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Need BFing help
I'm going to XP this on the BF board but I figured I would ask here too... I am having major issues BFing. In the hospital, Andrew had trouble latching because his mouth is so small but once I got him to latch, he would suck away. Ryan latched like a pro but wouldn't suck. They both had bottles and pacis in the hospital even though I asked that they not have either (R was in the NICU and they gave him formula whenever he wouldn't BF- it was their stupid policy even though he was probably the biggest baby there; A was given some of my pumped milk if he wouldn't eat because his blood sugar was getting borderline- if he didn't eat to keep it up he would have had to go to the NICU too). The pedi says they have to eat every 2.5- 3 hours until they are at least 7 pounds (they were 5lb 4oz and 6lb as of Tuesday... they are both gaining well) so now that we are home, when one of them doesn't eat from the breast, I pump and give them a bottle because they have to eat on that schedule. Ryan is doing really well now. He sometimes refuses to eat from the breast but he is taking most of his feedings from the breast. Andrew has done a complete 180 and is getting worse and worse. He can latch now but he either refuses to latch or will latch but won't suck. When DH then tries to give him a bottle, he will take it right away so he is obviously hungry. Two days ago he was doing about half and half. Yesterday he only took one feeding from the breast. It is exhausting to have to BF one baby, pump, and bottle feed another baby at every feeding. I feel like as soon as I finish one feeding, I have to prepare for the next.
Here are some things that I have tried... making sure they are awake, touching their head/ feet/ hands/ etc to keep them awake, pumping for a few minutes and then trying to latch, hand expressing some milk so they taste it on their lips. I really want them both to take most if not all of their feedings from the breast... I'll take ANY advice you can offer. Thanks 
This is going to be a post and run because A is starting to fuss. I will try to check back from my phone a few times throughout the day.
m/c 7/17/10
Dx: MFI- 3% morph
IUIs: Gonal-F + Ovidrel + b2b IUI= BFNs
IVF with ICSI= BFP! EDD 11/25/11
3/18- Beta #1 452! 3/20- Beta #2 1,026!! 3/27- First u/s- TWINS!
Our twin boys arrived at 36w5d due to IUGR and a growth discordance
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Re: Need BFing help
When Jack was a few weeks old, he suddenly decided to stop breastfeeding. He refused to latch, even though he was obviously hungry. I ended up pumping and bottle feeding him for a good 2 weeks while he was on strike. I would continually offer him the breast during this time, and one day he randomly latched on and had no other problems.
As long as you know that Andrew CAN latch and can nurse, he may just be on a similar strike. I would continue to offer him the breast all the time, but if he won't eat, then bottle feed him for now. Hopefully, he will start latching again shortly.
However, it could be that he is having problems latching (maybe try a nipple shield just to see if that is the problem?) or he may have problems sucking (is he tongue tied at all?). Or maybe he can latch, but his latch is just a little off and he isn't getting any milk (or not enough). Just some things to consider.
I can't really help except to see if you have access to any lactation consultants or a local LLL support group. Both were invaluable when I was having trouble bfing. Good luck!
Unfortunately, I don't have much advice either. I am sort of dreading nursing two at a time to be quite honest, because it's so hard in the beginning with one!
I feel like I've asked you this before, but do you have a LC that can come help? N had a lot of problems at the beginning with latch and my LC was a godsend.
I hope it works out for you, remember to take care of YOU too!
Our crazy, wonderful life
I agree with everyone elses advice. LLL and LC are faboulous!
I know Evie had issues sucking (and latching) but I remember and this trick still works when she isn't sucking but is pacifying. I stroke under her chin and that starts her sucking reflex and she starts to drink again.
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This. I'm so sorry you're going through this. Quite honestly, the issues ayou are having are most likely beyond any of our help, unless some is an LC on he board. :-) Some LCs and LLL leaders will make house calls, so that is always an option.
Good luck and keep us posted.
ETA: sorry for the poor spelling and grammar. I'm typing without glasses and can barely see.
Neena Mae. 1/7/10
"A baby nursing at a mother's breast is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature." - David Suzuki
m/c 7/17/10
Dx: MFI- 3% morph
IUIs: Gonal-F + Ovidrel + b2b IUI= BFNs
IVF with ICSI= BFP! EDD 11/25/11
3/18- Beta #1 452! 3/20- Beta #2 1,026!! 3/27- First u/s- TWINS!
Our twin boys arrived at 36w5d due to IUGR and a growth discordance
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
That stinks about your LLL. It actually makes me really frustrated for you.
The lcs at my hospital were hit or miss. One was awesome, a couple were ok, one was terrible. I finally started calling to find the awesome one and if she wasn't available I would just give wait. I know there are some independent of hospitals that will make house calls and may be covered by insurance. Is there any activity on your local Bump or Nest board? Perhaps someone there can make a recommendation?
The only other thing I was thinking about was my big problem was my milk taking over a week to come in probably in part because Collin was in the NICU too and once he had a bottle he didn't want to do the work. That started a vicious cycle of him not wanting to try to bf thus not helping my milk to come in. An amazing nurse in the NICU intervened and got me hooked up with an SNS which is a small tube taped to the breast and connected to a bottle that is hung above. In my case it was formula but you could use the pumped milk. Perhaps if he was getting milk from the bottle and from the breast it would encourage him to stay on the breast? I'm not sure if it would help at all but without being there and without seeing what the issue is I'm not sure what else to say.
Honestly, I might try being a little looser with the schedule the dr gave you, especially since they seem to be gaining well and see if that helps, but I have no medical basis for this and I would hate to tell you to go against medical advice with no reason to back it up.
Our crazy, wonderful life
I agree with others regarding LLL or an LC.
With Andrew who will latch but not suck but takes the bottle well - are you making bottle feeding as much work as breastfeeding? I know that our Cooper was lazy and would sometimes prefer the bottle because he has to work less. Try holding the bottle level instead of tilted up so that he has to actually suck as opposed to you pouring it in his mouth. Also use the slowest flow nipple you can. The stroking under the chin that someone else mentioned may also help.