Here's the problem:
My milk didn't come in until yesterday evening-you guys weren't kidding, it really is quite painful. But, because I didn't have any before, I was trying to feed Noah and he wasn't getting anything so he developed jaundice. Friday we called the doctor and the nurse said that he needed to be fed every 2-3 hours, even at night. So we had to bottle feed him because I had nothing to offer. BUT now that I have milk, he won't take it. When I pump, he will take it because it is in a bottle, but when I try to put him directly on the breast, he won't have any of it and screams and cries until we give him a bottle. The problem with the pump is that it is manual-so my hand always hurts-and it takes like a million years before I even have 1 oz. I want to breastfeed him, but we are afraid that because he's been getting the bottle for the last few days, every couple of hours, that he doesn't like the texture of my breast and that he won't feed from it. I do try everytime he's hungry to breastfeed, but get nowhere.
Does anyone have any ideas? Are we just stuck with him preferring the bottle nipple to mine and should just accomodate? And if that's the case, should I keep trying to pump regardless of how long it takes and how sore I am when I 'm finished? OR should we just give up breastfeeding altogether and switch solely to formula? And if that's what we should do, how do I get rid of the milk I have right now?
Any insight would be helpful...anything. I am so frustrated by this whole ordeal and Eric and I can't seem to come up with the best possible solution. I appreciate anything you give me-even if it's that you can't come up with anything either. Thank you!
5 comments:
First let me say that even though I breastfeed, I am rather ambivalent about breast over bottle. I was raised on formula as were all of you guys and we turned out just fine. That said, what sort of bottle are you using? Maybe if you can switch to a bottle that mimics a woman's nipple (I think Avant, First Year, and Playtex Drop-ins all have something of that nature) he'll be able to transition back to your breast. Or, see if you can ask around about borrowing or buying for cheap someone's used electric breast pump. I have a Medela my sister-in-law used. It is so much quicker than my manual pump. Craigslist might be a good place to find one. Or you might be able to rent one from the hospital to try.
Do you have access to a lactation consultant? The hospital I went to had a hotline you could call in to if you were having problems or a consultant would come to your house to help you out. Has your home-nurse already come? She might be able to help. Or your pediatrician might be able to hook you up. Anyway, a lactation consultant would actually be able to help you try to get him to latch on.
Check out this link Link It has articles and videos for breastfeeding.
I hope it works out for you. I love the bonding I get to have with Harvey (plus it makes going anywhere a lot easier without having to worry about a bottle and formula) but at some point you'll have to decide when the frustration is too much. I hope you get a good latcher before then.
Heather's ideas were good, give them a try. I seem to remember in the back of my mind hearing someone say once that they put the nipple from the bottle over their own nipple and that worked. You're not out anything if you give it a try.
I think Heather and Mom had some good ideas. Ones that I probably wouldn't have thought of. I was just thinking that you should just keep trying. It's only been a couple of days. But like Heather said, you have to decide when you've come to the end of your rope, so to speak, and just go with a bottle.
I know what you mean about pumping being frustrating. I was never good at it and it always took me soooo long to pump 5 oz. You might do better with an electric pump, but it didn't help me. Heather is right also in the fact that it isn't the worst thing in the world if you can't breast feed. You shouldn't feel like a failure and it doesn't mean you won't ever be able to do it.
To get rid of your milk you just have to not use it. That's easier said than done, but your body only makes enough for what is used. So if you don't use it, your body will eventually stop making it. Until that point, though, you will probably be hard as a rock and very sore. Pumping will help relieve that, but try not to pump too much or you'll stimulate more milk production. I heard that hot showers directly on your breasts will help with relief or cold packs. That never helped me though when I was over full. I just had to suffer.
Unfortuately no one is going to have the perfect solution for you because your body is different than all of ours. You'll have to find out for yourself by trial and error. I wish I could solve it for you though.
I'm glad you talked to a nurse about Noah's condition. I definately feel it is better to be safe than sorry.
Thanks, ladies...I am going to call the lactation consultant tomorrow and hopefully get to met with her tomorrow. They don't have a 24 hour hotline-they only work Mon-Fri, 9-5. And I've actually never heard of a home-nurse, do you have one? And actually, Mom, Eric thought of using a nipple over my own and we were going to try that either tonight or tomorrow. Also, the bottles we are using are the Playtex Drop-ins...they are more smooth than ridged. But you all had great ideas and I appreciate all the help-I'll keep you updated, thank you.
I had a friend in Utah who had a baby that sounded much like Noah. She eventually rented an electric pump from the hospital for about $10 per week (cheaper than buying formula) and just pumped all the time and fed her daughter her milk in a bottle. Besides that, I agree, the lactation specialist is probably your best bet if you want to continue breastfeeding. And I agree, us formula fed babies turn out just fine!
After your hard delivery, I'm sorry this has been such a pain as well.
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