trouble positioning & attaching - big BB's & short arms!

[Kmn]

Belfie,
Another option, if your insurance will cover it, is a lactation day stay session. I went to one at Jessie Mac (the private bit of Monash Med Centre), and it was really helpful. It's 2 or 3 mums and their bubs, an LC for the day, meals and comfy chairs provided, and essentially a determination to get things to improve - with the time to try several things over several feeds. They run them every couple of weeks, as they get Mum's together - so if you are interested, give them a ring soon, and they can let you know when the next one is.
hugs
Kate

[belfie]

Thanks for the encouragement ladies.

Firstly... I made it to 6 weeks... YAAAAAAY!
Secondly - Kmn, I was booked into a lactation clinic at Mitcham Private but it got cancelled and there were no other dates offered, so I ended up going with the private LC instead... so I think we'll keep doing that for the moment, but good to know re Jesse Mac.
Jennifer13 - you are so right I WAS/AM doubting myself. Have resolved to do a couple of things...
Firstly - believe in myself (no doubting the belfie!)

Secondly - put up or shut-up. I really want to be less stressed about this... either it works and we attach well or we bottlefeed... happily! I don't want to put myself through the ringer about this. I've been doing bottle feeds overnight and expressing as I'm finding that we're much more efficient and happier doing that. If I was attempting the BB's unsuccessfully THEN bottle THEN expressing it was taking YONKS! (and I was getting upset). Now in the daytime we're trying the BB's and we both have a better success rate and less upset on my part.

Thirdly - spoke to my LC today (I'd been procrastinating ringing her). She's coming out next week and we'll try some shield-less attaching. BF'ing is really really inconsistent at present. Just when I'm despairing (and post here!) suddenly we'll have awesome feeds for a few days... but overall our trend of BF'ing versus bottle is going the wrong direction which is not what I was expecting/hoping for at this stage. He tends to leak lots of milk when he's feeding, no matter how well he seems to be attached! The nipple is good shape, the position is good, he's happy - I can't seem to attach him any better.. but he's dripping milk out the side (which suggests he's NOT attached well). Plus he's a very snuffly/snorty baby so I don't know if that's playing a part with how he's feeding - I feel he's opening his mouth to breath and dribbling lots. So my LC is going to look at that. Plus he's sometimes had ages on the breast then is still hungry and getting frustrated so I can't get him back on happily, then we end up doing top-ups. But on the bright side, I'm really starting to realise that the bad patches don't last for ever (even though the good patches don't either haha!) so everything passes and that helps me to feel less stressed.

Eep this is turning into my blog at this rate! But thanks for reading and the support. We're hanging in there! (oh and the TMI stuff is getting better too, so that's good).

[Nelle]

Yay Belfie!! Just flying by, I've had a snuffly baby and sometimes saline solution in their noses (like Fess) 10mins before helped them breathe.

And Si sometimes leaks milk, he doesn't have great attachment but it doesn't matter for him because I think I flow really fast into his mouth. I actually think if he attached 'properly' like his brother did, he'd be overwhelmed, I think his way of attaching holds back the flow a bit? Is it possible that you have generous supply? The arching back I read a few posts back could be that too - Si used to pull off just as I was letting down (annoying) if I insisted on him attaching the textbook way, I guess he'd get overwhelmed...so I started leaning right back at the start of the feed.

Anyway, besides all my ramblings, well done for keeping on, you are doing so well (and from your pics, he is gorgeous)!

[Beaksie]

Hi Belfie. Just wanted to drop by and see how it's all going. Sorry you're still having an issue with attachment. It's hard isnt it?? Well done on your persistence though. I reckon if you can hang in there it will get better. Most people say the first 6 weeks are the hardest. Anyway, keep up the good work (I sound like a school teacher ), and take care xx

[[M]umma[M]ia]

hey hun..

u are doing such a great job..

im sure u have seen my thread in here about all the trouble im having with BFing..

U are pure inspiration to me i swear. Im thinking that i might give Mia some EBM before a feed to, just to calm her down. Tho it doesnt really help her sleeping issues.

Sorry to jump in on this thread. just letting u know im sooooo proud of u! u are a great mummy!

[belfie]

Aaaw Hollye aren't u a sweetie! I feel like such a fraud when I read your lovely comments , cos I've just decided to give myself a break for the rest of the weekend - so we're going EBM. So I don't feel I deserve any praise at all. But... he is much more miserable & screaming when I BF him compared to the bottle so neither of us are enjoying BF'ing at present.... but with the EBM he's a cute snuggly gorgeous little smiley man. So here's hoping the LC can get us back on track on Monday. We're going to have a bath and lots of cuddles and enjoy each other in the interim. It's funny that I don't feel I deserve your praise because it's not working for us at present. Silly me. I guess I'm being too hard on myself (that's what DH says) but it's just so frustrating!!!

Beaksie, thanks so much - and oooh can't wait to hear your announcement

Nelle - I've been using FESS but not before a feed, usually part-way through (it helps wake him up as he doesn't like it at all & snorts madly - so cute/funny). Once I'm feeling brave enough to BF again, I'll take extra special note of if he's feeding better afterwards.

Sooo.. I'm crossing my fingers for some magically brilliant shield-less attaching on Monday... even though I know it's not likely to be that easy. Oh well. Another day... another boob... or something like that!

[SamiH]

Belfie - hang in there hun - it really is hard to see through the haze when you get in a sleep deprived funk - it does get easier really soon

You've done so well in weighing up your options and stuck with expressing and BF when of course it seems much easier to go bottle when times are tough - well done!