Hi all, hoping for some good video links and other advice from the experienced folks here! Have just had DS yesterday at midday, so he is less than 36 hours old at present; his older sister is still BFing at nearly 2 years old, so I have an ongoing milk supply and am used to breastfeeding, but for much shorter periods at a time and much less frequently than a newborn needs to, obviously.
When I had DD, feeding was really difficult for the first few weeks and I had ongoing issues (though things did generally improve with local support and constant trying) until about week 12 or 14. DD was quite small - just under 3 kilos, so 6 1/2 lbs - and her mouth was, too - likewise with DS, who was born at about the same size & weight. It seems like DS at any rate just doesn't gape very widely, at least not compared to the size of my nipple. I am getting lipstick-shaped nipples with ridges already so I can see that the latch is not great, though he has fed well in other ways (good wees & poos generally over the first few hours, looks contented, has come off breast himself after at least some of the feeds, and in some of the feeds I have seen a good lower lip position, but not all of them).
Is there any way I can get him to gape more widely so that the early days are better, before he grows a bigger mouth?! Also any other tips would be great of course - I am trying different holds so as to vary the position and vary which bit of the nipple gets sore(!). Will try a good amount of skin to skin now / rest of the evening and tomorrow morning too.