IMPORTANT BF HELP NEEDED
Mere7706
member
Someone help me? I've been bfing all day- seriously feel like it's been a round the clock thing since the overnight last night. He's constantly looking for breasts it seems. I offer, he sucks for a few minutes than goes to sleep. I've tried the undressing, changing diapers, skin to skin, blah blah blah.
My breasts are hard and uncomfortable, leading me to believe my milk must be in, right?? So I've been trying to get him to nurse, but I think he's just using me as a pacifier, instead. I gave in and set up my pump, tried to pump--- nothing. Then I start thinking, maybe my milk isn't in and I'm just an idiot. I went and laid down with ds1 for bed and my chest HURT to lay in bed with him.
I come out and dh is saying he's fussy, maybe we should supplement, maybe he's not getting enough, blah blah blah. I don't want to screw things up with my bfing. I actually thought things were going well, until now.
What's wrong with me? What do I do now? Someone give advice?!!!
Sincerely,
Desparate to BF
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Re: IMPORTANT BF HELP NEEDED
I would always feed C in just a diaper and stroke his cheek if he got sleepy.
*hugs* I hope it gets easier soon.
11 months
I wouldn't supplement. At about that age my breasts were so swollen, omgosh OUCH. Baby nursed, but nothing seemed to do the trick. Keep nursing, it will go away and then you'll be rocking and rolling!
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It sounds like you're engorged. If you can't get the pump to work, take a hot shower first then try it again. Pump just enough to help them soften a little. Then try to get baby to nurse again. This is what I did, and I found that baby could get a better latch if they weren't so darn hard.
DS was a constant sucker, and I let him have the paci in between feedings from a very early age. I would try to avoid it though if you're having trouble with his latch. I'm not sure that they're really recommended when you're trying to establish BFing.
I would try to avoid supplementing at all costs. Just keep offering the breast. It will get easier. Hang in there!!! (((hugs)))
Big E (6) & Little E (2.5)
Hang in there! It was honestly weeks before my breasts weren't hard, even after a feeding they barely softened. Little bitty babies just don't eat much at one sitting. They eat soooo often though! It will all get better...not to worry!
Can you hand express a little milk at the beginning of a feeding just to get things going for the little one? Having some right on the nipple is encouraging to them...
Ditto to previous posters - sounds like your milk is in, now you just need to get it flowing into LO.
I'd take a hot shower and do some breast massage while in there, then see if you can hand express a little or try pumping then while doing breast massage (or make DH do it, that's what I did initially).
Then if you can soften them up a little or at least get a little flow then latch LO on - he might need some squeezed into his mouth to help him figure out what he's supposed to be doing. Again, you may need to do some massage/compression while he's getting the hang of it - get DH to help if you need to. We joked that C liked 5 star service those first couple weeks - she practically wanted it dripped/squeezed into her mouth.
I agree definitely keep doing what you're doing. It sounds like you are doing everything right.
Keeping them awake is REALLY hard, or it was for me. My little man was very jaundiced and I didnt know it. It was SO SO SO frustrating trying to feed him in those first three weeks because he just didnt want to wake up and eat. Some things I did that woke him up, strip him down, change his diaper, wet washcloth to stroke him with when he fell asleep at the boob, cold water bottle when he was especially sleepy (yeah I am that mean, but he HAD to eat to get rid of the jaundice), tickle his feet, burp him.
If he is extremely sleepy then just keep an eye out for jaundice. I dont want to scare you and he is probably fine. But mine was very jaundiced and we didnt know it. So I wish someone had told me to look for it, it may have changed a lot of things.
Also if you dont want to shower you can get a few towels wet and warn them up. Then set them over your breasts before a feeding to soften them a bit. You can do this before pumping along w/ massaging them.
Good luck mama!
ETA: Oh and something that has helped me beyond measure is a group at the hospital I delivered at. The group is led by two lactation consultants and you can go for free each week and ask questions. They will also sit with you for however long it takes and help you with latch problems and other issues. DS's latch was horrendous at first but after working with me for like 4 days straight it improved significantly.
My advice is to check at the hospitals local to you and see what they offer. I know that two of the three local hospitals around me offer this type of service free of charge. But even if this isnt available see if you can find a lactation consultant local to you. If not for the help of the lactation consultants I would probably have given up in the first three weeks.
Ditto this!
As far as keeping him awake - have you tried wiping him with a wet washcloth? That always seemed to help S.
i have no help to offer, just wanted to commiserate - i have the hardest time keeping dd awake during a feeding. especially at night. she haaaaates being naked though and i'm scared about getting her cold so haven't been stripping her, just trying to jiggle or bounce or tickle her cheek/chin to remind her that we're feeding. works better during the day than at night.
good luck and hang in there! this really is freakin HARD!
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