Hello! I am new to this whole thing and could really use some help. Has anyone had to deal with nipple confusion this early and have any suggestions for help latching on to the nipple now. Here is my story: Ryan was born last Friday and we got only that afternoon and night to try breastfeeding a few times before he was transferred to another hospital because he had severe hyperbilirubinemia. Anyway he is doing much better and we hope to have him home tomorrow. So I have been pumping and they have been feeding him my breasty milk (better than nothing). So yesterday we tried breastfeeding again and my milk is pretty much come (i think) but he seemed have a difficult time latching on or I was not sure if he was latched on properly. He did one breast for about 20 inutes on and off with dropping the nipple a lot so I finally gave up and gave him a bottle of pumped milk. He seemed so much happier. I felt guilty though because I gave up but they said he really needs to eat well becasue of his condition that will help him get better and come home soon. SO does anyone have any advice on how I know he is latched on and getting enough to eat? Why does he keep dropping the nipple from his mouth and how long do I keep trying? As for pumping, is it normal to start out with it squirting form my nipple and then gradually over 10-15 minutes it starts to just drip ( I am only 5 days postpartum). Is that when you know you are done and to stop pumping. I don't really feel that let down reflex and I am a large chested woman (D normally now DD) so they always seem big and plump to me, but they don't feel hard. I have been trying to pump every 3 hours as that is how they are feeding him in the hospital. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am going to try to talk to someone when we go to the hospital today. Sorry this is so long. I have a lot of emotions running through me right now and I guess I just needed to let it out.
Thanks for listening!
 

Sorry ot hear you are having a difficult time with getting baby on breast. For me personally my breasts are to heavy for ym new babies to hold in their mouths so when I get them latched on, I support my breast by holding it. that seems to do the trick, then after we get latch figured out i stop holding it so much and let them see if they canc. also if you dont want to hold it, a rolled up washcloth placed under the breast is a great tool.

as far as latch goes, its really hard to say ince i cant see the latch, but when you put baby on, he should be nose to nipple. mening you line him up by letting your breast fall naturally, and hold baby to wear his nose is in line with your nipple. Alot of ppl will tell you the whole aereola needs to be in babies mouth, again I never birthed a groiwn man that could fit all in their mouths so the biggest deal is that the babies lower jar has most of the areola in his mouth, but the top doesnt have to be all of it,just as much will fit. Baby neeedto be strait too and paralele with oyour body, and and his shoulders and hips should be lined up.

As far as pumping. iF you have heavy spray for 10-15 min you have more than I EVER HAD LOL. it is completely normal to have heavy spray during let down, and just drip betweeen, NEVER let pumping be a way of telling you how much milk you are producing. IT is not an accurate form of that. Just pump whenver you can, (not that it sounds like you have low supply at all) butht e most important time is at night. I am sure you are exhausted, but if you could wake up at least once at night ot pump, that iwl be ideal,. since your prolactin levels are highest at ngiht and if you stimulate hte breasts then,it really benefits your supply.
Lastly, Get to a Lactaion consultant, They should have them foir free at the hospital. and I dontmean use nurse to help you, sinc your baby has not really been to the breat, you really need a lactaion consutant that is an IBCLC, If they are an actual IBCLC they will advertise it, Aroiund here they run about 60 an hour, but it tell you it is sooooo work the money, and even if your ins may not cover it, you can still wirte it off on your taxes as a medical expence. (you can also write off pump rental if you are renting a hospital grade pump)
Sorryt hat is so long, I hope i answered alot of your questions
I hope your lil man gets better and comes home soon,

My advice is to keep at it, you have great milk and it won't be long with patience.

I suspect that the difficulties are 2 fold. 1) a baby drinking from a bottle gets instant gratification. They suck, the milk flows. A baby nursing usually has to suck to stimulate a little then gets the flow. Flow is usually slower too (but yours sounds like it's too fast).
In this case. You can try several different things. the one I think is the probable solution is: stimulate your let down before latching him on. If you 'spray' he might have issues cuz it's too freeflowing so you can hand pump some of that milk into a cloth diaper until it's more manageable and I'm going to guess that does the trick.

 
Good advice.
 

I hope the BF is working out now.