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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

dd and I are sitting here covered in breast milk cos I am shit at breastfeeding

42 replies

mayaknew · 16/02/2016 21:23

I just cannot get her to latch on Sad she's been doing OK but my milk came in today and I just can't get her to feed now. She's 2 days old I'm so tempted to give her some formula I can hear her stomach rumble but she just cries when I try to get her to latchSad

OP posts:
HelenF35 · 16/02/2016 22:49

Have you tried a different hold? I tried to feed ds for days and he would only latch on one breast and it was a nightmare till I tried cradle hold and he latched first time on the other side.

OneEpisode · 16/02/2016 22:49

It took me & dc1 ages to get the hang of it, and midwifes in hospital insisted on giving dc formula.

We tried again and when we'd cracked it my equipment was much more portable & convenient than bottles...

Like learning to ride a bike, not easy to learn but once learn can be v handy. And still nothing wrong with a bus sometimes.

Original poster
mayaknew · 16/02/2016 22:51

I just youtubed the rugby ball hold will definitely try that next feed. Thanks so much for the support I'm so glad I posted Flowers

OP posts:
middlings · 16/02/2016 22:55

Another one advocating the rugby ball hold. It's a huge help in the early days.

So glad she's settled but remember, they sometimes devour bottles at this age as it's easier to get milk out of a bottle but devouring is what they're used to at the breast. If your milk is in on day two, she's doing a really good job of stimulating it! You'll get there - this bit is really hard but it gets easier SO fast!

kiwiscantfly · 16/02/2016 22:55

Such great advice here! Remember their tummies are so tiny at this age, the size of a walnut if I remember so they don't need very much. Keep it up you're doing a great job!!!

JeremyZackHunt · 16/02/2016 23:01

If your milk has come in with some force then it might be harder to get a latch for her plus you may be pushing a jet of milk down her throat, causing her to gag and pull off. Perhaps hand expressing a bit into a bottle before you start a feed to reduce the flow slightly?

amysmummy12345 · 16/02/2016 23:06

I'd definitely try putting on your side and let baby booby map you... Sounds a bit odd but midwife suggested it to me, letting the baby find it's way around your boob, get used to each other, especially as you're only two days in. I also found cradle hold worked miles better if I tucked dd's arm that was closest to me out of the way under my armpit space if that makes sense? When her arm was by her side inbetween me and her it created an awful barrier that made it awkward to feed...

amysmummy12345 · 16/02/2016 23:08

Forgot to mention, if you've got a forceful letdown baby might struggle to latch... Might be worth expressing first little bit out until flow slows a little?

Picnic2223 · 16/02/2016 23:20

I haven't read the whole post amd I'm sure I'll echo everyone else but keep going, I guarantee you won't be Shit. Day 4 my DH came into the bed room to me, boobs out and crying, baby crying, and milk everywhere except babies mouth! 9 weeks in we still have the odd difficult feed but I love the bond and benefits of bfing.

Good luck and keep going if it doesn't work for you then get out the formula xxx

dinodiva · 17/02/2016 03:12

Keep at it and go to all the breastfeeding support groups you can - I found them a godsend at the beginning.

My DD took a week to get a successful latch and start feeding properly - I ff and expressed and kept trying and eventually we both got it. I also found rugby ball hold the best at the beginning. You're doing a grand job, bf is hard work and can be so frustrating!

Original poster
mayaknew · 17/02/2016 08:14

Just thought I'd say she took two great feeds during the night. I used the rugby ball position and it worked a treat. I didn't get a proper latch but because of the comfort of that position she was able to just have a chew around and got what she needed.

OP posts:
WilLiAmHerschel · 17/02/2016 08:18

Well done op.

Have you tried grabbing your boob and squeezing it flat like a burger (that's what a midwife told me!) Then putting it into your dd's mouth. You can be a lot more forceful than you think with a newborn, it is scary but you can.

WilLiAmHerschel · 17/02/2016 08:19

Forceful in terms of actually putting your dd right up close to your nipple and sort of shoving it in.

superking · 17/02/2016 08:26

I'm really pleased you had a better night op. I found it tricky to get the hang of at first, resorted to formula a couple of times in the first week when we were both at the end of our tether, but once it clicked it was brilliant and I went on to ebf for 6 months and continued bf for 16! It sounds like you have cracked it now so well done.

captainproton · 17/02/2016 08:51

Mayaknew if you are still struggling in the next few days then I sympathise hugely. I'm a BF peer supporter and my DC3 is now 10 days old. I know from my training and experience of my other 2 DC that our little ones will fuss and behave as if they can't feed properly once our milk comes in (days 2-3). I knew for the last 3 nights (days 7-10) of constant feeding from one boob to the other with fitful naps of 10 minutes that baby was going through a well known growth spurt. I know there is likely to be another one in a week or so before feeding calms down. They do this to encourage milk production, a necessary evil unfortunately.

And although I know it, and it's normal, and my nipples are sore from a baby who sometimes latches ok, but does need taking off and relatching half the time as well, it doesn't make it any easier. I am tired, hungry, irritable and tbh sick to death of early AM TV. Oh and every time I letdown I soak myself in milk because I forgot to buy in enough breast pads and the muslins are 1metre out of reach and I can only look at it, the TV remote and bottle of water because babe is latched on and if I dare move we have to start again!

But it's not forever, it's not going to be like this once supply is established and baby has grown and learnt that she needs to latch on my nipple properly to get milk. It really is a case of taking each feed at a time and remembering this too shall pass.

So I don't want you to think that you are doing something wrong, and if you do go to a peer support group rest assured that everyone's baby has put them through the same start to breastfeeding. But at some point soon it will change from being a PIA to a complete joy.

Frazzled2207 · 17/02/2016 09:44

Brilliant well done you (and dd). Do seek professional advice today. At about day 4 ds and I got into quite a pickle, he wasn't feeding properly at all and he got dehydrated.
A sympathetic and knowledgeable midwife sorted us out though.

WhingyNinja · 17/02/2016 10:35

Fantastic! I laughed at 'a chew around' Smile

The rugby hold position is what got me through the first few weeks, best of luck for the future and congratulations! Thanks

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