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[kittykitchn]

I've been exclusively breastfeeding for 16 days now, and am enjoying it and am seemingly doing well according to midwives.
Bubba lost a lot of weight after birth and still hasn't gained it back. She also has jaundice. She feeds frequently with no routine really - can go a good few hours at night inbetween feeds, or will feed for hours and hours, or will snack.

She rarely seems to have a full meal, but falls asleep whilst feeding.

As much as I'm enjoying breastfeeding, it's taking it's toll sleep wise. As I said, she's a snacker, and feeding seems to be constant really. I'd like my husband to be able to take some of the slack and be able to help with feeds so I can get some rest, even a couple of hours.

I don't particularly want to formula feed as it's going so well at the moment (however I do expect them to urge me to FF if she still doesn't gain weight next week). Am I able to express and bottle feed alongside BF this early on? Just once or twice a day, would be my ideal really.

I have read that babies get nipple/teat confusion, and also it may effect my milk supply?

Any knowledge welcomed xx

 

[Phoenix85]

Hi Kitty.

Have you seen anyone - an IBCLC or someone? Some midwives are great but most aren't really knowledgeable about breastfeeding and wouldn't know what to look for so you would really benefit from seeing a lactation consultant or trained breastfeeding supporter as they will be better trained to help you make sure Audra is feeding well and effectively.

If everything was going great you could give an expressed bottle or two but the problem is that if the latch or positioning is a little off or if there is another issue (eg tongue tie) and you introduce bottles now, it could make it harder for her to get a good attachment at the breast ('nipple confusion').

Ideally you need to make sure she is feeding well before introducing a bottle.

The other thing you could do, which again a breastfeeding support group or IBCLC would be able to help with, is you could express and give the milk from a syringe, BFing cup, clean spoon, or even an SNS (supplementary nursing system which is a container with a tube you put to your breast so that when the baby breastfeeds they also get milk out of the SNS as well as from your breast).

That way she's get the milk without risking any nipple confusion whilst she's still getting used to breastfeeding.

 

[kittykitchn]

Well we were in neonatal/transitional care for a good while, with nursery nurses and midwives. They spent a fair amount of time with me and I've seen about a dozen other people since (never the same person!) - all have said the latch looks fantastic. Lots and lots of dirty/wet nappies too (which I think is why they're not too concerned with the static weight).

Perhaps I'll express and get him to syringe feed in that case - I definitely don't want anything to go wrong, but a break is needed...

Can you tell me how I find a consultant or local group? We have a latch on group in town, but there isn't a "leader" as such, just a few mums that meet for a coffee.

I had considered tongue tie, she seems to have a lot of the problems associated with it. The frenulum is very obvious, however she can stick her tongue out quite far.


EDIT - it seems the nearest IBCLC consultant is about an hour away

 

[Birdie]

My son had an undiagnosed posterior tongue tie for over 7 weeks, which caused him to snack constantly - it can only be diagnosed by feeling under the tongue - being able to stick their tongue out gives no indication as it is the lateral movement of the tongue that is affected, not in & out.

On the advice of my SIL (my nephew had TT too) I called a private lactation consultant to come take a look, who was also about an hour away, she didn't mind travelling to me though.... alternatively some of the breastfeeding support groups have IBCLCs there too I think if you have a group close by?

But unless someone who knows what to look for, has actually felt under your baby's tongue they would not be able to rule out posterior tongue tie. Midwives & GPs are not trained to do this to my knowledge. Worth getting checked out at least if you feel she is feeding frequently and not getting full feeds, that is a common symptom as feeding is very hard work with a TT.

 

[Phoenix85]

I found this http://www.plymouth-latchon.org.uk/information/links/ Maybe phoning Mandy Chapman would be best?

Good luck!

But yes, in the mean time to help her weight gain I'd express and carefully syringe feed milk after a feed and see if that helps at all.

 

[kittykitchn]

So I bought a Medela electric pump today - after using a manual and getting pretty much nothing out, but the same happened with the Medela. What am I doing wrong? Or am I literally producing barely anything? I feel a bit useless. Maybe she isn't getting enough from me afterall, and that's why she's so fussy and snacky

 

[Phoenix85]

A pump isn't as good as she is at getting the milk.
Have you tried pumping from one whilst feeding her from the other?

Also have a play around with the settings (you can usually alter the suction) and check the flange is the right size for you.

Do you leak at all? Do you ever feel full?
It's possible your supply is a little low if she's not actually feeding effectively, but if she's gaining weight (slowly) or just not losing weight then she is getting milk, you just need to work out what's preventing her feeding well and increasing your supply and her intake.
It goes without saying, but make sure you're drinking plenty and eating enough too.

 

[Maud]

I hated pumping and would hardly produce anything, so don't panic that it means your supply is low. x

 

[kittykitchn]

Carrying on from my below post - She's be referred for possible tongue tie, though it is borderline so they may not do anything.
On another note, I did not like that midwife, her visit made me very upset and uneasy about everything
She thinks I'm not producing enough milk (pretty sure I am, I leak heavily). I expressed around 10ml, which she insisted I put into a bottle to give her as bubba seems to be working too hard to get milk out of me. Her comment "look! it's like she's never eaten before!" made me sad.
- She also said I should cuddle her less as I'm teasing her with the smell of milk.
- Completely shot me down when I said we were co-sleeping - so much so she cleared the cot off, swaddled her (dislike) and put her down to sleep (whilst calling herself Supernanny).
- She implied the medication (on my bedside table) I'm on may be making baby unsettled and not feed well - it was such a hard decision to start taking them (anti-depressants), and now I just feel awful.
- Wind/colic must be down to me - as breastfed babies shouldn't get it, so I must be feeding incorrectly.

Any tips on producing more milk? I leak a lot already.

 

[Sprout]

That midwife sounds awful and like she needs some training...what you get from a pump is no indication of supply, please don't worry about that. Is getting the tongue tie snipped privately an option for you?

 

[Birdie]

That midwife wants fucking shooting - seriously!! I wouldn't listen to a midwife on anything breastfeeding related if they had an attitude like that. Try and speak to a lactation consultant or join a breastfeeding uk Facebook group - they are amazingly supportive!

I could never pump anything - even with a Medela swing & I had LOADS of milk, so do not feel disheartened by that.

The colic is not your fault... please do NOT think that. So many babies, both breast & formula fed have that evening witching hour behaviour.... their digestive systems are brand new and as they develop, the sensations can be unsettling and it seems to affect them most in the evening. Its rough, but she will eventually grow out of it. If she is happy in the day & you don't suspect a health issue, then it's just about getting by until it passes. I used to drive my son around in the car when desperate - I don't recommend it, but you do what you have to do.

Please try not to blame yourself...

 

[Phoenix85]

Ugh, MWs like that give the rest of them a bad name.

I promise you you can't spoil a baby or hold them too much.

I co slept with K (now 9) til she was 2 (my choice, not saying if you co sleep now you 'have' to do for that long, I just wanted to) at that point she went in her own bed with no fuss at all.

As for the medication, when K was a toddler I knew someone who was on anti depressants and breastfed her babies - 2 boys, one a few months younger than K the other was a few years younger. Both her babies were huge and not unsettled. I really don't think the meds have anything to do with it.


If you leak lots the milk is there. Tongue tie can cause problems getting the milk and also cause them to take in more air leading to wind/colic symptoms.

Ignore the dragon and ask to see a different MW.

Hope you can get the tongue tie sorted.
If it really is borderline it may improve as she gets a bit bigger, sometimes if it's mild it stretches over time, but hopefully they will snip it as it's hard enough in the first few weeks without having to battle through with that (especially with unhelpful & patronising MWs!)

Good luck xx

 

[JD.Deedee]

I read on jenni farley's (jwoww) insta she had her milk come in after her toddler threw a full blow crying tantrum! I even commented if only I knew when my son was little! It might be worth a try to see if the milk cry helps to get your milk going without having baby getting distressed and sack that midwife, I bed shared for ages and if there's a possible tongue tie that can cause colic as more air is being swallowed during drinking.

 

[flexilexi394]

When I had my DD I was advised by someone on here to take fenugreek to just maintain milk supply from Holland and Barrett - don't know if that might help?

No wonder people give up breast feeding so quickly when we get advice like that midwife, it really annoys me... I hope you can sort something that works out for you to get her to gain some weight ... But like you said dirty nappies are a massive positive even if weight is going on. I would work on maybe expressing a little along side the breast feeding and I've got the medela swing which I found absolutely amazing so see what works best for you on the pump as it does indeed have loads of settings xx