Heres the story, in early October my 7 month old caught a cold she had a fever for 2 days then a runny nose. I took her to the doc 5 days after the fever started they said use the humidifier, saline drops, suction her nose and elevate her head at night. Did all that! then 3 days after that doctor app she gets an ear infection which took 2 rounds of antibiotics an 24 days to clear. so she turned 8 mos, still has a stuffy nose and is congested. more doctor visits same advice. Did the steam from the shower and baby vicks now too! now another month later she is still congested and cant breathe thru her nose at night. She has gradually been getting more and more bottles since she cant breathe out of her nose and build up any suction at all to nurse. This isnt fair. I want my daughter to feel better and i dont want to stop nursing at 9 months. I feel that the bond nursing is already gone. Isnt there anything that can clear her up. If there were no such things as bottles she would have starved!
Anytime any of my kids have a stuffy nose I squirt a little breastmilk in there and it usually clears up before the day is over. I'd ditch the bottles and just nurse as often as possible, if she can suck on a bottle she can nurse - she may have to work harder but thats the only way I can think to get back to nursing full time.. by just doing it.
Quoting hatcherbee:
Anytime any of my kids have a stuffy nose I squirt a little breastmilk in there and it usually clears up before the day is over. I'd ditch the bottles and just nurse as often as possible, if she can suck on a bottle she can nurse - she may have to work harder but thats the only way I can think to get back to nursing full time.. by just doing it.
She has to breathe thru her mouth so nursing is pretty much impossible and she is so miserable she just starts crying
I get that she can't breathe through her nose, but then how is she able to use a bottle with more ease than a breast? The breast really would be best. Many nutrients, and immunities die with storing, warming the milk. To get absolutely the highest quality milk, it needs to come straight from the tap. I'm just trying to picture it in my head, and I would think the bottle would be just as hard to eat from.
Mom Dad Chazz (7y) Rocco (4y) Joey (14m)
Breastfeeding, baby wearing, natural birthing, anti-abortion, SAHM who loves her tattoos, piercings, and hair dye
Im with the other ladies, I simply dont understand how she can eat from a bottle but not the breast...seems to me she would have the same issues with either one, and breastmilk is SOOO much better for her, straight from the tap is the best option, it will help her get better!
What all are you doing to ease her congestion? She may need a humidifier in her room if you dont already have one, a put a drop or two of eucalyptus oil in it and it will help clear up her sinuses...also warm baths and put some vicks vapor rub on her FEET and then put socks on them...dont ask me how this works but it DOES, it clears my kids right up!
OOPPS, sorry, reread your post and saw what all youve been doing. Maybe try the oil in the humidifier, it may help! and the vicks on the feet with socks.
Also, have you taken her to see an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist? Maybe she has something wrong with her sinuses that needs to be fixed if this is so persistant and not getting any better.
I can actually understand how it can be very difficult for her to breathe while nursing; dd has the same problem when she gets very congested. It seems like she can't breathe when she nurses, she pulls back or off and gasps between sucks, etc. Scary. I don't know how she does with bottles- she doesn't take them anymore, and only got them while I was gone. I do two things for this: suction her nose WHILE she nurses- she hates it, but it works, and we put salt in her humidifier at night, about a tablespoon per gallon. That usually clears her up pretty well. If she stays that congested, though, I would take her into the doctor and tell them I wasn't leaving until they told me WHY my baby was congested all the time.
No offense but that sounds silly. My son was about a month and got sick with a very bad cold. We were told to use saline drops then suck his nose immediately afterward and do this RIGHT before he nursed. He was so miserable. He couldn't breath at all. He NEVER had a bottle during that time. He may only nurse for 5 minutes then rest for 30 but we made it through. He got sick again when he was 6 months old with an upper Respitory infection. He ran a very high fever and again couldn't breath. We did the same thing. He got the flu around 8 months and again we nursed slowly and often.
If she drink a bottle, she can nurse. You may have to do 3 or 4 drops of saline stray and then have the sucker ready and immediately her nose. Then immediately put her to the breast.
I dont think thats an excuse to stop breastfeeding sorry.
A Proud Attachment Parenting Mother. Cloth Wearing(Most Times) Sling/wrap Wearing, Anti Formula, Anti Abortion, Co-Sleeping, Co-Bathing, Gentle Discipline, Breastfeeding till Self wean, Selective Vac's, Child lead weaning, Delay Solids, Mostly Homeschooling, Breast Milk Donor, None Cry It Out, Anti War, Space/Star Trek Junkie, Stay At Home Mom, Old Fashion, Believe In Science, And Truth.
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I'm so sorry that your baby has been sick for so long. Are you able to get her to a specialist? I think that after going on for so long without relief that may be your only option since you've done everything your pedi recommends. If your dr. won't refer you to one DEMAND it. There is no reason that your baby should suffer. And she is suffering if she's having so much trouble breathing.
Are you pumping to keep up your supply? Is she at least getting expressed milk or donor milk? Have you tried different positions to help your DD nurse better? I'm afraid that your DD is choosing the bottle over the breast because the flow is easier for her to get than it is from you. It is possible to re-lactate. Women do it everyday and it takes ALOT of work, you have to become more stubborn than she is. And trust me, she won't starve. She'll eventually give up and nurse.
I've been there mommma. Ladies, chill out its possible.
When ds would get sick *all the time* and I'd try to nurse he'd scream and just refuse. He was able to get more from a bottle than my breast, so he preferred that.
What I did momma, was nurse him WHILE i was sitting in the bathroom with the shower on hot. With his nose, i ended up needing to sit there a billion times a day, so it worked out LOL
another thing i did was put the vicks under his nose.. idk but for some reason that helped
GL momma =]
proud 20 year old mommy to the love of my life Wyatt, born 01.08.09 and totally in love to my Marine Patrick since 01.10.08
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what Dad should know about supporting a breastfeeding wife...
- Youngmom2be0209
on Nov. 23, 2009 at 10:36 AM