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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

quick help needed please

65 replies

soon2befamilyof4 · 27/04/2009 21:27

sorry for rushed post but baby screaming and I am in pain. so baics:

DD2 born on friday
not enjoying feeding. having trouble with latch and finding very painful.
dont want to give up BF as I did it for 8 months last time and plan the same sort of thing for this one.

I have loads of milk so def don't need to go down the formula route. BUT i want to know, if I express some milk, and feed it to her in a bottle or something, will I jsut make all my problems worse? I am SO sore, it is now at the point I dread her waking from a sleep, and want to cry everytime I know she needs feeding.

Pump in sterlizer as we speak but wanted to ask here first.

PLEASE say there is somebody around to help?!

OP posts:
Original poster
soon2befamilyof4 · 27/04/2009 21:29

MW did help with latch today and it worked perfectly at the time but now can't get it right again so she is going to come back on Wed. Meant to be out for the day visiting relatives tomorrow.

OP posts:
notnowbernard · 27/04/2009 21:31

Yes, I'd express and give in a bottle (or maybe a medicine syringe?)

I am not an expert though! Will keep this bumped for you til one comes along

foxytocin · 27/04/2009 21:33

if you are engorged it is better to express some off as it will make latching on easier for your baby. thereby meaning that latch should be easier rather than worse when she wakes. in fact, when you think she is coming into a light sleep, take off some milk with hand or pump to aid latching.

btw, don't be too manic about sterilising a pump. hot soapy water, rinsed then air dried is good enough.

screw rellies if you really intend to get this breastfeeading going. get to a breastfeeding support group or some such in area.

fulltimeworkingmum · 27/04/2009 21:33

Hello - get that pump out and express your milk to make sure you continue to have loads. Continue to offer the breast - try shields for a few days if it's agony. Start expressing and storing now. Give her as much as she'll have from you then top her up with breast milk from the bottle to fill her up. I know it's not the Earth Mother ideal but it will save yoor sanity and let you, the baby and everyone else in the house get some shut-eye. In a few days, your baby may just happily trough as much as she can take from you and the pump can go back in the cupboard. This has nothing to do with your maternal abilities - DD2 is just a different person, albeit a very small one - Good Luck!!

giveusabreak · 27/04/2009 21:33

Great that you feel confident about your milk supply.

Are you worried about nipple confusion? I don't suppose a bottle of EBM will cause that. Could you look at cup feeding? If it saves your sanity and gives your nips a break then my (totally amateur) view is why not tonight.

But get some RL help in the morning. My lovely MW (so lovely I nearly named our second baby after her was fab in many ways but did not give good latch advice. Can you get to a bf drop in and see an NCT or La Leche bf counsellor tomorrow to see if you can resolve the latch issue.

GL - hope one of the gurus comes along too

fishie · 27/04/2009 21:35

you could google
self attachment
biological nursing
biological nurturing

to see how you can get your baby to latch by herself.

can you postpone the family visit? it is a bit much for 5 days. sorry i know nothing about pumping.

Original poster
soon2befamilyof4 · 27/04/2009 21:56

My milk came in yesterday PM - is it meant to still be yellow?

OP posts:
fulltimeworkingmum · 27/04/2009 22:06

Yes - don't worry unless you have raging mastitis in both breasts and it's pus not milkwhich is HIGHLY unlikely. Hindmilk tends to be yellower than the foremilk which is watery. This is normal.

StarlightMcKenzie · 27/04/2009 22:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

studentBFC · 27/04/2009 22:24

hi, like #fishie# said biological nurturing is fantastic, lay back and relax and let baby latch on by herself, if it hurts put your finger in the side of her mouth to release the nipple and try again, try and relax, i know easier said then done!! but if you worry yourself or get stressed it will be alot harder to make it work, relax and let the oxytocin flow!!!

try and get in touch with a NCT breast feeding counsellor or if you need it here is the national breastfeeding helpline number 0300 330 0771

hope that helps!!

fulltimeworkingmum · 27/04/2009 22:31

If you wince every time she cries to be fed let alone when her mouth comes near your nipple, you are never going to relax. Do what ever you feel is right - don't let the NCT or La Leche League militants brow beat into feeling like a failure but equally don't give up yet and resort to formula.
Pure lanolin or sore nipples is very good for soothing and healing too.

callmeovercautious · 27/04/2009 22:39

Congratulations

Here is my experience if it helps:

I was the same at 9/10 days. DD had a bottle from DH and then slept for hours. I slapped on the lanislough (sp?) cream and slept.

It did the trick and I was so much more prepared and rested that the pain was OKish. I did not ever bleed though - just v sore. The small break and a bit of sleep really helped.

DD fed until well over 2yrs, no nipple confusion but was always willing to have a bottle or cup when a bit older.

StarlightMcKenzie · 27/04/2009 22:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

fulltimeworkingmum · 27/04/2009 22:44

Hmmm - are you a midwife, Starlight?

Original poster
soon2befamilyof4 · 27/04/2009 22:47

sorry, will reply properly soon

Have expressed some and fed twice. She is now having the EBM but seems starving - she is wolfing it down from a syringe. How much should I expect her to take?

As she is still so hungry - do you think she wasn't getting much from me?

OP posts:
AnarchyAunt · 27/04/2009 22:49

Has she been checked for tongue tie?

Original poster
soon2befamilyof4 · 27/04/2009 22:50

no, not that I know of - what are the signs?

OP posts:
foxytocin · 27/04/2009 22:51

FTWM: if you have any bones with the NCT LLL or other bf organisations, please take open a thread somewhere else to vent. and by all means, link it back here so that we can all find it in the morning.

in the meantime, the OP deserved encouragement and information over here.

AnarchyAunt · 27/04/2009 22:51

Tongue tie and pictures

Original poster
soon2befamilyof4 · 27/04/2009 22:51

And pump confirmed loads of milk supply so that is def not the issue. I do feel a lot more comfortable now I am not overflowing!

OP posts:
fulltimeworkingmum · 27/04/2009 22:52

Just keep persevering and offering her your breast first. If she does not want to feed from you then she won't although she may lie there quite happily sucking on your nipple and turning it into an agonising, soggy mass of swollen tissue. Express whatever is left when she's finished with you to keep your supply. Some babies are lazier than others so if you keep offering breast first, she may get the idea that that is where the food comes from and carry on until she's full

AnarchyAunt · 27/04/2009 22:54

Signs can include difficulty latching that causes sore nipples, and inefficient feeding/milk transfer.

Ask midwife/HV to check, and it can be snipped if they find she has it.

Good luck, well done for persevering

foxytocin · 27/04/2009 22:54

good call, AA. google images 'tongue tie' you will see pictures.

but OP, have you tried biological nurturing/baby led attachment? I've suggested it twice and at least 2 other posters have and you haven't updated us if it has or hasn't worked or if you have even tried it. well?

As TT said, you need RL help an internet forum is no substitute. and not all MWs are good at breastfeeding support which is why we are suggesting a bf support group with hopefully a counsellor attached.

have you called a helpline?

ShowOfHands · 27/04/2009 22:54

The amount she will take from a syringe/bottle/cup is no reflection of how much she is getting from you. It's a different experience for her.

I'm sorry it's so difficult right now. I struggled so much in the early days with terribly sore and cracked nipples.

23 months in and I can still remember the toe curling pain of latching onto a sore nipple. But 23 months in and we're still feeding so it got better. And fast.

The breastfeeding counsellors from BFN NCT LLL etc are there to help you.

You're doing very, very well.

fulltimeworkingmum · 27/04/2009 23:03

I have no problem at all with NCT or LLL if that is the way anyone wishes to go but it is not for everyone and can leave you feeling inadequate if you cannot or do not want to follow their advice and guidance.