Day 1 - latch refusal!! Don't want to be stuck in hospital!

[u32ng]

Had DS2 yesterday & he is being a monkey about latching on. Had a successful feed about an hr after delivery but since then not good. Feeling like dejavu with DS1 where I eventually had to give up trying to feed on boob as he wouldn't take it once formula got introduced (because he wouldn't latch on).

Don't want to end up in same situation with DS2.

Help!

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

What do you mean by he won't latch on? Is he interested and opening mouth but can't get a good latch? Is he opening his mouth wide enough?

[Lweji]

Is he refusing both boobs?

Are you holding his head back and bringing him to the nipple in one swift move for him to get a mouthful?

Have you tried expressing a few drops and smearing them on the nipple for him to feel the smell?

[ICJump]

Can you spend some time just skin to skin.

[tiktok]

You need one to one help and support from a midwife, who understands that fighting and forcing in these situations is unhelpful.

Patience, skin to skin, hand expression of colostrum and calm - usually this combination does the trick :)

[u32ng]

Think there's a few issues:

I don't think he opens his mouth wide enough;
If he does open up he doesn't get a good latch;
I wonder if my nipples are too flat and part of the issue?;
He cries or falls asleep or 'goes on' then bobs off/turns his head to the side.

Midwives have been good at offering help but it usually end in a "well he's had a good few sucks on each side" type comment and then I hand express colostrum into a syringe for him.

So frustrating! Getting some bf specialist help tomorrow so will see what they say.

[Ughnotagain]

Have you tried different holds? I have flat nipples (sort of) and the rugby ball hold worked really well for us until DD got the hang of things.

(Oh, and congratulations!)

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

Are you shaping your nipple/boob for him before he latches on? That's helped mine when they've tiny mouths and then holding it in shape until they're properly feeding (I've big boobs though so need to do that) if you stroke his cheek and have milk on your nipple near his mouth it should encourage him to get a big wide mouth? Bringing him to your boob rather than the other way round should get a deeper latch too. The first few days are always tricky though. He's probably crying/turning his head as he's not on properly so is hungry/frustrated. Hopefully he won't do that if he's on.
Rugby ball hold is brill as well and I always got a better latch that way with mine.

[u32ng]

Thanks! I'll give the rugby hold another try and see if that helps. I think I was making a bit of a meal of it the last time I tried to do that hold.

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

How's it going?

[u32ng]

DS has lost 12% of his birth weight. So doing top up feeds with formula. Hope this isn't the end of my breastfeeding DS1 took to the bottle and never looked back. Mind you he never latched well either so at least DS2 is an improvement from that PoV.

[Whoami24601]

Don't top up!! DS was exactly like this- he didn't have a proper feed until day 5. Ended up at 15% weight loss. As a 5lb preemie that was a bit worrying! But we persevered, and once he got it he flew! Lots of skin to skin, put him to the breast frequently, and hand express into his mouth if you have to. The consultant told me I'd have to top up, but I said no and it turned out to be totally the right decision!

[u32ng]

Oh dear, well we're already into top up land so I guess there's no changing that. Will do loads of skin to skin tho as I know it helps but sometimes finding time to do it is my problem.