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Breastfeeding Issue

ShannonleaShannonlea member
in Multiples

I started tandem feeding in the hospital and continued until we got home.  Emma is a champ- she latches on right away and has a great suck (actually, its kind of a scary suck, she is so into it. lol)

 Joshua is another issue.  It takes him forever to latch on and once on, he wont stay. I have quit tandem feedings so that I can focus solely on him when its his turn.  But we have also had to introduce a bottle because he was eating so little.  He is doing decent on the bottle, but he is just slow and pokey.

My question is-  did any of you ever EBF one baby and then have to supplement the other with a bottle?  I am pumping so the bottle is mostly breastmilk but I still feel guilty.  Its hard for me to see Emma being bf and then have to give Joshua the bottle.  Just wondered if anyone went through this...

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Re: Breastfeeding Issue

  • kiki408kiki408
    Have you tried a breast shield?? My girls had a hard time latching on and the nipple shield works wonders! I was given one by the lactation consultant in the hospital, but bought a few more at BRU once I was home. They stay on really well & come in different sizes according to your nipple size. I use the ones made by Medela. Once I used those, the girls were BF just as well as they were bottle feeding.
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  • na24na24
    I had to pump for both babies at first, because neither one could nurse successfully.  Then after Eleanor got it and started nursing, I pumped for Cordelia until she was eight weeks old.  We practiced nursing and then she'd get a bottle, at every feeding.  And we worked with a great LC.  I also felt conflicted/guilty because she wasn't getting her milk straight from me, but because we were practicing and I was doing everything I could possibly have done to get her to learn how to nurse, I got over it.  Then one day she got it and it's been smooth sailing ever since.  Incredibly enough, she's actually the better nurser now, probably because she learned the proper technique from an LC.  So don't lose hope for Joshua!  He can still get it and become a champion nurser.  Really.  If Cordelia could (and there were many days when I thought she never would), then so can he.  
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  • atc282atc282

    I tried tandem and it wasn't for us. And like your babies, one of mine took to nursing just fine whereas the other one didn't like to stay latched on.... So, I decided to pump for both vs. BF one and bottle feeding the other. It was my personal choice to do the same for both girls, but I feel it's whatever works for you and your LOs!!

    There are definetly times I nurse one baby and bottle feed my milk to the other (one DD seems to relax and calm down more at night if I nurse vs. bottle feed before bed), but as a rule of thumb, I just EP for both babies.

    GL!

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  • carissasmomcarissasmom
    What week were your babies born?  My girls were born at 36 weeks and it took them a few weeks to get the hang of it.  I would say continue pumping for Joshua and give him a bottle, but try to latch him on at every feeding for atleast 6 weeks.  I bet by then he'll be able to latch on and breastfeed just as good as Emma if you keep working with him.
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  • ShannonleaShannonlea member

    You guys are awesome. I appreciate the stories and suggestions, makes me feel like Im not alone in this.

     

    The babies were born at 38w1d so not super early but who knows, Josh might just need some extra encouragement. Im going to keep trying with him and also schedule a visit with a LC to get more assistance.

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  • dtwmcodtwmco
    I had to give supplemental bottles to both at first per pedi.  Once my larger DD was gaining super well and seemed to do really well at the breast. we stopped her bottles first.  For my other DD, we kept giving a bottle until she stopped falling asleep all the time at the breast!
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  • Twin.PeaksTwin.Peaks
    I was in the same boat. M was a champ BFer from the start and has never looked back but K had issues. I pumped and then feed her a bottle while BFing M for the first 3 weeks and then started putting K to the breast and within a week they were both fully BFing. I would start feeding her the bootle up against my chest then each day I would let her eat less of the bottle and switch her to me when i finally just switch completley. it took a few days but they are both still going strong. I say GL and keep trying!
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  • MrsBee10MrsBee10 member

    When I came home, only Preston would nurse. Landon got pumped milk in a bottle. He was a really slow eater too. 

    At about 6 weeks, Landon finally got the hang of nursing, and was actually easier/more comfortable to nurse than Preston.

    Don't feel bad, he is getting the benefit of breast milk, and you never know. He may get the hang of it soon :o)  

      

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