Breast feeding issues in first week

[JLou86]

I struggled to get my little one to latch on properly resulting in very sore nipples. Ended up bottle feeding to give myself time to heal. I breast fed the first 3 days and then bottle fed for 3 days. My breasts became quite swollen so tried a breast pump, helped relive things a but not a lot. Had help from midwife yesterday to get her to latch on successfully.
Problem now is that my breasts seem very soft as though there isn’t much milk there. Plus I think little one has gotten lazy and will only suckle for a short time before pulling away a crying because she’s hungry.
Any advice???

If you do want to continue BFing, I think you need some RL support. Are you home now? Could you call one of the BFing helplines?

Congratulations too

I had this issue too, mine was a nibbler when she was born, ended up formula feeding initially and pumping from day one, as she made my nipples bad enough that she was vomiting my blood. I then tried breast feeding her again with nipple shields as her latch was so poor, but it just didn’t work for us, she is now solely fed expressed breast milk.

I'm also nursing a 6 day old.

Have you tried using a variety of positions? My LO likes one hold on one breast but not on the other so i have been trying a variety!

I also found squeezing out a bit of milk and putting it to his lips helps him get the taste for it and open his mouth wider to get a good match.

Good luck, hope you can continue BF

@hope06 - can I ask how you manage to exclusively express please? I’ve got mastitis at the moment and baby has a bad latch so I’ve been expressing milk but also giving him some formula as I can’t express the amount he wants quick enough! What pump do you have and what do you do with baby when expressing as I find it hard for mine to settle if he’s not on me.

Congratulations!!
My fourth liked the rugby ball hold in the first few weeks. Nibbling or snacking (short feeds) is normal, it's called cluster feeding. I found going and lying topless in bed helped - baby still likes skin to skin and the position was good for us both, and I got a proper lie down/rest!!!
Boobs do lose that swollen full feel, normally after 7 days..but the more baby feeds the more milk you will supply.
Good luck xxx

@E889 honestly, it’s horrificly difficult, at the moment, I’m only just managing to stay ahead of her demand. She is 17 days old now, yesterday we upped her feed amounts to just under 3oz, when it was the 2oz I could keep up no problem.
I usually pump 8 times a day, sometimes more with one pump in the middle of the night. So 2-3hrly during the day and then if we go to bed at 10ish I’ll get up and pump at 3 and then again between 7-8 when she wakes for a feed.
I have an Ardo calypso pump, I initially borrowed one from my maternity unit but when it appeared that we would have to exclusively express, I purchased my own.
She’s usually pretty settled in her baby box, there are times when I have to stop pumping to settle her, or I pump one side whilst holding her on the other and then switch, or if my husband is home, I get him to settle her.
I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty hard going, between the pumping, feeding, washing and sterilising, sometimes I feel like it’s never ending.
She has also had formula in the first week when I couldn’t express enough, and I’m in no way adverse to giving her formula when I can’t keep up with what she’s needing.

@E899 just realised I put your user name in wrong! Sorry! Tired mum brain

Always offer boob before formula, try to find a breast feeding grpoup near you. Ask your hv if there are any peersupporters in your area. Try different positions. Don,t look on here for advice go to Kelly mom, or ssociation of breast feeding mothers or le leche league.