BF advice please

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DD1 is 4 days old and I'm exclusively bf.

We're having latching problems resulting in me having one completely blistered nipple - although dd feeds well from this breast and it doesnt feel like a bad latch but it obviously must be.

The other breast has a much smaller nipple, has been excruciating to feed from since the beginning and dd is now refusing this breast totally.

I've had breastfeeding support visits yesterday and today and have been shown the rugby hold which seems to help with latching on the good (left) breast.

However today dd has had urates in her last two nappies and no dirty nappies at all, lots of wet ones. We're getting loads of feeds in - 11 in last 24 hours all between 20-30 mins but the last 3 have been over an hour - all from the good breast. I haven't offered the other as she just refuses it today and cries.

I'm just a little worried that the length of feeds + no dirty nappy + urates means she's possibly not getting enough milk out....the bf lady today suggested cup feeding to give my nipples a rest but hand expressing from the good breast only gave a dribble as milk not in yet and hand+pump gave nothing at all from the other breast.

Sorry its long, does anyone have any good advice for these various issues? Feeling really sad that I might not be giving dd what she needs.

Sorry just realised dd is classed as 3 days old not 4 she was born early hours Sat.

Hello,

Firstly don't panic - I think it is really normal to have supply doubts at this time. I know I did and for me it was a case if waiting it out a day longer. I didn't have the issue of baby refusing one side but had the urates / no bowel movement situation. I'd lost lots of blood during birth (long induction and forceps) and midwife advised topping her up with formula but I'm really glad I didn't as the next day she had a bowel movement and my milk seemed to kick in more.

On the refusing one side I've read somewhere one breast can be enough (eg feeding twins) but it is worth getting specific advice on that I'd imagine. I have called La Leche League twice and they seem to know their stuff. Number in this page: www.laleche.org.uk/ you might have to wait a bit to get someone as is run by volunteers.

Also don't worry about having your latch checked multiple times (with midewife or HV) to stop blisters - I asked loads, inc yesterday as at 9 weeks DD had outgrown the style of rugby hold I was doing and blisters returned.

Pumping is not a good way to see what your supply is either if they is worrying you. I still only get a tiny amount and DD is gaining fine.

Finally I found lansinoh with clingfilm over the top a relief from sore nipples. Should say though need to check all gone before feeding as can tear and also some people find this causes thrush but I didn't. Felt heavenly as could beat fabric on my skin and promoted wet healing.

Good luck!

That should be 'if that is worrying you'.

Ahh bless you, congratulations on the birth!

great advice from Roller there. Mine is 11months now and still on boob: I am so glad I persevered it gets much easier, I promise!

Right now I would suggest you get proper advice (again) from LLL and/or midwife or local lactation consultant. Are there support drop in places you can get to today? They helped me a lot in the early days (when I managed to actually get out of the house within the 4 hour hour window they were open each day!).

Babies can be very efficient with breast milk and poo less, I was told the main indicator of health is wet nappies indicating no dehydration along with decent weight gain, but if you are not sure call the ward for advice, I think they should be willing to talk to you day or night for the first couple of weeks post delivery.

I am no expert, but I would imagine you would be better offering both the preferred boob and the other one to encourage supply. My LO clearly preferred my left to my right but I persevered (as in offered each time even if she actually drank mostly or was full from the preferred one) and she gradually got used to it. Rugby hold worked best for me.

Good luck and lansinoh after every feed

I can't really advise on the feeding as I wasn't successful long term only 6 weeks but for sore nipple soz my midwife recommended jelonet from local pharmacy, I wrapped a sheet around each nipple between feeds really promoted healing.
3 days is very early days! My milk didnt come in for 6 days as I was post c-section and DS was ravenous by then! Hang in there, try and get BF help today ideally someone to latch baby onto the breast your not feeding from. I know I found one breast much easier than the other in the beginning.
Good luck

Just to add to what others have already said, I had blistered nipples (both sides) at 3 days even though mws said my latch was fine. I think it was actually a bit shallow, but not too bad.
Anyway the blisters went at about 6-7 days. I don't think we changed anything, just persevered and my nipples toughened up. I've heard similar from lots of other women.
Everything is fine now, and might be tmi but feeding feels nice now, sometimes even mildly pleasurable. And when baby is asleep and I'm with DP I've noticed my nipples are if anything more responsive, so don't think that toughening up will turn them into bottom-of-foot-skin useless nips instead of happy sensitive sexy nips! This is what I worried and I'm pleasantly surprised how wrong I was

And Lansinoh and cabbage leaves are both godsends for me, also some nipple shields to give them a bit of a rest.

Nipple shields def made all the difference to me at that stage, I cried during every feed cause nipples were so sore and they allowed them to heal. It's very early days yet so just take every day at a time, hopefully you'll feel better tomorrow already!

Has your milk come in properly. I had similar problems with first and third children and my milk came on day 5 which us quite late. That would affect the nappies.
You could feed from the good side and express a bit from the other until you both know what you are doing and you have healed a bit.
My first born had quite a violent ventouse birth and a big bruise which coincided with the side he didn't like feeding from too.
Good luck, try to relax and rest and eat well.
Oh and of course congratulations!

Just to echo what others have said, when I was at day 2 or 3 I remember dreading the next feed as it was so sore but once milk came in properly it got easier and by the end of the week my nipples seemed to have adjusted, so worth persevering.

My ds had a preference for one side at first, a feeding supporter at the hospital showed me how to feed lying down with the baby at the side of me and it really helped him accept the other breast. I found too that he was quite happy with only one side a lot of the time for the first few weeks.

Best of luck, enjoy your lovely baby!

Hello! for the first couple of weeks my son would only take one breast and developed an aversion to the other, i had to pump the other to keep the supply up and now he is 6 months old and will have both and has been like that since about 4 weeks.

Cabbage leaves are really soothing and helpful fresh from the fridge, i also used to hand express a little milk after a feed and coat my nipple with it to soothe the broken skin, it does toughen up eventually.

When i first started i was already looking for a way out, after about a month the problems seemed to go away for me, now im dreading having to give up!

Thank you so much for all the brilliant advice everyone! Just managed to get back on now, its amazing where the days go with a new baby isn't it!

I'm going to print this thread off and read back through all the tips.

I had an unexpected visit from the breastfeeding support worker again today and I feel like we've turned a corner!!

She suggested feeding from the good side as usual and expressing from the bad side for now to cup feed, she got me a pump on loan which is much gentler on my breast and told me to use nipple shields for a very short time on that breast to stop any problems with engorgment etc and to give my nipples a break.

So I've been doing all that today, my milk has come in and I feel great about it all !!