Should I give up?

[LaughOutLoud]

I had a EMCS and baby was found to have a heart defect which required open heart surgery at 3 days old. We had no skin to skin contact and i didnt even hold her for some weeks.

Anyway, she was fed by tube and I was expressing but was (and still am) getting very little supply.

Because of the surgery the first time i tried to latch her on was just before she was shy of a month old. That was when she had the feeding tube removed and the first time she began 'feeling' hungry.

I had to start her on bottles, its a special formula that she needs. It was either this or keep the tube in her nose but I wanted the tube out so we could go home and opted for the bottle so that we could be as 'normal' as possible.

Anyway, I try to latch her to the breast and she really doesnt take it. The most she has done is a few sucks for a minute may be but now she just plain refuses. I feel like im torturing her but my heart really wants her to breastfeed.

I guess my question is, should I give up?

(I BF DD1 for 18 months and never thought I could ever struggle!)

 

[Literati_Love]

Obviously it's a personal decision. To me you have made more effort than most people would ever do and if you 'gave up' it would be a completely understandable decision and you could feel great about what you did for her. However, I know there are different ways to help with breastfeeding issues such as adding a tube of milk WHILE breastfeeding so baby for sure gets nutrition while also learning to latch. Have you worked closely with a lactation consultant? If you decide to keep going I would seek as much help as possible or you may burn yourself out. Whatever you do, I think you should feel proud!

How is your LO since the surgery?

 

[kayaker]

It took me over a month to get my son to nurse effectively. Using a SNS (supplemental nursing system) while he was latched on helped a lot and also ensured sufficient calorie intake. It would work as well for you to get the special formula in while she was still working on learning to feed from the breast.

For mine he was a little early, and just never got anything because he did not suckle well and would fall asleep. We are currently feeding now at 16 months, so it was definitely the right choice for me to hang in there. I had a lot of help from a great Lactation Consultant, and it was hard going for a while. The SNS was not the syringe one that we tried at first (which would have been impossible for me to do alone), but a handmade one from a little pumping milk collection tube with a nipple on it and the SNS tube going through the nipple. It was easy and great.

Good luck. But do whatever seems best for you and your baby in your own situation.

 

[LaughOutLoud]

Thank you for your help and replies. Ive had a look at the SNS on the internet and to be honest im so suprised and upset that the hospital didnt even inform me of this. I feel it would have helped greatly. She is now 2 months old and doing really well on the bottles and im still expressing. However, im still trying her on the breast and find that the older she gets the less tolerant she is to go on to the breast.

I spoke to my hubby about the SNS but think he is happy for things to just be 'normal' according to him, and that means no more tubes as we have seen to many already.

I think as this is my second baby people think i would know what im doing but we had such a different start and i am upset now that no one mentioned the SNS. Im not sure if she would even try to suckle now as she just doesnt even bother to suckle at all. I didnt know of a lactation consultant so will speak to health visitor and may be find one online.

Thank you once again.