Has this happened to anyone?
I got the first BM on day 4 after delivering my baby. By that time he got used to the bottle and refused to accept breast. After several attempts when he latched on the milk came out only in drops not a flow. So again he was not interested in taking that.
I never had engorgement (except the first time) or felt the necessity to feed him, but kept on trying till 2 months. Tried pumping, fenugreek and all home remedies, nothing increased the BM.
I have talked to many women and came to know of many such cases. But all the Magazines say BM increases with demand. Now after 8 months, I still feel disheartened about the fact about not being able to Breastfeed him.
I just wanted to know if there is anyone else with the same condition so that I can at least feel not guilty for this and this could happen to anyone.
By God's grace, my baby is really a very healthy and happy boy.
nandini replied. hi ,
my daughter is 5 months old now n im guilty 4 not bf her.actually she did not latch on 4 the initial few days n got used to the avent bootle.she gets frustrated n cries if i try to bf her n she starts crying n vomits everything if i try to bf.im pumping 2-3 times a day.but my milk supply is very low.i tried bootle gourd,cumin,fenugreek,garlic.but nothing worked.she is formula fed most of the time n im very depressed.ive started her on solids n hope she does well with it. padma replied. Asmita,
It happend to me? I gave him little bit of colustrum and 2 times BM inthe hospital. After coming back to home he did not latch on me. because It took me to get BM for one day and he is so hungry and I have flat nipples so it is hard him to latch. I tried pumping and it become a habit. for two months I pumped for each feeding. Soem feedings if it was not sufficient I used to supplement with formula. After 2 months I have to go to work I pumped at work 2 to 3 times in a day. I did it for 7 months. I felt guilty lot of times that I could not breast feed him. When ever I discuss with my friends I got comments that I did not do it properly. I stopped discussing this with any one. My husband never complained about it. He has seen how hard I tried. Touch wood..my baby is now 18 months and he is healthy and active compared to the babies who had BM for one year. And he got his first ear infection when he was 14 months.
So don't worry. I know that the gulty feeling will be there, but when you look at them active you will forget every thing. Don't discuss with any one who don't understand. If it happens to them then only they know. Lata replied. I know what u must have felt. I feel so guilty and terrible myself. My daughter had jaundice when she was born and the doctors said she sud be given formula instead of breast milk for a few days. Though I did feed her on the colostrum and pumped milk in the hospital, I never fed her directly in the initial 7-8 days.

The milk supply was also very less from the beginning and when I started to nurse her she would suck for almost 4-50 minutes and still be hungry and would cry. After a few days she refused to latch on to me. I then shifted to pumping 5-6 times a day. The milk supply did increase and though it wasnt enough for her and I had to supplement it with formula but atleast she was 50-60% on breastmilk.

When she was 4 months old the milk supply began to diminish and however hard I may try I could hardly pump out any milk. I had been taking cumin (jeera) seeds and daliya from her birth to increase milk supply, now I stared taking fenugreek (methi) seeds too. But nothing helped and I was frustrated by the time she was 5 months old.

I even had arguments with my husband who thaught I wasnt trying enough.

I consulted my doctor and she said that I could stop pumping and put her wholly on formula. So for the last 15 days I am not pumping. Though there are no sore nipples and less frustration but I still feel guilty and apprehensive. I keep browsing sites to find if formula is ok for my baby but they all say that no formula can be as good as breatmilk and it adds to my guilt.

I dont know what to do, I did try my best. The only relief is that my baby is healthy and active. geetika replied. you know wot same case was with me and once he developed the bottle habit he never was interested in my BM, but i use to make sure that whenever i m feeding him even from bottle i take him in to my lap close to my heart and than give him so that there is a little feeling of BF,till date also i take him in to my lap than feed him.though everywhere they say is BM is best but wot can we do we tried our level beast and formula feed is far far better than dairy milk so again its fine if our son had formula feed.dont worry GOD BLESS YOUR SON prerna replied. lack of BM can also be hereditary. also it could be bcos of stress in the mother, or increased anxiety levels. all this can lead to reduced/nill BM. try to keep calm and composed and try pumping milk once again in a relaxed state preferable alone in the room. also place a warm towel over your breast for mins before u feed or express milk . consume bottle gourd (lowki /doodhi) vegetable..it is knwn to be rich in milk..
hope this helps. let me knw if any change mandn replied. you can get all the info you need at kellymom . com.
before the milk coems in a mother has \";colatrum\";. this is very impt. for the baby. it helps the baby pass muconium. it has all the antibodies that the baby needs. it is thick yewllow and is present in very little quantity. so for the first few days a baby will only drink this. the baby has to learn tolatch properly and work harder to get thi smilk than the milk that comes in afterword. if you gave him a bottle initialy the baby devlped a nipple preference.a bottle is easier to drink from. if u r a first tiem mother, then help from a lactation consultant is very helpful in getting you can also use a pump to restore yoru supply.
heer are a couple fo helpful sutes-
parentingDOTcom - you can look atheir breastfeeding board under \";community\";.
breastfeedingDOTcom.

You can also look at using some accessories like a nipple shield and supplemnetary nursing system at medelaDOTcom that help with latching.
This does happen to a lot of first time mothers.