breastfeeding 4 day old and other questions

Ok, I posted below but I have some problems.

The first is breastfeeding.  I think my milk is now just starting to come in.  It is white to milking color but not think.  The problem is when I put my son on my boob, he just moves his head side to side and sometimes doesn't latch on.  I made the mistake of taking advise from a nurse at the hospital and gave him a bottle.  He has had five bottle feedings, kinda,  I started out on the breast, then gave him the bottle, and put him back on the breast.  Now he seems to not want to suck his way to getting the milk.  Is is still to early for him to get it easy - he really didn't have to work for it with the bottle.  I put him on my breast and he moves his mouth side to side and crys really bad and gets so mad and this will last hours, until I give in and give him a little formula.  Could he have gotten use to the taste of formula?  I don't want to give up.  Should I stop the formula and bottle all togeather.  what if he doesn' eat?  He really crys.

Next, my belly is hugh and I can't stand to look at it.  I gained 53 pounds will it go down.

[mum2beagain]

Get yourself a lactation consultant. My baby boy was given a bottle in the hospital and I needed some help getting him to latch, it was hard work for a few weeks but then we got it together and everything has been fine since.

[AndiJ78]

It is easier to get milk froma  bottle than a breast in the beginning, so that is most likely what is going on. Don't wait until he is fussy to feed, maybe even start trying to nurse right after waking or before the real hunger cues start,

Once he gets on the breast and experiences letdown, it will be much easier for him to eat. Also, make sure your breast isn't too full as it makes it tough to latch. Try manually expressing a few drops and leave in on your nipple for him to get a taste. It shouldn't take l;ong once he latches for the milk to let down.

Avoid giving the bottle if possible, it really can lead to nipple confusion and make nursing much more difficult.

[peekawho]

Is he really crying "for hours" before you give him the bottle?   It surely must seem like that!

Andi is 100% right.  Try to avoid the bottle, your milk should be fully in any time now, and it will be easier for him to get some milk.  Watch out for engorgement--you might have to pump a little to soften the nipple if he has a hard time latching.  Babies were designed to be able to survive on very little for the first few days, until your milk comes in.  

Call your hospitals lactation consultant and see if you can arrange an appt.  They will observe a feeding and help figure out what's going on.  

You can also pump and give the milk in a bottle, but I wouldn't do that unless it is a last resort.  Its often harder to get anything out that way, and your supply may be decreased.  And you'll still have the issue with developing a preference for the bottle.

[4EVERDK]

You could always pump... if you have to give him a bottle try and give him the breast milk not formula its better even if he isn't getting it by breast feeding

[mgi]

use your hand and squirt some milk into his mouth so he sees what he will get from your nipple
then put your nipple into his mouth - put  a huge section in - then he will close down on it - mine still cry when I put it in sometimes because it is more work then a bottle - BUt after 5 weeks they love love love to nurse only once I get them started

[kris123]

I will try the pinching next at his next feeding and putting more of it in his mouth.  Maybe I am putting to little in his mouth.  Thanks

[kris123]

Ok so I gave in because he is screaming.  I am so upset with myself and this breastfeeding.  I am not going to give up but I can't let him scream either.  My sis went to go buy a pump so I will use that to try to express or help along with my milk coming in.  Please what else can I do?

[AnnieBrooke]

In all seriousness, get the hospital to send the lactation consultant to you right now.  You should get the trick of pinching your nipple slightly so it is more of a flatter oval than a round circle, to fit in the baby's mouth, and then just pushing it way into the mouth of your baby, (way, way in), but it is so much easier if someone is showing you how to do it!!!!  Pumping will help at this time because it will make sure your bbs aren't too full for the baby to get a grip.  Be sure also that the pediatrician on call is keeping an eye on the baby, that kind of crying can indicate the baby is having issues such as dehydration.  Good luck, find that lactation consultant, and keep posting to us!

[kris123]

He gets a good latch on and I my nipple shape is not a problem.  I see him sucking, its like he gets really mad and just starts crying.  Maybe he has gas, I burp him.  I had three different lactation consultants tell me three different things and I tryed all of them.  Maybe the problem lies in that my milk has not come in.  Shouldn't it have come in by now.  I had the baby on Tuesday.  It has been four days.

[kris123]

My son was born 10:37am Tuesday.  I can express the clear milky looking stuff.  I have manged to only give him the breast but he is always on it.  I know I will lose a lot of sleep tonight but I don't care if it means he will get the milk.  I just hope it comes in soon.  I have not gotten a pump and will send my sis out tomorrow to get the medula advance.  I will start to pump to see if that brings in the milk faster.  He really is crying constantly at hours at a time untill I give the bottle and when I did give it to him I only gave him a little.  Today I gave it more of a try and he has some trouble latching on the left breast but seems to be doing ok on the right.  I guess I will let him nurse as long as he wants.  Is this how it alway is.

[peekawho]

It usually comes in around 2-4 days.  Nurse as often as possible.  

[AnnieBrooke]

Along with the burping and trying the 'pinch and shove' (by the way, put the baby onto the breast, don't try to drag the breast to the baby), do be sure to pump enough to have a sticking-out nipple.  If it is swallowed by the round boob, it will give him nothing to grab.  If you think he has a real gas problem and burping doesn't take care of it, have someone show you burping techniques (it can take several kinds, the bounce, the twist and the big pat).