Help and Support - EPing for baby temporarily on formula

[grace annes mommy]

Josephine is 12 days old now and I have been pumping since birth.  She had heart surgery on Tuesday and prior to the surgery had bottles of breast milk.  I'm going to get the medical jargon wrong mainly bc of my frustration at the time I was speaking with her dr's but basically her body is not processing the fat in breast milk which can happen with the type of repair done to her heart and she needs to be on a special medical formula for 6 weeks to 3 months until she can tolerate breast milk again.  Honestly, I'm devastated.  I was very much looking forward to working on nursing with her soon.  Now I'm so discouraged.

Questions:

* I had mastitis when my milk came in with DD1, so I've been working hard to drain at each pumping and avoid clogged milk ducts.  I'm getting 3 to 6 oz from each breast - way more than Josie would be eating.  We will soon run out of freezer space...  Is there a way I can decrease my supply?  Or should I not do that since it's still stabilizing?  I feel like my body thinks I have twins, yk?  I started single sided feedings with DD1 early on.

* How do I deal with storage? bags? bottles? get a new freezer?  Is it even worth saving this endless supply of breast milk?

* Is it possible to teach a 3 month old how to latch on and breast feed?  (please say yes....)

**Any other advice, tips you have to help me be less overwhelmed. 

I'm just so frustrated about giving her this disgusting formula.  DH reminded me that we just need to be thankful she's alive and with us and of course I agree.  I guess I just feel helpless.  Like the one thing I was doing was pumping for her and now she can't even tolerate my milk.

TIA for any help/advice you can give me.

[becj86]

Hugs, I'd be sad too

Could you maybe try 'block feeding' but with the pump to reduce the supply a bit but still drain each breast every 12-24hr - you're making a LOT

How is she currently being fed? I guess you could get BF-like bottles... I would imagine its possible to teach a 3mo to latch, they should still have the reflex, no? Found this: http://forums.llli.org/showthread.php?100719-Teaching-5-month-old-to-latch Maybe you could put some energy into finding an LC who can help with that? Would a distraction help or do you just want to be with Josie all day?

I don't know if you could, but might be worth asking - could you let your milk settle and see if she could take just the watery bit without the fatty bit (skim it off the top)?

Oh, found this also... skim breast milk made for baby who couldn't tolerate breast milk post- heart surgery!!  http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvaprmay03p27.html

[weaver]

Hey hun, I wonder if you've consider donating some of your milk? I mean, if you are planning on continuing to pump til J is ready. I'm sure whatever you don't need would be gratefully received by someone and their LO.

[*Ali*]

Big hugs. Kudos to you for being willing to even contemplate such a big undertaking.

I'd definitely get a professional opinion.

Looks like a perfect post Becj has found above.

[~*Nicole*~]

Even if she doesn't learn to latch, though I'm sure there's a chance she can and will, I know lots of mom's that exclusively pumped and bottle feed babies best milk for months and even years. So your milk can still be put to good use for Josie when she's ready.

I think even in a deep freezer breast milk shouldn't be stored longer than 6 months so donating some might be a good idea if she isn't going to tolerate it for awhile. I wish I had access to someone's awesome breast milk now that I'm working full time.