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[Maid Marian]

Robin fed constantly for the first month or so: the best thing to do is just accept it - accept that you will be nursing basically all day: get some magazines/dvds, lots of yummy treats, and a comfy seat. And as strange as it sounds - try and enjoy it as much as you can, when they stop feeding so much, sometimes you'll miss those days!!
I struggled so much at first, went through hell, but was absolutely determined to carry on, and now I adore it!

Re feeding a lot: just keep in mind that a newborn’s tummy is the size of a teeny tiny marble, so he'll need to feed little and often for the first weeks. And don’t be surprised/worried if he seems to be latched on constantly: breastfeeding is ‘demand and supply’ - so baby needs to let your boobs know that he’s here and is gonna be needing them to make lots of milk all of a sudden!

And one other thing to remember is that breastfeeding isn’t just about baby getting milk: it’s just as much about them getting comfort: they breastfeed when they’re feeling ill, as your body produces antibodies specific to whatever baby needs right then, and also when they’re sad/in need of comfort etc. And letting baby suckle as and when they want means your milk supply will be suited to baby’s current requirements

 

[caro103]

I had a moment of weakness today where I thought "ugh to hell with Breastfeeding". I didn't really mean it but i'm just kind of jealous of DH and how he gets to just hold Kenny and stuff when he wants, and go to work, but I am so tethered. I feel like a milk machine. It would be so much easier to just bottle feed or do formula. I found myself counting saying ok ill do it for another month, or two , but maybe not a year . But I WANT to do it for Kenny. I want to give him the gift of breast milk it's just tiring I guess. Anyone relate to how I'm feeling?

I feel like I want to start pumping but I know it's too early and I don't want to mess up my supply. I just wish DH could give him a bottle once a day and my breasts could get a break but just pumping instead of nursing.

I just need a little encouragement that I can do this. I though I would love breast feeding but instead I am associating with lack of sleep and being tied down.

Hun, I can relate to this 100%, I remember crying in the middle of the night in the early days, shouting at both DH and my poor little bubba . BUT it does get easier! LO will slowly but surely start feeding less often, for less of a time each feed and eventually you'll be so grateful you stuck it out when you literally just have to pick LO up and pop him on rather than get up and make a bottle whilst LO screams for it to be ready NOW! Not to mention just go out and always have plenty of milk with you etc

Can DH not take over all the other things that need doing? wait on your every need too whilst you establish feeding fully? that way you get a break in a different way.

The 1st 6wks or so go by in a total blur, but they'll be over before you even realise!

Stick in there hun and post whenever you need a bit of support

ps...Kenny shares my b'day! xx

 

[Maid Marian]

Ooh and if you don't already - cosleep

 

[Jokerette]

Thank you so much! DH had been wonderful... But yesterday was his first day back to work so that probably contributes to how I'm feeling.

We do not cosleep right now because I was not able to fall asleep AT ALL. It was harder for me having him in the same room... I seems to do better with the monitor because I don't hear every little peep. Or if i nap after DH gets home i shut th montor off and DH comes and wakes me when kenny is resdy to eat again. It seems like the only way ive been able to sleep. But maybe I should try cosleeping again... Why do you recommend it?

 

[Rainbowpea]

I know that it is hard when a newborn feeds a lot. My first fed for an hour, slept then fed for an hour again. All it felt like I was doing was feeding. In my experience pumping to replace a bottle feed is more work than just feeding yourself! And the feeling of being tethered gets better when the feeds space out more (which they will). Bottle feeding IMO makes you more tethered in the long term as you have to take bottles everywhere and find somewhere to warm them etc it can be a right pain. At least with BFing you can feed easily wherever you are.

I think you are doing great, he is only very new and you are settling into a pattern. Enjoy this time as when they get bigger they get less snuggly!

 

[lynnikins]

Thank you so much! DH had been wonderful... But yesterday was his first day back to work so that probably contributes to how I'm feeling.

We do not cosleep right now because I was not able to fall asleep AT ALL. It was harder for me having him in the same room... I seems to do better with the monitor because I don't hear every little peep. Or if i nap after DH gets home i shut th montor off and DH comes and wakes me when kenny is resdy to eat again. It seems like the only way ive been able to sleep. But maybe I should try cosleeping again... Why do you recommend it?

co-sleeping when done safely is recommended because you dont have to wake up so much to feed lol i co-slept with ds2 till he was 8months old he would initally go to bed in his crib then come with me when he woke the first time i would latch him on and then go back to sleep lol it hasnt worked with ds3 as we sleep on a sofa bed now due to being short one bedroom and its not safe to have him me and DH on the sofa bed though on the weekends I sometimes force DH onto the other sofa and put AJ on the sofa bed with me since we have lots more room.

 

[Maid Marian]

Co-sleeping means you just pop boob in and go back to sleep: my LO still feeds about 5 times a night but I feel fine cos we co-sleep.

 

[cheese lover]

When my LO was a newborn I couldn't co-sleep either. She was WAY too loud! We didn't start co-sleeping until sometime after I went back to work, I'd say around 3 months old. To manage lack of sleep while I was home I made sure I always slept when she did until I was feeling good, usually until afternoon so I could get stuff done during her afternoon naps.

 

[Lilly12]

Yea we cosleep too.
I probably would have gone crazy by now if we didn't.
My DD still wakes up every 3-4 hours on a good night.
I loooove cosleeping.
Plus it has advantages such as at night your prolactin levels peak(keeps supply up), baby can eat more so gain more, bonding, better sleep for both.

 

[Jokerette]

In regards to co-sleeping... I heard people say "I just reach over and feed her and out her back in her bassinet".... But what about dirty diapers. I knnow my DS has a dirty or wet diaper every feeding at least.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Jokerette, just change him, but keep the room dim or dark. Don't speak at all. He'll get the idea it's night time and it's quiet time. Alex didn't stop needing a nappy change at night until about 3.5 months.

 

[Jokerette]

Jokerette, just change him, but keep the room dim or dark. Don't speak at all. He'll get the idea it's night time and it's quiet time. Alex didn't stop needing a nappy change at night until about 3.5 months.

Thanks... Yeah I always do it silently and he is very good and doesn't cry during night time changes but it definitely wakes him. I'll keep trying and eventually hell probably learn that he's supposed ti go back ti sleep . He always does, he usually just needs to be rocked for about 30 mins before I can put him down.

 

[readynwilling]

I ended up accidently co-sleeping with J when she was a week and we still do it at a year. In the first month or two i could change her in the dark. i would feed from one side, change her (which sometimes would wake her) and then feed the other side, and that would usually put her back to sleep. And once she was about a month, i would no longer change her diaper at every feed, just once a night... and by the time she was 2 months unless she pooped which was rare i stopped changing her at night all together.

I got sooooo much sleep when J was a newborn co-sleeping it was AMAZING! However now i don't get much at all LOL.

 

[Sweedot]

I need some help! I'm at my witts end! Ok, here's my situation...I had Esme and she latched straight away, however after 7 days my milk supply still had not come in and she had lost almost a pound (down to 5lb 2oz) from 6lb and so I was forced to supplement with formula...I tried to get her back onto the breast and she did take the boob but my milk was slow coming in due to formula supplementing. I purchased an electric breast pump as I didn't want to completely lose my supply and managed to get the milk flowing. After a 2 weeks of continuous crying and fussing at my breast I gave in and stared exclusively pumping, I was making enough to meet her demand and continued doing this until she was 9 weeks, with the odd supplemental formula feed, maybe once every 2 days...

I was very upset that I could it breastfeed as I finally had the milk supply but a lazy baby who would not latch...I went to see a loctation consultant and she advised just putting her to breast and trying to break her will as she had obviously gotten used to the fast flow of the nipple, but since I had the supply...if she was hungry she would latch, she told me it would take a few days.

Well, I took her advice and started putting her to breast....she would latch for maybe 20 seconds and then give up and then fuss and then scream, I persevered and it got a little bit better, but after three days I noticed she was ot wetting as many diapers and seemed lathargic constantly, I was so worried she was ot getting enough milk I started supplementing again. I kept trying to put her to breast and she will latch but not always, she gets so fussy and I just really don't know what to do anymore.

Trig to reestablish the breastfeeding severely impacted my supply and it started dwindling almost immediately without the pumping 7/8 times daily...I could not deal with the breastfeeding and pumping at night, I was exhausted. Now I am supplementing more formula than before I attempted to get her to go back to the breast as my supply has dropped.

She is 11 weeks old now and I'm just beyond confused, I'm not sure if I an keep up with all the pumping that she requires, I usually pump at 1 am, where I get 4oz, 6am 6oz, then 10 am, 5oz, then 1:00pm, 4:00pm and 8pm where I get between 3-4oz per session...I'm just exhausted with it.

What can I do? I feel like a human cow, constantly hooked up to my breast pump to maintain my supply, and then trying to get her to latch and then doubting myself about breastfeeding and worrying constantly if she's getting enough.

Does anyone have any advice? I've tried the sns btw and failed with that miserably, I get the tubes tangled, can't get the tube in her mouth, get milk everywhere, it's even more additional work!

 

[Maggs]

Gosh! Sorry you've had a rough start. I don't have much to offer, I'm sure lots of other ladies have more experience with a hard start than me...but have you tried nipple shields? Have you seen someone from LLL or the tried contacting the Breastfeeding Network to have someone come out and give you one to one support? I think you might benefit from someone coming and watching you feed to see what you could do.

 

[loopy82]

Wow sweedot, your lo is lucky to have such a dedicated mama! I'm afraid I don't have much to add either but do agree with trying to find some more rl support if you can. Don't know if this has been ruled out but has your lo been double and triple checked for tongue tie by different people? I know that can often cause latch problems and it could possibly be a tie that's hard to see.

 

[Rainbowpea]

I'm very impressed with your dedication! Have you tried expressing for a little just before you latch on so that the milk is ready to come down? Maybe LO is frustrated as the milk is not coming quick enough like a bottle? Just express til you feel let down and pop her on.

 

[Joyzerelly]

I need some help! I'm at my witts end! Ok, here's my situation...I had Esme and she latched straight away, however after 7 days my milk supply still had not come in and she had lost almost a pound (down to 5lb 2oz) from 6lb and so I was forced to supplement with formula...I tried to get her back onto the breast and she did take the boob but my milk was slow coming in due to formula supplementing. I purchased an electric breast pump as I didn't want to completely lose my supply and managed to get the milk flowing. After a 2 weeks of continuous crying and fussing at my breast I gave in and stared exclusively pumping, I was making enough to meet her demand and continued doing this until she was 9 weeks, with the odd supplemental formula feed, maybe once every 2 days...

I was very upset that I could it breastfeed as I finally had the milk supply but a lazy baby who would not latch...I went to see a loctation consultant and she advised just putting her to breast and trying to break her will as she had obviously gotten used to the fast flow of the nipple, but since I had the supply...if she was hungry she would latch, she told me it would take a few days.

Well, I took her advice and started putting her to breast....she would latch for maybe 20 seconds and then give up and then fuss and then scream, I persevered and it got a little bit better, but after three days I noticed she was ot wetting as many diapers and seemed lathargic constantly, I was so worried she was ot getting enough milk I started supplementing again. I kept trying to put her to breast and she will latch but not always, she gets so fussy and I just really don't know what to do anymore.

Trig to reestablish the breastfeeding severely impacted my supply and it started dwindling almost immediately without the pumping 7/8 times daily...I could not deal with the breastfeeding and pumping at night, I was exhausted. Now I am supplementing more formula than before I attempted to get her to go back to the breast as my supply has dropped.

She is 11 weeks old now and I'm just beyond confused, I'm not sure if I an keep up with all the pumping that she requires, I usually pump at 1 am, where I get 4oz, 6am 6oz, then 10 am, 5oz, then 1:00pm, 4:00pm and 8pm where I get between 3-4oz per session...I'm just exhausted with it.

What can I do? I feel like a human cow, constantly hooked up to my breast pump to maintain my supply, and then trying to get her to latch and then doubting myself about breastfeeding and worrying constantly if she's getting enough.

Does anyone have any advice? I've tried the sns btw and failed with that miserably, I get the tubes tangled, can't get the tube in her mouth, get milk everywhere, it's even more additional work!

I'm sorry you've had a struggle so far. Can I suggest that if you supplement, you do so using an 'at breast supplementer'? https://www.expressyourselfmums.co.uk/Expressing-breastmilk/Medela-Supplemental-Nursing-System-- Scroll down the page to see someone using one. Also here https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=medela+supplemental+nursing+system&oq=medela+sup&aq=0&aqi=g2&aql=&gs_sm=1&gs_upl=760l9466l0l10499l18l18l6l7l13l0l324l1082l1.1.2.1l5l0 is a link to youtube videos about nursing supplementers.

Using one of these should allow your baby to be satisfied while maintaining the closeness of breastfeeding and encouraging familiarity with breast feeding for your baby. It will also help prevent any further nipple confusion while at the same time stimulating your supply.
I say keep pumping, you'll up your supply making the milk come faster (I ended up with jet force milk supply from pumping) and you can also then use your own milk in the supplementer instead of formula.

Good luck!

 

[Sweedot]

I need some help! I'm at my witts end! Ok, here's my situation...I had Esme and she latched straight away, however after 7 days my milk supply still had not come in and she had lost almost a pound (down to 5lb 2oz) from 6lb and so I was forced to supplement with formula...I tried to get her back onto the breast and she did take the boob but my milk was slow coming in due to formula supplementing. I purchased an electric breast pump as I didn't want to completely lose my supply and managed to get the milk flowing. After a 2 weeks of continuous crying and fussing at my breast I gave in and stared exclusively pumping, I was making enough to meet her demand and continued doing this until she was 9 weeks, with the odd supplemental formula feed, maybe once every 2 days...

I was very upset that I could it breastfeed as I finally had the milk supply but a lazy baby who would not latch...I went to see a loctation consultant and she advised just putting her to breast and trying to break her will as she had obviously gotten used to the fast flow of the nipple, but since I had the supply...if she was hungry she would latch, she told me it would take a few days.

Well, I took her advice and started putting her to breast....she would latch for maybe 20 seconds and then give up and then fuss and then scream, I persevered and it got a little bit better, but after three days I noticed she was ot wetting as many diapers and seemed lathargic constantly, I was so worried she was ot getting enough milk I started supplementing again. I kept trying to put her to breast and she will latch but not always, she gets so fussy and I just really don't know what to do anymore.

Trig to reestablish the breastfeeding severely impacted my supply and it started dwindling almost immediately without the pumping 7/8 times daily...I could not deal with the breastfeeding and pumping at night, I was exhausted. Now I am supplementing more formula than before I attempted to get her to go back to the breast as my supply has dropped.

She is 11 weeks old now and I'm just beyond confused, I'm not sure if I an keep up with all the pumping that she requires, I usually pump at 1 am, where I get 4oz, 6am 6oz, then 10 am, 5oz, then 1:00pm, 4:00pm and 8pm where I get between 3-4oz per session...I'm just exhausted with it.

What can I do? I feel like a human cow, constantly hooked up to my breast pump to maintain my supply, and then trying to get her to latch and then doubting myself about breastfeeding and worrying constantly if she's getting enough.

Does anyone have any advice? I've tried the sns btw and failed with that miserably, I get the tubes tangled, can't get the tube in her mouth, get milk everywhere, it's even more additional work!

I'm sorry you've had a struggle so far. Can I suggest that if you supplement, you do so using an 'at breast supplementer'? https://www.expressyourselfmums.co.uk/Expressing-breastmilk/Medela-Supplemental-Nursing-System-- Scroll down the page to see someone using one. Also here https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=medela+supplemental+nursing+system&oq=medela+sup&aq=0&aqi=g2&aql=&gs_sm=1&gs_upl=760l9466l0l10499l18l18l6l7l13l0l324l1082l1.1.2.1l5l0 is a link to youtube videos about nursing supplementers.

Using one of these should allow your baby to be satisfied while maintaining the closeness of breastfeeding and encouraging familiarity with breast feeding for your baby. It will also help prevent any further nipple confusion while at the same time stimulating your supply.
I say keep pumping, you'll up your supply making the milk come faster (I ended up with jet force milk supply from pumping) and you can also then use your own milk in the supplementer instead of formula.

Good luck!

I have one of these, I mentioned it in my original post and it has not worked for us at all, she spits out the tube, it actually makes breastfeeding even more stressful, it is also ncredibly cumbersome to use and as she is nt opening her much wide to ltch ts near impossible to get in her mouth without literally trying to shove it in, nt successful at all.

There are moments when she will latch, but it's not consistent and I ALWAYS hand express to let down before I try to latch her...if my breast are very full, I hand express milk off to avoid the jet stream, but as she is used to a fast flow bottle, the forceful let down snt the problem, I don't really know what the issue is.

I think I've pretty much tried everything

 

[readynwilling]

My letdown is quite slow and sometimes takes a whole minute or two and if my daughter is really hungry she gets quite upset. I think rainbowpea had a good suggestion of expressing till you get the letdown then try to latch LO and because the milk is flowing she might be better with it. I would think that while the pumping schedule is exhausting... doing the actual BF would be equally as tiring. And if you express to let down, latch LO let her feed until she fusses then pump after so that you are latching at each pumping session first... then you can top her up with some previously pumped milk... hopefully she'll get better and better at taking it directly from the breast.