Can this breastfeeding relationship be saved?

bhdoucette

Long story short: We've had thrush almost since day 1 (GBS+ ->antibiotics->thrush). I've also dealt with plugged ducts, mastitis, and milk blisters. We're now experiencing a shallow latch and little swallowing at feeds (after a period of great nursing), leading to very poor weight gain. I have little pumping output, but am desperate to continue breastfeeding. I am taking fenugreek and blessed thistle and pumping when we supplement to at least stimulate my nipples. How do I go about fixing my baby's inefficient suck/poor latch while trying to get her to gain weight with supplementing without losing my milk supply? (Currently trying breast compressions and pulling her chin down)

 

Full story:

My baby girl was born 8 weeks ago, weighing 5lbs 14oz. Her lowest recorded weight was 5lbs 8oz when we left the hospital and remained the same 6 days later. At this time, my milk was in, she was latching great, and really drawing milk from my breasts. Our nursing sessions became shorter (20-30 min) with her pulling off the breast when she was finished, completely content. I heard lots of swallowing, saw milk occasionally in the corners of her mouth, my breasts felt softer post-feeding, and my nipples were elongated after she pulled off. The only downside was that we had thrush due to needing antibiotics during labour for GBS.

 Fast forward to 6 weeks and her weight was 6lbs 4oz. I was concerned that she hadn't gained enough weight, but our family doctor thought little of it since all along Ella was having the right amount of diapers. Still, since she was having a 2-3 poor feedings (shallow latch, not many swallows) in a day, I contacted the public health nurse who had visited us when Ella was 6 days old. At 7.5 weeks she was down to 5lbs 15.5oz. The nurse who weighed her at the time also assessed her latch and suck, deeming it "inefficient suckling." She questioned my supply and my letdown, panicked about how thin my baby is (this is true, she's very thin), told me to take fenugreek & blessed thistle, to supplement with 2.5oz of formula from a bottle if Ella didn't latch properly after 10 min because she "just needs the calories," and to pump afterwards.

Since starting the supplementing (which I agree she needs at only 1.5oz above birth weight at 8 weeks), her latch has gotten worse. There are fewer swallows, feeds are 45+ min, she doesn't pull off contentedly, and my nipples are no longer stretched and covered in milk at the end. Her poor latch has also begun affecting more feeds, and I feel like we're on a slippery slope to the end of our breastfeeding relationship. I'm devastated. When I was pregnant, I did not want to breastfeed at all, despite knowing it was best, but after trying it and experiencing the closeness with my baby, I cry at the thought of stopping. We've gotten past so many obstacles just to get this far.

I feel guilty both for wanting to continue and for wondering if we should stop/if stopping is inevitable. She's so thin and I know she needs the calories, but I don't know how to avoid feeling like we're shooting ourselves in the foot with the addition of multiple bottles a day, especially since my pumping output is next to nothing. Even when she skipped a complete feed a couple times and my breasts were full and heavy, I only pumped 0.5oz.

Is there a way to fix my baby's inefficient suck/poor latch while trying to get her to gain weight with supplementing without losing my milk supply?