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

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

Infant feeding

Ds seems to have forgotten how to latch on!!!

38 replies

Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:06

Ds has had a cold the last few days... and it's my fault, I've let myself get away with a really crap latch because he was so sleepy all the time and didn't want to open his mouth wide at all.

Now he's a bit better... but he just isn't opening his mouth wide enough, still! He is basically sucking on the nipple, I know he's getting some milk because his nappies are wet (the occasional poo) and he possets up sick, but I know it can't be enough because it just isn't that big gaping mouth he used to have!!

I've tried stroking his mouth with my nipple, waking him up fully by stripping him down to his nappy, everything... but he doesn't want to do it, what do I do???

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foxcub · 18/05/2007 19:35

Mossie - when you day your boob is wet, do you mean that his lower lip keep slipping shut again, due to your skin being wet?

If so, mine does that too and I have to keep wiping it with a flannel until he's latched.

Another mumsnetter showed me a really good technique for getting the baby's jaw to open wide.

What you need to do is tip the baby's head back as you are latching. If you tip your own head back you'll notice that it causes your mouth to open wide, so if you drop the baby's head back the same will happen.
Antother thing you can do is squeeze the areola prior to latching. You can squeeze it into a long conical shape so its easier to get more into his mouth. The squeezing will also make drops of milk come out, which he will smell and should inspire him to get ready for latching.

Also, when your positioning, gently grip his head between both ears and shove his head onto your boob, rather than shoving your boob into his mouth. Its his head which should move, not your boob.

HTH

Shrinkinglily · 18/05/2007 16:26

Yay! Well done for getting your boobs out on the train and shocking people

Mossie · 18/05/2007 15:23

Off, not of!

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Mossie · 18/05/2007 15:23

Thanks Shrinky and BoM... I think I had worked myself up into a panic because he has latched on well before and suddenly, with his cold... it has stopped!! Also I was feeling worried because today was my first big train trip... actually it didn't go too badly, I did have to feed him on the train and I did get some shocked / nasty glares but I also got a smile of one woman which made me feel a lot better.

Will see the LLL advisor for any tips on Tues, as well.

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BandofMothers · 18/05/2007 11:02

dd2 has bf for 9 1/2 mths and her latch always looked wrong, but she was fine.
they get better at it aas they get older too, don't worry. you'll be ok

Shrinkinglily · 18/05/2007 10:58

Mossy, I don't think we have a good latch here alot of the time, reading this is usefull, I can improve my technique.
I think it's good to aim high but also not to worry if everything isn't perfect. You are very hard on yourself! Mossy, be kind to the Mossy, you are doing great.

Mossie · 18/05/2007 10:22

Thank you for the reassurance... I think I am just panicky as well because i'm going out today on the train for the first time since he was born... and will also have to bf in public if he gets hungry...

how silly to leave everything til the last minute like this, but he was fine until he got his cold!

anyway better go... thanks everyone for help1!

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mears · 18/05/2007 10:15

He won't forget totally and he can't be too much off the mark if your nipples feel OK. The other thing to try is holding him in the rugby ball hold - it is easier to control moving him swiftly onto the breast that way. Make sure you are bringing him onto the breast when he opens his mouth rather than trying to push the nipple in IYSWIM?

Mossie · 18/05/2007 10:11

Mears he is in his nappy when I feed him, my nipples are sore but not really sore iyswim, not enough to have to get the lansinoh out again like I did at the beginning.

Haven't tried feeding him in the bath though, I hadn't thought about that, will try that this evening!!I do wait until he wakes for feeds, which meant last night was fun and games but he still doesn't seem to open wide enough to latch on.

Will try feeding in the bath thisevening, as loing as he's not going to starve or something over the next few days, and as long as he's not going to forget totally, that's the main thing I'm worried about.

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mears · 18/05/2007 10:09

Have you got him skin-to-skin when you can? Lie down with him even. Are you waiting till he wakes for feeds? Have you tried feeding him in the bath?

These things can help. He will be fine till you see LL person and will probably have sorted himself out by then.

Are your nipples sore?

Mossie · 18/05/2007 10:03

Oh that's good to know... he is certainly getting milk - well, enough to keep him hydrated, at any rate. Eight weeks - well if that's the case I can keep going for a few more days with the crappy latch... it just means feeds take loads longer, but I can deal with that as long as I'm not messing it up by doing this so he totally forgets...

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bitzermaloney · 18/05/2007 10:00

I really, really can't believe it would be too late if he is getting milk as he seems to be - ds and I struggled with a crap latch for about 8 weeks before we finally cracked it. He (and I) are still alive and still bfing now at 9.5 months

Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:58

I can see someone on Tues... but if I keep doing this semi-crap latch will it be too late by then?

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bitzermaloney · 18/05/2007 09:56

Hi Mossie,

My ds did this for a while too. Please don't panic - of course you haven't messed up bfing! Have you tried making him 'reach' more for the nipple, IYSWIM? i.e. hold him really close to you so his nose is near it, so his chin touches your breast first, and he HAS to open wide to latch on, and sort of stretch like he's trying to sniff a flower just above his head ... Sorry, crap description, but that is what my bfing counsellor showed me, and it really helped. Can you get to see someone? Keep trying to get hold of a bfing counsellor as there's no substitute for someone watching you do it.

Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:51

I think it is my fault as well because I have left it until the last minute to try to get help, silly really I thought it would be something really easy to fix...

I know what you mean, it's either feed with a bad latch, or he'll go hungry, so... it's feed with a bad latch!

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appledumpling · 18/05/2007 09:48

Well, I suppose we are at fault in one sense because we've both put up with a useless latch.

But, for me, DS was hungry and after 15-20mins of trying every and any way it was either breastfeed with a bad latch or send DH out for formula. I don't want to go to formula for all sorts of reasons so that's why I did it.

HV did say that breastfeeding babies have a law unto themselves and to just try and get as good a latch as poss in the hope that he will get over it and do it properly. I don't think there is a magic solution unfortunately.

Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:46

What would be the symptoms of an ear infection?

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lemonaid · 18/05/2007 09:46

Just wondering if there's any possibility that he has an ear infection? DS used to get them immediately after colds and often wouldn't nurse properly when he had one.

Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:46

Thanks - I have been silly really, I should have tried to get this sorted yesterday instead of leaving it until today when I have to go out at eleven... silly me I thought once the cold went, he would just automatically latch on properly again.

I guess I really need to know that a few more sessions with a shallow latch until I can see the La Leche bf councillor on Tuesday aren't going to ruin it forever...

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MaeWest · 18/05/2007 09:46

And you have not 'messed up', things will get better

MaeWest · 18/05/2007 09:44

I'm not an expert, but wanted to reply to keep this bumped. I've been feeding DS for nearly 10 months and wanted to reassure you that I have gone through periods where it seems to have gone 'wrong' causing tears and panic on my part, but we have got through it.

Your baby is still quite young I think, so still in the early days of learning how to do it? One thing that helped me when I was going through a difficult latching period (think he was about 2 months - v frustrating as I thought we had it all sorted!) was to relax (difficult I know) and lie down in bed with him next to me. I flopped the boob out and let him root, but didn't try to 'put' him on the boob. It took a while, but he eventually latched himself on ok, I had to trust him though.

Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:40

.

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Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:35

Anyone? I'm starting to feel a bit panicky that I've messed up bfing him now and he'll not latch again!!!!

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Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:33

.

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Mossie · 18/05/2007 09:31

He seemed to do it okay on one occasion yesterday, so I don't know what I did differently then. All through last night's feeds though he wouldn't latch on properly and it took him over an hour to feed from each side...

There must be something I can do... he has opened wide before, he knows how to do it, how do I get him to do it again?

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