i know im late but congrats !!!! i know it was a lobg journey for you and im glad she decided to kaych againg!!! good luck to mom and baby
So I got the vaccine for pertussis at the hospital and I had a bad reaction to it and ended up getting a pretty high fever on and off for about 2 days and the dr told me that that is probably why she quit latching because my breasts were too warm. She is latching again today and my milk is coming in so I'm pretty happy an so is she! I am still giving her a little formula still though to make sure she is completely full when she is done nursing. Thank you ladies for your advice (:
First, you're not a bad Mom for choosing to give your baby formula. You care enough to keep trying and provide the best for your baby- and that means getting him whatever nutrition she needs! You should pat yourself in the back for caring and giving breast feeding a good go!
We had a hard time too because our baby spent over two days in the NICU and got used to a bottle. I've tried everything (working with a LC, herbal supplements, massage, nipple guard, hospital grade pump, etc) and still don't have successful latching or make a lot of milk.
I came to terms that I will solely pump and give him what I can. It's upsetting to him and me to make him latch and be hungry. Any amount of breastmilk is a bonus for your baby. His doctor said that the first 6-8 weeks are critical so see if you can pump some and bottle feed it to your baby.
Good luck and keep us posted how you do. I'm here anytime if you want to chat. Feel free to message me. My baby gets about 75% formula and the rest is breastmilk. He is doing amazing and has grown over a pound and 1 1/2 inches since birth. Take care!
If you have only had a problem for 24 hours, it does seem like you're giving up a little fast, maybe because you'd really rather not get locked into it? But the colostrum you have right now is like liquid gold for your baby. Talk to the lactation specialist at the hospital and see what can be done to get the baby back on the breast for at least as long as you still have colostrum, even if you don't want to breastfeed. The colostrum is done rather quickly, so you wouldn't be stuck breastfeeding forever if the baby does learn to latch back on. In the meantime, remember that it's not either-or, you can bottle feed the baby some formula and also breastfeed, and also pump some and have it on hand for bottle feedings. Good luck. Formula isn't as good for your baby as breast milk, but it's not horrible. It just tastes like it. lol