Breastfeeding Help

india

I had a baby girl on Saturday but I don't have any colstrum.
When I was pregnant I did get the leaks and the hardness I did with my first but I assumed when the baby was born it would start.

I went to the dr today and she said just drink lots and eat well and keep putting my baby to my breast but she's starving and frustrated and so am I.

I keep crying because I feel like I've let her down.

What if the milk never comes??

Has anyone given birth and not been able to feed?

Justie

phone the NCT Breastfeeding Line - 0870 444 8708 (sorry it's an 0870 number)

they can give you advice and support that's much more practical than seeing your GP.

Not everyone can breastfeed and many women have some issues with breastfeeding so don't feel like a failure. If you're struggling to feed then the breastfeeding line will be able to give you ways of feeding so that your daughter will still take the breast if you can produce milk. Your midwife will also be able to give you support and practical help. Go easy on yourself your tired and your hormones are all over the place :grouphug:

and congrats! :T

snowmaid

india wrote: »

I had a baby girl on Saturday but I don't have any colstrum.
When I was pregnant I did get the leaks and the hardness I did with my first but I assumed when the baby was born it would start.

I went to the dr today and she said just drink lots and eat well and keep putting my baby to my breast but she's starving and frustrated and so am I.

I keep crying because I feel like I've let her down.

What if the milk never comes??

Has anyone given birth and not been able to feed?

Stop panicking! Your milk takes 3 days to come on. Put your baby to the breast often, to get it stimulated. You may think she is taking nothing but I am sure she is. Also, keep stimulating your breasts yourself to encourage flow. Try and relax as this could have an adverse effect. Visualise yourself feeding your baby and your milk flowing.

If your milk hasn't come on today, maybe consider getting a formula in the meantime - although speak to your GP first. But give at least today to try. Does she seem content after being at your breast?

izoomzoom

Oh India

You must drink lots and lots, and keeping putting baby on breast. I think it can take up to five days for your milk to come in (and you will be so huge you'll want baby on them all the time) but this inbetween time is so difficult.

Give your baby a little bit of milk (from a teaspoon (they really do not need much as you think) so that you will be less stressed, but the important thing is to keep trying.

I BF successfully and hope that you can perserve for another day or two.

Congratulations, once again.

Js_Other_Half

Do you have access to a breastfeeding counsellor in you area who'd be able to come and see you? Sometimes milk is delayed coming in, and often 5 days is not unusual.

My milk never came in properly, but I got a lot of support from my infant feeding adviser (courtesy of my hospital). I cup fed my DS from 5 days onwards, waiting for my milk to kick in. I then I used a supplemental feeding system from Medela from about 3 weeks onwards, hoping that my milk would increase - however, in my case it never did (lots of reasons behind that - mostly hormonal, so don't start panicing just yet).

We still use formula in the supplementer, and even if he isn't getting much from me, he is still getting something to boost his immune system.

Have you spoken to your midwife? Mine was very helpful, and phoned the infant feeding adviser for advice - hence the supplementer.

http://www.medela.co.uk/UK/en/breastfeeding/products/nursing.php

Do you have a babycafe near you? They have HVs and BF counsellors at ours.

http://www.thebabycafe.co.uk/

Good luck with it all, and rest assured that you have not failed your daughter! You can only try your best.

Clive_Woody

Breastfeeding can be a real battle. Our little lady is now 9 months old, but the early days were very hard work.

Try and find out if your local hospital has a breastfeeding clinic, ours did and they were superb, they helped with latching on and all manner of other problems. It is a supply and demand thing as other people have said, let the little one have a go on the breast as often as possible. My wife struggled to get the milk flowing, but while at the clinic there were women who were complaining about having to throw away bottles of breast milk as they just had too much of the damn stuff (not what my OH wanted to hear).

Stick with it, but at the end of the day formula is not poison, your mid-wife or health visitor will be able to help or advise if babies weight is dropping too much (it will drop initially, this is quite normal).

A breast pump may be able to help with the supply and demand thing, if you have the energy while baby is sleeping you could have a go with one of these to encourage the milk supply. Word of warning the manual pumps can really make your wrist ache. Some mat-wards will lend/hire out electric pumps which make life a lot easier, make sure they show you how to set it up and use it, this isn't always obvious and being faced with a huge instruction manual when you are very tired is not good. In the end we got an Avent electric pump, it wasn't cheap, but was very good and the best of all the ones we tried.

Don't be afraid to ask for help and advice (but do not assume what they tell you will always work for you). Everybody becomes an expert when you speak to them, but at the end of the day go with what feels right for you and your baby.

snowmaid

Clive_Woody wrote: »

Breastfeeding can be a real battle. Our little lady is now 9 months old, but the early days were very hard work.

Try and find out if your local hospital has a breastfeeding clinic, ours did and they were superb, they helped with latching on and all manner of other problems. It is a supply and demand thing as other people have said, let the little one have a go on the breast as often as possible. My wife struggled to get the milk flowing, but while at the clinic there were women who were complaining about having to throw away bottles of breast milk as they just had too much of the damn stuff (not what my OH wanted to hear).

Stick with it, but at the end of the day formula is not poison, your mid-wife or health visitor will be able to help or advise if babies weight is dropping too much (it will drop initially, this is quite normal).

A breast pump may be able to help with the supply and demand thing, if you have the energy while baby is sleeping you could have a go with one of these to encourage the milk supply. Word of warning the manual pumps can really make your wrist ache. Some mat-wards will lend/hire out electric pumps which make life a lot easier, make sure they show you how to set it up and use it, this isn't always obvious and being faced with a huge instruction manual when you are very tired is not good. In the end we got an Avent electric pump, it wasn't cheap, but was very good and the best of all the ones we tried.

Don't be afraid to ask for help and advice (but do not assume what they tell you will always work for you). Everybody becomes an expert when you speak to them, but at the end of the day go with what feels right for you and your baby.

:T :T Don't mean to sound patronising, but well done to you for being so clued up!! You don't get many like you! My hubby is much like you and would have breastfed our little one himself if he could!! :rotfl:

Tell your wife I say she has a gem!

moozikgal

First, congratulations on your new addition to the family.

The first few days are very hard and even if you have had a baby before, it takes some ajusting and getting used to all over again.

Have a babymoon, stay in bed resting with your baby... lots of cuddles and rest, feed your baby when ever she is looking for food and have a day of pure relaxation and get your other half to help out by bringing you drinks and food in bed. Having this close one on one time is a good way of stimulating your milk to come in.

My milk did not come in till 10 days after my little one. I resorted to bottles and formula until i could get back to feeding properly. It took me 5 weeks to get my little one back on to fully being breast fed and off the bottles and it was very hard work but i would not change it. Hes 9 months now and still breast fed. He wont take a bottle at all now but will drink from a sippy cup.

Try and enjoy these early days and relax. if you do have to use a bottle to top up feeds then it is not a bad thing. it puts your mind at rest and helps the baby get full. At my breast feeding group, only one mum said they have not used a bottle in the early days. If mums are honest, i think most of them have at some point!

Good luck and take care xx

alwaysonthego_2

get plenty of rest and drink lots. I have BF both dd's and my milk did not come in till day 3. If it is anything like mine you will have boobies like over ripe water melons and I actually toppled over. In the first couple of days your baby has its own iron supplies so do not worry too much if it seems not to be getting much, because you will be surprised that baby is getting sufficient. Be prepared once your milk comes it can be very painful

Clive_Woody

snowmaid wrote: »

:T :T Don't mean to sound patronising, but well done to you for being so clued up!! You don't get many like you! My hubby is much like you and would have breastfed our little one himself if he could!! :rotfl:

Tell your wife I say she has a gem!

I am now blushing.

Our little one is 9 months old and still has three breast feeds a day, she loves being with mum and usually nods off while feeding so mum gets a very long cuddle.

We have been very lucky to be honest, our little lady will drink from pretty much anything, bottles, baby cups even a pint glass (gets a bit messy, but when we were out once and left her cup in the car we gave her some water from a pint glass and she didn't think twice and was slurping away like a champion).

Her latest trick is she has perfercted a drinking shout. She doesn't go much for coordinating drinking and breathing, so drinks from her cup until red in the face then stops, takes a deep breath, then emits what can only be called a drinking shout. Very entertaining for all and she always looks very proud after a particularly loud shout.

snowmaid

Clive_Woody wrote: »

I am now blushing.

Our little one is 9 months old and still has three breast feeds a day, she loves being with mum and usually nods off while feeding so mum gets a very long cuddle.

We have been very lucky to be honest, our little lady will drink from pretty much anything, bottles, baby cups even a pint glass (gets a bit messy, but when we were out once and left her cup in the car we gave her some water from a pint glass and she didn't think twice and was slurping away like a champion).

Her latest trick is she has perfercted a drinking shout. She doesn't go much for coordinating drinking and breathing, so drinks from her cup until red in the face then stops, takes a deep breath, then emits what can only be called a drinking shout. Very entertaining for all and she always looks very proud after a particularly loud shout.

Great that she is still breastfeeding! My 1st fed until just after her 2nd birthday, my 2nd didn't want to know after 6 months and then my last fed up until his 4th birthday! :rotfl: :rolleyes: Let your little one decide when they want to give up feeding! It is the most loveliest thing to feed if you can. Although I realise its not for everyone.

What I enjoyed most was the convenience of no fuss with bottles at the best of times etc! And I loved being able to bring the little one into bed, put them on the boob and I would snoose while they drank! :rotfl: Bliss!

Good luck!