Breastfeeding

Advice and encouragement needed pls

My daughter is 5 days old. By day 2 she I figured out the latch was wrong because both my nipples were cracked and bleeding badly. So I have been Pumping since then. I had to supplement w/formula a little. Not happy about that. I still cant get her to latch right. I really want to EBF until I go back to work but not sure at this point what to do. I have a call into my ob's office to see if they can refer me to a lactation consultant for assistance. I am a mom of 3 now and did not bf my other two, so not sure if the pain is normal or we are doing something wrong.

Re: Advice and encouragement needed pls

  • Keep trying, It can take many tries until you both get the hang of it.  I know it can get extremely frustrating but don't give up.  Maybe try the football hold...that's what worked for me in the beginning. Seeing a lact. assistant will help you both with positioning and latching on and before you know it you'll be a pro.  The first 3 weeks are the toughest for sure so hang in there. Best of luck and congrats on your new baby.    

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  • Keep trying!!!  It's only been 5 days, don't give up yet.  Some babies take a little bit longer to get the hang of it.  Remember to stay calm and relaxed because your LO will sense your hesitation and stress and will follow suit.  Talk to a LC if needed and slather on the nipple cream!  GL.
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  • I really recommend seeing the LC.  When I saw one it made me feel so much better to know that what I was experiencing was common - I wasn't a failure!  Keep trying.  It will get better and it is totally worth it!
  • My advice is to definitely call an LC asap! It may be worth an in-home visit if you can afford it. I did this and paid the $125 out of pocket, but it was the best thing I could have done--it really helped me continue breastfeeding. Also, talk to the LC about using a nipple shield. That may help for the first few months until your DD gets the hang of things. We used one for 3 months and then suddenly didn't need it anymore. Best of luck.
  • The position we used to finally get a good latch was laying side by side.  You lay on your side, with your arm supporting your head, scooting baby up close to you facing you.  After feeling what it felt like to latch correctly, we were slowly able to make the transition to using other holds (cradle, football, in the sling, etc.).  Getting your nipples to heal is also important, so make sure after you nurse or pump that you hand express a little milk, rub it on the nipples, and air dry is a great way to soothe them.  I also liked using Lansinoh lanolin, which makes a protective coating on your nipple.  Having some pain and cracking at first seems pretty normal, but it shouldn't continue if you have a proper latch.  If you can't afford a lactation consultant, check out La Leche League, or the hospital where you had your daughter.  They might have a BFing support group with access to their consultants.  Keep it up though, you're doing great!
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