worried about BF... any advice?

[sazzylou]

My LO is only a couple of days old and my milk hasnt totally come in yet, but i was wondering if i dont get her on the boob for 3 or 4 days and only give her bottles is that going to destroy any chance ive got of getting her to feed from the breast? will i be stuck with expressing from then on?

The other problem is im on anti biotics from my manual placenta removal and apparently its tainting my milk and making it taste manky so what i am expressing im pretty much gonna have to chuck away anyway , but i'll need to keep expressing it so my boobs keep producing it...ugh, whys it so tricky I really wanted to BF her

 

[purple13]

connor just didn't know how to suck when he was born. after 2 days of not eating, he finally got hungry, but still couldn't work out what he was doing. so we ended up giving him ebm and formula from a bottle.

we kept practicing with boobs though, and he eventually got it. my nips don't help matters tho, so we use nipple shields now.

 

[valentine]

Hi sazzylou,

I hadn't seen your news so congratulations on the birth of your new baby girl!

if i dont get her on the boob for 3 or 4 days and only give her bottles is that going to destroy any chance ive got of getting her to feed from the breast?

The quick answer is yes very possibly - it's so important that your DD has loads of opportunity for skin to skin in these precious early days to stimulate your supply and help you both bond and she is definitely the most efficient at stimulating your colostrum and milk supply (once it comes in, usually about day 4 or 5 but can be slightly later after a traumatic birth). Your baby will also be 100 x better at getting and stimulating milk from you than any pump. Therefore if you only express for the first week or so (or for more) then this can affect your milk supply.

Also its a known fact that its easier for a baby to learn to suck from a bottle teat than from the nipple and that means that your baby may become lazy at the breast if not constantly offered it and the opportunity to learn.

Will you be on the antibiotics for while? I know other people who have taken antibiotics and fed their babies so I know it is possible and she'll probably be glad for any milk, no matter how it tastes!

I would be very wary about doing just offering the bottle over the next few days - if you really want to breastfeed, I'm scared you may regret it.

Good luck and enjoy your wee girl.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Squiglet]

Does your LO actually go on the boob?

The first few days are highly important in establishing a good milk supply... and it won't be too long before your milk comes in. I had a manual removal of my placenta with Tia, and because of the trauma and haemorrhaging it took nearly a week for it to come in and I had to top up with formula. I was on a lot of antibiotics both IV and tablet form, but I never had any problems with it tasting manky.. well at least it didn't bother Tia.

Those first few days of breastfeeding are essential for the bonding process too...

Keep trying the breast first at every feed before adding any supplement feeds

 

[sazzylou]

thanks everyone

Ive spoken to my MW too, and she's said keep trying to BF when she's hungry too, so even though she said the tablets will make my milk sour, im gonna have to force it on her,

She's not the best at latching on, but i think some of that has to do with how confident i am aswell. Beth flatly refused to BF when i had her and its made me fear the worst this time, which i dont think is helping!! Im gonna have to just crack on with it i think

Im only on the tablets for another couple of days so it shouldnt be
too hard to keep her interested until it tastes a bit nice again....i hope