Breastfeeding issues update small update in reply

[blueyebutterfly]

I feel like a failure right now

On friday the mw came over and he his weight was 7lbs 15 oz. Also starting Friday Rian starting to bf almost all of his feeding,except for 2 in the middle of the night when he refuses to latch. Well the mw just left and he dropped in weight he is now 7lbs 13 oz. So she is now concerned. She is not sure what is going on. His latch seems good,he sounds like he is gulping. There seems to to alot of milk. She wants me to start to give him more formula again (or ebm ...which is so hard to pump more than 20 cc still) at ever 2nd feed. She is comming back on wed for another weight check.

Why cant I breast feed my babies!!!! I feel sooo down right now.
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[MonTana Mama]

BOOST you up...I know how frusturating it can be. I found a Latch-on checklist on kellymom.com. It really helped us. Do you pump while he is nursing? I found that really helps. When was he born? Are you engorged at night and that is why he won't latch? I have to hand-express to get a good latch at night bc of engorgement. Also is he sucking with fishlips? Not curled-in lips? Use your finger to pull the lips out after he latches. Good luck, I will be watching to see what happens. Also maybe he has nipple confusion??

[scsigrl]

How old is the baby? It is common for babies to lose some weight in the begining.

I will tell you, when I came home for the first week I was in tears! I went to a local support group and we weigh the kids before we feed them then again after we feed them to see how much milk they are getting (30cc's is approximately 1 oz.) I know my DS would only nurst for 3-4 minutes and I was SURE he was not getting any milk. I was SHOCKED to learn he was getting about 3 oz. in that short time.

You are doing great Mama! Keep trusing in your ability to feed your baby! It was VERY hard for me to trust myself in the beginning! Now, at 4 months old, my boy has gained about 8 or 9 lbs.!

[lesley&grace]

Keep at it Mama, you're doing great. Have you thought about contacting La Leache League in your area? Or a Lactation consultant? I'm sure there is someone out there who can help you guys get this down.


http://www.lalecheleaguecanada.ca/

http://www.drjacknewman.com/ You can e-mail Dr Jack Newman with questions and he will get back to you.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T020100.asp

Hope those links are helpful to you

[Doula Gina]

Call a LLL Leader. Today. Please.

[mclisa]

I'd talk to a lactation nurse. They would weigh the baby before a feeding and after a feeding to tell you about how much the baby is getting. They only need 1-2 oz every feeding.
When I pump a little after feedings, I get 40-50 from one side and 20 from the nursed side.
Try pumping during the night and letting daddy use pumped milk for that time. Or maybe your midwife can get some sweet-ease. That helped Sophia during the first few days to know that she could latch on and get something. You could do the same thing my expressing a drop or two of bm onto your nipple.

[InPhoenix]

Does your area hospital or birthing center offer a breastfeeding support group? I'm hesitant to hire a lactation consultant simply because I worked with four different consultants while in the hospital and received a mix of great and terrible advice. Private consultants are expensive and as a result of that experience, I'd be hesitant to hire one without knowing them first.

But please get help.

I've been really frustrated by supply issues (baby was jaundiced and under bili lights and then I was hospitalized with a staph infection from my c-section incision and couldn't even see my baby for three days... anyway. It's been really difficult even with a LOT of pumping), but if you just keep moving forward, it DOES get better, and help from the right person can make a BIG difference.

Good luck and hang in there...

[CarolynnMarilynn]

I am sorry to hear that you are having difficulties. I hope that you can get the help you need to sort them out. Consider seeing Jack Newman?

C

[lesley&grace]

blueyebutterfly, I've been thinking of you...how are things going?

[LilMomma83]

I don't know much about BF yet...but my LO lost a few ounces after a few long stretches where we couldn't wake him up to nurse....his pediatritian didn't even say anything about the weight loss (and I didn't ask either!)

So I am taking that to mean it is ok if he lost a little...

[Ubelle]

I just wanted to send you some hugs, I can't offer you much more than that, but they sometimes help alot.

I spent the first 2 days and nights home with my baby girl bawling because I thought I was the worst mother and I was starving her.

But I did get a Nurse visit and follow up calls from the lactation consultants and things have improved - we still have our moments. It really help me having someone come in and offer a new hold, or little bit of help and then let me know that we were doing a good job just by trying and trying.

Hang it there I hope everything works out.

[blueyebutterfly]

Well here is the update on how the bf is going.

I didnt email Jack Newman yet. The mw said she would gladly give me a referal to go see him,it usually takes aboout 2 weeks to get in.Since she knows it very hard for me to get out,especially with no car, just to stay home and nurse nurse nurse lol. But in honesty she said I am doing a great job as it is and there is probably not much more advice he is going to give me. The good news was on Friday Rian was 8 lbs so we decreased the formula intake by 100ml a day and on Wed we will see if he is still gaining,if he is we will decrease again. She feels we probably took the supplement away too fast and too soon.

On the downside we saw my family dr who I usually really like. She said that some women's breast milk is sometimes just not enough for some babies and he will most likely have to do both bf and formula. That sure made me feel like crap,that I dont have good enough breast milk. My mw said sadly many dr's are misinformed about bf and not to listen to her lol.

[lesley&grace]

I think it was Dr Sears who talked about how little drs learn in med school regarding lactation. Basically unless your dr has gone out and researched it on his/her own, she probably does not know a whole lot about it. I wouldn't listen to that particular tidbit of advice, especially since as long as you are supplementing your breastmilk WON'T be enough. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I would recommend you pick up a copy of Martha Sears's "The Breastfeeding Book"

And maybe lend it to your dr

[hanno]

Originally Posted by blueyebutterfly

My mw said sadly many dr's are misinformed about bf and not to listen to her lol.

Smart woman!