If I end up with milk all down my front I assume I'm doing it wrong?

[TheKingSits]

I've been BFing my 6 week old with shields since about a week in when my nipples were split in two and bleeding... It has been fine but I'm keen to get off the shields. The last day or two we've been trying some feeds without shields and it's been ok. He's not terribly happy about it but we've both just about made it through the feeds unscathed, except I end up with milk all down my front!

I'm assuming he is letting it out or it is leaking out the side of his mouth? Why would this happen? His latch is ok I think - trying to follow the flipple technique and if painful we start again... Any thoughts or hints?

Thanks!

Hi,

Firstly it's a good sign if you're making it through feeds unscathed! :)

Milk leaking from the side of his mouth can be an indicator of shallow latch and possible tongue tie. But I think with this, you'd get much more pain. I would keep an eye and if it starts to become painful again then seek RL help.

The other thing it can be is just that you have a lot of milk and a forceful letdown and it's just too much for him so it's dribbling out. Are you leaking from the other side too or just the side where he's feeding from?

Thank you Bertie. To be honest I have been convinced since day 1 that DS has a posterior tongue tie but the professionals don't seem to agree! I expect they are right but it would explain things. The other breast does leak a bit when I'm feeding but this has been reducing over the weeks as my supply has become slightly more stable and the engorgement/empty cycle has become less pronounced.

Feeds are not particularly comfortable but not painful to the point of tears like previously. He takes a bottle sometimes so I can totally understand why he is confused at the prospect of opening his mouth really wide to take the breast.

We'll keep persevering! Do you have any tips on latching on with engorgement? The mornings are still pretty bad for this.

Thanks for the reply

You can try hand expressing a little to soften the breast before latching if you like. Just do it into a muslin or something.

I experience dribbles too. My DS has had tongue tie snipped and we still end up with a little dribble out of the side of his mouth. He's 9 weeks, feeding well established, perfect latch and gaining new weight just as he should (he's a chunk!). I do have a fast let down. I think this is one of those things in BFing that just happens

Which professionals have pronounced him tongue tie free?? Posterior is almost always missed unless they have had some special training.

Does he make clicky sounds when feeding?

I asked a few midwives and a healthy visitor in the early weeks because of the pain, but they thought he was fine. I personally think he has the signs of tongue tie, he can't stick his tongue out or reach the top of his mouth with it (although his palate is very high), he struggles to co-ordinate breathing and swallowing, he is always grunting, snuffling and gasping for air.

I have a posterior tongue tie and an upper lip tie - goodness knows how my mother fed me!

Thanks for the tips - we'll keep going and hopefully get it mastered soon!

Sorry yes he clicks when eating as well!

You are describing classic tongue tie symptoms, including the high palate. It's also highly hereditary and given you have one then I would put money on your DS having one too.

I started a thread years ago asking if anyone's LO's tongue tie had been missed and there were dozens of people posted on it. HCPs are really not well informed about this at all.

Find somebody who is an expert on tongue ties so you get the help you need. DS1's went undiagnosed until he was 6 years old and it caused us so much misery. There is so much more to it than feeding and speech

Milk Matters might be a starting point.

Thank you! I'm definitely going to look into it more. I compared him with a friend's baby today and he left baby would stick her tongue out and could reach the roof of her mouth when she cried, he doesn't do any of that.

DS' tongue tie was missed by FIVE midwives. Lactation consultant picked it up straight away (70% thickness, posterior). Midwives are angels but with things like tongue tie you need a specialist. When we had his snipped it changed our feeding instantly.

High. narrow palate is a classic association with tongue tie. It sounds highly likely. Easily and quickly fixed but he may have a bit of unlearning to do..

My ds has upper lip tie and I have fast let down and over supply and often end up covered in milk, but only when feeding at home usually. I think it's because when feeding elsewhere I'm more focused on 'getting the job done' and getting my boobs away so I think ds is more focused and I don't let him slip off- once he's slipped off Boob goes away until the next feed.