Baby refusing perfectly good latch.

[Needle]

So, I'm a little embarrassed to be on here asking for help, as DS is my 4th child, and I've spent most of the last 5 1/2 years breastfeeding, but I'm completely stumped.

DS is 6 days old, and won't accept a good latch. I'll get him latched on perfectly, then he'll suck for two seconds and stop. We'll do this 20 or so times before I give up and let him nipple feed out of sheer desperation. My poor nips are a bloody mess and I'm having to express and bottle feed him. I haven't been able to wear a shirt for two days. It's all terribly undignified.

Does anybody have any similar experience? (it's not a tongue tie, we've checked) I'd be very grateful for some insight.

[tiktok]

Hmmmm.....might be worth getting another opinion on the TT.

Have you tried self-attachment? Try a biological nurturing position and see if he will help himself. Google Mother and Baby dance for a variation on this.

This might be a case for nipple shields, as it's gonna hurt letting him mess about, bobbing on and off as he gets himself on :(

(Don't be embarrassed - my worst soreness was with number one baby, but number three baby was almost as agonising :) )

[Needle]

I've never heard of self attachment, I'll have to look into it, thank you.
I think it might just be a case of waiting until his mouth is a little bigger, but I am finding it very frustrating after three fairly straightforward girls.

I think a day or two of careful expressing should sort me out, but jeez, I'm glad this is the last time I'll have to do this!