better in the fact that i have a plan and also it's out of my hands as can't force him to feed. hope you continue to make progress.

metalelephant · 08/12/2011 22:49

Thank you dribbleface, I think what you're doing is pretty impressive...breastfeeding and expressing and a little topup too, that's a lot of work but it sounds like the right way to go. I'm sure your lo will put on weight very quickly, and judging from your post you sound more relaxed which is great. The key is that he's getting your milk and if he prefers the bottle for now so be it. Don't worry if he suckles only for a bit, as long as breastfeeding remains a positive experience he should be able to continue. And as you're expressing your milk supply should be fine.

I try to remind myself that for however long we manage to do it, the first weeks are the most important (for their health) after all. So I try not to set goals that span too far ahead; my dd is 8 weeks old and if we have to stop we still have managed this time. Every day counts!

Saying all that, dd has had a horrid evening, screaming, trying to suckle and then crying some more, no idea why. Colic, wind, something I ate? She's only just stopped and has fallen asleep in my arms so I can write on my phone.

That's the hardest thing isn't it, seeing them so distressed and inconsolable and tiny, where's a magic wand to make it all better?

It's good to talk to each other isn't it? Thanks for listening to my ramblings!
Wink

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MixedBerries · 09/12/2011 10:03

Hi Metalelephant. Just wanted to say thanks for sticking up for me on the AIBU thread. Christ, there are some mean MNers out there who make all kind of assumptions! Sorry you're still having problems too. Hope it all gets better soon and keep at it! Thanks also Dribbleface for your help on here. Hope it all works out. Goodness, I know how hard it can be so huge medals to both of you!

metalelephant · 09/12/2011 10:56

We're all on the same boat MixedBerries, in fact I think it's you and dribbleface that deserve the medal! You're doing great and good luck with the night feeds, hope it all works out and you get a bit more rest x

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PrincessScrumpy · 09/12/2011 13:34

my dtds were prem and struggled to latch properly - I found nipple shields really helped. Now at 14 weeks they latch beautifully... but don't seem satisfied and want to feed every 2 hours. I'm exhausted and drained so am mix feeding but looks like they'll be fully ff before long for my sanity (they settle after a bottle and not after a long bf). Will probably leave mn for a while so I avoid the guilt trips as I'm beating myself up enough without others doing it for me (as I found on the multiples chat bit).

For me it's about saying I've tried everything and while it was me in pain (thrush and mastitis) I kept going as dtds were gaining weight, but now they're not and they're screaming and rooting all the time it's about what's best for them. But that is me and everyones experience is different. your dc won't care how they were fed, just that they were fed. I was ff as my sister died and mum had so much else to cope with - I would never judge her for that. I know she loves me!

buttonmoon78 · 09/12/2011 14:06

Princess I'm so sorry you feel that way. Could you not stay and avoid the relevant threads/topics for a bit? I know my sanity wouldn't be what it is (and that's not saying a lot!) without all my MN gals to whinge to!

I'm the worst person to say this (as I can't take my own advice) but please don't feel guilty. You've done what you could.