wonder if its all making a difference.

[pigletmania]

Ds was born last week, and started sucking beautifully, unfortunately he had jaundice and dehydration and had to go to hospital to have blood tests and put under a light. I was told by paed that i had to top up with EBM/formula from bottle or he would be admitted to hospital and given formula. Ever since giving the bottle ds has lost his ability to suck, i first offer the breast which he suck erratically and falls asleep on, that stimulates let down and i pump off the rest throughout the day which is usually 30-60 mils 5/6 times a day, i haven't got time to pump more as i have a dd with SN who needs my attention too. The rest i top up with formua as he as a big appitite.

i don't give up hope of him going back to the breast and always give him my breasts first. I just wonder if i am making a difference to him.

Firstly, much respect because it sounds like hard work!!

Secondly, when you say 'does it make a difference to him'... well, my DS had the same issues as yours pretty much (jaundice, dehydration, we avoided the lights but were told I HAD to combo feed and he didn't take to boob very well, preferred bottle). I couldn't pump much at all so he ended up with a small amt of boob time at start of each feed (as long as he wanted to stay on, which was usually only 5 min) and then got much more substantial meal from formula (he ate LOADS). By 2 months we just went fully onto formula and I swear he didn't notice! He still got plenty of cuddles and was putting on weight at a steady rate, so as far as I could see he was fine on formula (still is at 7.5m).

I did worry initally about all the immune components he was no longer getting from breastmilk, but since he'd had the initial colostrum and at least SOME mature milk I felt a bit better. Truth is, formula doesn't have all the health benefits of breastmilk but it certainly isn't poison. I also found it upsetting that people would imply you don't bond with your baby as much if you formula feed; I feed him in my lap, look down at him as he feeds and feel like I'm getting just as much out of it as I would if he were on my boob.

I wish I could tell you the best way to proceed, but all I can do is give my opinion. Keep offering breast first but don't worry as much about expressing - managing two young children is going to be exhausting enough without constantly having a pump attached to your boob!! As long as your DS is getting SOME breastmilk then he is getting the immune good stuff and that's invaluable.

Good luck :-)

Thanks cerys i am going to pump and continue as long as i can

Congratulations on the birth of your son! I would say that yes, you're certainly making a difference: your breastmilk is precious, whichever way he's receiving it - well done for managing to overcome the practical difficulties and also for taking care of both your children. Going back to the breast may or may not happen, my first never did but my second did, despite being bottlefed too. Simply being interested in the breast is a good sign by itself, so try to keep breastfeeding as a positive experience; My dd did go through a phase of fussing and crying on the breast and I made a lot of effort to keep calm and continue offering it after she had a bit of expressed milk or formula and avoid getting stressed. So, if it happens, brilliant; if your little ds prefers the bottle that's fine too...the benefit of your breastmilk in these first days are of great importance to his health, and you're certainly achieving that.

Also, if you can afford it, I really recommend contacting a lactation consultant, somebody that can come to your house and give you one to one support. Breastfeeding cafes are excellent, but sometimes you need to work things out in your own space.

Good luck!

Thanks metal i don't mind i would rather he have my bm, and i have a hospital grade pump which makes it light work really. Its satisfying to know that he is getting the goodness of bm and thats enough for me. my dd is at school in the week so its not that bad.

Piglet, you could try using a SNS (suplimental nursing system) rather then a bottle. You could then give topups at the breast and it may help him relearn to suck again.

This is the major problem with givning a young baby a bottel before breastfeeding is establish and a baby freindly hospital should insit on giving topup's by cup or syring so not to interfear with the process.

That's great that you have a hospital grade pump Piglet - as you say, much more efficient! Good luck with it all

I know, i started to do that migril and was told to give it in a bottle as the baby could choke on the milk or inhale it. i do put him on the breast before giving him a top up and he is gradually learning to suck. i don't give up hope though, i have to top up as he does not take enough from me to satisfy him so i mainly express.

piglet nothing you say here makes me think you will not achieve normal direct bf in time...the key to this is maintaing your ds's familiarity with the breast even if he does not seem to suck effectively at the moment (I do think this needs investigating by someone who knows what to look for). You need to maintain the breast's productivity so it will be rewarding and responsive for your ds. This you are doing, by continuing to express.

Of course this is making a difference to him - why would it not? I hate the stupid, demoralising myth that formula somehow negates all the impact of bf. You are making antibodies in your milk that help your ds with infection (reducing the risks associated with ff) and the closeness you are persisting with (yay!) when you put him to the breast is great for the growing relationship you share. Not to mention the fact that breastmilk is nutritous, and made for human babies etc etc etc.

All of which you know, I am sure :) But your confidence has taken a battering because of the difficult start. Not your fault.

Thanks Ticktok i am pumping all that i can and offering breast first than my expressed milk if not, formula. I did see the lactation consultant at the hospital and she drew up a feeding plan after watching ds feed in hospital. he is getting better now at sucking at the breast, but does not take enough for a proper feed. his sucking also stimulates my lett down which is good too. It was awful, he was latching like a trooper than the MW were concerend about something totally unrelated (the colour of ds man bits) phoned up the hospital who ran the sbr tests on him and found him jaundiced, low sodium and dehydrated. i was pumping in hospital continuously whilst ds was under lights. its good to know i am making a difference. it broke my heart to give him formula, but was told by the paed that if i did not supplement myself with formula he would be admitted into hospital and given it anyway. When your under a lot of stress its really hard and worried that my supply would dry up.