Hi Ladies,

Hope you are all keeping well.
My dilema is: Since having my baby 3 weeks ago I have been breastfeeding as much as possible but baby still seems hungry, so we topped him up with baby milk as I seem to feel empty after about 15-20 mins.
Last monday we took him to the doc's as he had thrush in his mouth, due to me taking antibiotics for the past 2 & 1/2 weeks after my C-section. I haven't breastfed him since as I thought it would make him worse?
I really don't think I've got him to latch on properly too as I get a stinging sensation during feeding.
I so badly want to breastfeed and get it right....HELP!!!!

Hi, we've had thrush too. I just kept feeding my LO as ususal. Are you treating your LO and yourself for the thrush? Is there someone you could ring to get help with your latch? My local sure start centre has a bf midwife who has helped us. Make sure your LO has enough of your breast in his/her mouth, not just your nipple. Hope you get it sorted out soon. x x x

FIrstly hun, if you want to carry on bfing then you have to start feeding him again NOW. At 3 weeks your supply is very fragile and by not feeding him since Monday you are effectively telling your body to stop producing milk. Feeding him won't make his thrush worse, but thrush will pass backwards and forwards between you and him unless you are both treated at the same time. The stinging you are describing sounds like it could just be your milk letting down, this gets better over time but can be quite painful for the first few weeks, it does normally only last for a few seconds though. It is tottaly normal for your breast to feel empty after 15-20 mins however it doesn't mean that you have actually run out of milk as your breasts will continue to make more while your lo is feeding. I would try and stop topping up as if you are stopping the feed after 15 mins and giving formula your body will never adjust to make enough to keep your lo full. You would be better to let your lo feed for as long as he wants on one side, let him stop by himself, and then offer him the other side for as long as he wants. This way he WILL get enough milk and you will find your body adjusts to produce the amount he need.
Do you have a bfing friendly midwife or anyone you could talk to? Or maybe phone the NCT breastfeeding line for support, I found them very helpful
Good luck hun,
xxx

Hey hun

I had this problem, jack always seemed hungry after a feed and at some points was feeding constantly for hours. Jack lost lots of weight and the hv advised to top up with bottles. which seemed to work well. Except he would suck on teh breat for 30 mins then take 4oz of the bottle so the hv and i agreed he proberly wasnt getting the hindmilk from me. Eventually Jack stopped taking the breast as he started to prefer the bottle as it had a better supply and if im honest i gave up as i couldnt sit for hours feeding with no break and a screaming baby!
On refelction i wish i had never given bottles as i think that was the end of breastfeeding for us. I wish i had fed more in the early days as jack would sleep for hours and not get a feed and the midwifes told me not to wake him but really in the first week i should have woken him every 2 hours to feed him to build up my supply as when he needed it it wasnt there (although i dont know that). The midwife thought i had more foremilk then hindmilk so jack was only getting the foremilk.
If you wanna contine to breastfeed let him suck for as long as he wants and very often to build your supply and try to cut out the bottles. But it is hard i gave up to soon really and regret it now. I also didnt seek extra support which i should have done too.
Good luck and keep at it!!!xxx

Thank you to all of you for your support. I really need it! This is my 5th baby now and I feel really silly that I can't get it right. I gave up too easily before with my others then spent weeks crying about it.
I will contact a breastfeeding specialist I met at the hospital and ask for help. I remember she gave me her contact number, so I should really use it now before its too late.
Once again thanks and keep in contact....
xxx

I think Bedhead covered everything, but just to add the stinging sensation is probably a symptom of the thrush and will go away when the thrush clears up. Do keep feeding off the breast with thrush. It is agony but it does help and it will keep your supply up.

If treated properly the thrush should clear in about 2 weeks. I found that feeding was much easier once it had - even easier than it had been before I got infected.

Good luck! I hope you get the advice and support you need from the hospital.