Breastfeeding

[MusicMum18]

Hi,
My lo is just over 5 months old. To cut a long story short, after a very difficult birth she has been mixed feeding. I've been breastfeeding using nipple shields and then topping up with either expressed or formula.

However, everything changed a few days ago, when she ripped off the nipple shields and I pulled her close and she latched on on her own. I got all excited thinking I could exclusively breastfeed without the pain of the nipple shields, but next feed she screamed and pulled away when I tried to latch her on. Tried a few times then gave up and gave her a bottle of expressed.

Since then she takes the boob in the night and first thing in the morning, throughout the day she refuses, cries and pulls away. Distressing for both me and her and so hard for me not to take it personally!! She refuses the nipple shields completely now so I've given up using them.

I'd love to carry on bf but today when she's refused breast I've given her bottled expressed, then I've gone to express myself to maintain my milk.

I don't want to express during the day if she's not going to take the breast, it's just so impersonal, also I don't seem to be expressing much during the day, maybe 1-2 oz?

I've been advised by a bf counsellor to not push her too hard to take the breast otherwise she'll refuse permanently, they said at 5 months she has her own mind and I can't make her! Obviously it's frustrating for me though as I know she can do it!!

Does anyone have any advice on how I can coax her to breastfeed. At the moment I'm thinking that if she doesn't take during the day I'll just decrease supply during day and just feed at night for as long as she wants it.

It'd be a shame though if I had to stop when I know she can do it!!

Any advice would be fab,
Thanks
Xxx

Oh my goodness I have just tried feeding on all fours and lo has latched on and off a few times and taken some milk. Woo hooo that's progress I think! However it's not a very practical way to feed!

Why can't she feed normally like she does at night? Maybe she's getting used to new way of doing things?!

Just bottle fed more expressed as she was screaming and pulling away from me again. Not expressing this time so nice and full for tonight's feed. She has latched on and taken a few sucks this aft, but not a full feed. Maybe she doesn't like my milk? She starts crying as soon as I put her to the side which is why I tried new position. She latched on but only a few sucks not a full feed. Think she just prefers the bottle. Not sure if I should give up trying and just bf at night for as long as she wants it? It's really distressing when she pulls away from me.

That sounds tricky. Have you tried feeding her with the shields again? I have heard that babies can get confused if they get used to bf with a nipple shield but have no personal experience of this. If you don't want to use the shield anymore you could just continue offering her feeds and follow her lead. I have also found that feeding them when they are half asleep I.e raising them shortly after they fall asleep and offering the breast can make baby less resistant, might be worth a try.

Could it be that your let down without the shield is too forceful? And what position do you feed her in? My dd2 used to pull off from me (granted at a much younger age) and the MW suggested that I express for a minute before starting the feed so the milk didn't spurt at her when she tried to suck.

Hi, I tried with shields, this isn'tmyshed, but she refused. I'll try when she's half asleep and beemy baby I'll also try expressing first.

It's so frustrating I know she can do it

I'm trying usual position baby head to side horizontal across my body, might look to try other positions...

If you do have a fast let down then it's best that you use the biological nurturing/laid back nursing position so your baby is nice and comfortable.

No advice but at 3 months my fully bf baby did the same would only breastfeed morning and eve and just pulled away during day. Sometimes straight after a sleep he would take a feed but otherwise I either had to express or give formula. I'm afraid the story doesn't have a happy ending. I spent a week practically naked doing anything and everything I could think of to help him feed and ended up so upset I gave up. He still fed am and pm for another month but then fully formula fed...

Okay, I suppose I just have to do what I can, it's just so distressing when they pulled away. I'll try for as long as I can, then just see if she'll take at night. These babies have minds of their own that's for sure!

musicmum. Babies can be tricky and breastfeeding can be a journey with obstacles. My dc2 went through a feeding strike at 8 months, I think it was because of teething (could this be happening here?) and people here told me to feed when baby was half asleep. How is your baby otherwise, is she happy in herself? Does she fuss a little when feeding from a bottle? Good luck!

Well I think there are a few factors...teething, snotty nose, doesn't sleep during the day (so it's hard for me to feed when she's half asleep as she fights to stay awake then gets overtired!). Usually happy and smiley between feeds. Just tried feeding in the bath, wher she took a bit but not full feed. She then fed before I put her down to sleep.

Will try again tomorrow. It's just frustrating as I never thought shed feed w/out the shields. Now she is which is great but not fully! And I know she can! Icklekid thanks for telling your story, it sounds like you did your best, you can't do any more than that, that's what I keep telling myself :)