Bottle Fed Baby Back to Breast

[proud2Bamommy]

Alrighty ladies.. here's my question (please let there be someone out there who can help!)

I'm purely bottle feeding BM that I pump right now. Dylan was born a great latcher/sucker but needed to be supplimented. Once we started supplimenting him via syringe and using our finger for him to suck on per the LC's advice that's all he wanted. So I just gave up and gave him the bottle. Now feeding the bottle and then having to pump is starting to wear me out. Did any of you experience any of this and then were able to go back to the BBs??? I've tried the past 2 days to get him to latch on again and sometimes he will and sometimes he won't but he will only stay on for like 2-3 minutes. Can anyone help with how I can get him back on? I guess it really doesn't matter all DH and I cared about was getting him BM but it would definately be easier if he would take it straight from the source.

Ps I just wanted to add that my DH has been so wonderful throughout this whole ordeal. He has been taking all the night feedings so all I have to do is pump and back to sleep. I love him so much and more and more each day. I hope all your DHs are as wonderful!

[lisamarie]

lol..Yeah dh's are good for awhile..then they stray away from helpin..hope yours isnt like that. Anyways...to your post

With my dd...Emma..aka Porkchop...I boob fed her in the hospital. But my nipples got SO cracked and sore..even bleed that I could NOT boob feed. I was devastated. But I was determined. I went out and rented a hosptial grade pump. All I did was pump and feed her from the bottle. THEN when my nipples healed...I would occasionally boob feed her. BUT only when I was in the mood. I ended up getting some nipple shields or whatever they are called and that kinda helped her nurse. But I didnt beat myself up too much because in the back of my mind I kept thinking.."at least IM pumpin her milk". So I just kept trying. I swear the bigger she got..the better she became at nursing.
For her...when she was on my left side..I had to do the football hold...then on the right..I did the cradle. lol SHe prefered one boob over the other. Which is fine. When I first started I was letting her feed too long and then I would get sore nips. But when I cut down on her time it got alot better.
So I would pump...then feed her. When I was making alot ofmilk I would freeze the rest. Then when she started sleeping through the night..Istill pumped and so on. But she was switched from boob to bottle and seemed to do fine. Think it just depends on the baby. At 5.5 mths I put her on formula because my milk was decreasing because of high stress from family issues.
I have to say...it is VERY hard work..to pump and then feed. You are always busy....I mean you are busy wiht a new baby period...but even more if you are pumping and then feeding.

Hope this helps.

[wantingbabynumber2]

They say to use the nuk type nipples only when trying to breast and bottle feed. Your biggest problem will be he is getting more milk from a bottle quicker with less work. Try to get the low flow nipples so he has to work a little harder. You can also do the supplemental feeder from medela.

[LCHAVEZ]

Try the following message boards they have lots of help and ideas to get baby back to breast!
Good Luck! :D

http://kellymom.com/smf/index.php

Lisa

[lisamarie]

I used the Avent pacifers and Emma still did pretty good. She hated the nuk ones. But my first loved the nuk. It still amazes me how different babies are. lol I'll never understand them.

[LCHAVEZ]

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/decrease-formula.html

some more info.
Good Luck - it can work. :)
Lisa

[kirsten]

Definitely visit kellymom - an invaluable source for breast-feeding moms! My son had nipple confusion, and was never able to take both bottle and breast. Getting him to the breast was an ordeal, and once he mastered it he would never take a bottle again. He'd rather starve...
Some babies are just that way! Anyway, to get him to the breast we used nipple shields. They are not very convenient, and I won't lie, it was hard and involved a lot of tears over a couple of months. I wanted to give up many times over. But with perseverence I did get him to the breast after about two months, and it has been so worth it! I wish you luck!!!!

[proud2Bamommy]

Thanks ladies for all your info and help. I posted the same question at keelymom so hope to get more info. I guess I will just have to wait til he is a little older and stronger. But I'm going to try those nipple sheild thingys too.

LM - DH was here when I was reading your post and I was cracking up at your DH comment. He was like what the hell. I told him to shut up and it was true cause he was totally slacking today! LOL, men!

[lisamarie]

hehee.....no disrespect to your dh. But my dh was the KING of the world when it came to helping with my first...then he strayed....hmmph....and he stills straying with the second...lol
Men...take things soooooooo personaly. hehehe

[proud2Bamommy]

LM - he didn't care. He was jsut thinking that he was king of the world! LOL, if he could only see himself through my eyes!

[lisamarie]

hahahahahaaaaaaaaa! :lol: