So Levi and I are still at the point where it hurts to feed him, most of the time. Lanolin helps, but not as much as I'd like. The issue is him opening his mouth wide enough, he makes and "o" with his lips instead of opening. Sometimes I have to wait until he cries, and pinch my nipple flat and shove it in, and even then sometimes he spits out most of it.
I'm hopng someone may have some tips to get him to open up. I have a pump, but we don't want to give him a bottle for as long as we can help it. And he is a good eater, he'll eat anywhere as long as he's hungry. ( I can hear his gulps, it's kinda cute)
Any advice would help!
Just curious, but did you have an LC watch? I had this problem in the beginning and my nipples were bleeding. I had an LC work with me to physically show me how to get dd to latch on when I was still in the hospital. I still had problems when I got home so called for more advice. Pumping a little to relieve a bit of the engorgement before getting him to latch might help. You could be a little engored making it difficult for him to get his moouth around the nipple. This actually worked well for me until we got the latch down.
Do you have video of him latching on?
Have you been to see a Lactation Consultant or an IBCLC?
Do you own a copy of "So THAT'S What They're For!" by Janet Tamaro? There's pictures in there!
This might help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zln0LTkejIs&list=UUg1Z9yFOHd3oXXO3-atNqTw&index=9&feature=plcp
Start at :50. And let me just say that the visual of the nip in the baby's mouth looks like a PENIS! lol
I had this problem with my 2 year old. My nipples hurt so bad I was in tears everytime she ate. It went away after about 2 weeks. With my 7 month old, I had the same problem, but my nipples were literally bleeding. She was a month old and it just kept getting worse and worse. I didn't know what else to do, so I ended up switching her to formula :( something I still regret to this day. But I was in so much pain. I saw a LC and everything...her latch was perfect, but my nipples couldn't take it :(
I've been BFing since he was born, 4 weeks. I haven't consulted any LC, but I did join my local La Leche League. I'm hoping they can give me some pointers, but they only meet once a month.
LLL no longer recommends using lanolin. It can cause nipple problems in some women. Pumps can cause nipple pain, breast pain, plugged ducts, and breast infections. If you feel you must get milk out it is safer to hand express. Bottles and nipple shields are the worst things you can do.
Your nipples may hurt for a number of reasons. They could be staying damp in your bra. Not wearing a bra or wearing hard shells between feedings may help. I have somewhat large nipples and being pushed in by a bra would make them sore and then when the baby would nurse it would hurt. Not wearing a bra fixed the problem.
Sometimes it just takes a few weeks. Breastfeeding is supposed to feel good and eventually it does for most women. I hope you figure out the problem soon.
My midwife said not to soap your breasts - it dries out your nipples.
Try different holds so baby is working different spots of your breasts.
Stroke his cheeks to instigate the rooting reflex. Keep doing it until he opens wide, then pull him into the boob, don't put the boob in his mouth. If he still isn't wide open, pull him in until his nose is slightly covered, just for a sec, this will make him instinctively open wide for air. It does get easier, keep going!
Thanks ladies!
My midwife suggested the lanolin, I'll have to ask her about complications.
I do wear a bra, and have the nursing pads on all the time. Otherwise they leak (I had them pierced, so there's a couple more holes than normal). I can sit without a bra for a while, it's just going to take a couple paper towels or something to catch the dripping milk. Also, I was hoping to keep stretch marks to a minimum, but I'd rather it not hurt.
I haven't soaped my breasts since he was born. I heard babies, when given a choice between soaped or non soaped breasts most choose the non. But now I wont for both reasons ;)
I'll try your suggestions, and thank you for your replies!
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In ER with baby
- LeviAxelsMom
on Feb. 9, 2012 at 1:21 PM