Breastfeeding is kicking my ass...
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Anonymous
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OMG, this is awful. I can't stop crying. My newborn won't latch. Pumping doesn't help, because my milk has not come in and probably won't. We are using formula without feeling particularly guilty about it, but my hormones are so out of whack I can't deal with any of this anymore.
I'd like to hear from people who eventually gave up on breastfeeding. I'm not sure what I want to hear. I guess I don't want to be scared and feel guilty when I give up. (I'm not there yet, but things don't look optimistic at this point.) Thank you! |
Anonymous
Hey. I just wanted to respond so you know you're not alone. Breastfeeding can definitely be challenging and the hormones are overwhelming. If you haven't contacted a lactation consultant, please do. Even if you decide you want to quite breastfeeding, you could use the support and some real answers. Hang in there!!! It gets better (with or without breastfeeding). This time with a newborn is beautiful but really emotionally charged (I cried over EVERYTHING). Just know it is normal, natural and it'll get better. |
Anonymous
| to quit not to quite breastfeeding.... |
Anonymous
| Why do you think your milk won't come in? Keep trying. Help your baby by opening their chin with your thumb as wide as possible and then putting your nipple in their mouth and letting go. It helps them latch on. |
Anonymous
| OP, the goal is to feed the baby. Is the baby getting fed? If so, then everything is good. |
Anonymous
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How many days old is your baby? It can take 3-5 days for milk to come in. It also requires that the baby nurse on demand--that tells your body to make milk.
Your hormones are a mess. It's fine to stop, but you should also talk to a good LC and/or go to a bf support group (there's one at the Breastfeeding Center on K Street). You might find that your experience is actually quite normal, and get sympathy and support from women who have gone through the same thing quite recently. |
Anonymous
Sorry, that is garbled -- when you baby goes for the nipple, open their mouth as wide as possible by putting your thumb on their chin and pulling down gently, then put your nipple in their mouth and let go. They have to open their mouths REALLY wide to get a good latch. |
Anonymous
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Get a lactation consultant to come to your house.
My DD would not latch without a nipple shield and she was on me four hours at a time 3 times a day. Yes, that is 12 hours. I did this for a month. I was more than exhausted. I got a lactation consultant to help me figure out what I was doing wrong. In one consultation, my life changed. I got off the nipple shield, she latched, and I was down to 20 minute feedings vs. 4 hours. I should not have waited a month. Call someone one. Breastfeeding requires support. I breastfed for six months until my daughter naturally weaned herself. As soon as I introduced the bottle, the breastfeeding starting going down hill because with the bottle, the baby does not have to work to suck. It is easier so some kids really prefer the ease and then it becomes harder to breastfeed. |
Anonymous
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Mine wouldn't latch either. I tried for 6 weeks, saw 4 different lactation consultants, used nipple shields, and still had to supplement with formula and pumped milk. I think I cried almost every day about it.
At 6 weeks I moved to pumping exclusively, and while it wasn't fun, it was much less stressful for me. Did it for 6 months and then switched to formula. I'm currently pregnant with #2--and if it's this much of a battle again I'm not going to feel bad about formula at all. |
Anonymous
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agree, get to a ped office with a good lactation consultant or get one to your house.
if the whole latch thing never works at least you will know a professional confirm it just wasn't going to work. oh and for the record, the begininning is really freaking hard. it isn't easy for anyone. latching gets easier as baby practices, gets bigger and your boobs aren't so engorged. sometimes I had to pump or express to get my breast less full so it wasn't like shoving a balloon in the baby's mouth. keep trying. it's not you, it's the process. large learning curve for you and baby. it is very early, don't give up if you want to keep at it. |
Anonymous
| The first few weeks are rough. I'm at 6 months with my dd. the first 8-10 were hard and rough. Try to stuck with it during these early weeks if you are feeling guilty about supplementing but go easy in yourself. It is ok to supplement and it's ok to not bf if it is making you so upset. It is your decision. No one else's. After I hit past the first really rough 8 weeks....I loved to bf. now I'm dupplementing 2 bottle a day snd she only nurses at 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 and 10. It's not so bad. What you are going thru is temporary. It ducks but it IS temporary. I almost quit but I'm glad I didn't. I had a LC come to my house. I went to the LC at my ped and I went to VHC breastfeeding support group. All very helpful. Good luck op. You will make it http this. It's so hard in the beginning. Hang in there - tears and all. |
Anonymous
Yes, this. Breastfeeding can be really really hard but a good lactation consultant makes a huge difference. Not all of them make in-home visits, but even if you have to go to them, it is worth it. |
Anonymous
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OP where did you deliver? I did at Sahdy Grove and they had a free LC program where one would come to your home and help you. I didnt do it but it was offered.
Hang in there...I have a 4 month old and its definitely hard still to BF. There is alot of guilt associated with not being able to or stopping but do the best you can and dont stress because you need to rest and take care of you too! |
Anonymous
+1! |
Anonymous
| My milk didn't come in until day 9 or 10 with DD2 - the only reason I stuck it out is because I'd successfully BF DD1 and it was only 10 months before that I'd weaned! With DD1, I started to see milk at day 5 and it was fully in by about day 7. Honestly, it was SO much work to get it going and I actually had a lactation consultant/baby nurse living with me - I am 100% confident I wouldn't have done it with those resources. How old is your baby? Do you want to keep trying? if yes, I can post all of the things I did to get it going, but if you are ready to throw in the towel it's ok to feel sad a bit, but I bet you'll feel 100% fine in a week or two about it. I did formula feed both of them the first two weeks or so while getting the BF going as well. |