breastfeeding question!

[tryingtobemarypoppins2]

Would anyone mind helping me out?

1. DS2 a week old tomorrow. Gaining weight, lots of good nappys etc but I am finding feeding a bit painful. My nipples look ok not bruised and only a tiny crack......is it just the sensation???

2. Totally confused about 1 boob or 2??? Hind mink and formilk???

3. I would love to lay down to feed but can't get the latch right in that position. Any tips??

Thank-you!

first of all you sound like you are doing a great job - ds obviously getting enough as gaining weight well and enough dirty/wet nappies. well done

I would encourage you to have a professional check you positioning and attachment as breastfeeding shouldn't be painful all the time and you shouldn't suffer any nipple trauma if baby is on correctly. It may be a small adjustment that makes all the diference to you.

With regards to you other question the advice is to let baby feed as often as he wants, for as long as he wants. The feed should start with quick sucks that stimulate your milk production (some mothers can find these sucks painful in the early weeks - that's ok) this should then change to slower, deeper sucks with pauses for swallowing and breathing (this should NOT be painful - if it is, take him off and try again), which is followed at the end of the feed by 'flutter' sucks which are lighter sucks and baby swallows less frequently. If you let him finish this cycle, he should get all the milk he needs on that side - you can then offer him the other breast which he may or may not take.

with regard to correct position, try to make sure baby is in a straight line, with his nose in line with you nipple and his chin forward - let his head tilt back to his chin comes to the breast first and then wait for him to really open his mouth wide before gently putting him on - make sure you are brining baby to you, rather than your breast to baby. It can be tricky to see what you're doing when you're lying down - you could try rolling up a muslin into a sausage and placing it under you breast to lift it slightly, or again getting someone to observe your feeding and help you with the lying down position.

hope that helps a bit xx

discamer- only from experience and my oppinion no medical training

• firstly well done- the first week is the hardest (I remember it well my dd is 7 mths now), he;s gaining weight and sounds like he's doing really well

• In the early weeks I had a wierdish sensation of stabbing in my nipples occasionally- not very painful but there IYSWIM. i think its when your milk is going out at first and the breast filling up. It totally settled after a couple of weeks.

• fore milk is watery and like the drink, hind milk is more creamy and calarific. I used to empty one boob (go until it felt soft) then move boobs. Start with the opposite next feed. Use a hair band around your wrist to tell you which one your due to feed off next feed.

• try to lie on a pillow to raise you a little or vice versa to get position. Try when its not a feeding time so your not stressed.

good luck

sorry that should say let his head tilt back so his chin comes to the breast first.

1.) shouldn't really be painful. might just be a minor positioning or latch issue, but cracks aren't good! worthwhile contacting one of the helplines or seeing if you have a local LLL group or baby cafe or somethihng

2.) offer both breasts. let him feed from the first until he comes off, then offer him second. unless he is asleep! my current nursling always used to fall asleep, but then wake 5-10 mins later for the second side!

3.) just keep trying! i couldn't do it at all with ds1. couldn't do it with ds3 until he was bigger (prob around 3 or 4 month)

1. You say "only a tiny crack" but cracks are not normal and you should get your latch checked, to save you being in pain too much longer. Have you got any Lansinoh? If so apply that lots. If not just gently rub some of your own milk into the nipple and give them as much fresh air as possible when you are at home without visitors etc.

2. Others have answered this better than I could

3. Does take a bit of practice. I like the advice to try when it's not a "feed time" - other tips are bring the baby much further down your body than you think, he should be "looking up" to latch on, not level with your breast. You could also try sitting/lying very reclined on some pillows and latching him on lying face down on your tummy - if you put him just below the breast he should sort of crawl up to it and latch himself on. Then you can hold his body and roll over onto your side. Can you get the midwife to show you when she comes out - I assume you are still having midwife visits?

Congratulations

Thanks all so much. My M/W is lovely but hasn't breastfeed so I think going to see someone is a good idea....everything is harder with a toddler as well though! Thank-you again will try all those tips in the next hour!