2 weeks in and still hurts when baby latches? **updated**

[Sarah lo]

Is it normal for it still to be hurting after 2 weeks? It only hurts when he first latches and after a few seconds it stops hurting.

My nipples aren't scabby or cracked, just a little bit pink. He is gaining loads of weight and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies so he's getting plenty of milk, therefore I think his latch must be OK?

Update:
I took LO to my local BF group at the children's centre this morning just to get his latch checked and the BF advisor said she thinks it is a tongue tie after all because he can't stick his tongue out. He did get checked for tongue tie at the hospital when he was born but I guess they must've missed it

Anyway I have to go see another lady on Tuesday who will tell us for certain if it is TT and if so she will refer us to get it snipped.

Its funny because without realising it, there are lots of other signs of him having TT that I didn't notice because I thought it was all normal, like the fact that he feeds the whole time he's awake and falls asleep on the breast without having a decent feed. He's also really gassy.

It also makes me wonder if DD had the same problem and that was why I had so many problems BF her that eventually led to me giving up.

 

[bdb84]

Have you ever had him checked for a lip or tongue tie? This can cause nursing to be painful because of an incorrect latch. He still may be getting plenty of milk, but his latch could always be corrected.

I would contact a local lactation consultant for some guidance. She can observe your babe nursing and help make corrections, or at the very least, rule out that it is/isn't a lip/tongue tie issue (in which case you will be referred to a pediatric ENT).

You should be able to search through the La Leche League's website.

 

[Sarah lo]

Thanks for replying. He's been checked for tongue tie. I'll have a look on LLL website.

 

[JASMAK]

Yes! Mine were painful for 8 agonising weeks! Hang in there! It does get easier....trust me!

 

[sheldonsmommy]

Yes! Mine were painful for 8 agonising weeks! Hang in there! It does get easier....trust me!

Oh man 8 weeks? Poor you!

Mine were agonizing for a few days, painful but tolerable for a week or 2, then one day I just realized it no longer hurt.

 

[Sarah lo]

8 weeks? Holy cow! I hope it doesn't take that long

I'm trying to get him to open his mouth a bit wider when he latches as after having a good look at his latch yesterday I think he doesn't seem to open it quite wide enough. He's stubborn though and sometimes would rather not feed at all than open his mouth wider

 

[akilgore2012]

It took about 6 weeks for us to become pain free. Hopefully it doesn't take that long for you! Just hang in there!

 

[TCK_Runner]

It also took me 6 weeks to have it not be painful. Honestly, it hurt like hell until her mouth grew. Out of every friend and family member only one friend, who'd had a baby in the last 18 months, told me that and she was right. Everyone else told me to get a LC or get latch checked yada yada but it was just that her mouth wasn't big enough. I started using the boob shaped Nuby bottles and giving her pacifiers shaped like nipples (the "cherry" ones), but really it was just that her mouth finally grew (along with the rest of her body) such that she no longer pulls off and can actually latch and gulp/swallow at a good pace now. Thank god, the first month and a half were difficult. I hope for your sake it doesn't last as long!!!!

 

[BigAl]

It can take a while for that initial latch to pain free. I had perfect latch (checked many times due to long hospital stay), but it still hurt for around 6 weeks. It shouldn't last more than about 10 seconds though.

 

[wishuwerehere]

We turned a corner about 4 weeks in. I think your skin kind of has to toughen up and then it gets much easier. Hang in there, sounds like you're doing brilliantly

 

[Pearls18]

If it's only the start of feeding that's a good sign and probably not an attachment issue, I believe it took me 4 weeks to feel comfortable after my first but it gradually got better.