Mixed up and need some advice!

[greeneyes27]

Hi everyone,

I'm all confused and don't know what to do - has anyone got any advice?

My little one is 5 and a half weeks and I breastfed exclusively for 4 weeks, then have been pumping and giving him expressed milk for the last week.

My LO has a bit of reflux and also a little problem with his breathing which makes it a little more difficult to feed as he gets out of breath. (The problem will be outgrown but its not good at the moment )

Anyway, situation is that I have to be a bridesmaid for my best friends wedding and also have my partners 40th birthday to go away for. So I have been trying my LO with the bottle for the past week and trying to get him used to it. He now seems to be really confused and although he's feeding, its not for long on either the breast or bottle! He's putting on weight and is fine but the quality of his feeds is definitely diminishing, plus he seems to get upset by it. With his breathing a factor too I don't want to upset him so I have been considering putting him on the bottle exclusively as at least he'd get used to it then. I cannot miss my best friends wedding and don't want to worry about him being upset all day either.

I feel so sad and guilty about giving up nursing him. It feels so horrible to think we won't have the closeness. But I want to do the right thing for him so he is settled and happy, I just don't think combination feeding is going to work..

Anyone got any wise words? xx

 

[mystika802]

i didnt want to read and run but I dont really have much advice. pumping in the long term is hard work. I combi fed my first for 8 months and it wasnt easy to keep a supply up etc but if you feel thats whats best for him......
How many bottles have you tried? I know Charlie will only take a bottle if Im not around and will not take one from me at all and he has a hard time with them at first but seems to figure out how to take it eventually and will eat fine

 

[Cassiesam]

Hugs honey. My advice would be to quit with the bottle and just not sweat it when he needs feeding while you're away. If he really wont take a bottle when he needs feeds, cup feeding or syringe feeding would be a much better option and totally avoid the nipple preference that happens so often when breastfed babies are given bottles.

As for how to get him more interested in the breast right now, breast compressions can really help the flow of milk and keep lo interested for longer while on the breast - they are as they sound - gently compressing the breast while he's feeding.