Is it too late?

[xtrance]

I had my baby boy on July 1st..he was EBF for the first few weeks. Then I started supplementing with formula at night basically because I was exhausted. He was eating every 1.5 - 2 hours, and I was having a hard time also caring for my 3 yr old. As time went on he was having problems with his eating, crying while eating, at breast and bottle, and the cluster feeds were going all through out the day.

He is now 8 weeks and has been diagnosed with mild reflux. Once his medicine starts working and he is finally enjoying a meal I was wondering if its possible to get back to full time breastfeeding. If I nurse as much as he wants will my milk come back enough to meet his needs? Right now he is nursed through out the day and gets formula in the evening and at night.

Thanks in advance!

[Nipple_nectar]

It is certainly not too late:) We can help you wean from formula, if you like. Congrats on your new son and welcome to the boards!

I wouldn't hesitate another moment though, the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes. Your biggest obstacle may be nipple confusion: www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_confusion.html I would stop using all artificial nipples immediately, that includes nipples/bottles and pacifiers.

Most importantly: EVERY TIME YOUR BABY EATS, YOUR BREASTS MUST BE INVOLVED!

Baby needs to get all sucking needs met at the breast. If you want to supplement, using a SNS like www.lact-aid.com , a supplemental nursing system will not hamper your intentions of getting baby to the breast full time. You need to choose a BFing friendly feeding alternative: www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/alternative-feeding.html

Weaning from formula can be tricky, don't be tricked by baby's annoyance of change, there may be alot of hysterics involved and you will feel compelled to feed the baby to quiet him, I strongly recommend that you get a professional to help you monitor this process closely. You can get a lactation consultant to help you gauge How much breast milk baby is getting and how much formula baby actually needs.

Newborns have an insatiable need to suck and can be chronic complainers, especially babies with reflux. Don't be tempted to quiet baby with anything but the breast, offer it often and allow baby to stay on it as long as he likes. Offering a bottle to a breastfed baby, who is used to sucking hard and working for the meal~ will often overeat when eating from a bottle as sucking down a full bottle of formula will happen rather quickly compared to nursing at the breast and allowing enough time to pass for baby to get the "full" feeling. It is not unusual for a full baby to drink anyway to meet his sucking needs.

Reading The happiest baby on the block by Dr. Harvey Karp will help you better understand infant communication. I recommend that you offer the breast every two hours at minimum and following every nursing session, pump both breasts for a minimum of ten minutes until baby is nursing full time. You should rent a hospital grade pump to develop a strong supply, these pumps are stronger and designed for all day use. Do you think you can meet the rigorous demands of this schedule? You mentioned a three year old, we can give you suggestions for help with that, if you like.

Getting baby back to the breast full time can be a daunting task but it will pay off in the long run! www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html You can also check out a boot camp link for re-lactation at www.fourfriends.com/abrw

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/index.html

[xtrance]

Perfect!! Thats exactly what I needed to hear. Starting last night for his 3 am feeding all he has had is me for food. Luckily for me in this case he hasnt shown any nipple confusion. He has a great latch and does wonderfully. I guess my biggest worry is him getting enough to eat, but I guess with him eating so frequently he will meet his needs. We also started his medication this morning, so I am anxiously looking forward to their results.
I am pretty sure I have a handle on my 3 yr old now. At first it was just all way too overwhelming. I am going to look into renting a pump this afternoon. I do have one, but its not meant for all day use.
Thanks a MILLION for all the great links, information and welcoming me to the board. [/B]

[Nipple_nectar]

I too, had a three year old and a reflux baby, hang in there nursin momma! Him having a great latch is a blessing, it sounds like you will do fine. Just keep an eye on his diapers and offer the breast every time he squeaks;-)