Breast Feeding discussion

ooobedoo

Hiya,

Just to update you all.

I put Katie (Katherine will be her sunday name!) on the bottle on Saturday and she and I are so much happier, she has been sleeping more(which wouldn't be hard) and seems so much more content. I am much more calm and happy. I am now concentrating on being happy and positive.

One of my friends had a baby who tragically died last week 3 days after being born so I am just enjoying my daughter and being thankful that she is ok. I was very upset but have had everything put into perspective.

Thank you to everybody who has left a msg. I really do appreciate you taking the time.

Thank you,

Ooobxxxxx

andycarmi

ooobedoo wrote:

Hiya,

I put Katie (Katherine will be her sunday name!) on the bottle on Saturday and she and I are so much happier, she has been sleeping more(which wouldn't be hard) and seems so much more content. I am much more calm and happy. I am now concentrating on being happy and positive.


Ooobxxxxx

Glad to hear its worked out just fine.:j

maemaesmummy

Hi....

glad its going ok...

I had my ds 11 weeks ago..by c section..he was born at 36 weeks and he had trouble with low blood sugar and the peados suggested cup feeding formula as sugar low..

I really cut myself up over this as had bf dd for 6 months without probs..anyway continued bf and formula until milk gave up....

I use the haberman feeder which doesnt cause nipple confusion..reduces wind and doesnt flood ds with milk..he actually has to work for it as if on the breast.... would reccommend them...

Anyway just wanted to say good luck and enjoy your dd

Mrs_Optimist

Congratulations on the safe arrival of your daughter.

Just wanted to say that I know exactly how you were feeling- DD is 8 now but she was admitted to hospital at 4 weeks and was kept in for a week because she had lost so much weight. They thought she had cystic fibrosis but it was just because my boobs woldn't work. I felt a complete failure as a mum and was in tears of dread when DS was born 5 years ago. The size of my boobs - I am amazed they didn't work, but they didn't and that was that. With DS I took control and breastfed as much as I could and topped him up with formula. I do wish I could have fed them both properly but I coudn't and there was nothing I could do about it. I do envy those mums who took to breastfeeding so easily, but for some, we don't. As long as your daughter is thriving and you are both happy that is call that matters. Enjoy her whilst you can - it is a cliche but they do grow up fast, can't believe DD is 8 now - going on 18 LOL!

Perhaps we should discuss the cost of formula milk in case THE LONE RANGER stubmles into this thread and asks the constant question (WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH MONEYSAVING!!!!!!)

Good Luck and enjoy

Mrs O xx

sleepystar1975

ooobedoo wrote:

Hiya,

Just to update you all.

I put Katie (Katherine will be her sunday name!) on the bottle on Saturday and she and I are so much happier, she has been sleeping more(which wouldn't be hard) and seems so much more content. I am much more calm and happy. I am now concentrating on being happy and positive.

One of my friends had a baby who tragically died last week 3 days after being born so I am just enjoying my daughter and being thankful that she is ok. I was very upset but have had everything put into perspective.

Thank you to everybody who has left a msg. I really do appreciate you taking the time.

Thank you,

Ooobxxxxx

Hi Oob'
Glad to see you are upbeat about things. I lost the use of my PC and only got logged on tonight, and was worried when I read how down you were when you first made then decision to change. Like the others have said, you have given Katie the best possible start, and even moreso, breast or bottle doesn't matter ultimately, as there are some Parents who can't breastfeed at all. What (well, in my opinion) matters the most is that each feed is given with a healthy dose of love and adoration. There are plus and minus side to each option of feeding a baby, just concentrate on the pluses (ability to "pass the buck", abiltity to be in a different room/house/town/county to baby as they don't need to be tied to your bosoms!/can feed baby in public place without worrying about pervs and/or comments and stares!)
Enjoy Katie...and please can this clucky Mummy see a picture?
Luv Lou

kateab

A very good HV (God, they are so rare!) told me and a group of other first time mummies that whatever you can do in terms of breastfeeding is fantastic and you should be proud of that. If the decision for you to move was the right one, then don't think twice. Happy mummy = happy baby and all that.

I managed to feed both my children for 4 months. I started mixed feeding my son at 10 weeks but with my daughter, it seemed to be going great until she hit 3 months and was being sick after every feed and her weight was actually going backwards. I introduced one bottle at first which she never was sick on, and I thought that this would stave it off which it did temporarily. In the end, I stopped feeding her a month ago and we're all much happier. The first couple of months were great and I really thought I'd get to 6 months this time but it was not to be. She's happy, healthy and gaining weight - tons some weeks, much less others - and that's what matters. I don't feel guilty about swopping at all. And I still gets lots of cuddles; she prefers to sit on my lap and lay her head against me when having a bottle and she has a habit of tipping her head up and looking at me adoringly whilst being fed. It's so cute (but then, she is cute!!)

Sorry to hear about your friend's baby; that must be awful.

kateab

Poppy9

I had comments from hospital midwives after DD was born (9lb c-section) and her weight dropped to 8lb 30oz 4 days later. They made me feel so inadequate about feeding her and saying how pale she looked that I gave in and let them give her some formula feed. She only took 1oz of it. I felt so much better knowing she wasn't hungry. I continued with breastfeeding and my HV was supportive. She was very much old school and was of the opinion of forgetting charts etc and look for physical signs. Is she alert, is she having normal nappies, is she asleep for too long. At DD 6 week check up she was weighed at 10lb in front of a group of other mums. I had to say her birth weight so she had only gained 1lb. However all the other babies who had gained 6 or 7lb were fast asleep while my DD was awake and watching everyone. HV made a point of saying how bright and alert she was for her age in front of the other mums. Same happened again at 8 week check up. This time DD was upto 10.5lb. Again she was the only awake baby in the group. She was refusing to sit quietly on my lap looking into my face and talking. She wriggled until she was facing the group then pushed up on her legs and was having a little bounce around while singing (ok it was a gurgling bubbling sound really:rolleyes: ). DD now 11, still slim and still like a blooming button and always talking and questioning.

DD never fed much and because of this I couldn't express my milk as she didn't create huge demand. In the early days she did latch on for hours in the evening without actually feeding. Midwife said she probably had colic and sucking provided comfort. After 3 weeks I gave in and bought a dummy. Never looked back. She fed when hungry, slept when tired - providing she had a dummy.

immoral_angeluk

Feel in a bit of a quandry and was wondering what everyone else would do. Before our Daughter Kaitlyn arrived I wanted to exclusively breastfeed if I could sa I failed with our first child because she would not latch on and had no interest in the breast whatsoever. Kaitlyn had 2 good breastfeeds in the hospital after she was born but for a number of different practicality reasons we decided to bottlefeed when we came home. The main reasons were me having to be on call 24 hrs a day (Not easy with a nearly 2 yr old as well.), wanting ste to be involved, being worried about Ash's reaction and potential jealousy and also not wanting to have the stress of switching to bottles when I go back to work in May as I'll have no way of breastfeeding at work (I'm a nursery nurse). I was happy with K having had 2 good feeds from me of the first milk.

But..she's now 6 days old and I'm still leaking milk, especially when she cries.. and I'm wondering whether to switch back to breastfeeding as I feel a tad guilty for stressing so much about being able to breastfeed her in the first place.. and then deciding against it after I'd actually managed it?

What would you do in my situation?

hayleyc_2

I'm sure lots of experts will come along and answer soon, but I would say considering the benfits of breast feeding and the fact that she fed well onthe 2 occasions in hospital you might as well give it another try. If you can breast feed her, even for a few months until you need to start thinking about going back to work then you'll have given her a better start and will also have saved loads of money!

Good luck whatever you decide and lots of hugs to your little baby

clairec79

Try her on the breast - l;eave the decision up to her (I know she's not a week old yet) but some babies will take back to it, others will have completely forgotten

Above all - stop beating yourself up over it. You love your child and you will make the right decision for you and for family.