What is the secret to feeding lying down?

[Daffodilly]

I would love to be able to feed DS (2 weeks old) lying down - I figure I could at least doze/rest through the night feeds that way. However, I don't seem to be able to get the latch right. He just ends up chewing the end of my nipple and it is agony! I have fairly small breats - wondering if this is part of the problem when lying down?

Does anyone have any advice or is there a knack I am missing?

Thanks for all those ideas. I am helping him latch in the lying down position. I am using a similar position to what most of you describe - will keep trying, maybe we just need practise.

Also good point that it may get easier as he gets older and the latching becomes more second nature I hope.

Sorry to but in on thread but been reading all advice with interest as would love to be able to do this with my 4 week old who sleeps in between our pillows but how do you then wind them? Doesn't it defeat the object as you have to sit up to wind them after the feed? My DD has to be winded after feeding otherwise she just lies there moaning and groaning as she's uncomfortable.. Please advise anyone. Do I actually need to wind her or not? Thanks.

Novmama - I had wrist problems with my first and I did manage to get the hang of feeding using a forearm to support and with my hand in a fist. I think the only possible diadvantages of lying down for baby can be ear infections.

i used to lie baby down so mouth at same latitude as nipple.

then from the air manoeuvre nipple into mouth.

when good latch on, lie down.

after a couple of weeks they get so good at it you don't have to hover, you can start feeding from lying down.

sorry - whilst manoeuvering, you are lying down, but propping yourself up on elbow.

dafodilly, I never mastered the art with my DD as it felt really unnatural, but with Ds who is now 13 weeks I've been cosleeping and we have mastered it now. I sort of curl around him with my knees bent and the lower arm tucked into the space made by my waist. His latch wasn't great to start with (lying or sitting) but he got the hang of it after a few weeks. I actually find it better lying down as I have a forceful let down and he can let the excess dribble out the side of his mouth.

Also, his position up and down the bed relative to me is key as too high or low and he was cricking his neck and it was obviously uncomfortable. He can now shuffle himself a bit if he isn't comfy.

I've tried the mawbroon roll, but my biggish norks mean that the lower one gets squished uncomfortably. There is obviously an optimum size range for this manoevre

Is your DS lying belly to belly with you?Were you shown how to do this by a bf'ing consultant? It does help. I had DS belly to belly, with his head tilted slightly back, both of us on our sides. His latch was shocking to start with as well but he had a tonguetie so that didn't help - got it snipped at around 2 weeks. My boobs aren't that big either but this was the only way we could feed for ages - took a couple of months before sitting feeding became an alternative option.

You should still be having MW visits - request one if not, from your HV, and try to get a bf'ing expert one - she will be able to help you get the latch sorted.

in answer to the winding qu - I didn't really bother winding him through the night - if he fell asleep on the boob there was no point waking him up to wind him. He was generally ok anyway.

Daffodilly, I am still bf-ing ds 2.4 years so trying to remember how it was different when he was little.

First off, don't give up. Agree with others to try a little later if you are getting nowhere. With stronger neck muscles, it will get easier.

In the meantime, you lie on your side, your ds on his side. The most important thing is that his mouth is in line with your (lower) nipple and his body flush against yours. I have never tried the mawbroon roll.

Although I am on my side, I have to roll my shoulder down slightly so that the nipple is lower down for easy reach. Bring him in so that he does not chew the end of the nipple but is comfortably latched on.

You've had some great advice here, so I haven't got anything to add. I hope you get it working for you. I didn't feed lying down with ds1 and ds2 but 6 years later I am more confident, and also more tired - it has been a Godsend

Pootle, in between your pillows - don't want to push in if advice not wanted here but that sounds a little worrying to me as when the baby starts shuffling she could shuffle into the pillows and find it hard to breathe.

Safe co-sleeping guidelines here.

About the winding, I think only you can answer this question - you just get to know whether your baby needs winding or not. If she is uncomfortable after a feed, you probably do - but she might grow out of it, they get better at self winding as they get older. I don't generally wind DS when he feeds lying down but sometimes I need to. When he was tiny I would just hold him against me from the feeding position and roll onto my back so he was on top of me, then stroke his back which usually brought the wind up. If he was obviously uncomfortable and that wasn't helping, I would lie him on my tummy at a right angle (so his legs were on the bed but his chest was on my tummy) and rub & pat him like that. If I really needed to sit up and wind him then I did but I haven't found this necessary very often.

Novmama, have you tried using a sling to feed in? You wouldn't have to support the baby's weight with your hands/arms/wrists then (although you might need a hand to put it on?) I think a ring sling or wrap would probably be good as you can leave it on and pop baby in and out. If you start a new thread about breastfeeding in slings you'd probably get some good advice. Just thinking it would probably help you to feed in another position than lying down - I could only do this for the first 2 weeks and I remember it being really frustrating and restrictive.

Oh and thanks Stealth I had a lovely birth so I think we both were!

I am in the average sized boovbs category
lie on your sidewith the 'bed side' arm at shoulder level
place baby with face level with your boob
put arm round the top of baby's head kind of protectively
roll baby onto side carefully and try snuggling him
i do know what you mean about the lath though as I always know whwen i have hade him in bed more than usual as thrush starsts to retiurn partly due to lazy latch