Please help - have I messed this up already?

[mrsjuan]

My beautiful baby girl is only 5 days old and I'm panicking that I've messed up breastfeeding already. She has been cluster feeding & suckling for comfort literally all night since day 1 and together with her filling nappy after nappy after nappy and weeing all over her clothes almost every time I changed her it has obviously been difficult (although I know not unusual). I haven't slept more than 3 hours per day since we bought her home & all that has been in little slots in the daytime

I had a ventouse delivery with an episiotomy following an induction which I was happy with but left me very sore down below so that I didn't realise until yesterday that what I thought was just soreness from the delivery was in fact a urine infection. I managed to get some antibiotics last night but felt so rough that we gave in and gave her a dummy to settle her so that I could get a few hours - which I did.

But now worried that I have messed up. Any ideas? Please?

I'm no expert but just wanted to send you some virtual support because you sound knackered. Is she now refusing the boob or is there another reason to make you think you've messed up? If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

We didn't use a dummy early on but did offer her a finger a lot (until she cottoned on!) and she's still a boob monster at 7.5 months.

Hope you're feeling better after some sleep. And congratulations too!

Doesn't sound messed up to me! If she needed milk she wouldn't likely have taken the dummy.

Ah now you are doing a fab job. I take it this is your first baby?
It can take up to a month to establish good BF. Some women and babies get it straightaway.
Cluster feeding is quite normal. Remember you are both learning how to do this together. There is no right or wrong way. As long as baby is happy then you are doing it right for you both.
You need to make sure you are drinking enough fluids to help flush out UTI. The antibiotics could give both of you a bit of a bad tummy so be aware, but dont worry.
Just rememeber to really enjoy your baby. Before you know it baby will be crawling then running then off to school.

I am on baby number 3. I have BF all three fro different lengths of time. Number 1 took 7 days and then no probs. Number 2 about 3 days. Number 3, different story altogether. He took about 5 weeks. I even had to use a dummy for him which never had to before. But still feeding now at 7.5 months. So all good.

Well done for getting this far and keep going as you are. You are a fab mummy.

mrsjuan - my DD was just the same, but after the first 2 weeks we gave her a dummy (felt awful about it at the time but was the best thing we could have done) and she was able to soothe herself and I got some sleep, we were then able to get into a nice 3hr routine for feeds which gave me a chance to get some rest.
I'm bf and the dummy doesn't seem to have had any bad effect, she 12 wks now btw. Maybe just keep an eye on her ability to latch on and if at any point you think that it is affecting her then take the dummy away??
Sounds like you're doing a great job, it will get easier, honestly.

Sounds like you are doing a great job! Not sure why you think you have messed up??? There's no issue with giving a dummy surely?? My 3 have all been v sucky babies and I found dummies invaluable. With DD1 I gave her one after about 10 days as, like you, I desperately needed a break from constant feeding (and crying). With DD2 and DS I started offering a dummy after just a couple of days and they both took to it immediately. I never had any trouble distinguishing when they were hungry (they would spit the dummy out and cry), I never had any problems with bf and they were much happier and more settled. As it happened DD1 and DD2 both rejected dummies around 3 or 4 months and planted their thumbs firmly in their mouths never to be removed (a whole other problem.....). DS is only 6 wks old so I don't know what he will do.

All the literature I've been given has warned against giving dummies & I scared myself this morning with some googling! She seems to be latching on and feeding as normal this morning- if anything perhaps going longer without falling asleep so I feel better having read your responses thank you. I think she will find her thumb soon enough to be honest & we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!
Thank you.