Apologies in advance for the long post!
My LO is 4 months old and when he was born we were immediately told he had a severe tongue tie and would need it snipped otherwise he would struggle with feeding from the breast or bottle. The procedure didn’t completely rectify the issue and he was never able to latch on to breastfeed. I had enough of a supply through pumping, though, and I’ve been feeding him exclusively with pumped breastmilk ever since. We were told by feeding specialists that he might grow strong enough eventually to overcome the tongue tie and that I should keep trying with the latch but after month 2 I gave up with the attempts because it was just too much. I pump 5 times a day and have expressed through a breast abscess that needed hospital treatment and multiple clogged ducts.
He sleeps with a dummy and I was at my in-laws today but had forgotten the dummy. He was getting pretty fractious so I thought ‘hey, I’ll try my nipple instead’ and he latched on perfectly and breastfed from both sides for about 15 minutes. I’d just pumped so I don’t think there was much in there but he was definitely drinking.
I just cried - after 4 months he can suddenly latch on?! The problem I now have is whether I want to try again with breastfeeding. I’d got my head around exclusive pumping and we’d got into a routine. I like the fact other people can get involved in giving him the bottle and I like the fact I know exactly how much he’s getting. I’ll be going back to work when he’s 7 months. I’m now not sure I want to introduce direct breastfeeding!
Does anyone have any advice or thoughts at all as this has really knocked me for six?!