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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Miserable..please help.

37 replies

smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 20:51

I posted two weeks ago about ds who is now 12 weeks. He has screamed all day and I'm so miserable because I can't seem to get him comfortable. He has been put on Gaviscon, then ranitidine and for the last two weeks I've been expressing all his feeds so that he could have it out of bottle because he was refusing the breast. We've tried several different teats/bottles. I thought we had a breakthro on friday after trying Colief, he was great for a day then back to the same. I have been to Breast feeding clinic to see if they could help me get him to take the breast again but after they had crying for an hour and half even they said not to bother trying.
I feel miserable that I can't feed him from me and have to do it via a pump. He seems so uncomfortable. I've two other children and I'm being really short tempered with them. Getting really down. Thought about expressing but giving him formula for a day to see if it helps. I just don't want to let my milk go, only to find he is no different with formula . Anyone any thoughts?

OP posts:
shrub · 19/11/2006 21:06

so sorry to hear what you are going through I had a difficult feeder with ds3 so understand a little about how exhausted you must be.
I took him to a cranial osteopath which had an amazing effect - have you thought this may help? if so and you are anywhere near devon i could email his telephone number (mums fly from abroad to have their babies treated by him). another thought is can grandparents take older children for a weekend so you can really concentrate on ds, lots of skin to skin etc.
haven't got any other advice but bumping it for you

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 21:20

Thanks shrub I will see if anyone nearer as we are up north. Grandma has been away and gets back tomorrow so hopefully will be able to help. Week in bed skin to skin with a gorgeous boy ..what am I miserable about eh. Thanks for answering

OP posts:
moondog · 19/11/2006 21:27

sp,sorry you're so miserable.
It sounds like bloody hard work.
I'm sure i woud be a basket case.
I would really recommend cranial osteopathy too.

Also,give the Assoc. for Breastfeeding Mothers helpline a ring as well.They are lovely.

0870 401 7711

mckenzie · 19/11/2006 21:29

ditto the cranial osteopath suggestion smilingpolitely. Colief also worked for us once we were using it properly (I seem to recall the instructions about timings being quite tedious).

No other advice to offer unfortunately but wanted to show my support and sympathy - hang in there kiddo! Hope things get better for you both.

Have you tried massaging him? (with your fifth or sixth pair of hands I guess )

improvingslowly · 19/11/2006 21:35

I did not like BFing my baby at all, and having persevered through 2 months of it, tried formula and never looked back.

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 21:38

Lots of votes for cranial ostopathy then, thanks. I will give the breast feeding assoc a ring tomorrow.

OP posts:
shrub · 19/11/2006 21:42

another thought is during the day i used a sling, have you tried one that lets him be cradled rather than the baby bjorn which makes them more flat against you - just trying to think of the best positon for him to get some comfort, this must be so hard. also i go to a la leche league group, will try and find a link for you (there should be a group in your area)

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 21:43

Thanks IS it certainly has its attractions when I'm strapped into the double pump and the dd x2 want help with homework and ds is shouting loudly ( sound nicer than screaming/crying)Just scared I will change to formula and it won't make a blind bit of difference.

OP posts:
moondog · 19/11/2006 21:45

Smiling,a great article in this week's ABM magazine about using slings to breastfeed (and encourage lazy feeders) I've finished reading it.If you cat me,you are welcome to it.

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 21:45

Awaiting arrival of swanky Maya padded sling

OP posts:
mears · 19/11/2006 21:47

I think you are right - formula won'y make a blind bit of differeb=nce. Try cranial osteopath and try and get your DS back on the breast to cut out all the hard work you are doing expressing. You can congratulate yourself in providing your baby with the optimum nutrician. Have you tried cutting out daity produce at all? Might be the answer.

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 21:48

Moondog, I'm fairly new to mn so just off to find out about cat(ing)

OP posts:
shrub · 19/11/2006 21:48

laleche
you can phone them anytime and there should be a regular group. its the only thing i do with ds3, can't be faffed with playgroups anymore and i've made some really good friends!

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 21:50

Have cut down on dairy but still having it in my tea(now decaf!) Seems better to still drink that rather than the huge bottle of wine that I really fancy

OP posts:
helenhismadwife · 19/11/2006 21:50

has any one suggested that he may be lactose intolerant.

My dd2 who is now 15 months did nothing but cry for the first 5 months until a wonderful gp suggested it could be that, she improved almost overnight. Sorry if this has already been suggested

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 21:56

Just had a look Shrub nearest would be Manchester nothing in Merseyside area.

OP posts:
Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 22:00

helenhismadwife what did you do? We have started using colief and it was fantastic for one day but then went back to more or less the same.

OP posts:
mears · 19/11/2006 22:03

Have you teried colycinth granules? you get them from chemists that stack homeopathic remedies. You pop some granules in the babies mouth every 5 minutes until there is relief. great stuff.

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 22:05

Never heard of them mears but will have a look for them, got some great chemists and health foody shops locally so fingers crossed. No bad side effects?

OP posts:
mears · 19/11/2006 22:11

Not that I know of.

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 19/11/2006 22:17

Better go now and get pumping..moo.. Thank you all for all your encouragement and advice. Will read it all again tomorrow

OP posts:
mckenzie · 22/11/2006 13:17

how are you getting on now smilingpolitely?

Original poster
smilingpolitely · 22/11/2006 17:34

Hi mckenzie, Oh mixed, saw HV (new one not met before) yesterday for second lot of jabs. ds has put on loads of weight in the last 2 weeks since he has had all his feeds by bottle. The milk he's been getting is virtually all EBM but obviously he must not have been getting to the hindmilk or something like that. Its only since I stopped Bf directly that I've learnt about oversupply, breast compression and taking some of the foremilk off. He is also almost certainly Lactase deficient/ lactose intolerant as he is a different babe with the colief. HV said to try exclusive Cow and Gate comfort. I have done that today and he's been lovely. I've still been expressing, treating it with colief and then freezing it. ( obviously love making work for myself!) Still confused. Don't want to buy plastic milk from a company which breaks as many ethical rules about promoting formula as there are but need to have a happy, contented, not screaming in pain little boy. Will go back to BF clinic tomorrow and see what they think. Expressing is doing my head in though, sorry long reply

OP posts:
Original poster
smilingpolitely · 22/11/2006 17:44

Dh said I need to rephrase the stuff re Cow and gate! "Alledged rule breaking" sorry

OP posts:
mckenzie · 22/11/2006 19:41

So pleased to hear that your DS is doing so well now and the colief is working.
You have my full sympathy though about what to do next. With DD I had problems feeding and got myself in a right tizzy about it. It was against my principles to not breast feed for longer but I was a miserable tearful person all day and all night and DD was very unhappy. For me, switching to formula seemed to be the answer but I do still now have days when I wished I had persevered.
I hope you find what works best for you and your DS.

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