Breastfeeding
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She may not still be hungry. Cluster feeding is really normal for comfort and to stimulate your milk supply for the future. The best thing you can do is put her to the breast as often as possible (hard I know!) The fact that she will take a bottle afterwards is also not necessarily an indication of hunger x https://www.facebook.com/share/1AUGY8o9U4/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Can you hear her swallowing after every couple of sucks? If she isn’t swallowing anymore (mine tends to stop after 30 mins) then I will swap sides and try to only keep her on the boob as long as she is swallowing. If you can’t hear her swallowing at all then take her off and rematch her, could be it’s a shallow latch. Once or twice a day mine will cluster feed for like 3 hours, just swapping her back and forth between each boob. It’s normal at this early stage! We were doing mixed feeding the first two weeks and transitioned to EBF but the first few days we did top her up with a bottle at the end of the cluster feed, although the last two days we did that she threw it all up so I stopped. It’s a process, keep at it!
Can’t u express ur milk? And top her up with your breast milk in a bottle after breast? That’s what I do, I’m almost 4 weeks pp and had similar struggles in hospital with her not latching after my emergency c section but I never let them Give her formula I just gave her my collected colostrum and eventually when my milk came in I expressed. Also my health visitor last week referred me to a feeding specialist who has been great and came to my house twice this week and finally got my baby latching on and feeding properly at 3 weeks, so might be worth asking if you have one near you to help
@Cam trying to express in between feeds but not getting too much but keeping at it. Unfortunately due to her % weight loss and jaundice we had to add formula as she was so lethargic from the jaundice and the need to flush out the jaundice with fluids. I think she is quite lazy at latching as well. Health visitor is coming tomorrow so I will ask if they have any feeding support 🤞🏼
No real advice but just to say, keep going 😊 The first few weeks can be really challenging but it does get easier - you're both learning. We had to top up with formula for the first week but every time I would put her on the boob first so that she would build up my supply, and by day 10 she no longer needed the formula. Now we're 8 months in and still BF. Great that you're seeing the health visitor soon - definitely ask to see infant feeding specialist, and keep asking for help if you don't feel like it's resolved. Sometimes it helps to talk to a few different people. They're there to help! Take care x
Can your health visitor refer you to a lactation specialist at all?
In a similar position, my little girl came 4 weeks early and wasn’t latching well, constant checks for jaundice, blood sugars etc and needed to put weight on so was topped up with formula. I’m currently putting her on each breast (struggling with the left one) and she’ll only ever be on for around 10/15 mins at a time but also pumping and getting small amounts which is building so I’m hoping to phase out the formula top ups with this. Definitely keep going! I’ve been told to keep going with it and will also ask for breastfeeding support to help with latching x
Do you have any latch on groups near you? Also speak to the midwives/health visitors as they can help or refer. I had a midwife appointment yesterday and said I felt like the latch wasn’t as good as it should be so she checked it and said it was fine (I’ve been used to a toddler feeding up into a few months ago who just knew what to do, had a bigger mouth etc!) We are also going through a cluster feed period where he will feed, come off, cry, fuss, feed and repeat in whatever order so could be that? Cluster feeding makes you think that baby isn’t getting enough or there’s a problem! Get some skin on skin with a warm blanket and if you think it could be cluster feeding, hunker down with snacks and the remote. The first few weeks are the hardest x
Lots of skin to skin helps and just having breast available. Jaundice is quite common with breastfed babies in particular. She may be seeking comfort from the beast which may make it appear she’s hungry but best indicator will be wet/dirty nappies. Have someone check your latch and maybe switch up positions to see if that helps. Football hold can be good for a deep latch. Keep at it if it’s something you are keen to continue :) some good information here and a telephone helpline https://laleche.org.uk/.