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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Does anyone else HAVE to hold their breast/nipple while feeding?

23 replies

LadyOfWaffle · 27/09/2008 16:55

Unless I feed lying down (and even then I sometimes have to) I have to pinch my breast abit and hold it. I never really thought about it before, it doesn't bother me - I had to do it last time and it's just instinct now but I saw someone feed the other day and their baby just latched on and she had two free hands! Is it normal to not be able to let go? I think my boobs are too big, the weight just pulls them out of his mouth unless he is positioned better, but still the size of them drags them out if he relaxs! Does this mean I can never feed in a sling?

OP posts:
pudding25 · 27/09/2008 17:02

Most of the time, I have to hold onto a (v large ) boob to prevent dd (4.5mths) getting smothered! Sometimes, we get in a position where she can freely breathe!

Original poster
LadyOfWaffle · 27/09/2008 17:05

Yeah, I have to hold my boob with my thumb at the top to stop it suffocating DS I only really notice it when he feeds from the right side and I lose my typing hand!

OP posts:
Liz79 · 27/09/2008 19:07

yes, I have to. tried to be all clever and use both hands/arms to support 9mo dd when in a cafe yesterday. i just came away with a painful love bite on my areola

ZamMummy · 27/09/2008 19:37

Yes, I have to. It's also a boob size thing (38F) Makes feeding anywhere but sofa or bed pretty tricky. But I read in Hello that Ulrika is now an I cup (!!) so she must suffer too, and she's a sleb and everything.....

charitas · 27/09/2008 20:14

yep, the nipple falls out if I don't,agree it is a size thing 42hh here

BabiesEverywhere · 27/09/2008 20:49

I have very big breasts and find nursing in a rugby ball hold means I don't have to hold on. In fact a pillow under the baby/toddler and I am hands free...I highly recommend the rugby hold

moondog · 27/09/2008 20:50

I always did. It felt more comfy. Not huge boobs though.

HeadFairy · 27/09/2008 21:02

I did too and agree with babieseverywhere, rugby hold is the only way you can do it with big norks and two free hands. I used to get all propped up with cushions in the morning then get dh to hand me a cuppa and a slice of toast and I'd have my breakfast while feeding ds. He used to get covered in crumbs though! I did used to envy my friends who used to be able to walk about the house while breast feeding, but due to large size of mine I couldn't do that without holding ds at about waist level . The only thing about rugby hold is that it's not very easy to do in restaurants/cafes/airports/where ever.

whomovedmychocolate · 27/09/2008 21:14

Yep I do. I am also fairly big. I can do hands free - but only with the aid of a lot of gaffer tape!

BigBadMousey · 27/09/2008 21:15

Ahhhhh..I feel like I have come home!

I am typing with my left hand because DS is feeding on my right. My MWs insist I should be able to let go but there is no way! I'm a 30K and definitely agree the weight pulls the boob away and I get love bites on my areola, suffocate DS - or both .

I like the rugby hold too (as does DS when he fancies a change of scenery) but I can't do that without holding on either - where am I going wrong?

whomovedmychocolate · 27/09/2008 21:24

I reckon there are two versions of the rugby hold, one shoves the baby under your armpit with legs behind or up behind your back. And the sideways hold where they lie with their heads facing your chest on their sides.

I can only do the latter and even then it doesn't work terribly well because I reckon my nipples are wonky because the babies just seem to turn so they are lying facing upwards - ie they prefer to be on their back even though they should be on their side.

edam · 27/09/2008 21:27

I always had to - am 36F when not b/f, no idea what I was when ds was small but was definitely on the generous side.

expatinscotland · 27/09/2008 21:29

me!

i don't think i'm that big. actually, i probably need to get the measuring tape out and measure myself so i can get some nursing bras.

but i'm pretty saggy and my nipples point out the way, so i have to hold the boob to feed.

BigBadMousey · 27/09/2008 21:32

wmmc - that's what happens with DS! When I do the rugby hold he ends up on his back looking up at me -sort of lying alongside with his head on my lap...it's more like a bottle feeding position. It seems to be OK though, he likes it and I guess if he isn't lying twisted all should be OK (?). He is really prone to colicky episodes so if you think that might be a bad position please say so - haven't noticed him being any worse in that position though...

Tryharder · 27/09/2008 21:36

I always have to support my breasts as well although a bfc suggested shoving a rolled up cloth nappy under my breasts to support them which i have to say works pretty well. Although as DS2 has got bigger, his latch has got stronger so once he's on I can now let go.

I can remember my midwife telling me how i would soon be able to walk around the house and do the cooking etc while bf and I thought, maybe you could love because you are about a 34A but I am currently about a 38E so no chance.

whomovedmychocolate · 27/09/2008 21:40

Actually bigbadmousey - I've finally worked out that the reason DS is so windy is because my milk letdown is at toddler speed (toddlers are chuggers they can down half a pint in a few minutes whereas newborns ideally get a drip, drip, drip approach). The rugby hold can increase the speed of delivery though so if this could be happening in your case, perhaps you should switch to the less efficient cradle hold.

Tryharder - yeah I know lots of women who just pop their babies on the breast and then go off jogging etc - silly midwife!

Grammaticus · 27/09/2008 21:41

I think you might be right about it being a size thing - I am a 34A (even when feeding) and I didn't have to do it.

aquariusgirl · 27/09/2008 21:48

I always had to hold my breast to feed as they are big unless i fed with my legs crossed and then baby rested on one knee and i could actually then do something else with my free hand!!!

Buckets · 27/09/2008 21:54

Yep, can't do that discreet 'pop the baby up the jumper' thing at all. I have to watch him too, don't trust him not to suddenly start hurting me for some reason. Have invested in the titless wrap style of nursing top rather than the pull-up double layer type. Can still cover nipple with a muslin if necessary though so I'm fairly confident about doing it in public (though not particularly comfy with positions other than lying down which I have mastered to an art).

If you're covering his nose in a lying down feed, try moving your crotch closer iyswim. You're aiming for your torsos to be in a V position to each other, rather than parallel. You can end up with your legs hanging off the side of the bed though so sometimes you might want to move the baby further away instead. After a few minutes I also find it's more comfy to lift my hips and lengthen the bottom leg so I'm getting a nice stretch along that side of my torso.

pudding25 · 28/09/2008 22:01

How do you do rugby hold if they are bigger? Dd is 4.5 mths. MW told me to do rugby hold when she was a few days old as it was good for big boobies and it worked great until she got to about 8wks and got too big (she is really tall).

lisad123 · 28/09/2008 22:04

yep me too, but very jealous of SGK who can do it easy and walk around while feeding

BabiesEverywhere · 29/09/2008 10:06

pudding25, I still nurse 2 year old DD in a rugby hold and it is perfect for tandem nursing, no need to place one child on the other ones lap, unlike the tandem cradle hold.

Bessie123 · 29/09/2008 10:09

l of w - yes, boob falls out dd's mouth if I don't hold it - I guess it's just gravity..? dd is 7 months now, so I don't think it's going to change.

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