Fighting a losing battle...

[LolaCariad29]

Hello,

This is my first time posting on MN, but I've been recommended by a friend and hope someone can offer me some advice.

My DD is 6 weeks old and I am bf-ing. I have an 18 month old DS who was on bottles almost immediately after a disastrous attempt at bf-ing, therefore this is a whole new world to me. Generally speaking things are going well but I have a couple of queries I could really do with some opinions on:

1. She pretty much hates my left breast! I have a really inverted nipple on that side which I don't think helps, but at times she will latch on fine but then comes off after a few seconds screaming. On the odd occasion she has had a full feed and popped off full and sleepy, but this is very unusual. I tried nipple shields last week which worked a treat for a couple of days, now we're back to square one. Its so frustrating as I keep thinking we've cracked it and then she starts faffing about again! I have been expressing to try and keep the supply going but it's not easy to do as often as I should with DS rampaging around. Debating whether to just give up on that side altogether and just feed from the right?

1. Wind! She will not burp. She farts like a champ, but suffers massively with colic and trapped wind. Infacol and gripe water have had no effect really, neither has tummy rubbing, bending/cycling legs, lying on her tummy etc. She seems to really suffer particularly in the evening and it's very draining on us all.

1. Sometimes, on the 'good' breast, she pops on and off at the start of a feed, fussing and crying for a good minute or so before finally latching on properly. This is similar to how she is on the other side so I am trying to keep having a go with the 'bad' one in case its the same. However, it doesn't seem to happen and usually ends with her getting hysterical and needing to be calmed down by her dad, then back on the 'good' side.

I'm wondering if this is all related somehow. She sleeps well at night, has a bottle of formula as it helps her sleep longer (we've tried not doing this and it was a nightmare) and this has been the case from day one. I'm torn between feeling very happy that I'm bf-ing after last time, and getting increasingly frustrated!

Any thoughts would be very very welcome.

Could it be fast letdown? Kellymom.com has some good info.

1. Have you tried expressing (just for a little bit) on the 'bad' boob to try and encourage the nipple out then latching DD on? I know some people find that inverted/flat nipples 'improve' as you feed more.

1. Do you burp her during a feed? Between sides? Not much other help on this I'm afraid. Does she cluster feed during the evening? Could it be unsettledness due to wanting to feed or suck for comfort?

1. Popping on and off at the start could be a fast let down as Japhrimel says. Letting the fast flow drain off into a muslin before reattaching her may help - this will prob get better as your LO gets bigger.

Kellymom is great for advice on loads of things to do with bf so have a look on there too.

I would keep going with the 'bad' boob. How about feeding lying down on that side? Then she and you can either feed or just snooze and it would be less stressful (not a very technical suggestion, probably useless!). My DD had a phase of not liking one of my boobs but it's all gone better since about 4 months.

Re. wind - I've discovered quite by accident that my DD (now 5 months) will do a lovely huge burp when I pick her up under the arms and stand up myself :) again not very scientific but just an idea.

I struggled with bf (different issues though) but persevered and it all got better at around 4 months!! So now I'm a great one for keeping going. (I've also been supplementing with a bottle since the beginning, out of necessity).