Breastfeeding - Help!!!!

[Krissy71]

Hi to everyone! I haven't been on here for a while. I recently (two weeks ago) gave birth to a beautiful & healthy :) but large baby boy :-) I ended up having a c-section with all the drugs, which I think has impacted my bub's ability to latch onto the breast.

In the hospital, he was able to latch on with the help of different midwives. Once being home though, his feeding is eratic, he screams and kicks in frustration as he can't get the milk straight away. I have been using a breastshield as suggested by a lactation consultant I have seen. He is still pretty frustrated at this though. I have a good milk supply and have been able to express milk to feed him when he just won't go on the breast. It is absolutely heartbreaking to see how upset my baby gets when he can't feed. I have also had many tears. :crying: My husband wants me to perservere which I am trying to do. It is difficult though.

I would really appreciate hearing from others who have been through similar things. Any advice would be truly appreciated. Thanks for listening ... Kris :)

[~Bec~]

:hugs::hugs:

I know painfully well how hard it can be. :(

One piece of advice I remember from the LC was if the baby was really thrashing about and upset when you are trying to get them to latch - have a bit of expressed milk in a cap or very small cup on hand. Hold it up for them and get them to take a sip. They will drink from it like a cat drinks and it will calm them (so they know mummy isn't trying to kill me :rolleyes: ).

I found that tip really useful.

Hope things get better for you real soon. :hugs:

[workin'mumof2]

can you try and ditch the nipple shield. i read on here it can cause a problem if you use it long term....

when he thrashes are you able to squeeze your boob to get some out so he knows/learns its there.

[SPC]

Have you tried massaging your breast whilst he's latched on? This can help the milk flow. Feeding in the bath or whilst being cuddled by your partner can also help you feel relaxed and aid let down. Make sure you have the basics covered - sit comfortably, have a drink with you, have lots of skin to skin contact.

Crying doesn't always mean hunger - he might be unsettled on the breast because he's unhappy about something else. The drugs and trauma from a caesar can linger. He might have a headache. He may benefit from seeing an osteopath who specialises in babies, or just from some baby massage or a lot of time being carried by a family member in a sling.

[LittleBug'sMum]

My story is quite similar (and has a happy ending) Here it is:
I had an emergency cs, and had real problems feeding my poor DS in the first weeks. I found in hospital the midwives would attach DS for me, and I was so desperate just to stop him crying that I would let them.
So when I got home from hospital I really had no idea how to attach him myself. One of my nipples was inverted, and somehow I got home from hospital with never having DS successfully attach on that side, even with the help of the midwives:(.
The day after I got home from hosptial my milk came in, I think this was delayed a bit because of the cs, and with that comes even more difficulty attaching!
I quickly got myself back to the hospital to see a LC (not that easy to do, not being able to drive because of cs and DH working full time). She helped me attach DS to the inverted nipple, but by this time as I had been feeding only off the other side for about a week, so that nipple was totally cracked and bleeding.
After not too long both nipples were cracked, BFing was extrememly painful, there were a lot of tears. I totally stopped feeding and expressed every feed and fed DS with a bottle (EBM). I hated and still do hate expressing, but perservered with this for a couple of days to let my nipples heal.
As soon as I started feeding DS again the cracks reopened:(.
I continued on expressing, occasionally feeding for weeks and weeks. Although my DH was very supportive of BFing it got to the point were one night I sent him out to buy formula as I couldn't go on. Lots more tears from me as I felt that I had failed etc etc.
DS drank the formula - and then :barf: the whole lot back up.
So I kept going....
I didn't want to have to go and pay for another LC as the first one hadn't really solved my problems.
Eventually one day I phoned the local Child Health centre, and went in and saw one of the nurses there. She was great. She showed me a few tricks to get DS to take more nipple into his mouth and finally BFing was less painful. But she also told me that a lot of mothers have difficulty breastfeeding and I was not alone (I had no idea, thought it would all come naturally), and that the problems usually sort themselves out by 6-8 weeks when bub's head and mouth gets bigger.
By about 6 weeks BFing was starting to get a big less painful for me, but it really took until about 3 months for all the cracks to heal up and to be totally pain free.

Now I am at almost 5 months of BFing and I LOVE IT:D! It is the most wonderful thing, I really feel passionate about it. In those first 3 months I would dread every feed and would never have imagined that I would ever even like it.

So please keep going if you can, it may be difficult but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Don't do what I did and struggle on alone. Ask for help. If your LC hasn't sorted out all your problems, find another one. Also call the ABA - I never did, but really should have.
And you will get great advice from the mums here on BH.
You can do it and it is so worth it!

[84zsazsa]

Have you tried massaging your breast whilst he's latched on? This can help the milk flow. Feeding in the bath or whilst being cuddled by your partner can also help you feel relaxed and aid let down. Make sure you have the basics covered - sit comfortably, have a drink with you, have lots of skin to skin contact.

Crying doesn't always mean hunger - he might be unsettled on the breast because he's unhappy about something else. The drugs and trauma from a caesar can linger. He might have a headache. He may benefit from seeing an osteopath who specialises in babies, or just from some baby massage or a lot of time being carried by a family member in a sling.


Spot on!! I believe now my DS had a lot of birth trama from my C/sec. I got him along to a Pead Chiropracter & it did him the world of good. The 2 big keys to a successful journey I found with ours anyway...is mood & belief. Believe your in control & your body can do it & keep a relaxed & calm mood...:thumbsup:

Maybe look into getting into see a different LC too if one is available...just for a second opinion & give the Australian BreastFeeding Association a call they are fantastic & will difinatly be able to bounce some advice & info off you...:)

My DS didnt attach the greatest either in the wk or 2 following the C/sec I will add & with persistance...loads of nudie cuddles, gentle humming...some great advice from the ABA & belief it all came together.

Good luck

Danni

[84zsazsa]

Now I am at almost 5 months of BFing and I LOVE IT:D! It is the most wonderful thing, I really feel passionate about it. In those first 3 months I would dread every feed and would never have imagined that I would ever even like it.

So please keep going if you can, it may be difficult but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Don't do what I did and struggle on alone. Ask for help. If your LC hasn't sorted out all your problems, find another one. Also call the ABA - I never did, but really should have.
And you will get great advice from the mums here on BH.
You can do it and it is so worth it!


:yelclap:...this totally warms my heart & is also great advice!!

Danni

[moozle]

The first 6 weeks or so is a time for the both of you to get used to it. It is painful and really hard work! It does pay off though if you perservere. Try to get your DS to take more of the areola into his mouth. I was told to squeeze my breast flat-ish and tickle his top lip with it and then when he opens his mouth REALLY wide... and not before.. do you slip it in from the bottom up so the nipple is almost the last thing to go in... if that makes sense? It took a while to get this happening for us. I didn't express any feeds for him in that time (except the occasional one when I had to work for a few hours here and there), as I didn't want him to get too used to a bottle. After 6-8 weeks it got SOOO much better, it stopped hurting and started to work for both of us. It became such special time for us. I really miss it :(

[Krissy71]

WOW!! You girls are all unbelievable. Thanks so much! :) It is heartening to know that I am not alone. I have been feeling like such a failure and finding it very difficult to cope. I agree with what you have all said about the LC and I have recently gone to the local Child Health Centre and have found them to be absolutely amazing and I can go back ... for FREE :) as many times as I like, which is awesome. At no time did I feel like I was overeacting or being a silly crying woman.

I am going to perservere as my beautiful boy is well worth it.

Big hugs to you all

Kris xxxx

A

[moozle]

It is so great to get this update and see how positive you are about it now!!! YAY!! So happy for you :) Im really glad your ECHC has been such a big help for you, that's really important. Congratulations for perservering. In a few weeks, I'm pretty sure you'll loook back and be glad you did. Your DS is so lucky to have such a dedicated Mummy :hugs: