My DS was born by ELCS 11 days ago (breech presentation)
He was slow to latch on in hospital but we did manage to get discharged after only 2 nights because he would eventually latch on on average within the 6 hours they specified.
When we got home he flat out refused to latch at all which I think was because my milk came in and the different shaped nipples confused him. We spend a stessful first weekend at home cup feeding him EBM 3 hourly after a 12 hour period of him not feeding.
He then snapped out of this and has fed relatively well for the last 6 days but always struggling to latch on my left side compared to the right.
Yesterday however he just started to refuse the left side altogether but still taking the right side.
I've been expressing the left side for comfort a bit, still offering it to him but him only taking the right side.
I'm suffering from the baby blues a wee bit because of these teething problems with feeding. Because I missed out on having a natural birth I'm totally committed to exclusively breastfeeding but I just feel like I'm failing.
Any advice or support would be appreciated.
He has a good latch, midwives say my positioning is great. He's had a tongue tie snipped. I've already tried expressing a bit from the left side to make it softer for him, he took it once but has refused it maybe 10 times since.
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Infant feeding
11 day old newborn BF issues
mrsmugoo · 23/03/2014 09:10
You're doing really well! Keep going! The first 6/7/8 weeks can be hard work, you're doing something that's new to both of you and it takes a while to establish. I had a similar problem with my son, he didn't like feeding from my right. I started every feed with that side (whilst he was more hungry/enthusiastic) but it was always short lived and I'd finish the feed from the left. I fed him until he lost interest at 14 months, the last 6 months exclusively from the one side. It was far from ideal but can be done (I'm trying to say that worst case scenario is not 'failure') I found that 'laid back breastfeeding' or 'biological nurturing' helped most with the tricky side (and was great over all). I discovered at 10 months that my son has a severe lip tie. I'd never heard of this and had had him checked for tongue tie multiple times. I would recommend checking for this as it's very common. Just google some pictures, it's easy to see for yourself - the frenulum which joins the top lip to the gum come ls right down to between where the front teeth will be (so to the bottom of a baby's gum line). I had just assumed that's what they looked like before the teeth were through so it wasn't until he got them that I noticed!
Sorry for long, not very well written post! Good luck!!!
Breastfeeding is so hard. No one really tells you that before you have a baby. I found it harder than childbirth with DC1 but muddled through & finally had a great breastfeeding experience. It can be an emotional rollercoaster at the start but it sounds like you're coping well. My Dc2 went off one side for about 5 days around the same age. I was seriously stressed & freaked out that my milk would dry up on one side. I expressed a bit to get rid of the fullness but ultimately, it didnt affect my supply. To get her back on, I tried various different positions & she did seem to prefer the rugby ball hold on that side so I did that for a while & then she gradually moved back to the normal hold. In the worse case scenario, you can successfully feed from one side only long term. My friend did it when her baby took a random dislike to one side & I imagine many mums of twins do it. Hope this helps in some way. Good luck 
No real 'advice' but it sounds like you are doing amazing only 11 days in. It is such a tough stressful time getting established!
DS favoured my right side when we started out and I had some of the same issues. I kept pumping on the left side (mostly for comfort) and pulled a little at the nipple to make a latch attempt easier. I found rugby hold really helped him latch on to the left side (I think possibly he had a sore head on the left side which was making feeding a little uncomfortable!)
Keep doing what you are doing and offering the refused breast at ever feed.
I really hope you get some good advice soon and have some better luck! There are days when it is so hard and feels hopeless but if its anything like DS and I, one day it all just falls into place and feels like second nature.
Congratulations on your cuddly newborn!
We spent the afternoon in bed skin to skin...we managed to latch him on the left side once but it was a real battle and I'd just expressed that side.
He's also now fussing and pulling away from the right side. I'm so upset, I feel like it's one step forward two steps back. I've got a touch of the baby blues and this isn't helping 
They can fuss when they have wind and a sore tummy too. You're also probably feeling immensely tired right now, which doesn't help you to see straight 
Try winding him and get your partner to hold him if you haven't eaten or had a drink for awhile too and look after yourself. You can do this.
Some babies cluster feed at night and when they have growth spurts they feed more. It doesn't mean you aren't producing enough milk.
Kellymom is a great website I used to find x
Yes I'm going to start going on Mondays at the community midwives clinic
mrsmugoo sounds like you are well on your way to it becoming second nature! Congratulations!
The first public feed is always scary! Glad to read your update that its all going in the right direction.
Happy Mothers day!
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