Feel like a bad mommy!!

[jellybabe]

I dont know what to do anymore! I know bf is the best for my boy (almost 7 weeks), and I try to do it as often as I can. Usually everytime he wants. But lately he has been spitting up a lot. I express when I have time, otherwise I give him formula as he is too impatient to wait. We think he has reflux and give him Gaviscon infant, but I dont even get time to give it to him coz as soon as i bring him upwards, he spits up. I tried different positions coz i reckon he doesnt spit up with the bottle coz of the upright feeding position. I have him sit between my legs upright and feed him breast like that but it hardly works. I have to feed him twice after each other as he spits up and is hungry again. After trying twice I give him bottle. Sometimes he also fights with my boob as if the milk isnt flowing fast enough and just cries. I wind him and put him back but he still fights. I feel so bad. Initially the bottle was only for when I am busy and I need Dh to feed him. Usually once a day, but the spitting up is getting worse now and my boy needs to eat something! What can I do?!!!

[Samuel's mum]

HUG
You are certainly NOT a bad mommy!! Far from it. I can feel all your determination and committment.

You know he could be fighting you because you have too much milk or an 'overactive letdown' rather than too little. Or it could be because he is finding it hard to switch between the different flow of bottle and breast - what Tracy calls 'flow confusion'. Are you using a bottle with a slow teat? - Tracy talks about using a variflow bottle or haberman feeder to help with this problem.

There could be lots of things going on. You could wind him earlier on in the feed and break him off to do it as spitting up can be seriously affected by wind.

First off, you really need to speak to your doctor about the possible reflux and find out whether you can get some proper medication if that's what he needs.

Secondly, I would suggest you call a breastfeeding helpline - there are numbers on the FAQ page. Talk through your situation and you could get some great tips.

Have you found the reflux board too:

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=13.0

Good Luck.

[LyndaManus]

you are not a bad mommy!!!  I have not been in your situation but thought this might help.

I use to have a very heavy let down which would cause DS to choke a lot.  A lactation consultant recommended that I put DS sitting upright on my leg facing me and eat in the upright position.  I did this when he was only 7 weeks and it really helped.  If sitting upright with the bottle vs laying down while breastfeeding is the issue, this might work.

[riuliani]

I had almost the exact same problems with Campbell between 5-8 weeks.  He would spit up a lot and be extremely gassy (he is still very gassy).  I ended up feeding him lying on my back.  I would prop myself up with a couple of pillows, so I wasn't completely flat.  I would sit up to latch him and then lay back.  He would lay across my tummy face down.  It was a really cuddly position.  This helped him control the milk flow and gave him less air to swallow.  I found sitting up he would gulp and choke on the fast let down.  This was a huge help.  After a couple of weeks he settled down and now I can feed him any which way.  Keep in mind the more milk you express the more your body produces to keep up with it.  This can lead to too much milk.  This is what happened with me.  After decreasing my expressing my milk flow became more manageable for Campbell.

Good luck!

[LyndaManus]

riuliani, that seems like a very comfy position.  I think I might try that one with my ds