failed :-(

[EmiLou123]

I'm feeling miserable today, I've well and truly failed at breastfeeding... Been doing it for 4 weeks and just feels like it's been getting worse, i cry every time i do it now because my baby gets frustrated and i get frustrated and he tries to feed for hours and i end up with sore nipples... I've got a pump and have started expressing for more and more feeds... I didn't want it to end like this but baby gets all he needs without him screaming and me crying... Sigh... Basically need cheering up a little bit now...feel like a compete failure...

Rant over... Xxx

 

[l_maclean]

(((Big hugs))) Hun. Your not a failure, it sounds like you've not had any support. Is there a bf group near you??

What do you mean he's getting frustrated?? Is he latching on properly?? If not has he been checked for tongue/lip tie as this can cause issues. Have you tried nipple shields if he has difficulty latching?? We used them for 4 months.

Xxx


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers

 

[Vickyxx]

Your not a failure hun 4 weeks is still really good going and its not like your quitting your breast milk your just delivering it in a different way xx

 

[sallybee]

Oh hun that was exactly my situation and I ended up expressing exclusively (still am now at almost 4 months). So massive, massive hugs.

I know expressing feels like the easy option right now but it is so much work in the future. My LO now sleeps through 7pm to 6am but I can never sleep anywhere near that much as I need to express at 11pm. After four months of this I'm starting to become really run down.

Use bfing groups as much as you can (if you drive there are often two or three on different days nearby!) and NCT helpline, your HV may also be able to help put you in touch with others who can help.

You are not a failure in any way (unless I am lolololol) breast milk from anywhere, boob or bottle, is fantastic, but I urge you to persevere - I am so jealous of bfing ladies xxxxxxxx

 

[EmiLou123]

Thanks ladies... I have big respect for people who can exclusively breastfeed. I thought it would be as easy as stick baby on boob, baby feeds for few mins, done! Wrong!

He just tends to shake his head around as if he can't find it even though it is there... Iykwim... I've had enough of nhs people who are supposed to be there to help canceling appointments or just not showing up! They are useless! Xxx

 

[HopesDreams]

Emilou I empathise with you so much! You've done fab so far!!! I've had more good advice/support from the girls on here than I've had from local area "support".

 

[l_maclean]

Thanks ladies... I have big respect for people who can exclusively breastfeed. I thought it would be as easy as stick baby on boob, baby feeds for few mins, done! Wrong!

He just tends to shake his head around as if he can't find it even though it is there... Iykwim... I've had enough of nhs people who are supposed to be there to help canceling appointments or just not showing up! They are useless! Xxx

That sounds exactly like what Georgia used to do. Nipple shields helped for us as it meant there was more for her mouth, iykwim.

I also think she had a lip tie which makes latch difficult. Have you got a la leche league near by, you should be able to give them a phone. X


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[EmiLou123]

Local support sucks... I had a group for the first 14 days contacting me but then they 'discharge' you, my first couple of weeks were not so problematic! I just thought it was normal to have no idea what you were doing, feed on demand they said, so i did...
I think the ladies on here do have much better advice, they're not paid to tell people how to breastfeed and are giving advice because they want to, not because they have to (if that makes sense) and most speak from experience!

I'm not sure who they are.. But... I'll look them up.. xxx

 

[l_maclean]

If you are struggling la leche league give great advice, if they are local enough you can meet up, it do it over the phone. They are volunteers who do this in their own time. Xxx


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[EmiLou123]

Oh okay, i didn't realise they were real mums with experience rather than text books! Will look into that, thanks for the info. I've been feeding him myself today because got behind with expressing yesterday... He seems to sick up more when i feed him rather than expressing... Weird... But, anyway, after the recent week of complete uselessness, touch wood, things haven't been so bad today. I even did the before bed feed late last night and he didn't mess around, i did a feed and nappy change about 2-3am again no messing around it was just this morning - he was grazing for 4 hours (from 6-10am) but then again i usually graze all day lol... Xxx

 

[dyscochick]

Ollie used to graze and I was getting sore so simply didn't let him. You might need help but take him off, lots of distractions and stretch out the gals so that he is really hungry. Then he'll take s big feed and should fall naturally into a. Better routine. I found I was misreading signals as hunger when actually he wanted comfort. I was totally against dummies but once I gave it it turned out to bd what he wanted! He barely uses a dummy now! X

 

[EmiLou123]

This is true, i am still learning Luca's signals, he is really the first baby i have known... So everything is brand new to me... Last night for example he was screaming his head off, i thought he was getting frustrated because he had almost drank me dry, it was an awful scream... I was panicking because i thought he was still hungry and i had nothing for him ...so i tried a bit of skin to skin, he calmed straight down and slept solid from 11pm-4am! xxx