The bf issue- Dont beat yourselves up... They say Bfing comes naturally, but I am yet to meet one mother that this has happened to. With DD i tried for 3 and a half weeks to get her to latch, which she refused to do and would get so upset and distraut that I decided the bottle was best, esp seen as I had a low supply. She did ok on the bottle, and we realised that her lack of food intake was due to her illness to. But it was a case of if I kept trying to BF she would have failed to thrive, and the stress it caused me was horrific, I would cry every time I tried and failed- which was alot, and ended up with PND. So what I am saying is that BFing does not work for everyone, I have even known ladies that have hired a LC for all three of her babies and was not successful once. Keep your chins up, and do whatever makes you feel comfortable and happy, dont worry about the hype that breast is best, as many a babies have thrived on either BF or FF.
Good to hear that others are sharing the BF journey (struggle). Today one of the midwives from the hospital came to visit and we told her the trouble I have been having. She suggested I try a nipple shield and it is really helping. Cade is attaching much better and he is not refusing me any more, which is a relief. I still top-up with formula after he has had a go and I also express after each feed but all up today I have expressed 100mL which is the best I have done so far. That will go towards the middle of the night feed that DP will give him. It's boosted my confidence to keep trying.
How is everyone else sleeping? And eating for that matter. I find the day goes so quickly that I'm not getting a chance to eat. I feel hungry all the time but then something else needs to be done and I forget to eat. I NEVER forget to eat, ever. so this is new to me. I don't feel like cooking and DP is doing so much already that I wouldn't expect him to take that on as well so last night was toast with cheese and some ham. Tonight I think my SIL is bringing something. I think I will have to get my act together tomorrow as DP has to work and I want him to have something nice to eat when he gets home.
Pumpgirl - I haven't been to the shop yet as we only got home from hospital yesterday and time has just flown by. Plus because of the C-Section I can't drive for 6 weeks so going to the shop is on the backburner for now. Also we have been inundated with gifts and well-wishers and I'm feeling a little fragile and I don't think I can handle being swamped with people wanting to check Cade out just yet so we might go and visit next week when, hopefully, things have settled down a bit.
Aussie- glad to hear someone suggested an option for you that has proved successful and made you feel more confident.
Its worth exploring every avenue.
re: nipple shield
my empathy - unfortunately when using the breast pump for the first time at the LC yesterday, the pump/suck was set to too high and my nipple really hurt afterwards.... it's still hurting today, and i kinda wince when i see bubba coming for the breast. have been rubbing the wonder creme on it (thanks for reminding myself now)....
re: sleeping
i'm sleeping FANTASTIC now that barney is supplementing 50/50 - he's finally getting full now, before he was on the boob for hours and hours on end, now he pretty much wakes to feed, then conks out overnight (with one feed)..... this was just last night though - let's see what happens tonight
re: eating
i was a food lover before but now i'm absolutely RAVENOUS (or ravishing, as i sometimes say ... my tip is to boil some hard-boiled eggs in the morning - they're a great snack, and get hubby to buy some protein-rich snacks, like nuts, muesli/health bars - and have them on hand, near your feeding chair. also it helps to have dinner/lunch made up ahead - if anyone offers to help you out, ask them to make a casserole. if/when you get time to make your own food, make big batches that you can refrigerate/freeze for future meals.
Re: nipple shield - I am with you, I have been using one since day 3. At the advice of shar, I tried her without the shield today and she sucked for 10 minutes or so, will continue to try at every feed, she only gave me 20 mins on the boob b4 she screamed her lungs out and so i gave in and gave her EBM - weak i know, I just cant bear her crying for too long...
Re: sleeping - Willow is a good night sleeper, often unsettled for periods through the day, but she is pretty good at night, I put it down to a good night routine my LC suggested... 9pm feed, then bath, them top up feed, then bed at 10.30. she wakes btw 2-3 then again at 6-7, so not too bad. DH gives her bottle at graveyard shift whilst I express...
Re: eating, its very hard the time to buy food and make it, we havent been eating the best, but are making do.
I am loving it though
Happy one week Barney, i cant believe Willow is 3 weeks today!!! Its all going too fast...
Today has been a good day for Cade and I. DP had to go to work today so I was a little anxious about doing it all on my own but we have had success.
My best friend, her two kids and her Mother came to visit at 10am this morning. They bought cake and also a meal for our dinner tonight. BF's Mum made the most beautiful blanket for cade it is all hand embroidered and would have taken many, many hours to make. I have to say I cried when I saw it.
Cade has been feeding well and sleeping pretty well today. At one feed today, using the nipple shield, he feed on one side for 1/2 an hour. That is the longest yet since he was born. I got excited and thought that maybe he had had enough to eat so I put him in the pram and took him for a short walk. Before long he was crying and making all his hungry noises and shoving his hands in his mouth so I took him back home and feed him his top-up feed. I find it very hard to know how much he gets from the boob each feed.
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... my tip is to boil some hard-boiled eggs in the morning - they're a great snack, and get hubby to buy some protein-rich snacks, like nuts, muesli/health bars - and have them on hand, near your feeding chair. also it helps to have dinner/lunch made up ahead - if anyone offers to help you out, ask them to make a casserole. if/when you get time to make your own food, make big batches that you can refrigerate/freeze for future meals. 
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