Reducing expressing

[tonksy83]

I have huge boobs - 36 I......yes I!!! I am only a size 14 and they are killing me! I am normally a 34 E.
My baby was born premature weighing only 2lbs 12oz and ideally I would love to breast feed her, but six weeks on and she is unable to latch on, although I try everyday, do lots of skin to skin etc....it just seems she is not strong enough. I am currently using nipple shields but she always needs topping up. I am currently providing enough breast milk to feed her in a bottle with out any formula, BUT, it is so time consuming, and as a single mum I am struggling to even nip and out get milk etc....I am grumpy without my cuppa! :)
So I am thinking of stopping expressing.....aiming to start reducing when she is 2 months, less than 2 weeks away. As I am finding it difficult to even walk downstairs with the pain, and letting them get full is agony. I also need to pass a fitness text for work in around 5 mths and the thought of running......well lets just say OUCH! I need to start exercising again.
Can anyone advise me on the easiest and most pain free way to start depressing your feeding to stopping? And how long this process can take?

I am proud to say that although my daughter was in special care I still gave her all my own milk, but now out of hospital I would like start doing whats best for both of us....

Any advise or similar issues would really help me out....

x

tonksy you've done a grand job so far! well done you. expressing and breastfeeding and bottle feeding and looking after a new baby is no mean feat

i would advise seeing a breastfeeding counsellor if you haven't already, to see if they can give any tips on getting her onto the breastwithout the nipple shields and then gradually stop the top-ups.
do you have local LLL group or anything? or a baby cafe?

to be honest, if you are making enough milk that you are meeting all her needs without needing to use formula then I would just ditch the bottles completely and breastfeed.
if she seems hungry after a breastfeed just breastfeed her again! the milk WILL be there.
you may find then that your boobs settle down a bit simply because they aren't being stimulated as much as when ypou're feeding and expressing?

Hey thisisyesterday.....
My main problem is my daughter was born small, and its a common problem not being able to latch on, as she is still not strong enough. The out reach team say it could be weeks before she manages a full breast feed, so as you can see i am stuck, as realistically i cant carry on doing everything. She just cant stay awake long enough to feed. As she is premature, the out reach team need to see a constant weight gain, so I cant use any energy she has to try establishing breast feeds any more than I have already. However i have not thought of a breast feeding Councillor.....there is one in my area so i may give her a shout. Thank you for your post.
Its hard as I would like the ease of breast feeding, but at the moment its nothing but hassle, I don't want to ruin the first few month of enjoying her, because I am fretful about her feeding.
I never knew it would be this hard.
x

I too think a breastfeeding counsellor would be a good idea, she could help you try some different techniques for position and latching.

I wonder about the advice given by your outreach team. Extremely prem babies might not have enough energy to directly breastfeed at first, but if that was really the case with your DD then surely they would not have discharged her from hospital!?

I think seeing someone would be good. Also, have you read any of the info on the BLISS website? Particluarly this leaflet talks about ways to establish BF that require less energy expended etc.

www.bliss.org.uk/page.asp?section=580&sectionTitle=Breastfeeding+your+premature+baby

She was discharged as i decided to bottle feed her, and keep trying to establish breast feeding....even though i know there are many disadvantages to this method. I did not however want to bring her home tube feeding. She and i were both ready to come home, just didn't quiet get breast feeding established. I tried her, on the last feed at the breast again with no luck....and once again it ended in tears for both of us. I am really confused. I never thought it would be this hard.
I am happy that I am still giving her all my own milk, but my painful breast are also really getting me down. Expressing is hard work continually for 6 weeks - in fact i want a medal! ;).... but really I feel in a loose loose situation.
My first job Monday is to ring a breast feeding Councillor which i have found in my area luckily. I will see how that goes.
I guess I always wanted to breast feed, and I feel like I have tried really hard - but for some people its not right, right?!?
Thank you for all your comments x

ahh tonsky, i agree that you deserve a medal!

I had a really bad time breastfeeding my first (undiagnosed tongue tie and breast refuser) and I eventually gave up, but I really regret it

I think, honestly, that pretty much all women can breastfeed successfully. However, to do this it takes varying amounts of time and effort. I do think you could get baby back on the breast and feeding without having to express. But it might take a long time and lots of effort and only you can decide if it's the right thing for you and your baby because yo're the one living your life.

I just think you have to make the decision that you are happy with.
My advice right now would be to see the breastfeeding counsellor, talk it throuigh with her and decide how you want to move forward, be that getting baby back on the breast, mixed feeding, formula feeding.. .and then make a plan for how that's going to work

I found it useful to say "right, we'll get through this week and then re-evaluate",

what area are you in? roughly?

Thanks thisisyesterday.....really kind supportive message.
I am in the Hull area.

I agree that to a degree all woman can breast feed, I also know that I may regret giving up, but as it stands I am reducing my expression time to 4 hourly (missing the middle of the night out, unless baby is awake) I am giving her mainly EBM with some top ups of formula. So she is still getting all the goodness of breast milk. However I am not attempting breast feeding, as I have been getting myself in such a state. Writing this down has upset me as its like admitting it, but I need to stick to something. I plan to keep expressing - with sore boobs or not - till she is 3 mths. Then I know I have done what I feel is best for her to get her off to a good start.

Then I want my medal!!

I know I will look back on this and although maybe regret not keeping trying her breast feeding, but also wondered why I got myself in such a states. Main thing is we both enjoy each other and that she is healthy. this way i can let people help me a little....which will be nice.

Id like to know what you think to my plan?!

x