You really do not have to feel the touch sensation of the breath to start with. Look directly into Lord Buddha's words in Anapanasathi Sutta. You have to establish your awareness at the center of the upper lip and you should be aware whether you are breathing in or out, long or short, etc. If you do feel any sensations at the center of the upper lip notice it also. If you cannot track whether you are breathing in out out, long or short few intentional slightly deep breaths are OK but you should stop making intentional breathing once you get to this.

Secondary objects (thinking and pondering) are verbal fabrications. Since you are trying to calm these and other fabrication you have to anchor your mind on an object which like the center of the upper lip (both Kaya and Vedana).

See:

 - On Anapana
  - [MN 118 Mindfulness of Breathing - Ānāpānasati Sutta (Anapanasati Sutta)][1] commentary by [Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi][2] of [DhammaSukha][3]
  - [Anapanasathi Sutta translated by Piya Tan][4]
  - [Anapanasathi Sutta another translation by Piya Tan][4]
 - On Fabrications
  - [Dutiya Kāma,bhū Sutta translated by Piya Tan][5]
  - [Cūla Vedalla Sutta translated by Piya Tan][6]


  [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIGZcoKeeWI
  [2]: http://www.dhammasukha.org/ven-bhante-vimalaramsi.html
  [3]: http://www.dhammasukha.org/
  [4]: http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7.13-Anapanasati-S-m118-piya.pdf
  [5]: http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.7-Kamabhu-S-2-s41.6-piya.pdf
  [6]: http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40a.9-Culavedalla-S-m44-piya.pdf