My friend just had a baby last week & she is having a hard time latching on. So when we called the dr's office the nurse said that since she needed something (since she wasn't getting enough breast milk) so she said to start pumping & feeding it to her in the bottle. Now we are concerned there will be nipple confusion. Anyone else experience this & do you think she will go back to the breast? I think her mouth is so small & she isn't taking in as much breast as she should. She is very small (like 6 lbs).
2006-11-01 05:38:06 · 15 answers · asked by beachbum26 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
any baby can breast feed no matter how small they are unless they are hospitalized from pre mature labor anyways i had this problem tell your friend not to give up on breast feeding! breast feeding can help your friend lose weight quick have a special bond with her child 2...tell her to alternate from breast to bottle tell her try breast feeding first rub the side of the babys cheek close to the ear to stimulate the mouth to suck if that doesnt work keep trying other ways then feed the baby the bottle if it doesnt work but tell her not to give up no matter what!!! hope all goes well!
2006-11-01 05:42:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had this exact problem when my son was born. At first it was just on one side, but as it got closer to when we would be discharged, the harder it was to get him to nurse. By the time we went home, I had to pump and feed him with a bottle. I felt like it was the end of my breastfeeding world and that he would never go back to the breast. But thanks to an amazing visiting nurse who is also a lactation consultant, we were able to get him back to the breast within a day or so. It took a lot of patience, and a lot of trying to get him to latch, but he did. You can try different holds (the clutch, the football, and the lap). One of the best pieces of advice we were given was to have the baby right next to the breast and be ready to feed. Start him off with the bottle, let him have a few suckles, and then quickly remove the bottle and replace it with the breast. Also, a rolled up wash cloth under the breast works great to help with positioning. Also, make sure that when you hold your breast, that the nipple area is making the same shape as the baby's mouth. Other wise, it is like trying to use a phillips head when you need a flat head. ANd I always suggest that if you don't have a lactation consultant to find one. They are like a guardian angle when trying to learn how to breast feed. You can go to www.medela.com and they have info on how to find a lactation consultant, or you can look them up in your yahoo yellow pages for your area. Tell your friend congratulations and best of luck!
2006-11-01 06:33:26 · answer #2 · answered by Sandra H 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I understand her concern, but right now do what is best for the baby. She is still feeding breast milk, she just won't have the satisfaction of feeding directly from the breast. I breastfed my daughter, and ended up just switching to a bottle, because she was not getting enough milk (found out later that she could not digest breast milk..I know, it is very rare). My son fed for 12 months (he would not take a bottle).
Have your friend get the nipples that are shaped like breast nipples (not the regular ones), it may take a little while for the baby to get used to the switch (both ways when she goes back to breast feeding), but right now, the baby is the important one!
Tell her good luck from all the moms here!
2006-11-01 05:46:21 · answer #3 · answered by Suzie Q 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would suggest if you have to bottle feed and plan to nurse after, that you use the Playtex Nurser System with the Natura Latch silicone nipples. These nipples are proven to be as much like the breast than ANY other nipple on the market. Plus with the disposable liners the bottle does not hold air that can cause baby to become gassy and fussy, it empties much like the breast.
So it makes switching from bottle to breast and back easier for baby. Also breast milk can be frozen for up to 6 months
Check out this website for more information:
http://www.playtexbaby.com/bottlesandpacifiers/products/disposablebottles.asp
2006-11-01 05:43:53 · answer #4 · answered by Amber L 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have your friend continue to put the baby to the breast when hungry, let her get as much as she can, then supplement with the bottle. I had to do that, althoguh not for long, and my son never had nipple confusion. Make sure she doesn't stop putting the baby to breast - that will make a huge difference. Eventually, everyone will get in a routne, the baby will get stronger and better able to nurse, and the bottles won't have to be added. It takes time - like many weeks so tell her to hang in there!!!
2006-11-01 05:42:42 · answer #5 · answered by In Luv w/ 2 B, 1 G + 1 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not a mother. But I have always understood that once a baby goes to a bottle, the baby has a difficult time breastfeeding. The fake nipple is much more easily sucked. My sister in law could never breast feed after the nurse brought her baby a bottle right after it's birth. The nurse is supposed to ask permission.
2006-11-01 05:42:27 · answer #6 · answered by CheezyYumYums 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They do recommend that you breastfeed for two to three weeks before the use of a bottle however, everything does not work out that perfect. I think the baby can go back to the breast. To help things out, get a lactation consultant to make sure the baby knows how to latch on as well as teach the mother how to ease the transtition.
2006-11-01 05:43:22 · answer #7 · answered by Kris P. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some babies will prefer one type of nipple...so yes...but if she wont latch onto the breast...the bottle is really and highly needed as the baby needs to eat to survive. The baby can still revive breast milk as long as she keeps breast pump going...milk can be freezed but ask doctor on that as if I remember right (been over 14 years for me) it can be frozen up to 78 hours before going bad. Good luck.
2006-11-01 05:43:38 · answer #8 · answered by any1on 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Okay, here's the deal. Babies will learn to latch on....It's not something they are born with. She needs to be patient. If you decide to give her a bottle, she may not feel the need to try to latch on. It's okay if the baby loses a few ounces in the process of learning how to breastfeed. Tell her not to give up. What she is experiencing is very normal, and supplementing with a bottle is not necessary. Verify all this with her Dr. But, after nursing 3 babies back to back, I feel very confident in my answer.
By the way, 6 pounds isn't THAT small....All my babies were 6 pounds. If she's dedicated to nursing, explain that to the Dr. and they SHOULD be able to guide you properly...IF NOT Call LACTATION at the hospital she delivered. THEY ARE AWESOME!!!
2006-11-01 05:41:35 · answer #9 · answered by 4in5yearsMom 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Have your friend try to gradually wean the baby back to the breast. The baby's size shouldn't have anything to do with how well she latches. Your friend should have a talk with a lactation consultant who will tell her the best ways to get a baby to latch properly.
2006-11-01 05:41:51 · answer #10 · answered by Blue Jean 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋