Latching issue with newborn

[Ashersmomma]

My LO is now 4 days old. I'd decided to attempt bfing again after a failed attempt with my first. Once I get her to latch everything is good, but I just can't seem to get her to latch on one side! I have a bit of a struggle sometimes with my right side, but I can always get her top latch on eventually got every feeding. When it comes to my left side, I have gotten her to latch maybe 25% of the time. She actually fights it. She acts like she wants it, but then starts to pull back, turns her head away, or starts crying. Sometimes she will even just sit there with my nipple in her mouth. Perfect position, but will not latch on, or pushes it out with her tongue. I've tried different holds and positions. I just can't figure out what to do. That nipple does point down some, so I don't know I'd that has anything to do with it.(I have a tubular breast deformity, and had an augmentation done a couple years ago to correct the shape as much as possible)
She is also a very sleepy eater. I usually can't get her to wake up more than every 4 hours to eat. If I try, it takes 30 minutes or more(usually more!) to wake her enough to eat.
I will take any advice. I would really like it to work this time. I already seem to be producing more milk this time around.(I never produced enough with my first) But we are both getting frustrated.

 

[shinona]

Have you tried latching him on while holding him in the rugby ball position? Sometimes that was what I needed to do with my DD and ds#2. Sometimes we'd do the whole feed like that, sometimes I'd unlatch him and he'd latch on at the front no problem.
Xx

 

[Ashersmomma]

Yep, tried that. I've been able to get her to latch a couple times like that, but she won't do it consistently. I've gotten her to latch in a couple positions, but it doesn't happen very often.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

My lo was like this learning with both bbs. I found cross cradle most helpful. Using the hand holding the breast I would pinch the breast with my thumb to tilt the nipple upwards to point towards lo's nose, so it touched the roof of his mouth when on the breast. The nipple must touch the roof to activate the suck reflex. Because my nipple on one beast points down cross cradle was easier to line it up as I could not see with football. It took a few wks and a lot of practice and patience for him to really get it. I used a nipple shield initially but that's because he wouldn't latch without it. T was a pain to wean it but it helped to at least nurse from that side until he could do without the shield.

 

[Ashersmomma]

My lo was like this learning with both bbs. I found cross cradle most helpful. Using the hand holding the breast I would pinch the breast with my thumb to tilt the nipple upwards to point towards lo's nose, so it touched the roof of his mouth when on the breast. The nipple must touch the roof to activate the suck reflex. Because my nipple on one beast points down cross cradle was easier to line it up as I could not see with football. It took a few wks and a lot of practice and patience for him to really get it. I used a nipple shield initially but that's because he wouldn't latch without it. T was a pain to wean it but it helped to at least nurse from that side until he could do without the shield.

I will try this out! Thanks

 

[wifey2013]

Same happened to me! Right boob was a breeze and left was completely failing. I was giving up on breastfeeding. I actually switched to formula for about 3 days straight! Today I decided not to give up until I tried everything. A simple football latch on my left side got him to grab the boob and he drank like a fish! I'm back on boobs only! Give different positions a try and if not seek the help of a lactation specialist. I'm going to see one just to make sure we're doing everything the best way we can. Good luck!

 

[AnonymousCAT]

How did it go? I just wanted to add that getting enough of the breast into the mouth is important too so waiting until lo's mouth is open enough with tongue down before quickly bringing them onto the breast is important too. Another thing I tried was baby led latching leaning back. That seemed to help getting more of the breast in as well. I second PP in seeing a specialist if you are still having trouble.

 

[Ashersmomma]

It actually worked on the three feedings I had since starting, but now we are back to issues. But with both sides at the moment. She just doesn't want to latch at all and is extremely frustrated(screaming). I have an appointment with her pediatrician tomorrow and will bring it up then, and will also give the lactation consultant a call.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

That's encouraging that it worked. E was like this for a few wks until he finally learned what to do. Bf for us was something that did not come naturally that's for sure. It was a learning curve for both of us. Are you bottle feeding as well if she won't latch? If so she may be preferring the faster flow of the bottle? This could be the problem..?

 

[Ashersmomma]

She's only had a bottle once, and that was last night after our screaming fit that last 30 minutes. I have her just a little bit, and then switched back to the breast. She finally latched at that point, but only on one again. She fed decently last night, only fighting it for a few minutes, but only wanting one side again. This morning is better. She didn't really nurse long on my right(which is her preferred) but did well on the left. We may eventually get the hang of this.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

I'm sure you will! It is just so frustrating in the beginning. You're not alone

 

[kajastarlight]

My DS1 had latch issues (unfortunalty we didn't make it) the things I remember my Pediatrition and Lactation Consoltant suggesting:

Try different positions. Cross cradle, cradle, koala, football, laying side by side - sometimes one will work one time and not the next until baby figures out his/her favorite.

If you have to suppliment use a little tube attached to a sarynge and sneek that into babys mouth while (s)he is latched - ish on. (My DS1 never did latch properly) That way baby can practice nursing and get some nutrition.

If you use the tube suppliment thing try setting it up at the begining of the feed and then once baby does latch sneek it out. That way baby won't get frusterated because (s)he is so hungry before baby can get your milk flowing.

Play with baby's feet or pump baby's legs to try to keep him/her awake

 

[noon_child]

Another thing I tried was baby led latching leaning back. QUOTE]

I second this! Some of the things you describe (her 'fighting', pulling back off, not sucking even though the nipple looks in the right place) are all part of her natural instinct to latch herself to the breast rather than 'be latched' by someone else. Sometimes using, rather than fighting, her instincts to use her fists, cheeks and nose to 'find' your nipple helps get a more satisfactory, comfortable and deeper latch.

If you Google laid back breastfeeding and biological nursing/nurturing you'll be able to find instructions.

 

[Ashersmomma]

I've tried reclining and it doesn't work either so far. She doesn't want to wake enough to even try on her own. I think that our main issues right now. She's getting a little better at latching, when I can get her to wake up But this girl just will not wake up for anything. I've tried everything I can think of, and what was suggested by her pediatrician. I have to wake her at night to nurse and the majority of the time during the day.

And now to top off the issues, I have mastitis on my right side(her preferred side) she's refusing it now and it's so painful I'm to the point now where I'm considering just expressing and bottle feeding.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time of it. Do whatever works for you, that's the main thing. Don't feel bad about it at all. The important thing is feeding your baby. Are you getting the mastitis treated? I've almost had it twice but was able to get the duct cleared at the last minute. Scary and painful! Glad latching is going better at least.

 

[Ashersmomma]

Thank you. DH and I are going to discuss it tonight when he gets off work.
I'd started treating it myself with warm compresses, massage, and expressing what I can(can't get much out right now) But I will be calling my doctor in the morning. I've started running a fever now.
I think breastfeeding is just one of those things my family doesn't have any luck doing. My grandma didn't produce enough and what she did produce didn't have enough nutrients. The doctors thought she was starving my mom. My mom had several bouts of mastitis with both my sister and I. My sister just completely dried up after a couple months. And for me, I have a tubular breast deformity that keeps me from producing much(although I had more production this time than with my first) Now with the mastitis. I guess breastfeeding just may not be in the cards for me.

 

[laurarebecca1]

Firstly congrats on persevering!
my little girl had latch issues for quite a while and I found instead of bringing her to the breast, bringing the breast to her and touching nipple to chin, cheeks and nose helped her learn to open her mouth really wide so she could latch onto a large amount of breast! In the first week, the bad latch caused blood blisters on my nipples (ouch!) so every time she fed it was excruciating!
Now at 10 weeks she self latches, this started around 6 weeks!

*dont be afraid to unlatch and relatch!*

*also my little girl was also a sleepy feeder, still is sometimes, I find a nappy change before feeding helped wake her enough to feed her especially in those early weeks!* (a little bit of cold to your bottom would wake anyone up lol!)

Good luck and I hope things improve for you!

 

[noon_child]

I think breastfeeding is just one of those things my family doesn't have any luck doing. My grandma didn't produce enough and what she did produce didn't have enough nutrients. The doctors thought she was starving my mom. My mom had several bouts of mastitis with both my sister and I. My sister just completely dried up after a couple months. And for me, I have a tubular breast deformity that keeps me from producing much(although I had more production this time than with my first) Now with the mastitis. I guess breastfeeding just may not be in the cards for me.

The fact you have persevered and come so far despite physical issues with your breast is something to be really proud of.

Please don't think that your family history dictates your future. A lot of women in the past were given some really bad advice and poor support about breastfeeding. "Poor quality milk" and "Poor milk supply" was given as a reason to lots of women, when actually the issues were around effective latching and misunderstandings about cluster feeding and growth spurts. It's really sad that your Grandma didn't get the support she deserved.

Also breasts are all individual, they grow as a response to both genetic factors and hormonal and environmental factors - so a Mum's breast may be nothing like her daughters, or her mothers.

I had a sleepy baby who struggled to latch. It is very common and does improve as they get older. I was told to wake LO every 2hrs night and day and it was such struggle to wake her, then latch her, then encourage her to suck etc. that by the time I'd got a few minutes feed out of her the two hours had passed and it was time to do it all over again! I got stressed out because I was desperate to put her down, but I think if I'd just kept her on me she'd have been able to pop on and off whenever she liked, half asleep, here and there, and the skin to skin would have helped my milk production. I was so exhausted though that I was terrified every time we did skin to skin that I was going to fall asleep with her on me!!

Take any and all support out there. Sounds like you are doing an amazing job.

 

[Rhapsodi]

At first my LO wouldn't latch on my right side. It turned out it was partially flat. I decided to try a nipple shield. It helped my right side with the flat nipple and my left with flow.
It was crazy fast for a while. But after a day or two he didn't need it anymore. He does occassionally struggle but rarely.

I would try hand expressing and see how the flow is too. If too fast expressing before nursing can help. If too slow pumping to increase production could help. Isaac still will take a few sips, wait, take few wait until the flow slows down a little then he chows down.

My LO is a sleepy nurser too. Just be persistent. Strip them naked do skin on skin. Tap the butt. You may just have to nurse nearly continuously for a few days until their past the super sleepy newborn stage. Also sometimes the more sleepy the poorer the latch.

My favorite nursing position is laying down with him next to me.

Way to go to perserver! Good luck!

 

[mara16jade]

Have you tried a nipple shield? We had pretty severe latching issues for 4-5 weeks until I decided -t was either quit or try something new. And it worked! We both learned what we needed to do to BF and here we are 6.5 months later going strong. I just have to get my boob in his general direction and he takes it from there. I used the nipple shield or about a month (on and off the last week). And it wasn't even a transition...he didn't even notice I stopped putting it on. Wish you all the best!