Reestablishing breastfeeding? 5 weeks old

[BrandyBestPal]

Just wondering if any has had any success in reestablishing breastfeeding? Due to a sucking issue (not a latch, milk flow, etc...) - I chose to Exclusively pump. It's a pain in the butt, but I am happy doing it.
Today, however; my husband suggested that I try nursing - and DD2 latched and sucked (YAYA). I do feel discouraged, though. With bottles, I know exactly what she drinks, when she drinks it, and for how long. It's a very predictable schedule. I suppose that might all change.

Anyway - has anyone had any success with reestablishing breastfeeding? Or does anyone combo feed (breastmilk bottles and nursing?). What does your combo schedule look like?
I currently pump 6-7 x a day. I produce about 1.7 litres. DD2 drinks under 1 litre.
I was thinking of nursing during the day (if we can get things going) - and reducing my pumps to 4 x a day (morning, dinner/evening, evening/before bed, overnight).

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

ETA: I should also mention that pumping has gotten the best of me. It's such a rigid schedule, that there are times when I wish I had formula so I could balance my time better.

 

[luna_19]

If you can I definitely recommend nursing, it is a million times easier. It takes a bit of getting used to and a belief that your body knows what to do to let go of the measured and scheduled feeds but it is so worth it. My lo didn't latch for the first two weeks of his life so I was pumping and the day I returned that damn pump was one of the best days of my life

 

[mummytobe_93]

I did when my baby was around 4 weeks old. I exclusively pumped and had a good supply I would 100 per cent recommend it. Probably took us a week until she was fully breastfeeding again.

I would try and give her the breast whenever possible. Don't do jt when she is really hungry and she wi just scream and be unhappy and won't latch it. Do it when she's a little bit hungry but not starving.

I would hold my nipple in one hand and pull it in to her mouth to get her to suck on jt as she wasn't interested in latching herself at this point.

It took days of her screaming and crying. Also days where her latch wasn't great but I persisted and persisted even during night feeds and she eventually took to it all the time and completely refused bottles afterwards

Introduce the breast as much as possible whenever possible eventually she will take to it x

 

[mummytobe_93]

Also I would say try and get her fully breastfeeding again and stop giving her the bottle when she takes to it as she may refuse the breast again as they get it quicker out of a bottle x

 

[BrandyBestPal]

I was so surprised that she did take to it, at 5+ weeks old... Just because of the ease of the bottle. I was going to increase the nipple size, but I am going to stick with the newborn one..

Maybe I'm being selfish, but dd2 sleeps so well at night, I'm worried to mess that all up with nursing. The bottle, I think, helps her sleep well.

 

[mummytobe_93]

It's up to you but in the long road pumping is very very exhausting and when it if you ever stop you'll realise how much time you spent pumping when you could have been doing other things xx

 

[noon_child]

I was so surprised that she did take to it, at 5+ weeks old... Just because of the ease of the bottle. I was going to increase the nipple size, but I am going to stick with the newborn one..

Maybe I'm being selfish, but dd2 sleeps so well at night, I'm worried to mess that all up with nursing. The bottle, I think, helps her sleep well.

It is up to you, but you'll find plenty of bottle feeding Mums who have terrible nights sleep, so there is not necessarily any relationship.

Also night feeds are a really good way to increase your supply as the milk producing hormones are highest then. Plus milk produced after dark is higher in sleepy hormones, some of which are thought to act on Mum too, so often bring Mums get better "quality"sleep as they go deeper quicker.

 

[barbikins]

Same boat - except that I breast fed for 7 weeks...with a shield. The shield was causing pain so a lactation consultant said to pump to give them a break...so I did. And now DS won't go on the boob...well he will, he fusses and cries or stops feeding & falls asleep. I'm so frustrated. I'm working with some private professionals to try and fix this. I've been Exclusively pumping for 3 weeks! I hate it!!!!
I have a Speech Patholigist/LC coming by on Friday to help. I have two testimonies that she's made a big difference & they're now nursing their babies.
I can't get my boy to latch onto bare breast unless I catch him right as hes coming out of a sleep. Then he wakes eventually & goes 'hey...wth'...

 

[BrandyBestPal]

Same boat - except that I breast fed for 7 weeks...with a shield. The shield was causing pain so a lactation consultant said to pump to give them a break...so I did. And now DS won't go on the boob...well he will, he fusses and cries or stops feeding & falls asleep. I'm so frustrated. I'm working with some private professionals to try and fix this. I've been Exclusively pumping for 3 weeks! I hate it!!!!
I have a Speech Patholigist/LC coming by on Friday to help. I have two testimonies that she's made a big difference & they're now nursing their babies.
I can't get my boy to latch onto bare breast unless I catch him right as hes coming out of a sleep. Then he wakes eventually & goes 'hey...wth'...

I'm sorry to hear this! I know how disappointing it is when things don't go as planned.
Keep trying the breast. You might be surprised... I wasn't expecting things to work, that's why it took me 5 weeks to try again. My dh encouraged it, and it actually worked. Pumping is truly the pits. But, it's such a good alternative if breastfeeding doesn't work out.
Keep trying and good luck on Friday

 

[Kiwiberry]

Since she latched I am sure you will have no problems establishing it. When I was feeding Riya bottles and breast she was in the NICU still. I would only be able to breastfeed her 2-3 times a day compared to her bottles (when I was not there) which were 5-6 times a day. When she came home she was nursing but barely. She actually preferred bottles. I would offer her the breast at each feeding time (which was every 2-3 hours with a bottle) and if she took, I would let her go as long as she wanted. If not, I had the bottle ready and waiting. It took a couple of weeks for her to fully get the hang of breastfeeding but now, I can't get her to take a bottle she loves it so much .

As for schedule, not sure if you plan to exclusively breastfeed but if you do then I would just suggest feeding on demand. For combo feeding schedule, I just fed her every 2-3 hours but not longer than 5 when it was bottles, and on demand with breastfeeding (since I could not tell how much milk she was getting).

This was all of course in the past. I am exclusively breastfeeding now. I only chose to combo feed to get her out of the NICU faster and until I eased her into breastfeeding.

 

[BrandyBestPal]

Since she latched I am sure you will have no problems establishing it. When I was feeding Riya bottles and breast she was in the NICU still. I would only be able to breastfeed her 2-3 times a day compared to her bottles (when I was not there) which were 5-6 times a day. When she came home she was nursing but barely. She actually preferred bottles. I would offer her the breast at each feeding time (which was every 2-3 hours with a bottle) and if she took, I would let her go as long as she wanted. If not, I had the bottle ready and waiting. It took a couple of weeks for her to fully get the hang of breastfeeding but now, I can't get her to take a bottle she loves it so much .

As for schedule, not sure if you plan to exclusively breastfeed but if you do then I would just suggest feeding on demand. For combo feeding schedule, I just fed her every 2-3 hours but not longer than 5 when it was bottles, and on demand with breastfeeding (since I could not tell how much milk she was getting).

This was all of course in the past. I am exclusively breastfeeding now. I only chose to combo feed to get her out of the NICU faster and until I eased her into breastfeeding.

Congrats on reestablishing breastfeeding!!
I have noticed now that Gwen is nursing, she will not take her pacifier. I guess that's a good thing? I won't have to break that habit down the road.
I've decided to exclusively breastfeed. Especially since it has been going so well.
To deal with the engorgement, I was still pumping 2-3x a day. It's just not practical, some spoke to a public health nurse and my doctor - both said to stop doing that (cold turkey) - because I am tricking my body into thinking I need to produce that much milk. Today is my first full day of no pumping (yesterday I only pumped once)... And OMG, I feel like my boobs are going to explode. Worst.feeling.ever.
The nurse said it will take about a week for thing things to adjust! Ahhh a week of agony. I'm on my 3rd breast pads. I leaked through my first set at the doctors office. Ugh.

 

[Kiwiberry]

Good job on the breastfeeding!!
I had the engorged breasts too, I hope it settles down for you soon .

 

[barbikins]

Since she latched I am sure you will have no problems establishing it. When I was feeding Riya bottles and breast she was in the NICU still. I would only be able to breastfeed her 2-3 times a day compared to her bottles (when I was not there) which were 5-6 times a day. When she came home she was nursing but barely. She actually preferred bottles. I would offer her the breast at each feeding time (which was every 2-3 hours with a bottle) and if she took, I would let her go as long as she wanted. If not, I had the bottle ready and waiting. It took a couple of weeks for her to fully get the hang of breastfeeding but now, I can't get her to take a bottle she loves it so much .

As for schedule, not sure if you plan to exclusively breastfeed but if you do then I would just suggest feeding on demand. For combo feeding schedule, I just fed her every 2-3 hours but not longer than 5 when it was bottles, and on demand with breastfeeding (since I could not tell how much milk she was getting).

This was all of course in the past. I am exclusively breastfeeding now. I only chose to combo feed to get her out of the NICU faster and until I eased her into breastfeeding.

Congrats on reestablishing breastfeeding!!
I have noticed now that Gwen is nursing, she will not take her pacifier. I guess that's a good thing? I won't have to break that habit down the road.
I've decided to exclusively breastfeed. Especially since it has been going so well.
To deal with the engorgement, I was still pumping 2-3x a day. It's just not practical, some spoke to a public health nurse and my doctor - both said to stop doing that (cold turkey) - because I am tricking my body into thinking I need to produce that much milk. Today is my first full day of no pumping (yesterday I only pumped once)... And OMG, I feel like my boobs are going to explode. Worst.feeling.ever.
The nurse said it will take about a week for thing things to adjust! Ahhh a week of agony. I'm on my 3rd breast pads. I leaked through my first set at the doctors office. Ugh.

I'm still working on transitioning my son back to breast & this was very helpful thanks for posting it. I'm pumping and its good to know not to pump once he's back on. I'm still pumping because he wont do an entire feed yet on breast but once he does, this is good bits of information.

 

[BrandyBestPal]

Since she latched I am sure you will have no problems establishing it. When I was feeding Riya bottles and breast she was in the NICU still. I would only be able to breastfeed her 2-3 times a day compared to her bottles (when I was not there) which were 5-6 times a day. When she came home she was nursing but barely. She actually preferred bottles. I would offer her the breast at each feeding time (which was every 2-3 hours with a bottle) and if she took, I would let her go as long as she wanted. If not, I had the bottle ready and waiting. It took a couple of weeks for her to fully get the hang of breastfeeding but now, I can't get her to take a bottle she loves it so much .

As for schedule, not sure if you plan to exclusively breastfeed but if you do then I would just suggest feeding on demand. For combo feeding schedule, I just fed her every 2-3 hours but not longer than 5 when it was bottles, and on demand with breastfeeding (since I could not tell how much milk she was getting).

This was all of course in the past. I am exclusively breastfeeding now. I only chose to combo feed to get her out of the NICU faster and until I eased her into breastfeeding.

Congrats on reestablishing breastfeeding!!
I have noticed now that Gwen is nursing, she will not take her pacifier. I guess that's a good thing? I won't have to break that habit down the road.
I've decided to exclusively breastfeed. Especially since it has been going so well.
To deal with the engorgement, I was still pumping 2-3x a day. It's just not practical, some spoke to a public health nurse and my doctor - both said to stop doing that (cold turkey) - because I am tricking my body into thinking I need to produce that much milk. Today is my first full day of no pumping (yesterday I only pumped once)... And OMG, I feel like my boobs are going to explode. Worst.feeling.ever.
The nurse said it will take about a week for thing things to adjust! Ahhh a week of agony. I'm on my 3rd breast pads. I leaked through my first set at the doctors office. Ugh.

I'm still working on transitioning my son back to breast & this was very helpful thanks for posting it. I'm pumping and its good to know not to pump once he's back on. I'm still pumping because he wont do an entire feed yet on breast but once he does, this is good bits of information.

Aw, no worries. How is it going?
Wednesday I was concerned that I dried up. Engorgement didn't last as long as the nurse let on... Turns out all is normal. The breast will produce what is taken.,, and I was pumping almost double what dd2 was taking.
Life has been so much better since not worrying about pumping. I feel guilty because I bought a very expensive pump, but this is just so much better for my sanity. Having to deal with a baby and a toddler during the day and a baby more than once in the night, this is much more manageable.
Dd2 had her immunizations on Tuesday. She hasn't been the same since ... I spoke with my friend - a pediatrician, resident - she said dd2 could be out of sorts for ten days!!!! Yikes, I'm sure with the change in milk supply (not gushing like a geyser anymore)- the adjustment hasn't been the easiest for her...
We are surviving, though!!

 

[KatyW]

I reestablished breastfeeding with my first at five weeks, it can be done. So you have someone who can come help you with the latch? Nurse or la leche league person? What I did was try to feed by breast instead of pump. So I would replace a pump session with a feeding at the breast. We just worked our way up to full breastfeeding. We had latch issues because mine was a preemie, so hopefully if your baby latched right on, this will be easier for you.

 

[KatyW]

I see it's working out, yay!