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BFing but not swallowing?

damabo80damabo80 member
in Breastfeeding

DD was bottle fed expressed milk while in the NICU. Since we brought her home, I am trying to transition to BFing via the nipple shield.

She will suck at the nipple shield, but I don't think she is swalling any milk. She can "BF" for 45 minutes and then still be hungry for a full bottle 30 minutes later.

When she takes a bottle, and can HEAR and SEE her swallow. When she BFs though, I can't see or hear her swallow. After she unlatches, the side of her face is all covered in milk, her shirt is soaked, my shirt is soaked, and her arm is all wet (we are doing the reverse cradle hold, so she is on her side). I'm thinking that she is sucking, the milk is going into her mouth, but it's pouring out the side of her mouth (gravity).

Has anyone experienced this? How do you teach a baby to swallow?


BFP #1 via IUI ~ L (Fatal Birth Defect) 4/7/10
BFP #2 via IUI ~ m/c
BFP #3 via cancelled IUI ~ C (2lb 3oz; HELLP) 5/16/11
BFP #4 via the natural (free!) way ~ E (8lb 11oz) 9/13/12
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Re: BFing but not swallowing?

  • beebe929beebe929 member

    If you look at her ear and right below, if that is moving she is swallowing.

    Is your supply too strong for her?  Sorry that is my only thought

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  • cherokeemomma87cherokeemomma87 member
    Like PP said, maybe your supply is to strong for her. I know that DD struggled with that when we first brought her home from the hospital. And have you talked to your LC? They are a huge help, maybe you are not getting a good latch, in which case they can help you fix it. GL!
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  • AGFasoAGFaso
    Sorry Dawn idk :(  Ditto ask the LC
    BFP 11/09...M/C 1/27/10...TTCAL 3/2010...IUI #1 9/2010 = BFN IUI #2 10/29/2010 = TWINS! EDD 7/25/2010 C-SECTION 7/7/11 at 37.5wks due to severe pre-eclampsia. Liliana born 6lb7oz and Anthony born 5lb4oz Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
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  • Kingston54Kingston54 member
    Could just be taking her that long to eat.  Also, you might be spraying her and she might be getting too much at once.  Shortly after you get her on, check to see if you are spraying, maybe that's why you have wet eveywhere...
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  • jcsumm0jcsumm0 member

    This almost exact same thing was happening with DD (the leaking, not really eating with the nipple shield) and it was because we had a bad latch with the shield.  The stupid hospital LCs gave me the shield but never really explained what her latch was supposed to look like.  I finally saw an IBCLC that showed me.  You shouldn't be able to see any of the nipple part of the sheild--it should all be in her mouth.  We had to practice a lot before she got it right and I just had to keep waiting for her to get a really wide mouth and started over if it wasn't right.

     Hope that helps!!

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