dont get me wrong i LOVE bf, and feel it is an important part of **my** mmothering. i ep for my first child til he was almost 6 months old til he learned how to nurse and both of my older 2 self-weaned at over 5 yrs old.
i am having a hard time w pumping for my baby that needs my milk most though- my preemie son doesn't latch due to multiple reasons (mama has wide nipples he has small mouth, he is used to a bottle nipple that is much longer than my almost flat ones, he is reflux-y, etc). i am literally exhausted and wondering if i am headed towards ppd for my first time as with this pregnancy/delivery i have had lots of thigns happen fo the first time. my other kids need me and i don't feel it is fair to them to be tied to the pump all the time. it would be different if we didnt have orderst o feed fortified milk at every feed- even using mostly just hindmilk with the fortifier my lil guy isn't growing that rapidly the past few days. he was doing well in the hospital (discharged at 4-7 on sunday) and was 4-9 at our home visit when a nurse i used to work w stopped in to check on us (my bp, his weight, respirations heartrate etc). he was only 4-10 on friday at his doc appt (yes, naked etc- i know it is a different scale, but i feel after an ounce a day he shoulda gained more than one oz in 3, kwim?
at the same time i KNOW he needs my milk for help w his immune system etc, plus i want to eventuALLy be able to just nurse. ped says he will prob be o the fortified breastmilk til around 8 months old (doesn't that seem like an excessively long time?)
otoh, i know just about all there is a bout term bf, but life w a preemie is a whole new very scary world for me and i feel underequipped. my bp is finally headed towards normal (with meds), still having a fw other issues, but i am praying they'll resolve soon as well.
i don't know why i am posting this, guess it is just a vent and looking for others who've btdt w being overexhausted w pumping etc for a preemie who is not able to nurse? lookig for both those who've hjad to continue to ep long term (esp if you have other kids to care for) and those who did transition to full bf, but had problems doing so because of baby being stuck on fake nipples for longer...
UPDATE_ we're not using hmf anymore; i'm just giving him more hindmilk at some feeds.... appointment next week and will see what ped says. if ped has no problem w how his growth has been, we'll try to see the lc shortly after. in the meantime i'm callin lll in the area where i was gonna deliver originally and see if anyone ther eoffers "hands-on" help vs phone counseling only...
i am having a hard time w pumping for my baby that needs my milk most though- my preemie son doesn't latch due to multiple reasons (mama has wide nipples he has small mouth, he is used to a bottle nipple that is much longer than my almost flat ones, he is reflux-y, etc). i am literally exhausted and wondering if i am headed towards ppd for my first time as with this pregnancy/delivery i have had lots of thigns happen fo the first time. my other kids need me and i don't feel it is fair to them to be tied to the pump all the time. it would be different if we didnt have orderst o feed fortified milk at every feed- even using mostly just hindmilk with the fortifier my lil guy isn't growing that rapidly the past few days. he was doing well in the hospital (discharged at 4-7 on sunday) and was 4-9 at our home visit when a nurse i used to work w stopped in to check on us (my bp, his weight, respirations heartrate etc). he was only 4-10 on friday at his doc appt (yes, naked etc- i know it is a different scale, but i feel after an ounce a day he shoulda gained more than one oz in 3, kwim?
at the same time i KNOW he needs my milk for help w his immune system etc, plus i want to eventuALLy be able to just nurse. ped says he will prob be o the fortified breastmilk til around 8 months old (doesn't that seem like an excessively long time?)
otoh, i know just about all there is a bout term bf, but life w a preemie is a whole new very scary world for me and i feel underequipped. my bp is finally headed towards normal (with meds), still having a fw other issues, but i am praying they'll resolve soon as well.
i don't know why i am posting this, guess it is just a vent and looking for others who've btdt w being overexhausted w pumping etc for a preemie who is not able to nurse? lookig for both those who've hjad to continue to ep long term (esp if you have other kids to care for) and those who did transition to full bf, but had problems doing so because of baby being stuck on fake nipples for longer...
UPDATE_ we're not using hmf anymore; i'm just giving him more hindmilk at some feeds.... appointment next week and will see what ped says. if ped has no problem w how his growth has been, we'll try to see the lc shortly after. in the meantime i'm callin lll in the area where i was gonna deliver originally and see if anyone ther eoffers "hands-on" help vs phone counseling only...
