REALLY need help for a friend

[BeckC]

Hey there, I could use some advice for a friend who just started bfing, and is having a hard time. She wants SO badly to BF, but it's not going well.

First of all, her son is hardly interested in eating. He really is just content to lay on mama. He doesn't want the breast, and he doesn't even want pumped milk (finger feeding or in a syringe). He doesn't even care about a paci. She's also having a problem with short (or maybe flat) nipples. Her son has a sucking reflex but I guess he can't get her nipples to the roof of his mouth to really suck. She managed to nurse for about 10 mins after he was born and he got about 1 and a half syringes of pumped colostrum while I was there, but that's it for about the first 18 hours after birth.

The hospital LC reccommended a nipple shield. He won't take it at all. She's pumping every 2 hours to keep up her supply, but she's not getting much (maybe a half an ounce every session) She's ordered fenugreek and blessed thistle. I also told her about beer and oatmeal. She hasn't been able to ever eat oatmeal, so I was wondering if oat flour would work.

Does anyone have any advice? She was crying at the hospital yesterday when the so called LC and the pedi were pushing bottles of formula on her, but she didn't give in. She could use all the help she can get.

[RootSnort]

Oat anything should help, someone on here has a recipe for milk cookies that uses oatmeal, and I am told that works miracles (and they're yummy!)

Go back to the LC, or find another one to talk to. Someone has to be able to offer some help! Call La Leche League and see if someone from there can meet with her. Flat/inverted nipples can also be drawn out with a pump. It may help to pump a little to stand them up, and then try to nurse.

Those first few weeks are rough for most of us, even without any problems there are frequent tales of sobbing moms on or around post-partum day 3. I was one, and so was a friend of mine. Your love and support as a friend will do a great deal for her.

[bri276]

actually what she's getting is great for immediately postpartum. it took me four days pp to get that much, before that it was basically just drops.

I'd get him out of the hospital and into the sunlight, before he gets jaundiced and gets even MORE tired. if she's not comfortable leaving yet, at least try to get him to an open window, sun through a closed window isn't enough.

why would they push bottles of formula when she's pumping perfectly good colostrum? (I don't know why I ask, they did it to me too....) If I were her I'd try to get OUT of the hospital regardless of what the docs say, get home, and just get into bed with the baby topless and encourage him to nurse every hour or so, and dribble the pumped milk from the syringe into his mouth. Getting some colostrum will give him the energy to want to wake up and eat. I'm not sure from your post exactly how old the baby is, but I'm assuming he was full term- if so, he will be okay on the fat reserves he put on in utero for a couple days at least. Tell her to watch his diapers and make sure he has at least six nice and wet dipes per day. It isn't uncommon for newborns to be extremely sleepy- being poked and prodded in the hospital doesn't encourage them to want to wake up and nurse IMHO.

[PlayaMama]

i would agree that quantity wise she's doing great. my ds just got drops for the first three days until i started spraying milk like you wouldn't believe.

and you know, being born is hard on babies too, maybe he just wants to rest close to his mama for a while?

ditch the "lactation consultant" and try and find another mama that nursed or some la leche league person for advice.

and DON'T GIVE UP because of lack of supply, it's NORMAL, for the first few days at any rate.