becoming so disheartened :(

[nyomi1990]

Hi girls

my little girl was born on the 12th, I want to breastfeed, Have done since i seen my mam do it with my sister when i was young and have so much milk already, my little girl didnt get placed onto breast until she was over 8 hours old because I had too go down too theater too be stitched. She had only 20 minute skin to skin before i went down.

when i started breastfeeding she would latch and latch well but fall asleep at my breast. I had diamorphine during the labour which only lasted 2 hours, so it was in her system for a long time, shes been content since she was born and will sleep for such long periods of time, I was told this would wear off after 48 hours but even now at nearly 5 days old she will still sleep just as much only getting restless on a nighttime.

I had a lot of colostrum so that midwives and the breastfeeding consultant in the hospital noticed i was having issues and suggested I tried hand expressing it into a syringe and feeding baby that way, It worked and she took it no problem. she was then placed on my boob often too see if she would wake up and suck, they said she was just a lazy baby and that it would improve once she started coming round from the painkillers.

Fast forward through the week I have been reguarly placing her on the breast too which she instantly falls asleep, sometimes she sucks and falls asleep after 2 to 3 sucks. yesterday morning she had two fantastic feeds, Was on both breasts for around 15 minutes with very good sucking and seemed extremely content afterwards. But other than them Shes been asleep, had too be woken, and then i use the breastpump and get maybe one too two ounces for her too feed with and give it too her in the syringe or a sippy cup (as directed by midwife, she also suckles with this) I then place her back on the breast as she is more awake, for her too just go back off too sleep.

She has regular wet nappies, but is only feeding every 2 too 4 hours and only having 1 too 2 ounces before she starts too spit it out and need burping, she seems happy with it but I know this is not enough Im so worried, I really do not want too give up. I just feel I havent been given good support, as much as people have tried. they just keep saying shes being lazy and give me techniques too wake her back up which do not work. Ive tried everything once she falls asleep on the boob she has too be taken off and then is too sleepy too latch correctly.

At first and up until tonight Ive kept myself stress free, I wasnt letting it bother me as i knew she was feeding just slightly less and not on the breast just yet, Ive had regular midwife visits, baby started too show signs of jaundice but her levels came back fine, so now they are just checking im ok with her feeding the way she is and keep saying she will improve.

Im so sorry that this post is so all over the place im just so up a hieght and emotional all of a sudden, I'm determined too do this, and no for some it takes longer, I have the milk, and my little one knows how too latch, she just wont suck

 

[Janers]

You're doing good! Don't get discouraged, breastfeeding is a very natural thing, but but baby still needs to learn how to do it!

I didn't get my baby latched until she was 10 weeks old! So you're doing better then I was!

Do you have access to the La Leche League? They were a huge help for me, the support from other nursing mums was wonderful. If you could go to a meeting, or even send them an email I think you'll appreciate their support.

My advice (purely from my own experience) is to put baby on the breast as soon as she looks interested, and skip pacifiers and dummies. If she has a good amount of full diapers I bet she is getting enough. It doesn't take much to fill these little tummies!

Good luck! You're doing a fabulous job, be proud of yourself!

 

[nyomi1990]

thanks for the advice ill look into that support group

 

[Nicolalove353]

It sounds like you are doing good. My son had latch issues from day one and also would fall asleep right away. He seemed to sleep all day! I had to wake him up to feed the first few weeks. I would have to strip him down, take off his diaper, and use a wet wipe on his chest to wake him. He hated the wet wipe but it kept him awake! It takes them a few weeks to wake up and be a lil more alert. Is she gaining weight ok? That will tell you if she is getting enough. Also if she is getting enough pee and poop diapers, I would imagine she is getting enough.

Hang in there! Bf is so much harder than I ever thought! Congrats on your lil girl!

 

[nyomi1990]

thankyou so much, shes having enough wet nappies but since yesterday hasnt had a number 2 even though shes had more milk in the last 24 hours then she has since she was born, shes too be weighed tomorrow so fingers crossed she hasnt lost too much, i think ive gotten myself so scared that shes not ok even though i know shes content, i didnt realise a sleeping baby could cause me so much worry lol. Tonight i had too swap from her syringe too a bottle teat but i have still been able too get her onto the boob just as usual she sleeps, I gave her two ounces from the pump in a bottle and she had it gone straight away, it was a lot easier than the syringe which i also have issues with waste from when she spits it out. I do feel a lot better knowing that even though i gave her the bottle she had my milk. I was able to see her have it and enjoy it and she was very content afterwards

I did however have a little cry that id used the bottle but I know its best for me at this time too feel she is getting enough from me and using the syringe was stressing me out slightly as it was such a low amount and i had too keep giving her them over and over.

I think i have baby blues, Ive cried tonight non stop out of nowhere, even looking at her made me cry because i cant believe i made her.... thanks girls u have gave me a little hope that im doing ok xxx

 

[ttc bubby no2]

It is so hard at the start but you are doing well. It sounds like you have lots of milk which is great. I would probably suggest still sticking with a syringe rather than bottle if you can if not feeding from the boob, but trying to put her on the boob often as you can too.

My first was quite a sleepy baby at first too. I had to try feeding one side for 5 mins with poking and rubing him to keep him awake, swap the other side for another 5, then change his nappy to wake him up more, then 5 mins each side again and lots of clapping, poking etc to try to get him to stay awake. I wondered how I was going to keep that up forever but he did improve in time.

Another idea is stripping her down to just a nappy as the cool air can help and skin to skin will simulate her senses more.

If you are determined you will get there, it will also get easier. It is hard to see it now but it does get easier.

Good luck!

 

[cat_reversing]

hey, keep your chin up, you're doing so well.
There is so much going on with your body right now you're bound to be a bit all over the place but it will settle, I promise. I didn't believe anyone either but here I am telling you the same.
Don't worry about using a bottle, baby still had your milk and it may take a little time to really get into the swing of things, in a few weeks you and lo will be doing fine.
Keep putting baby to breast as much as you can and as other said, take off baby's clothes, tickle feet whatever you need to keep baby awake.
Re baby blues, make sure you're looking after yourself too, eat well drink well and sleep when you can, make sure you keep talking to people don't shut yourself away, watch a funny show or listen to music you really like, it will help.
We're all here if you need us.

 

[annio84]

It sounds like you're doing really well hun. Good for you for keeping going.

My DD was a very lazy baby too and would fall asleep at the boob very quickly. I swear I spent most of her first few weeks blowing on her face and tickling her! As she got older the sleepy problem improved.


It sounds like she's getting enough. The wet and dirty nappies are a really good indicator of this but I wouldn't worry about going a day or so without a dirty one - DD passed all the meconium and then after day 3 or 4 she didn't have one for 6 days. My midwife said it was totally normal. The other thing is babies tummys are tiny so if your baby seems satified then I wouldn't worry - if she's hungry I'm sure she'll let you know about it.

As other ladies have said maybe try finding la leche league locally, or we have a group called FAB (used to be called little angels). They run breast feeding support groups at our children's centres - i've just been to mine this morning, it's really great for discussing issues and getting support from the FAB volunteer who really knows her stuff.

Good luck hun!

 

[Elmo5]

Have you tried feeding via a cup instead of a syringe. They lap it like a cat. It is a little quicker. I would try to avoid the bottle so there is no nipple confusion. Also it will get better, they do get more awake. I know how frustrating it is trying to wake a lethargic baby to feed.

 

[nyomi1990]

Hey every1,

Just an update on breastfeeding, its going fantastic, little one still has little fusses before she feeds, she does feed for a long time a good 20 to 25 minutes on each breast, that is taking its toll especially on a nightime, although she only wakes up to 2 times after her last feed b4 I go to bed.

It took a while though, and the day after I wrote ths thread we were readmittd to hospital cos little 1 had lost 1pound 6ounces in weight, and was just sleeping, she was tube fed top ups and woke up almost instantly, we were in for 2 nights but it was 4 the best as now shes doing great

 

[cat_reversing]

great to hear things are going well, keep it going!!
My lo would feed for up to an hour when she was really little but it decreases with time, now it's 5-10 mins 3-4 times a day.

 

[Hope83]

Good job mommy!
I always love to read a positive update
Enjoy your lo!

 

[New2Bumps]

We were readmitted around this time last year too and I had such good support on the ward it really established bf for us. Silver lining! That tube feed really puts your mind at rest doesn't it, in the end! kind of like a clean slate to start over trying minus the worry! I expressed bm for the tube then topped up at the breast and after a day was exclusively bf and it was going well.
Well done and good luck for your bfing journey x

 

[nyomi1990]

Thankyou so much, the tube really did help me a too stop worrying a lot, the night before we were readmitted i had completely broke down, it all became so much i cried for a good 5 hours straight and then cried some more when the midwife told me we were going back in, but once i was their and could see how supportive the nurses were i was so comfortable, she did fantastic and has been feeding fantastic ever since