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Infant feeding

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

Latch (?) issue at nearly 8mo

10 replies

RedKites · 09/06/2013 23:01

Feeding has generally been going well with DS2. It took me a few weeks to get the positioning just right on my 'difficult' side, but it's basically gone very smoothly. This is somewhat different to when DS1 was born!

However... something is not quite right the last few days. DS2 has four teeth, but it's a few weeks since the last of these came through. I have sometimes been very aware of his teeth during feeds, in a slightly uncomfortable way - it reminds me of how DS1's latch would go a bit funny whenever a new tooth came through - but there is no new tooth yet, and none obviously about to appear. If it's just a little uncomfortable I've been leaving him to it, but if it's too much I take him off to try again, and when doing this I've noticed his mouth is not very wide open at all. A few times at the moment he latches on it has been properly painful, although I'm not sure exactly how it's been painful. He has also bitten a few times, generally at the end of feeds.

Not sure what details might be relevant but... He does have a slight cold at the moment, but he's not blocked up. We have also been away for a few days, so feeding in different places from usual and with more distractions, but it has continued since we've been home. It is worse on my 'difficult' side (I call it that because most problems I've ever had have been worse on that side, but it hasn't really been difficult latterly), but I've definitely had some uncomfortable feeds on the other side too, and conversely some pain free feeds on 'difficult' side. And I have a bit of an oversupply, although I think things have calmed down a bit the last few weeks. The 'difficult' side probably has a lower supply, but possibly a faster letdown.

Does anyone have any suggestions? If a new tooth had just appeared or even if one was about to, I'd be happy to blame that and wait a few more days. Could it still be a phase and sort itself, or can you suggest anything I could be trying? Thanks.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 10/06/2013 15:06

Not got time to post now sorry but try giving one of the Bfing Helplines a call. If you haven't got the numbers google National Breastfeeding Helpline.

Hopefully this will bump for you too Smile

RedKites · 10/06/2013 22:32

Thanks. I was going to report back this morning that he was feeding better (despite now being a bit blocked up), but as the day has gone on there have been several less good feeds again. I did try one of the helplines just now but didn't get through, but I will try again in the morning or might make a trip to my local support group.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 11/06/2013 08:07

Sounds like a good idea.

ghosteditor · 11/06/2013 08:17

Hmm. Have you looked to see if he has tongue tie or lip tie? My DD has a narrow latch and it was because of her upper lip tie (now revised), and fussiness can be caused by that.

The jaw does move as teeth form so it could be related to that, but I doubt you'd notice it so suddenly. Teeth could well be the answer and I remember a bitey phase at a similar sort of time.

ChunkyPickle · 11/06/2013 08:26

I know that a few times over the couple of years I was feeding DS he'd get lazy/something would happen like a new tooth and I'd have to re-train him to attach without hurting me/grating my nipples - and it would happen overnight, one day all would be fine, then the next I'd realise that I was really sore and that he wasn't feeding properly

I'd just go back to the first principles, making sure he'd got a good mouthful etc and we'd be fine again within a day - might not be something bad, might just be that he needs reminding how to do it properly

MadMonkeys · 11/06/2013 08:56

My dd2 does this when teething. Maybe teeth are moving under the gums but not cutting yet?

RedKites · 11/06/2013 11:07

Thanks for all your suggestions. ghosteditor I don't think he has a tongue/lip tie - he was checked by someone who's pretty knowledgeable about them when he was small, and he's been feeding fine for many months, while I'd expect it would have been a problem all along? MadMonkeys - that's kind of what I was worried about, as that could mean a lot of uncomfortable feeds over the next few months. Hopefully not! I've just spoken to a lovely BFC on one of the helplines (thanks JJJ). She suggested roughly the same as what you said ChunkyPickle. I'm going to try feeding him in some different positions, being vigilant over the latch and taking him off as often as necessary and like you said going properly back to first principles and checking he's positioned correctly etc. I'll see how we get on, but I'm feeling much more positive about it all now. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
MadMonkeys · 13/06/2013 07:53

If its any comfort dd2 was only like this for a few days each time, maybe 5 times so far.

RedKites · 13/06/2013 14:35

Mainly just to update to say that feeding in different positions has worked amazingly well, and pretty much instantly fixed most of the problem. When I was first trying it, I did get bitten a couple of times, but I felt I knew how to respond to that, and it hasn't happened yesterday or today, so maybe even that is done with now. His latch is still a bit mixed if I revert to feeding in my usual cradle position, but I'm not really sure how else to feed him when I'm out and about, am experimenting with reclining a little bit when I can.

Oh, and ghosteditor am a bit Blush to admit that I realised, literally on Tuesday evening after posting on another thread that DS2 does actually have a lip tie... Although it doesn't blanch when I pull his lip back, so I believe it's the type that's less likely to interfere with breastfeeding? at least that's what it says on the page I've linked to more than once Anyway, we didn't have problems until the last week or so, so I don't believe that's the issue, but wanted to come back and 'confess' I'd completely missed it...

OP posts:
ghosteditor · 13/06/2013 18:04

So glad the new techniques are working for you kites.

I feel like I post 'TT/LT' as the solution to every feeding problem post I come across...but so far it's been true in every case! I think it's just very common and so often missed by 'experts' .

I am still bfing 17 mo DD and we never really had bfing problems but she hardly ate any food. 2 weeks post revision and she's eating like a trooper and has shot up in height.

The thing is, we never had a latch problem, but looking back, all the constant feeding, colic, feeding through the night, and occasional clicking is all symptomatic of LT, but it wasn't picked up.

And in your case it could be that it becomes more or less of an issue as your dc grows.

In any case I hope things continue to improve!

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