Feeling Rubbish

[Whataname]

Hi...I am new here..looking for some advice...Sorry for the long post...I have a 5 week old baby and all through the pregnancy I hoped and prayed that I should be able to breastfeed my baby and now its completely the opposite.I had to give her formula on the second day as I couldnt stand her screaming her head off.Hubby was more desperate to stop the crying.Moreover we had a massive latching issue as I have flat nipples and multiple midwife appointments and breastfeeding support groups did not help with the latching problem.In the meanwhile baby was having formula almost 5 times a day.I was expressing as well but all that came out was merely a teaspoon amount.Followed the advise given by many with the hope something will work and I can breastfeed the my baby.HV finally referred me to Infant feeding Specialist and we have got our latching problem corrected and still working on it..But everytime I express or my baby sucks at the breasts I have a burning,pins and needles pain in my breast for sometime.Checked for thrush and took medication for that as well.I am desperately trying to build my supply as its already 5 weeks and I feel a total failure.I am eating oats for breakfast,drinking loads of water,tried various foods which people say helps with milk supply.Took garlic,fenugreek which made the baby and me suffer from wind and gas so had to stop it. I don't know what i am doing wrong that my milk supply is not up.Any advice is greatly appreciated to breastfeed completly.

PS:My baby has 90ml of expressed milk once in a day(expressed regularly throughout the day and collected amount).I put her on my breast every single time she wants to feed before offering her formula.Have lots of skin to skin contact.

Please help...............

[Seb9]

Hey, firstly you're doing fine, baby is fed and happy, take a minute to congratulate yourself that you're doing your best and do not beat yourself up.

You don't need to feel bad or guilty, breastfeeding is bloody hard work at the best of times, even more so when you've had latching issues and we're going through a global pandemic!

If she's gaining weight, having wet and dirty nappies then you're doing fine however you're feeding her.

If you want to move to exclusively breastfeeding and want to up your supply, the best thing is to keep feeding baby as much as you can from the breast.

One thing to remember about breast feeding is that you need the love hormone so the more you stress the harder it is for your body to make it.

The best thing to up your supply is feeding baby whenever she shows feeding cues, keep her at the breast as long as she'll feed for and I would personally say switch boobs if she gets fussy on one. I used to go back and forth on each boob a couple of times when she was having a big feed and was fussing lots.

A lot of times when she's fussing, crying and being irritable she's working to up your supply so let her keep going as long as you can and only give her the formula to up if you really have to,but don't feel you've failed if you do have to top her up, it's fine, don't stress about it.

Babies are hard, they cry a lot those first few weeks and they do not come with a manual, it does get better, hope the breastfeeding goes well, I'm a 11 months now with my little one and it does get easier xx

[Whataname in reply to Seb9]

Thank you Seb9. Words of encouragement makes wonders to the soul.

[Pook27]

The burning pins and needles is letdown feeling - mine was toe curling for the first few months, but it does get better. You are doing great, baby will grow happy and healthy however they are fed just make sure to prioritize your sanity.

[Whataname in reply to Pook27]

Thank you Pook27. The pins and needles pain are after feeding or after expressing. It stays for an hour or so before I feel the pain subsiding.