Breastfeeding

[alotofyarn]

Hoping you moms have some good advice! A couple of days ago E started having problems latching, shaking her head each time I offered the boob. Today, she'll latch onto the left with minimal issues and then the right without problems afterward. If I start with the right, she flails and usually works herself into a fit. I do football hold on the right and crosscradle on the left, always holding her with my right arm because I feel more comfortable, and I feel like I have short arms. Yesterday I was engorged and I know that was causing problems, but that doesn't seem to be the case today. Any suggestions other than changing holds?

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[Thirteen]

Sounds like possible over active letdown on one side. The flailing and unlatching makes me suspicious.
Is this breast your better supplier of milk?


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[alotofyarn]

I'm not sure how to tell if it's better. For what it's worth, hubby just helped me with cross cradle, and she latched right away.

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[Sheherezade]

I used to put a pillow (just a regular pillow) on my lap and rest baby on that to get the height right, feel that the floppy tiny baby was secure and have some freedom in my arms.



I think it's easier when you get past the newborn period because there is less to worry about with the baby's neck, etc. They can "help".

Have you tried nursing lying down next to her? Again, strategic use of pillows to support her at this phase worked for me.

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[alotofyarn]

We're using the boppy, which helps. It just seems to be variable whether she'll latch quickly or fight. It doesn't seem to just be a right issue anymore, but random. She eats like a champ once latched, as long as she stays awake. It's super frustrating... and painful.

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[scrub-jay]

Call a LC and get some help. Alternatively, many hospitals have free groups with LCs that can help assess issues. Get help sooner rather than later.

I too found a pillow more useful than the boppy too and perfecting side-lying bf was truly life changing.

[alotofyarn]

We may call the lc again tomorrow. They were great in the hospital and the other day when we called. I don't feel engorged anymore, but maybe that's still a problem and I need to go back to manually expressing first.

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[SoonerTexan]

You might check la leche league resources too if the LC visits start getting cost prohibitive.

It is true, it won't be long before you have to fight her off like a barracuda! (Perhaps bad imagery for you right now though )

[alotofyarn]

We haven't paid anything for the LC yet, but I imagine we would if we actually went and saw them. She's been doing a little bit better today, at least. I think now I just need to get her latching a little bit deeper.

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[Thirteen]

Do you do any guidance with a hand on your breast? I remember having to do a "taco" hold, to make the act of latching easier.
The hold was guided from underneath, not on top --that way, I could check his latch and see if it was on correctly.
(I'm trying to describe this action without being incredibly graphic, and I apologize if this is TMI).

I would let go, after DS would latch. It was something my LC showed me, so I didn't come up with this on my own.


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[alotofyarn]

I've been pinching the nipple for her, and I think that's been helping too. Today's been rough because we were visiting family and her feeding times were all over the place, closer together and shorter than I prefer.

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[spotty_dog]

Love this video, especially for newborn nursing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zln0LTkejIs

And anything at all by Dr. Jack Newman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHs2Ql5Kylo

My kids always had their "schedules" (as much as any newborn has a schedule!) go nuts when I let them get distracted, and let myself get pressured to nurse for shorter periods, or to delay starting to nurse until baby was fussy and hard to latch, while visiting with family. Hang in there, it'll all normalize again.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Well D is proving that nursing is NOT like riding a bike. She is an amazingly powerful nurser and I've already got cracked and blistered nipples. And of course, they called in an Rx for me to heal them to a pharmacy that closed before they discharged me. I really don't want to start pumping yet but I'm honestly not sure if I can deal with nursing all night long feeling like this.

Milk is starting to come in but it's not in yet. She looks like she's latching well but she's obviously not since I'm dying. The hospital LC was like, obviously she's fooling us because her latch looks fine. And the hospital didn't carry soothies or any hydrogels which really sucked.

Any tips to make it thru the night? I've basically only got Vaseline bc nothing is open right now. I'm considering trying to ice them before each nursing session.


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[ladymoreta]

Hugs, T&S! I'd also recommend checking for tongue tie. DD was nursing awesomely, but it hurt so much I cried every time she latched. I'd definitely recommend pumping for tonight. One night won't throw either of you off too much, and you need a break until you can get some pain medicine.