nursing?
February 9th, 2010 | by nursing |ncaa_champs_05 asked:
my son is 3 weeks old and when he was born i nursed him until he was almost 2 weeks and it seemed like he wasnt getting enough, so i started giving him formula every now and then like his dr told me too. he is now getting used to the bottle and eating more and everytime i nurse him its becoming very painfull. i really want to nurse him, but my ******* are really sore sometimes i feel like crying it hurts that bad, and i know if i dont nurse him my milk will dry up. should i just give him the formula and forget about nursing? this didnt happen with my first child. which they weighed different. what should i do?????
clinical nurse specialist
my son is 3 weeks old and when he was born i nursed him until he was almost 2 weeks and it seemed like he wasnt getting enough, so i started giving him formula every now and then like his dr told me too. he is now getting used to the bottle and eating more and everytime i nurse him its becoming very painfull. i really want to nurse him, but my ******* are really sore sometimes i feel like crying it hurts that bad, and i know if i dont nurse him my milk will dry up. should i just give him the formula and forget about nursing? this didnt happen with my first child. which they weighed different. what should i do?????
clinical nurse specialist














17 Responses to “nursing?”
By CelebrateMeHome on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply
mental health nursing
How about pumping? This way, he is getting the breastmilk but is also being able to feed from the bottle like he’s used to.
By naenae0011 on Feb 13, 2010 | Reply
school of nursing
Try pumping… it will keep up your milk production, and if he prefers getting it from a bottle, why not?
I had a terrible time breastfeeding… I was crying, biting down on something…. I gave up after day 9… I couldn’t even put the pump onto my ******. I had a ****** infection. My baby has been on formula ever since, and she is doing great!! If you do decide to go with the formula… don’t feel guilty… he’ll be fine!!
By haneysgirl on Feb 15, 2010 | Reply
cardiac nursing
I feel for ya! I had the same problem with both of my children. With the first child (my son) I stuck it out for a month, then stopped nursing (he was liking the bottle better) because he never latched on right. With my second child (my daughter) I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to try with her, I waited 6 whole weeks with lots and lots of pain and crying and all of a sudden, she latched on. It was perfect! I nursed her for 11 months. You have to be patient with it. Im sure your baby will prefer ****** over formula anyday
But if it is too painful for you, I would gradually go towards the formula. A unhappy mommy=unhappy baby! Good Luck!!!! What ever you decide to do is the best decision!
By Tabbie on Feb 16, 2010 | Reply
clinical nursing
i know what you mean. there was a point i had to stop nursing for 4 days because i was so ill. and when i started again it hurt my ******* really badly. plus she wasn’t really wanting to nurse. it depressed me. but i went out and bought some ****** cream and applied it several times a day and kept going at it. there are many products out there for sore ******* for the nursing mom. they should be in the same aisle as the bottles. and the great thing is that you don’t have to clean it off before breastfeeding.
also, i suggest when it’s feeding time start with the breast, not the bottle. and try each side. i used to have to manually express a little breastmilk and rub it on my ******* (which works great for sore ******* too). i did this to help get her attention. but don’t try too long. if he gets too fussy, he may not take the bottle either.
there’s a website, not sure of it’s name, but it’s the la leache league, or something similar. they give wonderful advice on this type of stuff. and in some areas, they have people who can come directly to your home and help you work on this. it’s great. over time, i breastfed my daughter strictly again. but it did take a couple weeks of trying and crying. good luck. i wish you all the best in the world.
oh and if you can’t continue to nurse, don’t feel bad. it’s ok. formula feeding has it’s benefits too. give yourself a big hug for at least trying. and another from me.
By cassandra on Feb 19, 2010 | Reply
nursing rn
have you tried pushing the ****** far into his mouth, to make sure aereolo is completely in his mouth? making sure of this can reduce the pain.
formula is sooooooo bad for your son i would do any thing possible to eliminate it from his life forever.
By babygirl on Feb 20, 2010 | Reply
nursing treatment
Nursing was painful for me my first few weeks until my ******* got used to it. Giving a baby that young a bottle when you are wanting to nurse is hard because the baby finds the bottle alot easier than nursing and won’t want to go back and forth. Pump your milk to keep your supply up and if you have to give the baby breastmilk in the bottle then you will know how much he is getting. Good luck.
By Momof2Girlz on Feb 20, 2010 | Reply
nursing articles
That depends on what you really want to do. If nursing is something you had your heart set on and enjoy doing, DON’T stop! For one, it’s (nutritionally) best for your baby, and if you decide to stop and then regret it after, there’s no going back! Definately keep trying until you decide for sure what you want to do. I went through the same thing- my daughter just wanted the bottle and eventually refused to nurse altogether, and I was very sad. I wished I would’ve worked harder to build my supply of milk. You can take Fenugreek to help with the milk supply. For the meantime, I would suggest expressing the milk, pumping or nursing more often to relieve the discomfort. Trust me- I am VERY sensitive, and noone could convince me I would ever get used to the pain of nursing, but you DO get used to it. The more often you nurse, the easier/less painful it becomes. Good luck!
Maybe this site can help you further…
By Kirsten K on Feb 24, 2010 | Reply
pediatric nursing
Please don’t give up…you can do it! I **** it when I hear about doctors telling moms to feed formula. BF is based on supply and demand. The more formula you give a baby, the less milk you make. Unfortunately you probably didn’t need to supplement in the first place. It’s normal for a baby to eat constantly for the first 8-12 weeks or so. It can seem like they aren’t getting enough to eat, but the reality is that breastmilk is very easily digested and a baby’s stomach is the size of a walnut. It doesn’t hold very much. The best way to get back on the ball with breastfeeding and to wean off the bottle is probably going to be a two fold approach. First, pumping and second when the baby is supplemented, use a SNS (supplemental nursing system) you can buy these cheap on Ebay or rent one from a hospital. This stimulates your ******* to produce at the same time teaching the baby how to latch on properly. There is a great site to find lots of help and answers here…
Go to “breastfeeding challenges” . Good luck!
By Danielle on Feb 25, 2010 | Reply
nursing research
call your dr and see what he recommends or maybe a lactation counselor. In my opinion, I’d give up the formula before the ******. The best thing for your baby is for him to nurse. But if u wish to supplement keep him on the ****** often….if its painful maybe you have a bad latch, the lactation counselor could help with that. Breastfeeding use ti kill me it hurt so bad I would cry and my daughter was latched perfectly. The pain will pass tho, so try and ride it out.
By warner1529 on Feb 25, 2010 | Reply
nursing ethics
for the pain i suggest “soothies” they provide amazing comfort. and for baby try to pump and use that instead of formula. the important part is getting the baby the ****** milk, not the method that the baby gets it. good luck!!
By mystic_eye_cda on Feb 28, 2010 | Reply
about nursing
Firstly fire your doctor and find one who knows about breastfeeding. Your son was likely getting more than enough milk, despite of any “signs” that he wasn’t (like constant nursing, ******* his hands, fussiness etc). Not to mention the first 6 weeks are a constant growth spurt. Secondly, assuming he wasn’t you should have been referred to a lactation consultant or La Leche League to work on the latch and other feeding issues rather than suppliment with formula. You need support, not formula. Formula is just easier from the doctors stand point.
The reason your ******* are hurting is because you son is getting used to ******* from a bottle, which he can just **** the skinny end bit. Which means he isn’t going to latch on to your ****** properly.
If I were you I would discontinue the bottle immediately. I would offer the ****** often. Ever hour during the day, and at least every three at night. Pay VERY close attention to his latch. Try to get as much of the ****** in as possible. Make sure his lips are curled out not in. There are lots of websites which pictures of a proper latch, find one that makes sense to you. If it hurts with each **** try moving him slightly. Although it will take some time to heal.
I would go and rent/buy a pump tomorrow. A hospital grade one (the kind you rent) is the best, and cheaper in the short run. If you are going to need a pump later on anyway it may be better to buy. While you are at the drugstore buy some largist syringes. Once you have the pump offer the ****** often, but not necesarily on a schedule follow your babies cues. Pump every 3 hours for 15 mintues. If you need to top your baby up offer the expressed milk via the syringe.
See a lactation consultant and/or the La Leche League as soon as possible.
Also you should read this:
And most of this:
By laittree on Mar 2, 2010 | Reply
hopkins nursing
Sounds like you could have thrush. Get that checked out by your doctor. I had that same thing happen and had to take antibiotics to clear it up. Keep nursing here is why:
COMPONENTS FOUND IN BREASTMILK:
White blood cells- B Lymphocytes, Macrophages, Neutrophils, T lymphocytes.
Molecules- Antibodies of secretory IgA class, B12 binding protien, Bifidus factor, fatty acids, Fibronectin, Gamma-interferon, Hormones and growth factors, Lactoferrin, Lysozyme, Mucins, Oligosaccharides.
Also:
DHA, ARA, Carbohydrates, protiens, minerals, calcium, chloride, magnesium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, D, E, C, K, B6, B12, Biotin, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, catalase, histaminase, arysulfatase, antioxidants, glycoprotiens, a-tocopherol, cysteine, asorbic acid, chondroitin sulphate, antiproteases, a-1-antitrypsin, a-1-antichymotrypsin, prostaglandins PG-E2, PG-F2, secretory IgA, full antibody reppertoire, alpha-lactalbumin, lysozyme, lactoferrin, gangliosides, glycolipid peptides, phospatidyethanolamine, interleukin-6, PAF-acetylhydrolase, memory T cells, CD14, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, EGF, NGF,CCL28, C1, C9, insulin, IGF-11, relaxin, xanthine, oxidase, TGFa and TGFB, PRL, B- defensin-1, corticosterone, PTHrP, peptides, erythropoietin.
Immunoglobins- protects ears, nose, throat, and specific viruses and bacteria.
Lactoferrin- an iron binding protien, not in formula that alters healthy bacteria and has an antibiotic effect such as staph and E.coli.
Growth factors: Breastfed infants have lactobacillaceae (the good bacteria), 10 times greater than formula fed infants.
Allergic factors: Cows’ milk protien in formulas is a foreign protien. When babies are exposed to non-human milk, they actually develop antibodies to the foreign protien.
DHA + ARA: Fatty acids aid in brain and retna function.
Carnitine: Breastfed babies have double the levels of this than formula, which is a great energy source.
Here is what is in formula: It is all man made.
Whey protein concentrate, palm olein, soy, coconut, high-oleic safflower oils lactose, maltodextrin, patoassium citrate, calcium phosphate, calcium chloride, salt, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, potassium iodide, soy lecithin, mono and diglycerides, inositol, choline bitartrate sodium ascorbate,Enzymatically hydrolyzed reduced minerals, alpha tocophyeryl acetate, naicinamide, calcum pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, phylloquinone, biotin, vitamin D3, vitamin B12, taurine, L-carnitine”
Don’t give up, good luck.
By Jill on Mar 4, 2010 | Reply
nursing research
My suggestion would be to use Medela ****** shields (you can find these at babies r us, target, etc.). They’re kind of a hassle, but I wouldn’t have been able to breastfeed without them. I had trouble with my baby not getting enough milk, because she was having trouble latching on correctly. I had mastitis and was worried about her getting enough milk, and my pediatrician suggested trying these. These were a godsend. They’re actually made to protect sore nipples, but it also gives the baby something more to latch on to. This might help your little one get use to nursing again and protect you at the same time. I used these for a couple of weeks, until my baby got use to it. It took a few days to wean her off of these; however she’s almost six months now and loves to nurse. I hope this helps…Good luck!
By annep33 on Mar 5, 2010 | Reply
nursing theories
I second everything that Mystic Eye CDA said. She is right on target!!
By J-Mo on Mar 7, 2010 | Reply
nursing healthcare
I agree with Mystic Eye CDA too. I’d like to add that I’ve read in several sources that you should NOT use ****** shields, this method will discourage proper latch-on.
Also, try taking 2-3 capsules of Fenugreek each day to stimulate your milk production. This was recommended to me by the hospital when I had a similar problem & it worked for me.
Lastly, don’t hesitate to call your hospital & ask the Lactation Consultant for help.
By sister2 on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
nursing major
are you eating enough? If there isn’t enough calories in your milk, then it’s like feeding your baby water, he will get most of the calories you eat, I had this problem, my family had me eating every time i walked by the fridge, and in a couple of days, breastfeeding was back on. On the sore nipples, ask your doctor about ****** cream, I don’t remember the name of it but there’s one that does help, and try breaking the suction with your finger, if you pull him off, it will make you really sore. If this hasn’t helped the call back to the hospital where you gave birth and ask to speak to the lactation nurse. they will answer you question and maybe even see you even after you have been discharged
By VitalisMom on Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
nursing forum
My daughter is going to be a week old tomorrow and the hospital told us to mix the ****** milk with the formula if she was still hungry.
I was also having a problem with my daughter not latching on properly to my ****** and the lactation consultant in the hospital was trying to assist with the problem, well the 3 hours she spent pulling my daughter from my ******* left them sore and irritated to say the least.
When we got home from the hospital, I rented an electric pump(hospital grade) and trust me it is well worth it. My ******* are better after only 2 days of pumping, we can actually see how much food we are feeding her and if she wants extra food, we can mix the formula with the ****** milk.
I am using the Medela brand breastfeeding bottle system, I love it, you can freeze, store, refrigerate, pump, and feed from the bottles. They are easy to clean and not expensive at all-I have not tried any other bottles since I was planning on breastfeeding when I got pregnant, and these were the only breastfeeding bottle systems I could find that were affordable.