Having a rough time of it, 9 day old

[Kylieemilyj]

I feel like a terrible parent, after a fairly traumatic birth for the both of us, my poor baby had tongue tie treated at 3 days old, he’s been breast, syringe and bottle feeding (expressed milk). I am exhausted and now my milk supply has started tanking dramatically. I feel like I want to cry all the time, I’m feeling so low. My baby eats about 3oz every 2-4 hours, and I attempt to pump the same but my supply is just dropping right off whereas a few days ago it was pouring and my boobs were rock solid. I don’t feel like I’m good enough for my little man, I don’t feel like I do enough for him. No real point to this but I am stuck under a sleeping clingy baby doing skin to skin and I just need someone to talk to...

You are not a terrible parent!

Having a new baby is such hard work. I would think at this point it's your milk settling down, to start with you have such an abundance of milk but it doesn't stay like that. Your body should make as much as your baby needs to drink. If your baby is feeding every 2-4 hours and your feeding from the breast is there a reason that you are pumping on top?

Hi new mummy! First things first you are doing amazingly! The fact that you’re trying all these things actually shows how much you love and care for your baby so don’t feel like a terrible parent you’re very much the opposite! As for the breast feeding, stress could lower your supply but fear not as your supply isn’t fully established yet so keep preserving, put baby on the breast whenever you can as it comforts and feeds your LO and should help without your supply, also don't be afraid to contact your midwife or health visitor and talk to her if you’re having any worries about that! However if your supply doesn’t pick up in the next few weeks or even if it does and you’re finding it difficult don’t feel pressured to keep going! I breast fed for 6 weeks I had a great supply but my baby wanted constant feeding like every hour and I couldn’t cope so I switched to formula my baby didn’t mind she’s a very happy baby still, just don’t put pressure on yourself is the point I’m trying to make you do what you feel comfortable with! You’re doing great though honestly try and get some self care in and relax you got this!

@Wurlysurly, sorry I should have said I have to express feed as my baby is too lazy to latch :( he has the technique and the support team have said i have done everything right but still my flow is too fast for him and he doesn’t want to wait for a letdown.between us both being exhausted, his tongue tie and his constant tummy aches I just feel the world is against us breast feeding. I am seriously debating giving up and going formula fed, I am exhausted. I really didn’t want to but a happy mum means a happy baby.

OP I was you about a week or so ago. Baby was jaundiced and had a severe tongue tie so couldn't latch. I was feeding, pumping, sterilising, bottle feeding, washing up, it was rubbish and I was knackered.

Turning point for me was getting the tongue tie snipped and using nipple shields. We got the Medela ones and it made a difference immediately. We only had to use them for about a week and the I slowly persevered more with getting him to latch directly to the breast. We are now going great guns on the feeding but 10 days ago I was pretty close to giving up.

If you are pumping regularly it's unlikely your supply has dropped too much. Have you tried nipple shields? If not I'd definitely give them a try (Medela ones are available on Amazon Prime), good luck!

Nipple shields deffo. They say day 9 is when you crash I believe it too.

I've no real advice, but have full sympathy for you.
Go easy on yourself - you're doing everything you can.
I hope you feel better about it soon.