Is it to late to breastfeed?

Question

I gave birth to my son on 5th March and for his first day i fed him on my breast, that evening i gave him formula with the advice of the nurse as he was not settling. The next day he wasnt so keen on the breast and would only latch on for two mins hear and there. I was getting down feeling like i was a failure and as guests were coming to visit i didnt want to show my frustration so kept my son on formula. i tried again the next day and he latched on for about four mins here and there. i cant help feeling like i really didnt give myself or my son enough time and would still like to try breast feeding. At present i am leaking all the time and i'm wondering is it to late or can i still try and feed my son by breast? Any advice would be great.

Answer 1

it's not too late, but you have to be consistent. It is a learning process for both of you. Using a bottle can also cause nipple confusion, so if you are serious about breastfeeding only, I would try not to supplement. call your hospital and ask if they have a lactation consultant on staff and if not ask if they can refer you to one. If they don't know of one try your local health department. she will be able to tell you how to know if baby is getting "enough", but average is considered 6-7 wet diapers a day and 1 - 2 bowel movements in breastfed only babies. newborns tummies are small so don't expect him to nurse for long periods. a strong suckling for 2 minutes on each side could be enough for him at this point. just don't give up i know how frustrating it can be at first! Good luck!

Answer 2

If your leaking then now would be the perfect time to try again but just try and relax while you feed him maybe even try to feed him before he demands it that way you will both be relaxed! You might even like to try a nipple shield as your breasts may be to big for him to latch on. Try expressing and keeping it in the fridge that way if he doesn't latch on then you can still feed him your milk and just offer him the breast at the next feed! If you give him the bottle though make sure you still express at that feed to keep your supply up! What ever happen keep trying and good luck!

I disagree with Shanu..... Not all babies cry the first day and giving them a bottle while trying to breast feed will not give them nipple confusion!!!!
My baby was fed by bottle first b/c he wouldn't latch on & when he did he was to tired to suck so I did what I've told you and once we got home it only took a few days before he was feeding like a pro from the breast! He continued to have both breast & bottle no problems!

As for these feeding videos they are hopless...... someone can show you how to do it but that doesn't mean you can! The way they show you may not be comfertable for you! The best thing is to get comfey and practice!

Answer 3

KD what you are doing is totally wrong. If you want to continue breastfeeding your son the first thing you have to do is to stop giving him bottles. Bottles given so early on will cause nipple confusion for your baby. The more he gets bottles the more he'll reject you. You son is really very small to take big feeds so if he was latching on for two minutes here and there then he was doing fine. Right now his stomach is really small and he cannot take more than a little milk here and there. It will lead for him to take extra milk from the bottle which may cause him to be a colic baby and give even more trouble to you. Don't think about guests. You have to make your baby's life. Breastmilk is best for a baby and if you don't have any medical problems and if you want to then you should try to breastfeed only. There are some really wonderful websites which tell us how to latch our baby on properly. In fact this website even has vidoes for this. Try surfing around and you'll get really good information.

http://www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html
or try
http://www.kellymom.com/

I made the same mistake and now I'm battling my baby with my breast because she only wants a bottle. She was really cranky when I brought her home the first day and I thought she was hungry so she was crying but all babies cry the first day. They are out of a comfortable place - the womb into the world which is so open and insecure for them so they ahve to cry. They're not hungry. They are insecure. To make them feel secure you can try to swaddle them up in a tight blanket. The tighter the better. or you can keep them nursing on your breast for longer time. This will stimulate your breast and also increase your milk supply. Giving him a bottle will make your milk supply go down drastically and then even if you will wish you won't be able to feed your baby because he'll get frustrated. Babies who take a bottle get easy flow from the nipple of the bottle and so they don't want to work hard to suck from your breast. So stop bottles immediately at least for the first 4 months of life. Then if you want you can try bottles because by then they finish the confusion. This can happen if you are working and want the baby to take both

Answer 4

If you are producing milk then its not to late. You may want to pump while you are trying to get him used to nursing so it does not try up and you can get your breast used to producing milk. Even if its only once or twice a day. Keep working with your son. It'll be hard because the bottle is easier. He wont starve though. Eventually he will get it. Good luck on this hard journey and do not give up if its what you really want to do.

Answer 5

No you can still feed if you're producing milk. your son will find it more difficult at first than the bottle. Keep latching him on but try not to give him formula. Obviously don't let him starve, but if breast is the only option he will take it. Good luck :-)

Answer 6

No, this is surely no longer too previous due. Your milk has probably only are available, and nursing long and often will shop it from drying up. i might try only putting infant to the breast. If he latches, you're arranged. Throw out the formulation and nurse. If he won't latch, you will likely choose to touch a lactation representative for help. Esp. in case you have no longer completed any analyzing or study, you would be able to possibly choose hands-on help to start. to respond to something of your questions: a million. particular, it is common to be relatively uneven in production. you would be able to ultimately even out, or no longer. (maximum infants tend to need one breast or the different.) the two way, no longer a difficulty. 2. You nurse as long as infant desires. maximum newborns will nurse for extra or less 20-40 5 minutes at a time, approximately 12 cases an afternoon. positioned him to the breast. enable him nurse till he comes off on his very own. Burp him, and turn sides. whilst he's accomplished with that edge, if he continues to be conscious, you are able to try offering the 1st breast returned. If he's asleep ... enable him sleep untilhe's hungry returned. 3. There are no ingredients you ought to straight away keep away from at the same time as nursing. in case you be conscious that a undeniable nutrition makes infant gassy/fussy, you are able to try removing it or lowering. 4. Smoking/2d-hand smoke would not have any important effect on breatsfeeding. it could forestall enable-down, slightly. however the biggest element is this is you ought to smoke (and that i've got confidence you be attentive to it is not a great theory) that's extra useful to breastfeed. Breastfeeding can provide some protection against the risks linked with secondhand smoke exposure. (Breastfeeding reduces the possibility of allergies, colds, ear infections, respiration infections and SIDS -- all of that are linked with 2d-hand smoke.) 5. If infant latches on properly, you do no longer want a pump. If he would not, that's relatively helpful to start pumping to maintain your furnish up at the same time as infant learns to nurse.

Answer 7

You can keep trying and do both thats what i do that way my baby gets the best of both worlds but if your bub doesnt take to your breast dont feel bad formula is just as great .

Answer 8

just keep trying and maybe visit a lactation consultant. If you are still leaking this means you are still producing and your milk supply has yet to diminish. Good luck!

Answer 9

it is not too late, but you have got to be patient with him. i had a hard time with my son as well, but eventually he got it. it will be very frustrating at times, but it is so beneficial to breastfeed. after my son got the hang of it, he wouldn't even take a bottle. good luck to you.

Answer 10

Yes, you can still breastfeed your son. I would recommend seeing a lactation consultant, they can make sure and help you produce enough milk.