Nipple Shields and Breastfeeding

[Thirteen]

If she's making enough diapes, I'm not so sure your ped should be in "pump mode" yet. She's just 2 weeks old, right?
Can you get ahold of a scale - you can weigh her before and after feeds, document the intake, and show that to the ped - perhaps it will calm their fears, as well as your own.
Is your ped a woman? Did she BF? Does she know how bananas all this sounds?!
*angry T-Rex Mom*

[SoonerTexan]

Maybe she didn't mean after every feeding? She didn't specify. She said even pump just for 5 minutes. Im not doing it every time regardless. The breast pump just takes too long to set up. I did just teach DH how o set up and clean the pump so that will help.

Seriously, though, we were sure she was gaining. She's gotten bigger and her clothes are getting too small. Where is it going??? I'm probably not being patient enough and letting her eat log enough. I seriously hate sitting there and fighting her.

[SoonerTexan]

A she is a woman and is very pro breastfeeding. She wasnt overly concerned...I just thought things were getting better and got frantic when they weren't.

[Ravenclaw]

I know what you're feeling and feel like crying for you. It's so hard in the beginning without any problems let alone with her latching and gaining issues. DD nursed all night, while DH slept. I started feeling resentful and miserable. Like I said before, this time around I'm doing one bottle of formula at night for my sanity. Remember it's important to take care of yourself too.

[SoonerTexan]

I'm going to start having DH give her one bottle of pumped milk a night. I hate to do it because I worry she really is getting nipple confused, but I just need to. I think we've been using the pacifier too much.

[ladymoreta]

Hug! ITA about supplementing with formula. I hated pumping anyway, but doing it after a feeding every two hours isn't going to work for your sanity. If anything, that would make me quit BFing. FYI - DH was on vacation last week, and he got up and fed DD a bottle of formula several nights, and the extra sleep for me was wonderful!

For now, don't even worry about fighting her about the shield. It's fine - they're slow eaters now anyway! Try again without it at 2 months and see how she does. It's possible she just needs to develop a little more. It's totally fine to use, and if it makes nursing more pleasant with less fighting her, your milk will flow better than when you're stressed.

DS also didn't gain well at first - he lost too much weight in the beginning, and he fell pretty far on the growth chart around four months. I totally understand how you're feeling, but some kids just don't follow the growth charts as well as we'd like. Listen to your doctor of course, but I'm willing to bet that your mommy instincts are right and she will hit a growth spurt soon and catch up.


Laurie

[Pollyanna]

I'm going to start having DH give her one bottle of pumped milk a night. I hate to do it because I worry she really is getting nipple confused, but I just need to. I think we've been using the pacifier too much.

I think you are being smart. Try to push all those voices in your head out of the way and do what is best for mama, because that IS what is best for baby. Also have your dh take care of all night time changes. Your job is ONLY to feed which is truly the hardest job of all.

[SoonerTexan]

Thanks. It just helps to vent and hear that other people made it through

[Deebs]

ST - I would almost call your ped and have her clarify. Your milk supply for all of nursing is getting established now. I think she may have you pumping to try and stimulate more production, so skipping a feeding is going to hinder that. If it is supply that she's worried about, make sure you are getting balanced meals, and plenty to drink. I'm not trying to make you feel bad at all, and I hope I'm not doing that, but pumping for only five minutes after a feeding is usually more about trying to help mom bring in more milk than actually getting milk out (if baby is feeding first, you may not get anything, but it's still helpful to pump). I'm just afraid if you are really set on breast feeding and start skipping feedings, you may only frustrate yourself later. If you're okay with mixed feedings (and my personal opinion is that is fine!), then just feed her, and don't worry so much about the pumping. Hang in there!

[GreyhoundsRUs]

You've gotten great advice! I just want to offer my hugs It's not easy being a mommy!

[MrsK]

Nursing every 2 hrs + pumping is going to exhaust you. I was scared to pieces the first time I gave my first baby formula. I nursed him for a year until he spontaneously gave it up. (I was pregnant. Guess my milk tasted funny.) And truthfully, if I couldn't slip a bottle of formula to my second baby now and then, I probably wouldn't still be nursing him. You are not a bad momma if you take a break for yourself now and then. You have to take care of yourself so you can take care of your baby. If nursing becomes too difficult, you might not stick with it as long as you'd like to. If giving her a bottle now and then helps you to keep nursing in the long run, the benefits will far outweigh the harm.

[migirl]

Hell, my second child started having bottles from the DAY HE WAS BORN and I nursed him until he was 18 months old!

[peggyfromwastate]

I had to pump after feeds in order to increase milk production-- and I couldn't skip a feeding bc that would mess up the whole increase milk production thing.

To make it thru I had dh bottle feed at night while I pumped. I would pump for 10 min or so, then go to sleep. The break from nursing helped. Instead of a 30-45 min process it was just pump and done.

I only had to keep that up for about 2 weeks. Thankfully she started to gain after a while, but I definitely wanted to give up. If nursing is important to you, just try to power through these weeks and make a decision about what you want to do at 4 weeks or 6 weeks. It does get better.

Hugs!

[SoonerTexan]

I had to pump after feeds in order to increase milk production-- and I couldn't skip a feeding bc that would mess up the whole increase milk production thing.

To make it thru I had dh bottle feed at night while I pumped. I would pump for 10 min or so, then go to sleep.

That's not a bad idea. It might not be a good idea to skip a feeding, but the pump is easier. It's a pain to set up, but it doesn't fight back! Breastfeeding is important to me and I want to keep it up. I was hoping it would be a nice bonding time when I go back to work

[SuzySunshine]

As someone who didn't make it far with either of my children, don't give up. If your DH will give her a night bottle do just that, he gets up and feeds her, you pump and go back to bed. She will have to take a bottle eventually and she might as well start now. She isn't going to get nipple confusion with one (or a couple of bottles) a day or from using the pacifier.

BIG BIG hugs, hang in there!