What's it like when a child loses their latch?

[StealthPolarBear]

DS's latch is starting to feel odd, he isn't feeding very effectively, and comes off every few seconds gasping, as if he had a blocked nose (he doesn't). Is he losing his latch or is something else going on?

How old is he stealth?

I don't have the answer, but bumping for someone who can help.

DD1 lost her latch at 3.6y/o - which is early but the space for the first set of adult molars had appeared and that changed the shape of her mouth/oral cavity making it impossible for her to latch.

She was causing pain for about 2 weeks with sloppy latching (messing about with her tongue/teeth/on & off) before she just couldn't latch at all. I had originally put it down to being 8m pg but DD2 wasn't hurting me just DD1.

It was actually quite funny to see her try to latch that last time - she'd stick her tongue out and 'gurn' in an attempt to get her mouth/tongue in the right place to feed but she just couldn't find the sweet spot so to speak. I am a mean mummy though

DH and I explained what had happened and that she was a really big girl now and made a big fuss of how grown up she was. Then DH cried because DD1 didn't have any baby left.

That's not saying bfing is just for babies but that she had potty trained, wasn't fed from a spoon, didn't need rocking and now didn't bf - it was the last of the baby she once was, was gone.

She now has 2 of the adult molars (got them sometime before Xmas) and 2 are erupting now and she is 4.11y/o.

Can you check to see if your DS has more space at the back of his molars/extra gum space on the jaw as if that is the case he might be on the last leg of his bfing journey.

I probably should ask how old he is but I think I recall he's about 5? Or am I mixing you up with someone else?

sounds like baby is just a little overwhelmed by fast milk flow - my ds is the same on one boob and it is a real problem especially in the morning or if he is tired and he really fusses. He pops on and off gasping and spluttering. you could try expressing a bit before feeding or feeding him on that boob second?

Thanks everyone for the replies
He will be 4 in April (not sure who you're thinking of TS :)) - I am not looking to carry on feeding him if it's time to stop
I will have a look in his mouth, sorry to sound stupid but what would I be looking for? Just big gaps?
Does sound similar though (and similar age) - he is messing about even though he's not trying to.
ahh at your DH TS :)

Dunno about losing the latch.

I'm still waiting......

Is it possible that he is a bit blocked up, but without any of it running out IYSIM?

Etalb, we are talking about a 4yo here, who if he's anything like ds1 could cope with a let down like a fire hose!!!

When I put my finger in DD1's mouth there was a finger tip width gap between the back of the last tooth and where the jaw bone 'flicks' up to join with the skull. It hadn't been there a few weeks previously when I had last checked her teeth.

I don't think you can train/encourage them to keep latching once they have got to that point (not saying you want to, mind you) and it might be time to have a gentle chat about him being a really grown up boy soon before he really really can't latch.

DD1 had been told that at some point she wouldn't have 'bah' and that most (if not all) of her play school friends didn't have bah any more but I don't think she really believed that it would happen to her until she couldn't feed any more.

She still misses it now at nearly 5 and talks fondly of it plus she enjoys her sisters nursing

I have to say though the first time she was injured (fell down stairs and knocked out a tooth & bit through her lip) after weaning was horrible. Neither of us were prepared for how difficult it was to comfort her with out the last resort of bah not that I nursed her every time she was upset/hurt but that if all else failed there was always bah.

All my motherly instincts said nurse her but of course I couldn't even offer as her mouth was so smashed up - that shook me and her up far more than her stopping nursing ever did.

I think I may have confused you with LeninGrad - is her DS about 5? I really must kept my database up to date I got confused about some other posters recently too..tsk tsk

Wow truthsweet - that's early to get adult teeth!

I can't really say what it's like in progress spb. Dd only lost it because she stopped feeding and then couldn't remember what to do a couple of months later (she stopped at 4, but was ill so I was prepared to feed her as a one off - obv still had milk as was feeding ds1 too).

I would think it unlikely he's losing it already, but as ts's story shows I guess anything's possible!

CantSleep - She had a dental check up last week and the dentist had to verify with the dental nurse her age.

She thought she was 5 or 6 and the teeth were coming in early - she was really shocked to find out that DD1 isn't yet 5! Admittedly DD1 is tall (113cm+) and grown up looking in her school uniform (missing two front teeth does age a child terribly!).

They've been a real bugger coming through though and DD1 has had a lot of ear ache/jaw pain so putting it off would have been nice

Ack! Pressed post too soon.

Meant to say that latch can be lost through 'bad' habits or lack of use as well so if SPB'd DS hasn't been latching on very much then he might be forgetting rather than losing latch.

You can still capitalise on the forgetting if you want to wean, it might make things easier if DS knows he's not getting milk easily anymore.

I feel like a bad mummy now as I don't check his teeth to that extent! Might have a poke around tonight :o On the other hand he is not tall / big for his age at all, so if there's any link there it's less likely.
Yes, think LG's DS is a bit older.
mawbroon it is possible I suppose - he has been like this for about a month but at the beginning of that he did have a cold - so I suppose it could just be taking a very long time to clear.TS your poor DD :( That sounds really awful.
As for forgetting how to latch - I wish!! If he's not at home at bedtime, so e.g. at Grandma's he's fine, but if he is at home then he has to have a feed before bed. There are probably only 3 or 4 nights a month where he doesn't! However, coincidentally I ahve been talking to him about how he is geting a big boy to be feeding, and would he like to hvae his last feed on his 4th birthday. So far so good but when it comes to the crunch we'll see. I mentioned this to DH (who has been concerned for a while that DS is getting too old for this) and his response was "ahh my little boy's getting all grown up"!