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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Another urgent request for HELP!

76 replies

CadMum · 06/03/2006 14:16

DD2 (our fourth would-be BF child) was born first thing Saturday morning (12:47 am) in a bottle-friendly US hospital. She was taken from me shortly after her birth and whisked off to a nursery. I had to beg and plead with the unsympathetic nurses to bring her back to me at 4:30 in the morning. They were adamant that she needed to be 'warmed' in the nursery but my hysterical tears eventually made them bring her round. Turns out she had had a bottle of formula whilst in their care because we had not specifically asked for her not to have one.Angry Angry Angry

To make a long story short: The same process was repeated on night 2 with Charlotte being taken at midnight depite my protests to be "weighed and for some observation". She was not returned until after some routine blood work at 2:45. I was not a happy camper. Am still really stressed.

I have no milk yet and I resorted to giving her a bottle of formula last night (a first ever for this mummy) as she was NOT going to feed no matter what I tried.

Is all lost?

OP posts:
mojomummy · 07/03/2006 22:17

Cadmum, sorry to hear your experience in the hospital Sad

Did you have an assisted delivery, ie ventouse or foreceps ? Sometimes these can cause tightness in the head which means babies are unable to latch on to the breast. They can't actually open their mouths enough to get on there.

Unfortunately this happened to 2 friends of mine, however was recitified by visits to cranial osteopath.

Hope this is of some help & you are both ok soon.

Original poster
CadMum · 08/03/2006 17:17

Thankfully the delivery was not assisted but I was induced and felt very out of control the whole time... Very very quick second and third stages. I wouldn't be surprised if she felt a bit like a rocket ship being launched as I was 'forced' to push lying on my back. Her eyes are are bloodshot and her head is quite bruised.

Thankfully the pumping is going well but the latch is hit and miss. Today's project is to maintain milk supply and keep Charlotte hydrated and content by staying in bed and pumping every 2 hours during the day and every four at night.

Her crying was torture for me.

OP posts:
mojomummy · 08/03/2006 19:11

Hi Cadmum, if her head is bruised then perhaps this is why she is unable to open her mouth wie enough to latch on.

If you're not keen yet for her head to be checked over, then just keep up what you're doing - expressing & dripping it into her.

Also speak to your HV because they should know a cranial person they can recommend.

Original poster
CadMum · 08/03/2006 19:29

Thanks Mojo... For all of the complaining that has been done about HVs, I sure miss them. We are currently living in the USA. I am not too sure if there is an equivalent here at all. In Canada we had public health nurses that we could consult but so far we only have a peadiatrician.

OP posts:
Original poster
CadMum · 08/03/2006 19:32

She did manage to latch on shortly after her birth and intermittently since then. I am really having trouble figuring out what the trouble is for her. Am feeling grateful that she is no longer in danger of being dehydrated and lethargic. She is wide awake and enjoying everyone's attention at the moment.

OP posts:
mojomummy · 08/03/2006 20:29

sorry, I forgot you are in the US - can you ask to be referred to a paeditrician ?

kiskidee · 08/03/2006 20:48

I don't know how this works exactly in the US but I found this website as the mother of an American friend of mine is a 'lactation consultant'. it seems a place to start with a lack of hv's in the US.

\link{http://www.breastfeeding.com/directory/lcdirectory.html\lactation consultant}

Original poster
CadMum · 09/03/2006 02:25

Thanks for the continuing suggestions! I am so pleased to say that we have turned a bit of a corner. At the last two feeds she has had one ounce of EBM followed by a big feed on her own. She is now pooping yellow breast-fed baby poops so I must be doing something right.

This expressing and sterilising equipment routine is not really sustainable with 3 other children once my parents leave on the 16th so I really need to get her to breast feed by then.

Thanks again for all your help. I posted a picture of the angel on member profiles if you want to have a peek. It won't be there long.

OP posts:
Mfer · 09/03/2006 10:11

Dear Cadmum, so sorry to read all the probs you have had but well done for perservering - just a note about nipple confusion, sterilisation etc.
I have found the best teat to use is the Playtex latex natural latch nipple - it was designed to support mothers who are breastfeeding and want to combine this with bottle feeding as and when necessary - it works on a nurser with a pre-steriised liner so effectively you express milk into a liner - drop the liner in a nurser to feed and when all done throw the liner away - no sterilising - hopefully you will managed to get her full BF but if not and you need to express and use a bottle this may be a good option.
Playtex as you know is very big in the USA they run a Motherownmilk program www.momprogram.com/ which a good lactation consultant would have access to
also is the USA Internation lactation consultatnts - www.ilca.org
La Leche league - TOLL Free 1-800 - LaLECHE
or www.lalecheleague.org
Hope this is of some help and you can move on and really enjoy your little one :)

foundintranslation · 09/03/2006 10:32

Cadmum - I used to be berolina - kiskidee recommended my bf thread. \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1364&threadid=80824&stamp=050618131455\here it is}
I'm sorry you had such a bad time in hospital, and well done for persevering! :)

foundintranslation · 09/03/2006 10:35

and yes I am still bf :) :) :)

Original poster
CadMum · 09/03/2006 12:19

Thanks Berolina. I am off to find your thread.

Quick update: She breast fed through the night. Once she even latched on by herself in the dark!

I am cautiously optimistic about the pumping days coming to a close. At least my supply is no longer in question; I look like Dolly Parton and am leaking everywhere.

Thank you all so much for your support and advice. Once again without MN I would not have know where to look for support.

Tictok: I am so glad that you are still available to offer help. Going to bed and spending time skin to skin made so much more sense than running around in a flap trying to acquire information. Thank You!

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 09/03/2006 12:21

really pleased to read that things have been turned around, well done and hope she goes from strength to stregthSmile

Original poster
CadMum · 09/03/2006 12:22

Mfer: Just saw your advice now.

I am currently using the Avent pump and their disposable bottle liners. DS1 would only drink from that particular bottle so I have used them for all three of mine. It also seems to encourage a similar latch. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be any nipple confusion for Charlotte. She just likes the speed of the bottle and seemed frustrated by the amount of effort that the breast was taking.

Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
CadMum · 09/03/2006 15:55

Another 2 successful mornig feeds. Dare I dream that I now have a breast fed baby?

OP posts:
laundrylover · 09/03/2006 16:00

Sounds like you've done it Cadmum! Well done. Hope the milk flow calms down now too. My SIL used to feed from one side and put a bottle lid on her other nipple to collect the run off...at 2oz a feed she got a night bottle together everyday for a break. Might be worth it as you know she'll take the bottle - not a drop leaked in 8 months for me though!!

kiskidee · 09/03/2006 21:14

excellent news

Original poster
CadMum · 10/03/2006 02:21

Spent the day in Central Park with my parents and children. Charlotte fed twice while we were there. It was all so effortless that nobody would have known we struggled until late yesterday. I had a bottle of EBM with me 'just in case' but I dumped it out once we were back home.

DD1 commented that it was strange how the EBM was liquid gold yesterday and today I just tipped it down the drain without a second thought.

I feel so blessed to have succeeded with the breast feeding again. Thank you all for your support, encouragement and advice. Much appreciated.

OP posts:
popsycalindisguise · 10/03/2006 10:10

fantastic
you are doing a wonderful job:)

bluejelly · 10/03/2006 10:13

So pleased for you what a great result!

Original poster
CadMum · 10/03/2006 12:47

Our night was a NIGHTMARE! I just don't understand how but now she refuses to latch on again. She screamed the house down at 2 am and again at 5:30. I did eventually coax her to latch on at the 2am feeding after much mucking around but caved in at 6:00 and expressed a bottle. She drained the bottle and then continued to feed on the same side.

I suppose that this is just a minor set-back rather than a catastrophe but I am so exhausted and confused. I wish that she didn't seem so devastated when she is crying for a feed and refusing to latch on.

OP posts:
munz · 10/03/2006 13:01

caddy - firstly well done u for persevering (((hugs))) on the ill treatment form the hospital v poor form.

all I can suggest (prob been suggested b4 thou as i've only 2 weeks experience at this BF lark!) is when Joey's not latching or as I term messing about at the boob I take him off pat his back a bit sooth him place him down on the pillow again and he normally latches then, althou like u we had probs with the latching initally. my M/w's answer wsas keep trying and he'll get the hang of it! (not much use I know)

are u collecting ur milk in shells and using cream to help with any discomfort?

again u're doing really fab honney - u stick with it Angry on ur behalf at the hospital giving formula when u'd said no.

popsycalindisguise · 29/03/2006 19:46

any update? How are things going now?

Original poster
Cadmum · 26/04/2006 15:50

DD2 is an exclusively breast fed baby! She is now 7 weeks old and growing fatter by the day! Thank you again for all of your support.

OP posts:
kiskidee · 26/04/2006 20:23

hip, hip hurrayyyy!

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