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Breastfeeding - were you able to?


ilovemybaby wrote: Were you able to breastfeed and did you have much help/support?

I am planning to breastfeed our baby (just as I "planned" to breastfeed Abby) and I really hope I can this time.

When I had Abby I was at a hospital that was apparently "breastfeeding friendly" but had little help at all. I was not offered any info on breastfeeding or anything. They did say that they won't give babies bottles or pacifiers and the midwife was going to get me to express a little milk on a spoon for Abby... but she didn't even do that in the end. She made me sit in a chair to feed. Whereas at the hospital I delivered at, I was basically lying down to feed. And that was the only time that Abby latched on right and fed for a good 10-15 minutes. It didn't hurt at all. So I couldn't understand why I needed to be sitting up to feed. It was certainly way more comfortable lying down with just the head of the bed raised.
I was really shocked and upset by this midwife (at the local hospital). I was not told by my midwife or anyone that I could get help from La Leche League. The midwife I had would get Abby latched on (help me to anyway) and then leave the room for 15 minutes. Granted she had other things to take care of... but about a minute or two after she left Abby would unlatch and she'd come back and ask how it went. It really peeved me off. She told me that she is unable to have kids so she doesn't have any. But here she was trying to teach me how to breastfeed. I found that really stupid in itself.
And she told me that if Abby was latched on right that it would not hurt. (I've had mixed replies to this ... some have told me that it won't hurt and others say it is uncomfortable for a while and then you get used to it) So I just assumed she wasn't latched on right every time. She certainly wasn't happy. She cried all night on and off. I would try to feed her but she just obviously wasn't getting anything.
By the second day my nipples were cracked and bleeding and really sore. I got some nipple shields but it didn't help. It was sooo painful every time. And I didn't like the idea of Abby drinking my blood (sorry for TMI). I was miserable and overwhelmed.
I ended up going home the next day because I was so upset. I had a breast pump at home so planned to pump if she still couldn't latch on right. I thought I'd get help from my midwife when she visited but they only visit about two or three times in the first week anyway. And I thought my mother would be able to help but found out she didn't really remember how to get the baby latched on or anything. So I was lost. If only I'd known about La Leche League.
Anyway, I pumped what I could and kept trying to feed her. But I could only get between 5-25 mls each time. It wasn't enough.
So I switched to formula.
I thought I had no choice. I didn't know I could phone La Leche League and that someone would come out to help me/that I could go to them.
I kept trying to pump what milk I could but still would only get a tiny amount. So I formula fed and added in what milk I could pump.
I gave up on that after three weeks. All that hard work for just 5-25mls. It took ages to pump it and I only had a manual pump. Which is why I am planning to get the electric pump this time.

And boy did my mother give me grief. She kept saying "you should try to breastfeed again" and then my dad sent me this email all about the benefits of breastfeeding. I felt like cr*p. My sister was the only one that supported me. She told my mum off for making me feel bad.

Anyway, that's my story of not being able to feed Abby the way I wanted to.
Needless to say, she was a happy baby on formula. Slept through the night at one week old. Never sick once. She gained weight well. And I in turn, was finally happy and reassured.

garrettsmom replied: I had a very similar experience to you.

I never did get to breastfeed Garrett, and I wish I could have because he's had RSV and he's on his second cold sad.gif

ilovemybaby replied: I'm sorry to hear that sad.gif I have never had that problem with Abby. She is so healthy. She's had one cold in her 23 months of life and it was so minor it only lasted three days... just a runny nose. But that is probably just because she probably has a good immune system like me. My colds only last three days. blink.gif And I'm hardly ever sick *TOUCH WOOD*

mommymonster replied: I think you will be fine breastfeeding your baby wub.gif , It definately helps having someone you are comfortable with come over to help you and baby get used to it.
I used to get cracked nipples and it was uncomfortable, I was able to get a prescription creme from my ob/gyn that would heel them almost over night. It also helps to wear disposable nursing pads, imo, you can change them after every feeding to keep moisture of the nipples, really cuts down on cracking skin. I know this may sound funny also, but after realizing that the cost of always buying nursing pads, I had bought the washable kind, (but I was washing them all the time) and I would also buy ultra absorbant panty liners, (the thin ones, plain, unscented of course you do not want any added chemicals) and cut the rounder ends off use them as nursing pads, I know it may sound funny, but it is less expensive and works great! I believe you will be able to nurse just fine, if you need someone to talk to about it or just have some more support feel free to pm me or email me, I have 2 children I nursed and at least maybe I could offer moral support......I also supplemented with formula and now it is even more advanced then when I had my children, if you have to go back to formula it is perfectly fine and your baby will still be a healthy baby, do not let any make you feel less of a mother because you did not or could not breastfeed, some women just are not able too and it is possible that it is just too painful, does not mean that you love your little one any less. As for the parents......(yours)... they are sending you info about the benefits of breastfeeding......mail them info on how wonderful and healthy formula has become... blush.gif

Brias3 replied: I tried with my first two. I was quite unsuccessful with Ryan (both he and I had lots of trouble so it made it a REALLY unpleasant experience for us) and with Aliyah, I was so nervous from the experience prior that I just never was comfortable with it. I WANTED to really bad, both for the bonding experiene and for the nutritional value for the baby but it just never worked out for me. I didn't even try with Mason, by then I had come to terms with the decision that breastfeeding just wasn't for me.

My husband wasn't partial either way, he wanted me to choose what I'd be most comfortable with, and family was supportive either way so I don't think a lack of support had anything to do with it.

ilovemybaby replied: Thank you so much MommyMonster. smile.gif
I will definitely PM you if I need any help/support.
It's good to have the Breastfeeding forum too. I never belonged to any message board when I first had Abby (only joined one after she was already 4 months old). So atleast I can get some advice now.

BTW what was the name of the cream you got? It sounds great. Anything that can heal cracked nipples that fast has got to be! I just used a cream/gel that had Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E or something in it. It's called Palmers Cocoa Butter Nursing cream I think. It didn't help at all.
I've since been told that just rubbing breastmilk on them after each feeding and after you shower is supposed to be healing...

boyohboyohboy replied: baby.gif I had a very similiar experience to yours, I was a single mom, and had no idea how to breast fed, the dr's and nurses left me to myself, and I didnt see the baby until 4 hours after he was born. when I finally did I learned that they had already given him a bottle. I was to embarrassed to ask for help at that point, and I figured I would try once we got home. I tried and it was so painful and the baby took to me like a sour grape, that I just gave up.
I am married now, and have a new 5 month old son, I also had different Ob dr this time, and we made sure that everyone knew constantly that I wanted to breast feed, however right after birth, the nurse took the baby to clean him up, and then I was told that it was hosp policy for the baby to go to the nursery for one hour to be checked and bathed, and watched, so I didnt demand to breast feed him, so in the end,.my milk didnt come in for 10 days, and the baby had a terrible time latching on, it took 10 weeks to get it right, and it was the longest most painful 10 weeks, but I am so glad I did it.
I think if I could do anything over it would be to demand that immediately after birth I am allowed to breast feed. I think it would have made a world of difference, and alot of people have since told me that if you just made a request, a firm one at that, that the hosp will usually bend the rules as long as the baby is healthy.
I also got a lot of help from internet web sites, I also got some great nursing bras from lactationconnection.com and some great night ware stuff. it made it so much easier.

hope that helps hug.gif
stacy

ilovemybaby replied: Wow things must be so different in the US...
They don't take babies off you when you deliver here. Not unless there is something wrong. They don't even put them in a nursery overnight. They sleep next to mother in a plastic container thingy wrapped in the cloth diapers.

I can't believe they gave your baby a bottle. Wow. I was assured that they don't do that at the hospital I stayed in. They have some breastfeeding friendly program. It is good but I wish they were more helpful.

When Abby was born the midwife just wiped her over with a towel or cloth diaper and put a cloth diaper on her and wrapped her up and gave her to me to hold and feed. After she checked her over, weighed her and measured her length and did the Apgar test. That only took a couple of minutes.
She didn't have her first bath until the next day before we left the hospital.
They didn't watch her or anything.
Why so much fuss? I can understand if there is a problem but otherwise they should have given him straight to you. sad.gif

ZandersMama replied: The best advice I can give you is to research as much as possible before, and go into it as informed as possible. The hospital i gave birth in are very much for shoving a bottle down the babies throat at the first sign of trouble, and if I hadnt of researched so much, i wouldnt have been able to stand my ground. Luckily I was able to keep working on it and breastfed in the delivery room when he was minutes old and didnt stop for a year smile.gif

luvmykids replied: I had trouble at first with the twins, I have an inverted nipple on one breast and it doesn't usually affect BF but in my case it did. But we all finally got the hang of it. I didn't nurse Macie nearly as long, although I did pump a lot. It was just easier for me to pump so DH could feed her too, since I was home all day with all 3 I needed to sleep at night.

holley79 replied: I had kind of made up my mind that I was going to BF. I asked a lot of questions here and got a lot of helpful feed back. I also took a BF class that was very helpful. I had the most awesome nurse. I was the only BF mother when Annika was born. The other two babies were on formula so she was able to come in and really help me out. I was VERY sore for the first two weeks. I didn't bleed or anything but did have slight blood blisters. I was fortunate that Annika was a natural latcher (as the nurse put it blush.gif ). I am still currently BF and she is a little over 3 months old now. happy.gif

Jamison'smama replied: I nursed Jamison exclusively for 27 months. I am still nursing Jack--no formula for either. I had lots and lots of help with Jamison. Nursing Jack felt like second nature. I don't know if he was easy or if I was just comfortable.

Nursing Jamison was HARD HARD HARD and painful. I had help each and EVERY time I nursed in the hospital. I called in a nurse most of the time, some helpful, many not. I had the LC come in every day. The day I went home from the hospital was hard, painful, unsuccessful. I spent nights dribbling milk over my breasts with an eyedropper to entice her on. I saw a LC on day 2 and spent an hour learning positions and how to latch. The key was to wait for the moment and act quickly and not be afraid to be more assertive with latching her.

I had cracked and bleeding nipples---her latch was awful but I was determined. I got the lanolin cream and these wonderful gel pads from the LC and worked on her latch constantly with help from the LC and from LLL. I went to a breasfeeding support group and LLL meetings. I was going to make it work and after about 4-6 weeks, she was a pro.

I had C-sections with both kids, didn't see Jama for 5 hours and didn't nurse Jack for a couple of hours after birth either. If possible, try right away.

I also read anything I could get my hands on--

I bet you will be very successful this time---ask any questions and PM anytime for support!

ilovemybaby replied: I fed Abby as soon as the midwife gave her back after doing the Apgar test and weighing her and checking her over... so within 5 minutes I'd say. And it was the only time she latched on right and fed for 10-15 minutes. I can say it did not hurt one bit because I was falling asleep at the same time laugh.gif

So I don't know what went wrong. I think I just struck a bad midwife with no experience herself. dry.gif I have already spoken to my midwife about my experience at the hospital last time and she said I can request a different midwife (so I won't get this same lady this time). smile.gif

EvesMom replied: I'm currently BF my DD, have for 7 months now. It came very naturally to me, but everyone is different. There should be a LC at the hospital to get you started in the right direction. Also Le Leche League is terrific. They have leaders all over the place and meetings. They are usually just a phone call away. The leader in my neighborhood takes calls day or night ohmy.gif . use this link to find one near you.
http://www.lalecheleague.org/WebIndex.html
BF is so rewarding!

ilovemybaby replied: Not to mention it doesn't really cost anything! LOL

EvesMom replied:
Ah yes, one of the perks! wink.gif

MamaJAM replied: I was _able_ to BF DD#1 -- but didn't for a long time for many reasons. I dont' know about the other kids -- we bottle fed from birth.

ashtonsmama replied: Nursing for us, so far at least (I think we've gotten through the hardest stage) has been pretty good. I like the flexibility, and the bonding time, all of that...but in turn, I'm sure that if for some reason I can't continue to either BF Ashton AND the new baby, or the new baby can't BF, or it just plain doesn't work for us...that he/she will turn out just fine! I'm loving it now, I'm thankful I'm able to, but it doesn't define the love I have for my child.
wub.gif

MM'sMama replied: With Brice I did and the hospital was great with helping me and with info. It was great adn easy with him.

With Caroline it was somewhat hard at first but she finally cought on but then I got sick and had to have my appendix removed when she was only a few weeks old. The incision area became infected and I was REALLY ill and I couldn't for 2 weeks. So I pumped so I could try again when I was better. It was a HUGE battle but she finally BF again. But now since I work she is bottle and BF but she only gets breast milk.


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