Expressing vs Breastfeeding

Hi Tanya80 I'm also pretty new to BFand have only just started getting a grip on it, but just wanted to tell you that do whatever keeps you and your baby happy. I had supply issues and was on 5 supplements and after a LOT of hard work we're down to two of those and rest is BM and expressed BM. Anyway, don't think I'm elping much, but just wanted to say you're doing great and congratulations on your beautiful child. I was helped a lot by many women on this forum, especially BFC, Hello Kitty, Plumie and many more people who took a lot of time and patience to write to me and answer all my questions, some even silly; so you will get good advice on here. I cannot agree with Alicia more about some people making breastfeeding sound like cakewalk. While it might be for some, it definitely isn't for everyone.

As someone who exclusively pumps for DD2 and exclusively BF for DD1, I would advise you to really try BF again before you throw in the towel. Exclusively pumping incorporates the hardest parts of BF and FF; waking up in the night to either pump or feed or both, topped with the cleaning and sterilising of not just the bottles but pumping equipment as well. The first three months are really restrictive as you will need to keep a three hourly pumping schedule in order to build and maintain your supply. I was hardly ever able to leave the house those days. Thankfully it's a lot easier now, as I only pump twice a day but produce enough milk for DD's requirement, but it took me resigning to the fact that my supply may not be enough and I would have to supplement with frozen EBM or formula. There is also the bonding side; I absolutely loved BF my first DD because of that, and while I love my second DD to death, I think the fact that I couldn't BF DD2 (as well as many other factors including a month long stay in the NICU) made it difficult for me to bond with her initially. Of course that is now no longer the case, as I think she is the most precious thing ever! But it truly is hard hard work pumping, and if I could BF DD2 I would in a heartbeat, but like your little girl. DD2 would not/could not latch, and this was the next best alternative for us. Good luck either way! x

Congratulations from me too! And well done for expressing to provide your daughter with breastmilk. This is fantastic, and you're doing a brilliant job to keep going in the face of difficulties. I would echo what the others have said - no harm in perservering with encouraging your baby to take the breast, as this is not only easier but also direct breastfeeding does make it easier for your supply to be established and then maintained and is also important in other ways such as promoting good jaw development. However, do not force her by any means as this will most likely do more harm than good and may be stressful for the both of you. Also be aware that it may take some time - do not push yourself as it is not all or nothing, and it does not have to happen straight away. If your daughter eventually takes the breast, this is great - if not, then you are still giving her everything that breastmilk provides which is wonderful. There are many reasons for breast refusal, and equally many strategies for encouraging a baby to take the breast. It's great that you've seen Cecile, and I'm sure she will have had several suggestions for you to try. If you decide that you would like to keep trying, then do follow up - it can take some time to find something that will work for you and your baby, as every mum-baby pair is different. Please also feel free to e-mail me if you would like some more suggestions. I am a breastfeeding counsellor, and have some ideas which you may like to try. I am on khoury at null dot net. One thing I willl mention now - tongue-tie can cause breast refusal. It is not uncommon. Sometimes it is very obvious (you can see the frenulum - the membrane joining the tongue to the bottom of the mouth - coming all the way to the tip of the tongue, or a heart-shaped tongue when baby cries). However, a posterior tie is sometimes difficult to see, and you would need an experienced qualified Lactation Consultant to diagnose. Paula Miller and Dr Delphine Dupuis are both IBCLCs and you may want to consider a consult with them to see if this might be a factor. Finally, http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html has some great suggestions, including co-bathing (do not try when alone!) The very best of luck, whatever you decide! Lots of love xx

I'd second the others - do what [i'>you[/i'> really want to do. If you want to breastfeed - and you can and will - then set your mind to it and persevere. It's completely normal for babies to drop in weight, and if your DD is back up to her birth weight in 6 days, then it means your milk is tip top! The key is the latch, and your baby will adapt it to suit your breast - flat nipple aren't necessarily a problem because a good latch takes in a lot of the areola too. Ask Cecile or another bf counsellor for help on this - it will be worth it. But, if you are comfortable expressing and can imagine yourself doing so for as long as you would have otherwise planned to breastfeed, then go for that option! I found that I couldn't express enough and so in comparison, direct breastfeeding was far easier, but everyone's different and at the end of the day, as long as your baby's getting the milk it needs in a way that you're happy with, it's all that counts. Good luck!

Hi Tanya, Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. I too had major problems with BF both of my children (son is currently 5 mo and BF). I went to clinics, tried shields, hydrogel pads and Panadol for the pain and non-stick bandages for the wounds caused by wrong attachment! I expressed when it was impossible to BF. I'm no expert but I was given a rather good idea and that was to give my baby some EBM from the bottle, at the start of the feed, to take the edge off the hunger and then try BF during the same feed. I also saw a wonderful lady doctor at Cooper Health Clinic, who watched me position my son and gave me some advice, that immediately took the pain away. It did get easier, I think as the baby's mouth grows and they become more efficient at BF. I agree with Alicia - BF is so much easier than expressing/bottle feeding. Getting up in the middle of the night to express/sterilise bottles/warm up milk is no fun. You are doing a great job! HTH:)

Congratulations! My first point has to be that new babies and breast feeding are often (ok usually!) not easy. Don't beat yourself up. You're doing a great job - perseverance is one of the most important parenting skills you can have. Cecile is absolutely right. It's much easier for a baby to get milk from a bottle than a breast, so they quickly get "lazy". Whether you continue to pump or BF is entirely up to you - baby will be getting equally good nutrition from both solutions and bonding happens, BF or not. Personally I'd advise you to keep trying the BF - for YOUR sake. It's soooo much easier in the long run than bottles IMHO. If you choose to BF, choose a time when when you're ready for it - as long as you're pumping your milk supply will continue, trust your lactation consultant (FYI Cecile was great with me) and join one of the BF support groups. Good luck. BF is a wonderful thing for mums and bubs, but it is one of my pet hates that it's always presented as "easy". It is later, but early days can be both rough and painful.

congratulations my dear, I too had a similar problem, my nipples were flat making breastfeeding so difficult and my baby would cry each time i tried breastfeeding. expressing was the only way out then but i was determined to make her start breastfeeding coz expressing + bottle cleaning was so tiring for me. I spoke to a midwife who helped me,now my DD is 7weeks and full time breatfeeding. if you are ok with expressing then continue and if you want to brestfeed just seek help as the baby is still small and am sure it can work out, its just a matter of patience. good luck

Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby girl! The fact that you are able to produce enough milk to express and feed your baby is fantastic! Not every woman can do this. I was fortunate enough that my DD took to BFing well but like you are doing now, I still ensured I had quality bonding time with her away from feeding times (skin-on-skin time, quiet time with just the two of us where I talked to her and read to her, baby massage, etc) and I believe that really cemented the inseparable bond that we now have (I know this even though she is only 18mths old). Your baby is getting all she needs from your breast milk and that's what's most important. You need to trust your motherly instincts and gut feeling and do what you believe is best for your baby, and for you. If you are stressed/anxious, your baby will feed off this vibe and will be unsettled too. If you really want to BF, by all means get some professional guidance and be open to their advice but don't let them overwhelm you and ensure you stay in control. If it doesn't work out but you are still able to provide her with the breast milk via expressing, then great! Don't beat yourself up over it. The fact that you are asking for help shows just how much you love your baby and want the best for her. Wishing you all the best.