Trying to latch wriggly baby

[purplesquares]

Hi all, my LO had tongue tie at birth and was unable to latch so I fed her by bottle as much EBM as I could express, topped up with formula.

She had the tongue tie snip on day 5 and since then (she's 9 days old today) I've been trying to breastfeed. She manages to latch on probably 50% of the time, but it's always a struggle as she is SUCH a wriggler! She screams blue murder, kicks her legs about, waves her hands around or puts them in her mouth and dives her head down below the breast!

I went to a breastfeeding support group where they recommended that I try skin to skin before feeding to calm her down, but the trouble is that I don't really want to calm her down too much as the only times she opens her mouth wide enough to latch are when she's screaming! 🙈

Not sure if this has anything to do with the fact that I'm trying to transition her from bottle to boob, or if some babies are just born fighters!?

Any advice on what to do to help her latch more quickly and consistently?

Thanks!

Skin to skin is definitely the way to go and you do need to keep it quiet and calm. A screaming baby cannot always calm herself enough to get it together and suck.. Quiet room with just the two of you. Keep it nice and calm and take your time. She should be a bit hungry but not desperate.

If she will not feed with you holding her and sitting up, try lying on a bed with both of you on your sides facing each other and your underneath arm looped over her head and down her back with your hand on her back fairly low down.Try and establish eye contact and talk to her soothingly and rub her back slowly and gently. You want her to think "this is nice".

Stroke her cheek to make her turn towards you, pull your boob up slightly from the top because you want her to take a good mouthful of nipple and areole with a bit more underneath, and touch her lips with your nipple and she should open her mouth. It helps if you express a tiny bit of milk so she can smell it.

If you are having problems getting her to latch, try a nipple shield (from Boots). My DD had tongue tie and a poor latch and the nipple shield basically gave her more to hang on to and once we used those she was away. My other two DC hated them but for her they definitely made the difference between BF and not.

If your milk supply tends to gush out at the start that can put some babies off too, so if this is you, express a bit before you start.

If all else fails just remember she will thrive with or without BF and it is not worth a battle.

How are you getting on today? If you are still struggling I’d call one of the Bfing Helplines and ask for some urgent support. Have you spoken to your MW too?

Also, have a look at Jack Goodman’s videos on youtube but really, if LO has had tt and you are transitioning from bottles you need the support of a BFC. If you don’t know if one locally I’d call one of the Helplines this morning [smile[