I am breastfeeding (through bottle) & am wondering how long I can safely go without pumping?

Question

My baby is 5 weeks old & she was born 4 weeks early. She has never learned to latch on due to being born early & I have had to pump the whole time. I have had 1 bout with mastitis in 1 breast and am wondering is it safe to go a 4 hour stretch at night while she sleeps without pumping? I am worried about my breasts getting clogged again. I always make sure & pump every 3 but really really need some more rest as I am not making much milk anymore. I feel like I am fighting a never ending battle as I don't even pump as much as she eats & often have to supplement with formula. I am about ready to give up on the breastfeeding, though it would break my heart!

Answer 1

Are you working with an IBCLC? I would do so. Working on baby's latch would be a life saver for you.

Answer 2

I would definitely try and get the baby to latch on, there are so many people that can help with this. My baby was born 5 weeks early, and did latch on but got tired really quickly so wasn't getting enough. So they put a feeding tube in, and I fed her breast milk through that for a week. Then we tried again, she latched on and fed and has been there every since - she had her first birthday yesterday!
It can feel like you're fightly a never ending battle, especially in the first few months. I expressed for a while, but the feeding, expressing, sterilizing pump & bottles, it was all too much, and you can't fit it all in and get enough rest, so you try to top up with formula and that makes things worse, as milk supply drops. So I dropped the expressing. I simply fed her when she was hungry and she was happy, and I was much happier - and I didn't need to supplement. Babies get more from your breasts than a pump every will!!
Latching on is patience and persevering. You will get there, but if you don't and you do decide that breastfeeding is not for you, don't feel guilty, it can be really hard and no one knows how hard til they have been there themselves. Well done for sticking with it so far... and good luck. It does get easier - a lot easier - I promise. xx

Answer 3

Congrats on going this long, pumping is hard work. I would say it is OK to go that long at night, because you are right, you do need more sleep. Definately call a lactation consultant, or talk to your doctor. They can maybe give you some hints about keeping your milk production up. If you are going to try longer at night, try pumping every 2 hours thru the day, the more you pump, the more you will produce. I pumped only 2 1/2 months with my first son and my milk dried up, but am not having a problem with my daughter. Good luck, Remember though, it's tough enough to be a new mom, don't make it harder on yourself if you do have to supplement. You have given her a great start.

Answer 4

I would talk to your doctor for more info on it. But I breastfeed both of my sons. And didn't use a pump ethier time. And I formula feed them when they was still hungry. So I would think you would be ok. You need your rest to take care of your baby. Good Luck.

Answer 5

4 hours is with regard to the shrink now- especially in the event that they have been preterm or somewhat early. communicate to your surgeon approximately while they might bypass longer. Their tummies are nonetheless fantastically tiny and the rule usually is going, a million hour of sleep for each ounce they consume (it truly is way less complicated to inform once you pump of direction, your in basic terms guessing while their nursing- by ways, bypass you for nursing twins!!!!)

Answer 6

You might already be doing so, but I'd contact a La Leche League leader or certified lactation consultant to help you work on getting the baby to latch.

Good luck!

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/back.html
http://llli.org/NB/NBpremature.html
http://llli.org/FAQ/pumpwork.html