The hardest decision

[Kayangel]

Please no judgements, i am a single mummy and im doing the best i can on my own.

My little boy is 6 weeks old and is always hungry, screams and kicks his legs when his on my boobies, i cant do anything during the day because he spends upto 2 hours feeding then wants it again in 2 more hours and during the time his not feeding its spent trying to settle him and my supple is also getting low, i just want someone else to feed him for once it feels like his always on my boobs and attached to ME!

I have just made up some bottles and yes i feel horrible for it, its eating me up trying to decided weather or not i will give him a bottle:

pros for bottle feeding:
- someone else can feed him
- quicker feeds
- more time between feeds

cons for bottle feeding:
- Not as good for him
- he still might be unsettled
- I would feel so bad

I dont no wat i should do, any advice?

[Chunkydunks]

Do what ever is right four you and bub. I had trouble with supply at 3 months and by 4 months DS was fully bottle fed. He was losing weight because I just wasn't able to give him enough. Don't feel bad if you do end up giving him the bottle. You gave him the best start possible. You are doing a great job:hugs::hugs:

[toni796]

If you feel that it is the best thing for you and your child then start bottle feeding him. Don't feel guilty. I in the end ended up bottle feeding all 4 of my kids and I don't feel guilty for doing it. They are all healthy apart from a few colds etc.

[Hollywood]

Hi there, sorry to hear you're struggling :hugs:
It can be tough to begin with, so I recommend contacting the ABA for advice, or the MCHN hotline, or even a lactation consultant if you can (sometimes the maternal hospitals have them available if you gave birth there).

My DS also had unsettled times at that age and did a lot of cluster feeding. It felt like he was always attached! If it helps make you feel better, I'll say that BFing trully does get better if you are able to stick with it. There might be a number of reasons for babies being unsettled, and 6 weeks is supposedly the age where their crying peaks (something like 2.5 hours a day on average).

I remember when DS was about 6-8 weeks when he would cry unconsolably during the 'witching hour' between the hours of about 6 - 9pm. We just eliminated any other reasons for the crying, then when that was all done and he still cried we just cuddled him and talked to him. He still cried, and it was soooo hard, but at least he wasn't alone.

Not once did we think that BFing was the problem, and 16 months on and BFing is just great, not a problem at all.

But if you really try everything and end up bottle feeding then that's ok too, you have to do what's best for you and your baby. Each day you make it through is a bonus :yes:.

Good luck :hugs:

[4babycinos]

Its really a personal decision, if you want to give him a bottle to see if he settles better - then do it. If he is still unsettled after a bottle feed and you prefer breast feeding, then maybe contact the Australian Breastfeeding Association for some help.

Dont feel guilty - do whats right for you and thats the only way that matters :hugs:

[naiwen]

Just bear in mind another con of bottle feeding is the cost, buying the formula and the bottles can add up!

[Milliner]

Please, I urge you to call the ABA now. It’s free to speak to a trained counsellor.

Around the 6 week mark bubs will be going through a growth spurt and he will feed feed fedd to build up your supply. It does get easier believe me.

In time feeds will get quicker as you boy gets more efficient at sucking.

This is taken from the ABA website

To build your supply, the following suggestions may help.
· Provided that your baby is correctly positioned you will find that the quickest and most successful way to boost your supply is to breastfeed more frequently. You may want to offer a breastfeed every two or three hours during the day, for a few days, or at least increase the number of feeds by offering the breast in between your baby's usual breastfeeds.
· Here is an easy way of doing this. If your baby does not settle after a feed, wait 20 or 30 minutes and then offer another quick little topping up breastfeed. Those few minutes of extra nursing and cuddling may be all that is needed to soothe and satisfy.
· Whenever practicable, let your baby finish the first breast before switching to the second breast. Let your baby decide the length of the breastfeed. Some babies may take up to 20 minutes or longer to drain a breast and obtain all the kilojoule-rich milk.
· Alternatively you may find it helps to change sides several times during a feed whenever your baby's sucking seems to become less vigorous. Some people find that this encourages the baby to suck more strongly and stimulates a good let-down reflex.
· If your baby is awake you can offer little snack feeds without waiting for baby to cry for them.
· You can try offering the breast as a comforter for a few days instead of dummy or thumb.
· You can also try massaging your breast by stroking it towards the nipple on all sides as baby feeds. Take care not to disturb the nipple in your baby's mouth.
· You will find that throughout lactation baby will have days when more breastfeeds are needed. This is Nature's way of producing more milk for your baby's growing needs.
· Most mothers find that they need to feed at least 6 times in 24 hours just to maintain their supply. Many new babies need 8 - 12 or more feeds in 24 hours. However the frequency of feeds generally declines as baby gets older.
· To increase your supply, you will need to fit in more feeds than is usual for YOUR BABY. Feeds do not need to be very long, just more often. Though in each 24 hours some feeds will be only 5 to 10 minutes long, others may be 30 minutes or longer, particularly when baby feeds to sleep slowly and contentedly.
· Help your milk to let-down quickly. Relax and enjoy feed times. Try to remove distractions (take the phone off the hook, put a do not disturb sign on your door), then settle with baby into a comfortable chair and breathe deeply, relaxing each part of your body separately as you may have learned to do at ante-natal classes. Have a drink on hand, a book or a magazine, listen to the radio or watch TV.
· Babies vary greatly in the amount of sucking they seem to need. There is no need to worry if your baby is contented with a fairly short feed. Some babies, however love to continue sucking long after the flow of milk has dwindled to a trickle. This is fine too. Your baby will let you know how long feeds need to be.
· A baby who is well positioned is more able to empty the breast. Hold your baby close to your chest, body facing yours, and lower arm around your waist. (baby's mouth should be directly opposite your nipple.) This makes it easier for your baby to take the breast. When offering the breast, just touch your baby's lips with your nipple and wait for the mouth to open wide. Centre baby's mouth over your nipple, guiding it over the tongue and pull the baby close against you so that a good mouthful of your nipple and areola (the darker area around the nipple) is in your baby's mouth.

MORE FREQUENT FEEDING MEANS MORE MILK

How to make more milk:
· Feed your baby more frequently than usual.
· Check that baby is well positioned at the breast.
· Whenever possible, allow the baby to decide on the length of a feed.

[amandaw]

Obviously you have to do what is right for you and J (especially if it is a supply issue) ...but I just wanted to encourage you to try and stick it out a little longer - you expressed so much joy and satisfaction at being able to get J to the breast after being put on the bottle for those first few days, so you know it does mean a lot to you :goodvibes:

Maybe just do a small top up ff just to give yourself a break, and that way you can stay with the bfing longer???

Milliner is right about the growth spurt Kayla. It sounds like J generally sleeps really well at night (esp compared to M!!), so he obviously is getting enough during the day, even if it is all cluster feed. On top of the stuff from the ABA, make sure you're drinking plenty of water yourself and try making up a batch of the lactation cookies (YUM!). Take advantage of having your family around, and hand him off sometimes, or just try and hold out for half an hour - just being away from you, or having to wait, might mean that he stops 'smelling' the milk and he may settle long enough for you to feel like your getting a chance to actually make some milk...

some :hugs: your way

ETA - oops too late - just saw your other post - sounds like you're making a permanent decision....

[LilMissnBoo]

No-one is going to judge you :hugs:
Breastfeeding is hard work. It does get easier! It is so common for babies to feed so much in the first couple of months. My DD would feed every 2 hours for up to an hour at a time! Very exhausting, but we got thru it.

I second calling the ABA (or jump onto their website as they also have a forum and an email link)

Also try calling your MCHN as they may be able to put you onto a lactation consultant.

Buy fenugreek tablets from the chemist (natures own brand) take 1 tablet, 3 times a day for a couple of days, this will help boost your supply.

The more bubs feeds the more milk your breasts produces. It sounds like he is going thru a growth spurt so that may be why he is perma-attached at the moment :laughing:

Also if he is kicking a lot when feeding he may have wind. Take time to burp him after a feed and maybe look at buying some infacol drops from the chemist too. You just give to bubs before a feed and it really helps.

:hugs::hugs:
You're doing such a great job, hang in there!

[sam's mum]

I think I spent time where I had a bubba permanently attached to me too.

It doesn't last.

I got a lot of help from my child health nurse and DS was improved within about 2 days. His feeding patterns needed help and he was brilliant once we got it sorted.

DD I took motillium and fenugreek and my supply boosted within a day or two. She takes about 10 or 15 minutes for a feed these days and it is great.

I agree with what someone else said about the cost. :eek:

[SassyMummy]

I was in your position nearly 3 years ago.

My daughter was on the boob, having SUCH LONG FEEDS all throughout the day. It hurt too. It freaking hurt. It got to the point where I would YANK her off the boob every now and then because the pain was driving me insane.

My Grandmother and father confronted me after I was feeding my daughter (upstairs, out of their view), telling me i was taking far too long. It just totally destroyed what little confidence I had left. I was 19, a new mother, and...well... was wondering how I, pretty much still a child, was going to manage this.

That night, when she was 3 weeks old, I gave her a bottle.

It seemed so perfect.

I continued to slowly make the progression from breast to bottle until she was 9 weeks old, when she had bottles full time.

For ages, I would harp on about how bottlefeeding was so much better... because at first... it does seem that way.

But after a while, I really MISSED the closeness I had breastfeeding her. Knowing that my breasts were doing something amazing... nourishing her... even if it took what seemed like the entire day to do so... it was much more special than bottlefeeding in my experience. And while others could feed her, and at first that was great... after a while, well, she didn't need ME. She just needed a person... not ME. That's a bit selfish, but it made me feel a bit cr*p.

I also thought, at first, that bottles were easier. But they're not... not when you're lugging around 6 bottles because you're out all day and want to make sure you don't run short... or when something happens and you run out of formula earlier than expected and you're poor and have to choose between a tin of formula and some other thing you need (you obviously choose formula...lol).

It's actually far easier to breastfeed... carry them around, pull out a boob, that's it.

Winter feeds were also much easier to boob feed. I'd lay on my side, boob out, DD in my bed, suckling away, both of us drifting off. Nobody had to leave hte bed, I didn't have to dart across the freezing kitchen floor preparing bottles.. I just... pulled out a boob.

I really really really regret my decision to give up so easily. I didn't call the ABA, I didn't seek help. I should have. I really should have.

[mummymimi]

First of all anyone who judges you on this is an idiot and you shouldn't listen to them. I agree with all the other mums who have said contact the ABA as they will be able to offer you a lot of advice. Breastfeeding can be difficult in the early days but I promise you it does get easier.

[Kayangel]

I would like to thank you all for your great advice, it really helps having other mums to talk to that no how u r feeling and wat ur going though after giving bubs 2 bottles i have decided to go back to breastfeeding and stick out this hard time because my heart is with breastfeeding and its wat i really want to do.

Thank you all :goodvibes:.

[sopolicha]

Good for you!!!

One of the best tips that I got for bf in the early days was to eat plenty of protein in the morning, have a lie down in the afternoon, and let the baby feed as much as they want.

You know what they say - the more they feed, the more milk you make.

Don't they also say that a newborn has a growth spurt around the six week mark and feed a lot more than what they did before?

Good Luck!!

[Fuchsia!]

Im so glad you decide to continue breastfeeding. WHat you are feeling is totally normal. I was a single mum too and it was so damn hard to be able to do everything especially when you baby just wants to hang off you all day long!

I remember feeling at around the 6 weeks mark like you. I was close to giving up and i decided to "make" myself go another 2 weeks to make sure thats how i really felt. Once you give up breastfeeding its so hard to be able to change your mind, re lactation is really hard. Bottlefeeding may seem easier, but it really isn't. YOu have to buy bottles, formula, you have to heat the bottle up each feed which is a pain if your baby wants it right there and then! YOu have to wash the bottles and sterilises them. Which can be a pain as being a new mum, its extra work to do that you probably don't need!

Good luck, if you ever have any problems the ABA is there to help. They can support you and give you great tips and advice. If you ever need a chat or need any support, i would gladly listen :)

[Hollywood]

I would like to thank you all for your great advice, it really helps having other mums to talk to that no how u r feeling and wat ur going though after giving bubs 2 bottles i have decided to go back to breastfeeding and stick out this hard time because my heart is with breastfeeding and its wat i really want to do.

Thank you all :goodvibes:.

Good on you! :yelclap: As I said earlier, it will get better, and if you make it to BFing a toddler like me, the emotional rewards are tremendous. I'm so glad I stuck with it for so many reasons, and I'm sure you'll feel the same.

Just aim to get through each day, and get help whenever you feel unsure about how it's going. Have you seen the thread called 101 reasons to breastfeed your child? Here's a direct link to the actual site: Here (http://www.promom.org/101/).

Just remember that each time you give bub formula you're jeopardising your own milk supply, so BF as much as possible for now to build up your supply.

Good luck and hang in there!!

[cheezelkat]

Good luck _ breast feeding can be hard for the first couple of months but it gets easier! Try and get as much support s you can. Breast is not only better in terms of health benefits, nothing beats the convenience of just popping out a breast - no mixing, cleaning or prep required!

[V8]

Hey Kayla

You are doing great, glad you have sought help, breastfeeding is hard in the first few months but once you have confidence it's just a great rewarding experience. I agree with the others who gave great advice and also suspect he's going through a growth spurt, all perfectly normal. :hugs:

[cheezelkat]

I thought I would add this in too - when DD is cranky and wanting to feed constantly I either cool off in the shower with her in the room or vacuum (she likes the noises) or just lift her up and dance and sing around.

On some days my house is clean, I've showered 5 times and the neighbours have put in noise complains about my singing :p

[Tam-I-Am]

I've deleted a few off-topic posts. Please remember that others are free to express their opinion and it should not be taken personally. Also please remember that this isn't about personal feelings about BF/FF or what happened in YOUR life- its about Kayangel and her baby.

Cheers.

[mum2bubba]

At the end of the day you have to decide what you're comfortable doing. Yes breast milk is better for babies but if you're really struggling with it then give him a bottle. You could express your own milk if you don't want to give formula. Please don't feel bad about it either. I breastfed my girls for only a short time because it just wasn't something I enjoyed, when I switched over to bottle (expressed breast milk at first and then formula) I was alot happier and believe it or not my kids were too because they didn't have to put up with an unsettled, frazzled mother and I could get Grant or whoever was around to have a turn at feeding them.

[Freya]

Just remember your baby is only still learning how to feed. It will pass.

I'm a single mummy too and when Kaid was about 6 weeks old I felt the same as you did and I bought one of those satchets and made it up then I looked into my babies eyes and poured it down the sink... I couldn't do it I gave myself the goal of getting to 6 months and you know what it PASSED and at 13 months he is still going strong.

You are doing great believe in yourself and your baby you can both get through this.

Remember that you have support from many all you need to do is ask.

Speak to the ABA.

Good Luck.:hugs:

[~Temet Nosce~]

I was in your position nearly 3 years ago.

My daughter was on the boob, having SUCH LONG FEEDS all throughout the day. It hurt too. It freaking hurt. It got to the point where I would YANK her off the boob every now and then because the pain was driving me insane.

My Grandmother and father confronted me after I was feeding my daughter (upstairs, out of their view), telling me i was taking far too long. It just totally destroyed what little confidence I had left. I was 19, a new mother, and...well... was wondering how I, pretty much still a child, was going to manage this.

That night, when she was 3 weeks old, I gave her a bottle.

It seemed so perfect.

I continued to slowly make the progression from breast to bottle until she was 9 weeks old, when she had bottles full time.

For ages, I would harp on about how bottlefeeding was so much better... because at first... it does seem that way.

But after a while, I really MISSED the closeness I had breastfeeding her. Knowing that my breasts were doing something amazing... nourishing her... even if it took what seemed like the entire day to do so... it was much more special than bottlefeeding in my experience. And while others could feed her, and at first that was great... after a while, well, she didn't need ME. She just needed a person... not ME. That's a bit selfish, but it made me feel a bit cr*p.

I also thought, at first, that bottles were easier. But they're not... not when you're lugging around 6 bottles because you're out all day and want to make sure you don't run short... or when something happens and you run out of formula earlier than expected and you're poor and have to choose between a tin of formula and some other thing you need (you obviously choose formula...lol).

It's actually far easier to breastfeed... carry them around, pull out a boob, that's it.

Winter feeds were also much easier to boob feed. I'd lay on my side, boob out, DD in my bed, suckling away, both of us drifting off. Nobody had to leave hte bed, I didn't have to dart across the freezing kitchen floor preparing bottles.. I just... pulled out a boob.

I really really really regret my decision to give up so easily. I didn't call the ABA, I didn't seek help. I should have. I really should have.
:iagree: only I gave up after 3 days. I didnt even know about the ABA (or this place!) back then. :(

But you need to do whatever you feel is best for your sanity.

[misskittyfantastico]

I would like to thank you all for your great advice, it really helps having other mums to talk to that no how u r feeling and wat ur going though after giving bubs 2 bottles i have decided to go back to breastfeeding and stick out this hard time because my heart is with breastfeeding and its wat i really want to do.

Thank you all :goodvibes:.

Good on you!!:yelclap::yelclap: The biggest thing I've learned about BFing is that it's a relationship and like any other relationship, you have times when everything feels like it's going to poo and times when you're on top of the world. Nothing ever stays the same, just take it one feed at a time. :hugs::hugs::hugs:

[Kayangel]

Just gave bub an hour and a half breastfeed! it felt so good :smiliedance: so normal! i really enjoyed it. I will now keep reminding myself of how bad i felt giving him a bottle and how much i really do love breastfeeding even when its gets hard again and im feeding for hours all day.

I cant thank u ladies enough, i dont no wat i would do without bubhub.

[Freya]

Just gave bub an hour and a half breastfeed! it felt so good :smiliedance: so normal! i really enjoyed it. I will now keep reminding myself of how bad i felt giving him a bottle and how much i really do love breastfeeding even when its gets hard again and im feeding for hours all day.

I cant thank u ladies enough, i dont no wat i would do without bubhub.

Awesome!

It's lovely isn't it.:valentine:

The feeds will get shorter though at 13 months DS only feeds for 2 minutes at a time sometimes less!

Good on you Kayla!:hugs:

[Kayangel]

wow 2 mintures! and he emptys one boob?? i hope they get shorter and less often soon because im dying to get out and actually do something before he wakes and needs to be feed again.

[cheezelkat]

awesome! :yelclap:

They do get shorter and much more bearable... when DD is going for a mass feed I have the ipod ready to go, or a book or just nurse at the computer.

[reAllytee]

I'll give you a couple more pros for bottle feeding.

- you'll know exactly how much your baby is taking
- your baby will sleep for longer periods at night



Just on these two points can I also advise this :

For one every baby is different & sometimes knowing how much they are or arent taking can be more stressful than its worth. B/f babies take as much as they need unless under rare circumstances.

Not every formula fed baby sleeps longer. Neither of mine have ! Infact Squeak slept longer when b/f but ya get that when bubs cant tolerate it & it makes them comatose :laughing:


Some pro's on bottle feeding are :

Yes someone else can feed but then often you dont want to relinquish the task so yeah lol !

Yes it means you arent stuck with baby on boob all day but really its an awesome excuse to do bugger all :p

Con's on bottlefeeding :

You get stuck with cleaning all those bottles.

You always have to have boiled water on hand to warm as needed unless you are organised but then that doesnt help on the days when bubs takes more & you get caught !

When going out even just for a few hours you have to make sure you take a bottle just in case !

When going out for a full day sheesh what a nightmare ! However many bottles bubs will need plus one as a just in case then all the formula you will need.

You spend a small fortune working out which teat bubs likes & even then they still arent happy with any !

Same with formula, it can all be trial & error to find one that agrees with bubs. By this time you could have bought yourself a small island nation !!!!

The nites & early morning having to get up & try to organise a bottle when half asleep ... Not always very safe !!!

I could go on & on !

And im a formula/ bottlefeeder whatever you want to call me lol ! Seriously stick with the boob its soooo much more easier :yes:







Just gave bub an hour and a half breastfeed! it felt so good :smiliedance: so normal! i really enjoyed it. I will now keep reminding myself of how bad i felt giving him a bottle and how much i really do love breastfeeding even when its gets hard again and im feeding for hours all day.

I cant thank u ladies enough, i dont no wat i would do without bubhub.

:hugs:

You are awesome !

Just remember everyone is here anytime you need this support !!!!

[LilMissnBoo]

Just gave bub an hour and a half breastfeed! it felt so good :smiliedance: so normal! i really enjoyed it. I will now keep reminding myself of how bad i felt giving him a bottle and how much i really do love breastfeeding even when its gets hard again and im feeding for hours all day.

I cant thank u ladies enough, i dont no wat i would do without bubhub.

Oh Yay for you!! :yelclap:

:hugs::hugs:

[mim1]

I'm glad you had a good breastfeed today and you're feeling better.

When my ds was 4 - 6 weeks I was almost constantly feeding him and he would be almost impossible to settle in between, often waking shortly after lying down. Then he got diagnosed with silent reflux and started on medication and within 24 hours he had started to improve and within a few days he was amazing! He wasn't feeding so often (I could finally stretch him out to 3 hours!) and he would stay asleep for more than 10 minutes at a time. It is normal for babies at 6 weeks to be challenging on a number of levels, but it may be that your bub has silent reflux (hard to tell from your story). If you suspect it go and see your GP and talk about it and maybe see if you can get a paed referral. The problem with swapping from breast to bottle in that situation is that it doesn't really solve the problem. Reflux bubs still want lots of milk and are still hard to settle. But, you can thicken the feeds and easily add medicine to the bottles.

So, I did also go through a rough time early on and I also nearly stopped breastfeeding, but I persisted and I'm so glad I did. It was so easy, so cheap and it didn't involve the hassle of bottle washing (which I hate!). I ended up breast feeding til 12 months.

[Jamaica]

Im personally a Bottle feeder through and through but I must say its great that your giving it a real go. I no a lot of people who have struggles particularly around the 4-6wk mark and end up bottle feeding and a lot sadly feel bad about it and regret it. I think if you get so much from it its great to do it as long as its working for you and your baby.
The only thing I want to say is that if his feeding for so long and so frequently maybe his not getting a lot?
Also dont beat yourself up sounds like your doing a great job!

[reAllytee]

The only thing I want to say is that if his feeding for so long and so frequently maybe his not getting a lot?
Also dont beat yourself up sounds like your doing a great job!

Thats not true ... He is building her supply ... He is doing EXACTLY what he is meant to be doing :yelclap:

[MoOaNdLiTtLePoPpEt]

:yelclap: glad things are going well...but i do want to ad my opinion.

at 16 weeks i had mastitis, very sore and cracked nipples as well i tried everything but the mastitis wouldn't go... tried fighting it for 4 weeks...one side dried up, DS was very unsettled...i was stressed...i didn't want to stop, everyone was telling me to keep going....i tried....after 4 weeks it was the most heartbreaking decision, and i felt soooo much guilt but i stopped. I had to, i had to do what was best for me and DS....i didn't look back. I LOVED breastfeeding, don't get me wrong, it was heartbreaking and i plan to breast feed with my next...but next time if i have to stop i wont beat myself up over it...that just makes it all the more harder.

Just wanted to add this....but i am happy for you and the decision you have made :)

[blubber]

I am a Bottle feeding Mum. It just didn't happen for us.

Feel not ashamed, lost, alone or useless. It is a really hard thing.

A happy baby is a well feed baby no matter way.

I spent weeks feeling awful for not being able to Breast feed but it happens.

Honestly i believe those that maintain breast is best never had a trouble....well maybe. Sorry not starting an argument.

Get the advice, help and support you need. Keep yourself and your baby happy and only you know the answer to that.

I have always believd that an unhappy baby, in the early stages is a hungry bay.

Hang in there and good luck.

[forbetoel]

Goodluck you poor thing. If you decide to bottle feed, please remember to throw your guilt out the window, you sound like a loving mother who just needs to make whatever decision is right for you. :hugs:

[Fuchsia!]

Hows it all going? Any better?

[Hollywood]

Thats not true ... He is building her supply ... He is doing EXACTLY what he is meant to be doing :yelclap:

:iagree:

[Mum2Bella]

I would like to thank you all for your great advice, it really helps having other mums to talk to that no how u r feeling and wat ur going though after giving bubs 2 bottles i have decided to go back to breastfeeding and stick out this hard time because my heart is with breastfeeding and its wat i really want to do.

Thank you all :goodvibes:.

thats good,
my little ones were just like your son,i felt like all i did was breast feed,
once a day i would get DF to give bubs a bottle while i relaxed in the bath,either formula or expressed milk.

if you can get someone to give you a hjand when its time for bub to have a feed,see if you can get someone to take him for awhile even if the push him in the pram or take him for a bath just so it longer then 2 hrs IYKWIM

i BF all my kids,i gave up early with my son,i hated bottle feeding

[Mum2Bella]

IMO breast fed babies take longer to feed them a bottle fed baby

[Areca]

IMO breast fed babies take longer to feed them a bottle fed baby

In the beginning they do! But once they are a bit older they feed so quick that they'd probably be done before you had a chance to make a bottle up! :laughing:

Well done Kayangel!!! It really does get easier! Just take it one week, or even one day at a time!

[lovebeingamum!]

Please, I urge you to call the ABA now. It’s free to speak to a trained counsellor.

Around the 6 week mark bubs will be going through a growth spurt and he will feed feed fedd to build up your supply. It does get easier believe me.

In time feeds will get quicker as you boy gets more efficient at sucking.



:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

It's totally your decision, but it does get easier (it may not, but pls stick it out as long as you can).

Absolutely no judgments from me, but just talk to a professional first - maybe your child health nurse, GP, midwives at hospital.

DS was BF until about 5months, and yes there were some pros to bottle feeding, but it's really painful - washing bottle, getting them ready for the middle of the night, taking formula out, so expensive, and honestly breast really is best.

Goodluck. I know its hard, but maybe try and give it a bit longer. :hugs:

[alphafemale2901]

Do whatever you feel is right for you and your baby and don't feel guilty or pay attention to judgements.

Nobody knows your situation better than you do IYKWIM.

I know with my first child I was able to breastfeed quite well for nearly 6 months and the supply was brilliant and I have no doubt would have continued to be. However, I suffered a terrific trauma one day and the next day my milk was all but gone.

With my second child, he fed well for about 3 weeks and then gradually over the next few weeks it seemed as if he wasn't getting enough or was frustrated with the quickness of the flow or something, I don't really know. From the time he was 3 weeks old I began giving him one bottle to supplement the breastfeeding, after a few days it became two, then a few days later 3 and so it goes.

Sadly not everyone is a s blessed with being able to feed as proficiently as others. You do your best and then in the interests of providing the nutrients your baby needs sometimes you have to diversify.

Please don't feel guilty for doing whatever is required to satisfy your child's needs.

[ziggie]

I hope everything is still going well with your breastfeeding, Kayangel. :hugs:
Let us know, ok?

[MummaBear03]

Please, I urge you to call the ABA now. It’s free to speak to a trained counsellor.

Around the 6 week mark bubs will be going through a growth spurt and he will feed feed fedd to build up your supply. It does get easier believe me.

In time feeds will get quicker as you boy gets more efficient at sucking.

This is taken from the ABA website

To build your supply, the following suggestions may help.
· Provided that your baby is correctly positioned you will find that the quickest and most successful way to boost your supply is to breastfeed more frequently. You may want to offer a breastfeed every two or three hours during the day, for a few days, or at least increase the number of feeds by offering the breast in between your baby's usual breastfeeds.
· Here is an easy way of doing this. If your baby does not settle after a feed, wait 20 or 30 minutes and then offer another quick little topping up breastfeed. Those few minutes of extra nursing and cuddling may be all that is needed to soothe and satisfy.
· Whenever practicable, let your baby finish the first breast before switching to the second breast. Let your baby decide the length of the breastfeed. Some babies may take up to 20 minutes or longer to drain a breast and obtain all the kilojoule-rich milk.
· Alternatively you may find it helps to change sides several times during a feed whenever your baby's sucking seems to become less vigorous. Some people find that this encourages the baby to suck more strongly and stimulates a good let-down reflex.
· If your baby is awake you can offer little snack feeds without waiting for baby to cry for them.
· You can try offering the breast as a comforter for a few days instead of dummy or thumb.
· You can also try massaging your breast by stroking it towards the nipple on all sides as baby feeds. Take care not to disturb the nipple in your baby's mouth.
· You will find that throughout lactation baby will have days when more breastfeeds are needed. This is Nature's way of producing more milk for your baby's growing needs.
· Most mothers find that they need to feed at least 6 times in 24 hours just to maintain their supply. Many new babies need 8 - 12 or more feeds in 24 hours. However the frequency of feeds generally declines as baby gets older.
· To increase your supply, you will need to fit in more feeds than is usual for YOUR BABY. Feeds do not need to be very long, just more often. Though in each 24 hours some feeds will be only 5 to 10 minutes long, others may be 30 minutes or longer, particularly when baby feeds to sleep slowly and contentedly.
· Help your milk to let-down quickly. Relax and enjoy feed times. Try to remove distractions (take the phone off the hook, put a do not disturb sign on your door), then settle with baby into a comfortable chair and breathe deeply, relaxing each part of your body separately as you may have learned to do at ante-natal classes. Have a drink on hand, a book or a magazine, listen to the radio or watch TV.
· Babies vary greatly in the amount of sucking they seem to need. There is no need to worry if your baby is contented with a fairly short feed. Some babies, however love to continue sucking long after the flow of milk has dwindled to a trickle. This is fine too. Your baby will let you know how long feeds need to be.
· A baby who is well positioned is more able to empty the breast. Hold your baby close to your chest, body facing yours, and lower arm around your waist. (baby's mouth should be directly opposite your nipple.) This makes it easier for your baby to take the breast. When offering the breast, just touch your baby's lips with your nipple and wait for the mouth to open wide. Centre baby's mouth over your nipple, guiding it over the tongue and pull the baby close against you so that a good mouthful of your nipple and areola (the darker area around the nipple) is in your baby's mouth.

MORE FREQUENT FEEDING MEANS MORE MILK

How to make more milk:
· Feed your baby more frequently than usual.
· Check that baby is well positioned at the breast.
· Whenever possible, allow the baby to decide on the length of a feed.

:yelclap: Great post!!!

I'm a single mummy too and if it weren't for breastfeeding, there's no way I would have been able to afford to feed her.

I know it's hard, my girl was on the boob for 40 minutes out of every hour, with the other 20 minutes being taken up with a toilet run, grabbing a snack for myself, nappy changing and burping. I honestly can't tell you how I kept the house so sparkly and clean, or how I found the time to soak, wash, hang out and fold the cloth nappies (towelling squares only for her) because my day was spent feeding her and that's about it. I struggled for the first 4 months and can tell you now that if I wasn't so determined to give her the very best in life I would have given up by about your baby's age.

ABA Counsellors are wonderful to talk to and are a wealth of information. PM me if you want the numbers, I'm sure they are still in my book :goodvibes:

[Cordelia]

if your heart is with breastfeeding then that's 90% of the struggle beaten already!!

6 weeks is the hardest - it starts to get better from now on in.

[mim1]

I still remember talking to mums of older children when my ds was 4 weeks old. He was still taking an hour on a good day for a breast feed and so he was basically constantly feeding. The other mum told me that her 8 month old took a few minutes to feed. I could not grasp that concept. I really couldn't.

And yet, it's true. My ds could finish a feed in 2 minutes flat and then go easily for 4 hours before another feed ... and that was at about 6 months. From about 8 weeks he got quicker and quicker and I think at about 8 weeks he was pretty much finished in 15 - 20 minutes (total) and then he'd go 3 - 4 hours without a feed.

[little bean]

Maybe try a combination of BF and bottles. I gave one bottle a day for a while and it made life much easier (we had ongoing problems with BF). DH could occasionally do the night feed, I could leave the house for "me time", and I found it much easier when I was out at the shops etc. I did this until she was 6 months old and biting - then switched to bottles for every feed.

It's a pretty good idea to get them to drink from a bottle. I felt better knowing she would take a bottle just in case I got sick, had to go away or couldn't feed for any reason. I tried expressing but had difficulty so used formula for those feeds.

Do whatever is best for you - what makes you and your bub happy.