Those who successfully BF...

TriciaJoy

Robbie's now almost 8w adjusted (nearly 5 months actual) and I'm still struggling to transition him to the breast. He's always had a great latch and seems to really like the boob when he'll do it. But he won't nurse longer than 5 minutes and sometimes he just doesn't want it. I think it's probably the immediate gratification of the bottle, plus he tends to "bite" instead of "suck." The OTs that have evaluated him say he can do the correct motion, but it's a lot more tiring for him.

 

Anyway, my questions:

-any advice for the transition

-when your child "got it" was it sudden? Gradual?

Tell me how you did it!

--a very tired of pumping mom

millbug

Once I knew he could nurse, I spent one day topless in bed with him and only nursed him, for as little or as long as he wanted.  He eventually figured out that he needed to nurse if he was hungry.  Just remember to keep pumping b/c you're making more than he can eat now and you don't want your supply to go down. 

ShanaNChris

I remember feeling like it was never going to happen, I kept trying and trying and trying without a nipple shield and then - BAM! She got it one day, and I was so glad I hadn't given up (even though I really wanted to). Just keep trying.

ijack

DD didn't get it until about 2 months actual and I'm not sure if it was her getting it or me *forcing* it. On the advice of the LCs one day I just stopped giving her bottles after the breast and fed her all day long as often as she wanted. Yes it was tiring and she was on my boob all.day. but I think that is normal for newborns. My advice would be to stop offering bottles afterwards, if you are, he might have figured out that first comes breast and then comes bottle and you need him to think only about the breast. It won't take long for him to forget about the bottle. That is what we did and it worked great for us, DD transitions great between both (she gets 1 bottle a day). Also I don't know if you're using a shield, but that might help too (that is what we started with, we BFd for a month f/t with the shield before I transitioned off of it).

Good luck, it's hard work but it's SO worth it!

RCH151

When my DS "got it" it was sudden, not gradual.  I just kept trying and tring and trying!  Hang in there!

amahrey

definitely agreeing with the earlier response to stay in bed all day if you can and just nurse nurse nurse (and probably pump a little too if you have to).  physical proximity and cuddling, and just keep offering.  it's great that your little one can latch on-- i would just keep it up!

 

hang in there!