My daughter was born at 36w3d due to undiagnosed gestational diabetes which caused high blood pressure. She was 8lbs at birth. When she was born they checked her blood sugar and it was so low it was unregisterable. She spent the next 5 days in the NICU being bottle fed formula and my breast milk to keep her sugar up to a livable level while her body adjusted. During that time they didn’t let me nurse because she was burning too many calories every time we tried which made her exhausted and dropped her blood sugar further. We are now home and I was given the ok to start nursing. I now struggle so hard getting her to latch because she is used to latching to bottles. It’s very very exhausting mentally, emotionally, and physically trying to get her to nurse. Any advice to help reverse this issue would be greatly appreciated. I’m pumping 8 times a day round the clock per her doctors advice but I’d really like to nurse my baby.
Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Needing breastfeeding advice - Mamas Uncut
Contact a lactation consultant! It was a huuuuge help with my son. BF is hard. I just had my third baby and for the first time I think it’s going to work out the longest lol. My first had latch issues and I ended up exclusively pumping after a couple months.
My daughter spent 5 days in the NICU as well also for low blood sugar and ended up on a feeding tube. From the moment I got the go ahead to nurse I dropped bottles altogether. I did not give her any option but to nurse. It took about a day for her to adjust but my pediatrician said that would be the only way to for sure successfully transfer her back over. We then exclusively nursed until she was 14 months
Try a breast shield/nipple shield it should help getting her to latch
Just keep trying but in the end don’t be too hard on yourself if it doesn’t work. I would try a lactation consultant. My 33 weeker never figured it out, so it was less sress for us both to bottle feed. Good luck mama 
Can you dab a bit of honey on your nipple for first time and see if she might due to the taste I mean when my grandbaby wouldnt or even like a pacifier I dabbed honey on it and she took right away
Idk it might work just a suggestion
Buy a Nipple shield! From any pharmacy or sometimes baby isle at grocery store.
Advice given to me was, feed for 5 mins each side, then top up with breast milk from the bottle so it’s not tiring your baby out and burning calories.
Also look up how many mls your baby should be drinking as per their age as it changes a lot during first few months
Breast shield should help bridge the gap. Also you can try different positions…my first would only latch if I was holding him like a football but with his feet sticking out behind me.
Keep trying Momma it will happen for you and baby! Dont give up and try to stay positive babies can feel our emotions. Try to relax and let it happen.
Get nipple shields it helped with my daughter when she had nipple confusion
I do hope that your fine a solution.you poor mum,yes this would be very tiring for you.i wish you and your bubba the best.
Nipple shields were my saving grace the first month with both of my kids. It helps to either get a letdown going before latching your baby or filling the shield with milk to encourage baby to keep eating (my son would get discouraged when milk didn’t come right away lol)
I just had a baby in may who was tongue tied and the nipple shields worked wonders !
Thry this. You put it on ur breast and has a nipple like a bottle.
It’s hard to breast feed after they’ve been bottle spoiled. It can be done. You just need patience.
I used a nipple shield it helped.
My grandson was born at the same gestation & had the same issues. He’s about 1 month old & is only now strong enough to nurse more effectively between breastmilk bottles that are every 3 hrs. Give your baby more time to catch up due to their premature status! It will happen.
If you are on WIC they have Breast Feeding Peer Counselor to help you one on one . If you are on WIC the nutritionist should have asked you if you wanted to breastfeed. Ask if you wanted to sign up for the program. They gave Manuel pumps and electric pumps. I know because CI work in WIC
I went through the same thing with my youngest in the NICU for a week, it definitely makes it a challenge. But after a few days home he was a pro. Get help from a nurse if you need it. I just went to only nursing once we got home but he was my 3rd and he caught on quick. If he’s not able to latch at all, you could try nipple shields or get a nursing specialist in to help out. Good luck!
Make sure that you are relaxed and stay calm
If you are tense she gets anxious
Persevere hun. Don’t give up.
I would try to find a place that can help you, where I live there is a place called milk works and they have ladies that help you with nursing.
WIC will help, and your pediatrician may have a nurse that helps with this as well 
Nipple shield. Good luck💖
NIPPLE SHIELD!!! Eventually you’ll be able to wean her off of it and bf skin to skin
Try putting baby to breast more instead of pumping and try to stay calm when baby gets upset bc she will. breastfeeding is more work for baby as well. Good luck
First get the pumps that you just put in your bra…they pump while you wear them. Second let baby nurse ALWAYS Before you pump… You may have to use a nipple shield if she’s more comfortable with rubber nipple…you can slowly cut it away. Being a Momma is hard, your trying, that means your giving it your best effort. I for one think you are a great Momma.
Please please call the hospital lactation consultants. After my daughter was born she went from breast, to bottle with formula, to breast milk by bottle, and back to breast due to health issues for both of us. By the time she returned to breast she was confused and struggled to latch on. The nurse taped a small feeding tube to my breast and while she struggled to latch she received the breast milk via the feeding tube and a syringe. It was a God send! Seeing my baby so frustrated with breast feeding made me want to give up, but as a nurse myself, I knew it was best for her.
Nipple shields work really well
Force the issue. She is your child
Sounds like you’re doing everything you can. Breastfeeding is so hard, and every baby is different. Fed is best, no matter if it’s breastfeeding, formula or a mix of both. There should be lactation consultants at the hospital or your health centre that may be able to assist.
Get a brest pump & transfer into bottle !!
Nipple shield. Had to do it with my son. He had a lip tie so kept losing suction, (the seal) and the nipple shield helped. My daughter was sensitive to my breastmilk. I literally ate crackers and drank water to try and figure out what food or whatever and it was just milk in general, she’s sensitive to cows milk too.
They have nipple covers that look and feel like bottle I do believe
NIPPLE SHIELD ALL THE WAY! And the more she nurses the sooner she will adjust. Don’t do the “every 3 hours only” garbage. Nurse nurse nurse anytime she wants and your supply will thank you!
I’ve never had to use a bottle on ant of mine . so I am no help with transitioning from bottle to breast
But I do wish you the best hun
I do know with my oldest I had some trouble with him latching you just have to try different passions. He liked the football position best for example
I’m not super sure on the matter given I wasn’t able to breastfeed as I wanted but, to get my daughter to latch I ordered the rubber nipple shields that mimicked a bottle nipple.
May be worth a try!
My son was born 37 weeks at almost 9lbs… he also had the same sugar issue and spent time in the special care unit. I had to pump for him because I had covid and they wouldn’t let me take my ppe off to nurse him. When I took him home he wouldn’t latch. I would spend about 10 minutes trying to latch him every feeding and then move on to a bottle. I did that for every feed but also started transitioning into more breast like bottles. It took about 2 weeks of that to get him to latch and now he’s a little boobie gobbler 
My lactation consultant also suggested nipple shields, I never ended up trying them though.
Good luck and congratulations!
Try the minbie bottles, the add always shows up on my news feed lol it seems like they are meant for exactly this.
Just keep using the pump & at least you know exactly how much milk baby is getting "
Nipple shield or madela supplemental nursing system (teaches baby milk comes from breast) can buy on Amazon or a lactation consultant should have one.
Ruth Petrov, Ruth Jean Studenberg Petrov Can you help this lady get her baby to latch.
See a lactation consultant if breastfeeding is a must for you but fed is best dont feel as though your baby can’t be formula fed. I tried so hard and it was too mentally and physically exhausting.
Nipple shield.
My daughter was born at 37w and was pretty lethargic and barely latched. We fed her with a syringe in the hospital. The nipple shield really helped.
I did eventually exclusively pump bc it was easier for all of us and with me also being a student.
There’s also groups for breastfeeding moms. Breastfeeding HELP & SUPPORT with LOVE, Exclusively Pumping Mamas - Education & Support Group, Mommy 101. Those are the ones I’m apart of, and I’m sure there’s more. Hope you figure it out 
My daughter went through a similar issue. She pumped for a year.
Could you start to pump and prep your breast? So when your baby latches, she can get a let down right away??
Hi,
Check out and contact Mother Made Lactation !
Hey Ashley,
can you help this momma?
Use a haaka milk collector for a short time before you latch her it’ll draw your nipple out for easier latch
Use a nipple shield! It is amazing! You can use it as long as needed. After a while try having baby latch without it. If you need to use it longer that’s fine too! Pumping is exhausting! Try to nurse every 2-3 hours or on demand is the best way to up your supply. Once baby is nursing make sure you don’t ignore cluster feeding so your supply will grow with baby! Good luck
You can try the nipple shields. If you pump some and when the let down happens and the milks really flowing, put her on the breast. Also, don’t offer a pacifier and put her on the boob instead. People will have strong opinions on this, but CO sleep with her if you can. They sell these little things you can put in your bed that’s a little safer. I’m a super light sleeper and it was only us in the bed but just an idea. Give it time, lots of time. She’s gonna need to spend a lot of time at/on the breast. Hang in there. Believe she will get this. I’m pulling for you two!
I was told by my lactation consultant to stimulate your nipples to make them more prominent for baby so when they suck it feels more like a bottle rather than a boob to stimulated as they eat… If that makes sense. Sorry its hard to word 
best of luck mama! Sending loving vibes! 
Just keep at it if you feel that’s what’s right to do. There’s no shame in pumping and bottle feeding if that’s what’s necessary at some point. Congratulations and keep it up 
Yes try a nipple shield! It’s the only way I can nurse my baby
So I literally just went through this, use a nipple shield. I was in tears with how hard everything was, but the shield changed everything. I would say give it a few weeks of her off the bottle using the shield than slowly introduce your nipple without it. This is what I did and she latched perfectly at about a month, just a few weeks ago. 
She’s now ebf. Message me if you have any more questions
See a lactation consultant and don’t give up, it takes time for babies to learn how to latch properly too, best of luck muma
Try using a nipple shield it may help being similar to a bottle teat, l used them and they work great!
lactation consultant, maybe nipple shields, and just keep trying!
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Contact a lactation specialist in your area. They are valuable.
Definitely try a nipple guard. The unfortunate thing(had to experience this with both of my kids) once babies are introduced to a bottle, they become inpatient eaters when it comes to breastfeeding, because a bottle is MUCH easier to eat from, but don’t stop trying!
they should have cup fed your baby. She will get the hang of it. Try a nursing pillow and a football hold where she’s under your arm to feed. It makes it easier to get the latch and move them so the head’s at the right angle.
Try a shield and just keep trying mama it’s hard! Lots love and prayers
My pediatrician office has a lactation consultant on staff. Call yours up and see if they offer that or have recommendations for a lactation consultant.
I had to put my daughter on bottles (my milk let down was slow) I pumped for 4-5 weeks and gave my daughter expressed breastmilk and then tried again on the boob and my daughter took to it.
My advice is to pump for a couple more weeks wait for Bubs to get used to being at home and into routine and then, try the boob again when they are calm though (just before they are due for a feed so they are not starving while getting irritated at the boob).
google flipple technique…i would also google tongue tie and check your baby for it to rule it out. don’t ask a doctor first, most don’t know squat about ties. but the flipple technique works with a tongue tie baby, as well as a baby not tongue tied.
They make a nipple like contraption that you can put over your breast but will feel to her like a bottle.
First if you get to over whelmed and stressed your will not drop and you will slow breast milk I know if sounds impossible but just try snd relax take a breath it will be ok …. Second have you tried nipple Shields 
my daughter has a similar issue but the nipple shield honestly worked from transitioning back to the boob Walmart and a few other store keep in stalk normally pretty inexpensive a few dollars but I bet it will work second don’t get stressed and stop eating and drinking water 
you have to keep a high water intake up and lots of calories or milk will try and dry up due to stress levels I had horrible post baby blues and figured this out the hard way took forever to get my milk to come back in full but I can tell you this once you get it down it will be so easy you got this just a learning curve Make sure baby has a big mouth all the way open they like to do the tip of the Nipple like a bottle so your gonna have to get baby to open big the nurse taught me this finger trick to get baby to open bigger I’m sure their are YouTube videos
Put your finger inside her mouth together with your nipple
Nipple shield!!! I had one because my daughter also had trouble at first. It worked great! After using it for a while, she was finally able to latch onto just me.
Yeah a nipple shield or unfortunately just gotta keep trying and don’t give her a bottle
I would definitely be trying to put her to the breast as much as possible. Even if it’s after feeds. To help her learn how to latch. The more she has the bottle the less likely she is to latch correctly.
My youngest was born at 36 weeks and spent the first two in the NICU so I couldn’t try to latch him until a week old and we couldn’t switch to ebf until a month. Mine was small so it was hard for him at first to latch deep enough which caused him to not be able to suck hard enough at first to bf efficiently. I kept trying to latch him a few times a day making sure he opened as wide and he could to get him to latch as deep as he could. I also used premie sized nipples so he still had to work some to get the milk from a bottle. One tip I will give you, when you both do get the hang of latching don’t abruptly stop pumping! I switched without cutting back and struggled with my supply for weeks/months because of it. You will get it down! It just takes some extra times sometimes.
You can try a nipple shield, or go to a lactation specialist, but also be ready for the fact that it may not work. It doesn’t always. At that point you can either exclusively pump or do formula. Good luck!
My only advice is to make sure to have a pumped bottle ready just in case but to keep trying though
Stop putting yourself thru hell over your want to breastfeed, you’re already exhausted in every way just trying. It’s not worth it. Fed baby is happy baby
Keep trying. It’s a process. It’s a pain in the butt but eventually you guys wills get the hand of it. Make sure she’s opening wide and not just getting the nipple. You’ll get it.
I don’t have advice on that but just keep that skin to skin contact so you’ll keep producing
From personal experience, this sounds just like me when I had my first and forcing myself to nurse as an only option sent me into PPD.
It’s okay to pump and not nurse, especially if you think your babe isn’t getting enough to eat. The first two weeks are important for their weight gain.
Also, if you leave yourself engorged for too long you run the rush of developing mastitis and triggering your body to stop producing altogether.
You keep encouraging latching first. And then pump when she’s done. That way your supply stays consistent. Her tummy is only so big right now so she may not eat a ton. But as long as she’s gaining weight and making wet diapers she’s probably eating fine. Take a big deep breath! You can also call for a lactation consultation. They will help with all things breastfeeding related. Give them a call and they will set up an appt and they will check her latch and see if maybe she’s latching wrong and give you help to fix it.
She’s adjusting to this brand new world & her place in it just as you’re trying to adjust to your new world & your new responsibilities. Being a new parent is hard! This will pass. #1 keep latching her. Stay consistent. She’ll get the hang of it. Don’t give her another option like a bottle. It’s easier to get milk from a bottle than breast. She may just accept the easier option if it’s available. #2 when you wake up with hard breasts & she’s asleep pump. Get freezer bags & store it for later. #3 they make pads, reusable & disposable to protect your mattress. Use them! Otherwise you’ll be changing your bed through the night. It’s hard but you’ll be onto the next stage before you know it.
Pump that extra milk out and use nipple shields
I pump every 2 hours and just put some in the fridge and the freezer. My baby girl (2 weeks old) doesn’t like to latch sometimes (she is a picky girl about how she wants to eat). I just feed her the breastmilk by a bottle when she doesn’t want to latch. She is slowly getting used to latching on me (now that she is getting more used to being out of the womb). While in the womb she LOVED having her hands by her face, now she is slowly starting to keep her hands away
Yes mama I breast fed for 2 years and warm compress and pumping as much as you can. Freeze what she isn’t eating. Take a warm bath and massage. I had this same issue and it is excruciating. Good luck!
You need a lactation consult at your local hospital and a hand pump to end your engorgement.
Self express in a hot shower to release the pain and to reduce the risk of infection. Keep latching your baby and pump.
Try to get to a lactation consultant in the next couple of days (some even come to you). These first few weeks are crucial to establish a good latch and supply…and you actually shouldn’t pump this early if you don’t have to. All the Mama’s here have good intent but not all are going to have the best advice for you. This is one of those things that getting help from a professional (or maybe a friend who has successfully nursed) will make a world of difference. Good luck Mama, it’s a tough journey but so worth it!
P.s. nurse on demand! You are going to feel like a cow in the beginning. That’s normal!
My daughter was so tiny and my boobs were bigger than her head and super hard when they got overfull so she had a really hard time latching. Try to pump a little before you feed her or you can try using a nipple shield. See if you can find a local breastfeeding group that might be able to help you in person. For me the first week was pure h*ll but it did get easier for me and her. Don’t stress yourself out too much and remember that formula is an option. Don’t send yourself on a downhill path by over stressing yourself because that stresses baby out too which makes the whole situation even worse
Pumping doesnt really tell you how much youre actually producing. Be careful pumping so early, you could inadvertently give yourself an oversupply problem. This isn’t that uncommon, your milk is fully baby driven right now; the more baby nurses, the more your milk will flow. Supply and demand. It becomes a hormonal driven system around 6-8 weeks. Baby is going to do a lot of back-to-back nursing right now to help establish that supply, just roll with it. Get comfy, have snacks and drinks nearby and hunker down with baby. If you continue to feel like you’re having problems, reach out to a local LC (call the hospital you delivered at), they can help determine if you really are dealing with low supply by doing a weighted feed and finding out how much baby is transferring, they can also help you to increase supply if there is an issue. Best of luck mama, it’s an exhausting journey but rewarding. (Not an LC, but a mama that’s been nursing almost 3 years now)
When a baby is first born their bellies are the size of a cherry. 1oz is perfect. “Real milk” doesn’t come in for a couple weeks… in the least. At this time my daughter had a tongue tie undiscovered, so we were syringe feeding.
My advice is to nurse on demand and avoid pumping this early if you can. Yes you will feel like a cow…and yes there will be tough moments. But you can do this! And from my personal experience, the early hard days are so worth it when comparing to the amazing long(er) term experience. Also look into a lactation consultant if you can. Many insurance companies cover visits with lactation consultants.
1 ounce at only a week post is actually pretty good. Newborns bellies don’t hold much. As your baby grows so will your supplies to keep up with their needs. Good luck
Stop pumping until the breast feeding is established. You know you have enough if baby is satisfied, sleeps and wets/soils diapers.
Keep trying! How often are you pumping? Are you putting baby on the breast as well?
Make sure you are eating and drinking enough!
That’s really all about a newborn baby it’s taking. But you are going to need to get that baby to latch. If you want to keep up with milk production. A lot of hospitals send you home with information about lactation consultants. Or you could probably find one in your area. If you’re not able to find one, your local Department of Social Services or health department can probably hook you up with one. You should reach out they really can and will help you get your baby to latch or whatever else you need help with concerning breast-feeding.
Speaking from experience, if you want to breastfeed don’t give a bottle. I made that mistake 
Most end up having 5 oz bottles from around 6 months to a year. I would make most bags have at least 5 oz in them. This way when you that one you at least have enough for 1 bottle. Don’t make the mistake I’ve made over and over- I used to add way way more like 10 or 11 oz would fit in a lanisoh bag- only thing then is it’s frozen and the bag is very puffy and rounded versus when you only the 5-6 or 7 oz the bag can freeze neat and flat for stacking. I used to cram as much as I could in them to save money on the bags. But that’s up to you for preference but when you add that much they do not stack neatly and bag can burst. But it’s nice bc 1 bag thawed will get you 2 bottles. Depends what you think you’ll be doing and needing since thawed frozen milk only good 24 hrs. The most my girls ever ate up to 12 months old was 5 oz bottle. However my son right now is drinking 5 oz each feeding at 3 months old. So whatever you think but my vote is at least 5 oz so when yours is 6 months and on you don’t have to thaw 2 or more bags for 1 bottle. Completely disagree with the other comment on here- please take that with a huge grain of salt as a mother of 3 I find that advice untrue… my drs have always recommended to pump on same schedule baby eats and I’ve never had an issue or mastitis. However many women get it for many reasons. My pediatrician would hugely disagree with her saying babies should never have more fhan 3-4 oz a feeding- that’s totally untrue- disregard. And the baby needs to eat what they need to thrive and satisfy their hunger. Not to mention a baby on the boob could easily be eating 5-6 oz from breasts all together. We don’t know how much they get but we have idea as they drain us. With my girls when I pumped I’d only get around 5 oz each time. I’m on my 3rd child and he’s 3 months old I had to exclusively pump a lot due to tongue and lip tie and him not eating enough at boob to satisfy himself so when I pump I’m now getting 7-8 oz at night each pump session and around 6 during day. Milk production supposedly can go up with each continued pregnancy and nursing of children so yes my amount I produce is more than with first 2 but could also be a combination of my body knowing he eats more, needs more and my pumping frequently.
Freezing the way you are is fine, they’re easier for bottle prep; especially if you Pace Feed; baby should never need more than 3-4oz bottles per feeding this way (google it, it’s great for breastfed babies and helps avoid expanding their bellies). You don’t need a massive freezer stash though so I would settle on the pumping; you’re going to doom yourself with a MASSIVE oversupply at the rate you’re going and will likely wind up with mastitis because of it. Breastfeeding it supply and demand, the more you empty, the more they make. (not an LC or professional, but a mom that’s been nursing for 3 years who gave herself a terrible oversupply doing this exact thing)
You could pump, put in fridge, get enough for an 8 oz bag and then freeze. Once they are all at the same temp it is easy to combine and then freeze. Then if you need it, you can put it in fridge to defrost and use that 8 oz bag in one day. I would at least do 4oz, because it will not be long before your LO is eating at least 4 oz.