When does breast feeding get easier?

LargeMargeSentMe · April 2013

DD is 7 days old today! She has come a LONG way as far as learning how to latch. During the day, we don't have too many issues. (It still may take us a good 5-10 tries to latch though.) The problem is at night it's like she forgets how to latch. It was a LONG night last night. I ended up pumping twice and giving it to her that way because she just wouldn't latch. On top of that, she wouldn't fall back to sleep either time for about an hour. So it was a lonnnnnng night. Oh, and my nipples feel like they're going to fall off!! Please give me a light at the end of the tunnel!

pinkpinot · April 2013

My LO is 13 days old and it still takes me 510 minutes to get him to latch. I have flat nipples so I suspect that may be part of the problem. I'm just sticking with it and I recently got Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter and my nipples stopped feeling

katemcgT · April 2013

Unfortunately that sounds completely normal! I'm nursing number two it just started getting easier at about 45 weeks. My first it took longer.
But it does get easier and easier, and is totally worth sticking it out in the beginning. Keep that in m

nixieknox3 · April 2013

around the 2 week mark it really does start to get easier! try using a nipple shield to help your LO latch and to help your poor nips. and use lots of lanolin. good luck!

katemcgT · April 2013

Also Jack Newmans All Purpose nipple cream works miracles. You need a prescription from your md a pharmacy that will compound it but it's totally worth going through those hoops.

LargeMargeSentMe · April 2013

Well I will take some comfort in knowing that it is at least completely normal!

iumegan716 · April 2013

Are you waking her at night? (I'm thinking she might be too sleepy and that's why she's having a hard time latching at night). Have you seen a lactation consultant or are there any BFing support groups at your hospital?

It will

a13049 · April 2013

For me, at 2 weeks it got easier. I would recommend not giving her the bottle so early, though. Like a PP suggested are you getting her awake enough?

buffyverrban1 · April 2013

Like a PP said, I wouldn't be giving her a bottle yet. If she is "allowed" to be lazy (bottles are much easier) she will be. It's really frustrating for a couple weeks and by 6 weeks, it's the easiest thing in the world, you both have it down. </p

doremi29 · April 2013

I agree- at 2 weeks it suddenly got easier with DS. I feel like each day that DD gets closer to that 2 week mark, it gets better and better. She takes a while to latch as well. Actually, she will latch on and then just sit there latched.

KmfMjf1024 · April 2013

For me it was the worst part of the first few days. Just keep in mind it's a physical skill, the more you practice the better you will get, and sometimes small tweaks (move up that pillow, compress with a different part of the hand) make big differences.

brauchtm · April 2013

Bf'ing was so tough for me with dd for the first two weeks - like blood pouring out my nipples tough- but then something just clicked and it got better. With y first I ep and hated pumping/dealing with bottles in the middle of me night. Stick

Chappy_jr · April 2013

I was diagnosed with thrush at 4.5 weeks but looking back I probably had it right after DS was born. Once that cleared up, breastfeeding got SOOOOO much easier. But my DS did remain a bit of a lazy latcher at night for about a week after th

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