MSE Parent Club - Part 2

feelinggood_2

Baby won't BF at all now. He is sleeping well, having wet and dirty nappies and being much more alert. Just won't latch on, stay on or suck.

Am I right in thinking the sucking reflex develops quite late? If he was only 36 weeks or less when born, could that explain it? None of the midwifes have been able to get him to BF successfully.

I'm solely giving expressed milk in a bottle now and it isn't really helping my mental health. Pyschiatrist appointment in a couple of weeks hopefully, although doubt much can be done.

I grew up with breastfeeding, my Mum was still a BF counsellor when I was at primary school and I'd often play on the floor while random ladies had thier boobs out!

keelykat

feelinggood wrote: »

Baby won't BF at all now. He is sleeping well, having wet and dirty nappies and being much more alert. Just won't latch on, stay on or suck.

Am I right in thinking the sucking reflex develops quite late? If he was only 36 weeks or less when born, could that explain it? None of the midwifes have been able to get him to BF successfully.

I'm solely giving expressed milk in a bottle now and it isn't really helping my mental health. Pyschiatrist appointment in a couple of weeks hopefully, although doubt much can be done.

I grew up with breastfeeding, my Mum was still a BF counsellor when I was at primary school and I'd often play on the floor while random ladies had thier boobs out!

*big hugs*

keely.

nadnad

feelinggood wrote: »

Baby won't BF at all now. He is sleeping well, having wet and dirty nappies and being much more alert. Just won't latch on, stay on or suck.

Am I right in thinking the sucking reflex develops quite late? If he was only 36 weeks or less when born, could that explain it? None of the midwifes have been able to get him to BF successfully.

I'm solely giving expressed milk in a bottle now and it isn't really helping my mental health. Pyschiatrist appointment in a couple of weeks hopefully, although doubt much can be done.

I grew up with breastfeeding, my Mum was still a BF counsellor when I was at primary school and I'd often play on the floor while random ladies had thier boobs out!

feeli what age is your little one now?

are you really struggling with the expressing? dont put yourself through it is its going to badly affect you, I know we put pressure on ourselves to do breast feed and when you've decided thats what you want to do then its hard to stop. Have you tried lots of skin to skin with him? or tried feeding lying down? are you relaxed (as best you can be) when you're trying?

i just know how frustrated you must feel. you are doing a wonderful thing expressing for him, but if it gets too much you can't be afraid of stopping.

Ooh have you tried nipple shields? i know they dont recommend them for newborns to avoid nipple confusion but if he's on a bottle anyway then that might be the way to go. I used them when oz was first born for a little while.


Edited to add - i just checked back a bit and feeli your little one is only a week or so old is that right? its still really early days, I know it took Oz a good couple of weeks to get the hang of it and was about 6 wks before we were boths pros at it!

cazscoob

aww feelie, you have tried your best and as you have said before a number of M/W and your mum have tried to helped and still no luck. did you manage to buy a pump? *hugs* xxx

well i have had a good few hours without screaming!!! have had smiles and stories! hopefully this keeps up:D

feelinggood_2

Caz - that photo is gorgeous, she is so lovely!

Next thing on the list to try is nipple shields, hopefully get some tomorrow.

We've tried loads of positions, including lying down. Just doesn't seem to click. He did get pretty ill, MW said he was very nearly admitted to SCBU because of the feeding problems and jaundice, but managed to avoid that by getting the expressed milk into him.

He is 6 days old today. I really wish I could have perserved with just BFing, but he really needed fluids and I didn't know what else to do.

I sound all rather dramatic don't I? I'm going to go and express (again!) with my new electric pump. I don't like doing it, but it does help. Worried about not expressing too, I still get the good hormones with expressing don't I?

Sami_Bee

Where are these weirdo groups you ladies have found? :rotfl:
I've not been to toddlers for a few weeks, I was put off last time as we got a few new mums that where rather young (she says ) smelt of smoke and their lil girls (6mth at most) had pierced ears - that I personally have a problem with.
sorry if any of you have ur LO's ears pierced

nadnad

feelinggood wrote: »

Caz - that photo is gorgeous, she is so lovely!

Next thing on the list to try is nipple shields, hopefully get some tomorrow.

We've tried loads of positions, including lying down. Just doesn't seem to click. He did get pretty ill, MW said he was very nearly admitted to SCBU because of the feeding problems and jaundice, but managed to avoid that by getting the expressed milk into him.

He is 6 days old today. I really wish I could have perserved with just BFing, but he really needed fluids and I didn't know what else to do.

I sound all rather dramatic don't I? I'm going to go and express (again!) with my new electric pump. I don't like doing it, but it does help. Worried about not expressing too, I still get the good hormones with expressing don't I?

dont worry about expressing instead of feeding for the time being its the best thing you could be doing.

he's still really little and the latching on and sucking properly can take time, in the meantime you are doing the best thing for him. you dont sound dramatic at all! you just sound like a normal stressed fretful mum trying to give her baby the best start in life.

def try nipple shields they make the sucking action more like that of a bottle so maybe he'll be better at that. fingers crossed for you. and well done :T

scruffy96uk

((((((((HUGS))))))) to those in need

We had a great day today, had to get a pressie for my sisters 30th birthday so took El to a ceramic place and she did a handprint on a mug.

Caz she is cute and seeing LO makes me soooooo broody!!!! Ok stop that now, enough.............

Feelie I was just lucky that El took to BF naturally and she was early and in SCBU, but the women in the next bed really struggled and her LO was losing weight and at risk of being taken to SCBU but like you she expressed and fed her that way then after 7 days she got the hang of it, like you she persevered and went home slightly more confident. I kept in touch with her and she said it took her ages at home to be comfortable doing it. So honestly there is light at the end of the tunnel, but 1st and foremost don't get your self stressed out about it take each day as it comes and if you can express and carry on giving that then I say your doing excellent. ((((((hugs)))))

Krystaltips

Feelie, expressing will continue your supply but long term it is not as good as baby feeding and it will diminish. I know you didn't get on with cup feeding, but the mechanics baby uses to feed from a cup (like a kitten lapping at milk) is a lot closer to breastfeeding than a bottle is... As well as plenty of skin to skin, just keep popping him back on the nipple as much as you can... Maybe hand express a little milk onto the end of the nipple so he can taste it and make the connection between breast and food... Did you get chance to look at the links I gave you?

chocaholic110

Feelie, I know it won't feel like it but it really is early days. It took me ages to be able to feed Tom properly, I was in hospital for a week and still wasn' happy with his feeding by the time I went home (though I lied and said I was to get home - I had to promise all sorts just to be discharged!) and I had previously fed two babies with no problems whatsoever.