So close to giving up

[vicwick]

Hi ladies, my DS has gone down from his birth weight 10lb 5oz to 9lb 2oz and he was 3 1/2 weeks when he ws last weighed. I had to take him to A&E so they could have a look at him to make sure he was ok, they said he was healthy and not dehydrated but obviously wasn't getting enough milk as he's losing weight, they advised me to feed him as much as possible and pump in between to give him a top up on a night. Since Monday i have been feeding him non stop and he is never off the breast i haven't even had time to pump in between. He's still getting plenty wet and dirty nappies but i am in so much pain as he has a shallow latch. I have been seeing a lll leader for 3 weeks now and we just can't figure out why he doesn't latch properly we have tried everything, the only thing we can think of is his mouth is too small and i have to wait for him to grow. I am so worried that he's gonna lose even more weight cos i feel like i havent' got any milk left to give him!!!!!! I was so close to giving in and giving him formula last ngiht cos my nipples are sooooo sore one has a hole in it!!!! I'm so glad i didn't but i;'m scared that i'm gonna feel this way every night and so worried that he'll never learn how to latch correcty!! Has anyone else experienced a bad latch with no explenantion???

Sorry for the loong rant i just feel like a failure cos i can't give him enough milk to help him put on weight.

 

[Pyrrhic]

Have you been told not to give him formula? I've been giving Niamh formula just to get something in her tummy but I'm planning on going back to breast and expressed breast milk today. My midwife told me it was absolutely the right thing to do if I was struggling. Better a baby get a one off formula feed to fill their tummy, then have them go hungry and you be stressed and sore.

hope you get sorted soon.

 

[marley2580]

Do you have a set of digital scales? I had a similar problem wit Kaya loosing weight, but I knew she was getting loads of milk because she had plenty of wet and dirty nappies. I discovered by weighing her and me on our digital scales before and after a feed that she was almost a pound heavier after a feed. We realised then that the reason she had 'lost weight' was because she had been due a feed and had recently peed and pooed. The doctor told me that as long as she was health, happy, getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies, and not sleeping too much or to little, then she was fine and not to worry.

A lot of people on this site have had this issue, and usually within a month their babies have started putting weight back on. I think it's just a normal thing that many breastfed babies do, and that there's nothing to worry about.

 

[winterbabe]

Oh you poor thing!! hang in there! youre doing so well!! going thru an equally rough time. What has the LLL leader said about nipple shields? might be an option! they say last resort but ive had to start using them and im doing a combination of shields, ebm and nipple when she manages to latch! its not easy... but i just keep thinkin it wont last forever! good luck.. stay positive

 

[ryder]

Good luck you do what is right for you both...

I would think at almost 4 weeks your milk would have increased... Especially with feeding all the time.

If your comfortable with it perhaps give 1 or 2 bottles of formula and pump still... I know what it is like to have a baby whose latch hurts, Jasmine sucked sooo hard and even the help for the labour nurses didnt help, and the pump did not hurt at all.

 

[Mervs Mum]

You are not a failure honey - you are trying so hard which is fantastic under the difficult circumstances. As Rafwife said, you could buy yourself a little time with a top up - I know experts say its a bad idea but if it gets you through and keeps you BFing then I dont think anyone (even the experts!) could say its a bad thing.
This is what I'd do (but I am NOT A BF EXPERT!!!) - put him to the breast for as long as you can and have a bottle ready. When he's done or things are getting crazy then switch to the bottle to fill him and pump like crazy. I think I read about women trying to relactate using a similar method and in theory you should end up using less and less to top up and your supply should satisfy him more as time goes by.
Someone else might say thats a crap idea but hey ho. I used formula top ups thru tough times and I think thats helped me to get thru it and still be here BFing and enjoying the whole thing so much I cant seem me giving up anytime soon!!

You're doing great sweetie - hang in there! x

 

[vicwick]

Thanks ladies, think i'll have a bottle ready tonight just incase, he seems tro be gradually getting better at latching as it feels better and i can hear him swallowing when he's on the breast but my nipples are still really ridged and sore. I've been adament (sp?) that i don't want to give a formula bottle but i think just to keep my sanity i need some sleep so might give him one tonight if he doesn't settle.

Getting him weighed again on Monday so i really really hope he's put weight on, he looks so skinny bless him it breaks my heart

 

[marley2580]

Personally, it doesn't sound as if he's not getting enough milk as he's having lots of wet and dirty nappies. Like I said, before he gets weighed give him a good feed, that will help.

 

[cherylanne]

This might sound a little odd, but are you taking care of yourself? You need to drink plenty of fluids and have a balanced diet so that your milk is at it's best (if that makes sense). I hope things improve for you hun, i know how hard it is when the latch isn't right, it's so painful and lack of sleep makes everything so much worse.

I think Merv's Mum had a great idea, there's nothing wrong with topping up. It's been a lifesaver for loads of women. Good luck and i hope things improve soon xxx

 

[Mervs Mum]

Cherylanne is right too - just make sure you're drinking and eating well so you can feel more confident in your own ability to produce enough milk

 

[bex]

Hope things are improving for you hun x