We had to overcome a myriad of obstacles to nurse. We didn't even latch for 8 weeks. I still have low supply.
When I was EPing, I was put in contact with (a very well respected) IBCLC (two actually, but this one is the only relevant one.) We set up an appointment, but the first thing she told me to do was go buy Avent bottles because they are breastfeeding friendly. So, of course, I do. We put away the Dr. Brown's and use Avents for the last 6 months.
During this time, I nurse through quite a bit of pain. Every.Single.Time. The pain was making me insane with resentment and I hated breastfeeding so much. Countless people looked at the latch - outwardly it looked fine - everyone guessed at the problem, but no one could really tell.
She popped a tooth. It amplified the bad latch - the pain increased tenfold. There was no way breastfeeding could continue. So I broke the trusty pump back out. Avents don't fit the medelas, so I pulled out a Dr. Brown's and pumped into it. Fed her with them for the next couple days until I finally latched her again because I was tired or out or something, I forget.
Minimal pain. Like, not a pleasant experience, but only mildly uncomfortable. A hundred times better than before the tooth. Since then I have used the DBs for her supplement (she gets two bottles a day), and nursing is (comparatively) a dream!
The Avents may have a wider base, but that doesn't mean she has to take them correctly. She rarely flanges her lips on them and god knows what she's doing with her tongue and teeth. She doesn't really take in any of the bulb. The DBs, though smaller, she takes them in all the way and flanges her lips perfectly, probably coming much closer to a natural latch.
Six months of breastfeeding hell, and it was the mother$%^&$#@ bottles. Part of me says
.
But the rest of me is
We might just make it to a year after all!
When I was EPing, I was put in contact with (a very well respected) IBCLC (two actually, but this one is the only relevant one.) We set up an appointment, but the first thing she told me to do was go buy Avent bottles because they are breastfeeding friendly. So, of course, I do. We put away the Dr. Brown's and use Avents for the last 6 months.
During this time, I nurse through quite a bit of pain. Every.Single.Time. The pain was making me insane with resentment and I hated breastfeeding so much. Countless people looked at the latch - outwardly it looked fine - everyone guessed at the problem, but no one could really tell.
She popped a tooth. It amplified the bad latch - the pain increased tenfold. There was no way breastfeeding could continue. So I broke the trusty pump back out. Avents don't fit the medelas, so I pulled out a Dr. Brown's and pumped into it. Fed her with them for the next couple days until I finally latched her again because I was tired or out or something, I forget.
Minimal pain. Like, not a pleasant experience, but only mildly uncomfortable. A hundred times better than before the tooth. Since then I have used the DBs for her supplement (she gets two bottles a day), and nursing is (comparatively) a dream!
The Avents may have a wider base, but that doesn't mean she has to take them correctly. She rarely flanges her lips on them and god knows what she's doing with her tongue and teeth. She doesn't really take in any of the bulb. The DBs, though smaller, she takes them in all the way and flanges her lips perfectly, probably coming much closer to a natural latch.
Six months of breastfeeding hell, and it was the mother$%^&$#@ bottles. Part of me says
.But the rest of me is
We might just make it to a year after all!
But to recommend them exclusively to every nursing mom seems like a bad idea, especially based on my experience.
