BF'ing and Bottle feeding question.

[BTS1022]

Well I really wanted to try and BF Conner, and was going to, but unfortunatley my milk never came in. I was lactating, but nothing that Conner could benefit from. Im not even engorged or having signs of it. Doc said I may never engorge or produce breast milk. IF I do develope breast milk I would like to try and BF. But the doc said it is highly unlikely I will succeed at it because Conner will have nipple confusion.

Has anyone been in this situation and go on to BF with formula supplementation?

Also, I wanted to say thank you! to everyone who has stuck by my side and dealt with all my crazy posts lol. Thank you for all the wonderful notes, and comments on baby Conner. I am very lucky to have found this forum and all you wonderful ladies.

Big hugs! and lots of thanks!

[casandbaby]

first off congratulatons, Conner is so beautiful =] for me it was hard to bf, he was in the nursery for 5 days I wasn't able to hold him or see him the first night and they gave him formula no biggie, i tried several times a dat to bf but he was i would guess used to the bottle. Also I guess my nipples we're to rough well thats the way the nurse described them as. She suggested the nipple shield but it was to hard for me to use, it kept sliding off and just a major pain in the butt. so i ended up pumping exclusively for eight months before my supply dried up =[ and I was pumping every three hours it was hard. You are doing a good job with it so far =] if it doesn't work out at least you did everything you good your doing a good thing, i know several people who would just give up if they hadn't got there milk in =]

[LACh1]

I would keep at it and pump every three hours like already suggested.  Your milk supply is like your baby and pregnancy - everyones is different and takes a different time to produce.  I would be asking your doc for the pill to help your milk come in and visiting with a lactation consultant who has had experience with many bf problems.  There are many options avaliable including the nipple sheild that joy was talking about which may help with latching to the nipple that is inverted.  What ever happens just know you have given it a great try and that the formulas would not be on the market if there weren't as close to breast milk as possible and a great substitute.  I only bf my little girl for 9 weeks and then had to go to the bottle due to anxiety issues - she is happy, healthy and has actually had less colds, flus, etc than some of my friends babies who were bf for longer.  I did start to comp feed at around 3 weeks and she was getting one - two formula bottles a day and she had no problems with nipple confusion (they say the younder you introduce it the better though). I really would like to try and bf for longer this time but know that there is nothing wrong with formula and that if that is the way that i have to go again i will do it knowing it is the right thing for me and my baby.  Good luck and congrats on baby Conner

[kjbutcher]

I did get some milk, but it ended up getting very painful and my son would not latch while I was engorged.  Anyway, past my own problems with pain, I did end up pumping.  I didnt get much, maybe 1 4oz bottle a day, but I felt like I was doing a good thing and he got his formula too.  (I had to pump 4 times both breasts at once to get that 4oz)  I did it for 3 months with my son and now I dont know if I will do it again.  Possibly for a month or two so I dont feel guilty.  Do you have anything coming out at all?  (I didnt read all of the posts you dont really have to answer)  If something is coming out it is beneficial.  My cousin was one of the people that never produced milk at all.  I was very jealous of her.  i was in so much pain between the nipples and the engorging and everyone harassing me.  I wish I could have just said simply  "I cant" and truely mean it.

[Linzola1]

I bottle fed but I wanted to say I hope all works out and you get to do what you want to! Did you start taking the pill to help stimulate milk production?

[babydreams9]

Don't give up!!!! I know how incredibly difficult it is, I went through hell for my first week post-pardum. I HIGHLY suggest pumping to get your supply going (forumla feeding will quickly diminish your supply; the way to keep it up is consistent stimulation).... and also highly recommend using a nipple shield. No, it's not ideal, but I've been using one for a few weeks and without it I wouldn't be BFing at all (lots of factors)....... HANG IN THERE!! And as mentioned previously, contact your local La Leche League leader. There will be a phone number on the website you can call. Trust me - they want to hear from you. I did that and she made a tremendous difference by helping us through so many issues. I wish you the very best!! And just know that you're so not alone in this!!

[Mumita]

Go to the website www.lalecheleage. org  I think that's what it is or do a search on La Leche League, it is bf resource.  Anyway, right after a baby if born the stomach doesn't stretch much and its about the size of a marble that's why they feed often and very little.  Your breasts produce as much as the baby demands.  Sometimes when you supplement with formula then you produce less because there is less demand on your breasts.
If you eat more carbohidrate rich foods (like pancakes with syrup, breads etc.) you will produce more milk AND Beer as unlikely as it sounds, helps to produce more milk because its high on carbs.
Please don't give up easily, I'm sure its stressful because you think that he's not eating enough but if you keep at it you will produce more.  Don't give up.

[JoyRenee]

Don't give up, BTS! You CAN do it. I believe it's considered inverted nipple when it won't stick out. I had that problem and used nip shields. They're not intended for long term use, though.

[BTS1022]

Im trying, I still offer him a bottle after he is done with the breast, because im sure he isn't getting anything from the breast right now, and he still downs 4 ounces of formula after the breast.

Im trying my best, and hopefully it works, but if not...there is nothing wrong with formula feeding. I just wanted to BF so I know what it's like to do it.

[ashiepooh]

i would try pumping on the right for a while and then when the milk is fully in maybe he can latch!!  So stick to the left side for a while!

I hope you can breastfeed him!  

[BTS1022]

I have nothing coming in, I do have a fluid coming out but it tested negative for colostrum. My doc wanted to put me on a pill to help me produce milk.

Also I have an issue with my right nipple, it doesn't stimulate or get *hard* so he can't latch onto it. I have tried everything from ice cubes to just letting him nuzzle it and nothing happens. Would I have to soley feed from my left breast and pump from my right?

Im really anxious to try and BF, I wasn't able to with my other children because of the same production issue, and the other docs didnt want to help me with it.

[JoyRenee]

It can take up to a week for milk to letdown. You don't have colostrum or anything coming out? There are many people who pump the first week or two after birth and are able to get baby to BF later. And I read an article about nipple confusion versus nipple preference. It isn't really nipple confusion. They develop a preference for one over the other. Either an easy nipple with nasty formula, or difficult nursing for wonderful breastmilk.

[justice6920]

With my daughter  i did breastfeed for about 4 months and when i had to go back to work i wanted to switch her to the bottle (would have been impossible for me to pump).... I swear that was the hardest week of my life.... She would NOT take a bottle and i swear she didnt eat for 2 days straight. Dr said it was nipple confusion, altho its a bit backwards bc i started out on the breast i am sure it can definately happen either way, depends on which they get used to first........

Now I dont really know if it would have made a difference using both the nipple and the bottle... I breast fed straight for 4 months then tried switching to a bottle so maybe if you start him out with both then he wont really get to confused..... Good Luck!!

[ashiepooh]

When both my kids were born they had to get formula until my milk came in.  If you can get a pump, I suggest it.  Rent it from the hospital!  If you pump every 3 hours, your milk will come in with in 3 days!  He shouldn't get confused at all!  Just when your milk does come in, always get him to try and latch first, and give it about 15 mins if he isn't the pump and ask hubby to feed him some formula!  He should latch on thought with no problem!

[Brittney11]

I bf my son when we were in the hospital that was for about a week and when we got to go home i did bf and bottle feeding and he had no problems going back and fourth.

And congrats on baby connor