Well, the doctor gave Josh the go-ahead to try to switch to nursing... which would be perfect... but he sucks at it! (no pun intended, lol).
He shakes his head back and forth like he doesn't even know the nipple is in his mouth. Then he'll latch on well, suck for a minute, and spit it out... I'm assuming because the milk doesn't flow out as fast as a bottle does. I can tell he's not actually getting any milk because from the pumping I know what it feels like, and he's not swallowing - so I know it isn't working like it should.
What exactly am I supposed to do to get him to latch on and actually suck for 10-15 minutes straight? If I go to one of those LLL meetings will they just show me how? Or should I go back and see the lactation consultant and have her just teach him? ↓
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| Name: nicole miller | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 8:36 PM |
| His next feeding is at 3 (if he doesn't wake himself up before then).... and I do have a nipple shield - so I think I'm going to try that. It's a bit more like a bottle. ↑ |
| Name: bmes | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 10:39 PM |
| try massaging your breast, like from the top down to the nipple, while he's sucking( kinda like you're expressing)...sometimes this helps get the milk out faster and will cause him to keep going.....i had to do this with Anika all the time, or she'd fall asleep...lol....so as long as there was a flow coming out she would keep sucking and not fall asleep!! he he he ↑ |
| Name: bmes | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 10:40 PM |
| not right to the tip of the nipple obviously, but i guess right to where his mouth is!! lol... ↑ |
| Name: bmes | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 10:40 PM |
| Name: bmes | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 10:41 PM |
| the lactation consultant could help alot!! :-) I had to stay in the hospital a whole extra day cause the consultant wouldn't let me leave until both me and Anika had figured it out...those ladies are very helpful!! :-) ↑ |
| Name: missmara | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 11:07 PM |
I saw your post in dd but came here to help!!
It sounds like he's not patient enough to wait for the letdown. You might want to try to express a little, and leave a little drip on your nipple. That way you're already into letdown, and the milk on your nipple will entice him to latch on.
If you have large breasts ( I do) you might also find it helpful to hold your nipple (a thumb and two fingers just outside the areola) and continue to hold while Josh sucks until he's going well.
I hear that visualization helps with letdown. Have you checked the LLL website. They might have more tips on there. And I agree with Brooke, the lactation consultants are awesome. You could call or go to the hospital. I know my hospital also had a BF support group twice a week.
Good luck sweetie - we're here for you. Don't give up just yet!! You're right - you won't miss washing all those bottles! ↑ |
| Name: nicole miller | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 11:48 PM |
I used a nipple sheild and he sucked for a good 10 minutes on each side... swallowing and all... I think. lol. He was crying - now he's sleeping.. which for most babies would mean alls well, but he still isn't old enough to wake himself up when he needs to eat, so that isn't quite as realiable as it sounds. He did burp like usual after each side though.
I know there isn't any way to know how much he's eating so I'm tempted to give him a bottle at his next feeding just in case... but I know i shouldn't because it's bad for the supply and bad for practice. I don't know what to do now? Should I breastfeed his next feeding as well and assume it's working? I'd hate for him to lose any weight because he's not getting enough. ↑ |
| Name: bmes | Date: Feb 25th, 2007 5:06 AM |
| if you listen really close you should be able to hear if he's swallowing anything...sometimes it's hard to tell though....you can also tell if he's getting enough if he's having enough wet diapers. usually about 6 good wet diapers in a 24 hour period is good. if he's not doing that, then he might not be getting enough and then you could give him a bottle to top him up!! :-) ↑ |
| Name: Melissa | Date: Feb 25th, 2007 3:56 PM |
u can also get a scale and weigh him before you feed him and then after. i think target has the kind of scales i'm talking about. they have this tray thing so you can weigh young babies. kinda like at the doc. office.
have you looked in to a SNS nursing system? it is basically a tube that you tape to the side of your breast and the baby gets breastmilk from it will learning to nurse again. please don't give a bottle, it will only hinder your attempts to get him back at the breast. there are many other ways of feeding him without using a bottle. they have to move their mouths different when using a bottle, so that is why it is harder for some babies to get back onto the breast. here is a very good link to help explain more and give some ideas on other things you could do instead of a bottle.
http://www.askdr
sears.com/html/2/T026000.as
p
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