if you are planning on breastfeeding...

Angelcake · October 2009

Don't let the hospital talk you into giving your baby a bottle. The pediatrician that checked on my LO while we were in the hospital decided that we should give the baby a bottle of formula so we could make sure that the baby was urinating. So we did. I was also afraid that LO was hungry which I now know that babies can go several days without eating, waiting for your breast milk. After we gave LO that bottle, he never latched on again. I tried over and over and over and felt like I failed. Don't let them talk you into it.

joleine · October 2009

After you and I talked about this a few weeks ago, I decided to talk to Mike about it and make sure it's in our birth plan that the hospital is NOT to give the baby a bottle or pacifier to make sure that she latches on! Thank you for the warning, I never would've thought twice about it! Now... lets just hope MY body does what it's supposed to

Angelcake · October 2009

It was also in my birthplan. Just be prepared

joleine · October 2009

mean doctors..

enail5 · October 2009

I'm sorry nursing didn't go as planned. Are you pumping or are you exclusively using formula now?

Don't automatically get discouraged about breast feeding if you have to use bottles. The girls went back and forth all day long. Rowan had a little jaundice after birth, so we had to supplement to get the jaundice out. Gracen also had bottles - which was especially necessary because of our night doulas.

Also, I love pacifiers. They made our lives so much easier. One pedi nurse told us that they were very zen for babies. I don't think they hindered eating at all.

jlhodges · October 2009

I have heard of that happening to other people and I am really afraid about it happening to me!! I'm so sorry you went through that

The_Jen626 · October 2009

I completely 1000% disagree with this. You can't make a blanket statement like this, every baby and every mother are different.

I didn't want to give any bottles or formula until BFing was firmly established. The first day of nursing went great, the second day DD had lost 11% of her birthweight (this is really bad). I was adamant about not giving her formula. My baby was screaming her poor head off, we were still trying to BF and it wasn't working, she was latching just fine, but then screaming right after.

I was starving my baby. It got to the point where the Pedi came in at 11:30 pm and said "you HAVE to give her formula, it's medically necessary". I worked with the Lactation Consultant in the hospital, and my Doula, and they both shared many wonderful tips with me, including feeding the baby formula with an eye dropper, while she was latched on my breast. They both knew how much I wanted to BF, and helped me reach my goal.

Turns out, because I had a c/s, the morphone drip had slowed my body down and my milk didn't come in until Day 5. Because she was 2 weeks overdue, the colostrum wasn't enough to feed her, her stomach was bigger than the average newborn's. If I had waited that long, my daughter could have been in serious trouble, and also, PAIN. I can't put into words how AWFUL I felt and how DISGUSTED I was with myself, for starving my obviously hungry baby, all because I didn't want her to have formula or a nipple because I wanted to be "the perfect Mom that EBF's for 12 months". It was the most horrible feeling in the world.

Since then, we have used pacifiers on a daily basis and 4 different brands of bottles, and BF really well for 6 months. Every baby is different. Please don't spout off about something like this. This is the reason why I was so scared to give even a drop of formula in the hospital. Looking back, I wish I would have trusted the nurses and doctors, and done what was BEST for my baby, sooner.

The_Jen626 · October 2009

And Angela, I'm really sorry for what happened with you. It sounds like the Drs and nurses didn't give you very good advice for your situation. If you really want to BF, you might still be able to. It's called "relactation" and there's some posts about it on the Breastfeeding board and Attachment Parenting board. Also, don't feel like you "failed", because you didn't. Your body just delivered a wonderful, perfect little baby. BFing doesn't work out for everyone, and I hate the pressures that new Moms feel to be "perfect", it sucks! You're doing a wonderful job, and you should be proud of yourself!

And, I'm sorry to hijack your thread Smile

Have a good day!

alumsden1 · October 2009

i had a similar thing happen....on PP day 3 we were having our first night at home with DD and she screamed uncontrollably for 4 hours. She hardly cried at all before this, so we were shocked. We were terrified and had no idea what to do.

I BF'ed her but my milk hadn't come in yet, changed her diaper several times...etc etc. She screamed so much that her tounge and oral mucosa were hot and completely dry. I may be an overly worried nurse and new mom, but I know she was dehydrated. We literally tried everything and almost took her into the ER. We called the Ped. on call, and he flat out said we had to give her formula.

Because of the pressure to EBF (and subsequently my poor planning), we didn't HAVE any formula, and DH frantically ran down the street to our neighbors house who thankfully had some. We made her a bottle and she stopped crying immediately, gulped it down, and was fine. This night will forever go down in history as one of the worst nights ever for us.

I never got to it, but I was going to do a PSA also- even if you're planning on EBF-- please make sure you have a bottle and some formula! Looking back we were incredibly stupid for not having this, but I was naive and thought BFing would be a simple thing.

In addition- the first 3 weeks were hardest for us, but DD is great at BFing now. I give her a bottle about every other day for various reasons, and nipple confusion hasn't been an issue.

sleepyocean · October 2009

I'm sorry you had this problem, but it may not be too late to BF if you still wanted to. You could try working with a lactation cosultant/nurse. I don't think that one bottle or even a few bottles has to interfere with BFing. My son was a preemie and ate through a tube through his nose into his stomach for a long time, when he was finally strong enough they started him on bottles of my pumped breast milk. They encouraged me to try to nipple feed him twice a day it took a long time but eventually he learned to latch, bottles were easier for him to suck from and he continued to take bottles for a long time to make sure he got enough milk. It was difficult and frustrating for both of us but if preemies can learn to BF after having all bottles for a long time while in the NICU I don't think one or a few bottles are going to hurt a full term infant. I think you need to be open minded and always err on the side of caution in doing what is best for your baby. Believe me there were days I was mad at nurses to when I showed up at feeding time to try to BF and they'd already started his feeding on a bottle, but him getting proper care was more important to me than anything else. Again if you still want to BF I think you still can, and if it is really importnant to you, you should try.

Angelcake · October 2009

WOw, you girls are lucky then. I have worked with a lactation nurse and she actually told me to wait to try again until he is gut calms down (he is colicky, and thinking it was going to soon). When I would try, he would not latch on, not even with a shield. He would just scream until I would finally just give him the bottle. Zero interest in the boob! My midwife I saw on my pp appt. couldn't believe that the pediatrician would have given the baby formula just so he could see a wet diaper that we were pretty sure we had already seen.

cyndiathma · October 2009

I LOVE that everyone has shared the feeding experience! It is truly a challenging one full of a lot of emotion and heart ache...and this is just the begining. I always feel better after reading that other moms are also struggling....it is hard living up to the mom image!I do want to add a recommendation to all of you who are still looking for help to go see Meg from Beyond Birth over at Zenana spa. The great thing about Meg is she has been where we are AND although she is an LC she will not pressure you to EBF. She was amd still is the hero of BFing. I would have given up after the first 2 months if she had not kept me motivated. She also hosts a BF Support Group every Monday 10AM (6-9 mo) and Noon (0 - 6mo) at Zenana Spa (SE 22nd ish & Clinton). The first group is FREE so come check it out!HTH & GL!

alumsden1 · October 2009

cyndiathma:
Group every Monday 10AM (6-9 mo) and Noon (0 - 6mo) at Zenana Spa (SE 22nd ish & Clinton). The first group is FREE so come check it out!HTH & GL!

oooo, I may have to go! There's a good natural baby/cloth Diaper store really close to there (Mother Natures on 26thish and Clinton) so I may have to make a morning of it! You said the first group is free--what about subsequent groups?

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