Trying to breastfeed premature (but huge) DD - any advice on getting her latched on...

[bojangles]

Hi

DD is 2 weeks old and arrived rather traumatically by emergency c section at 34 weeks following problems with my diabetes. She had quite extreme accelerated growth thanks to my diabetes and was born a rather shocking 9lb 6oz! We have been in hospital for 12 days where she has been fed by a combination of nasal tube and bottle with my ebm. She really struggles to latch on - she has the gaping mouth and has started rooting but she just lies there with the nipple in her mouth and just a few little sucks.

I am finding the expressing really hard as I have DD age 4 1/2 and DS age 2 1/2 and am recovering from a rather traumatic end to the pregnancy. Despite this I am just about managing to keep up with her needs.

Part of DD's problem is her size - she needs more food because of her size and getting it into her is a problem - she has lost 13 % of her birth weight so the midwife and hospital are still on our case about her gaining weight.

Does anyone have any ideas of positions or tips that would encourage her to feed. I am trying to put her to the breast before each feed but she gets frustrated (as do I) and I don't want to tire her out before taking her full bottle because of the need for her to gain weight.

Any advice greatly appreciated...

bojangles, have you seen a breastfeeding counsellor at all?
that would be my first port of call tbh, it's such a huge help if someone like that can come out and actually watch you feeding and give you tips while you're doing it.

I would actually try giving her some of her bottle and then trying her on the breast that way she isn't desperately hungry and won't get cross at iut not being there immediately

Rugby hold will help - fast flow in this position and also allows for full breast emptying to increase production. Get LOTS of pillows.

Definitely see a breastfeeding counsellor! Also, if baby is born abnormally large, doen't that mean it doesn't matter so much if they lose a bt of weight? I might be talking b...ocks!!

Skin-to-skin is great to keep everything calm, just offer her the breast every feed, give yourself a time limit, say 10 mins and if it hasn't worked by then, try a cup feeding. this technique is much more like breastfeeding as they have to put the tongue forward i order to get the milk, like in breastfeeding. Do this every feed and it wouldn't surprise me if she gets the idea quite quickly. Keep up the expressing as long as you can, though it is a pain!!

Hi

Thanks for your suggestions - we had some partial success today with the rugby hold and I will keep offering the breast at each feed. I am hoping to find a BF advisor this week for some more specific advice.

x