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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Will latch eventually improve on its own?

14 replies

pinkie87 · 05/10/2015 17:10

I am mum to a 5 week old baby boy. We have had countless bf issues since the start. Sore nipples (cracked and bleeding) in week 1. I expressed for 2 days to heal. Then started bfing again using shields on and off. Have been to countless drop ins and seen countless people. He had a posterior tongue tie cut a week and a half ago and we do exercises with his tongue daily. I was checked for thrush which was negative. Now trying cranial osteopathy. All this and I am still in pain. It feels like he is grinding/chomping my nipples. People I've seen all can't see an issue with his latch. He gets plenty of milk and gains weight very well. Plenty of wet and dirty nappies. Despite this I'm still in pain and nowe using shields permanently.

I want to know if this will just get better as he gets bigger, or will it always hurt if we can't find a problem? If so I just want to stop now and ff. If there's light at the end.of the tunnel I will persevere. It's just exhausting and I dread feeding. The shields do help but using them long term doesn't seem ideal especially in public as it's such a faff. Anyone got a similar experience.

OP posts:
Original poster
pinkie87 · 05/10/2015 17:12

Also just to add I have tried biological nurturing and countless other positions as suggested by professionals. Do some people just have pain always? I feel like his mouth isn't compatible with my boobs!

OP posts:
minipie · 05/10/2015 17:26

Do you feel any change in his latch since the tongue tie was cut? It can take a while for them to relearn a new latch after a tt is cut but after 1.5 weeks I would think there would be some improvement at least. Have you seen people since the tt was cut?

I don't think some people "just have pain", I think there is always an underlying issue, I think a lot of people never get their issue diagnosed/fixed though...

Original poster
pinkie87 · 05/10/2015 17:37

Yes I was told to go back to my support groups after the snip which I have done. No one can understand why it hurts. I feel like his mouth doesn't open wide enough maybe? I really have no idea.

OP posts:
Original poster
pinkie87 · 05/10/2015 17:38

And no, I can't notice a difference since the tongue tie snip. It's making me sad that I can't get it right.

OP posts:
minipie · 05/10/2015 17:44

Hmm. How long have you been seeing the cranial osteo and what do they say?

I wonder if there might be more/deeper tie that was missed. But just guessing really.

Bumping for you, hope someone more knowledgeable (eg tiktok) is about

Original poster
pinkie87 · 05/10/2015 17:47

Had 2 sessions. No improvement. He said he may not be able to help with it if it hadn't improved already.

Went private for the tongue tie snip and it seems they cut it properly/far enough back. I just have no idea where to go next.

OP posts:
CakeInMyFace · 06/10/2015 04:12

No advice here but just to say you aren't alone. My dd2 is nearly 4 weeks and hsd countless feeding issues and poor weight gain. She was v small when born so supplemented with formula. Discovered only last week she had severe TT which was cut but still no improvement. Am topping up still as she is still v slow and inefficient at the breast and my dd1 who is 4 has atrocious behaviour. Im starting to hate it all as its taking away enjoying my baby.
Am trying to swap to formula but get so painfully engorged I can't seem to stop the bf yet. Good luck OP I hope it gets better for you soon.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 06/10/2015 21:24

I think some people/ babies just do have painful experience of BF (in my experience).i'm feeding DS2 who has a tongue tie, and I am experiencing a strange scratching pain in the breast tissue during and after feeds. Had BF counsellor out today and she said the latch is excellent, no thrush etc, but I still am experiencing this discomfort. It is exactly the same pain as I had with DS1 and I eventually gave up feeding after 6 weeks. This makes me think that perhaps this is just 'my' Breastfeeding; this is how it will be for me. One thing she did say which I found very interesting, was about the let down and how painful that can be for some mums, and how it can occur several times in a feed, which could explain the feeling that I am interpreting as pain. Also, the way that after feeding, the breast makes more milk in response and this too can be painful.

lexyjay · 07/10/2015 09:28

My lo had his tongue tie snipped at three weeks old, then it took about a week to notice any change. But it didnt really feel completely pain free until about 8-10 weeks . He is now seven months old and bf is easy and painfree, i came so close to quitting but am glad i didnt. So to answer your question yes his latch did get better on its own and there was light at the end of the tunnel!

ARV1981 · 07/10/2015 11:58

Lexyjay - thank you! I am having similar problems to the op, and I can't tell you how good it is to read that it will get better and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

MuddyWellyNelly · 10/10/2015 12:32

My DS had TT snipped at 6 weeks which undoubtedly helped but I'm convinced he just got bigger/stronger at the same time. Sometimes you just need to hear the right piece of advice for it to click. For me it was making sure the chin came to the boob first. I also now make sure he has proper fish lips (flared out) as otherwise it's like a tight tugging feeling. I've learned I can do this when he's latched on whereas before I think his mouth was too tiny for me to get my finger in. It also helps when the rate of feeding slows. Also Google Flipple technique which has solved problems for many.

BF used to make me sob. DS is only 10 weeks and already the worst feels a lifetime ago.

Bugaboom · 10/10/2015 22:57

My first baby had tt cut at 4 weeks but it was at least another 2 weeks before it was pain free (although there was some improvement in the week following). My second didn't have tt but I still got cracked bleeding nipples despite everyone saying latch was good. I also had oversupply and forceful letdown which added to the discomfort. This time it improved around 8 week mark. I think it was a combination of my body adjusting and her mouth opening wider. With both babies I dreaded the feeds in the early weeks.
I think this is how breastfeeding goes for me in the early weeks and I'm sure it would happen again if I had another. I'm still breastfeeding dd at 9 months and it's totally pain free as it has been for months.
If the nipples shields help can you keep using for a couple more weeks and then try to wean off? I'm sure I've read other threads where posters have used them long term. I hope it improves quickly Flowers

Reubix · 13/10/2015 21:25

Feeding, for me, was a nightmare for the first few weeks. I ploughed through, gritting my teeth and trying lots and lots of different positions, re - latching again and again and crying to the tongue tie doctor who insisted she was fine. Then boom, at 14 weeks, she gets it. Or I do. Either way, it works suddenly and it doesn't hurt!!!! There was a time when I didn't believe that was possible :-) x

Reubix · 13/10/2015 21:28

Just to add, for me it was worth the fight. But it didn't work for my eldest and if it isn't working for you don't feel guilty about trying something different. You want to enjoy this time, not have it eaten up worrying about how you're feeding.... good luck xx

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