i need help re bottle/breast please- update pg2

[Kimbo]

when leah was born, i breastfed her for 5 days.
she didnt get very much, but she seemed content.
but due to losing so much blood at the birth and not sleeping since before i had her, i was aboslutely exhausted and gave into my mum having her for the night with formula so i could get a good sleep.

next day, my boobs were so so painful and my nipples had been bleeding so i thought i'd give them a rest and use formula for a little while.

big mistake cos now i regret it so so so much that it makes me cry when i think back to the closeness we had when i was breastfeeding her.
she's been on bottle now for 4 days.

but i keep getting upset because i miss it soooooo much.
so ive decided to try my hardest and get her back on breast.. even if its only one feed a day... i just want that closeness back.

my breasts dont feel full, but when i squeeze i can get a bit of milk out, and ive tried expressing but im only getting something pathetic like 5ml out of each breast.

last night when she woke, i fed her 2oz of formula instead of her usual 3oz, changed her nappy to wake her up a bit and then put her to my breast.

she didnt latch on at all, but i squeezed some milk out and she took it from me but then fell asleep.

today, ive tried her again... she knows what the nipples there for... will suck for about 30 seconds and then slip off.
i really wanna get back into it but im scared ive left it too late.

i just tried her again before her feed was due but she just got frustrated and started crying.

is there anything i can do... and is it too late to start breastfeeding again

 

[zebrastripes]

Aww don't worry i don't think you've left it too late..at least you're getting some out,and at least she gets the general idea..just keep persevering,the more often she sucks the more milk you will produce,it's not like you've dried up completely

edit: I just had a look at one of my bf books and it says that you should be able to relactate up to 2 weeks after stopping,and she's only been off for 4 days

 

[happy-chick]

Im not very experienced with BF myself but I wud suggest trying her on your breast BEFORE you offer formula, keep on trying until ur sure she isnt going to take breast then give her the formula. Also keep trying to express as this will stimulate ur breast and they will hopefully start to produce more milk again.

I would definately recommend goin to a BF support group as when I was struggling I found it so helpful, only went once but thats all I needed to get us sorted and answer any questions I had... if I hadnt gone to that session I think I would have given up to be honest so wud defo recommend giving it a try if u wanna start bf again.

Good luck chick, stick at it and im sure with the right help/advice u can get it sorted

 

[maria1976]

Hello honey

I would stick with it honey as its still early days and not too late Have you tried a breast pump a few times a day that should bring on milk for you, or just keep letting her suckle this will stimulate you enough to bring things up to speed.

Have a day where you to absolutely nothing, just lie on the sofa and watch telly with her at your breast, get your mum to make dinner and bring you snacks and stuff??

Hope this helps

 

[beanie]

nope its not toolate at all BUT it is going to be slightly harder work. You are going to have to offer Leah the boob all the time, and let her fed for as long as she can/wantsso she is telling your body howmuch milk she eeds.You will find that you willprobably have tooffer formula top ups but eventually you will be able to phase these out. Drink plenty, and eat well,this willhelp boost your milk supply. Takeit easy, sit on the sofa orlie in bed with Leah, relax and just let her feed as much as you can. Expressing will also help boost your supply too, you could then use this totop her up after letting her breastfeed.

Here are some good links. Good luck with it

http://www.alisaikeda.com/Clients_Clips ... ation.html
http://www.breastfeed.com/resources/art ... tation.htm
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/relactation.html

 

[Squiglet]

always offer the formula last and live on the sofa with the baby on your boob... expect some tears...babies are lazy by nature and formula is easier to take and sits in the gut, making them think they are full for longer but just keep at it as its worth it in the end. My friend successfully relactated after a week so its possible...just hard work

 

[lauramumof2]

I would urge you to keep trying. It was at this point that I decided that I couldnt persevere and just went with the bottle and I have really regretted it.

Speak to your midwife and health visitor and take full advantage of any help that they give.

Good luck sweetie, your doing really well.

 

[leckershell]

I'd offer her breast first and be strict and have bottle as a last resort. Screaming or not, she should accept whatever food is given to her, so she'll soon realise, it's boobies or nothing (not that you'd starve her, but you know what I mean). I think you'll have most luck when she's really really hungry or she'll get lazy and think "cba with all this, i'll just have bottle please"...

 

[Kimbo]

thanks for all your help.
i tried her straight on the breast during the night when she woke but she wasnt having any of it
so ive just phoned Little Angels breastfeeding support which is a group near me and they've got someone to give me a call back

 

[Krystal]

You can do it Kim!! Honestly, I never breastfed Jack at the start but when he was about 1 week old I really regretted not trying so with help of my midwife I started breastfeeding, it was hard work but it started working, have lots of skin to skin contact and just keep putting her to boob all the time. I never continued but for different reasons. I know what you mean about missing that closeness, i did when I stopped too

Good luck

 

[MissThing]

Hi Kim


That is almoust what happened to us. But I managed to relactate after a week off the breast. Everybody really said everything.

Dont be discouraged that you cant get anything by expressing. In the beginning I could get exactly what you can, but I kept on going, and after a few days I got up to 90 mls. It is iportaint to do it all the time, even if there is nothing coming out. I had Avent manual breast pump and it was really good. Some surgeries offer to lend for free medela electric pumps, try to ask about it. Also you can try Fenugreek. It is supposed to increase milk supply. Worked for me.

As I said, it was a great struggle for me, and apart from first week and few days later I never really managed to just breastfeed, I always had to top up with formula, but still, I managed to breastfeed and give expressed milk up till 3 and a half months. Which, considering all the struggle is a big success for me.

Just wishing you all the best luck with breasfeeding.

 

[Kimbo]

thanks again for the replies.
the lady from Little Angels phoned me back and spent 40 minutes on the phone with me going through everything i need to do.

i need to do skin to skin contact and try her on my breast, if she doesnt take it then give her formula, but then after ive put her back down, use my pump on each breast for 2-3 minutes every 2-3 hours, and use hot flannels to get my milk supply coming back.

she said it will be easier to get my milk coming back first and then try her to latch on, other than the other way around, so that when my milk is coming back, Leah will find it easier to latch on because the milk is coming out easier.

thanks again everyone i feel muh more confident now, will update soon

 

[rachie29]

hi kim, i cant really add anything as it has all been said, but justg wanted to offer some encouragement. You can do it

 

[valentine]

That advice sounds brilliant Kim - please keep trying if you are keen to breastfeed, you'll feel such a sense of achievement and closeness if breastfeeding ends up working out for you. You can tell you really want to do it.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Kimbo]

I have spoken to the breastfeeding lady over the phone again and my midwife came and tried to help yesterday, but theres no latching whatsoever and no milk being expressed.

I have been using my pump every 3 hours but have been getting nothing at all ... ive realised that it is the closeness that I miss, so I've been doing lots of skin to skin contact and we've both really enjoyed it. She won't latch on at all and I cant express anything either by pump or by hand..
So i have decided to stick to formula because she is more happy that way, and I'm going to keep doing the skin to skin contact so we still have that closeness.
Thanks so much for all your help
i have a healthy baby that's the main thing

 

[clairescunny55]

i have a healthy baby that's the main thing

You hit the nail on the head there kim, do whatever you feel is best for little leah.

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Kim as long as Leah is happy babe then it doesnt matter, shes had a lot of anti bodies off you for the 5 days you did breastfeed. Do not beat yourself up about it, you did better then me

 

[Krystal]

I said it to you before - she's a beautiful healthy girl so don't beat yourself up over it

 

[Redshoes]

There's soooooooooooooooooo many other ways to be close to your baby that doesn't involve BF'ing, you will discover lots of ways and you will be very close for it, very very best wishes and well done for feeling happy with your decision, you are right that a healthy baby and happy Mummy is what matters

 

[trixipaws]

u did really well sweety, and it is the first 3 or 4 days the colostrum thats the really really good stuff anyway- she got that!
like u said, she's happy and healthy and thats the main thing. thats what im telling myself atm too now iv stopped bfing