Overwhelmed/discouraged with BFing... Need support

Re: Overwhelmed/discouraged with BFing... Need support

• dawnangela79 member

  September 2014

  I had almost the exact same situation! My LO was almost a month early, and right after delivery she stopped breathing for an instant, she spent the next week in NICU and was formula/bottle fed. My milk took an entire week to come in, so she was quite content with bottles and not a huge fan of the effort it took to breastfeed. I started pumping right away, I was also told by the lactation consultant to pump every two hours and also to offer the breast to baby at every feeding. I was pumping every two hours, for twenty minutes and never produced more than 1 or 2 ounces. Super discouraged! I also took fenugreek, and tried lacation cookies. The fenugreek and cookies did increase my supply, but only an additional ounce. So by the end of the day I had spent a total if four hours pumping and didn't even produce enough for half of her eating needs. IT WAS SO DEPRESSING! So after a few meltdowns I decided to stop pumping and just go forward with formula. I tried breastfeeding and pumping for six weeks and just "gave up" this week. I have to say that even though it is not what I wanted, I wanted to breastfeed, I feel a kind of relief now that I'm not a prisoner to my pump! I can actually enjoy my baby and have time to feel like a person again instead of a pump zombie!! 

  
  

  Sorry it's not a success story! But I hope you feel better knowing you're not alone, and you're not a terrible mom if you choose to use formula only! I've decided for me that peace of mind for mommy is priceless!! 

  
  

  Good luck to you!!

  

  Baby Girl Koa Lynn, and big brother Hershey
  

  
  

  
  

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• workmm01 member

  September 2014

  Welcome. Sorry you are having a rough time. I have had some bad days when I wanted to give up. I'm not an expert, but I would say if you aren't rested you aren't going to produce. I have only met one lc I liked who I felt listened to me. So I would take the advice that makes since for you and disregard what sounds crazy. Try things but don't drive yourself crazy.

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• midwestFNP member

  September 2014

  First of all-welcome and congrats on your LO! I mainly lurked and recently started posting more but the ladies on this board are awesome (and the babies are the cutest!). I'm sorry you are going through this-newborns are hard enough when everything is going right. It sounds like you are doing everything you can for your LO. Be sure you are drinking TONS of water (I have to drink over a gallon daily), eating enough, taking your prenatal, etc. I believe fenugreek can take up to a couple weeks for full effect. There are also some prescription meds that can help with prolactin levels to increase supply. You can also add oatmeal and dark beer to your diet for a boost. Most importantly, don't beat yourself up-all that matters is that LO is loved and fed, breastmilk or not.

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• ErnieZippy member

  September 2014

  I had major problems too - it was so hard I almost gave up. BUT I'm so glad I didn't because it's so much easier now! Try and hang in there because there usually is a point where it tips over from being hard to being easy.
  
  

  A good tip is to look at your bub/or pics of him or listen to him crying as you are expressing because it stimulates more milk. 

  
  

  Good luck! 

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• Kasha2014 member

  September 2014

  Thanks ladies, it's nice to hear that others have dealt with similar situations. I may take her to the dentist to have her lip tie looked at. Sillermoon, what was it like to get the tie clipped? I'm nervous it's going to hurt the LO...

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• tamarar5 member

  September 2014

  First off, Welcome! Congrats on the baby! I'm sorry you're having a hard time. 

  I agree that the lip-tie needs to be fixed. Absolutely it could be affecting the latch if your LO doesn't have enough upper lip movement, the whole suck and suction could be off!

  My DS was lip-tied but never had any problems nursing, so I didn't notice it until his front teeth came in.  My pedi never noticed it until then either.  She sent him immediately for an ENT consult (which was scheduled for the same weekend as my wedding reception, so we had to reschedule three months out). By that point, DS had self-weaned, and after a particularly nasty faceplant off the steps, the ENT decided it wasn't obstructing his lip movement. She said it didn't even appear to be anchored between his teeth any longer.  But his teeth are gapped.  We're hoping his adult teeth come in closer, otherwise we're looking at braces.  The point is, lip-tie might not always affect latch (clearly) but in your case, it very possibly could be.  Ask for a referral to someone who knows about it.

  In regards to whether getting the lip-tie clipped hurts, the simple answer is yes, a little.  I had mine clipped when I was 11.  My dentist did it.  What I remember happening, and what actually happened are two completely different things.  It hurt as the anesthetic wore off, and for a couple hours after.  But I took children's Tylenol for the pain.  So while I remember it being this horrible thing (and let me emphasize, I was the QUEEN of drama as a kid!!!!) it really wasn't that bad.  I took one dose of Tylenol and brushed around it carefully for a day or two.  But it's always better to have it taken care of young, especially before the teeth come in.  Because I was lip-tied, my front teeth had a humongous gap between them.  I had braces to fix the gap, but my teeth separated after I got the braces off and I still have a small gap.  Being lip-tied can also affect speech, if it is bad enough.  So it definitely warrants a second opinion from someone who knows how to handle it. 

  Bfing is hard.  When you throw in all the different complications you have been dealing with, it's only harder! I'm so sorry. 

                  We're Going to be a Family of 5!
  

   
  

                                
  

  
  

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• daisymama member

  September 2014

  There has been some great advice offered so I'm just going to say, hang in there, it does get easier and for sure get an appointment with someone for the lip/tongue tie! It can DEFINITELY make bf'ing much, much harder, diminish supply, and cause slow weight gain. *hugs*

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• Peedy member

  September 2014

  We had LOs tongue and lip tie fixed with a laser. The laser cauterizes the would so that it doesn't really bleed. LO cried during the procedure but stopped immediately afterwards.. We also had to do some exercises so that the ties didn't come back, LO doesn't like those either but stops fussing immediately after the exercises are done. The laser also numbed the wound for her while the procedure was being done. Wherever you go to get it fixed, make sure they we're recommended to you by a well regarded lactation consultant.

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• calibroncosfan5968 member

  September 2014

  DON"T GIVE UP! 
  
  My first baby had no problems with breastfeeding so I was so surprised when I had baby #2 and he has struggled.  It was a latch problem at first and then after seeing a lactation consultant after quite a few nights with no more than 2 or 3 hours of sleep, she said he was tongue tied and to get it fixed. We did and it has made a WORLD of difference for us   He's eating and sleeping better.  A 2 minute procedure was all it took!   PS I am taking fenugreek, and drinking a tea called Shavarti Cardamom to help with milk supply.  I'd love to pump but my little guy has some days where he just cluster feeds (last night from 5pm til 9pm) so I don't have a chance to. That being said if you have to pump and feed him breast milk through a bottle so be it. I'd also look into your little ones lip tie and whether or not correcting that would make a difference.  I sometimes do that during our night feed and my lactation consultants advice was go ahead and do whatever is going to make you a better mom   Good luck and best wishes
  

  
  
  

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