Struggling already

[LD1978]

Hey ladies,

Looking for a bit of advice as struggling already. Had c section yesterday and baby Emily has had tons of skin to skin but will not feed from me. She has a few sucks and that's it. I literally spent all night last night with her on me sleeping so didn't get a wink of sleep. She's had some formula from jug today but I caved and gave a bottle. I want to try breast again but will I have scuppered my chances giving a bottle so early? I've also expressed colostrum for her which she's had but I think they were worried about her sugars dropping as she hadn't fed at all.

They keep saying babies turn the corner but just feel like I gave up by giving a bottle as she was getting upset trying to have breast forced upon her!

Any advice would be helpful as I'm fearful once I leave here and am alone I'll never stick at this.

Sorry if doesn't make sense but currently 3am xx

 

[Rachy1982]

This is exactly what happened to me in hospital. When my baby was born she fed well for the first 2 feeds then would not latch on at all. I had to express colostrum into a syringe and give it to her that was. Her blood sugars were checked with every feed and were low and didn't improve after a feed. After continuing to try breast feeding and baby becoming very upset I was persuaded to give her some formula in a cup. Baby continued to reject breastfeeding and was getting more and more distressed with every feed. I continued to express and gave her that in a cup. I was then told that I would not be able to be discharged if I was expressing and cup feeding. I found out later this was wrong. So after 3 days in hospital, being totally shattered from no sleep and feeling like I was starving my baby I gave in and gave her formula in a bottle. I continued to offer her the breast, which she wouldn't take and then formula feed her as well as giving her the little but I was expressing. I was in a right state as really wanted to breast feed and felt guilty that I couldn't do it.

Once I was home my midwife persuaded me to go to a breast feeding support group and it was a real turning point. I spent 2 hours in a private room with a consultant who eventually helped me to latch baby on. It was amazing as I thought it world never happen. Consultant explained that as I had a traumatic birth, baby was experiencing regular blood sugar tests and bring forced the breast by the consultant had all contributed to baby not wanting the breast. Plus I was also extremely anxious which baby was sensing. I was advised to not let baby get too hungry before each feed, do lots of skin to skin and also to bath with baby and offer the bracts and baby will relax and feel like it's back in the womb.

After returning home I continued to struggle to get baby to latch and contained to formula feed along with expressed milk. It was exhausting and I was very near to giving up and relying just on formula. Then I tried the bath and she latched on perfectly for the first time in 2 days since attending the support group.

After that things got easier. If baby was calm I could usually get her to feed. She preferred to feed lying down so would mostly latch on. If she was really hungry it wouldn't work to I would have to give her formula or expressed in a bottle. I also had to play catch up with my supply as is been using formula.

Now at 7 weeks old we have got there. My baby is mainly breast fed but I do still give her one formula bottle a day. This is because I exclusively breast fed her for a week and it was too rich for her. She was constantly popping and it made her sore. Giving her the odd bottle of formula meant that she stopped constantly pooping and restored balance in her system. I think she'd got used to the combination of formula and breast milk. So she's quite happy.

After nearly giving up breast feeding I'm really glad I didn't. But it was so tempting as it was so hard in those first few weeks. My advise is if you want to breast feed the try to persevere. Don't panic about giving a bottle and nipple confusion. Apparently if you express so that you don't loose your supply you have 4 weeks to get baby to latch. So try not to panic. Although it's not easy try to be as relaxed as possible when feeding. Give lots of skin to skin and try breast feeding in a warm bath. Try lots of positions. As I said my baby would only feed lying down in early days if breast feeding, she'll now feed in any position. Also if it doesn't work out then don't beat yourself up as at least you tried. Good luck and take care xx

 

[Rachy1982]

P.s sorry for all type errors. I blame typing whilst feeding and the time, haha x

 

[Samantha55]

I also had a similar experience after my little one was born by emergency CSec 3 weeks ago. He was put skin to skin as soon as I was awake (had general anaesthetic) and fed well then but spent the next 2 days not latching to feed at all or going 12hrs in between feeds... I expressed and had to top up with formula from a cup then on the night of day 3 he was really suck in his Moses basket which must have cleared him out of all the mucus as the following morning he started feeding just fine every 3hrs!!

It sounds like you are doing all you can, try to persevere with it and do seek help from midwifes/bf specialists, I found them to be invaluable! xxx

 

[Kay Kay]

Hun the same thing happened to me. It took me until day 6 for my milk to come in. He would only take about ten sucks then stop or fall asleep. It's frustrating but keep going hun xxx

 

[Kay Kay]

Sorry hun had to cut my message short earlier cos Matthew was crying. Also wanted to say that I did the exact same as you with the cup feed then bottle and fought to get him on me, it was so hard and draining physically and emotionally. However i still managed to bf for a couple of weeks. You have not scuppered your chances so dont worry. The more often you offer her boob the easier time you will have. Sending you lotsa luv and hugs. It's a shock to the system being so tired but hope you're managing to sleep during the day xxx

Ps I will pm you my mobile and you can text me anytime to offload if you like

 

[LD1978]

Thanks so much ladies. She had a feed off the boob at 4am and tried again this morning with no joy. The midwifed have been fab and have a plan of action for me so am doing the boob and topping up with my medela calma bottle with formula so it's more like the breast. They were a bit worried how sleepy she was but we are getting to go home! I must admit I think I will be nervous when it's just us. How do you know how much formula to top up with?

Also she hasn't brought anything up yet so wondering if she still has mucus?

These initial days are definitely confusing.

Thanks everyone for your support x

 

[Samantha55]

Glad you have been well looked after and have a plan of action. Hopefully things will soon slit into place and baby starts feeding properly very soon. It is tough in the first few days but both you and baby are learning so i guess it does take time for some babies. I know my little boy was just so sleepy and reluctant to feed at all unless coming from a cup until day 3 but now won't leave my boobs alone!

 

[Samantha55]

Forgot to add... It could be mucus as seemed to be with my little one as with a c section I was told by MW that there's still lots of fluid in their tummys as it wasn't squeezed out via vaginal delivery so makes baby feel full and reluctant to feed until that's cleared. If it is mucus causing her to be reluctant to bf it may take a few days to clear our so don't panic if it takes a bit of time. Good luck xxx

 

[flisstebbs]

Hey Laura,
I went to bf class this am as had a bad night with it, J getting frustrated by small vols of colostrum as there is still no sign of proper milk yet. They've given some good advice but I am topping her up with formula as she has only had 2 wet nappies today and I'm convinced she needs more volume now. I'm putting her on boob first and expressing as much as I can before though.
This is so hard!! Apparantly the next 2 days get even harder though, so we need to brace ourselves. Here on the phone if you need me, possibly crying, but just ignore that...

 

[Little_angel]

Laura - is there any breastfeeding groups in your area? Try searching the NCT website for a start. They really are so much better than the support the midwives are able to offer (midwives have so much to do).

It's not too late and the odd bottle won't mean you can't.

the first few days are so hard xxx

 

[LD1978]

Thanks ladies, had some progress as she had a good last feed at hospital and didn't take much formula, I hope heading in the right direction. Just about to try next feed, and I've got a written plan from the midwives. Go on breast if feed then top up from medela bottle 20ml, if not full feed from medela bottle (the calma bottle is like breastfeeding so makes her work) I've also been told to express and they have been amazing and gave me spares for the medela swing my friend gave me (they said they shouldn't of bless them)

So we shall see what the night brings but I am persevering and I hope by using the calma teet she can do bottle and boob easily. Midwife is coming tom and they are sending someone out next tues too. I've also a list of classes I can go to (but don't feel like going out quite so soon after section)

This forum is so good for support so thanks for the help.

Ha fliss I may well hold you to that call I'm sure we will get there hun x

 

[flisstebbs]

how did it go overnight?
yippee! my milk is starting to come in, this is now going better

 

[LD1978]

Overnight was good, we did a mixture of breast and top up. Today she's had breast and some top up but last feed only a short while on breast and that was it. Milk is coming in so am expressing each time as suggested by hospital. How do I know if she's feeding enough though as obviously we had an issue with this at hospital and don't want to go backwards. She's still sleepy but assume this is normal? I've just expressed 15ml too. Is this a good amount? I guess I've at least got that to give to her.

It's all very confusing ha ha and just want to make sure I'm doing right by her x

Are you getting on well fliss x

 

[Tigger87]

You'll know baby is getting enough as long as they're getting lots of wet nappy's (I think they say 5/6 in 24 hours??). If baby's getting sleepy - strip them down to just a nappy, tickle their feet, change their nappy when they've nodded off... It all helps to wake them up and get back on the booby

 

[flisstebbs]

i'm getting on so much better today as I am actually producing milk now!! Happy baby here drunk on milk

Its really tricky early on as Jess has only had a few wet nappies per day, and no poos for 36hrs now, hospital said yesterday this was ok while she was just getting colostrum, the wet ones are picking up now and there are plenty of trumps now.

Good luck tonight , im hoping for a better one. maybe see you on the nightfeed chat thread....

 

[LD1978]

She had a massive 30 min feed earlier and I gave some of the expressed. Hospital said to keep trying to top with formula but she was zonked so I didn't bother! I was sure she had enough that feed. Plenty of poo nappies and a wet one earlier. We shall see what the night brings

 

[Samantha55]

Sounds like things are going well, yay!! Hope you've had a good night x