I think she's hungry but she won't latch on!

[motherinferior]

My nights are driving me crazy...DD2, now just over three weeks, weeps and wails and gnashes her gums and I'm sure she's hungry, but just won't either find the nipple or, even if it's thrust between her gums, latch on - until she finally does, and chomps away ravenously. We do have some light in the bedroom but not much (I'm trying to distinguish night and day), but if I give up and put a light on she still doesn't get the message. I think she can see OK, btw.

Do I just work on calming her down, and getting her to feed afterwards? I realise my judgement is also not exactly brilliant at the moment, what with the sleep deprivation and an older daughter...

do you squeeze abit out first to give her a sniff of trats in store?

treats!

I don't understand what you mean by "if I give up and put a light on she still doesn't get the message" - what message ?
I was going to say do turn "MORE" light on so that you can ensure she gets it quickly in... and then turn light off.

Hmmmm - I seem to remember this happening with my dd/dss. And when we were finally successful with latching on and they were "chomping away ravenously" saying to them "I told you that was what you wanted" I'm sorry, if I did find a cure I can't remember it - just think they grew out of it. I wouldn't have thought the light level was important - if you're being so pro-active in offering it to her she wouldn't need to see it surely? Not much help I'm afraid, but lots of sympathy.

Fankoo, as dd1 would say. I put the light on so she can see, then switch it off, pupuce - but I take jude's point (sadly!). And I'll try expressing a bit (quite frankly, coddy, like you I'm sure I'm gushing away by that stage anyway). I really hope she does grow out of it. Going slightly bonkers, thinking does formula work better, why is everyone else's baby sleeping 14 hours a night, do I contact social services, etc etc...