Breast feeding and latching :-(

[Sweet211]

Has anybody had problems with Breastfeeding and baby not latching does the nipple shield work and which is the best nipple shield? I'm struggling after I had a c section and this is my first baby. I've been using the manual breast pump but the suction thing not workin I'm using the tommy tippee manual breast pump

[Sunshinegirl82]

Can you get to a breastfeeding support group or ask your midwife to come and help you? With latching I think it really helps to get someone to physically help you. A lot of the groups can also lend out pumps which might help you.

It is tough at first and getting proper support makes all the difference. Good luck!

[Salmonpinkcords]

I used a nipple shield with my first child - I had 3 days with her not feeding as she couldn't latch on - she was a big baby so no one was too bothered that she wasn't feeding properly and I manually expressed and gave that to her.
Eventually a midwife gave me a nipple shield (I used medela shields) and suddenly she was able to feed.
I know a lot of people don't like/agree with them but it worked for me, I was able to stop using them when she was older but they were the only thing that stopped me bottle feeding. They literally turned it all around.
I didn't use them for my second child (although I bought some just in case!) - I think my oldest child would never have latched on without them.
I remember how stressed I felt at the time and the constant stream of people who tried (but failed) to help. I wish I had known about nipple shields before I had 3 days of hell! Good luck - you are doing great!

[Twinnypops]

My twins also wouldn't latch for the first 3 days (which was a problem as they were a bit tiddly!). A midwife suggest using shields and they then latched on within a matter of hours. The shields were a faff and it took quite a while to wean them off them, so I wouldn't recommend them unless you definitely need them. But in my case I probably never would have managed to do any breastfeeding at all if I hadn't used them, so I'm definitely glad I did. I also used the medela ones. How old are your babies? Are you getting help with positions, etc?

[AudreyBradshaw]

Get baby checked for tongue tie. If you are still in hospital, ask to see the ingant feeding specialist or the lactation consultant. If not, phone your HV and ask to be directed to either of those two people in your area. There should also be a specialist HV who has had extra training to diagnose tongue tie.

If you have a local breastfeeding clinic I'd also encourage you to go, they will be able to help you with positions and latch. There are also videos on YouTube about the "flipple" technique. I was told "tummy to mummy, nipple to nose, wide open mouth, in it goes!"

I wasn't very competent at getting the nipple shields to actually ever stay on so I'm no use to you there.

Congratulations on your baby! Breastfeeding gets easier with time but the right advice and support is paramount!

[Tellmeagain]

I had the same issue at first, the best thing I did was get to a local breastfeeding support group at a nearby children's centre. Having help from someone in person (who knew their stuff) made the difference for me. The community midwives/health visitor weren't trained and gave bad advice that made things worse.

[WellErrr]

Ask your HV to put you in touch with a breastfeeding peer supporter, and look up some videos on latch (including the flipple technique) on YouTube.

Good luck. You're doing a great job at giving your baby the best start

[Sweet211]

Thank you so much for ur support ladies how do I know which size nipple shield I need

[WellErrr]

Please don't start with nipple shields until you've seen a peer supporter or lactation consultant, they will advise you