Breastfeeding mom needing to bottle feed???

Question

I am currently breastfeeding my baby... Unfortunately, the doctor says she is not getting enough from just breastfeeding and wants me to give her bottled breastmilk as well. I am terrified that my baby is going to get use to a bottle and not want to take my breast any longer. Does anyone know a good bottle/nipple that will make it easier to swtich from breast to bottle and back?!?! I DONT NOT want to have to resort to formula!!!!!

She is having plenty of dirty and wet diapers, and I dont think that she is not getting enough with each feeding... they said something about jaundice (could that be from not getting enough milk?) and she hasn't gained much weight. She is only a week and a half old... She did grow a little in height, and in head cir. so hopefully that all is a good sign. The lactation consultant that was at my hospital was aweful and came in for five minutes to try to help me, and then told me that I would just have to pump and feed her with a syringe... AFTER asking me if I was sure I didn't want to just bottle feed!!! So... needless to say, I had a pretty rough time from the get-go. I keep getting so frusterated because she is so small (6 lbs, 6 oz) and I am so afraid she is going to get sick if she doesn't start gaining weight.

Answer 1

As a lactation consultant myself, I am really dismayed by the help and advice you received in the hospital. My recommendations are:

1) Breastfeed your baby every 2-2 1/2 hours. Make sure your baby is staying awake and really feeding the entire time. 15 or so minutes on each breast. (I find if moms feed their baby's with only a diaper on and hold them directly against their skin the feeding goes better (and longer!).

2) If your baby is truly not gaining at least 4-7oz per week and not having 8-10 wet diapers a day, then you do need to supplement, but by all means with breast milk. I suggest you pump after the feedings (preferably a double electric pump like Medela) for ten minutes. By stimulating your breasts further after your baby's feeding, you will increase your milk supply. Don't be surprised if you don't get much with the pumping at first. If you just can't pump enough yet to supplement, then formula is your only option. Remember your baby's health is paramount. Once you do produce additional milk by pumping, I suggest you supplement with either finger or cup feeding. Please check IBCLC.org for a QUALIFIED consultant in your area to teach you how to do this. I would discourage you from bottlefeeding the supplement because your baby may begin to prefer not having to do a little work for her feeding. Pumping, with even the best of pumps, does not extract as much milk from the breast as your baby can.

3) Be sure your baby nurses a good 10-15 minutes on the first breast before switching her to the other side. The highest fat content milk comes out first. Baby's who are switched side to side too soon end up getting the equivilent of "skim milk".

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Wow- I'm so sorry you have such crappy doctors and lactation consultants. Please do not quit breastfeeding, and I agree with the others- please stop supplementing with formula, and with a bottle, period. You two need to establish breastfeeding before you can give her a bottle, even with pumped breastmilk. You can do this. Please check out La Leche League's website, someone can help you through this, I really think so. Just feed your daughter as much as she'll eat from your breasts. I know you'll get tired, and it's rough, but it does get better. I promise. She needs to nurse at your breast and get your supply going. Drink tons of fluid, and keep nursing. Remember, too, that babies lose weight when they are first born, then start to gain again. If your daughter is only a week and a half old, then she just lost what is normal to lose, and she should be on her way back up. She's really not that small, that's more than I weighed, and barely less than my daughter weighed. My nephews both weighed less than that, and they are healthy 7 year olds. It takes up to four and sometimes more weeks before you both will have the hang of nursing, but truly, there will be a day when it's second nature to you and you'll be amazed at how far you've both come. Good luck & congrats~

Answer 3

Why does your doctor feel she's not getting enough? What is her weight gain like? Is she growing in length and head circumference? Is she having wet and dirty diapers?

Have you talked to a Lactation Consultant or a La Leche League Leader to look at breastfeeding management techniques to try to solve the problem? The IBCLC and LLL Leader will know TONS more about breastfeeding than a doctor. And LLL will help you for FREE and might even be willing to visit you at home if she can.

How often and how long does she nurse? One or both sides? Have you had her latch checked?

Are you on birth control or another medication?

If you are really having weight gain problems and do truely need to supplement (talk to the LC and/or LLL person first!) then there are ways to do it WITHOUT using a bottle! You can use a supplemental nursing system (SNS) and provide a supplement through a tube placed at your breast. You can use a medicine dropper, oral syringe, small soft sided cup (like comes with Pepto Bismol) or a spoon instead of a bottle.

If you post more details of your situation, maybe we can evaluate your situation better and make more recommendations.

ETA:
Find a new doctor.

It is normal for a breastfed baby of this age to be jaundiced. The answer is MORE breastfeeding to help push the jaundice out of her system. The more you nurse, the more she'll poop. The more she poops, the quicker the jaundice goes away. Also, see that she gets exposure to sunlight every day as that can also help cure jaundice.

What was her birthweight? What was her lowest weight ever? (Usually they drop a bit of weight the first week.) As long as she has regained birthweight by 2 weeks of age that is NORMAL and FINE.

Link on jaundice -
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/07jaundice.html

what's normal in the first 6 weeks -
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing.html

LLL -
http://www.lalecheleague.org
Contact a Leader for some help if the LC wasn't any good. Like I said before, LLL helps for FREE and if your baby is that young you can almost certainly find a LLL Leader who will visit you at home if you are having problems.

Answer 4

The best way to be absolutely sure is to use a tube. The doctor can give you one and so can the hospital you delivered at. It is a giant syringe with a long tube attached. While you are nursing, you slip the tube into her mouth and slowly squirt the expressed milk into her mouth. This way, she will be stimulating your milk production as well. If you use a bottle instead, it is a slippery slope... The more she drinks out of a bottle the less she will be stimulating you and the less milk you will product. You could also (with Dr's okay) nurse more often... hourly. Before resorting to using a bottle, I would visit with a lactation consultant... it is very rare that a mother can't produce enough milk... you might just need some pointers. If money is a problem, call a La Leche League leader... they are free and VERY helpful. You can get info on how to find one on their website.

http://www.lalecheleague.org/resources/assistance.html?m=0,0

Answer 5

I understand not wanting to supplement with formula if you are nursing. When I went back to work when my first was born I pumped in the am (after I nursed) and at work and nursed when I got home and through the evening. The bottles that we used were the new style playtex vent-air and the playtex nursers. The nipples on those are designed to be more like the breast than some of the other bottles out there (like the older style vent airs - they're the tall skinny ones - the newer ones are shorter and thicker, similar to the avent bottles which I've also heard are good if you're going to switch back and forth). I never had any problems - there is a certain comfort in nursing, so if anything, your daughter may refuse the bottle. Good luck!

Answer 6

Your doc sounds like a real uniformed Ahole... You do not need to give your baby a bottle, put her to breast as much as possible and if the doc thinks your supply is low, pump after the baby eats. The more you have the baby nurse and pump the more milk you will produce. You can either save the pumped milk for emergencies or you can just dump it. No bottle is really the best way to ensure a healthy breastfeeding relationship. Good luck.

Answer 7

I am surprised your Dr did not take the time to explore why your baby is not getting enough milk. Are you taking in enough fluids? Are you completely emptying your breasts? Better to completely empty one breast before switching to the other one. At the next feeding, start with the one that wasn't emptied. You have to completely empty to stimulate milk production. Also, are you allowing enough time on each breast... should be about 15 minutes per breast to empty it. You may need to build up to that on each breast if you haven't been doing so.
Also, there are a number of soft niples that have the appearance and texture of natural nipples. You may have to supplement your breast milk but make the formula feeding as close to breast feeding as possible. Cuddle the baby close as you bottle feed. And don't be tempted to put extra holes in the nipples. If the baby finds that he or she gets satisfied quicker on the bottle, they will not want to go back to the breast. Breast feeding is supposed to take time since it stimulates oral and speech development.

Answer 8

Either Right Start or One Step Ahead sells a bottle that looks and feels JUST like a breast (same shape!) I never tried it, but you might want to look at their web sites. Advent claims to be similar. Also, check out medela. I think there was literature when I was pumping that had a supplimental feeding system that attaches right on to your breast. You may also want to hire a lactation consultant to help with this. They can assess exactly how much your child is consuming from you, and how much more he needs.

Whatever you do, do it quickly. Breast is best, but not if your child is not thriving.

Good luck

Answer 9

that doctor is an idiot

just keep breastfeeding her...and do it more often if necessary

so many doctors only want to see the ounces taken instead of just trusting mom;s body

but any nipples that are very wide and breastlike should work well if YOU want to give her a bottle with your pumped milk

i would not suggest going all pumped milk....your baby is the most efficient at removing your milk

honey doctors are not very educated on breastfeeding so if you concerned with her ability to nurse efficiently then go see a lactation consultant or la leche league leader

good luck

Answer 10

you cant always rely on a doctor when it comes to breast feeding i knew my friend that she just had her baby and the doctor scared her saying that if she doesnt supplement the baby will start getting really sick and will have to be hospitilzed so she went to her birth center and the midwives showed her not to be scared and nursed her baby fear free do not use formula because it is not necessary!!! Now about your question altho i dont agree that you should give him a bottle but you are the mom give her a breast bottle shaped just like the breast and you can get it at www.onestepahead.com for 14bucks i suppose heard really good feedback for mommys that have to go to wrk and etc hope it helps you but pls dont give up!