Looking for tips to get LO to take from the breast

[sarah1980]

Hi ladies,

I'm struggling to get my 5 day old to breastfeed. I gave him his first feed from the breast after he was born although it wasn't much but since then I have bottlefed him while keeping on trying to get him to take the breast but he just won't take it. He gets really upset when I try although whenever I cuddle him he sucks at my arm/neck wherever but won't take the boob! My milk has come in now so I know I've not got long to make it work or my supply will dry up. Does any one have any advice? I also have rather large boobs (36F) which made it difficult breastfeeding DS1.

Any advice appreciated.

Sarah xxx

 

[noon_child]

Where are you based? This will help me direct you to the right support.

 

[sarah1980]

Where are you based? This will help me direct you to the right support.

Thanks for your reply! I'm in Scotland, in Dundee.xx

 

[LoraLoo]

A baby will find it much easier to get milk from a bottle than the boob so could be why hes refusing.
I would wait til hrs in a nice mood- isnt sleepy or absolutely starving, sit somewhere nice and warm so you can strip both of you off (bath together or bed would be ideal) spend sometime cuddling and talking to him and then have another try. It may take a few attempts, try and be patient even if its frustrating. Make sure youre comfortable and have a drink and snack to hand as you dont want to be moving around once hes on.
You should still be under midwife care too? Are you able to ask her for some guidance? X

 

[sarah1980]

A baby will find it much easier to get milk from a bottle than the boob so could be why hes refusing.
I would wait til hrs in a nice mood- isnt sleepy or absolutely starving, sit somewhere nice and warm so you can strip both of you off (bath together or bed would be ideal) spend sometime cuddling and talking to him and then have another try. It may take a few attempts, try and be patient even if its frustrating. Make sure youre comfortable and have a drink and snack to hand as you dont want to be moving around once hes on.
You should still be under midwife care too? Are you able to ask her for some guidance? X

Thanks for your reply! I am still under the midwives and I've asked them for help, they've watched my positioning and latch and say all seems fine and like you, they say it's likely that the bottle comes too easy to him so he's not willing to put the effort in at the breast. They've sat with me trying for a while but we usually get to the stage where LO is starting to get upset and it's getting to the stage where we have to give it a rest to avoid making it worse. Her advice was to keep trying and possibly try nipple shields, which I haven't done yet simply as they didn't have any in my local Boots! We have had a bit of success today in that he's latched on a couple of times and started feeding but hasn't lasted long but it's certainly progress! I've also been pumping to keep my supply although I'm not getting enough to actually feed to him so I've just been adding what I get to his formula. There's a breastfeeding group locally next Wednesday so I plan to battle on for the next few days and then head there. We also do lots of skin to skin and when we do he sucks on any bit of skin he gets his lips on and gives me all the cues that he wants it but it just seems like he stops when he gets frustrated when the milk isn't instant. Today I pumped for a bit then put him on so I'm thinking that's what helped, will keep trying. Thanks again for your advice.xxx

 

[noon_child]

La Leche league and NCT might have local volunteers who could come to your house too. Midwives tried to help me but I found those two organisations far more experienced and they had way more time to devote to me too.

 

[sarah1980]

La Leche league and NCT might have local volunteers who could come to your house too. Midwives tried to help me but I found those two organisations far more experienced and they had way more time to devote to me too.

Thank you, I'll have a look into both.xx

 

[LoraLoo]

Brilliant news that you got him latched on! Will definitely help him latch and feed easier if you express a little off first (i found hand expressing easier!) Hopefully each time he will feed a little longer...will no doubt take a bit of perseverence, but good on you, youre doing an ace job.

Not quite the same but with ny youngest, she suddenly stopped feeding at 7 weeks. Would scream and cry any time i tried getting the breast near her. It went on for days. She wouldnt take expressed milk from a bottle either.i had to feed her milk through a medicine syringe whilst keep trying her at the breast inbetween which she would occasionally take, usually through the night. Id express too, to keep my supply up. So i understand its hard work and tiring and disheartening. But after a few days she suddenly started feeding again like nothing had happened. Shes 1 next month and still going strong and im so glad i didnt throw the towel in, in those difficult days.

 

[sarah1980]

Brilliant news that you got him latched on! Will definitely help him latch and feed easier if you express a little off first (i found hand expressing easier!) Hopefully each time he will feed a little longer...will no doubt take a bit of perseverence, but good on you, youre doing an ace job.

Not quite the same but with ny youngest, she suddenly stopped feeding at 7 weeks. Would scream and cry any time i tried getting the breast near her. It went on for days. She wouldnt take expressed milk from a bottle either.i had to feed her milk through a medicine syringe whilst keep trying her at the breast inbetween which she would occasionally take, usually through the night. Id express too, to keep my supply up. So i understand its hard work and tiring and disheartening. But after a few days she suddenly started feeding again like nothing had happened. Shes 1 next month and still going strong and im so glad i didnt throw the towel in, in those difficult days.

Thanks! Yes it is hard, a couple of days feels like a couple of weeks at this stage! I'm happy he's just getting some breast milk into him but the aim is to get him on the breast full time. The breastfeeding group I mention earlier has NCT volunteers there so I'm hoping once I get there I'll get some good support. Thanks again xxx

 

[noon_child]

Brilliant news that you got him latched on! Will definitely help him latch and feed easier if you express a little off first (i found hand expressing easier!) Hopefully each time he will feed a little longer...will no doubt take a bit of perseverence, but good on you, youre doing an ace job.

Not quite the same but with ny youngest, she suddenly stopped feeding at 7 weeks. Would scream and cry any time i tried getting the breast near her. It went on for days. She wouldnt take expressed milk from a bottle either.i had to feed her milk through a medicine syringe whilst keep trying her at the breast inbetween which she would occasionally take, usually through the night. Id express too, to keep my supply up. So i understand its hard work and tiring and disheartening. But after a few days she suddenly started feeding again like nothing had happened. Shes 1 next month and still going strong and im so glad i didnt throw the towel in, in those difficult days.

Thanks! Yes it is hard, a couple of days feels like a couple of weeks at this stage! I'm happy he's just getting some breast milk into him but the aim is to get him on the breast full time. The breastfeeding group I mention earlier has NCT volunteers there so I'm hoping once I get there I'll get some good support. Thanks again xxx

Great that you have found a support group. Depending on who they have volunteering it still might be worth asking for someone experienced to do a home visit. the groups often have volunteer peer supporters who are great for reassurance, hints and tips, working out whats normal or note etc. but those who do home visits are either breastfeeding counsellors or lactation consultants so they have a little more training for when things aren't going so well. In your home you have the advantage of being able to practice laid back feeding, strip off for skin to skin, grab pillows to prop yourself up, use a washcloth to roll under your boob to life the nipple etc. all things that aren't as easy when you are in a support group setting.

 

[sarah1980]

Brilliant news that you got him latched on! Will definitely help him latch and feed easier if you express a little off first (i found hand expressing easier!) Hopefully each time he will feed a little longer...will no doubt take a bit of perseverence, but good on you, youre doing an ace job.

Not quite the same but with ny youngest, she suddenly stopped feeding at 7 weeks. Would scream and cry any time i tried getting the breast near her. It went on for days. She wouldnt take expressed milk from a bottle either.i had to feed her milk through a medicine syringe whilst keep trying her at the breast inbetween which she would occasionally take, usually through the night. Id express too, to keep my supply up. So i understand its hard work and tiring and disheartening. But after a few days she suddenly started feeding again like nothing had happened. Shes 1 next month and still going strong and im so glad i didnt throw the towel in, in those difficult days.

Thanks! Yes it is hard, a couple of days feels like a couple of weeks at this stage! I'm happy he's just getting some breast milk into him but the aim is to get him on the breast full time. The breastfeeding group I mention earlier has NCT volunteers there so I'm hoping once I get there I'll get some good support. Thanks again xxx

Great that you have found a support group. Depending on who they have volunteering it still might be worth asking for someone experienced to do a home visit. the groups often have volunteer peer supporters who are great for reassurance, hints and tips, working out whats normal or note etc. but those who do home visits are either breastfeeding counsellors or lactation consultants so they have a little more training for when things aren't going so well. In your home you have the advantage of being able to practice laid back feeding, strip off for skin to skin, grab pillows to prop yourself up, use a washcloth to roll under your boob to life the nipple etc. all things that aren't as easy when you are in a support group setting.

Thank you! That does make sense, I will certainly ask.xx