I will definately try the stripping down to the vest thing, seeing as it's worked for so many of you!
Pennysbored, grats on baby Vincent btw I do feel a little better about using formula in that I'm using a minimal amount per day. I really do want to BF more than anything, I just didnt realise it would be so difficult... I'm lucky in that I'm getting no nipple pain (sensitive yes, painful no) and my breasts arent lumpy or sore. Me being naiive thought that nipple pain would be what got in the way of BFing but instead it's this! Soooo frustrating!

Big hugs to you! A sleepy baby can be a huge source of worry, and when it's combined with sleepiness in the mum, a very difficult and stressful experience.

I take it you've checked that supplementation really is necessary. A sleepy baby is often a sign that the baby is hungry, but have you counted nappies (6 wet, 3 dirty) a day? Weight? Colour of skin and fontenelle? eye brightness?

If baby is in need of supplementation there are lots of different ways of supplementing. One of the best ideas may be a supplemental nursing system which means baby still gets to be on the breast while getting the extra milk. http://www.lowmilksupply.org/abs.shtml. Otherwise you can use cup, syringe, eye dropper, or finger feeding.

If you can pump and feed baby EBM this is by far the best option. You need to, for your supply; and your EBM is better for baby than anything else including milk from a human milk bank. Can you rent a pump? Some pumps are better than others, and not all pumps work for all mums. The NCT hire pumps as does the ABM: 01634 815760. Hand expression is another option but it sounds like you've struggled with it thus far.

Blessings to you.

Melanie

Sorry to hear you're having problems

Like you i always imagined the most difficult part of breastfeeding would be getting the latch right and getting cracked sore nipples but neither have been a problem for us, Toby is an excellent little feeder but i find the hardest thing is when he just wants to feed constantly.

It happens now and again, we'll have a good day where he'll go 2-3 hours between feeds then it'll come to the evening and he'll just want the boob and nothing else constantly for hours at a time and i barely have time to go pee nevermind anything else

If it happens during the night when OH is asleep it feels really isolating and i have cried sometimes from sheer exhaustion. I also worry about falling asleep when feeding Toby in bed at night (because of the SIDS guidelines) and i know that when i have been really knackered i have dropped off to sleep a couple of times because i have woken up to find he has fallen off the boob and gone to sleep and that my boob has carried on leaking on to the bed sheets

We have a co-sleeper crib attached to our bed and it's a real life-saver as i don't have to move hardly to pick him up when he wakes for a feed, just reach over and scoop him up.

I also find what helps is just taking it one day at a time. I know it's cliche but i tell myself "every day makes a difference" and ever day we get through and manage to keep breastfeeding i can then feel good about, and now i look back and think "wow, we've been doing it 3 weeks!"

It sounds like you've had some really good advice from this thread about ways to keep Evie awake, so i'll keep my fingers crossed for you that you have some success with them.

Sending you lots of hugs

Well, the stripping her down to her vest didnt really help tbh. She just doesnt seem satisfied after a breastfeed, wether it's directly from the boob or expressed into a bottle. She latches on great, sucks great for a while and then will doze off, altho I gotta admit she's not nodding off quite so much today but she's still really restless after a breastfeed. I've spent pretty much most of today on the sofa with her and every time I think she's had enough (she comes off herself and is usually passed out bless her!) I'll put her down in her pram and 10 minutes later she's awake again and seems to be ravenous as she's sucking on everything that comes close to her mouth!!

Melanie F, she does plenty of wet nappies but doesnt do 3 dirty ones in a day. In fact she hasnt done a dirty one since yesterday. Her eyes (when they're open as she's mostly asleep!) are bright and she's always looking around. Her fontanelle has been very slightly sunken today and coupled with the lack of poo I thought she might be a touch dehydrated so for a couple of her many feeds today I've made sure she's got foremilk rather than hindmilk as I know this is the watery part of the milk. I shall be calling the MW tomorrow if this continues tho as I'm starting to get a little concerned that she really isnt thriving so well and is always fretful, and the only time she seems settled and content is after 2 or 3 ounces of Aptimil. I'm finding it really difficult right now to see the light at the end of the tunnel cos I dont like to see my little baby suffer like this, yet I so want to do the best by her

I appreciate this hun, some advice on what to do would be great, I'm really struggling right now!

You have to do what feels right for you, it is possible to combination feed - BF most of the time but give a bottle a day, but honestly if she's having wet nappies she's probably fine. A lot of babies are like this for the first few weeks, she'll soon start to settle down.

Don't worry about dirty nappies as BF babies can go for days without a dirty nappy, it's because breast milk is so nutritious that there's very little waste.

Just because she's sucking on things doesn't mean that she's starving, babies explore the world through their mouths. Even if she is hungry, it doesn't mean you're not producing enough, some babies just eat little but often - my first daughter was just like this, she still is. If you want to chat about it just PM me.

Mynx - I can't give you any useful advice as I am struggling but just wanted to give you this flower as I know what you are going through. xx

Wet nappies = foremilk, dirty nappies = hindmilk. Here's a useful guide to check to see if baby is getting enough: http://www.llli.org/FAQ/enough.html

Mel

Thanks for the link MelanieF, very interesting. I'm having a visit from the MW tomorrow so I will raise my concerns with her too.

Logan hasnt had a proper dirty nappy for couple of days now. Dont worry about that

If you feel you need to supplement a little bit once a day, even if its just go give yourself a break, theres nothing wrong with that. Although its best not to when they are so young, if it stops you giving up then surely thats better. It helped with me anyway and after a week id dropped the bottle and he was BF'ing exlusively. These first couple of weeks are the hardest but it does get easier (says me whos being driven mad by my little man whos back to constant feeding again! Hes had some formula tonight.. to keep my sanity!!)

Good luck with MW hun. You have to do whats best for you aswel as your baby. Dont feel your letting her down ever, no matter what desicion you make. She needs a happy mum not one that is stressed and upset all the time!

Simone xx