Need honest advice - too late?

[sssara]

My baby came 4 weeks early and is now almost 4 weeks old. Because he was early, he was even more sleepy than usual, and was too sleepy to really get a good suck at the breast. I tried to breast feed initially but his blood sugar dropped really low, which scared me enough to give him formula. I pumped for a couple of weeks - used a hospital rental electric double pump - but never really got much with the pump and he was still too sleepy to nurse effectively. I was advised by a lactation consultant to not even bother trying to nurse when he was that sleepy, just to pump. I gave up pumping because I just couldn't anymore, especially since I was getting only drops of milk with each session. I never felt that my milk obviously came in - no engorgement, no leaking. Now, I am still able to express drops of milk and my baby is more awake but refusing to latch at all - he only wants the bottle. I'd really like him to get the benefits of breastmilk. Should I even bother trying to pump again? Is it just too late and all the hormone levels are back to normal? Every lactation consultant I've seen up until now has said something different, which is super frustrating. Thanks in advance.

 

[noon_child]

I have seen videos of biological nurturing/nursing where babies 3 months old have latched and fed, but I don't know how successful these women were with pumping and keeping a good milk supply.

Maybe try to let go of the idea of breastfeeding him to "feed" him but just try to bond with lots of skin on skin and see what his instincts are when you are both relaxed and stress free.

Babies don't smell the 'milk' when they are finding the nipple but a special scent released from those bumps on the areola. I don't know what hormone levels need to be to release this scent but it may well be you still have it!

Ask the LCs about biological nurturing.

 

[purplecupcake]

You can absolutely re-establish your supply by pumping often (as often as a baby would eat, so 8-12 times per day if you can swing it) and for 20 minutes on each side as well as having your baby latch and suck for as long as he wants. Drink a ton of water, maybe try one of those lactation cookie recipes everyone raves about.