During our stay at the hospital the nursing staff got my daughter used to bottle feeding and I have been challenged with getting her to latch on. I am really set on breastfeeding. In order to provide her with the breast milk I am forced to use a breast pump and bottle feed her. Is there any hope of getting her to finally breast feed or is pumping ok?
2006-12-20 17:30:30 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Ditching the bottles is the first step. you can talk to a Certified Lactation Consultant and perhaps get an SnS or Lact-aid or some other type of supplemental feeder. offer the baby your breast frist at each feeding, then top her off with a tiny cup, or finger feeder, or syringe of expressed breastmilk. Try nipple shields if she can't latch at first, but keep trying.
Mom's who adopt, or have babies in the NICU can nurse, so can you!
Read the links below for more info!-) Good luck! And good for you for wanting your baby to have the best!
2006-12-20 18:00:15 · answer #1 · answered by Terrible Threes 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's amazing how hospital nurses can mess things up... It is possible for you to be able to breastfeed successfully if that's what you want. It may take some time though.
First try to put your baby to the breast before each feeding. If she gets too frustrated, offer her the bottle. After some time, while the baby is still hungry but not desperate for food, try to put her to the breast again. If she doesn't take it, give her the bottle again. Keep doing this with every feeding. You can also try to offer her the breast while she is not hungry at all. She may take it as a pacifier, but for now that would be help.
Your best shot would be to call a lactation consultant. They have a lot of training and can help you better than any doctor or nurse. There is an organization called La Leche League (http://www.lalecheleague.org/ ). They have lactation consultants that may go to your house for free to help you breastfeed your baby. Also, hospitals many times have lactation consultants that can help, but it's usually expensive.
I used something called nipple shields for a couple of months and that helped my baby latch on. It also gave him the plastic feeling that the bottle has. I stopped using it at 8 weeks and a couple of weeks later, he stopped taking the bottle. If you want to try a nipple shield, just be careful because it's possible that the baby will not get enough milk. You can check her weight before and after feeding her (this is called weigh - feed weigh) to make sure she is eating enough, and also check with the pediatrician or lactation consultant that the baby is gaining enough weight. If you try this, make sure you keep pumping for some time to make sure your milk supply doesn't drop.
Don't give up! Pumping is also ok as long as it works for you and your baby. And most importantly, you are a great mom no matter how you feed your baby.
2006-12-21 02:04:33 · answer #2 · answered by Lucky Taz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My baby was in the NICU for 2 weeks, and they also hardly let me nurse, and gave him bottles. We had a ton of trouble for a few weeks, and I have to recommend the nipple shield as well, that is the only way that I would've been able to teach him to breastfeed. You can buy them at Target or Babies R' Us. We had to atart by usunig that while breastfeeding, & then I would start trying to phase out the shield, and eventually replaced feedings. Now, I am able to completely feed naturally. Oh, and I quit the bottles until he learned to better breastfeed, but the nipple shield is kind of shaped like a bottle, so it is great to transition! She may have trouble at first, but keep trying, she'll learn! We were able to finally get it at 6 weeks, and he's almost 8 now!
2006-12-21 16:52:26 · answer #3 · answered by redalert7777 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WHAT I DID: I went through something with my son. I took a weekend and only nursed and did not offer a bottle or a pacifier. So when he was hungery or upset all he has was me for comfort. It took a lot of patience, both I and my son were very frustrated. Babies have a natrual instinct to nurse, but they also have to learn to latch on and feed well. He is now 5 months and is a very happy breastfed baby.
2006-12-21 06:51:36 · answer #4 · answered by Marketha M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can keep trying the direct breast feed method, but once a baby gets hooked on something such as a bottle, it probably wonm't take the breast at all. the pump is okay, but the baby may also not be getting enough milk, so you may have to supplement with formula.
2006-12-21 01:37:30 · answer #5 · answered by de bossy one 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ooh, i hope you cursed them nurses out for that mess. they had no right to do that. it is your decision on how you feed your child. if the baby wouldnt take the breast right away that was okay because the baby would have gotten hungry enough that he/she wouldve taken the breast. now they got you and the baby stressing unnecessarily. continue to offer the breast. the baby should come around. if not pumping is okay.
2006-12-21 02:01:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
First of all you should not have let them bottle feed your child at all. But just keep putting her to your breast and keep on trying. Try open her mouth with you finger and then bring her to your breast it might help.
2006-12-21 01:34:15 · answer #7 · answered by goodmommy22 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is nothing wrong with Pumping.. But if you really want breastfeed. before you have to feed your baby...try getting her to breastfeed..just rub your nipple on her mouth..and she should eventually grab it ..she might not know how to do it at first because it is shaped differently then the bottle she sucks on. If it does not work..and your still keen on getting her to breastfeed..you can call one of those childhood nurses..some are able to come to your house..and they can teach you and your baby how to do it. goodluck.
2006-12-21 01:37:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
pumping is fine the baby is still getting all the nutrients that they need. At this point if baby has not developed the idea then they may not.. go to your pediatrician they may have a few pointers. I wish I could have brest fed it is the best start for all babies in building immune systems and a more natural meaning to feed.. hell it's what they are there for.
2006-12-21 01:44:42 · answer #9 · answered by kat 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
those hospitals! They love to push the bottle. I would see a nurse, I forget what they are called, but they specialize in that. You can see them at the health unit
2006-12-21 01:45:55 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋