Advice / opinions please!

[sarah1]

Hi

I haven't posted in this bit before but just after some advice and opinions on my situation really.

My little boy is 6 weeks old this week. From birth I have breastfed him, and had to combine feed from about a week old as I got mastitis and just found the feeding super painful. We combi fed for the next few weeks with a mixture of expressed milk in a bottle, formula from a bottle and breast feeds when it wasn't too painful. When breastfeeding it was taking ages.

The week before last I saw a lactation consultant about our problems (I'd seen sooooo many different people who kept saying everything 'looked' fine and I was basically being a wimp!) and she said Miles has a tongue tie and a bubble palate. We are waiting to be referred about his tongue tie and as far as I know there's nothin they can do for the palate thing.

I'm finding expressing milk all the time exhausting and time consuming and most days I don't have time so I'm sure my milk supply is reducing. I try to do one or two breast feeds a day and express three or four times at least but he always needs a formula top up. When he feeds he dribbles and takes in a lot of air.

My hubby wants me to give up and a big part of me thinks it might be easier to just switch to formula but I know breast milk is best for him. I just wonder if now its been too long and I'd never get the milk supply back up to take away the formula. I just can't carry on with the expressing all the time and feeling like we are in limbo and god knows how long it'll be before they fix the tongue tie. He's suffering with sickness and wind and I'm sure it's from the formula which makes me feel worse about giving up.

All opinions welcome please! Sorry for the essay.

Xxxx

 

[Wilson28]

Hi hunn

Has anyone advised nipple shields?
Im not sure if they would work with your little one.

Also your milk will come in from about 2am-2pm so expressing in an evening will be hard work and will tske longer.

Im still bf at 6 months and found arthur at that age would be on and off the boobie every 45 mins due to growth spurts, xx

 

[sarah1]

Thanks....will try them....will try anything! Just been pestering hv about his tongue tie appt x

 

[Wilson28]

http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/bfhelp-tonguetie/#basic



here are some links with this issue hun xx

 

[HL28]

My friends baby had tongue tie with her third and she was close to giving up but as soon as it was snipped it made feeding hundred times better and pain free. I'd keep pestering hun. And try and hang in until you have it seen too. Then you can begin increasing your supply etc. Hope you're ok hun xxx

 

[Nicnax]

Keep on about the tongue tie- these things can take ages, and ad everyone else has said, it may simply solve your problem. I believe you can get medication to help with low supply (someone here will know the name), and there are good breastfeeding support groups out there, that can help. BUT, if you do decide to stop, you really can be sure that you have done your best, and you have given little one a great start with the breastmilk you have managed to give. Feeling actresses about it won't help with supply (easier said than done), so try not to beat yourself up about it. I believe there are many different types of formula if you are worried about it giving little one wind etc.

You're doing a great job- try and feel positive about what you have done so far- it's a great achievement.