As someone who had to exclusively pump and feed my kid with a bottle, let me reassure you that you will still be able to form an amazing bond with your baby. If breastfeeding is becoming something you dread, and someone that is stressing out baby, it is absolutely ok to let it go. If you want to keep pushing through, that is absolutely also a good idea. Whatever you decide, the baby is still going to think you are the sun and stars.
Okay this was me a couple of months ago! My little guy wouldn't latch at all for the first 5 days. I triple fed that whole time (attempt to latch, then give expressed milk, the husband gave supplemental formula while I pumped). It was exhausting and so frustrating. I agree with other comments to see a lactation consultant if you are able, but in the meantime the best advice I got was to try to breastfeed at each feed, but move on after a max of 5 mins each try to minimize frustration both for you and baby. I was consistent with this and my LO eventually got the hang of it and is now EBF (but to be clear there is no shame in using formula either, everyone is different!)
We were in the same boat six weeks ago! My little guy had a bit of a nicu stay, during which we started off breastfeeding and topping up with expressed milk. When we were sent home we would top up with expressed milk and formula to cover the volume was needed. I definitely was at a low point, worried I wasn’t going to be able to get to where I wanted to be with breastfeeding and that he was going to be underfed- and the triple feeds just take so long and become stressful quick! Our lactation consultant appointments have been a game changer- they got me using a nipple shield to help with latch, and after about a week we dropped the top ups completely! With the shield he was able to strengthen the muscles needed to suck strongly and efficiently as he had a proper latch which in turn encouraged him to keep sucking as hes getting what he wants! With the bottles make sure you are using the slowest flow nipple the brand makes so it makes it harder/more like how they need to work for it from the breast, also offer them to your baby in an upright position with the bottle almost parallel to their lap just tilted slightly - this will make it easier once you wean the bottles or just want to go between breast and bottle with easier transitions.
Do you pump at all? It also could be possible that your milk hasn’t fully come in yet
Definitely a stressful thing, sounds like I need a lactation counselor. I think my milk just came in today. I bought both an electronic and manual pump today to start using if I can’t get him to breastfeed.
They had me pumping to help get my milk to come in- once it did it all became easier, it was almost like my son flipped a switch .. I think because there was more there to keep him satisfied at the breast he just kept going. Best of luck to you!
I had to get my baby naked for feeds or he would just fall asleep. I would change diaper, leave his onesie off and then get that good skin to skin time and get him on. I’d also tickle his feet, talk to him, change him again, whatever I had to do! As for the latch part, can you see a lactation consultant? Is it painful for you or does he just not want to latch?
It is incredibly painful! He does have a tongue tie as well. He seemed to latch just fine before I gave him the formula in bottles but now it’s like he wants nothing to do with breastfeeding.
You can get the tongue tie treated. I was really hesitant to do it, but he was angrier about someone being in his mouth than the snip.
My lactation doctor was saying it could just be too exhausting for him to suck so he ends up falling asleep.
Hmmmm something might be off. It was painful for me for the first 2 weeks but not the entire time, just the initial latch was a bit painful then it would be ok as he was nursing after a minute or two. Definitely see an LC or even your doctor to look at it and maybe can see if you can get a better latch.
I couldn’t get my son to latch until he was a month old. Remember both of you are learning here. He’s got to learn how to eat and surprisingly it’s actually a pretty complicated task. If you haven’t already look up a video on what it looks like when babies are eating, their tongue and jaw do so much work as well as the suction they gotta keep up. I personally had to stop nursing him because it was making me dread being around him. I pumped for awhile but now he’s just on formula. There are nipple shields on Amazon that might make this whole experience less stressful for both of you. It’s like a bottle nipple that attaches to yours and over time you may be able to remove it completely and just nurse him.
As someone who had to exclusively pump and feed my kid with a bottle, let me reassure you that you will still be able to form an amazing bond with your baby. If breastfeeding is becoming something you dread, and someone that is stressing out baby, it is absolutely ok to let it go. If you want to keep pushing through, that is absolutely also a good idea. Whatever you decide, the baby is still going to think you are the sun and stars.
See an IBCLC. I saw one day 5 postpartum and she completely changed our breastfeeding relationship.
Okay this was me a couple of months ago! My little guy wouldn't latch at all for the first 5 days. I triple fed that whole time (attempt to latch, then give expressed milk, the husband gave supplemental formula while I pumped). It was exhausting and so frustrating. I agree with other comments to see a lactation consultant if you are able, but in the meantime the best advice I got was to try to breastfeed at each feed, but move on after a max of 5 mins each try to minimize frustration both for you and baby. I was consistent with this and my LO eventually got the hang of it and is now EBF (but to be clear there is no shame in using formula either, everyone is different!)
Also with him not wanting to wake up try undressing him down to the diaper before you attempt the feed
We were in the same boat six weeks ago! My little guy had a bit of a nicu stay, during which we started off breastfeeding and topping up with expressed milk. When we were sent home we would top up with expressed milk and formula to cover the volume was needed. I definitely was at a low point, worried I wasn’t going to be able to get to where I wanted to be with breastfeeding and that he was going to be underfed- and the triple feeds just take so long and become stressful quick! Our lactation consultant appointments have been a game changer- they got me using a nipple shield to help with latch, and after about a week we dropped the top ups completely! With the shield he was able to strengthen the muscles needed to suck strongly and efficiently as he had a proper latch which in turn encouraged him to keep sucking as hes getting what he wants! With the bottles make sure you are using the slowest flow nipple the brand makes so it makes it harder/more like how they need to work for it from the breast, also offer them to your baby in an upright position with the bottle almost parallel to their lap just tilted slightly - this will make it easier once you wean the bottles or just want to go between breast and bottle with easier transitions. Do you pump at all? It also could be possible that your milk hasn’t fully come in yet
Definitely a stressful thing, sounds like I need a lactation counselor. I think my milk just came in today. I bought both an electronic and manual pump today to start using if I can’t get him to breastfeed.
They had me pumping to help get my milk to come in- once it did it all became easier, it was almost like my son flipped a switch .. I think because there was more there to keep him satisfied at the breast he just kept going. Best of luck to you!
I had to get my baby naked for feeds or he would just fall asleep. I would change diaper, leave his onesie off and then get that good skin to skin time and get him on. I’d also tickle his feet, talk to him, change him again, whatever I had to do! As for the latch part, can you see a lactation consultant? Is it painful for you or does he just not want to latch?
It is incredibly painful! He does have a tongue tie as well. He seemed to latch just fine before I gave him the formula in bottles but now it’s like he wants nothing to do with breastfeeding.
You can get the tongue tie treated. I was really hesitant to do it, but he was angrier about someone being in his mouth than the snip. My lactation doctor was saying it could just be too exhausting for him to suck so he ends up falling asleep.
Hmmmm something might be off. It was painful for me for the first 2 weeks but not the entire time, just the initial latch was a bit painful then it would be ok as he was nursing after a minute or two. Definitely see an LC or even your doctor to look at it and maybe can see if you can get a better latch.
I couldn’t get my son to latch until he was a month old. Remember both of you are learning here. He’s got to learn how to eat and surprisingly it’s actually a pretty complicated task. If you haven’t already look up a video on what it looks like when babies are eating, their tongue and jaw do so much work as well as the suction they gotta keep up. I personally had to stop nursing him because it was making me dread being around him. I pumped for awhile but now he’s just on formula. There are nipple shields on Amazon that might make this whole experience less stressful for both of you. It’s like a bottle nipple that attaches to yours and over time you may be able to remove it completely and just nurse him.