Latch changing and getting painful during feed

[ZippyPippy]

I've been struggling with breastfeeding my 4 week old as he fusses and takes ages to latch on. My nipples are getting sore as he's fine when he starts a feed but seems to change his latch during it and it becomes the painful.

I've been told to keep taking him off and re-attaching if this happens, but if I do that he loses interest and stops feeding which is frustrating as he takes so long to get on in the first place. Presumably he is also then going to go shorter between feeds because he isn't getting enough in one go.

Any advice would be great.

Do you by chance have large or floppy breasts? Sorry to use the word floppy - I have them by the way - let's call a spade a spade here.

This happened to my DCs because I have large breasts that sort of change shape as the feed progresses and they become less full so the baby loses it's grip so to speak. As my babies got older and stronger it wasn't so much of a problem.

The only way I found to deal with it was to make sure by breast was fully supported with the other hand whilst feeding. It was a pain as it meant I couldn't read/eat/use laptop at same time as bf.

Thanks tryharder, they are not particularly big or floppy but they will be getting less firm during the feed so I'll try this. I also try and get comfy by putting the other arm under in the cross cradle and sitting back a bit so I'm wondering if this might be affecting the latch too. I find breastfeeding so uncomfortable!!

Hmmm, it shouldn't be uncomfortable ZippyPippy.

I wonder if you could try biological nurturing (google it).

Can you readjust the latch without taking him off (by moving his chin for eg.)?

Any support groups nearby that you could visit so someone could watch you feed? It might just need a small tweak in your attachment and that will make all the difference.

mine started doing this too, a few weeks older than yours I think. I went to a BF support group and the advisor suggested he may have had enough when he does that, and changes latch so he can keep sucking without getting more milk. So I started taking him off after he changed latch and saying 'all finished' fully expecting him to be hungry again in half an hour, but no, she was right! He was a very slow feeder when he was smaller and has sped up now but I hadn't realised and just wondered why he changed latch after 10 mins.

I recommend going to a group for proper advice.

should add he is now having a growth spurt and i have spent yesterday and today sitting on couch feeding constantly!