Worried about noisy latch and need advice please!

[Josi23]

Hi ladies,

I've been bf my baby for the past 11 weeks but feel like she doesn't have the 'correct' latch because she is such a noisy feeder. I've often been told that her latch can't be right if she is making so much noise.....but I'm not in any pain and she is gaining weight well (even gone up a centile from the 50th to the 75th). She's also a happy smiley baby and sleeps well at night.

I'm just a bit concerned because she is so noisy, especially when my milk let's down - it's quite fast and the poor little thing sometimes struggles to keeps up! It's like she loses her suction....but luckily once she gets past the initial fast let down she feeds more comfortably. Is this normal? Will it get easier for her as she grows? I've tried taking her off when my milk comes down to give her a break but she gets so upset that I feel bad.

I've tried different feeding positions but it doesn't make any difference. I've also tried latching her on myself and holding her head firm (as advised by a bf peer support helper) but she just gags, pulls away and gets more upset!

Do I just let her do it her way, even if it's noisy?

I'm just so worried I'm doing it wrong....

HELP PLEASE!

Can you describe the noise she makes? Spluttering / drowning / choking? Clicking? Other?

This may sound like a funny way of describing it but it sounds like loud kisses. Almost like she's too lazy to suck, she's kind of slurping it in...

You could be describing all 3 of my DCs bfeeding! I also have a very fast let down and my DD is currently spluttering as she's feeding right now. When she feeds she really gulps, which I guess you would do if a drink was coming at you do fast! Llike your DD she settles more as the feed progresses.

The difference is that as this is my 3rd baby, I have now built up enough confidence to know things are fine, and that if she is putting on weight and I'm not in pain feeding, then it doesn't really matter. You are doing so well, she sounds like she's thriving - try to stop worrying and just enjoy it!

you know what? if you are not in pain and if she is feeding well and gaining weight I'd really recommend doing nothing!

I wonder if she maybe has a slight tongue tie? that can make for noisy feeding and a latch that's easy to lose. it doesn't always affect feeding, although can make it very painful.

My DD2 was a very noisy feeder! Everytime I fed her at the local Children's Centre a kindly staff member would ask if I wanted my latch checking because it couldn't 'be right with all that noise'. She is now 9 months, still bf and somewhere along the way she stopped being noisy but I can't tell you when!

If it isn't painful and she is gaining weight I really wouldn't worry.

All i can suggest really is that if you start by placing her lower lip an inch or two from the nipple, then let her upper lip attach, you can get a pretty firm latch that way.

It can happen that at let down they struggle slightly but I think the noises you're dexcribing mean there's a loss of suction somewhere, I mean, air is getting in. Which may make her swallow a bit more air but it does sound like she is settling into the feed as it slows so as long as she is happy I wouldn't stress it.

You can generally get a feel for when they are solidly on - the lower-lip first thing was helpful to me, you kind of line their mouths up then 'clamp' them on once they're in the right place! iyswim. Lots of nipple inside the mouth and you'll feel the milk being drawn out.

grubbalo - Thank you so much for your comment! It's nice to know I'm not the only one :). Did you find it got easier for them as they got older? I guess I just felt that by 11 weeks my DD would be coping with my let down but because she's still having trouble I started to panic that something was wrong with her latch...I often get stares in public too (esp baby groups) which makes me feel very self conscious.

But I guess if we're both ok then you're right, it doesn't really matter and I just need to start enjoying it. I just worry too much and all the time! Hopefully we'll just get better at it, we are definitely getting enough practice !

thisisyesterday JollyBear JaneBirkin

Thank you for your advice and comments :). DD definitely swallows a lot of air when she loses suction which can be a real pain. Luckily she shifts the wind quite well so it's not too much of a problem. I will give the 'bottom lip first' a go. She's just always so eager to get going and she's quite heavy now that I find it quite a struggle to ease her in slowly. She's a bit of a monster! I think need to work on my biceps !

Thanks again!

It was described in that 0-5 book we were all given when we were preggers a few years ago

There were diagrams/photos and everything...it worked really well for me. I'm still feeding ds2 and he's four and a half.

You kind of wait till they open their little mouth and you angle their head so the bottom lip is firmly on the skin, not too near the actual nipple, you don't want to be able to see the areola when she is latched on. well not much of it.

Then you just guide her head onto the breast keeping the lower lip in that position, and it should make a decent seal around the nipple. the nipple actually stretches a really long way and almost down their throats, it's incredible and a bit scary ! But very clever.

Good luck, you sound fine to me, you're doing great

Hey Josi, sorry DD is mid growth spurt so I went to bed early last night and only just saw your post!

It's funny, when you describe your DD as making kissing type noises I know just what you mean. It's exactly what my DD does too. I have just put it down to her being a noisy eater - she is latching on just fine. But you certainly know when she is eating!! Doesn't help that she has a cold at the moment too, so she sounds like a noisy little piglet snuffling away, smacking her lips at everything!

I honestly wouldn't worry, it all sounds like it's going very well. I think you do sort of worry when things are going so well as you hear so many horror stories (and I know so many people who have really struggled to get going breastfeeding), so when it does all go really well and it's all really straightforward it doesn't quite seem right does it. I think we just need to count ourselves very lucky I suppose!

Oh and there are millions of things you will worry about so get used to the feeling!