STMs who had trouble breastfeeding

MissyC979 · May 2013

I had a lot of trouble breastfeeding my son. Most of the problems started because he was in the NICU after birth because of a possible infection. For various reasons, our breastfeeding got derailed and we never really figured it out, despite numerous appointments with a lactation consultant and breastfeeding support groups.

I ended up pumping until around 6 months. It worked for us, but I don't think I could exclusively pump that long again, especially with a toddler running around.

Did anyone else have a lot of trouble breastfeeding their last time around? Have you thought about what you would do differently this time? Are you going to try again or go right to formula?

sonrisa · May 2013

My baby had a lot of trouble latching and eating (because of the way her spine had be twisted during delivery). We had nursing sessions (which lasted 45 minutes to an hour and were always painful) every two hours around the clock and then pumped to keep up my supply. Life for those first 4 months was really miserable. I stuck with it and never used formula, but it wasn't the right answer. She was consistently at 2-3% on the weight chart while nursing. She was slow to sit and generally really mall and weak. She weaned herself at one and was up to 60% pretty quickly (which is where she stayed).

If it is clear I'm a poor producer again I'm supplementing. Recovery is hard enough without all that crap. God I love having a toddler instead of a newborn. The pain, the screaming, the misery.

insertclevername · May 2013

DS had an upper and lower tongue tie, reflux, and MSPI. DH and I were both freaked out about doing a mouth surgery on a child so young so I decided to EP. I never was able to pump enough to give DS solely breastmilk so I supplemented with formula. I took Reglan to increase my supply and experienced horrible side effects. I made it to 6 months but it was difficult because of all the dietary restrictions and it was not really good for my mental health. I had pretty bad PPD and I really think that the daily internal struggle with milk production as well as the hormones contributed to that.

This time around, if my child has a tongue tie I will correct it immediately. If my supply is awful again I will use galactagogues and domperidone in hopes of upping supply. I will use a pump but refuse to EP again once I am done with maternity leave. There is no way it will be feasible to EP while working full time and caring for a toddler and a newborn.

By six months old DS was on formula with no breastmilk and he is just fine. I will not torture myself like I did last time. My children deserve a mother that is mentally well. Formula is not the devil and all the effin sanctimommies can suck it.

LilyBean06 · May 2013

I did. I pumped for 8 months and it sucked. I want to nurse this time so bad. If it doesn't work out I'll probably pump again, as much as I hate it.

Hunterloren · May 2013

Seth was also in the NICU and with all of the complications I had my milk didn't come in until 6 days later. I was able to work out nursing and bottle feeding. My supply was always borderline acceptable.

This time I am going to fight for nursing again, but will also supplement if I find I need to. I cried when I had a bad week and needed to give him formula. This time I am not going to be as concerned. As long as he is getting breastmilk I will be happy, even if it is not 100% of the time.

chix96 · May 2013

This is a really great thread for me (as a first time mom). Naturally, I want to breast feed, but your comments help crystallize the notion that you're not a failure if it's hard. And it's great to hear that it just might not be worth it - for your LO and your own mental health. I'm glad there's such balance on this board.

aforst · May 2013

I could have written your post almost word for word. DS1 was born 4 weeks early and only weighed 4lbs 9 oz. He was in the NICU for blood sugar and temp issues. He would never latch and it just never worked no matter how hard I tried. I wasn't even able to pump for him.

I was bound and determined that it would be different with DS2 and it was. I nursed him for 10.5 months (even after going back to work, I pumped 3x a day). We had a wonderful nursing experience that I will always treasure. I hope that I'll have the same experience with this one!

MissyC979 · May 2013

I also felt like the EP did something to me emotionally. Being tied up to a machine so many times a day really broke my spirit for a while and I had a lot of hormonal troubles related to it.

I just can't imagine doing all that pumping again with a toddler running around and a newborn. I will likely attempt to breastfeed directly and will see the lactation consultants. I just don't think I can put myself through all of the emotional distress again this time--especially after seeing that DS was fine once we switched to formula.

sometimesalwayschaotic · May 2013

I nursed my first with very few problems. My second never figured it out and I pumped for 10 months. I so want it to work this time! Each baby is different and just because it didn't work with one child means nothing for the next!!

Lawren · May 2013

LO was in the NICU as well, I don't know if that really had anything to do with it, but he was never efficient. It would take him FOREVER to nurse and I feel like he never got enough because he would always fall asleep. It was always a fight. I pushed through it and actually nursed him for 4 months and when I went back to work he got lazy and only wanted a bottle, so I EP'd after that until he was a year old. I don't really see myself pumping that long again. It consumed me. I'm hoping this LO is more efficient than Owen was.

shortms6 · May 2013

I was unable to due to my milk not coming in because I was on SO much magnesium sulfate before, during, and after birth. I was completely stressing out over not being able to feed her and I think it made my PPD even worse. I ended up exclusively formula feeding and I was okay with that decision. I will try to breastfeed this time but I am NOT going to stress out if it doesn't work.

HerbanMom · May 2013

We had problems with latching, with both of my sons. It has to do more with my nipples because they are small. We had to use a nipple shield for a LOOOOOONG time. I don't think I was able to nurse DS2 without it until around 5-6 months and it was only because I lost the damn thing. I quit after a few weeks with DS1, DS2 I made it until 11 months with no supplementation and I'm hoping to make it until atleast a year this time.

HerbanMom · May 2013

Also wanted to add to your first timers in here- ASK FOR A LACTATION CONSULTANT if your in a hospital! I never had that with my first and my second time around I had to ask- she was amazing! Also your local La Leche League also has a wonderful set of ladies who are more than willing to help once you are home! It's not always easy and natural for us or your baby and I got so discouraged the first time and just quit because I thought something was wrong with me. If I had asked for help I'm positive I could've made it work.

tealowl · May 2013

My DD was born early weighing 5lbs, 4oz. I was also so huge that I literally couldn't get a nipple, so I had to try and use a shield. I just didn't know what the hell I was doing. She got down to 4lbs and I went to formula after trying only a couple of weeks because I was scared I was harming her.

I was a wreck, I had my mom hovering over me all the time, and I was still very shy about BF'ing, so that didn't help, the electric pump I got thru WIC broke and they gave me a crappy battery one to replace it, which didn't work as well, I couldn't afford to buy one, so I couldn't EP. And everytime I would try to BF, someone would come over wanting to see the baby and my mom would get all irritated because I would be upstairs trying to feed her and people would have to wait, and I would just give up.

This time I'm going to try harder, knowing I can supp w/formula. I was always told to never use bottles or supp because it would confuse the baby. I just want to do able to do it perfectly, and I just don't want to pay for formula or deal w/bottles this time around. I'm already anxious about it all.

MollySm · May 2013

I have incredibly sensitive nipples, and tried but couldn't do it. The LC and nurses would hold her on while I cried, and held my hands up in the air so as to not push her off. I don't know why I even tried, except for pressure from on here. I convinced myself I might be able to do it and then was miserable when I couldn't. I vowed that this time I wouldn't fall for the hype, and I wouldn't even try. But of course I have that, maybe I can do it, feeling again. H's job is to bash that feeling out of me before December!

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