Gosh its hard!! *Updated 29th aug pg3*

[leedsforever]

Well I tried breastfeeding and my lil girl wasnt interested and got herself very wound up!!

I was tired and she was screaming so I used milk to "top up" well since then she just struggled so bad to take breast!!

well anyway today (whilst still in hospital) managed to get her on for 20 mins continuous was so happy!! But then when she went back she continued with her screaming and on off sucking (making me so sore)

Now i managed to get her on after expressing a bit first .... bringing out the nipple and softening the breast (my gosh are they like rocks)!!

So my plan was then to try and express all... that was until the electric pump in hospital took about an hour for 40ml and the manual pump I got of my SIL this evening I really cant see how it works!!

So now Im ready to give up again!!!

any advice??
xx

 

[doumauk]

Do you not have a midwife who is specifically for breastfeeding at your hospital? I have one and she is great. She popped up twice the day I came home. All i can say is it takes time,patience and practise. My little one took to it 10 minutes after he was born then they took him for 6 hours overnight and give him bottles in the hospital. I carried on breastfeeding once I was home. Sometimes it can be painful but you just need to make sure she is latched on properly. I get times where I think it would be easier bottle feeding but Its so nice to breastfeed. Good luck but if its not for you thats fair enough, you tried.

 

[sam's mum]

Kerry!!!! Congratulations!! We've missed you!

I found it so hard at first too - had nobody to show how he should be latched on, was in so much pain with cracked nipples for weeks, but once we got his latch sorted he seemed content to just lie there and suck (constantly!)

Instead of pumping I'd suggest you find a good lactation consultant or local support group (your midwife should be able to recommend one - was there one at the hospital?) and work on your latch. Once you know that's ok, just get Courtney on your breast as much as possible. If they're cracked it does get better, but it takes some babies a while to learn - if there's a position you're both comfortable in, and you have time just to sit there or lie in bed (while people bring you food and cups of tea) and do nothing but feed she'll soon get the hang of it, and the sucking will stimulate more milk production.

I've got so much better at pumping in the last few months, but at first I would get nothing compared to what Sam was drinking (was just testing it out but it took me such a long time to get almost nothing - doing it all the time would take up most of the day!) so if you can spend just a couple of hours with someone making sure your latch is ok you'll probably find everything else gets so much easier.

If you think your latch is ok once she gets going, she might be finding it hard to attach herself at first when they're really full - if you can hand express a bit off just to make them slightly less rock-like it might be a bit easier.

Fantastic that you managed to get her on for 20 minutes continuously today though - definitely sounds like you're getting there x x

 

[leedsforever]

thanks hun!! I suppose I do really need to keep being consistent... I just hate seeing her so wound up!!

I just put her to the breast and if shes not crying before she certainly is when Im trying to get her to feed!! So Ive again just given her bottle

The mw's in hospital were brill and helped whenever I wanted it but after about 3 lots of 1 hours I started to get very fed up!! Tears along with being cooped up in hospital and hearing her cry so much... part of the reason I discharged... to try and sort out her feeding!!

Defo agree about hand expressing first... it worked great after I expressed about 10 ml cos nipple came out loads and they werent as hard for her!!! But I must admit when she was feeding properly it felt sooooooooooooooooo lovely

I borrowed a hand pump from SIL but can i get it to work??? no I can totally see why so many women give up
I have a visit from mw tomorrow so will speak to her then

 

[sam's mum]

What kind of pump is it? I've got an Avent one and it takes a bit of getting used to but I love it now. I know how you feel though when she's getting frustrated, and the longer it takes the worse it is when you know she's hungry. If you can express a bit off and you're giving her a few bottles anyway, it might be worth giving her a bit of that from the bottle first and then putting her on when she's not so hungry. It'll be harder work for her to feed from you than it is to get milk out of the bottle, so she probably gets frustrated when she's very hungry and needs to work for it. If you put her on when she's not quite so hungry, the sucking should help keep your supply up and she should get used to feeding that way too - it doesn't take too long for them to get more efficient at getting the milk out

You're doing great sticking with it, but don't feel guilty if she won't latch on and you do have to give her a bottle at the moment (better than you both being stressed) - now you're at home and more comfortable, and have more time to work on it I'm sure you'll soon have it all sorted. Hope your mw can help today x

 

[cherylanne]

Hi hun congrats again.
Have you tried to rub her top lip with your nipple? when you do, wait for her to have her mouth wide open and then bring her head towards the breast. She should have more of the breast from the nipple down in her mouth, it's when she latches on too high that it will hurt. Grace did that at first and i ended up cracked and i got a blood blister (not nice).

It is early days, it took Grace 10 days to latch poperly so it wasn't hurting me. The fact that courtney has fed comfortably for 20 mins shows that she can do it. Sounds like your doing great and your almost there.

Instead of giving her a bottle to "top up" try a cup. You know those medicine cups the really small ones? Sterilise one (an unused one of course) and let her sip milk from it. They lap it up a bit like a cat and it means she want get confussed between breast and bottle.

Best of luck hun, i know how frustrating it is and when your completely exhausted and emotional it can just get ontop of you. The first week is the hardest, it gets easier after that i promise xxx

 

[Margerle]

Yes! Yes! to what sam's mum and cherylanne said!!!

 

[Christine33]

congratulations kerry on the arrival of Courtney! i had a wee boy only weighing 5ibs 3ozs - he has put on a pound and due to get weighed tomorrow. he looks bigger so i expect another weight gain as none of tiny baby clothes fit him anymore. he eats like a horse! i spent over 8 days in hosp due to Ali being in special care but he is fine now and thriving on endless cuddles!

by the way i have already lost 2stone 4pds of my 3 stone weight gain - thought you would be interested! not so bad after all!

i didn't get to breast feed as he wouldn't latch on i express and can get loads out in one go so just doing that and topping up with formula.

good luck to you i hope you get Courtney latching on.



Christine
XXX

 

[clairebear]

hey kerry congrats on bf little courtney. u doing so well.
and i second marge go with that advice x

 

[leedsforever]

well ive had such a positive day today with the feeding.... im so so so happy

however i struggle to know when shes had enough.... twice shes had a break and went back on

 

[leedsforever]

congratulations kerry on the arrival of Courtney! i had a wee boy only weighing 5ibs 3ozs - he has put on a pound and due to get weighed tomorrow. he looks bigger so i expect another weight gain as none of tiny baby clothes fit him anymore. he eats like a horse! i spent over 8 days in hosp due to Ali being in special care but he is fine now and thriving on endless cuddles!

by the way i have already lost 2stone 4pds of my 3 stone weight gain - thought you would be interested! not so bad after all!

i didn't get to breast feed as he wouldn't latch on i express and can get loads out in one go so just doing that and topping up with formula.

good luck to you i hope you get Courtney latching on.



Christine
XXX

hey hun ive been thinking of you with the whole blood pressure thing!! I got told that mummies with high bp tend to have smaller babies!!

Ive lost a stone in 4 days

 

[sam's mum]

well ive had such a positive day today with the feeding.... im so so so happy

however i struggle to know when shes had enough.... twice shes had a break and went back on

So happy for you!! You'll soon learn when she's had enough x x

 

[leedsforever]

she must have not liked hospital either....

 

[Margerle]

she must have not liked hospital either....

I don't blame her... neither do I...

 

[Baby-Love]

Congrats...keep up the good work.

 

[Michy]

Excellent, pleased things are getting better!

 

[Christine33]

congratulations kerry on the arrival of Courtney! i had a wee boy only weighing 5ibs 3ozs - he has put on a pound and due to get weighed tomorrow. he looks bigger so i expect another weight gain as none of tiny baby clothes fit him anymore. he eats like a horse! i spent over 8 days in hosp due to Ali being in special care but he is fine now and thriving on endless cuddles!

by the way i have already lost 2stone 4pds of my 3 stone weight gain - thought you would be interested! not so bad after all!

i didn't get to breast feed as he wouldn't latch on i express and can get loads out in one go so just doing that and topping up with formula.

good luck to you i hope you get Courtney latching on.



Christine
XXX

hey hun ive been thinking of you with the whole blood pressure thing!! I got told that mummies with high bp tend to have smaller babies!!

Ive lost a stone in 4 days

well done hun! the low blood sugar thing my little ali had was caused by the blood pressure tablets! he is fine now though so not dwelling over it. Ali is getting weighed today so i am hoping he has put on more weight.
good luck with the breast feeding......hope you get lots of sleep in between!!!



Christine
X

 

[Mamafy]

Good luck with the breast feeding hun you are doing great

hey I notice a weightloss ticker...get your arse down to the weightloss thread so we can support you

 

[leedsforever]

im going

 

[sam's mum]

How's the feeding going? x