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Breastfeeding woes

Linzers86Linzers86 member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months
I didn't breastfeed my first son, and this is my first time actually trying to make a go of it. The first time was "too painful" so I gave up...this time is "too painful" too, I'm just trying not to give up. Well after almost two weeks I've discovered it is indeed a very shallow latch that is keeping me sore! I'm trying to change positioning, etc. but the bottom line is, this kid just doesn't open his mouth wide enough! He's now 12 days old. I've been pumping and feeding him expressed milk through a "breastfeeding" bottle quite a bit because pumping doesn't hurt and my yield is actually very good. I'm just getting so irritated with the pain and frustration of trying to nurse this tiny little mouth that won't open and keeps me tore up! But I do eventually want him 100% nursing. What do I do?! Thank you, ladies!
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Re: Breastfeeding woes

  • PlainJane8350PlainJane8350 member
    Find your local La Leche chapter, they were way more helpful to me than the lactation consultants at the hospital. They even have meet-ups where you can take your baby and get help in person. They're the best!
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  • PlainJane8350PlainJane8350 member
    Also, if your breast is really full, that may not be helping. When mine is full my daughter sucks mostly on the nipple at first, but when it's not as full she can get more of my areola in her mouth.
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  • NurseRiegerNurseRieger member
    Try to really squeeze the breast behind the nipple to flatten it out like a boob sandwich and really shove it in baby's mouth. If the latch isn't right stick a finger in next to the nipple to break the latch and try again. And like pp said La Leche League is a great resource so find a local chapter
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  • rizzligrizzlig member
    Has your LO been checked for tongue tie?  It is very common and easily fixed. My story sounds exactly like yours and thankfully was able to get some help.  My little one saw a CST (Cranial Sacral Therapist/lactation consultant) and was quickly referred to have the tongue tie laser corrected.  LO is now 4 weeks old and making progress relearning how to latch.  Worth getting checked out.
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  • PlainJane8350PlainJane8350 member
    I was shocked that it didn't traumatize my daughter and make her never want to feed, but as @NurseRieger said they literally did shove my daughter's mouth onto my nipple at the hospital. They'd wait until her mouth was nice and big, sometimes because she was crying, and shove her onto my breast by the back of her head. I don't do anything like that now, but that is what they did. Like she said, though, if you can't make a "sandwich" out of it it may be too full and you can try pumping a little bit first. ☺
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  • kaylerjeankaylerjean member
    I had latch problems with my LO too. The best thing I did was be persitent. If she wasn't latched right and I was in pain I kept taking her off until she got it right. And now she has no problem and my nipples aren't sore anymore, it's a learning process for both of you! Also, at first I thought her latch was painful because my nipples were already sore, but eventually found that a truly good latch didn't hurt a bit, even if my nipples were super sore.
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  • amylee5185amylee5185 member
    I was lucky that Isabel was happy to nurse right from the beginning, but she is on the small side and getting a deep latch was difficult for the first few days. I was in a lot of pain when she first latched on and had problems with bleeding and scabbing for almost a week. What helped me was a combination of The Honest Company's nipple balm (slathering it on heavily especially overnight when she would sleep for 2-3 hours straight without needing to nurse) and pulling down on her chin right after she first latched to open her mouth wider. One of the nurses at the hospital showed me this telling me that she might not open wider on her own right away but this would nudge her in the right direction. It still hurt when she initially latched but I could feel a little relief immediately upon helping her to readjust her mouth and now 10 days PP I barely need to do it anymore.
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  • PrimRoseMamaPrimRoseMama member
    Get baby checked for a tongue tie.


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  • JessiHBJessiHB member
    Ditto to what everyone else is saying! I had flat nipples and my boy really does not like to open wide, but miraculously after 2 months he started to get it. It's tough work, but it WILL get easier. Now I usually just have to hold him near the boob and he does all the latch work himself! I can even go hands free and feed him while I eat sometimes, it's such a relief! Keep at it, is gonna be painful and make you frustrated (I cried A LOT), but you guys will figure it out with a little determination :)
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  • LilyCovello23LilyCovello23 member
    I'm a ftm and will be breastfeeding I hope!!!
    I just have a question from reading all the posts if anyone can help.
    I keep reading about ladies getting sore cracked bleeding nipples....
    What do you do when that happens surely you can't feed a baby with bleeding nipples??
    I don't agree with formula so what do I do if my nipples are cracked and bleeding?
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  • NurseRiegerNurseRieger member
    LilyCovello23 said:

    I'm a ftm and will be breastfeeding I hope!!!
    I just have a question from reading all the posts if anyone can help.
    I keep reading about ladies getting sore cracked bleeding nipples....
    What do you do when that happens surely you can't feed a baby with bleeding nipples??
    I don't agree with formula so what do I do if my nipples are cracked and bleeding?

    Nipple issues are all from something wrong with latch. Soreness is normal in the beginning even with decent latch. Lanolin works great and lubricates the nipples. While you're pregnant and still have time read "the womanly art of breastfeeding " it's by La Leche League and has a lot of good information. I read it, don't totally agree with all their philosophy myself, but I found it extremely helpful.
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  • Mack2342Mack2342 member
    Lanolin is great for nipples. Even better is your breast milk...just dab a little on nipple and let it dry. It will heal in couple days. Breast milk is cure for other things! My LO had clogged tear ducts and I dabbed little breast milk in corner of eye and milk worked wonders!!! My nurse at delivery gave me this tip! I had cracked, sore nipples in beggining on one side as LO couldn't latch on very well on that side for some reason. He eventually got it but when it was too painful I would just pump that side and give to him in bottle as it was less painful. I only had to do this a couple times before he got latch right!
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  • gabiuttergabiutter member
    You can buy nipple shields at target! Its like a bottle nipple almost and its a pain sometimes, but they will keep him nursing until his mouth is big enough and he has a better feel for it, plus it protects your sore nipples!
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  • LilyCovello23LilyCovello23 member
    Nipple shields sound like a dream come true!!
    Thanks for the tips girls!
    Got a lot of reading to do
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