Oh The Joys of Feeding

Our little Mallory has been a wonderful and totally laid back baby! Very happy and content. Sleeping 3-4 hours at a time during the night and doesn't even fuss when she makes a mess in her diaper, just sits there and waits for us to have the time to clean her up. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect little baby.
There has only been one little hang-up so far... For the first week of her little life it was taking anywhere from 2-3 hours PER feeding and she never seemed full! even though I would try different holds, and techniques (SNS, spoon feeding and bottle feeding). After one particularly LONG 4 hour feeding (last Wednesday) I was a wreck! I was crying, sleepy, hormonal and frustrated with the fact that my little one just wouldn't stop 'eating'. I called my mom (I seriously don't know how other ladies get by without my mom, she is a God-send) who suggested that I call a lactation consultant and chat with her. I did just that, and was told to come RIGHT in so that Mallory and I could be evaluated.
When we arrived the lactation consultant weighted Mallory (she was down even more weight, now weighing only 6.7..down over 2 oz in a day and a half) she then watched Mallory and I nurse and then took a closer look at Mallory. It was then she told me that the issue had nothing to do with my tecnique but that Mallory has a really small mouth, a high pallet, was not using her tongue to suck and using mainly her upper gum-line to try and suck... all of this resulted in her not getting any milk! So I was practially starving my little girl! I felt SOOOOOO bad for not knowing/realizing this sooner. But thank the Lord this lady knew just what was wrong and the steps to fix it!!!! So starting last week Matthew and I were instructed to start 'Finger Feeding' her. This is done through a syringe filled with my pumped breast milk, attached to it is a small tube that we tape to our index finer (the bigger the finger the better). We put our finger and tube into her mouth... way in the way back and when she sucks, we reward her with milk! It's like training a puppy! :) She did GREAT with finger feeding and started gaining weight right away (almost an oz a day).
On Saturday she transitioned over from finger feeding to using a 'breast shield'... which I put directly on my nipple which allows for a longer/larger surface area... which helps with the sicking proces. She has been doing great on that and I have only had to pump about ever other feeding. Today she had another consultation, and Mallory was able to latch on and feed off one side but not the other. She has gained a little over one oz per day since Thursday though (and today weighed 6 pounds 15.1 oz... she should be back at her birth weight tomorrow)!!!! Both Mallory and I have some 'homework' to work on over the next few days. This whole breastfeeding thing is amazin but REALLY frustrating. I realize that it is THE best thing for her, but there are moments during her little freak outs that I think 'gee it would be much easier/less stressful/quicker to just stick a bottle in her mouth and get it over with!' But I think both she and I are too stubborn to give up, so we are going to power through and hopefully one of these days get it all figured out. Sheesh! Sometimes wonder how has any infant in the entire history of humanity survived???? Because the entire process of living seems way too difficult!