I want to head this post up by saying I’m not pro breast and I’m not pro bottle – I’m pro feeding. As long as your child is happy and healthy and getting fed it doesn’t matter how the milk gets into them. That said – I really wanted to breast feed. I know it isn’t easy but from a cost perspective it made sense to me to give it a good go, plus the ease of having a feed with me wherever I go! I made that decision really early on in my pregnancy, but it didn’t go exactly to plan.
Piglet was born at 36 weeks, so he was almost a month premature. There were some complications with his delivery and he was taken immediately to see the pediatrician. That visit was short and I got him back with me fairly quickly for skin to skin so we tried breastfeeding right away. He wouldn’t latch, which apparently is quite common after the shock and effort of delivery, so I hand expressed for him.
Unfortunately my Piglets condition deteriorated and he had to be taken to the neonatal unit. There he needed additional oxygen and that stopped all breastfeeding immediately, his feeds were through a nasal gastric tube. I continued to express, but without the skin to skin contact I struggled to keep up with his needs and formula was introduced after 24 hours. It was 2 days before I could hold him again but it was just a short cuddle. He had his first bottle for a small portion of his feed at this point too but it was done by a neo natal nurse as it had to be done within his incubator. I was still staying in the hospital and using their Medela double breast pump and starting to get ok volumes, but formula was still required to top up one or two of the feeds per day.
At 5 days old I was able to start trying a breastfeed with Piglet. By this point he was getting ready to have his NG tube removed as he was feeding well and his oxygen was turned off. He refused to latch and generally worked himself into a frenzy until he was fed from his bottle. This went on for 3 or 4 feeds, at which point the nurses recommended introducing a nipple shield. At the time I thought this was working, but in hindsight he still wasn’t feeding properly. As I wasn’t admitted to the hospital anymore I couldn’t be there for all of his feeds, so overnight he was taking a bottle quite happily.
On day 8 Piglet was demand feeding and, to some degree, breastfed. He had had started to gain a little of the weight he had lost and was discharged. At home I continued to breast feed with the use of the nipple shield. I opted for the Medela Nipple Shields
We met the health visitor a few days after we were discharged and I expressed a concern that the Piglet was jaundice. He was weighed and his weight had dropped since being discharged from the hospital and so bottle top ups after his breast feeds were recommended in order to help him gain weight. I wasn’t able to express enough to give exclusively expressed milk top ups so we were giving him Aptamil formula also. We used the Avent Natural
Similarly, I got the Philips Avent 3-In-1 Steriliser
I found the breast feed, bottle feed, express, sleep and repeat routine exhausting. We had another stint in the hospital, this time the children’s hospital so I could stay with Alexander overnight and continue to feed him. He was being weighed daily and although gaining, it was slow. Around this point (2-3 weeks old) I decided enough was enough. Formula wasn’t something we had budgeted for and I knew I wanted to continue giving Alexander breast milk, but the breast feeding wasn’t working and so I opted to try and just express for him.
I splashed out on the Philips Avent Comfort Single Electric Breast Pump
I had all but given up on breast feeding, but I’m not a quitter. Everyone was telling me to give it up but I wasn’t ready to cave just yet. Once a day I’d pick a quiet time to try alexander on the breast before his bottle feed. I dispensed with the nipple shields as he wasn’t really feeding anyway and just let him prat around in that general area. I figured that if nothing else it would maybe help with my milk production and it gives him a little comfort.
So now, at 19 weeks, Alexander is breast fed 99% of the time. He has the occasional bit of formula when he’s at my parents for a few hours, and we are having our first night without him this month so he’ll have a combination of formula and expressed milk in that time with my parents.
I’m so glad I preserved, but at the time it was such hard work that I’m not surprised many people give in. I’m stubborn, I knew what I wanted for us and it was so worth it to keep going.
I love hearing other peoples feeding stories so please share it below or add a link to your post about it!
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Lisa
Well done with your feeding journey! I really admire your perseverance. It just shows how different it is for everyone.
OddHogg
It was really tough going for a while and I swapped back and forth between deciding to go to formula and deciding to keep trying breast. It is such hard work and I can see why many people choose to go to formula – sometimes the stress is just not worth it! thanks for stopping by
Gemma
This was lovely to read. My girl is 4 weeks and I’m struggling with my supply. Any tips are welcome. Like yourself I’m not a quitter I can’t give up on this. I fed my first for 18 months and would feel awful if I could t make it work x
OddHogg
You could try expressing between feeds, it helped me. I’m sure you’re doing a great job though! Thanks for stopping by x
To Arizona and beyond
That’s such a great outcome for you both! Well done for persevering!
OddHogg
It was tough going for a while but so worth it! Thanks for stopping by
MotherofTeenagers
My feeding stories are so long ago now but I still remember them clearly. With No.1 I battled with breast-feeding and had regular visits from my midwife who clearly rammed home the “Breast is Best” message. After 6 weeks of barely any sleep as he was permanently hungry from not getting enough and thus was losing weight I moved to formula. With No.2 I went straight to formula on the basis of my previous experience. Everyone has to do what is right for them and their baby at the end of the day. #MarvellousMondays
OddHogg
Absolutely true! There is no point in forcing breast feeding if its going to make for an unhappy mummy! Baby will be happy as long as they’re fed, how the milk gets there is totally it’s parents decision! I hate the pressure people are put under, and the fact that so many people think its ok to share their opinion on your choices. Thanks for sharing!
The Speed Bump
I really admire your perseverence! First time around I was so unprepared and got no help from the midwives so I ended up formula feeding from Day 2 onwards – your story has given me hope to persevere next time! Great post x #MarvMondays
Charlie O'Brien @realgirlramblings
Wow – well done! You’re one determined lady! You should be very proud. You sound stubborn like me! My son didn’t have any health issues when born but was tiny and just couldn’t latch. For 12 weeks i had nipple shields, cracks, thrush, latch problems – you name it, we had it. Then at 12 weeks it clicked for some reason. Here’s a post I recently wrote about his last feed at 16 months which I found very emotional! https://realgirlramblings.com/2016/06/the-last-feed/ Charlie x #marvmondays
OddHogg
Oh wow 16 months – thats good going! I’m not sure how long I’m going to feed for, as a diabetic is has an effect on my blood sugars which complicates things, but I do hope to keep going to 12 months or so. Thanks for stopping by
My Petit Canard
Wow, what a journey! Breastfeeding can be such a challenge sometimes, and especially when there are other complications or challenges thrown into the mix like being preemie. But it sounds like your perseverance paid off in the end which was so lovely to read. I have a breastfeeding series on my blog and would love to share your story on it if you’d be interested 🙂 Thanks for sharing this on #MarvMondays. Emily
Why I Chose to Breastfeed - OddHogg
[…] I explained in my feeding journey, it didn’t go to plan. Not even close. But why did I persevere? If I’m honest, the […]
Sarah @runjumpscrap
This is amazing. He seemed to tried everything going didn’t he? Must have been hard work for you lovely but well done you on persevering and continuing with the breastfeeding. I managed it from the start (but it was hard and painful!!) and stopped around 9-10 months. It’s not easy and quite relentless but I hope to try again with my soon to be born Piglet. Thanks for sharing with #bestandworst x
OddHogg
It was tough going but all pressure came only from myself – I just wanted to do it! Thankfully I have never found it painful, I guess I deserved some positives in it all haha
Louise
As a T1 mum to be, I read your blog with interest while I was pregnant. But this post now means more to me have had my baby and been through my own breast feeding journey. I was induced at 36+4 weeks.
I started breastfeeding and the wee one was doing ok, but the main problem was sleepiness, caused by the start of jaundice. I was able to hand express enough for top ups, but when you have a sleepy baby it is I immaterial if you can’t get the food in!! We ended up being readmitted for light therapy and an intense feeding regime, which involved me pumping. Thankfully my supply was keeping up with demand.
My baby is now 2.5 weeks old and I’m wondering if, how and when to stop the expressed bottle top ups. Terrified I make her ill again if I don’t give her enough. Reading your post again will help me stay
OddHogg
Glad I can help! Keep at it – you’ll be ding a fab job