Hi ladies! We need a little help. Baby Lucy is 3 days old and has been a pro at latching and breastfeeding since she was born. My milk came in pretty early, and now my breasts are engorged. The first time she started having issues from it last night, I was able to pump some then get her to latch and feed, but since then, it seems like no matter how much I pump first, she still won't take the breast. For the last 3 or 4 feedings, I've had to feed her pumped breast milk in a bottle so poor baby could eat. I'm going to try heat and cold prior to this next feeding and see if that helps, but in the meantime, how much pumped milk should I be giving her in a bottle each feeding until we get through engorgement? I would have thought it would be until she doesn't want any more, but at 2 days old last night, she drank 2 oz in one feeding and got hiccups from hell, which I read is a common result of over feeding. I dropped her down to one ounce since, is that enough per feeding for 3 days old?
With DD, my left breast was engorged Day 2 and my right breast was engorged Day 6. With DS, both breasts were engorged Day 2. I hand expressed a bit prior to feeding and both accepted that... sooner than later. I didn't touch a pump until 4-5 weeks. I don't know why your DD wouldn't latch after a bit of milk has been expressed - are you careful to pump just a wee bit?
Unexplained IF/RPL
TTC#1 2003 BFNs, 2004-2009 5 angels above
2010 IVF-PGS-FET#1, DD b. Aug-2011
TTC#2 2012 BFNs, 2013 FET#2, DS b. Nov-2013
TTC#3 2015 BFNs, FET#3 (my 6th and last angel above)
My main advice would to physically go see an LC with your babe. A qualified LC can give you all the information you have asked, help support and encourage a latch on your breast and encourage you with this journey. Good luck!
I would really try not to give her a bottle, if absolutely necessary finger feed with a tube - a LC can supply these. You don't want her to prefer the faster flow of a bottle. 2 oz is a bit much for a 3 day old, but fine for 4 or 5 day old, 1 week old will need about 2.25 oz and a 2 week old will be up to 2.5-3 oz per feeding. (This was what my son was eating).
Update: lactation consultant finally called me back and had an extra suggestion of trying a nipple shield along with the heat and cold I've been using until engorgement has resolved. And oh my god, greatest thing ever invented!! She latched instantly. So hopefully this engorgement/latching issue is solved and we can get back to how we started. Plus as a bonus, I now have 10 oz breast milk frozen for later. Silver lining, I guess.
My lo gets hiccups a lot, but I've never heard that was from over feeding. We nurse on demand, but most of time he's on a 3-hour schedule with varying times at evening and night. He gets hiccups with bottle and breasts some days more than others.
Re: Overfeeding?
Unexplained IF/RPL
TTC#1 2003 BFNs, 2004-2009 5 angels above
2010 IVF-PGS-FET#1, DD b. Aug-2011
TTC#2 2012 BFNs, 2013 FET#2, DS b. Nov-2013
TTC#3 2015 BFNs, FET#3 (my 6th and last angel above)
Journey Complete.