How long do you keep attempting breastfeeding ?

Question

This is day four since birth and baby could well eat his shirt.
When baby latches on, it's only briefly, till he drifts off to sleep.
Is some combination of formula and breastfeeding appropriate.?
Diapers are coming, albeit slow. Mom's nervous;
Dad's a wreck.

Answer 1

Breastfeeding a newborn is difficult. I was engorged, my nipples were sore from an improper latch, and I was in tears from the lack of sleep by constantly having a baby on my breast. I wanted to give up the first week, but continued to try and baby and I have been successful. The older my baby got, the better and more efficient he became at feeding (as it is with all babies!)... Now it's an absolute breeze and I am so THANKFUL my baby and I continued to try. Hang in there...

One of the things that helped me was a proper nursing pillow.(Boppy's and Jolly Jumper pillows are useless because the baby slides down off the rounded surface... you need a flat pillow or one you can mold).

If your baby won't latch on, you can express the breastmilk rather than offering formula. Pumps are not necessary and the milk can be expressed by hand. (This will also help Mom as she must be VERY engorged and sore at this point).

http://www.lalecheleague.org/ can help with this and any other questions.

I suggest viewing Dr. Jack Newman's video clips for help with a successful latch.
http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=42
You will find other helpful information on the site as well...

My son would fall asleep almost immediately at the breast. It's common for newborns to hear the mother's heartbeat and drift off... The best solution is to undress the baby so he is not warm, and gently smooth a cold wet facecloth across his face to keep him awake. If the Dad can rub his finger under the baby's chin (when the baby stops feeding), that also perks the baby up and starts him suckling again.

It helps when Dads are supportive by sitting with Mom while she nurses, talking with her, and making sure she's comfortable and has lots of water. Since my husband didn't have to do any of the feedings, he would help out by changing the baby before I nursed.

It will get so much better and so easy as the baby grows and learns to nurse. You will be so happy you didn't give up!

:o)

Answer 2

There are some really great suggestions here. Definitely find someone to come to your home (or you go to their's) so they can help you with baby's latch.

Keep baby at the breast as much as he wants. Even if he's sleeping, if he's still latched or sucking, let him. Mom may need to just hold baby full time for awhile. Very soon he should start to have a dirty diaper at every feeding. A lactation consultant could help you know how to count wet diapers so you know baby is getting enough.

Introducing formula will only slow those dirty diapers down - you shouldn't need to introduce formula if you can find a lactation consultant or La Leche League leader to work with.

Baby may be having a hard time staying on the breast due to mom's engorgement. If he's not getting much, mom would be very engorged, thus the breast is hard and the nipple flattens, and it's much more difficult for baby to get a good latch.

If you can't get the information you need, contact me at [e-mail] and I'll give suggestions and support.

I'm a mother to 5 children, have nursed for 11 years, and am currently nursing my youngest. I have a dear friend that was a La Leche League leader for 20 years, and together we helped a mom have a successful nursing experience with her 3rd baby (she gave up with her 1st and 2nd, and regretted it). This mom is still nursing her 3rd baby, and the baby is a year old :-)

Answer 3

My baby had the same problem, we had to keep waking her up by tickling her or touch her cheek. It worked. That's the advise we got from the nurse. Don't mix breastfeeding with formula, mother's milk is still THE BEST! I took me 3 months to get used to it! Don;t get discouraged, sleepless nights are what you experience when having a new baby, at least for 3 months. Consult a lactation specialist to solve this. She will also help your wife to learn how to make your baby latch properly. It takes time, but it's really worth it. The longer the baby is breasfed, the higher his/her IQ will be and healthier, too! I breasfed my baby for 2 years. According to my doctor, giving a baby a bottle will confuse him/her. So try not to pump, just breasfeed. I always laid on my side with my baby's head on my arm while he's nursing. That way I could sleep while breasfeeding him and it helped me a lot. I dont care about any position. No difference. The most important thing is the baby can latch and nurse properly. Let your wife try this position after your baby can nurse and latch properly, it will give her some hours of extra sleep and you will be able to sleep more also. After one side is done, then switch to the other side and relax.. sleep.

Answer 4

I had the same problem with my son (who is 9 years old now). It is a difficult start for a new parent, but I was very stubborn and kept trying for some 14 days. And eventually succeeded. I think you should be rather firm with the baby, so that he does not fall asleep. Walk around while feeding, pat him on the back or tickle his feet, make sure he is not too warmly dressed, talk to him and tell him to eat, he will understand! After this difficult start, I kept breastfeeding my son for 11 months.

My idea is that any baby can breastfeed, only some of them need more time to learn, the mother needs time too. I made the mistake to believe any baby should be able to do it naturally, without effort. You should try not to be too nervous about it (Dad too!) and keep trying. Afterwords, you will be proud you did it.

Sorry for any language mistakes, I am Belgian, no native speaker.

Answer 5

Here are some tips to keep your baby more interested during nursings:

-take off some clothing layers, no blankets, or change baby's diaper first.

-breast compression during feeds, this is where your sife will use her *free* hand during nursings to lightly put downward pressure on all areas of her breast to encourage faster milk flow

-nurse baby often and totally unrestricted. Giving formula at this point will only hurt your wife's supply ( which takes 4 weeks or so to regulate itself ) and cann affect your newborns latch.

-tickle his head or toes during feeding to keep him alert

-try different positions. I liked the football hold when my kids were newborns. I found it easier to get a good mouthfull of breast into there tiny mouths

You can also contact your local La Leche League for free information and support, or a hired Lactation Consultant.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

When he drifts to sleep prod his feet or tickle his tummy! Else remove a layer of clothing to make him uncomfortable such that he keeps awake. Check with the lactation expert on the combo feed! I do not have a straight answer.

Patience is the key. Panicking spoils the joy you would experience otherwise

Answer 7

I had this same problem and my baby still eats both.He is called a lazy latch. You have to hold you nipple a certain way or else it can be impossibe for the baby to latch on. I bought a small manual Medela pump to get my milk out for him so he could get it and relieve my breasts of the swelling.But I still don't make enough milk so formula is his 2nd best friend. Don't give up unless you really can't anymore. If the baby gets to used to bottle nipples it is harder for the mother if the baby is a lazy latch.But remember it really is so much better for your baby to get the brest milk. Reach Me at [e-mail] if you have any questions. I know- I struggled with this for a month and now he is 2 months old and eating both well.

Answer 8

It can take several days for your milk to come in as well as the baby has to learn to suckle well. Givng a bottle is easy work for a baby and should be avoided for the first month if possible. everyone will have different opinions so always follow the guidelines of the doctor. Here is a web site you might like to look thru http://www.breastfeeding.com/

Answer 9

If one way fails, try another. Sometimes babies would rather bottle feed instead of breast feeding. No matter what, the baby will eat at some point due to hunger pains. All they need to do is keep trying, it will happen. If it doesn't, something may be wrong, so they need to take the baby to a Pediatrician.

Answer 10

Don't give up. You may be causing nipple confusion giving him formula.

When he latches on try patting him on the back until he wakes back up.

If you want to BF I would cut the bottle out all together until he got BF down pat!