Should i solely express... help needed

[adorableangel]

My five week old is finding to harder and harder to breastfeed. She gets so fussy and cranky on both breasts. These last few days have my torture for myself and her. I've tried everything and nothing seems to work, we both end up in tears after every feed. I know there's something wrong (most likely incorrect attachment, hopefully not reflux). Up until 4 days ago I would occasionally express (if going out etc) and now I think it was a mistake as I believe she's become a lazy feeder.

My question is do you think (if nothing else works.. going to the family health clinic in a couple of days to get help) can I solely express?? It is quicker, less painful and I know how much she's getting. Bonding is the only drawback, but I will make sure I hold her near during and after a feed. Has anyone had similar troubles?? Would love some feedback from mothers in the know.

[confusd]

i wouldnt say its easier :laughing:

I expressed to keep up my supply and also to top up (they were worried she wasnt getting enough, wanted me to use formula, but i thought i would express get up more supply and top up with the Ebm)
it turned out to be harder, feeding DD then having to sit up and and express afterwards (harder at night then in the day).

but thats just me you could always get you partner to feed at night while you express ??

remember thats just my opinion it might be easier for you

[OJandMe]

I had issues breastfeeding G.. so I soley expressed... it worked for a month or so before drying up completely.

How long has it been going on for? Could it just be a phase of breast refusal??

I suggest you keep persevering, make sure you're drinking enough water, take some fenugreek tablets to boost your supply, make some lactation boosting cookies.

Try eliminating some things from your diet... see if that's affecting her.

I don't know... but as someone who's failed at breastfeeding 3 times, and now finally has a good breastfeeding relationship with #4.. I heavily suggest you try whatever you can to keep up breastfeeding.

Maybe try the expressing for a while, as well as breast feeds....

Does she do the same with night feeds??? It could be reflux.

[justmum]

has it been hot? bubs might be fussing because she wants the foremilk which is thirst quenching.

or conversely if she's getting too much foremilk she may have lactose overload issues.

to an extent, it's probably the stage. i have a 5 week old too whose very fussy atm too.

i'd keep at the bf for another week if i were you to see if there was any improvement.

[MsMummy]

I (almost solely) expressed for about 10 days after Christmas when baby went on a nursing strike (at 3mo).

I found it a bit restrictive, in that I felt I couldn't go out for long periods, as I always had to think where I could express, how I could safely store the milk etc.

I got baby back on the boob (thankfully). That's definitely the best thing as it makes life so much easier for you. Hopefully the family health centre has a lactation consultant who can help you.

In the interim, even if you are expressing, put your baby to the breast each time.

But if you can't bf directly, solely expressing is a wonderful alternative. I found my baby loved it (free flowing milk!)...but it was a pain for me.

Also, I remember there was a thread a while ago about women who solely expressed (can't remember the title, sorry). maybe if you found it, you could ask one of them for advice.

good luck.:)

[MrsMiggins]

I had huge problems feeding DD. I really wanted to BF, but it was traumatic for both of us. I was expressing a lot, trying to give myself a chance to heal, but it was tricky. For one thing, I felt like all I did was feed, express, wash & sterilise bottles, then start all over again!

After a while, we ended up going to formula, because it was all too much, but I still tried to express (and feed) as often as I could. By the time she was 3 months old, my milk had dried up.

[naebie]

It might sound silly, but you could maybe try using nipple shields as opposed to expressing- I was solely expressing for a week (when DD was a week old) and intended to keep that up for as long as I could- The nurse at the ECH clinic suggested tryinbg a nipple shield. DD attached beautifully and I found it so so so much easier than expressing- No hassles of pumping, sterilising and heating bottles.
I figure you have the same chance of losing your supply solely expressing as you do with using shields, probably even more with expressing. The only problem we have is that at 4 months old she is still dependent on the shield, but she is gaining weight beautifully, still 100% breastfed, and seems happy, content and well fed.

[clairehc]

my little jack is 4 mths old and i soley express and have been since week 2. i had complete refusal which really emotionally hurt me and little jack had a tongue tie. i wish i had've keep up trying so i could have more freedom i have to come home and express or bring the pump with me. i used maxolon to increase my supply after it had stopped and i was full flow and having to freeze until last week when i have started to drop supply but have been advised to try blessed thistle.

i am proud of being able to still give jack breastmilk but still feel bad when other mums see & stare at me feeding with a bottle and i feel like shouting over its ebm!! there is still that bottle stigmatism.:hair:

my point is keep trying for the boob but otherwise keep with ebm.

[demeter]

Sorry I don't have any advice, but have you given the ABA helpline a call/chatted to your local ABA group leader about the trouble you're having? The counsellors might have some great advice/insight :)

[adorableangel]

Thank you everyone for your help and advice. I have been using a nipple shield on my right side from day two (sometimes DD uses it and sometimes she doesn't).

What I've decided to do is keep breastfeeding as much as possible but have at least one expressed feed in the fridge. I can use this when she gets so worked up and frustrated. Good idea???

[lovelymum]

expressing solely is really hard work!! You will not have the same freedom & flexibility as you would if you were breastfeeding or formula feeding as you will need to time outings around expressing etc to keep up your supply and think about night feeds bottle feeding then having to express - see a lactation nurse, you are probably having attachment issues if it is hurting evertime you feed and 5 weeks in is really early days. If it is something you really want to persue I would suggest getting some professional help. My friend has just had similar problems and with some help she has worked it all out and is now happily breastfeeding her 8 week old who is a really happy contented little thing (compared to around 3 weeks ago when the whole feeding thing was a little chalenging)

[adorableangel]

And this may be a silly question but why does your milk dry up if you solely express? Is this the same if you solely express or express once a day for example?

[MsMummy]

What I've decided to do is keep breastfeeding as much as possible but have at least one expressed feed in the fridge. I can use this when she gets so worked up and frustrated. Good idea???

Great idea! that's what I did and I'm still exclusively breastfeeding.

My baby didn't become a really good strong feeder until after six weeks (from memory).

[adorableangel]

I meant to say does this apply if you use a breast pump to express also. I am overtired hahaha bed is calling... :ecomcity:

[~Bec~]

I expressed due to experiencing lots of bf problems and pains.
It's really hard work. The only time I could express was when James was settled or DF was at home. I would spend up to an hour at a time a few times a day expressing and making sure that I emptied each breast every time and then kept the pump going for a while to try and stimulate more. I also then had the tasks of washing and steralising bottles, pumps etc. I could barely go out as, well, there's already so much to organise when you go out with a little baby but I also had to time it so that I wouldn't get too full and leak or be uncomfortable. It was a never ending list of expressing, feeding, washing and steralising bottles etc, lots of hard work but I'm glad I found some middle ground and that James got some breastmilk. Having said all that I only ever managed to express about 1/3 of his feeds. I look back now and realise that if I'd have been on bubhub then I'm sure someone would have given me the idea of putting bubs back on the boob after the bleeding and pain had settled down. I was too busy expressing to get on bub hub though. :(

I guess what I'm trying to say is that expressing is a middle ground (and boy it's nice to have one) but it can be extremely time consuming.

[MsMummy]

And this may be a silly question but why does your milk dry up if you solely express? Is this the same if you solely express or express once a day for example?

not sure about solely expressing, but it shouldn't dry up from part time expressing.

I express 3 days a week for work and it hasn't affected my supply (had supply problems this week but think it was from stress and calorie reduction).

[MrsMiggins]

And this may be a silly question but why does your milk dry up if you solely express? Is this the same if you solely express or express once a day for example?
I think it may have something to do with your baby being able to remove milk more effectively when feeding than you can by expressing, but I know many women who do express successfully.

[joolz79]

Solely expressing is hard work. You have all the work of bottle feeding, cleaning sterilising etc and also the time it takes to express. I found it took me a lot longer to express a feed as time went on and eventually I'd end up cutting expressing times short as I had a baby crying and a toddler having a tantrum and I could only put them off for so long. Obviously this affected my supply which was already poor. Also it got very hard when DS2 would decide he didn't want as much this feed and I'd have to throw away milk that had taken over half an hour to express. :crying:
Many women do manage it, they are far more dedicated and strong-willed than me.

[threepigs]

A g/f of mine was solely expressing for her prem baby (born at 30wks) and after about 6 weeks her supply started to diminish. Her doctors said it was partly because of the effectiveness of the baby's sucking as opposed to the pump, but also because she didn't have an emotional relationship with the pump. The baby sucking on the breast and touching the area and even just the holding and looking at each other helps the let down reflex. It's quite a remarkable thing and in some women it can be very strong, in others not so pronounced. I went to see Coldplay last night and at one point I thought about my baby and could instantly feel a let down of milk.

If you are really determined to b/f keep trying and get some help from ABA or a private lactation consultant. It does often come good the better they get at it, your bub is still very young.

Good luck, we know it's hard :hugs:

[beebs]

I managed to pump for about 6 weeks all up until my supply died. It was hard work -but at least the little fella was getting breastmilk. Also - after the pain of breastfeeding(which was intese) it was almost like a miracle that I could give him breastmilk without crying:)

[demeter]

I think it may have something to do with your baby being able to remove milk more effectively when feeding than you can by expressing, but I know many women who do express successfullyYep, a baby draws more milk out than expressing and breasts/brain assume less milk is needed if less is being taken, so they adjust milk production accordingly.

This too shall pass.
You can get through this :hugs: Do give the ABA a ring or get a lactation consultant to come to your house, an LC will be able to watch you feed and suggest tips for how to help improve the situation. They are the breastfeeding medical experts :thumbsup:

[clairehc]

milk drying up when soley expressing is WRONG.. i am still going at 4 1/2 mths. i just place bub in front of me each session. also there is herbal and medicinal options availbel to help increase supplies...

that comment has made me so mad cause it is giving the wrong impression.

[beebs]

milk drying up when soley expressing is WRONG.. i am still going at 4 1/2 mths. i just place bub in front of me each session. also there is herbal and medicinal options availbel to help increase supplies...

that comment has made me so mad cause it is giving the wrong impression.

Um - just because it hasn't happened with you does not mean it doesn't happen to others. I have heard it many, many times. Also - why on earth would it make you mad? Its not giving the wrong impression at all - it is giving peoples personal experiences.

[naebie]

Um - just because it hasn't happened with you does not mean it doesn't happen to others. I have heard it many, many times. Also - why on earth would it make you mad? Its not giving the wrong impression at all - it is giving peoples personal experiences.

I agree- It is a common occurence, but may not happen to everyone. When I was discharged from hospital I was told by the LC that solely expressing CAN cause supply to drop, not WILL- my supply did drop and I was prescribed motillium.
In the same realm, using nipple shields CAN cause supply to drop, not WILL cause supply to drop- I have been using nipple shields for over 4 months and have not any issues with supply, whereas I know people who have had supply issues from using nipple shields for a matter of weeks!

Nobody is knocking you for solely expressing, in fact I think it is fantastic you are still able to give your bub Breast Milk, it's just important to point out some of the hurdles that solely expressing mums might come across in their journey!

[PinkBinkie]

Being able to express dd2 allowed me to stick with breastfeeding for longer than a week. Even though I only lasted 6 weeks at least she had 6 weeks of breastmilk which is alot better than none. Hopefully I'll be able to breastfeed successfully next time but it's great being able to express to help you get through tricky times. I never asked for enough help and got lots of conflicting advice so try and get all the help and advice that you can. It's so important.