Have I done the right thing?!

[Littleroobe]

I'm desperate for help my beautiful DD 4 days old has been a pain latching on since birth. She goes to the breast sucks a few times then pulls off or when she finally latches on she sucks a bit then wiggles and moves her position so it is really painful! (I already have sore spots on my nipples!) She also did this the whole time on postnatal too. MW on ward and since home have been amazing but Im starting to dread her waking up as I know I will have to try and feed her. It doesn't help that I have huge breasts (prob about a 38k/l now) and she just struggles to find a position in hospital she would only feed lay down!

Tonight I have given in and given her a bottle of express breast milk from earlier as I was engorged (my supply if fab 90mls from one breast and she had been latching on to the same breast for short bursts before this.) which she eventually took. I feel such a failure that I can't do it. I know express breast feeding is time consuming but spending 90mins trying to get her to feed is too. I just don't know what to do next feed! Do I try the breast first or use the milk I expressed?!

I just don't know what to do for the best?

Ps sorry that's an epic post!

Am sorry I don't have any professional advice but I would say get done help from a breastfeeding cafe or lactation consultant - you could ask you health visitor for a list of local contacts. I saw a lactation consultant with my DD and she was brilliant.

I think there is a breastfeeding counsellor who posts on here (Tictoc?) so hopefully they might come along and give you professional advice.

Please don't feel a failure, that is not true at all. It can be so hard and so, so stressful when you are trying to get your baby to feed. Please do seek out specialist advice add it might just be a simple adjustment that could make all the difference. Hoping last night was a bit easier for you.

Sorry for typos, cack-handedly using phone.

Loubelles, sorry you are having a hard time :(

You can call the midwives and ask for a home visit - these tricky situations need face to face support and help, and you are an urgent situation. There are several positions you can try - google biological nurturing and see the pics of women doing 'laid back' breastfeeding, for example.

It is fine to give expressed breastmilk but the underlying issue needs to be worked on, too, so you can breastfeed direct :)

I hope you get good help today.

Thank you, feeling a bit better today.

I've had midwife out every day since being home Sunday and been really well supported to their credit they've tried all position etc but the only semi comfortable way is lay down. The breastfeeding lady is due to come tomo. Hopefully if I express today, as my nipples are now so sore because every time she latches on five seconds later she then moves her head to reposition or push away and it kills!
I will check that out tiktoc thank you.

Have you had her checked for tongue tie? The latch-suck-stop/ can only feed lying down sounds all too familiar, my daughters was only a small tie but had this exact effect.