Moving from mixed feeding back to breast..........encouragement and help please

[PeckaRolloverAgain]

To cut a waffly tale short DD 8 weeks over the last few days has been almost bottle fed except 2-3 breastfeeds a day.

Not sure if our problem is nipple confusion or possible tongue tie (meeting with a breastfeeding counsellor tomorrow to discuss this).

DD started to refuse to feed ocassionally a week or so again, after introducing an ocassional bottle - I thought I was ok with moving to bottles but she quickly started to refuse the breast at most feeds and getting really, very agitated if I even attempted to put her on the breast. The only time she would feed is overnight on teh night feed.

I was/am gutted at the refusal and the realisation that breastfeeding was coming to a premature end if I didnt do something.

After talking to the lovely marslady, a lactation consultant for doula uk and then emailling a breastfeeding counsellor in my area it seems likely that tongue tie might be an issue. They have also encouraged me that all is not lost and I shoudl be able to get it back.

The last day or so with going very slowly I have managed to get her to take the boob at a few feeds but the feeds seem pretty short and ineffective before she refuses to go back on. Her latch has deteriorated and she slips off often.

I am seeing BFC tomorrow who hopefully can tell me if tongue tie is an issue and give me some help and support with positioning, latch etc

I just hope that it is not too late as she is having rather a large amount of formula/ebm and because she is refusing often im finding it hard to give my breasts the extra stimulation they need to increase milk supply.

Im guessing that my milk supply must be pretty low by now but there is still milk there when i express/squeeze and she feeds pretty happily from me on the overnight feed.

anyone else done this and managed it?

breast compression aitch? yep, do that

they are just so awfully floppy im longing for engorgement again just for aesthetic reasons ;)

i might order some more milk plus capsules - they seem to come reccommended

mmmm, you sound gorgeous. breast compression, that's the fella.

more milk plus ordered.......expressing as i type.........off to read up on motilium

i will do this!

i bet you will!

Sounds like your making great progress pecka.

The more milk plus will work wonders, i used special bllend and started majorly over producing.. be careful as i ended up getting mastitis twice as i was producing way too much and not emptying the breasts fully. But still carried on taking the ticture for fear i would stop producing!!.. stupid eh? It definately gave me the boost i needed tho.

Your doing great.

determination - how long did you take it for? how quickly does it kick in?

Oh yeah, I overdid it too and got horribly engorged....they kicked in really quickly, I would say I felt a difference within the first couple of days.

kicked in within 24 hours and i took it for approx 3 months (i think!). I that time majorly over produced to the extent other people could see when i was letting down as my breasts would swell up slightly and go very firm.. then the milk would start squirting everywhere!

hey all

VERY tiring night - DD fed VERY often which although knackering is also wonderful - this morning I got a big letdown on right hand side when feeding on left, milk running down my stomach - I was like WOOHOO we have milk!

I take it DD is feeding more often to boost my supply yeah?

How long will the process take until she is taking full feeds at the breast again? She was previouly feeding every 3 hrs or so and doing one quite long stretch at night?

if she is feeding very often at breast and having no supplements.. it should only take a few days for your supply to be back fully. If your feeling strong letdowns and milk flowing from opposite breast.. this is a great sign

So happy for you. You must be delighted.

things are continuing to improve here

DD is still feeding very regularly but the important thing is she is FEEDING!!!! she has refused a little bit ocassionally but far less angrily than before and now, if I give her a little rest she normally takes it again.

No topups at all have been necessary and my supply has increased enough that when i am expressing i am actually getting something out so that any topups can be ebm if necessary.

Cant believe how far we have come in a week.

for some reason though, the feeds when i hold her "traditionally" in the cradle hold is when the feed is ineffective and she bobs on and off and doesnt feed for long - any tips on that?

Best of luck with the transition back to breast ? I certainly know of people who've done it. I have a 10-week old baby and have been mix feeding from the start because of problems with my milk supply (I've tried to get off the formula top-ups but supply really is an issue - the maximum I manage to express from both breasts together is 30ml).

It sounds as if, with the amount you're expressing you'll be fine but re lactation aids - one health visitor recommended fenugreek to me for boosting milk supply (two or three capsules taken three times daily). I've been taking it for a few days and it does seem to have made a bit of a difference so perhaps worth a try if you're concerned. Costs about £7 or £8 from Holland & Barrett and seems to make all your bodily fluids smell of maple syrup!!

Sorry, just read some of the more recent posts - sounds like you're doing brilliantly anyway.

BTW, the other thing I tried was Maxolon (metoclopramide), an anti-emetic which my doctor gave on prescription because one of the side-effects is increased lactation - didn't seem to make that much difference to me though.

Hope BF continues to go well

Pecka,

How's it going today?

If she does't like the "cradle hold" then go back to the BN positions. The research paper was published this week and it's really good, although it is very long, but, if you scroll down to page 7 the pictures are very helpful. www.biologicalnurturing.com/images/pubs/Colson%20Meek%20and%20Hawdon%202008.pdf When you cradle her do you hold her head with the opposite hand to boob and sort of lay her on your inner forearm? Both mine hated this, but would happily feed if laid withier heads in the crook of my arm and brought to the breast that way, and I found a v-shaped pillow very helpful with positioning support too.

Xmasmum have you tried combining nettle and milk thistle to boost your milk supply? (my favourite way of taking this was as Twinings Blackberry and Nettle tea with drops of Milk Thistle tincture in it, I definately noticed a difference!) And has anyone told you that what comes out when you express and what come sout when a baby nurses are two very different things? Just because you were only managing to express 30mls doesn't mean you had no milk, just that you weren't responding to the pump, as many women don't because the stimulation is very different. If you follow the advice on the rest of this thread I have no doubt that you could ditch the bottles too in a few weeks!

things continuing to go from strength to strength today.

she fed happily in the night, big feed early this morning, then i expressed 2oz, another big feed mid morning then she slept or 2 hours and has just had another breast feed - she wasnt quite as obliging at that feed but then all babies have off times dont they?

now my supply is building back up i feel much more confident not to top up and even went out for this morning taking with me only a couple of nappies and my breasts!!

this time last week i was so gutted and now i am thrilled.

pecka this is amazing... you deserve a gold star!! You now have the medal to help other mums get back -to-the brest...

Congratulation

dont speak too soon determination! (but thankyou for the praise!)

dd fed today after that message at 1.20, 2.40, 3.30, 4.20, 5.30, 6.15

what do i make of that? more milk supply building or short ineffective feeds?

my more milk plus arrived today so hopefully that should help get my supply back to its former glory

No need to call now Pecka my lovely. Proud of you!

More feeding = More milk.
Well done. Brlliant that you are sounding so positive.

Marsy, if it wasnt for you I may have continued on the miserable path I was on last week!

I cant promise I wont be snivelling down the phone to you again at some point ;)

Thanks moondog I am feeling positive, in fact turning this situation around is one of the most positive things I have ever done. i really was so close to stopping breastfeeding - feel so glad that I have given both me and DD another go. I think I would have regretted it bitterly if i didnt.

Ohh pecka, i've just read thos whole thread and am chuffed its all working out fro you and little M.

fab news pecka x

should you ever need to snivel down the phone my angel then snivel! I'm here.

ahhhhhhhhhhh at the risk of boring everyone - just put DD down to bed with milk dribbling down her chin after a massive, milky, snuggly bedtime feed.

I can feel the happy hormones surging round my body (with the aid of some pink fizz as well )