Can I still breast feed?

[Michy]

Just hoping some of you have a ray of light to shine on my situation!

Basically Alfie was born Saturday morning by emergency section after what I can only describe as the most harrowing 24 hours of my life.

I managed to give him skin to skin contact for about 20 mins after surgery and he had a good suck on both breasts. After that I kind of shut down for the next 24hours, I barely held him because of the pain and tbh shock that I was experiencing, and so he was formula fed

By Sunday evening I was feeling a little brighter and so expressed for half an hour on each side, I got about 20-30ml of collostrum, which he had.

Monday was a bad day, I had a reaction to some of the drugs and was being violently sick and hallucinating, so I didn't get chance to express till the evening, and nothing came out at all, not a drop.

I tried to express a further 4 times on each side yesterday and nothing came out at all.

I am putting him to the breast for a suckle every time I feed, he latches okish (I have pretty shocking nips) and sucks hard for about 10 seconds, but then gets distressed because there is nothing there.

Today my boobs have started to feel hot and a bit hard, I am desperately hoping that means I am starting to produce some milk. The hospital said that because of everything that has happened (am also v aneamic) it could be up to 10 days before I produce anything.

I have given up on the idea of exclusively breastfeeding him from the breast, I just don't think it is going to happen. However I can't give up on him getting at least some breast milk. So today I have hired a medela symphony double phase pump, which my hubby is going to collect shortly. I am going to express for 15 mins every 2 hours and pray that something starts to happen.

If any of you have any advice or have been through something similar and have succeeded please let me know, I desperately want this to work.

 

[XKatX]

Oh babes, so sorry you had such a rough time. Keep up the skin-skin contact with bubs. I sounds like your milk is coming in now, which is good. Just try latching him on before every feed, even if you then followin with formula for now, at least he is still getting the sensation. Hopefully, things will turn a corner when your milk starts coming out properly. You will get plenty of support on this topic, so don't give up just yet. Chin up and I really hope things work out the way you want them to.
Lots of

 

[Serene123]

You CAN do it! Google relactation and rebirthing x

 

[Jemima]

Sounds like you have had an awful time of it, sorry. Some of the other girls on here have a lot of experience on how to get things going again so I'm sure they will be able to advise you.

All I can say is keep at it if you can, it is a really rewarding thing if it works out but on the other hand, if it doesn't work, don't feel bad. Just do what you have to do to keep yourself and Alfie happy and healthy. xx

 

[Whisper]

Sorry you had such an awful time

BUT, i think if you are determined then you most certainly can exclusively breastfeed, it won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination but it is possible.

I think Merv's Mum went through some troubles at the beginning and she went back to basics and got things started again and now she (i believe) exclusively b/f's.

You are on the right track, just put your LO to the boob at every opportunity. If you can i personally would slowly cut back on the formula or stop all together (if it is advisable).

Red, hot breasts were the start of me becoming engorged! Get some savoy cabbage leaves in the fridge ready!!

 

[Bec L]

Golly, poor you. Congratulations on your new baby and well done on persevering with the breastfeeding. My breasts went hot and hard as my milk came in so I hope that the hospital are wrong and you are now producing. Best keep pumping like you are doing so that you don't develop any thing nasty like mastitis.
Keep us posted on how you get on xx

 

[babe2ooo]

oh no, u can defo do it hunny, i have a c-section and it was a shock but just keep at it, just keep putting baby on the boobs it will help, the mo he is on your boob the more milk u will start making

 

[mommyof3co]

Sorry you had such a hard time I would try getting him on the breast at his normal feedng times, like before he gets too worked up about being hungry so he doesn't get mad right away, but him sucking is even better than you pumping so I would do that and then also pump in between until you start producing, you very well could get him nursing exclusively again, but make sure you get him on the breast at every feeding so he isstill used to that but can be topped off with the formula until you have more for him

 

[masi]

i think everyone has covered your question, but i wanted to say good luck!! It really is worth it. xxx

 

[Samantha675]

Lots of skin to skin will help. Let him suck as much as he can before giving him a bottle. Remember that the flow between the bottle and boob are going to be very different, so he will get frustrated with having to work for it on the boob, just be patient, and keep latching him on. He will be able to get more milk out of you than pumping, so if you don't see a lot when you pump, don't think there is nothing there. You can take fennel, which will help, oatmeal is good too.

 

[Lucy&Pard]

Sounds like your milk just came in - I felt hot and dizzy and all down my arms too! Congratulations on the birth of your baby too. PS my LO did what your experiencing ( latching on for a bit and getting bored as let down takes a while) for weeks and still does sometimes. Dont give up! xxxx

 

[Michy]

Thanks so much for all your replies.

Well I have some good news, I pumped with the medela symphony for 15mins and got nearly 70ml out!!!!!

So Alfie had breast milk for dinner!

I pumped at around 7pm, so am going to try again soon. I'm not expecting as much to come out, but I am soooo happy that he has had a proper breast milk dinner!

So my aim is to focus on the pumping for the next couple of days and hopefully get my milk going, then by the weekend my cut/scar should be a little more comfortable and I can focus a bit more on getting him feeding from the breast more often.

I can do this!

 

[Pyrrhic]

Yes, you CAN do it!

I've seen a BFing counsellor today and I'm going to a support group tomorrow and this is what I've been told (I've also been posting a re-lactation journal on here):

* DON'T express unless you really have to. As soon as your LO gets used to the bottle teat it is incredibly difficult to get them back on the breast. They will change their sucking actions to more suit the bottle. They'll also find the bottle easier, as even slow flow teats are easier to get milk from than a nipple. My LO is so used to the bottle now she won't take to me at all and pushes me away when I try to feed her. Once they're used to the bottle as newborns, my MW said it's near impossible to get them back to breast.

* If you're having trouble with latching, or are sore from your c-section then feed your LO in the rubgy/football position. https://www.parentingweb.com/lounge/bf_basics/position_pics.htm

* You will always express less than what you actually have. If you're expressing 70mls then that is FANTASTIC! You've got plenty of milk for your LO so congrats

* keep going with the skin to skin. As much as possible!

* Look for feeding cues before your LO starts getting antsy. he may even still look asleep but starts opening and closing his mouth, gumming, sucking his fingers, turning his head, etc. Pop him on your breast as soon as he starts showing these signs, not when he's frustrated from hunger.

Good luck hun, you're doing so well so far!

 

[Sarah88]

Hun, why don't you join rafwife on her journal of relactation? You can both support each other!

 

[Sarah88]

lol, didn't even see your post above mine rafwife

 

[sam#3]

Good luck hun i hope u manage it. There is plenty of support on here so keep at it

 

[Jemima]

That's excellent. Well done. You are doing a great job! xx

 

[Lyns]

It took me 3 weeks to get my daughter on the breast....she had tongue tie and I had inverted nipples. I had to express for 3 weeks, and was sure it would never happen! Every feed I put her to the breat to feel her struggle but fail, or push my breast away out of annoyance that it seemed right but she couldn't get it to work.

The one day, she just mananaged to latch on....my milk supply had taken a huge hit by then, but I perservered. We then bf exclusively for 6.5 months, and even when weaned onot solids she continued to get at least one feed a day until she was 19 months old when she weaned herself when i feel pregnant again. (Sadly I lost the baby)

if you really want to do this I don't think you'll have any problem re-establishing a milk supply.....just let your baby and body communicate properly on how much is needed and it will happen. You could also try some fenugreek to help boost your supply but I personally wouldn't think that you'll need it for long if at all.

BTW I subsequently got so committed to bf that i then trained formally as a supporter and am a trainee BF counsellor, so I talk not only from personal experience but have seem many other women do the same.

Good luck...by all means drop me a line if I can help at all x

 

[Michy]

Thanks for all your replies, just thought I'd give a quick update.

Well we still try to latch on at the start of every feed but mostly without success, sometimes he will have a suck, but mostly not and to be honest I am still too sore to try too hard, twisting and turning can be very painful with a section scar, so I know I am not really trying 100%

However we have much success with the breast pumping! I am getting between 60- 80mls every time I pump, so I have gone from producing nothing to poducing enough for every other feed in only 3 days!!!!!!

He is a very hungry baby and at only 7 days old drinks at least 100mls every 3-4 hours, so it is hard keeping up with him!

My aim is by the end of next week to be producing enough to feed him exclusively breast milk in the day and then just 2 formula feeds at night, I'll be very happy if I get to this point.

I am also anaemic and have tonsilitis (my body is just wrecked from the labour and surgery) so hopefully when I am over my illness then my milk supply will increase a little.

Thanks girls xxxxx

 

[Dottie]

keep going and you will get there in the end. my baby was prem and it took three weeks of pumping and hours of trying toget her to latch but she is now exculsivly breast fed - dont give up it will get easy once u both get the hang of it