Dont feel like im coping. Advice anybody.

newmummy_5newmummy_5
edited September 2011 in Pregnant
I had my beautiful baby daughter via csection on the 9th. She was in nicu for 5 days. i am having some trouble breastfeeding. when she was born i was unable to breastfeed her so she was given formula. i expressed at first untill i was able to go up and feed her. everything was going well but i started express feeding her when we got home due to very bloody and sore nipples. This was going well but i decided to start breastfeeding her normally again a couple of days ago. this was also going fine untill last night she cried all night to be fed. I wasnt worried at first as i thought she was just cluster feeding being 10 days old. at about 3am this morning i tried to express some milk to try and get her some sleep ( and i wouldnt have minded some either) but was only able to express about 30 mls. When i was expressing before i was able to get about 500 mls a go. since about 9.00 this morning i have tried constantly to wake her up and feed her but she just doesnt seem interested and when i do finally get her to latch on she will only suck for about 30 seconds. i tried to express some more milk and managed to get about 50 mls till they were empty. I am waiting to hear from a lactation consultant but am reallly worried in the meantime that she is not getting enough milk. along with all this i have had no sleep as in the last couple of days the washing machine has broken, the car stopped working, fleas hatched in my house and we had to bomb and have had virtually no help from my partner. not that its his fault hes just so busy and has been working/ trying to fix the car/ trying to fix the washing machine problem/ and hes a very heavy sleeper so there is no way he will wake up of a nighttime.
I just dont know what to do and i really dont want to formula feed as im scared of what could happen as far as her immune system goes ( i dont want her to get sick.)


please if you have any advice i need help. i feel like such a bad mum i just dont want to feel like im failing anymore.

Comments

  • jazzi89jazzi89
    keep trying to breastfeed her, and keep pumping, try and get your supply up. also try some of the herbal remedies. my supply is dropping i think so im going to try fenugreek supplements. the first few days for me were awful she wouldnt eat at all. she dropped weight but eventually got the hang of it. sorry im not much help
  • _Kaykes_Kaykes
    You're not a bad mom. You have to make sure shes eating which may mean that you will have to formula feed. If she begins to lose weight there will really be a problem. I'm sorry to hear about the other things that are going on and I hope they get settled soon hun. Stay positive
  • AKmommyAKmommy
    Please don't feel bad if you have to turn to formula! It is still healthy for baby :) I wasn't breast feed as a baby and I've never had more than a cold my whole life but try the lactation specialist if breast feeding is what you want to do. I breastfeed during the evening, formula at night and my husband (he's a stay at home dad and I work) feeds her what I pump during the day. She is gaining weight like crazy and sleeping so much better then when I was only breastfeeding. She won't stay latched on long enough to always get the good milk or even enough, so supplementing works perfect for me :) you can do it though, things are so extra stressful with a baby so make sure you get some time to yourself
  • AKmommyAKmommy
    Please don't feel bad if you have to turn to formula! It is still healthy for baby :) I wasn't breast feed as a baby and I've never had more than a cold my whole life but try the lactation specialist if breast feeding is what you want to do. I breastfeed during the evening, formula at night and my husband (he's a stay at home dad and I work) feeds her what I pump during the day. She is gaining weight like crazy and sleeping so much better then when I was only breastfeeding. She won't stay latched on long enough to always get the good milk or even enough, so supplementing works perfect for me :) you can do it though, things are so extra stressful with a baby so make sure you get some time to yourself
  • jazzi89jazzi89
    i would talk to your dr. i talked to mine and she said just to keep feeding whenever she wanted to eat. it might be hard, mine would wake up to eat every half hour for a few days. but they didnt seem concerned when she lost weight...never told me to use formula
  • newmummy_5newmummy_5
    @jazzi89 thanks i am trying to feed her lots but she just doesnt seem interested im going to try and keep pumping. what is fenugreek supplements? its ok im just an emotional wreck atm.
  • AKmommyAKmommy
    Holy triple post Batman! Sorry Lol
  • jazzi89jazzi89
    ya, just keep feeding and pumping. i know its frustrating, i almost stopped before i even left the hospital because she would latch and not suck at all and i was a wreck watching her scream because she was hungry. i cried everytime i tried to feed. fenugreek is an herb that is supposed to help your milk supply go up. im trying it this week.
  • jazzi89jazzi89
    does she fall asleep at the boob?
  • newmummy_5newmummy_5
    @AKmommy i just feel like every time i cry or mention what im worried about my partner looks at me like im failing. he hasnt said so but i can tell he thinks i could do better. do you produce much less milk from using formula during the night? im still worried about why she isnt crying to be fed now. has she given up?
  • newmummy_5newmummy_5
    @jazzi89 yeah she does fall asleep atm i can barely even wake her up to be fed. but last night she wasnt.
  • jazzi89jazzi89
    my little one doesnt cry when shes hungry either. she just roots. unless shes extremely hungry. i would just try to feed her every 2 hrs or so
  • jazzi89jazzi89
    if she falls asleep at the boob try these things...my daughter was awful at falling asleep and the nurses had me do these...
    -keep her undressed
    -rub her feet and play with her hands
    -use a cool washcloth and wipe her back
    -bounce her gently
    -change her diaper
    -keep lights on
  • AKmommyAKmommy
    I'm sorry love, maybe sit down and let him know how you feel. Being that he doesn't have the chance to help you right now means he doesn't know how hard this newborn thing is. Let him know he has to help out more, this is so much to deal with on your own if you have someone who could be helping. This is the most stressful experience of my life and if it wasn't for my husband I would go nuts. Because I always pump at the same times every day and feed her around the same hours of the evening my supply learned my pattern and has kept up. I plan on stopping in about two weeks bc i feel that 2 months is pretty good. I work a lot and go to school so its stressful to breast feed. If you weren't worried then you would be a bad mom but since you are it proves you are a great mom. Hang in there I promise it gets easier and if you end up having to supplement then don't feel bad okay
  • jazzi89jazzi89
    and i know how you feel about your partner thinking youre a failure...
    my bf actually told me i was starving my daughter because i wasnt able to feed her...
    i was beyond stressed in the hospital and actually had to be given meds to make me sleep cuz all id do was cry and fret
Sign In or Register to comment.

© Vanilla Keystone Theme 2024