I am having a very hard day. after being seen by my lactation consultant with hopes of weaning ruby from the nipple shield everything feels like it just fell apart. Ruby is only weighing 6.8 lbs at almost 6 weeks old (birth weight 7lbs). which is not good. even though she latched well (without the nipple shield) she suspects that she has a posterior tongue tie. she gave me a few options including bottle feeding with breast milk and a nursing suppliment system with a tube to feed into her mouth while she's on the breast. I feel like i have totally failed my baby and I am so upset. I really don't know where to go from here. whether it is better to just bottle feed her or if I should try the tubes. I'm so confused and very upset. I wanted so badly to nurse successfully.
@ravens_mommy did you see an immediate difference in the baby's ability to nurse?
@fruitloop13 Right after, they will actually encourage you to nurse as soon as procedure is over.
@ravens_mommy @valrocks are they able to latch right after? or is there a recovery period?
Please do not take other advice than that of your lactation consultant's on this matter. I'm not saying you would but sometimes people give bad advice with good intentions.
You can get weight up without formula, just pump and feed until you can get her tie fixed. Its a simple procedure
I have an appointment tomorrow. but so far no. right now the plan is to nurse her and then give her an additional 2 oz pumped from the breast after every feeding.
If you don't use formula to get her weight up then she could end up being hospitalized and feed by a tube :/ have any of the Dr's suggested supplementing?
@kellyl22 im just so overwhelmed. I wanted so badly to nurse successfully. I really don't know what I'm going to do. I dont know anything about bottle feeding.
I'm sorry this is so hard on you... I can say that you'll be way happier if you give her a bottle and she start gaining. You can always give her breastmilk too. It doesn't have to be one or the other!
@fruitloop13 My daughter's orthodonist said it's more annoying to them than painful. She goes the end of the month to get it done.