Breast feeding not working (ideas, sucking, parents, wife)
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Getting a routine established can be very rough-going, but it does get easier. The engorgement can be excruciating in the beginning, especially with an inconsistent feeding schedule. Did your wife get in to see a lactation consultant yet?
I had to supplement my bf with formula at first. It was depressing but so much better seeing them satisfied. It all kicked into gear when I least expected it. I think it was because I was calm and not trying so hard.
Remind her that it's a reflex. Nothing more, nothing less. Just go with it. It will be just fine in the end.
Did your wife get in to see a lactation consultant yet?
The earliest schedule that the lactation consultant has is Tomorrow... She is scheduled to help her and the baby with breastfeeding for 2 hours from noon
Is there any checklist that we need to be aware with respect to before, during and after the lactation consultant's visit
She is trying electric pump since last night and she is getting some drops of milk, which is better than couple of days earlier
She has also massaged using hot water Today but there is still no constant flow.
We have left a message for lactation consultant and most probably would get some help from her.
Keep in mind that some women can't get much of anything from pumping. I've know women who successfully breastfed for years but couldn't get more than a few drops if they tried to pump.
That aside, it's early days for your wife and baby. Keep being supportive to her whatever her ultimate choice, and make sure she has the help and support she needs from the consultants and any other knowledgeable support system she cares to seek help from (La Leche League are fantastic).
Couple of days back my wife delivered the baby through C-Section in her 40th week (39 week and 1 day) of pregnancy, after her induced labor failed. Doctor recommended the induced labor since she had gestational Diabetes.
She is trying to breast feed but unable to do so. So we are giving currently Similac for the baby.
Looks like her breast is very hard and has milk but the baby is not able to suck the milk.
We tried a manual breast pump and that is also not working.
My wife is really worried that she is not able to feed breast milk to the baby.
Please advice if you or your loved ones had this issue and how you overcame it.
I had that problem and overcame it - mainly by getting out of the hospital and ignoring all the doctors and lactation consultants, who didn't know anything and were overall very harmful. I'm not sure I understand why she is giving similac at all if it's only been a couple of days. Why does she think the baby isn't getting anything? Did she even try? You can't tell at first that anything is coming out, and it's not actually milk at first anyway - it's something else that only comes out for a day or two before the milk. But the baby needs it. So nothing is going to come out with a pump - don't believe anything they tell you about that. I got NOTHING from the pump and they tried to say there was no milk, but the darn pump just didn't work on me. My baby was fine once I ignored them - gained weight normally and was very healthy. I breastfed him for a year. She needs to stop worrying and have some confidence. It is really important that the baby TRY to breastfeed. If the baby does not feed because you're giving him a bottle, she will never have milk. The baby suckling is what makes the breast produce the milk. Try this - let her try to feed him as much as possible. All the time, if she wants, whenever he's willing. She should never give the bottle first without trying to breastfeed. She should let him suckle until he's done, switch breasts, and let him suckle some more. When he's finished, then if he still seems hungry, she could give him a bottle. But not before. It's just sabotaging. Breastfeeding is about persistence and confidence - any insecurity will ruin it. The sooner he starts suckling, the sooner she will have more milk. But it doesn't happen on its own. Just try to ignore all the bad advice that the so called experts are filled with.
The earliest schedule that the lactation consultant has is Tomorrow... She is scheduled to help her and the baby with breastfeeding for 2 hours from noon
Is there any checklist that we need to be aware with respect to before, during and after the lactation consultant's visit
Thanks!
Lactation consultant didn't help me at all, so beware - not all of them have any actual qualifications besides calling themselves that. Mine said I was too old and didn't have enough milk and gave me a breast pump with cups that were 3 sizes too big, and then said I had no milk when the pump didn't work. I had plenty, though.
Lactation consultant didn't help me at all, so beware - not all of them have any actual qualifications besides calling themselves that. Mine said I was too old and didn't have enough milk and gave me a breast pump with cups that were 3 sizes too big, and then said I had no milk when the pump didn't work. I had plenty, though.
This is true. Make sure that you see a lactation consultant with actual credentials, for example IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). Almost anyone can call themselves a lactation specialist or the like even if all they took was a 2 hour class one time.
I had to supplement my bf with formula at first. It was depressing but so much better seeing them satisfied. It all kicked into gear when I least expected it. I think it was because I was calm and not trying so hard.
Remind her that it's a reflex. Nothing more, nothing less. Just go with it. It will be just fine in the end.
Ditto! Then I created a monster! (J/K about the monster bit.) My second got to the point where she would NOT take a bottle for anyone. We got through that, too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozgal
Keep in mind that some women can't get much of anything from pumping. I've know women who successfully breastfed for years but couldn't get more than a few drops if they tried to pump.
That aside, it's early days for your wife and baby. Keep being supportive to her whatever her ultimate choice, and make sure she has the help and support she needs from the consultants and any other knowledgeable support system she cares to seek help from (La Leche League are fantastic).
That would be me as well. Most lactation specialists will tell you the best breast pump is a baby. Some La Leche moms can be very judgmental IME.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mnseca
I had that problem and overcame it - mainly by getting out of the hospital and ignoring all the doctors and lactation consultants, who didn't know anything and were overall very harmful. I'm not sure I understand why she is giving similac at all if it's only been a couple of days. Why does she think the baby isn't getting anything? Did she even try? You can't tell at first that anything is coming out, and it's not actually milk at first anyway - it's something else that only comes out for a day or two before the milk. But the baby needs it. So nothing is going to come out with a pump - don't believe anything they tell you about that. I got NOTHING from the pump and they tried to say there was no milk, but the darn pump just didn't work on me. My baby was fine once I ignored them - gained weight normally and was very healthy. I breastfed him for a year. She needs to stop worrying and have some confidence. It is really important that the baby TRY to breastfeed. If the baby does not feed because you're giving him a bottle, she will never have milk. The baby suckling is what makes the breast produce the milk. Try this - let her try to feed him as much as possible. All the time, if she wants, whenever he's willing. She should never give the bottle first without trying to breastfeed. She should let him suckle until he's done, switch breasts, and let him suckle some more. When he's finished, then if he still seems hungry, she could give him a bottle. But not before. It's just sabotaging. Breastfeeding is about persistence and confidence - any insecurity will ruin it. The sooner he starts suckling, the sooner she will have more milk. But it doesn't happen on its own. Just try to ignore all the bad advice that the so called experts are filled with.
Frankly, I find that advice in blue pretty harmful, too. There's nothing like a screaming baby to make you try anything! You may have had some bad experiences with doctors and lactation consultants, but that doesn't mean none of them know anything and that you should disregard their advice completely. Most of the docs in my office are very pro breastfeeding, and one even bf twins herself while working. But if a baby isn't gaining weight, isn't peeing and pooping, the baby has to eat!
In the early days, it's generally doable to get your supply back if the baby isn't nursing well. I'm not sure how long you have to stop nursing for your milk supply to stop altogether, but you do have time. Breastfeeding shouldn't be a chore. It should be a good experience for mom and baby.
I had a rough time with the my first child. There was one night when it was clear that he had not been able to get anything for hours and I did use one of the free formula samples they give you while we called the number at the hospital because I was in so much pain from engorgement.
Imagine my shock when the nurse said I needed cabbage leaves. My response was, "this is the hospital, right?" My husband, who had two kids from a prior marriage, declared it was the strangest thing he'd ever had to do as a father but dutifully went to the 24 hour Walmart and purchased a cabbage at 3 am. The guy in front of him was buying cigarettes, the guy behind him was buying a six pack, and hubby stood there and purchased a cabbage because you know, sometimes the urge for a cabbage hits at odd hours!
It worked. You put the leaves on your breasts for about 20 minutes and it softens them enough for the baby to be able to latch on.
I had a rough time with the my first child. There was one night when it was clear that he had not been able to get anything for hours and I did use one of the free formula samples they give you while we called the number at the hospital because I was in so much pain from engorgement.
Imagine my shock when the nurse said I needed cabbage leaves. My response was, "this is the hospital, right?" My husband, who had two kids from a prior marriage, declared it was the strangest thing he'd ever had to do as a father but dutifully went to the 24 hour Walmart and purchased a cabbage at 3 am. The guy in front of him was buying cigarettes, the guy behind him was buying a six pack, and hubby stood there and purchased a cabbage because you know, sometimes the urge for a cabbage hits at odd hours!
It worked. You put the leaves on your breasts for about 20 minutes and it softens them enough for the baby to be able to latch on.
The things we do for our babies, like walking around smelling like maple syrup because you're downing fenugreek like it's going out of style.
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The magical cabbage!
