Need advice on establishing breastfeeding after a week of enforced bottle feeding?

[jojo_2012]

Baby had been latched on beautifully for 2 days feeding incredibly well after birth, then got taken to NICU where he had cow and gate bottles and dummys (not happy about either). I could breastfeed once or twice a day when I was allowed to be there and he continued to feed well.

I was expressing and could get about 60mls-90mls each side.

Now since leaving hospital I felt he was getting better, each breastfeed needed less and less formula on top, started off needing about 2.5 oz then down to 1oz or basically none. Now he seems to have lost interest and I'm having trouble seeing how to get back on track, he just needed 4oz of milk he's only just over 1 week old!

One midwife said to carry on as we are. Another said to breastfeed every other feed so I have enough. His latch seems fine when he's compliant. I'm stuck anyone have any advice?!

 

[Bunnykins]

When my lo got lazy & lost his latch for a bit after a few too many expressed bottles, I was advised by a bf counsellor to go back to basics as if he was a newborn learning to feed for first time, which meant spending a day in bed doing skin to skin (as that stimulates the babies primitive instinct to suckle) and to keep lying him on me near to my boob and letting him kind of head bob around until he found it himself, I was a bit sceptical but it worked wonders and seemed to renew his interest, plus it was a lovely bonding day!

Have you got a bf support group you could contact, like an nct one or treasure chest? They are so supportive in situations like this.

 

[hopefulmummy]

I like what bunny has said - personally, I think you're doing great after such a difficult start. I'd keep on with no bottles and after a few days, your baby suckling will have told your body what he needs xx

 

[Sarah13]

What bunny said is the best thing to do just staying in bed and letting him suckle often will stimulate your supply and encourage him. Eat and drink plenty and rest lots for a few days, you could also take fenugreek. another option would be to wear nipple shields for a bit as it will be more like a bottle for him at first. The support groups are brilliant ours even came out to me the first few weeks. Good luck sounds like your doing brilliant x

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[Maria1977]

When my lo got lazy & lost his latch for a bit after a few too many expressed bottles, I was advised by a bf counsellor to go back to basics as if he was a newborn learning to feed for first time, which meant spending a day in bed doing skin to skin (as that stimulates the babies primitive instinct to suckle) and to keep lying him on me near to my boob and letting him kind of head bob around until he found it himself, I was a bit sceptical but it worked wonders and seemed to renew his interest, plus it was a lovely bonding day!

Have you got a bf support group you could contact, like an nct one or treasure chest? They are so supportive in situations like this.

This is definately the best advice. Lots and lots of skin to skin for a day or more, back to basics!

Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep your fluids up too.

But yeah, just keept that baby on your chest.

xxxxx

 

[jojo_2012]

I'll take your advice thanks tomorrow there's no school so will do lots of skin to skin in the warm. I was actually thinking earlier also that maybe he just has been getting more frequent daytime feeds in NICU .

I've got a lovely lady from breastfeeding support I can call but I thought she might not know what to do under these circumstances. I've also got a special midwife coming tomorrow but she's the one who said to bf every other feed and that just doesn't sound like good advice.

 

[Sarah13]

Let us know how you get on. The bf support lady might help more than you think just having a supportive person can help. The mw that runs our group told me a lovely inspiring story about a lady who adopted a new baby and as she wanted the special bond mummys who give birth have she wanted to breast feed her and amazingly her body started producing milk! She didn't have enough to feed full time but remarkable that her body could produce milk and what a great bonding experience for both mum and baby! Got my fx that everything works out for you x

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[Princess81]

Bunnys advice is what all mw's hv's etc will tell you hope you get on ok x

 

[jojo_2012]

Well last night no bottles til about 7.30am when you literally could squeeze no more than a drop out. No bottles since then either but haven't had much time for skin to skin I had to figure out how to shower successfully lol.

 

[Maria1977]

Hope things keep going well hun, don't put too much pressure on yourself either xxx

 

[JJ Mum]

Yeah I would ditch the bottles too, I had to feed then use the hosp bottles to top up to flush out jaundice , and when I got home I just gave up forumla and relaxed into my own routene, just expect nothing fancy , just chill out you and baby and lots of skin to skin and plenty of fluids for you, Those hospitals have alot to answer for!! relax and enjoy it , it will come XX

 

[jojo_2012]

Things are getting better. He isn't having formula during the night even though it's there on standby. Usually in the morning or late afternoon my milk runs out he drinks for so long, and he's still screaming so I give him 1 or 2 oz of FFwhich he just projectile vomits after 2 mins, so I've trying to settle him other ways if I can.

Here's hoping my supply catches up soon but I'm feeling more positive and he's looking more chubby every second.

Going to speak to the breastfeeding support woman tomorrow she keeps ringing me she certainly is persistent thank goodness!

 

[jojo_2012]

Still having 2-3oz of formula in a bottle in the evening (which he pukes most of). I'm pretty sure my boobs are empty at this point because I can only squeeze a drip. Typical this happens when daddy gets home!

Can't figure out why there's enough to feed him all day apart from this short time period, anyone have any ideas??

 

[pinkyprincess]

I feel like that in the evenings sometimes but I think Tyler likes to comfort suck so I leave him on then at 9 when we go to bed I swap to the fuller side and he drinks that before going to sleep.

 

[jojo_2012]

Both sides are pretty empty by this point. Empty enough that he won't continue to bother. Going to try bathing him at this time this evening as a distraction.

 

[Sarah13]

We all get like this by evening so try not to worry. They often cluster feed or feed for hours just to get a little, babies can always get more than we can express or squeeze out though. What you could do is express in the mornings when your milk is better and give that in a bottle at night. I used to do this until around Christmas when Kynon decided he didn't want a bottle anymore! I still express in the mornings and try him with a beaker or freeze it. You could express the side he has been feeding from after each feed, and collect it throughout the day, so you won't get much but it will be the creamier hind milk and give that on an evening too. Sounds like your doing great x

 

[don-don]

Hey chick, I'm about to go slightly off your question....
But how come they forced bottles in NICU? Most of the ladies were allowed to express and breast feed their LOs (if they were well enough) when my Lo was in. And did you tell them you didn't want to use a dummy, as i made it clear to the nurses that I didn't wish a dummy to be used hence they didn't. And in NICU they do tend to feed more regularly, every three hours. Then when they come out of NICU onto the ward, they say to feed every four. I was allowed to be with my Lo for as long as I wanted and whenever i wanted when he was in NICU. Did they give you a reason why you were only allowed in at certain times? My Lo has always been bottle feed so no real advice on the breast feeding chick xxxxxx

 

[jojo_2012]

It's a bit complicated really.

Baby was nil by mouth for 24hrs due to low blood sugar, he was only on a drip. When I went to visit him the nurses had put a NUK teat with gauze stuffed in it in his mouth as a makeshift dummy and asked me to bring my own to help comfort him. I felt so bad at the thought of my baby being stuck in a box without being cuddled or even fed I sent OH to get them straight away.

Even before he was taken I'd made it clear to the staff that I was breastfeeding, and even had a visit from the specialist nurse and a breastfeeding support volunteer who sat with me for an hour while he fed and did skin to skin etc, I was making the most of the help. I asked 4 different staff members on post-natal for help to express my milk when he was taken until finally the next day a lovely nursery nurse who looked about 12 came and showed me how use the pumps, where the fridges were etc. I was 100% depressed by this time and thought I'd blown my chance but didn't give up.

They then told me they needed to measure the amount of milk he took and urine he passed ml for ml so he was given bottles and a bag over his dinkle (which always leaked). It was the day after that that I was finally allowed to breastfeed in the NICU but I had to conveniently be there when it was feeding time. I was only allowed to come in after 12noon because of the drs doing their rounds. So when I wasn't there he was being given bottles of expressed milk.

Then on the last 3 days of his stay, after 4 days of expressing and sitting around in NICU waiting to nurse in front of a bunch of strangers just because I so badly didn't want to bottle feed, I was told out of the blue I wouldn't be allowed to breastfeed any more because they wanted to see whether the medication I was on was affecting him.

I was completely distraught, I had to go back to pumping and storing my milk (which is still in NICU freezer actually), while he was given cow and gate. Turns out my milk made no difference. Thank heavens he latched back on and took to breastfeeding again. Thank goodness for NICU breastpump which sucks harder than any dyson vacuum, or I wouldn't be where I am now. Oh and the dummys don't make any difference. We're still using them now and again when he just wants to suck.

Baby hasn't had a bottle since valentines day now. I bought some fenugreek but I think they make my breath smell funky. Just taking it all one day at a time right now! He weighed 7lb 3 when he was born 2 weeks ago, now he weighs 7lb 15.

 

[Sarah13]

Fenugreek is a bit dodgey like that, makes my sweat smell of maple syrup! Once you know he's getting all he needs you could stop taking it, sounds like your doing brilliantly. I'm still shocked about the hospital though! We had to stay in too as Kynons blood sugars took a long time to settle as he was early and jaundiced.