Urgent help needed must wean 4 month old quickly - Page 2

[boobs4milk]

s mama and wellness vibes to you!

formula still has more cal/oz than most foods so i'd still wait until 6 mos.

[stel]

thanks mamas for the advice and thoughts. also very helpful re formula being better than solid foods - that I did not know and that is helpful. I will contact milkshare ( i had called some other bank and they said it is 4.50 an oz which is just not affordable in any way.) and my local boston area la leche league.I did call them already to see if they could recommend someone to help us talk through a plan that would be the least traumatic on all. we haven't tried the sns yet mainly b/c it is 60 dollars and we are down to one income these days. thought we'd try the laction consultant for $100+ and see if that worked and then try the sns if not. i also like the idea of the moby and pacifier. we have been trying to get him to take the pacifier the last couple of days in order for him to get used to a plastic nipple and he IS occasionally taking it for a few minutes which is more than the bottle. we haven't tried sippy cup yet so i'll put that on the list, too. one of the saddest things is that i probably have at least a month to still breast feed him but b/c i am so stressed i've stopped sleeping and my milk is starting to dry up and i can't get ANY from pumping. started fenugreek yesterday hoping that would help. i'd like him to get breast milk til the last possible minute and i hope i wont mess it up worse b/c i'm worrying about messing it up. thank you for the ideas and support - it helps.

[PatioGardener]

More s

If you want to try a 'fake' SNS just to see if he will take the tube, you can easily make on for about $5. You need a 5-French feeding tube from an LC or a medical supply store, and some sort of container for the milk tht won't spill if it tips - honestly the best I have seen is a baby bottle with the nipple turned upside down (sticking into the bottle rahter than out like normal) and the feeding tube pushed up through the nipple (it destroys the nipple).

Then you have a temporary SNS like device - a reservoir for the milk, a tube to take the milk to the finger or breast.

www.drjacknewman.com has a video or 2 of this being used that may help:

http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=...lips&Itemid=13
and http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=...lips&Itemid=13

[texmati]

I'm so, so sorry mama! s.

[daisymama12]

Sending you lots of hugs, and reassurance that you little one will manage. It is so hard on you because it feels so good to meet his needs and it is so close and intimate, but loads of babies are brought up lovingly and happily with formula. As a pp-er said, that is what formula is for; when a medical issue prevents a mother from breastfeeding.

I am sending you, your partner, and your son lots of strength and courage to get through this, & lots of calm, healing energy.

[sugarlumpkin]

How is it going? Any updates? I was at a birthday party yesterday and spoke to a mama who has had great luck with getting donor milk from milk share (for free or for only the cost of bags). I asked her to post here to share her experience but I do not know if she will remember.

[Pookietooth]

so sorry to hear that. Hope your cancer gets better.

[mum5]

No advice, just lots of love and hugs to you and your family .

[stel]

Thank you for the ongoing support and ideas. One of you suggested calling the cancer society and that was very helpful in understanding my diagnosis and treatment options so thank you! Here is an update with updated questions.
We’ve been able to get my son to take 1-1.5 oz from a bottle - YAY! He doesn’t love it and needs lots of distraction but he takes it! (what finally worked was rubbing the bottle nipples on my body, letting him play with them off the bottle, and draping my partner in my clothes, along with distraction and changing positions.) The lactation consultant I talked to said that is great b/c at least now he has the skill of taking a bottle. Our goal is to have him taking 1-2 full feedings (3-4oz) a day by the time we go for my next appointment with the doctor in 1.5 weeks. At that appointment we will find out whether chemo needs to start in two weeks (I’m praying that it isn’t 2 days but the doctor Thought we’d have two weeks warning) or whether we can “watch and wait” for another two weeks. It is possible that if we watch and wait that this might go on for up to a month or more if my labs stay stable. But we won’t be able to say in advance ‘you have two months’ it would always be every two weeks we’d have to find out if we could delay another two weeks. So …
I want to know if anyone has opinions on whether it is better to gradually get him to take more bottles a day so that ultimate weaning is more gradual IF we end up with slightly more time or whether it is better for him to have say a full extra month or so of primary breastfeeding (minus the two bottles) with all the bonding and comfort that brings but then have to wean more abruptly? Does this make sense? Or if anyone knows an infant development resource/expert who I could ask?
Also I’m pumping and only getting enough to keep up with current feedings vs store any and the less I breastfeed the less my supply might go. I’m taking fenugreek to try to up the supply so that he gets breastmilk until the last possible minute but does it make sense to give him one bottle of formula a day so that he is used to it and doesn’t have to also abruptly transition to formula? (I am going to try to get donated milk but I suspect that we will be using formula in addition even if I can get the milk.)
Even if you aren’t an expert I’d love to hear your opinion since we are making our way in unknown territory…
Thanks ladies….

[Mirrormonkey]

Just wanted to offer hugs! I love the idea of focusing on you being a living mother over not being able to bf.

[JessicaS]

You are doing the right thing. I can't imagine how heavy it makes your heart feel now but he will be so glad later.

[Theia]

No advice. Just good vibes, and prayers for you and your family as you go through this.