I posted on the BF board yesterday and got zero response. Any thoughts you all have would be much appreciated... even just commiseration.
My 7 week old boy has had nursing problems from almost the start. He latched well for a day an a half and after that it was very hard. Eventually the nurses gave me a nipple shield and we never have been able to wean from it. Maybe once a week he will go a minute or two without it.
Now even with the shield he is in latching and screaming nearly every time I try. I have been pumping a lot instead because it is just too stressful for both of us to go through the fight when he takes a bottle perfectly fine.
Now I am trying to nurse at least once a day to make sure he doesn't forget, see if we can remove the shield, etc. However his thrashing and screaming make it seem pointless. Is it time to give up and just EP, or do I need to try a lot harder and do something new to get him BF better?
Re: Nursing advice?
Sorry you are struggling, hang in there!
He may have gotten used to the ease of getting milk out of the bottle vs the boob (which is more difficult and slower). If you want to, you can try switching to bottles that mimic the breast (there are several on the market now... lansinoh mOmma, tommie tippee, the new avent bottles, etc).
If you're not already doing so, you can try squeezing out a little milk onto your nipple (or on the end of the shield) so that he gets a little taste of it. It might help with the trashing. Or start the feed with a bottle (to take the edge off his hunger) and switch to the breast mid-feed.
Have you worked with a LC at all? Or attended any LLL meetings? I know a LC helped me immensely with DD1.
But really its up to you how hard you try to keep trying the breast. I personally find at-breast feeding to be more enjoyable, but if you're having so much difficulty maybe EPing is right for you. If its worth it to you to keep trying, then keep trying. Don't stress or feel any guilt over EPing if that's what is right for you and your LO!
I will try another type of bottle and see what that does. I have worked with one LC and her suggestions didn't work. I will call the other one in town and see if she can help! Unfortunately we don't have LLL in our town.
I probably forgot to mention that the nipple shield really irritates my nipples. I need to try a different one if we have to keep using it.