Poor latch and my poor nipples

[FartnissEverbeans]

Hi everyone, DS is one week old and until now has been on a mixture of formula and breast milk. I didn’t intend to breastfeed originally, hence the formula, which I know is affecting my supply. I’m doing my best to increase the number of feeds I do.

However, his latch at times is toe-curlingly painful and this morning I noticed that the milk coming from one breast is pink -
presumably blood. I use nipple shields because he refused point blank to latch at the hospital (this was before any formula) but I don’t think he’s got a deep enough latch and I can’t seem to fix it. I had to stop after giving one breast this morning and give him formula because it was just so painful, and the blood really freaked me out.

I’ve watched videos online which say that the baby should have an arm on either side of the breast but I can’t get him to do this - his arms are always in the way! I just can’t get the position right at all.

Until this morning I thought we were improving pretty steadily but obviously this is till an issue.

Any advice welcome! Thanks

You should see a lactation consultant, they'll help you with the latch and anything else you need help or advice with.

I used the rugby ball hold and it worked brilliantly when I was breastfeeding my daughter. It was the most comfortable position for us both and she latched really well. There's videos of the rugby ball hold on the Internet, or you could ask your midwife/health visitor for some breastfeeding support.

Get support, see if there is a group local to you and call the breastfeeding helpline. There is also support on a Facebook group Breastfeeding and Lactation Support UK, they offer support via their inbox too.

I had such sore, cracked and bleeding nipples, I showed every midwife and hv I saw but they physical helped me latch which wasn't helpful. In the end I joined my local breastfeeding group on Facebook and joined their weekly zoom support meeting, they talked me through ways to latch and one worked for us. I had akready got to a bad point so it took a few weeks for my nipples to heal, I used lansinoh nipple cteam constantly to keep the nipples moist, this helped with healing and created a small barrier when baby was latching, it also meant that they weren't drying out and getting split open again. I was also having to rest one nipple at a time for a fee days, pumping on the bad one to keep supply and feeding exclusively on the better one. We are now 12wks in and I am so glad I stuck with it!

Good luck!

Thanks everyone, these are great suggestions

Unfortunately as I live overseas I don’t have a midwife or health visitor so I’ve had to rely on messaging friends for advice (and Mumsnet!). Zoom support sounds like a great idea.

My nipples aren’t cracked or anything - I’ve been using the shields so I think they’ve prevented that. It just hurts so, so much whenever he latches on, and he comes off the breast multiple times during every feed so it hurts me repeatedly. And then he just falls asleep after about five to ten mins and I can’t get him to take it again - then of course within ten mins he’s hungry because he didn’t get a full feed. And he has to latch again. And more pain etc

I was searching online and it looks like he might have quite a significant lip tie. He’s going to the paediatrician for a checkup tonight so I’m going to ask but if anyone has any tips for feeding with a lip tie that would be appreciated!

I'd join a couple of Facebook groups (Breastfeeding Younger Babies and Beyond is great) and ask if anyone has experience of in person support in your country - getting the latch sorted will be much easier if you have proper support. You can definitely get zoom support from an IBCLC but you'll have to pay for this (they're usually better than someone just styled as a lactation consultant as they have to pass a qualification and really know their stuff). www.facebook.com/LMJinfantfeeding/ This page always had good advice when I was breastfeeding so might be worth a look at, I think there are videos on there which may help with positioning.

Most of all remember that both you and your baby are having to learn this skill - it's natural but like walking, which you have to practise at, not like breathing which you do without thinking. So it's also something you can both get better at and more comfortable with too

Also if you're going to the paediatrician tomorrow ask them if they know of any local support, hopefully they can signpost you!

With getting an arm on either side - I found it easiest to feed lying down. That way baby is essentially doing tummy time and his/her head is pretty much vertical with arm on either side.

La Leche league and Kellymom are great online resources too!