Expert: ruth kraft - 4/5/2010

Question
Hi,

I just had a beautiful baby girl on Thursday (April 1st) who was born at 36 1/2 weeks, 6 pounds 7 ounces. We tried breastfeeding immediately and she seemed to have a good latch.  Every time I put her to my breast though she would suck suck and fall asleep.

The nurses in the hospital said that the baby was weak and that she needed to drink so they gave her formula from a bottle. They said that she was too weak to finger feed and it was more important to get her eating.  

I'm now home and I have continued giving her a bottle. She drinks  45ml every 3 hours. When it's feeding time I give her my breast she nibbles for a bit and then I give her the bottle. I've also been pumping and I feed her whatever I'm able to express. My milk seems to be coming in now, although it is not yet established.

I would like to get her to transition to my breast and eliminate the bottles.  I just don't know how. She pacifies occasionally at my breast but she doesn't drink very much. She seems to love her bottle.

What is the best way to move her from the bottle to my breast without jeapordizing her health, and my sanity.

Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hello! I am sorry you were given bad advice at the hospital :( it is so common :( But none the less you can over come it :) She is still young so with some patience and guidence you will be able to nurse. What I suggest you do is contact a la leach league leader in your area. go to www.llli.org and call them, ask them to put you in touch with someone close to you who can work with you in person to help get the baby latched on. They will be able to see and evaluate how she responds in person and give the best advice that way.  in the meantime, get a SNS (supplimental nursing system) which is a thin tube that can go onto your nipple . Feed your expressed breastmilk through that then suppliment with formula when needed. this will help her understand that she can get milk from your breast. which she doesn't understand currently. The good news is that she will latch at least some so she isn't refusing the breast, that makes it MUCH easier :) This way, you won't compramise her health, she will still get the nutrition and get the sensation of being at the breast while eating.  In the next few weeks this will become much easier and you wont need the SNS. She will get much stronger quicker to be able to nurse all on her own without the need for the extras. She wasn't too early to make it a long long process :) You can help build your supply by pumping every 2 hours at least and also, taking metamucil a few times a day to get intetional motility going as this will help produce more and more milk as well.

I hope that was helpful!
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