[puffsgirl11]

Hi,

My little boy is only a week old and I feel as though I have already failed him as a mother.

I’m a trying my hardest to BF him but it is so damn painful. I have just been up to the maternity unit to ask about it and as I thought he doesn’t latch on properly (even with the nipple shields I need to use) and my poor nipples are ruined. They are so sore and messed up its not funny.

I feel guilty about dreading feeding time as I have a really good supply and he is thriving on the breast milk but I just cannot tolerate the pain. Last night I had to give him some formula and it nearly broke my heart.

I see a LC on Wednesday but not sure how I will manage with BF until then. I have borrowed an expressing machine from the local hospital and will trial that (so far so good).

My question is has anyone successfully bottle fed for a couple of days and then been able to BF successfully?

Also I will continue to try to BF until Wednesday but have been told to stop when it hurts to give my nipples a rest. If he needs a feed do I just express from one breast and give it to him every time he is hungry and then alternate between breasts at every feed?

Thanks

[mummacampbell]

Hi OP

So sorry you are having trouble it is hard isnt it.?

My son would not latch on properly and I ended up just bottle feeding him and it was the best decision I ever made as it removed a lot of the stress and I was able to actually enjoy my son

[Miss Cookie]

I am n the exact same position op, with added mastitis. I had to rest my nipples for 48 hours and pump 3 hourly to keep up supply. It is so tiring. You can express both ides or just one per session and store in the fridge for bub.

I am going to stop feeding when my mastitis clears. I understand the guilt associated with stopping too.

This post has been edited by Miss Cookie: 11/11/2012, 10:44 AM

[twilightangel]

If you don't feel happy giving him formula could you continue expressing and bottle feed him expressed breast milk.

[Tonberry]

I hate BFing too, as it is very painful for me due to Nipple Vasospasm (had it with DS without anyone picking up on it, although he had latch problems as well, finally figured it out with DD, but still only made it to 12 weeks comp feeding), I'm expecting it this time around again. I find it is a bit better if I warm my nipples with a warm heat bag just before feeding.

the Women's on Vasospasm

I think the reason no one picked up on it with DS was that as a first time mother they assumed I was exaggerating the pain so they didn't consider it.

With DD I did manage to express for a few days before getting in to see an LC and still feed, but just not fully BF - I think though this had more to do with me than any supply issues, before having children I was extremely pro BFing, after having so much trouble with DS I'm more in the camp of "try to BF, but it's not the end of the world if you can't". If it wasn't so much better for them, I wouldn't even try with #3, but I'm hoping to make 6 months this time.

ETA: Congratulations, BTW and good luck with however you proceed.

This post has been edited by Tonberry: 11/11/2012, 10:53 AM

[No girls here]

Don't give yourself a hard time. If you are able to express easily then definitely do that to give your nipples a break. When mine were in a mess I did a lot of expressing as I was dreading every feed and it worked fine for two of my three boys.

One of my boys (my first) was extremely impatient and wasn't too keen on breastfeeding as he liked the fast flow of the bottle. He had expressed milk for a few months and then moved straight to formula. I felt guilty about not breastfeeding him but in retrospect I should have also considered my own mental well being and not put any more stress on myself (he was a difficult baby as well) and I really regret not switching earlier just because I felt guilty.

[lucky 2]

My question is has anyone successfully bottle fed for a couple of days and then been able to BF successfully?

Also I will continue to try to BF until Wednesday but have been told to stop when it hurts to give my nipples a rest. If he needs a feed do I just express from one breast and give it to him every time he is hungry and then alternate between breasts at every feed?

I wouldn't directly breast feed if all it did was cause nipple damage, it means baby isn't feeding well anyway.
Give milk in a cup or bottle, which ever is more efficient.
Babies certainly go back to bfing after short term bottle use, most anyway but your LC will have some tricks to help with this.
Your breasts will find it hard to build a normal supply when you have bfing difficulties so expressing is very important to help your breasts get the right messages and build supply to feed baby and to have plenty of milk when you see the LC on Wednesday and try bfing again.
Ideally if you suspend bfing you express at least 8 times in 24 hours, expressing each breast twice (switching sides when the flow slows, 4 sides at least) for a total of about 20-30 mins, maximum.
Expressing for shorter sessions more frequently is better than longer sessions infrequently.
Ideally you use a hospital grade electric pump and it shouldn't hurt to use, start the milk flowing by hand expressing then use the pump, going as high as possible on the suction without any pain, if it hurts then turn it down until it is comfortable.
Use a long teat if you can and have lots of cuddles and skin on skin time on your chest to keep him familiar and happy near your breasts.
Also see if you can get in to see the LC earlier, perhaps ring tomorrow and see if she has a cancellation.
All the best.

[puffsgirl11]

I have spoken to my DH and he agrees that I try expressing for a couple of days and then wait for the LC to show me how to BF properly.

So should I express every couple of hours or so or do I wait until bub is hungry? ATM I have alot of milk (I expressed 100ml in 5 mins from 1 breast) so I was wondering ifmaybe I should just express every 2-3 hours to keep up my supply?

I have a hospital grade breast pump so how often would i use that (I don't seem to find this painful at all which is how I knew he wasnt latching properly when BF). Also when I do BF him i am damaging the nipple. Sadly Wednesday is the earliest I can see the LC.

This post has been edited by puffsgirl11: 11/11/2012, 11:30 AM

[happygurl06]

I bottle fed DS for two days whilst waiting for the LC visit. Best think I did. My nipples had time off and DS still got his BM.

I expressed every 2 hours both sides left/right then left/right again.

Good Lu k!

[lucky 2]

I reckon you have a good plan and good equipment .
I'd express as much as you can at least the 8 times as above.
That could be after each feed (baby led) or timed, which ever is the most manageable.
If you continue to have enough milk or ideally more than baby needs and your nipples start to heal and your breasts are feeling healthy (ie no blocked ducts or mastitis symptoms) then this is great and a good goal to aim for.
I hope you heal quick (? use some medical grade lanolin or multimums?) and get baby back on the breast in a comfortable and effective way, there is certainly plenty of time to sort this out considering your baby is only one week old.
Congratulations on the birth of your baby and to your DH for being supportive of bfing.
All the best.