[Natttmumm]

Hi ladies
We had a rough start breastfeeding. With flat nipples and an emergency csection breastfeeding has not happened for us. It's been a week of no expressing or feeding and milk is very low. I have started pumping again 3 hourly now I'm feeling better. I can't attach the baby due to flat nipples until I have more milk as I need a shield. The doc has prescribed mottilium to get things going again.
Any tips, advice or things to watch out for would be great.
I'm nervous the milk has gone forever although the lactactation consultant seems to think it will come back. Any one reestablished their supply after a week of no stimulation.

[lucky 2]

Bottom line is you will never know if you don't have a go, the LC is hopeful, who knows except your breasts.
If you do have a go and building supply then expressing 2-3 hourly would be even better, once or twice at night (I'd probably do it twice), some Motilium wont hurt (unless you personally react badly to this medication) and it might help (again it is individual).
Do you have an electric pump? A double would be quicker at this stage and will maximise supply.
If you can boost your supply a bit you could perhaps try the shield but because your baby is bottle fed he/she may not be agreeable to suckle for not much reward. I think your chances would be higher considering you are one week with no milk removal vs 2 weeks!
Good luck and well done on removing and giving some breast milk, any amount is better than none . I hope it works for you.
All the best.

[Escapin]

I had a terrible time to start with too. Your LC is right, you should be able to get things going-it's only been a week. Are you looking at your baby (or a photo) while you pump? If not, I would def start. It can really help you 'let down'. Good luck, and remember, breast feeding is great, but a mentally well mother is more important, so if it all gets too much, bottle feeding is ok

[Natttmumm]

Thanks for the tips. Hoping it works but trying to stay relaxed about it too.
You are right, I have nothing to loose by giving it a go.
I have hired a double pump from the hospital and it should arrive today which will help.

[MumSyd]

Hey OP, first of all congratulations on the birth of your LO. You poor thing I can completely empathise with what you are going through. I could have written your post exactly 8 months ago. All the pp have offered good advice and suggestions. The couple of thing I would like to add is 1) make sure you do get enough rest between the pumping and feeding your LO. Rest is really important to help make milk and so with the pumping and trying to get your LO feeding directly from you I know that time to rest is in short supply - it's like having twins! 2) make sure you eat properly, you need enough calories to make the milk so three good meals a day with healthy snacks in between. 3) drink enough water, I was told to try and have around 2 litres a day. I also drank (and continue to do so) Weleda Nursing Tea to help keep up my supply. 4) Finally be kind to yourself and take it a day at a time. It nearly broke me the first 6 weeks after my LO was born. The breastfeeding didn't work, I was pumping to feed and get my supply up, sterilising bottles and pumps, trying to get her attached, recovering from cesarean and I honestly didn't sleep more than 3 hours a day in those first few weeks - and then there is the having a baby bit! Terribly stressful and not how I envisaged my first weeks of parenthood. All the best OP and I hope the feeding all sorts itself out for you very soon.

[meggs1]

I was separated from my DS for 3 days after an emergency CS (although we snuck in a few visits) and my milk was very slow to come in. I used motilium, Waleda tea, lots of skin to skin, and cosleeping. He was feeding frantically for the first 8 weeks or so and I would have given up except that he was gaining 400-500 grams from 3 weeks, so I just kept going. He's only now gradually giving up his last feed (16.5 months).

Re the flat nipples, I had one (BF fixed it) and the MW made me a little sucky tool out of a syringe with the top cut off and that pulled it out enough to latch on.

Maybe ask your LC about a supply line to feed the EBM so you get the stimulation and bub gets the idea of BF - not sure if this can work with shields sorry.

[lucky 2]

Maybe ask your LC about a supply line to feed the EBM so you get the stimulation and bub gets the idea of BF - not sure if this can work with shields sorry.

I have heard of this but I don't think it is a common technique to boost supply when there are attachment difficulties (ie rt the short nipples).
Usually you need good attachment as a foundation to successful use of the supply line.

[Mose]

Hi


Sorry to hear of your issues. Hopefully the LC can she some light.

But just a tip regarding the flat nipples...if you use the pump briefly before trying to attach your little one, it will help to draw the nipple out. You obviously don't want to pump out your supply but even just a few pumps made all the difference to my (formerly) flat nipples.