Difficulty latching 4 week old

[scrivette]

I have had lots of different advice from different midwives & health visitors so thought I would try the wisdom of Mumsnet!

BF has been hard work from birth as DS didn't feed for nearly 12 hours. He has difficulty latching on and so feeding is always slightly painful, just lesser degrees of pain!

It looks as if he is latching on, but he can't be because of the pain in my nipples after a feed. He has also started 'chomping' down on my breast (I realise he isn't biting but that's the best way to describe the feeling)

He has slight Tongue tie, but the doctor didn't want to cut it as it was at the front and too close the saliva glands. The midwife there suggested breast compressions to help, but another told me this can cause blocked ducts! I was given medication to take to increase my supply after a midwife weighed him before and after a feed, but I was suprised at this as he dies plenty of wet and dirty nappies.

I really don't want to stop BF, I suppose I am looking for conformation that it will get better somehow and for any tips! I never realised that it would be such hard work, but at the same time I love the bond between DS and me.

Someone with actual knowledge rather than just experience of their own tongue-tied baby will no doubt be along soon but the chomping can be symptomatic of a TT, he can't latch on well enough so has to hang on with his gums, ouch!

It may not be your supply which is the real issue - if the latch is painful for you, it may also be inefficient for him. So the milk may be there but he can't get at it all well enough because of the poor latch. Eventually though, your supply may go down if he's not getting all the milk out, once it becomes regulated by supply and demand.

From what I've read, sometimes it does just get better, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes people hit problems with supply at the 3-4 months mark. It sounds like they might be trying to treat the results like suspected low supply and ineffective milk transfer rather than the problem (TT), if the TT is in fact the problem. If nothing else, you might appreciate some help with latch to compensate for any feeding difficulties your son is having.

Can you get in touch with a breastfeeding counsellor (call National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0210 or Breastfeeding Network Supporterline 0300 100 0212 and ask for a local one) or lactation consultant [http://www.lcgb.org/consultants_local.html]?

You could try deep/exaggerated latch techniques: [http://www.sunderland.nhs.uk/admin/mopil/pdf/20060405104105.pdf] - page 9 or 10

Hope I'm not misleading you and stand to be corrected if I am! Good luck.

Sorry, again with proper links:

www.lcgb.org/consultants_local.html

www.sunderland.nhs.uk/admin/mopil/pdf/20060405104105.pdf]

Thank you very much for your reply, I will have a good read of the links.

Thank you very much for your reply, I will have a good read of the links.