Breast feeding advice

anyone who has experiance can you please give me a few pointers??

lily took really well at the hospital, now that she is home all she seems to do is fall asleep when i try to feed her and when she does get on it hurts so bad. and she is latched on correctly it is just that she has a shallow pallet in her mouth so it makes her bite really strong. leaving me bruised and blisterd.

also- i am so afraid that she is not getting enough milk from me. just because you know, you cant see exactly how much she is swallowing. i broke down and gave her a bottle yesterday. she has lost a tad bit more weight then the "average" newborn, so her dr. suggests that i supplement with a bottle after i BF just for the next couple of days.

so now i am afraid she will not want my breast anymore since she has had bottles. aarrrgghh.
please give me some advice! and thankyou.

oh and i am still waiting on that breast pump in the mail. do you think that will solve all of my problems???

[kennedydp5]

i had the same problem w/ ds w/ the falling asleep thing.  they are REALLY hard to keep awake at first.  he is 1 month old now and it took determination to get it right.  i was never succesful at breastfeeding until this time!  and i'm sooo happy i stuck w/ it!

i don't think babies really get nipple confusion this young...  so she should still take the breast when its offered.  i was told while they're feeding to rub the back of their head  to keep them stimulated and get a damp cloth and wipe it on their face.  i would rub ds's back and arms and mess w/ his feet, too.  sometimes it doesn't work and they just fall asleep anyways.  just make sure you wake them back up after a little while and try it again!  you just have to be consistent w/ it.  

i don't know about her latching though...  you may want to call the lactaion constulant from the hospital where you delivered and ask their advice.  you can make an appt w/ her so she can help you w/ it!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!  

jen

[kaiya]

Hi

I know it can be frustrating but my advice is to stick with the breast and don't use the bottle. I breast fed my son and of course you worry if they are getting anough but its natural. I was so determined and I just kept with it throught the pain and the worry. I am so pleased that i managed to breastfeed and after the first weeks and months it just becomes so easy. Just remember the baby and you are learning how to breastfeed and practice makes perfect. Try to relax and not panic..I hope that all goes well Good luck.

[tiffanyanglesey]

I had the same problem! My son always feel asleep at the breast during the first month. I also had to break down and use the bottle because he was not eating enough at the breast.  Lactation consultants warned me that my son will experience nipple confusion if I use the bottle too soon....But my son did just fine going back and fourth. His weight gain started back up again after I did this. However, all kids are different. Thats just my experience.

[mysty2001]

I hate when docs suggest a bottle because the less milk you feed the less you will produce and you also break the "natural intake"  she will eat what she needs to eat if she is breast fed

latching on - I say call the lactation consultant - it should not hurt if she is truly latched correctly

medela makes great breast creme for the cracks and pain

to keepp her awake - try rubbing the underside of her chin - also change her before you feed her and when you switch breasts
good luck

[Mommy3boyz]

I also had similar problems when my children were born.  Breast feeding can be very trying and is an ongoing battle.  But I would suggest to keep with it.  The end results will pay off and just remember that babies don't have the need to overeat.  They eat until they are full.  I would keep trying and if the baby is hungry he will eat.  You could always pump after you get it to see how much milk you are actually making at a time to see if the baby is getting enough but remember the more they eat the more you will make and this is a natural process.

[Tennesseegirl]

myary2001,,,, well said!!!

anytime you get a bottle your screwing with mother nature!!. I too hate it when they say that!!!  also if you supplement? you have high risk of constipation and will have other issues.
Sure you can pump.... but I have found that when you pump, you dont get near the amount when baby eats. please try and be patient. If your not working? no need to pump.  just let her eat when she is wanting. also... you cant overfeed a baby bf... so let her have at it. smile  practice makes perfect.
congrats on sticking with the bf this time!!!

[waitingwithhope]

It is normal to hurt a bit when you are first breast feeding but if you are blistered/bruised then you may want to consider some cream for your nipples to make it feel better. I used Lansinoh (http://www.parentingbynature.com/lansinoh-lanolin.htm) after every feed and it worked really well. I would think about going to a breast feeding clinic if there is one because sometimes you might discover that the baby looks latched on but that they have a different method of sucking and they can give you suggestions. If you want too, you could also try a different feeding position (i.e. the football hold instead of the cradle hold). Expressing milk onto the nipple after feedings also can help with dry, sore, cracked nipples. Over time, it should not hurt that much at all.

Also, the more you feed, the more milk that will come in. Even them sucking on it will produce more milk. If you are concerned with the amount, just look for very wet diapers and poopy diapers. The wet ones are so important and will be your clue to how much they are getting.

I would trust the advice your doctor gave you, even though there is a chance your baby may switch to bottles...it is good to do the bottle thing after you feel that they have had the best feed possible. It wouldn't hurt to try and pump after every feed (that will keep your supply up) and then give those bottles of breast milk that you have stored after a feeding-that way you are pumping and they are getting breast milk rather than formula (and there is not a risk of your baby preferring the taste of formula). I know a lot of people who have had success at this, plus they always had bottles stored up just in case they fell ill or needed to go out for an evening.

Here is a great website too that answers some common breastfeeding concerns and questions:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/index.html

Trust your doc and your own instincts. Also, try and not worry too awful much during feedings- stressing out can make your milk flow different. Drink as much as possible yourself- guzzle water like crazy- and watch for the signs that your baby is gulping (with the swallowing), that you feel the "let down" feeling in your breasts after feeding, that your breasts feel softer after feeding and those wet diapers. You can also test out your breasts too to see if there is milk there--chances are if you can see the milk dripping out or you see your baby with milk spilling out of their mouth-you have enough. Remember, though, that the first little while they get colostrum, which is high in nutrients but there will be less of it and you might not be seeing the milk gushing at this point. Your milk will come in about a week later. It is a long week until that milk comes in, but nurse as often as you can (even if it means every hour or less!) and this will help increase your supply.

I hope this helps, I have nursed five kids and have had a whole host of questions every time because each kid is different. I also felt guilty with the ones I could not nurse for as long as the others but I had to finally just relax about it and figure that whatever was best for the baby- even if it was formula in the end- would be fine. Keep strong- it'll get better!

[ohiogirl617]

thank you all for the advice. i am doing the pumping now after i bf her, storing that milk and giving it  to her instead of formula for the next feed. however, lately i feel a bit engorged, i cant really tell though. my breasts hurt and are def. a little bigger. is this engorgement or is my real milk coming in?

i have soo many questions. and where do you ladies find the time to sleep during all your bfing? do the feedings come farther apart as they get alittle older?