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Nervous newbie

j&jpj&jp
in Breastfeeding

My DD is one week old today.  Apparently I have flat nipples so we have been having a little trouble with getting her to latch.  They had me use a nipple shield at the hospital and that was working well.  I have had some success without the shield and thought things were going well. 

But now I'm worried about supply issues.  She's not gaining weight back as quickly as she should or having quite enough wet diapers.  We have our third doctors appt this week tomorrow to check on her weight and I am so scared I'm starving my baby.  She seems to need to feed so often.  I tired pumping for the first time today just to see how much I could get and got almost nothing, but I don't know if that was because it was the first time and I was just learning how to use the pump.  I know we have the appt tomorrow and will talk to the doctor and I'll do whatever I need to do, pump more, supplement with formula, etc.  I'm just so nervous since I can't tell how much she is getting.  I'm sure its also the hormones but I'm just so upset.  Sorry I know there isn't a question in there, I guess I just needed to vent or am looking for reassurance that we'll get through this.      

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Re: Nervous newbie

  • CaitlinJ22CaitlinJ22 member
    you will get through it. If your LO is gaining slowly see if you can stay away from formula. It will cut your supply down. Try to nurse constantly, skip the shield if you can --it can cause supply issues. You can try to pump a little before feeding so your nipple comes out a little more for her to latch. Go to Kellymom.com for tips on that. When I pumped in the begininng I got not much--so dont go by that, babies are better at getting the milk out than machines. If you need to supplement with formula, pump afterwards so you are getting the stimulation you need to keep your supply up. But I would try to stay away unless relaly necessary. Also try not to stress--easier said than done--bc that hurts your supply and letdown. Try to relax in bed with her and do some skin to skin and have her eat as often as you can. GL!
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  • meganet22meganet22

    Hang in there, it's nerve wracking in the beginning to not know how much they are getting. My dd didn't gain her weight back until 4 weeks due to latch issues and is now gaining 1 lb every two weeks.

     It's possible she's not latching as well as you think she is, I had this issue with dd after I left the hospital. If you are new to bfing it's hard to know what's normal and what's not.  Don't worry about starving her, if you were she would be very sick by now and the dr. would let you know.  I also could not pump much in the beginning, babies are much more efficient at getting milk than the pump. 

    You might want to consider seeing a lactation consultant if dr. is concerned about her weight issues before supplementing as it can cause nipple confusion when bfing isn't established.  I have used a shield since my dd was 3 weeks and have not had any supply issues and my lc said I could use a shield as long as I was bfing.  Alot of people say it causes supply issues but from what I've read that is based on research using old shields. The silicone shields still allow the baby to compress your areola. 

     Good luck and hang in there.

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  • madisonmadison member
    Hang in there! It's reallly hard at first - but it gets easier and easier - trust me. My kids needed to eat every hour or two those first few weeks - my older son seemed to be nursing constantly, sometimes every 45 minutes!! So it's not just you. You're body will get in tune to her feeding schdule and produce what she needs, it just takes some time to adjust and for you and DD to figure it out. Good luck! This board is a great resource to talk to moms who've been there.
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  • LiebeMamaLiebeMama member
    I give you credit, I'm a nervous wreck being pregnant with my first, so I'm trying to gather as much input from even people just starting out with breast feeding, because any input is helpful. Hang in there, because soon enough I'm going to be asking you for advice.
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