Breast feeding nightmare

[Learnermamma]

I am having major problems breastfeeding.

I hada c section so it took my milk about a week 2 come through, then when daughter was a couple of wks old developed mastitis.

She is now 5 wks old and I am still struggling with the latching on, despite loads of support from 2 bf clinics and a fantastic bf councillor. What is wrong with me????

Very long and very frequent feeds are taking their toll, especially the cluster feeding in the evenings - it is literally non stop!

I don't have time 2 do anything else with her 2 stimulate her so that is worrying me aswell.

It is really depressing me. I get upset and frustrated whilst trying 2 latch on, which only make things worse.

She is gaining weight but slower than the HV would like. This if frustrating me coz I spend so nany hours a day feeding her 4 v little result.

My husband is brilliant and supportive and will stand by whatever I decide 2 do. But if I do give up I will beat myself up about it for failing - but I can't go on like this 4 another 5 months.

If I do go onto formula, would I still b able 2 give 1 breastfeed a day so she still gets some of my antibodies?

Any advice more than welcome.

I'm starting 2dispair!

The first 6 - 8 weeks can be hard on anyone as you are waiting for your milk supply to match your baby's demands. Add tiredness, and, in your case, recovery, onto that and you can have a tough time. You've done brilliantly to get this far, but have only few more weeks before it becomes a breeze.

I admit to always having had an easy time breastfeeding, but I would say that I made it my 'job' in those early weeks. It was a priority that was above everything else. What worked for me was to basically take the baby to be and feed on demand while snoozing, reading, watching TV.

Hi
I saw your post and I didn't want to leave it unanswered although I'm not a bf expert. I bf my ds (now 6 months) and although I had no problems with latch or anything like that I did find the whole experience a bit of a nightmare at times to be honest especially at the beginning.
My ds fed for really long periods and all the time as well so I feel your pain. My midwife came along on day 6 and told me he was meant to be feeding for 20 mins every 3 hours so I was probably doing it wrong as my ds was feeding for an hour at least at a time every hour or so. I really worried I was making a right arse of it until I went to a bf baby group and discovered half the girls there were doing the same thing and were all totally knackered.
Tbh I didn't get anything done until I weaned him at 6 months 'cos I was bf all the bloody time. It was a long slog and there were times when I was still up every hour and a half at 5 months and I thought I couldn't go on.
I would've given him a bottle except he had had problems with absorbing the milk for the first 3 months so I didn't dare.

You have to know you're not alone out there finding it hard work. It does get easier or maybe you just get used to it.

Having said that not exclusively bf or not bf at all is NOT FAILING. Not one bit of it. YoUr sanity is more important. If I ever have another I'm going to put a post it up on the fridge to remind me of this.

Learnermamma - you sound like you're doing really well and theres nothing wrong with you - it is hard at first - much harder than they tell you but it also does get easier - and once you're past this bit then it really comes into its own - I know thats hard to believe but its true.

It sounds as if your dd wants to be feeding all the time to build up your supply and this is totally normal - just let her pop off and on as she wants - both sides for unlimited periods of time - always offer both sides even if she seems full.

I know its exhausting but dont worry about anything else - or stimulating her - all she needs is you at this stage.

Lots of people will come along on here to give you lots of support if you keep posting.

Congratulations and Merry Christmas!

Learnermamma

Just wanted to say don't beat yourself up and keep preservering and if it still doesn't work you will know you have breast fed as much as was possible. I have had a c sectionn too and my baby wants to feed constantly and my nipples are very painful. I will do evrything i can to make it work but if it doesn't then there are alternatives and i think loving a baby and being in agood state of mind to do that is the most important thing above all else- so try not to think negaitively. I totally empathise as i felt this weird sense of failure for not being abloe to push my baby out after 3 hours of pushing- so ridiculous but you have to just observe your thought process and laugh at it- it is not true. The doc said i had no chance of pusing the head out as it was so big and my spine was positioned in such a way that baby could not get past- over 10 pounds.So not my failure- just the physiology of my body and baby's.

Do notbe Hard on yourself. Look at all the othe great things you are doing and pat yourself on the back for being so committed to giving your baby what you feel is the best- but it is all about the love in the end and for some the most loving thing becomes to stop b feeding if it just does not work despite trying everything- keep going and write down some of the things you know you are doing well to positivise yourself.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!