I'm headed back to work full time starting in January and I am bummed that I have not established a good nursing relationship--well, not even good...none at all!
At the end of August, our triplets arrived very suddenly. I carried them to a decent length (34 weeks, 5 days) and they all were born with good weights (5+, 4, and 3+ lbs.) and dubbed feeders and growers since they were born very healthy. While in my room recovering, I started pumping colostrum immediately. The night of the delivery, I was rejoined with Baby A. Two days later, Baby B joined us in an isolette. Two-three days after that Baby C left the nursery (there was never serious NICU time, just nursery time with a 24/7 attention from a nurse). It took a few days for my milk to come in but since it has we have had little troubles in that department, thankfully. I am able to pump to feed all three of my babies exclusively and then freeze excess most days.
In the hospital, I worked with Baby A as much as I could. Admittedly, with me pumping out as much colostrum as I could it made it difficult as I would have to set up a tube to feed her back what I had pumped out. Had I not pumped, I probably would have her nursing now just fine BUT had I not pumped, I would not be able to make the milk quantities that I do now. It just made a difficult situation to teach nursing when the tanks were empty. To complicate things more, B and C are tongue tied slightly. My first two babies to have it, though DH had it and we had been watching for it. While my pediatrician said it is a no big deal to clip it, he still has not thought it necessary yet (possibly because they bottle feed well).
I had to get the babies on a bottle system because it was near impossible to balance them, our older children, and pumping alone. I've been home alone with them during the day 99% of the time since we left the hospital and there just is not enough of me to go around! I miss not getting to nurse my wee little babies, my last babies.
Right now, Baby A can latch on and nurse for 5 minutes before she gets very angry and screams at the breast. We used to nurse to full with a nipple shield. Babies B and C were much smaller and had trouble with the nipple shield. I've gotten each to latch on sans shield by luck. However, now, Baby B refuses to eve attempt to latch and Baby C (strongest tongue tie) just has troubles and starts to scream at the breast. They each prefer the bottle.
Is 3.5 months too late to get a baby to latch on and nurse? Any tips on how to encourage them to nurse? I've nursed my older children without issues.
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