He just won't latch!

[CaliMommie]

I can't get Colby to latch at all! He will snuggle close to my breasts, play with them, but he will not latch! It's only been a couple of days, but it's so frustrating. i already have some milk (even w/out pumping) so now all I really need is for him to latch!

Which leads to yet another question. Colby has had only a bottle for the last four+ months. Should I start feeding him his formula through a syringe or out of a cup instead of a bottle? Any tips on how to do this? TIA!

AmiBeth

[~OceanPotion~]

Can you see a lactation consultant asap? They can be a huge help. I would also try expressing some breast milk to wet his mouth and see if that helps. I don't know about switching feeding him through a syringe or out of a cup instead of a bottle-do you think it might be confusing for him to learn how to eat from a syringe or cup and learn to latch on at the same time? I don't know. I just wanted to wish you good luck and tell you not to give up.

[cjr]

Carter would'nt latch at first either. He still fights me tooth and nail, but I don't give up on him. Babies learn by repetition and you just need to keep trying. If he really fusses then stop, suppliment a little and try again. Keep it up. Carter latched great in the doc's office and then after that he refused. I have only been able to get him to latch since Friday when I layed him on the bed. He still cries and puts up a fuss before he latches. Every feeding is frustrating, but he's getting better. I read from another mama that it took a month for her to get her babe to latch. Keep it up. It will happen. Don't give up. If you know it will happen then it will.

[wende]

It took my ds 5 weeks to latch on fully. He did it a couple of times in the NICU, but it was brief and he didn't get much. After we got home and I was at my whitts end, he just did it.

Have you tried a nipple shield? You can get them at Target for fairly cheap. It may help him get comfortable at the breast for a few feedings and then you can take it away and feed him w/o it. Contact LLL, they can probably help you learn how to use one if you haven't already.

Good luck, you're doing great!

[CaliMommie]

Thank you all for your replies! It's just so frustrating. he was a bf champ before the dr.s at Stanford made me wean him. I feel guilty, too, b/c I wish I had refused to stop bf'ing him. I knew that the formula was not why he gained, but naively I believed that the dr.s must know what they were doing, b/c it was Stanford for goodness sake! Now I have learned that the practice of medicine is not what I once thought it was. I wish I had never stopped bf'ing ds. I knew better; now I am feeling like I failed him. I know that I am doing all I can by relactating & starting to bf again, but the guilt doesn't go away. I guess I just feel like I could have avoided all of this frustration, etc. by following my heart & trusting my instincts in the first place. Anyways, thank you for your kind words & for letting me vent.

As for the breast shield, I wonder if they would have them at K-Mart or Walgreens? The only Target we have near us is a quarter of a tank of gas away! :LOL

AmiBeth

[ldsapmom]

Okay, I found all the pump stuff, give me a call when you are here next, or I could meet you maybe out at Skyway (by Raley's) although I doubt that is halfway -- we just don't want to put gas in our car until Tuesday, so we are trying to limit our driving for a couple of days.

Would you be comfortable pumping to help bring up your supply but still giving Colby bottles of his formula and whatever EBM you can get? It might be easier to get him to nurse once there is more milk. Tomorrow you can make an appointment with Lorna, and I'd like to come if I could, to tag along and see what she does. She would probably hook you up with a Lactina, at least I would hope!

Let me know.

Stacie

[ldsapmom]

I think here you can only really get breastshields from Lorna. I would wait and see what she thinks first, to see if she suggests them.

We cross-posted.

[CaliMommie]

Hi Stacie! I had talked to Lorna about breast shields a while ago but never followed through I will definitely call her & make an appt. tomorrow. It would be great if you could come along! I can use all the support I can get. (Plus, when I forget what she told me you'll be able to remind me! :LOL ) I am probably coming down to Chico today. Don't worry about meeting halfway, we just got a gas card from Wings of Eagles, so I have a full tank for once! I'll call you before I come down.

As for feeding him formula & EBM, that's pretty much what we're doing. I just let him play with my breasts when we have skin-to-skin time. I am hoping that you're right & he'll be more willing to latch once I have more milk.

AmiBeth

P.S. When would be a good time for you to meet w/Lorna & I?

[TopazBlueMama]

I'm sure that's the case, he'll probably latch better when there is more milk. I know how frustrating it is. My ds refused me for a whole month before he would finally latch again. But it sounds like you are getting a lot of help and support from breastfeeding experts, which is great! Something I didn't have-I'm sure things will come along more smoothly for you!! wow, you have really been through a lot.
You're doing all the right things, it just takes patience waiting for the baby to come around again- I know how it is to want to quit everyday, but try to hang in there! ((hugs))

[sarahbay]

It sounds like you're getting the help you need, but just wanted to let you know that we're all pullin for you!!!


GOOD LUCK! Keep us posted!