Breastfeeding and Bottles.....

after 9 days, you really shouldn't be in so much pain. you need to contact a lactation consulatant NOW! good luck!

Hi, I breastfed for about 9 months, I think. My milk came in heavy and I started bottle feeding breast milk. He was great! It took a bit for him to get used to the change but after about a week, as soon as whatever was in his mouth, he knew what to do! Obviously breast feeding will encourage your milk supply more than pumping so I would do it when you can but you have to remember, you are a mom, not superwoman. You can only do so much. If breastfeeding is continually a bad experience, that can harm your milk supply too. They saw that being calm and relaxed during is the best for milk supply. So I would do whatever works for the 2 of you!

SOOTHIES! You can buy them at Walgreens I know, and there is an off name brand too. They are gel breast pad type things that you put in the fridge. Use them between feedings/pumping...I only needed one box with each child to help my breasts heal. They work wonders. Can't say how much these helped me!!! The Lanolin was not working for me at all, so this all I did for about a week and then we were fine the rest of our nursing time.

I have to respectfully disagree with some of the posters here. After going through an awful time trying to nurse, I did a lot of research and after 2 MONTHS finally became successful at breastfeeding. My biggest piece of advice is do NOT give a bottle (or a pacifier) until your little boy has been latching on well for several weeks. If you want to supplement, that is fine, but use a cup or a syringe to feed. I bled at first because the latch was wrong and my nipples just needed to toughen, but eventually, it all resolved. I saw about 4-5 different lactation consultants and they were lifesavers! If you want some moral support just email me! I will be starting all of this over again in September ;-)

Cari, Looks like you have gotten great advise!! I did both the shield and pure lan.

Don't worry, once they have had a bottle does not mean that they will not latch. Both of my children breastfad and generally took a formula bottle before bed, to "top 'em off" as my husband called it. He thought it helped them sleep longer at night. Maybe if did, but to this day, we joke with him about "topping off the baby".

My girls are now 6 and 11.

Best of luck and don't give up!!
-H.

Cari,
Yes, please contact a lactation consultant today. Most hospitals have them on staff or I believe that I have seen a posting that you can call one even if you didn't deliver at the hospital. I know that the ladies at Presby Dallas are wonderful. Also, I wanted to let you know that although breast feeding was going well for me, I did have my husband start to give my newborn a bottle at one week old (so I could get some sleep). This didn't interfere with breastfeeding at all, but again things were going well for me.
Congratulations on your new baby!
E.

Hi Cari,

I did the same thing with my son, he is now 7 weeks old. He was a very aggressive nurser (aka Barracuda) so I was very sore! We also would give him bottles in the middle of the night so that I could sleep and my husband could feed him, it was wonderful, he also would let me sleep in during the weekend and feed him a bottle. Now however my son will no longer nurse.....a couple of weeks ago we had to put our dearly loved dog of 8 years to sleep, he was like a baby for us and it broke my heart.....during the 2 days of back and forth vet visits and grief after losing him we only bottle fed our son and during that time he got so use to the bottle that when I tried to go back to nursing he would not do it. He got very frustrated with it and I felt bad for him, he was trying but the bottle is so easy compared to the breast, so after 2 days of really trying to get him back on nursing I gave up. I know this may sound bad, but it was really h*** o* both of us, I still pump 3 or 4 times a day so he gets mostly my milk and formula when I am out of my milk. He has been given formula since day 1 in addition to breast milk because he was having trouble nursing and then did not gain his birth weight back until week 4. We still get our bonding time and had 5 great weeks of nursing. As far as the soreness goes, it gets better with time, but to deal with it I took Ibuprofren, used a lanolin spray after each feeding, and used a nipple shield during feedings.
I hope this helps.

I have a now 2 month old who had the same issue. . .don't give up. I agree with finding a lactation consultant. In the mean time, I suggest in getting a breast shield, just a few dollars at target with the nursing stuff. It saved me. Also, have hubby check the baby's bottom lip when he is latched on. This was our problem, my daughter was sucking with her bottom lip turned inward severe pain. I gave her a few bottles during this time. It was almost 2 weeks before latch on was good and she still does an occasional bottle. Good luck

Don't beat yourself up! I went through the same thing. Breastfeeding is a difficult thing to get use to...for being so natural. :) My son very easily switched between breast and bottle from only weeks old. I was sore and I didn't make enough milk to satisfy him. I forget the schedule now, but I think I would nurse equally on each side...then supplement with a couple extra ounces by bottle. I think it was helpful to nurse just a little before each bottle. Through the process, I learned that a baby has to use his tongue different on the breast and on the bottle - just FYI. It is natural for a baby to suck, but they do have to learn both ways of doing it.

Hang in there!

First off, I would get a nipple shield!! They are small plastic covers that resemble a bottle or pacifier that you put over your nipple while you breastfeed. You can buy them from Babies R Us I know for sure. Many breastfeeding "professionals" would disagree, but it saved my life. I started him on it in the hospital and used it until he was 5 months. I never tried to wean him from it. It was just part of our routine. Secondly, he took a pacifier from birth and I started a bottle a day or everyother day at about 6 weeks. Since he has been 5 months (he is now almost 10 1/2 months) I have been pumping only. It is great! Alot of my friends don't know how I pump and feed him but it is the best thing I could have ever done. I am weaning myself right now because I have enough milk to get him to a year which was my goal. Get a nipple shield if you are really interested in continuing to breastfeed.

Everyone is so different when it come to breastfeeding and every baby as well. I pumped for the first 2 months when I had my daughter because of low milk supply so I had to give her bottles and supplement some formula. I was told not to give her a bottle because she would not latch on anymore and to cup feed her which was awful she would choke everytime. I gave her bottles most of the day, but did nurse the first two morning feedings. After 2 months my milk supply went up and she started nursing all her feedings. I never used a bottle again until I had to wean her at 10 months because I was in my second trimester with my son and having complications. You just need to watch you son make sure he is latching on well and if you want to give him a bottle continue to do so. If he starts having problems nursing discontinue the bottle for a week or so then reintroduce it. Call your lactation consultant they can help you with soreness.

A proper latch is key to sucessful breastfeeding. I spend most of my working hours helping moms breastfeed - you may need to pump if your nipples are badly traumatized - PLEASE see a lactation consultant - I don't know where you delivered, but Baylor Grapevine has a great team of lactation consultants - you can call the Mom Baby unit at ###-###-#### and they can connect you.

Don't give up yet, it takes longer than 9 days to establish breastfeeding, and one bottle is not going to mean he won't latch!!

Hi Cari, have you tried PureLan(spelling??). It is a lanolin cream that you but on the sore part or parts to help heal and soothe. It really helped me. You can find it at Target in the breastfeeding section be the Medela stuff. Also you may want to try getting your baby to latch on correctly. Make sure your baby's mouth is open wide(like an o), then put most of your nipple in his mouth, most of the colored part should be in his mouth(hope that is not too graphic LOL). When he is done, release the suction by placing your finger in his mouth, and swipping it across the top, this avoids additional friction from just pulling it out.
I wish you luck, and I hope you continue despite your obstacles. It can be done! Also if you are still having issues after trying some of the suggestions contact a lactation specialist and they may be able to help you get on the right track.