2 week old - switching to bottle, please help

[Samemka]

Hi ladies

I have been exclusively bf'ing Emma for 2 weeks but I can't do it anymore. Both my nipples are cracked and feeding her is hell, I'm in tears everytime and it's getting to the stage where I dread feeding her, which is wrong & I don't want to feel like that. I want to enjoy her and feeding her and at the moment it's making me feel so down because I just dread our feeds and I'm worried if I continue I may end up getting really.

Can anyone help me - how do I best go about switching to bottles? I'd be really grateful for any advice!

Sam x x

 

[mama2b]

I *think* the best way is to gradually drop a feed.

Im not sure how often as I am still bf but im sure someone will be along soon with the correct advice

 

[Samemka]

Thanks. I think I'm going to try expressing as I really want Emma to stay on breastmilk, but I just can't stand the pain - hopefully expressing will ease it!

 

[asacia]

Have you seen a breastfeeding counsellor recently? If you want to continue breastfeeding directly, they might be able to offer a solution.

 

[Samemka]

I'm due a visit from the midwife today, so I'm going to ask her advice - that's if she turns up...it's getting a bit late now!! If not I'll ring a breastfeeding counsellor tomorrow - they gave me a number on my postnatal notes I think!!

 

[Rah]

Its horrible being in pain i was bleeding with every feed my BF midwife suggested a different hold so the pressure was on a different area of the nipple and taught me how to get a better latch worked wonders
I hope you get it sorted either expressing from now on or just enough so you heel and cont BF

 

[Mervs Mum]

No advice just

 

[Lu28]

I had this problem when I started out, cracked and bleeding nipples and problems latching on. I ended up expressing from about 5 days and feeding her expressed milk and once my nipples had healed I started getting her back on the boob until about 4 to 5 weeks when she was being exclusively breastfed again. There's no shame in giving yourself a break hon.

If you want to keep expressing for her then I shouldn't worry too much because you'll still have your milk and I just supplemented with formula if I couldn't express enough.

Good luck hon, it honestly does get easier!

 

[Samemka]

Thanks everyone - feel a lot better now!!!

Lu - how did you go about expressing?? I'm not sure how often to pump to make sure I have enough - have googled it but can't really find much. At the moment I like the idea of feeding her say 2-3 bottles a day of expressed milk (say during the day if we are out, and the late feed so OH can do it) so I can keep on directly BF too......but I may have to exclusively express because each time I feed I'm getting more pain. If I pump after feeding her, do I have to make sure she feeds from only one side then I can express from the other? ATM she's having 10 mins on each side so I'm not sure if we need to try and change this. What about exclusively expressing - do I just pump like I would do if she was feeding (ie every 3 hrs?)?

Sorry for all the questions - feel very clueless!!

 

[Lu28]

Don't worry hon, questions are always welcome!

I expressed without direct bfing at all from about 4 days old to 2.5 weeks old and I just expressed after every feed so my body knew when she was getting milk. I have to admit, I didn't express after the feeds at night and I probably should have. It made it a bit difficult to get out and about because I was always very conscious that I wanted to express every 3 hours or so. Exclusively expressing is alot of work and a huge commitment, I certainly couldn't have done it, I had to supplement with formula as it was.

Once my nipples had healed I started working at getting her back on the boob again, it was slow work and we'd try for 10 minutes and then go for a bottle and then try later when she wasn't too hungry. It was a challenge to get her back on but it was well worth it in the end. And honestly if I hadn't taken the break from direct bfing when I did, I'm not sure I could have continued...

Good luck hon and feel free to pm me any time if you want

 

[Samemka]

Thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate it!! It sounds like you've done a great job with your daughter and I hope I can do the same