Am i fighting a losing battle. Breastfeeding question

[chelsea]

I am trying to breast feed again. I have to use nipple shields because i have inverted nipples. But also cass has a tongue tie. Now know its going to be hard and im prepared for that. I still have milk but not as much so i need to build that back up. But reading about tongue ties it means she wont be able to draw the milk down properly.

What im asking has anyone else successfully breastfed with inverted nipples and a tongue tie? I Dont mind having to use nipple shields at she still comes off those and she has never latched without them. Her first feed didnt last 5 mins. Tie midwife gave up. Also it was 2.5 hours before e was given to me at tie hospital to feed could this add to her not being able to do it?

 

[*Star*]

oliver had a tongue tie, and he slipped off the nipple a lot when he was a newborn. he did get the hang of it though, and did feed well.

sorry cant help with the inverted nipples though

 

[keelie_b]

Im afraid i cant offer any advice but just wanted to say well done!
it wil be hard many others will have given up long before now but well done for really giving it a chance. I admire you xx

 

[Mildly]

Hi my LO has a tongue tie and I am still breastfeeding with nipple shields at nearly five months. Some tongue tie babies don't have a problem breastfeeding, i think it is different depending on the type of tie. Oscar's tongue tie is severe in that it reaches to the very tip of his tongue but is quite a thin tie. I keep sticking my tongue out at him and it does seem to have loosened it a bit. I use the shields as he is unable to latch successfully without them.

My main hassle with the breastfeeding and tongue tie is that he doesn't seem to feed particularly effectively. He feeds every two hours for at least 40 minutes, often an hour. However this has been brilliant for keeping my supply good so I can't really complain. I do supplement with formula at two of the feeds (one at midday and the last feed before bed), this started because he wasn't putting on weight at the beginning but we continue it now mainly because it gives me a break and a window to actually get stuff done instead of continually feeding him.

Basically, i think it is doable. You need to have a lot of skin to skin time and keep her on your boob pretty much constantly for a couple of days to stimulate your milk production. Drink lots of fluids and up your oats intake should help your milk too. Good luck

 

[chelsea]

So up the oats and drink more. Keep her at the boob i have been expressing so my supply has dwindled. So i need to get it back. At the mo she is feeding from both sides and im expressing afterwards. Is that right? I am still giving formula after each feed. I am determined enough i just dont want to be fighting a losing battle.

 

[Mildly]

It might be better for your supply if you pick a certain number of feeds a day to give formula rather than top up with formula after a breastfeed. Someone told me, on here, that your supply won't increase to meet your baby's demand if you top up with formula after a feed because the demand for more milk won't be recognised. It would probably be better to let LO nuzzle up to you all day even if she isn't getting all the milk she needs at first, the nuzzling and sucking will tell the boob to make more milk. Then to give yourself a break get your OH to feed LO the last feed of the day which will be formula. If you want to, you can express at this time and you can then eventually swap the formula for the expressed milk. Hope that makes sense, I'm not sure I explained that properly!

The oats and fluids should help your body respond to the call for more milk. Depending on how long it has been that your supply has dwindled will determine how long it will take to get back. I think the general rule is that for each day missed, it will take around a week to get back in the swing of things. I'm sure with lots of determination you'll get there and even if it doesn't work out at least you'll have tried