Feeding my son breast or bottle?

Question

i have been breastfeeding for 2 weeks now, my breast as so sore and cracked that they bleed and its hard to wear a bra, ive been thinking about starting to bottle feed him but i feel as if im not giving him the best start in life if i stop, i feel like a bad mom for even thinking about bottle feeding...any advice?

Answer 1

I assure you that you are going through the most difficult part right now and if you decide to stick it out, it will be over very soon and you won't regret it.   A lactation consultant can help w/ any latch problems.

ETA: Ayo & Shell Z have obviously never had to pump exclusively.  DON'T take that advice unless it's a last resort, trust me!!!!!!

You can make a solution w/ lanolin, peroxide, and neosporin and apply, just make sure to wipe it off before nursing.  It will help heal your nipples within a couple of days.

Answer 2

your not a bad mum if you stop. I tried to breast feed my baby in the hospital and i have really sensative nipples and the nurse's wasnt all that supportive one said. youve got red hair you have sensative skin which means you have sensative nipples so you cant breasfeed. I just burst out crying when she went. Then another nurse said to me, your babys going to starve if you dont decide what to do quickly. So i bottle fed him and hes happy and im happy i would of liked to breastfeed but im not beating my self up about it. It did hurt when i did it so i guess i saved my self a lot of bother and upset. Do what you feel is best.

Answer 3

Thinking about bottle feeding doens't make you a bad mom.

Bottle feeding doesn't make you a bad mom.

However, if you do want to continue breastfeeding (and I'm sure you know it's best for baby, and for you), I would look into WHY  you are so sore, and try to treat the problem.  Extreme soreness/cracking usually means that baby is latching poorly. You need to contact a lactation consultant who can work with you and your baby to determine what's wrong, and how best to fix it.  

Answer 4

I'll try to stay off my soap box here but to let you know I truly do feel that "breast is best." However, I also know how miserable it can be in the beginning. I just had my third baby 11 days ago and boy were things painful for a while. I did not experience sore nipples with my other two children so I was beside myself! It turned out that she was tongue tied and it was not allowing her to latch on correctly. We clipped her tongue last Tuesday and by two days later I felt a difference. As of today, I have no pain at all. Now I'm not saying that your problem is a tongue tied baby but it very well could be that he isn't latching on correctly. The best thing to do at this point would be to contact a lactation consultant (call the hospital where you delivered) or get in touch with your local La Leche League leader. They can be VERY helpful and you can locate them easily on the internet. If you do choose to bottle feed, don't let it get you down. We do what we have to do as mothers and it definitely does not make you a bad mother.    

Answer 5

You have to do whats best for you and your baby. That does not make you a bad mom. I was the same, breastfeed for 2 weeks then stopped. Sometimes I regret it (Ill be honest) but, I just have to think back and remember how it just was not working. I felt like I couldn't feed my baby enough. Do what you need to do to feed your baby. Yes, breast is the 'best' but I dont think there is anything wrong with formula either. Plenty of babies thrive on it. Mine is...

Answer 6

Your uncertainty in starting formula is coming from a good place.  Formula fed infants have seven times the mortality rate of breastfed infants.  Yes, many, many babies do fine on formula, but the facts are the facts.

You're only 2 weeks into it.  I'm sure you can handle whatever life throws at you for the sake of your baby's health, can't you?

To help alleviate the problem, get some Lansinoh.  It will help relieve the cracking and soreness, it's made especially for breastfeeding moms so you don't have to wash it off.  Avoid washing your nipples, especially with soap.  

See a lactation consultant to be sure your baby is latching on correctly.

I had constant and severe pain for over two months.  Then my skin seemed to "toughen up" a little and it was not painful anymore and I ended up nursing for just over 2 years.  I'm horrible with pain, I've passed out during a pedicure!  If I can take nearly 3 months of pain, I'm sure you can make it too!

Answer 7

Whatever you decide to do you are not a bad mom.  I would say try and stick it out for a few more months.  Your nipples will heal and it will ge a little easier.  But even if you decide to quit now you are not a bad mom, some babies don't get any breastmilk.  Have you tried just pumping and bottle feeding so he is still getting your milk???

Answer 8

I felt exactly the same way!!! My son is 3 months old now and still breast feeding, but we got off to a rocky start! My Dr. told me to stop BF and pump for 2 weeks to get myself healed up. I rented an electric pump for 1 month and it worked great. I healed, my baby grew and got better at feeding. I know the frustration you're going through and I encourage you to keep at it! The time so close to your baby will be great! But hey...if it doesn't work out that is okay too, your baby will be just fine :) Best Wishes!

Answer 9

You are not a bad mother! Many women have this problem. My nephew was only breast fed for about a week before my sister in law had to switch to the bottle. My friends kid has been bottle fed since day one once they got home because breast feeding in the hospital the few days they were there was extremely painful. There are a lot of formulas out there and I'm sure you have done a lot of research about it already. Don't even consider yourself to be a bad mom, I can't believe you've let it come to your b*****s actually bleeding before considering the switch! You must be very devoted. Good luck  

Answer 10

First thing is to meet with a lactation consultant to ensure that he is latching on correctly, a good latch should not cause that much pain. You can try nipple shields for a while, they are a silicone cover that will help you to keep nursing but give your nipples a break. The first few weeks of breastfeeding are hard, but they pass quickly and its all smooth sailing after. Don;t give up, you can do this!!!! Breastfeeding my babies was one of my happiest memories.  

Answer 11

Yes go back in time 2 weeks and get the help you needed instead of letting it get to this point.

If you get the help you need today to get your baby to latch on properly then your nipples will heal and you will no longer have pain.

La Leche League

FREE in person breastfeeding support and meetings

International: http://www.llli.org/webindex.html

USA: 1-877-4-LaLeche

IBLCE - International Board of Lactation Consultants Examiners

Listings

http://www.iblce.org/

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/03a-sore_...

ntroduction

The best treatment of sore nipples is prevention. The best prevention is getting the baby to latch on properly from the first day.

Sore nipples are usually due to one or both of two causes. Either the baby is not positioned and latched properly, or the baby is not suckling properly, or both. However, babies learn to suck properly by getting milk from the breast when they are latched on well. (They learn by doing). Thus, “suck” problems are often caused by poor latching on. Fungal infection (due to Candida albicans) may also cause sore nipples. The soreness caused by poor latching and ineffective suckling hurts most as you latch the baby on and usually improves as the baby nurses. The pain from the fungal infection goes on throughout the feed and may continue even after the feed is over. Women describe knifelike pain from the first two causes. The pain of the fungal infection is often described as burning, but may not have this character. A new onset of nipple pain when feedings had previously been painless is a tip off that the pain may be due to a yeast infection, but the pain may be superimposed on pain due to other causes. Cracks may be due to a yeast infection. Dermatologic conditions may also cause late onset nipple pain. There are several other causes of sore nipples.

Proper Positioning and Latching (see also the handout When Latching)

It is not uncommon for women to experience difficulty positioning and latching the baby on. Proper positioning facilitates a good latch and good latching reduces the baby's chances of becoming "gassy", and also allows the baby to control the flow of milk. Thus, poor latching may also result in the baby not gaining adequately, or feeding frequently, or being colicky (handout #2 Colic in the Breastfed Baby). See also www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html for videos that show how to latch a baby on, how to know a baby is getting milk and how to use compression.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/...

ealing Tips for Nipple Cracks or Abrasions

By Kelly Bonyata, BS, IBCLC

The following measures can be very helpful if the skin on the nipple is broken for any reason (cracked nipple due to improper latch or thrush, a bite, milk blister, etc.).

Keep in mind that one of the most important factors in healing is to correct the source of the problem.

Continue to work on correct latch and positioning, thrush treatment, etc. as you treat the symptoms, and talk to a La Leche League Leader and/or board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) if what you're doing is not working.

Answer 12

Congratulations on your new baby! The first few weeks are so difficult. Have you been in contact with a lactation consultant? I was on the phone to mine about everyday. You need all the support you can get. The lacatation consultant  will be able to figure out why your nipples are cracked. Hang in their I know you can do it!

Answer 13

This is a call that you need to make.  I was in the same situation with my daughter.  I bled with every feeding and even tried pumping with no luck.  My Dr. finally told me to stop because there was more blood than milk.  He said that my daughter was too rough and it was crazy to hurt myself and cry every time I tries to breast feed.  LCs were no help. . .they just made me feel bad (like I was doing something wrong) and no matter what they advised me to do it didn't work.  My daughter is 5 yrs and a healthy, happy, intelligent little girl with no problems. With my second I had no problems breast feeding or pumping.  

Answer 14

I had the exact same issues with my oldest!  But I stuck to it and it got much much better.  The first month or so your baby is still learning how to nurse, the cracked nipples is from him not latching correctly.

As soon as he starts latching correctly, your nipples will heal and it will not be painful what so ever.

Tricks I used to heal my nipples quickly is lansinol cream, I could not live with out it.  Also, the breast milk itself has medicinal qualities, just rub it around the nipple and allow it to air dry.

I would suggest you go to a breast feeding clinic or contact a latch league to help you through this.  They have a fountain of information and they will teach you to nurse your baby and will give you tips and tricks to make this experience positive for you.

Good luck!

Answer 15

The pain in breastfeeding will start to go away now. Use lanolin on your nipples and within a week or 2 they should be all healed up. Once your baby perfects his latch it will no longer hurt.

Answer 16

If i were you i would actualy start pumping the breast and when hes hungry feed him the milk that was pumped earlier. make a few bottles to be ready. but remember if you stop for a while(few days) your body will stop producing milk.