Baby born last sat - lost 17% bodyweight - had to give formula, sad, please read if you know about BF

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

So...
beautiul son born last saturday. Have had trouble getting him to latch on and off ever since. Yesterday he went 6 hours without a feed, I hand expressed 1.4ml which got him a bit more perky and we got a mat support worker round, she helped with positioning and he fed. Fed again twice, last time at 1am. DH took him into living room and I slept - they both fell asleep until 6.30!!! I tried feeding then, took an hour to get him to latch, fed for 5 minutes. Clearly something wrong. BF support came again at 10 ish, weighed, and he has lost 17% bodyweight. She advised several things -
cup feed some formula to prevent jaundice/dehydration immediately. Gave 40mls, he slept for 3 hours.
Buy breast pump and start stimulating milk production. Done - produced 10mls about 1.5 hours ago.
Put him to the breast before every feed. Done 3 hours ago- but he wouldn't latch so gave him another 30ml formula - now alsseep.
He has also prodiced a good poo and wee since the formula so showing me he was in dire need. Colour is good tho so health wise he is ok.

I am desperate not to fail at BF. I'm hopeful that stimulating breasts will get enough milk in that he can go back to breast easily (he's not sucking, because there is very little there and it's too hard for him) I'm going to cup feed ubtil that point rather than bottle, whether it's formula or BM.

What do you think? (I hope that made sense) BF support woman coming back later today to check in. I feel well supported but very anxious. Oh and my milk came in a day later than normal and she thought that might have had an impact too. Trying to get him to latch was wearing us all out so much (though DH is fab) that I feel relief at him just feeding and sleeping which is awful - I don't want to be tempted by the 'easy' route. Please reassure me that we are doing everything right and that I will be able to BF again?

[whomovedmychocolate]

kat2907 - was he premie at all? Or does he have a problem opening his mouth? I had lots of probs with DD not being able to open her mouth wide enough to latch and went to see an osteopath who fixed it in literally half an hour.

My son who is nine weeks lost 15% of his body weight in his first week. He went right down to 7lbs and now he's 9 weeks old - he's 15lbs 10oz at last count (prob a bit more than that now). He was jaundiced and very drowsy though. So it can work out.

May I suggest that you do continue expressing, ask your midwife if she can get you milk from the milk bank - some areas can, some can't - then he can have donated milk rather than formula.

It doesn't sound like you have a supply issue and it is very early days. So keep at it. Do take every bit of advice and ask for help with latching every time you see a healthcare professional or indeed another mum you know has done it. Someone will have the key.

For me it was an osteopath and then a pillow to rest the baby on. It's always been the most comfortable position for me and even with all the probs I've been feeding DD for 23 months now and DS obviously for the last nine weeks.

Congratulations btw!

[barbiehouse]

i had problems with both my first two dds. eventually i resorted to nipple shields, which were great as i didn't have to express and cup feed although a faff with sterilizing. However i managed to wean them off these fairly quickly - by 4 weeks in both cases. with dd2 i actually fed her EBM with a bottle after having little luck in getting milk into her with a cup. The mw hasn't too happy about it, saying it would stop her bfing, but it obviously didn't and i was more panicked about her starving at that stage.
Persevere as long as you feel comfortable doing so, and btw, if you try shields they don't always take them first time.
Hope you had a good night - it always seemed the most stressful time to me.