Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

I'm really bummed, I may have to stop breastfeeding...it's just reallllly hurting me maybe like half the time, it just kills...it sends shooting pains to my back, my head, everything. Plus, TMI, but it's like on one boob I have a scab that, after she nurses, is like a white film, and I'm scared that it will turn into an infection or something.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do, but if I wanted to/needed to stop breastfeeding, do I need to make an appt. with her pediatrician to go over how much formula/pumped milk I need to be feeding her and how often? Or do I just try to do it on my own?

Thanks

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Have you gone to your Dr? Does she maybe have thrush?

Feel better

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

If you decide to bottle feed (bm or formula) my suggestion would be t hold off on the pediatrician appt and try it on your own first. I would suggest giving your daughter a 4oz bottle to start and see how much is actually needed. By the end of a week I would think that you will know for sure how much she needs/wants at each feeding.

I can tell you what DS does - he is bottle fed BM.

At 2 weeks he ate 3oz
At 5 weeks he ate 4oz and has remained there (sometimes at night he eats less)

He also usually eats every three to four hours (used to be every 2 - 3)

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

It seems like the latch is not correct. It sounds like she is sucking on your nipple causing you pain. It could be thrush too. I would call the Dr.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Could you feed from the good breast and pump the other one until it gets better? Would pumping not cause as much pain and maybe not open up the scab? I had a huge gouge in one of my nipples for about 2.5 months. It never got infected but it hurt so bad!! It took forever to heal. In some positions, it didn't hurt nearly as much though. The football hold was the best for that breast. Maybe try a different hold with DC and see if that helps.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Definitely call your doctor and make an appt- it sounds like either thrush or an infection, or just improper latch.

Here is a link about thrush and breastfeeding moms.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Thanks so much ladies. So, I guess maybe I'll call the doc to make sure it's not an infection, don't want to be infecting her

Forgive my stupidity, but I'd call the pediatrician or my OBGYN? I doubt her ped looks at boobs, right? And then if I do have an infection, I'd go to her ped to have her checked for thrush or an infection? This is confusing

I just read the link posted above, and I did have antibiotics during labor & delivery due to a heart condition, so I guess it's worth looking into.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Posted by nbc188

Thanks so much ladies. So, I guess maybe I'll call the doc to make sure it's not an infection, don't want to be infecting her

Forgive my stupidity, but I'd call the pediatrician or my OBGYN? I doubt her ped looks at boobs, right? And then if I do have an infection, I'd go to her ped to have her checked for thrush or an infection? This is confusing

I just read the link posted above, and I did have antibiotics during labor & delivery due to a heart condition, so I guess it's worth looking into.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Have your boob checked by your ob and have her mouth checked out by her pediatrian. Although flashing your boob to the ped might get you in faster

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

If you're not ready to give up BFing definitely seek some help. I ended up meeting with an LC because I still experiencing pain while BFing at 5 wks PP. It felt like tiny knives were jabbing my nipples. The latch on my left side was horrendously painful, and I had a pretty bad scab on that side.

The woman I met with is also a pediatrician and does home visits. (My insurance covered the visit and I just had to make a co-pay.) She examined both me (for signs of infection) and the baby, she weighed him and observed us BFing. In my case, the construction of DS's mouth was causing him to loose suction and clamp down. The pain I was experiencing is called vasospasms. Unfortunately, my DS needed to grow bigger to outgrow this problem. And finally at 11 wks, I am beginning to enjoy pain-free nursing most of the time.

If BFing is something that you really want to do, I would find out the cause of your pain before completely giving up on it. If you want to investigate using my LC, you can FM me for information. (She's located in western Suffolk.)

GL

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Posted by MsMBV

Have you gone to your Dr? Does she maybe have thrush?

Feel better

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

It could be her latch causing pain as Breast Feeding ought to not be painful.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

It definately sounds like a shallow latch- I had this with DD and was diagnosed by my PED who asked to see me breast feed and examined my nipples- I don't know if that is the norm though. I would make an appointment with the ped right away first.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Thanks for all the advice gals. We took her to the ped tonight, and she doesn't have thrush or a temperature, so she's healthy, thankfully! But he did say not to feed more than 25 minutes at a time per breast...I have been doing full feedings on each breast because I thought it would be less wear & tear on my boobs. So, we'll see how it goes for the next few days. I have to think more about pumping, that's tomorrow's project if I can survive the pain again tonight.

She's gaining weight perfectly too, so she's at least getting enough to eat, which is reassuring.

Re: Going from BF to Pumping/Formula

Glad to know everything went OK!