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August 2014 Moms
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Anyone Struggling with BF-ing?

redhorizon343redhorizon343 member
in August 2014 Moms
I posted on the BF board, but I wanted to see if anyone else here on A'14 is struggling. Little one is 13 days old and still not latching at all. She was cup fed at the hospital. She'll latch with the nipple shield, but mostly she just sleeps at the breast with it. She hasn't had a single successful feeding that didn't require supplementation. Over the last week she has made absolutely no improvement whatsoever. 

I've been pumping non-stop but this is not sustainable. My plan was to EBF but that went out the window by day 2. I'm really ready to throw in the towel and EFF.

Anyone else have a baby that just won't "get it"?


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Re: Anyone Struggling with BF-ing?

  • jlynn62511jlynn62511 member
    Yes, I tried the cup at the hospital but once she started eating more I went to the bottle and just pumped. We are almost 6 weeks out and she will latch on and feed every once and awhile. I have never had issues with how much milk I get so now I EP 4 times a day.

    I tried an LC but nothing worked so EP is what was best for us. There are times I want to throw in the towel and just do formula but I talk myself out of it every time.

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  • elektragreenelektragreen member
    I have a supply issue. I have been pumping, taken brewers yeast & fenugreek, eating oatmeal, and drinking 96 oz+ water a day. I feel like a total failure, and have thought about giving up. The only reason I haven't quit is formula is really expensive, and I haven't been at work since March. 
    Married June 2012
    DH: 31 Me: 30 dx PCOS 2001
    Surprise BFP 12/8/13 EDD 8/14/14
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  • IceHide61313IceHide61313 member
    Struggling here. LO had a short NICU stay out of precaution where they started to supplement with formula and I blame our problems on that. But she is also a lazy/sleepy nurser and would probably spend all day on my boobs if I would let her. I decided to EP but on my good boob I can only get about .5-1 oz and about half as much on the worse boob.

    This sucks.
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  • slippintrippn84slippintrippn84 member
    I've been EPing while trying daily to get LO to take the nipple. It's like he knows what to do, but he will not latch, he never has. He'll be 5 weeks on Thursday and I'm worried that he will never get the hang of it. We've seen an LC twice and she had us doing suck training, which has helped, but we're still missing a main concept. He's very demanding and I'm very worried he will not be satisfied with how slow the nipple is versus a bottle (even though we use a Calma nipple). I'm going a bunch of LLL meetings to go to this month and will be getting another meeting with an LC to follow up. I'm surprised I've made it this far with EPing and have mad respect for the ladies who have come before me who have done it for longer. I think the longer I pump, the easier it is becoming to rationalize switching to formula.
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  • Mommy2bMishMommy2bMish member
    Don't give up!!! I felt like a failure when at 1 week and 2 days he wasn't latching at all and I was formula feeding and pumping a pathetic amount of milk. Then I decided that I have control of this and this is not an option. I threw out all bottles and packed away the breast pump. I am using a nipple shield and he latches! I plan to wean him off the nipple shield. 2 solid days of trusting the nipple then on day three start taking it out mid feeding. Hasn't had a bottle since. And I sure don't miss pumping.
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  • Mommy2bMishMommy2bMish member
    I want to add it may be hard at first... With the baby being frustrated since he was use to the faster flow of the bottle but baby will come around! Suffer through the tantrum for a bit ... And the reward will be great
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  • slippintrippn84slippintrippn84 member
    sillermoon said:
    Yep. Latch/nipple damage issues due to a tongue tie and having short wide nipples. Used a nipple shield from day 1 which probably hurt my supply. Supply didn't come in until day 5 and had to supplement. Still having supply problems and some latch problems.

    So for now I hired an LC, we got his tongue tie clipped, and we're seeing a chiropractor for some muscle tension issues in his neck that are probably contributing. I breastfeed him and then supplement with formula after almost every feeding. Weaning off the nipple shield is helping my supply increase, slowly. I may start taking some herbal supplements.

    I have considered throwing in the towel so many times. The only thing that stops me is knowing there is no way to restart BFing once we quit and my supply dries up entirely. 
    Will you please update once you see the chiropractor? My LO scrunches up his shoulders if we touch his nect and freaks out when I try to pull him to my breast. I'm wondering if that could help us too. How did you figure that was an issue? In all of my reading about BFing, I've never run into anything that has suggested muscle tension as an issue.
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  • sujana22sujana22 member
    My LO has been rejecting my breast for past two days. She becomes fussy and cries when I offer her my breasts. I tried nipple shield and this is not working either . She is 6 weeks and I hope this 6 weeks spurt will pass and she will accept my breasts again. I have been pumping and feeding her. I have been eating lactation cookies and yet my supply has decrease a little ever since she has refused to take my boobs.
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  • laurenita8laurenita8 member
    I try not to feel too guilty but this is not how I imagined it. Flat nipples make it hard for him to latch without a shield. He's done it a couple times -- he's about three weeks old.

    We accidently dehydrated him by under supplementing with formula and only realized when he stopped pooping and pediatrician told us a couple days after he was born. Now he gets whatever he wants, which can be an 8 oz feeding. He's not fat, just big and solid and he rarely spits up.

    He takes 15 to 20 minutes a side to breast feed and then it only seems to be a snack and he eats a full bottle afterwards. It takes patience to get him to feed using the shield but he seems to like it once he starts and finds it relaxing. This process takes forever so we usually do it once, at most twice a day. I find it hurts much less than it used to.

    Mostly I pump but I can hardly find the time as i can't hold him and pump. I'd say he gets breast milk at most four times a day and i express milk out of a nagging guilt. I still get 2-4 oz when I pump but I fear I will dry up because I'm so inconsistent.

    I guess this is just a confession. I feel so guilty though i try not to and if i had a friend doing what I'm doing I'd tell her she's giving him the breast milk magic and that's enough. Easy to say. Sorry this was so long, your posts really speak to me.
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  • IceHide61313IceHide61313 member
    Well I had my breakdown last night and decided BF is not for us. I wish you ladies all the luck in the world. I hope you stay strong and devoted to something that is so very hard to do, but realize where your breaking point is. Most of my reasons for quitting are pretty selfish, it seems, but if it keeps me sane and happy, then so be it. GL!!!!
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