Day 4, help! :)

[bubbles82]

My little girl arrived on Monday and we have been giving breastfeeding a good go. All was going well, although we have been feeding constantly just about every hour since yesterday and my milk seems to have come in today. I've had the usual sore nipples but have been battling through clinging to the hope it starts to get easier!

Today I've been alternating between each breast, and was due to start the latest feed on the right, however this one seems to have got quite big now (it was always the bigger of the two!), and baby seems to be struggling to latch on, it's as if it's got too big for her and she can't open her mouth wide enough, or struggles to breath with it in her mouth due to the amount of breast covering her nose.

So I've had to use the left side again which seems to be working ok, but now I'm wondering what I should be doing with the side I've been unable to feed from, should I be trying to empty it completely or partially? Pump it and freeze the milk or hand express some out? Not really sure what to do now and panicking I'm ruining my supply already.

 

[rachy01]

Id just force yourself to make the other boob work - try as many different positions as you can (cradle, rugby Ball, lying down) so you can both learn how to feed off that one x

 

[CandyDay]

If you need to you could express justenough to make you and your LO comfy. I wouldnt pump too much though at this early stage and not every time.
Also frequent nursing is normal as they are building up your supply and their tummies are tiny. The first few weeks are the hardest for frequent nursing it does get better you just have to keep going and get through it.
You can also look into a sling or a wrap to help you have hands free and be able to keep LO close for nursing in.

 

[icklemonster]

Firstly congratulations on your new arrival
I agree with pp that the first few days are by far the hardest. A good friend of mine said get through night 5 and things will get much brighter. She was so right!
I had a similar problem to you and found squeezing my boob just above and below my nipple helped LO latch. I also fed laying flat on my back and allowed LO to naturally root out my nipple by placing her on top of me. She always managed a much better latch this way.
Sounds like you are doing a fab job though xxx

 

[shelx]

Have you tried changing postion? This happened me about day 4 when my boobs were massive and only after alot of screaming from LO i cottoned on to change his postion. More so on my right side, he always feeds from football position on the right, and on the left normal or football. I dont know why but this just works for us. Im not sure of many other positions though, hopefully somebody else can help you with that

 

[bana]

If your boob is covering her nose just hold your boob in your hand and indent it in where her nose is so she can breath but express/squirt some milk out before hand to make it easier to latch on iykwim, helps with my one big massive boob!! xx

 

[NurseSooz]

Just go with the crazy feeding - it does get easier. I know how exhausted you're probably feeling but once a week or two goes by you'll look back with a sigh if relief! xx

 

[Kirstiedenman]

I have one breast bigger than the other and when my milk came in my son couldn't breathe also because his nose was being covered the poor thing as annoying as it is I would hand express into a burp cloth or bottle first and the when he latched I would put my finger between his nose and my breast and push my breast down so there was a gap but the best position I found that helped was the rugby hold good luck and congrats on your little one and giving breastfeeding a go!