Lazy baby - HELP!!
When I pump and bottle feed (or occasionally formula feed) my baby she does well with feeding - however with the breast I didn't have as much trouble at the hospital as I do now. I can get my daughter to latch, but then she sucks a handfull of times then either falls asleep or just sits there and uses my breast as a pacifier instead of nursing. I have tried everything I can find to keep her awake (make her naked, rub her back, play with her feet and hands, etc.).
I just spent 2 hours trying to get this to work and only ended up in tears with a hungry baby. Ended up pumping anyway and giving her a little formula. I'm afraid I'm never going to be able to get her feed from the breast successfully (ie, stuck with either pumping/bottle or formula) and it's really freaking me out. I can't help but feel like a failure.
Any help anyone can give me would be great - if you've had a lazy baby with the breast what did you do to get them to figure out what to do?
Re: Lazy baby - HELP!!
I have a lazy baby also. It is a little frustrating. BF is getting better but I still have to coax her and it does take 1+ hours sometimes. The midnight feeds are worse they seem to take forever.When she starts to fall asleep I burp her and if that does not work i lay her down next to me for a min or so until she starts to suck on her hands. I change her in between breast it always seems she has a bm mid feed. hope this helps good luck.
IS there a reason why you are formula/bottle feedings? It is easier for DD to get milk from a nipple on a bottle then the breast. I would try to put off the bottles and so she'll be REALLY hungry and have no other option than the breast. When you said you tried for 2 hours, was she crying or was it just you upset? You might also want to try pumping a little to bring the milk to the surface of your nipple, making it a little easier for her.
GL!
I'd suggest calling around for a lacation consultant or the la leche league for someone who specializes in BFing. I wish I had joined a support group early on!
No it was me that ended up crying over it all. I ended up using formula occasionally (about once a day) b/c I didn't want her to be hungry. At first I thought maybe it was because my milk hadn't come in really yet or perhaps I wasn't producing enough, so I started pumping every other feeding or so for a day or two so I could measure how much I was actually producing (about 1.5-2 ounces every 3 hours or so) but I think I'm making enough.
Tonight I tried using the pump to get things started before letting her feed and that seemed to help to get her started but she faded quickly and either ended up falling asleep again or just sitting there using me as a pacifier again.
I think I'm going to call my hospital where I delivered and ask for help soon though.
9/24/2011 Plymouth Firefighters 5k: 47:13
11/12/2011 Diva Dash 5k: 45:45
5/5/2012 STEM school 5k TBD Coming up in 2012:
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(in memory of a sweet baby boy)
11/10/2012 Diva Dash 5k