Prepare in advance

[joeybrooks]

Hi ladies, I was wondering if you could help me.

With my first baby, I was all for breastfeeding, assumed all would go sailingly and there would be no problem, boy was I wrong.

After gettin diagnosed with severe pre eclampsia at 36 weeks I had to be induced. I had a very long and traumatic labour with magnesium sulphate, forceps, episiotomy, the works, and afterwards contracted an infection somewhere that required a 5 day IV antibiotic and I also had a blood transfusion. Anyway, all that said I did try my very best.

Baby didn't really latch on and the problem seemed to be that my nipples were quite flat, unless I was cold. So I managed to get the first bit of milk into a syringe and into baby and when I had established a flow I exclusively pumped when I was in hospital, which was for about a week. Unfortunately I was unable to get a breast pump that would allow me to exclusively pump and if I'm honest looking back, I was very ill and really unable to persist when my healthy self would have.

I suffered mentally with not breastfeeding and gave myself and incredibly hard time for failing. I realise now that under the circumstances I did as much as I could but I still wish it would have worked.

Anyway, call me crazy but three years on and DH and I are ttc #2 (crazy how much you can forget about it all) and I'd like to have a go at breastfeeding again if we are lucky enough to get pregnant again.

This time I know the difficulties and want to be more prepared. I know the nipple thing is an issue, has anyone any experience with flat nipples and how to try to change that. Secondly, should that fail, are there any affordable pumps that can be used for exclusively pumping.

I just want to thank you in advance for any assistance and also commend you for managing to breastfeed, it's tougher than it looks.

 

[Fizzyfefe]

Hi hun, are you in the US or UK or somewhere else? The reason I ask is because, if you're in the US, you can get a pump for free through your insurance.

I have severely flat nipples, and my son never latched properly. I would recommend a nipple shield if possible, and I would also recommend working with the lactation consultant in the hospital so you know the shield is fitted properly. If you get an electric pump, you could also try pumping for a minute or so to get your nipples erect (you'd have to pump long enough to stimulate the nipple, but not long enough to stimulate a let-down).

You definitely had a rough labor. Try not to beat yourself up over being unable to breastfeed. It's easier said than done, as I still beat myself up over having to pump because my son wouldn't latch. I too was on magnesium, and it was absolutely horrible. You did the best you could and that's all that matters! Hopefully it will work out better for you the second time.

 

[Hit Girl]

I too have flat nipples and saw the best lactation consultants in town when my son couldn't latch. They didn't think my flat nipples would be a problem - but indeed they were. None of them could get him to latch - I can't tell you how much money we spent on LCs! (Before anyone asks, no he did NOT have any sort of tongue tie.) They tried shield and everything but he bit me through those and I bled a lot!

I ended up hiring a Medela Symphony for 6 months (amazing pump) and I nearly killed myself pumping full-time around the clock. My aim was to pump enough to feed my little guy and save enough to get him to a year. I wasn't ill to begin with but sticking to this rigid schedule was making me very ill indeed (physically and mentally).

If you encounter the same scenario this time around, promise me that you'll look after yourself. Your little one needs a happy and healthy mummy first and foremost.

 

[joeybrooks]

Thank you both so much. I am in the UK, but I know there are places that you can hire them, there is a scheme here called Sure Start and I engaged with them with my first, but found out too late that they hired the pumps, so I will look into that.

There is also a midwife associated with the scheme that actively promotes breast feeding, so I'll have a chat with her about what is available. I'll also have a look into the nipple shields.

Thank you.

 

[Fizzyfefe]

I truly hope you find something that works for you! I would get so, so discouraged when people would say, "it's called breast feeding, not nipple feeding!" because it never worked, even though he had a lovely, wide open mouth and we had multiple LCs coming in every time he would try to feed... It didn't help that I had low supply, either. Good luck and make sure to keep us updated.

 

[Hit Girl]

I would get so, so discouraged when people would say, "it's called breast feeding, not nipple feeding!" because it never worked, even though he had a lovely, wide open mouth and we had multiple LCs coming in every time he would try to feed...

Yes! Same! I would try and pull my nipple/areola out and it just wouldn't stretch far enough. Even after stopping the lactating (before I got pregnant again) I'd pull on them and still nothing. Turns out I have adhesions in there that LCs claim will stretch or break after BFing or pumping.... mine never did. And I had oversupply. Talk about irony!

I've seen all those cross-section diagrams of babies breastfeeding and how far back the breast should be in their mouths. Every damn LC I saw shoved that diagram in my face. There's no way mine can stretch like that - an actual medical doctor confirmed it.

 

[noon_child]

OP there are a few things to consider:
1) with such a rushed and invasive birth scenario there are bound to be more breastfeeding issues and it's not "your fault". It is worth considering that when you are induced etc. you are often given fluids in an IV as well as the drugs. Fluids will plump up your breast tissue around your areola making them appear much flatter and preventing baby from getting a good mouthful.
2)if you really do have flat nipples, shields can help but like PP said if they are super adhered to the breast tissue then there is less that can be done. You can probably tell by whether they get longer when stimulated (pulled tweaked etc.) or if they still stay very flat.
3) You were ill, not your fault.