Help my friend with 6 month old pls

[dawncayden]

I just reconnected with and old friend from highschool. I've found out she has a 6 month old daughter and has made some similar choices with homebirth, co-sleeping, babywearing and breastfeeding. She mentioned that breastfeeding has been a nightmare and I want to help her out (she's a Canadian in Israel) but I don't know what to say. I don't want to say the the wrong thing and have something go wrong.
Here's her pm to me:
I breastfeed using a medela silicone nipple because B has a feeding problem and can't breastfeed with out it ( Feeding has been a constant stuggle and night mare) For the rest of the day I pump milk with a hospital strengh pump. I feed her with a medela haberman feeder. I fed her the first 3 months with my finger and a feeding tube. I really don't leave the house for that long because of feeding. I can't breastfeed in public because it's so challenging and she constantly knocks the silicone nipple off. I will breast feed untill she is one for sure, after that I can't say because it's been so hard, I hope things are easier when I have another child. The rest of the day we play. Sometimes we go out in the sling or the ergo.

Can anyone give me some advice to tell her? She is in Israel where not many women breastfeed so she has barely any support. She has a LC, but I'm not sure what experience they have if not many women breastfeed.

Thank you in advance.

[Katie T]

I don't have any advise, but what a amazing mother to go threw all that to give her child the gift of breast milk!

Your a sweet friend for trying to find her help and I hope someone can give her ideas.

[Megan73]

Your friend is dedicated. Tell her how awesome she is and send her virtual hugs, OK?
Am I understanding correctly that baby will latch with a nipple shield then she pumps and supplements with a Haberman feeder?
The Haberman makes me wonder if the baby has some serious feeding issues - she MAY be getting decent advice.
But if the baby can latch and was able to finger feed, I'd wonder why she doesn't start supplementing at the breast. The Lact-Aid is by far my favourite but she could also use the Medela SNS.
I did for a time use it with a shield and it is a PIA when the babe keeps knocking off the shield but it might be able to eliminate the bottles and then - when the baby is used to only getting food from the breast - wean off the shield.
HTH.