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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

How to stop DD sliding to base of nipple when latched on?

17 replies

Sophiesworld · 18/12/2011 22:06

DD is 16 weeks old and has never latched on brilliantly (sorry, TMI, but I have quite large nipples so difficult to get much breast tissue into her mouth) and even when she does latch on well she tends to pull back fairly quickly so that she is sucking at the base of the nipple.

Until the last couple of days I haven't had any pain while she was feeding so it hasn't really been a problem but now my nipples are sore. She is also pulling away with the nipple still in her mouth during feeds, which doesn't help, or pulling off sharply and then wanting to go back on repeatedly.

Does anyone have any tips for how I can encourage her to stay well latched on? Am worried that I have allowed her to devevlop poor habits and won't be able to change them now :(

OP posts:

cluelessnchaos · 18/12/2011 22:10

I am fellow big nippler, I'm surprised that you have pain now though when you haven't had it before. Has something else changed? Has she been feeding more or could she and you have thrush? The latch thing the only thing I can say is I would direct the end of my nipple to the roof of dc mouth rather than to the throat which would make them gag, if you do have thrush it might explain why she's pulling off?

youtalkintomeunderthemiseltoe · 18/12/2011 22:29

I would second checking for thrush but also say I I don't support under my breast with my hand this happens I think because of the weight.

rushofbloodtothefeet · 18/12/2011 22:33

I always adjusted the lips of mine after they latched so they didn't roll inwards and down to the end of the nipple (difficult to describe). So when latched use one finger to push the chin down and open the mouth wider, then use one finger to stroke the top lip up towards their nose, thus ensuring all the lip was visible. This really helped and they didn't seem to mind me doing it - I had to do it for DD for several months as she never gaped wide enough.

Original poster

Sophiesworld · 18/12/2011 22:38

Thanks clueless - she has been feeding more frequently recently (pretty much every hour through the night - gah!) and i have been trying to shove her on as often as possible during the day, partly in the hope this might reduce night feeding and also because she's only been gaining around 3oz a week so could be that.

I did wonder about thrush but neither of us has any symptoms (apart from the ones described) or predisposing factors so i thought it was unlikely. Should i go to my gp to get checked out? Will they be able to tell if we have it or not?

Will try the nipple aiming thing and see if that helps.

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Original poster

Sophiesworld · 19/12/2011 09:09

Thank you for all the tips - I will give them a go and see how we get on.

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TruthSweet · 19/12/2011 10:10

Has baby been checked for Tongue Tie? There are a list of symptoms here.

It may very well not be TT but it's always worth getting checked out.

This is also a good read to help work out why you have nipple pain.

Have you got a BFing counsellor near to you that might be able to help resolve this? There are bfing cousellors attached to the NCT, ABM, La Leche League, and the Bfing Network so if any of those groups work in your area you should have access to a BFC. If not you can call one of the bfing helplines (if you call from a landline you will get put through to your most local one on call at the time).

Original poster

Sophiesworld · 19/12/2011 19:19

Thanks for the links TruthSweet - I can certainly recognise a lot of the tongue-tie symptoms so it could be that. I rang the NCT helpline today and they put me in touch with a local bfc who I'm going to see tomorrow.

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TruthSweet · 19/12/2011 20:28

Hope all goes well tomorrow and you get on the road to making things easier

Original poster

Sophiesworld · 20/12/2011 20:51

So we saw the bfc this evening and she agreed that the latch isn't great and tried a couple of ways to get more breast into the mouth but each time DD just pulled her head back again a few seconds after latching on. She said I can keep trying the new techniques but now that DD is 16 weeks (17 tomorrow) it will be difficult to change her habits.

I asked about tongue tie but she said she couldn't see any signs and that even if it was the case, dividing it would now require general anaesthetic as DD is 4 months old, and it probably wouldn't change anything as she has already formed poor latching habits.

I feel so disheartened - I guess I was hoping she would have a magic solution and now I'm just kicking myself for not seeking advice sooner.

We'll keep going as we are as DD is gaining slowly and the pain is infrequent, but I'm frustrated that bfing isn't the simple and satisfying experience I thought it would be by now :(

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TruthSweet · 20/12/2011 21:23

That sounds so disappointing - I'm sorry it didn't go as hoped. Was one of the techniques she taught you the Flipple/exaggerated latch as that has a quite good track record with getting babies to latch deeper.

I kind of disagree that 4m is too old for a TT snip, as I'm certain our local TT clinic does babies of 4m or under - it's on the cusp I'll give her that but all the more reason for a swift referral so a proper assessment can be made. Could you phone the Post-natal ward and ask when their TT Clinics run? Or speak to your local IBCLC who does divisions?

This is how to assess for TT should you feel the need to have a little look at baby's mouth.....

Without being too nosy which organisation was the BFC with?

cluelessnchaos · 21/12/2011 17:12

Please don't be disheartened, even with a poor latch things will get easier as your babys mouth grows. Persevere with the deeper latch and take her off and start again if it's painful. What you are doing is so worthwhile you won't regret a moment of it.

Original poster

Sophiesworld · 21/12/2011 17:12

Thanks for the information on how to assess TT. The exaggerated latch was one tip she offeref and she also suggested BN. She's with the NCT.

Your post encouraged me to see if there is a TT clinic at our local hospital and there is, but I have just found out that the BFC we saw is also the Infant Feeding Specialist at the hospital so I can't really ring them now.

I'm surprised at the advice she gave re general anaesthetic though, as it states on the hospital's TT information leaflet (published May 2011) that "Dividing a baby's tongue-tie does not require a general anaesthetic (in babies less than 6-8 months of age)." Wish I'd had that information with me last night!

As you said, it may well not be TT but it would be good to know for sure. I think we will have to consider going to see an IBCLC privately.

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TruthSweet · 21/12/2011 17:21

The TT clinic may well be separate from the IFS's realm so don't be put off calling and even if she is involved then she shouldn't turn you away if you have real suspicions of TT. Would your HV/GP do a referral to the clinic?

What signs did you see for TT?

If you have the money for a private TT division then that would probably be the quickest way (you might even get it done before the New Year!).

Hope all works out soon.

Original poster

Sophiesworld · 21/12/2011 20:44

Thanks for the encouragement clueless - I do love bfing and luckily it is not that painful so we will persevere :)

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Original poster

Sophiesworld · 21/01/2012 08:34

Truthsweet, I just wanted to update you on our progress. We muddled through over Christmas and went to see our GP in the new year who did at least check in DDs mouth but also said no TT.

I still couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't quite right and after reading the Duracell Bunny Baby article that you'd linked to on another thread I decided to bite the bullet and take DD to the Milk Matters clinic.

I'm so glad I did as they diagnosed TT and we had it divided there and then. It was such a relief to talk to someone in RL who really listened to and understood our problems.

This was only yesterday so we've not seen any dramatic results as yet but I'm really hopeful things will start to improve over the next couple of weeks.

Anyway, I wanted to thank you for putting me onto this in the first place and for encouraging me to pursue it when I felt like I must be going mad. It's so hard to trust your instinct when you're being told by several HCPs that there's nothing wrong and I couldn't have done it without your posts and the general MN support

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crikeybadger · 21/01/2012 09:13

So pleased that you've finally got this sorted Sophiesworld. Just shows that you have to be persistent and trust your own feelings about how things are with your baby. Very hard I know, especially when people in a perceived position of power are telling you the opposite.

I really hope things get better for you now.

TruthSweet · 21/01/2012 10:33

I'm so glad you got it sorted. Way to go your Mum Instinct

It can take a little time for baby to get used to their new mobile tongue so in some babies there is no immediate improvement (I'm sure Milk Matters explained all to you though). Patience is a virtue at the moment so do hang on in there.

I'd be quite tempted to give feedback to the BFC that visited you. If she giving out duff info (re. TT clinics) and even though BFC aren't allowed to 'diagnose' TT, there was enough from a forum post for me, a lowly bfing peer supporter/trainee BFC (we haven't covered TT yet on my course) to see signs that suggested a referral to a TT specialist to get a proper evaluation. I know we all miss things at times but it would be good for her to know that it was TT and perhaps for her to review the info from the local TT clinic.

All the very best and have some for getting through this

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