Having Trouble with Breastfeeding

[Sweetpea7830]

So I am still having trouble moving baby to the breast 100%. He is 5 1/2 weeks adjusted age and so I am trying to have patience - he spent much time in the NICU being tube fed, and really didn't get to start trying the breast until he got home at 6 weeks old. He has fed with mixed results - we had overactive letdown/oversupply issues for a while and those seem to be resolving, but he still is having a lot of trouble feeding. he will feed for 5-10 mins (sometimes popping on and off during that time) and then pop off and scream and refuses to try any further, but wants a bottle of another 1 - 1.5 oz.

Any suggestions??! I really want to get him to feed 100% from the breast with bottles being the exception, instead of the other way around...

 

[lillysmum]

are you pumping to keep your milk up? other than that the best advice i could give you is let him lead you for feeds, if he wants to feed for 5-10 mins every hour let him - let him do what he needs to do to get the milk, as long as his weight is ok and the professionals arent worried let him lead things - just as long as he's not going for like 6 hours with no food. It is exhausting as this is what i did for the first week after lucas was born and it was the best thing i did rather than every 3 hours rule i just let him do what he needed to do....

he now has a very good structure to his feeds

hope this helps

 

[mari72]

Is he latching on ok? Might be he's not feeding efficiently and getting frustrated once the initial faster flow of let down slows? Alternatively could be wind but if he happily takes rest from bottle without winding i gues that's unlikely. Good luck

 

[Sweetpea7830]

Is he latching on ok? Might be he's not feeding efficiently and getting frustrated once the initial faster flow of let down slows? Alternatively could be wind but if he happily takes rest from bottle without winding i gues that's unlikely. Good luck

Good point! How do /i know/How do I get him to feed efficiently...or is this possible??

 

[Mervs Mum]

He will learn how to feed efficiently himself - it comes with time and practice on his part. All you can really do is check he's latched well - have you done that??

 

[Sweetpea7830]

yea he's on there...he just wont stay on long and he gets tired and just wants a bottle

 

[Mervs Mum]

You just have to hang in there honey - if you really want to 100% BF you have to ditch the tops ups I'm afraid and ride it out - not easy but your supply will adjust if you just keep putting him on. x

 

[Sweetpea7830]

I have been trying but he screams and screams until he's bright red and gagging ... he refuses to go back on and he won't calm down until he gets a bottle. I just dealt with 1 1/2 hours of crying trying to get him to BF and then sleep. Finally 1 oz from a bottle later and wrapped in a Moby Wrap (wearing him) he is asleep.

 

[honey08]

wot bout expressing ? sry if uv said u do do this ...... that way u know wot hes having , from wot ive read its easier to do it the morning,. maybe he knows the bottle is easier xxxxx

 

[Mervs Mum]

I dont know what else to say then honey. I've been there myself so I know how hard it is. I had 3 full days of it. If you want to exclusively BF thats all you can do - sorry There's no shame in topping up if that's what works for you.

 

[Sweetpea7830]

wot bout expressing ? sry if uv said u do do this ...... that way u know wot hes having , from wot ive read its easier to do it the morning,. maybe he knows the bottle is easier xxxxx

Yea, that's what I do...I have been expressing since birth because he was very premature...he's only been bottle/breast feeding for about 11 weeks and is 6 weeks adjusted age. i am trying to get away from it and bf 90-100% of the time because it's exhausting to pump and then feed all the time.

 

[Sweetpea7830]

I dont know what else to say then honey. I've been there myself so I know how hard it is. I had 3 full days of it. If you want to exclusively BF thats all you can do - sorry There's no shame in topping up if that's what works for you.

thanks...sorry I am so frustrated. he is having a few challenges right now and i cannot break through those and am wearing down. it's so hard having a preemie because you have that much longer of "newborn issues" and constant feedings etc

but i wouldnt trade him for anything...he's my little man!