On to Plan B

I appreciate everybody's comments, concern, and especially prayers! We had a really bad day yesterday, and so we're moving on to trying something else. Here's the issue: We just CANNOT get a good latch. He's not opening his mouth wide enough, which has been a problem since he was born and I think only exacerbated by the use of the nipple shield. Therefore, Elias is not getting much milk without the nipple shield, and he's not staying awake there either. So we spend an hour working on waking him up, trying to latch, waking him up, switching sides, trying to latch, and on and on. It's frustrating both of us and tearing up my nipples. Then by the end of the hour he's still hungry, but he's too exhausted to eat even with the nipple shield. He ate so poorly that my good milk supply is gone. (I'm sure it's also related to my frustration and exhaustion.) So although we know it presents a risk to long-term breastfeeding (as does use of a nipple shield), we've decided to supplement. I'll breastfeed first (with or without the nipple shield is yet to be determined) but not let him camp out there forever. Then Justin will give him a bottle of formula (or expressed breastmilk if we have enough) while I pump to make sure I have received adequate stimulation, and hopefully collect some more milk for future bottles. We pray that this isn't a long-term situation, but we just really need the peace of mind that Elias is getting enough to eat. Hopefully he'll get into the pattern of actually feeling full at the end of a feeding, recognize when he is hungry, start waking himself up to eat, and then stay awake during feedings. That's what we hope. Please continue to pray for us!!!!!