Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 37
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    611

    Default I do not want to nurse. How to handle at hospital and other questions.

    UPDATE #24

    I have zero interest in nursing DC3, due this fall. I nursed my previous 2 for a little over a year each. I am 100% sure that not nursing is the best thing for the happiness of my family and me this fall.

    My big issues are (1) guilt for the first few days - the colostrum which is supposed to be essential/magical/important for the baby, and (2) delivering at a hospital which has a policy that breast is best and (3) deciding on a formula.

    Should I still do the nursing for the first few days for the baby's benefit then switch to formula on day 2 or 3? Will the anticipated mastitis H!ll be worse for doing so? Will it make it harder to switch to bottle?

    Also I am not sure how to address the issue with the hospital. Just say after delivery- I am not nursing, period? At the hospital tour we spent about 15 minutes on how they insist on skin to skin contact to encourage nursing in first hour, all the benefits of nursing, and the importance of in-room bonding (not sending baby to nursery) for breastfeeding. This is a new place bc of insurance change. I'm a seasoned mom and I was intimidated.

    Also for formula. One of my kids is Ana to milk (and other foods). Should I start this baby out on regular milk formula? I'm getting inconsistent responses from ped and OB. Anyone with Food allergies with other children care to weigh in? Do you bring formula and bottles to the hospital?

    Thank you in advance!
    Last edited by Green22; 12-09-2016 at 08:50 PM.

  2. #2
    SnuggleBuggles is online now Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    .
    Posts
    47,708

    Default

    I only nursed so can't really help only to say that if you're open to nursing for any amount of time, do it. Any bit they get is beneficial. Mastitis is preventable and I wouldn't let its possibility sway that.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    DC Suburbs
    Posts
    21,474

    Default

    I think you should ask around for a lactation consultant who has a reputation of being non-judgmental to get honest answers. I personally would at least nurse for the first few days, or even pump and bottle feed the colostrum.
    Mommy to my wonderful, HEALTHY twin girls
    6/08 - Preemies no more!

  4. #4
    elbenn is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    .
    Posts
    8,818

    Default

    It sounds like you are open to nursing for at least a few days, so that would be really beneficial. Or pump, as TwinFoxes said. If you do that, it takes care of any issues you have with the hospital.

  5. #5
    PZMommy is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    5,606

    Default

    I was just very upfront from the time I was checked into the hospital (scheduled c section for my first, and emergency c section for the second), that I was not going to be breast feeding. I made it known it was not a negotiable topic, and that was it. The hospital had newborn enfamil formula. I used that in the hospital. My oldest continued with that and moved onto regular enfamil when he was older. My youngest started on it, but then I switched him to Similac sensitive. He was a 36 weeker and had some health issues and reflux. I've found the hospital does not have a lot of formula options (he had to be readmitted numerous times during his first year due to his lung issues), and they only had enfamil brand. If you want to use a particular formula from the start, I'd bring your own. I have PCOS, and my milk never came in. I didn't get engorged or anything.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    5,504

    Default

    I would discuss it with your OB ahead of time and have her make note of your preference not to nurse on your chart. I nursed all three but told my OB ahead of time that I did NOT want baby #3 to room in with me. I knew I would be recovering from a third c section and going home to two other children under the age of four, and I wanted to sleep without worrying about the baby. My OB instructed the nurses to bring DS to me at midnight and 4 am to nurse but that I should otherwise be undisturbed. This was contrary to the hospital's policy, but since my OB ordered it, they did it. If your OB notes that you will not be nursing, they are less likely to push.
    Green Tea, mom to three

  7. #7
    pastrygirl is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    New England.
    Posts
    5,795

    Default

    Can you take lecithin to try to prevent mastitis? It prevented me from getting plugged ducts. I took the max dose when I already had a plugged duct, and then a lower dose daily for prevention until I dried up. Cold cabbage leaves helped immensely with engorgement.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    North-East
    Posts
    4,989

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Green_Tea View Post
    I would discuss it with your OB ahead of time and have her make note of your preference not to nurse on your chart. I nursed all three but told my OB ahead of time that I did NOT want baby #3 to room in with me. I knew I would be recovering from a third c section and going home to two other children under the age of four, and I wanted to sleep without worrying about the baby. My OB instructed the nurses to bring DS to me at midnight and 4 am to nurse but that I should otherwise be undisturbed. This was contrary to the hospital's policy, but since my OB ordered it, they did it. If your OB notes that you will not be nursing, they are less likely to push.
    I had long complicated labor with DS1, started out vaginally but stalled at almost 10 cm after 30 hours of labor. Ended up being rushed into emergency c section when fetal heart started. Breastfeeding was quite challenging and tough for next few months, switched to bottle when I returned to work with DS1 being almost 1 year old. Ds2 was quite different, a planned c section from get go and I had no desire to nurse, told my OB who made notes in the chart.

    I delivered both boys in a pro breastfeeding hospital. I did indicate that I would be open to nursing while staying in hospital. I stayed there for 4 days, my milk never really came in, so it was a non issue for me in the end. You can work with your OB to make it clear from the get go.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Mummy to DS1-6/11 and DS2-1/14

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    USA.
    Posts
    7,671

    Default I do not want to nurse. How to handle at hospital and other questions.

    I would nurse the first few days for sure. I would also talk to a lactating person and your OB. I would also think about talking to someone professionally about why you don't want to nurse and see if you can work through any of it. It sounds like many who didn't want to nurse had complications and felt stressed but if you felt more supported it might help. Had plenty of complications here with first in NICU for weeks and pumping round the clock and third baby I was hospitalized about a week of every month of pregnancy and incredibly painful surgical procedures to deal with kidney stone while pregnant that couldn't be resolved fully while pg, and nursing was still possible. All three were c-sections. But even if you don't long term, I would the first few days as the colostrum in so important.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by HannaAddict; 08-11-2016 at 12:29 PM.

  10. #10
    TxCat is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    3,137

    Default

    First, I would talk to your OB. She/he should be able to help guide you regarding whether or not it even makes sense to start nursing or pumping, and can also incorporate your preferences not to nurse into your admission orders following delivery.

    As to nursing the first few days, if you are 100% sure you do NOT want to nurse this time around, I wouldn't even start at all. If you nurse for a few days, your milk will quickly come in (especially since this is your third) and then you'll just have to deal with the binding and discomfort once you go home. It would be slightly more manageable if you don't even significantly stimulate milk production to begin with. Of course, if you think there is a small chance you want to nurse, even for a very limited period, by all means start, and then just wean as soon as you are ready.

    Your OB should be helpful in navigating your no nursing preferences at the hospital. I would bring your own formula and bottles just in case, because the hospitals, especially once they have received the official "baby friendly" designation, are much more limited on access to formula and you might not be receiving the amount of samples that you did with your first. Also, as to rooming in, you may receive a lot of pressure on that regardless of nursing status. While there are certainly benefits to mom and baby with rooming in, the benefit to hospitals is that they can significantly reduce their staffing for newborn nurseries since they almost never have babies there anymore. So, sometimes the pushback that patients receive about sending the baby to the nursery overnight is a reflection of staffing changes that have resulted from being "baby friendly."
    DD1 10/2010
    DD2 8/2013
    And expecting DS1 10/2016

Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •