I don't want to give up....

[maisiedotes]

I am a mess. I have a 6 day old daughter. My milk came in on day 3 and she latched but has a sucking problem- she sucks her tongue instead of the breast. We met with a lactation consultant who figured that out. So right now I am pumping but still putting my DD to the breast either before or after pumping to keep the bond up. Well, I stupidly had DH start bottle feeding her breast milk while I was pumping and now she is losing interest in the breast. She does latch on but only sucks 6 times at the most and I am so panicky that she has some nipple confusion. I feel like I may have ruined the breast feeding relationship with my daughter.

To make matters worse, the lac consultant told me to pump every 3 hours. I have been doing that for 4 days now and I am still only getting 2 oz at the most- it is very inconsistent. I get an ounce at one sitting, then 2 ounces, then an ounce... I cannot keep up with DD. She wants at least 2 1/2 oz per feeding and I can't get that much no matter what I do. I tried double pumping, I have a healthy diet and plenty of fluids... The worst part is that to get that 2 oz of breastmilk it takes me at least an hour. I have read that it should only take 20-30 minutes.

My breasts are so red, cracked, and sore. I don't know how long I can keep this up for. Does anyone have any suggestions? Sorry to be so down but I am getting very discouraged. Thanks.

[Deir]

Ok Breathe. You have some challenges and it is NOT too late for things to work out. Does your pump fit? You should not be having sore cracked nipples. There needs to be room for the nipple to move freely in the pump. Most women need the larger size cup thing. Can you feed the baby with a little cup or syringe instead of the bottle. Look on Kellymom or Breastfeedingonline.com for info on that. keep trying and don't give up!! It is so early yet! it is normal to get 2 oz at this point. It is weird that it takes an hour which is what makes me think you have a pump fit problem. Do lots of skin to skin with the baby. Try side lying nursing. My friend's baby was hospitalized and botle fed for a week and it took a good 3 weeks but he is EBF. It takes calm and patience. hang inthere. (((hugs)))

[sevenbabies]

I agree. Make sure the pump is big enough. They even make extra large ones. Try some hand expression too. Sometimes the skin contact helps let down. Don't get discouraged. Your milk is still coming in. My experience has been that 10 min pumping, 10 minutes break, repeat, will build supply better than an hour long session. I wish I could hug you. hang in there. You are a GOOD mama for working so hard.
Lisa-mom to seven babies

[Ruthla]

Congrats on your new baby and I'm so sorry you're having all this trouble!

When can you meet with the LC again? See if you can stop bottlefeeding and feed the baby with an SNS or a finger feeder.

What kind of problem does the baby have with sucking? Have you tried taking the baby to a chiropractor? It can be hard for a baby to suckle properly if her neck is "out of whack" and chiropractic can put her neck "back in whack."

Also remember that all this work is worth it, and even if you need to supplement with a little bit of formula, it doesn't have to mean the end of BF. So many moms think that BF is "all or nothing" but any amount of breastmilk is good for your baby.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Congrats on your new baby and I'm so sorry you're having all this trouble!

When can you meet with the LC again? See if you can stop bottlefeeding and feed the baby with an SNS or a finger feeder.

What kind of problem does the baby have with sucking? Have you tried taking the baby to a chiropractor? It can be hard for a baby to suckle properly if her neck is "out of whack" and chiropractic can put her neck "back in whack."

Also remember that all this work is worth it, and even if you need to supplement with a little bit of formula, it doesn't have to mean the end of BF. So many moms think that BF is "all or nothing" but any amount of breastmilk is good for your baby.

:


Also remember that your baby is 6 days old! Her stomach is only the size of her fist. If you feed at the breast or by finger, she will probably take less milk than from the bottle.

And to pump 2 oz in one sitting at 6 days post partum is amazing! Many women only get 1/2 once at that time.

Have you made sure that she isn't tongue-tied? (it isn't always obvious)

Hang in there - you can do this! Skin-to-skin as much as possible, feed at the breast as often as possible, and like the PPs said, if you have to suppliment, try finger feeding or even better, at the breast with a small tube.

[bri276]

the pumping needs to be every 2 hours, 8 times per day, 20 minutes per session, until she is really nursing. pumping every 3 hours is often not enough to establish and sustain enough milk when you are exclusively pumping- but the great news is, at only 6 days, you are NOT too late! at all! you have a normal amount of milk for 6 days postpartum and it will increase if you continue to empty the breasts frequently. also consider hand expression at the end of a pumping session, sometimes there is more hindmilk in there that the pump doesn't quite get out.

stop all bottles right away. spoons, cups, syringes, anything except another nipple. you might want to consider buying an SNS so that she gets lots of milk at the same time she's nursing, and a bit more easily, so that she'll be more eager. if you don't have the time/money for an sns, even getting a syringe and dripping a little at a time into her mouth while she's nursing may work.

take shirt off and stay in bed or bath with baby, topless, just lots of skin to skin contact, all day for as long as you can stand it. she needs to learn that breast=food and that the longer she nurses the better she feels. bottles are destroying her chance to make that equation so right now, she has no reason to try and nurse more. it's okay to let her get a little hungry, as long as she has 6 wet diapers per day she is not going to dehydrate.

you can do this. you are her mama and YOU know her best, there is plenty of hope, don't think you ruined anything, there is still time....

[CheapPearls]

What kind of pump are you using? When I was pumping and just had a manual hand pump it would take me forever to get an oz during the first week. I was pumping every 2 hours to build up my supply then finallygot an eletric pump.

I know it's hard and sometimes it feels like life would be SO much easier to just give it up but it's worth it. Don't give up yet! See an LC again and keep offering her the boob.

[maisiedotes]

Thank you all! I have an SNS that I have been using today, and our ped. suggested fenugreek and oatmeal so I am trying that. I suspect that the interventions during the birth may play a role in my difficulties. I am going to start pumping every 2 hours and see how that goes. I think I have slow let-down. My milk never flows- it just beads up on the end of my nipple and then eventually drips off into the little bottle on the pump. BTW, I have a medela PIS. I am bringing it with me on Mon to the lac. consultant to see if maybe the hospital pumps may be more effective in helping expel the milk.

Thanks everyone! Off to pump again...

[Lady Lilya]

I pumped almost every hour. A few times a day I was just too tired to pump and took a nap instead.

I got a larger size flange for the pump and it worked better.

[blueridgewoman]

If you have a pump that powerful, you only need to do 10 min at a time, or so says my LC.... 30 min would give me sore nipples too!

[transformed]

Do you have to pump? Can you just crawl into bed with your baby and practice for a few days?

Try a nipple sheild. That helps with latch problems. Call La Leche League to come over and help you too.

[maisiedotes]

I seriously get 10cc if I only pump for 20 minutes. She can easily eat 60cc in a feeding...

[transformed]

I was never successfull pumping. Just nurse. I am not sure why you are pumping. Did I miss something?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Istead of pumping I would keep the baby next to my breast constantly with no clothing between. I wouldnt do anything else but sit and work with her on her latch. I would make sure to have her checked for tounge tie and if that is the issue have it fixed right away.

[transformed]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

Istead of pumping I would keep the baby next to my breast constantly with no clothing between. I wouldnt do anything else but sit and work with her on her latch. I would make sure to have her checked for tounge tie and if that is the issue have it fixede right away.

:

[cottonwood]

I agree with MCatLvrMom2A&X. I also just want to reassure you that not getting much from pumping is not indicative of your ability to produce milk. I have successfully breastfed four healthy children, and exclusively up until 5 or 6 months, and I was *never* able to get more than 1/2 ounce while pumping. You know how some people are able to squirt a stream of milk by hand expressing? I can't do that. When my daughter had plugged tear ducts and I wanted to put some breastmilk in her eyes just as a precautionary measure against infection, I had a heck of a time even being able to express a few drops for that.

[bri276]

If you have a pump that powerful, you only need to do 10 min at a time, or so says my LC.

if the baby is also nursing, that's fine, if the baby truly isn't nursing, I've seen that advice destroy milk supply in EP'ers. I was an EP'er for 21 months and belonged to a large group of other ep'ers who had the same experience. it almost happened to me- so I'm overprotective of milk supplies!

if and when the baby starts nursing ANY better than six sucks at a time, sure, forget the pumping. but a hungry/tired baby isn't going to want to practice latching and nursing for hours on end on an empty stomach, so giving pumped milk with the SNS for a a few days helps reinforce the nursing behavior AND helps sustain mom's milk supply. pumping does not equal bottles.

[bigsurmama]

hang in there. This very thing happened to my friend. It was two solid weeks of pumping every two hours before her baby decided to latch. She was tired and stressed, but she got through it. This too shall pass.

In addition to pumping, she also spent ample skin on skin time. I remember she spent the better part of a day in bed with baby, skin on skin.

[katheek77]

1) Weigh your daughter before and after nursing. This will tell you how much she is getting. She might be getting plenty, and you just don't respond well to the pump.

2) I second the SNS suggestion.

3) I had to pump at least 15-20 minutes, and that was every 1-2 hours (I have tubular breasts, though, so, somewhat different situation). I actually DO respond well to the pump, but, to keep and build supply (what I could) I had to pump much more often than every three hours. DD is 16.5 mos, and I still have to pump every 3-4 hours, 20-30 mins.

4) Fenugreek, mother's milk tea, oatmeal, non-alcoholic dark beer, etc. can help build supply. Also, a "split" pump session can help (ie...pump 10 mins, stop for 10, pump 10 more)

5) Pump after nursing DD. Or pump WHILE nursing, if you can get the hang of it. This "tricks" the body into thinking baby still wants/needs more. DD gets all the milk she'll take, but your body will produce more.

6) And, FINALLY, set SMALL goals for yourself. Don't feel like you have to br and/or pump until 3 years. That's too overwhelming in your situation. Small goals...I started with 6 weeks, and gave myself permission to reevaluate once I reached that...then went to 2 months...then 3 mos, etc. etc. etc. We've somehow made it this far.

Good luck!!! Your daughter is lucky to have a mama trying so hard for her.

[Three~Little~Birds]

My daughter and son were both tongue tied. It took a week for anyone to notice, some had even looked. We had them clipped (sounds a lot worse than it is - I , personally, would recommend it, for the sake of the nursing relationship) I had to 'train' her how to suck again with my finger in her mouth - you should ask your LC about this. I would have to do the finger thing repeatedly until she did it properly, then I'd have to immediately put my breast in her mouth. If she didn't suck properly, repeat. There were a lot of tears, it was hard, but absolutely worth it.

I agree with not using a bottle and having your baby hang out at your breast. I had to use a SNS with my son. You should reallly look into this. It was a pain, but also completely worth it.

Also - my MW told me to take milk thistle supplements for milk supply. I think it worked; my supply did increase.

You should be proud of yourself for your determination. Hang in there - you CAN and ARE doing it. This is your biggest, most important job right now. It only gets easier, trust me.