Any lactation experts? I need help.

tessa67 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 08:13 PM

My baby and I are starting to try and breastfeed. Because she spent time in the NICU and was a preemie we waited until she was close to her due date. She is five weeks old and I have attempted to nurse her on and off since she has been home, sometimes successful, sometimes not.

I spoke with a lactation specialist and told her that Molly had been nursing more and she said she thought she was ready to transistion to nursing exclusively. (I have been pumping all along so she has been getting breastmilk.) The LC visited us yesterday and checked out Molly and her suck and all then watched us nurse, gave me a few pointers on positioning but said we were doing great. I was so excited. So last night she nursed great twice, I was back in bed within 1/2 hour, didn't have to pump, it was heaven. Then this morning at her 11:00 AM feed she was kind of latching on but not sucking, or if she was sucking there was no suction, maybe she wasn't sucking hard enough? I'm not sure. I finally gave her a bottle. Then at 2:00 PM I woke her up to feed again and the same thing happened. I thought maybe the milk was coming out too fast since I was really full (and make tons of milk) so I pumped some to soften and she finally latched and nursed on the left side, but her suck didn't seem as strong. She refused to suck on the right side. On both sides she pushed off almost immediately then went back on. On, off, on, off. For probably more than 15 minutes before she finally latched and sucked. Which she has done before . I used to think it was because she wasn't getting milk but the LC said she probably was getting too much since I have such an abundance. She was crying and so was I.

I don't understand what has happened. She was doing great. I am so scared to try again because I feel like a failure now, I am starting to cry just writing this. I hate to go back to bottles and pumping, I really want this to work. Any suggestions?

(I have noticed that she spits up less with nursing, I think she was getting too much with bottle feeding and the LC agreed)

UPDATE: Well, after refusing to nurse on the right for a day and a half, I offered her the right again this morning, she latched on immediately, sucked like gangbusters for 13 minutes, burped and feel sound asleep! I am so confused! But I guess she is just a little mystery I have many years to figure out! Thank you all so much for your support on this matter. DH is very supportative but he can't say much other than, "It will work out." He doesn't have the first hand insight! Interesting what you mentioned Cuthie, that they left side is closer to the heartbeat, that sounds reasonable! I have also been waiting for her to wake up and fuss before trying to feed and that is working so much better than waking her every three hours. So hopefully today will be a better day. I love, love, love nursing my baby!

Cuthie · #2 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 08:24 PM

I know that raw onions, brocolli, and some other foods can effect the flavor of the milk or was it a case of her not being hungry? Some days are hungrier days then others. How many hours since the previous feeding? Also, be sure to breastfeed more than using the bottle while you are working through this. It is a little bit more work then the bottle but she'll get it!

I had two boys and they were never gentle or not hungry so I really am grasping... It's been awhile since I nursed!

I'd say do not give up! It will get easier. Hang in there. You are doing the best thing that you can for your baby girl.

I feel for you... I remember days like that. Hang in there!

genichols · #3 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 09:11 PM

Don't give up and don't give in to the bottle just because you think she isn't getting enough. A bottle is much easier and she may be of the mind that if she's lazy about nursing, mom will give in and give me a bottle.
Have you been instructed to feed ever so often or to wake her up to feed? Sometimes sleep is more important. As long as she's not going too long in between feedings I wouldn't be waking her up.
I was watching one of the baby shows the other day and the lactation consultant on there suggested letting the baby nurse on one side only. The first 10-15 (or was it 15-20) minutes is fore milk, the watery kind. After that is the hind milk which is very rich. If baby is going to nurse only 30 total minutes, it's better to let them do that on one side only. Then switch off sides next time. Makes perfect sense to me.

vorphalack · #4 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 09:13 PM

Maybe she's just too used to the bottle? I've heard that the bottle is easier to get milk from than the breast?? (seems like it would be the other way around). I would just breastfeed as much as possible, which I'm sure you're doing.

tessa67 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-17-2007, 05:15 AM

Thank you for your encouragement, especially about not going back to the bottle. I have narrowed in on the problem a little better. She is basically not nursing from the right side. She has in the past but now will only latch and suck on the left, I have no idea why. She will briefly latch and suck a few times on the right and then pull off. I have some milk in the fridge I expressed from the right, I think I will offer it to her in the bottle to see if she takes it, to rule out that it is something in the taste on the right side. I just finished nursing her on the left and she did great. I am stumped. I talked to my mom last night and she suggested not waking her up, which I had been doing, and letting her hunger wake her, like genichols suggested. That seemed to work well, she slept four hours in a row then nursed great on the left. If only they could talk...

Alliesmom2 · #6 (**permalink**) 05-17-2007, 05:41 AM

Hey new mommy~

congrads on the birth! Aren't babies the coolest..

Ok, you are talking to a proud nursing mother of two who firmly believes in breast is best.

I also had a child who 'prefered' one side over the other... solution was that on the right side I held him in a football hold.. It may be how she is being held (position) she is rejecting not the breast. Try holdin her in the same position (facing the same way) when you offer her the right breast. It maybe that she just likes that holding position. Try that and see...if not just give her the left breast and pump off the right...pop it into the freezer and you will have tons of milk if you need it ever, later on.

cjs216 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-17-2007, 07:06 AM

I had this problem and for me, it was due to an assymetry of nipples (i.e. one is flatter than the other

) I think this may have already been said, but I'd make sure that she had gone long enough between feedings and was truly hungry. Then feed her on the side she least prefers but as you mentioned, make sure you aren't so engorged that it is difficult for her to latch. only give her the preferred side when she has finished on the other. And do not offer the bottle. With all this milk on tap

she isn't going to starve without it....

Keep at it and good luck!!

cj/

Cuthie · #8 (**permalink**) 05-17-2007, 08:24 AM

The engorgement issues will pass as well. That was my mantra when mine were babies... 'this too will pass'. I still say that one over and over in my head and mine are getting older.

I eventually got my babies to where I'd nurse during the day and night but the last feeding in the evening was DH's because I'd go to bed!!! I believe your DH is gone? and that you stay-at-home? so this might not work.

I remember the boys favoring one side and it was usually the left one... closest to my heart beat (which also seemed to be the way we held them for the bottle).

I did as cj suggests and fed from the unfavorite side first but holding them in football hold would have been a great idea if I'd have thought of that too!

Enjoy your baby. I get all oo-ey and ah-ey about babies.

You sound like a very devoted and sweet mommy. Hopefully today will go better.

barginshopr · #9 (**permalink**) 05-17-2007, 10:06 PM

It sounds like (as posted above) maybe she's just not that hungry at certain times. My pediatrician used to have me count how many wet diapers a day (ask yours how many is okay for your DD) and if there were enough that's fine-- baby's hydrated. And you could ask if feeding "on demand" is okay -- then you can just feed when she's hungry. Hang in there-- before you know it it will be a routine for both of you!
Best of luck!