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Infant feeding

help! at wits end

7 replies

Sparky321 · 07/07/2014 01:41

My dd is 3 weeks old on Tuesday even since she's been born I have struggled to feed comfortably from my left breast. Tonight the pain has got worse it's at though she can't open her mouth wide enough I've reattached and reattached trying to get a more comfortable latch. Ihave mmentioned it to my midwife and health visitor and they both said to keep trying but I dread feeding on my left and spend the whole time crying.my dh wants to buy formula but obviously I don't as the right side is completely fine. Please can someone give me some practical advice I've tried all sorts of holds but seriously don't know how much longer I can go on for.

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PurplePunkPrincess · 07/07/2014 01:50

My right nipple points ever so slightly to the right, and even after 7 months it felt very odd if I didn't hold my boob unless I held him in a rugby ball position so his mouth was the right way for my boob!

Midwife also said for nearly all pain issues with feeding, hold baby under armpits and put in a standing up position (with you holding obviously) to your breast, so baby's tummy is against yours with his feet pointing to the floor. Never tried it myself as my baby is really tall!

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fruitpastille · 07/07/2014 02:19

If it is too painful to bear, you could express from that side for 24 hours to give it a break - have you got a pump? You could give the expressed milk using a cup (messy but often recommended) or via bottle (some babies can get nipple confusion but this has never been an issue for me personally). In the meantime look up a local bf counsellor who may have better knowledge than your midwife. There maybe a breastfeeding cafe nearby where you could get help.

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CityDweller · 07/07/2014 12:08

Have you tried rugby ball hold on that side? Due to DD's tongue tie it was much more painful to feed on my right side than it was on my left. After much painful trial and error we worked out that she fed better always facing the same way, regardless of which boob - so that meant rugby ball hold on right boob and cradle hold on left boob.

Have you had her checked for tongue tie (by a TT expert, i.e. not just the midwives or GP)? DD had a TT that was missed by countless midwives, bf support workers and the GP refused to even check her because she was gaining weight ok (despite the fact that my nipples were in shreds and I had mastitis). I went to a private drop-in bf clinic in the end.

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SecretSpeech · 07/07/2014 12:11

My DD is now over 5 months but has always preferred the right, and consequently it produces far more milk than the left. The right is also bigger now which used to bother me but actually you can't notice it and I'm sure it will go back! I heard lots of people only feed from one side, if you're keen to breastfeed then the main thing is that you do that. One thing I have tried which sometimes works, is to hold her in the same position but attach her to the left breast, so she thinks she's on the right. Also I try and express form the left hand side when I get the chance. Good luck x

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noshthis · 08/07/2014 10:34

Has it always been like this with that boob? To me it sounds like when I had thrush - totally fine on right boob, agony on left.

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minipie · 08/07/2014 13:01

I second getting checked for tongue tie (not by HV or GP but by someone properly trained to spot it). I always found it hard to feed DD from left boob and had to pretty much hold that nipple in her mouth and squeeze for her to be able to feed - it turned out she had posterior tongue tie.

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SaggyAndLucy · 09/07/2014 14:05

I second/third/fourth trying different positions. Google or YouTube for suggestions.
If you know the latch is good, it could just be soreness due to being fairly new to it all. Things will toughen up. Think of it like wearing new shoes. After the initial blisters heal they don't rub any more! Smile

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