Latching onto soft boobs?

[oliveroses]

Hi, my lovely baby is doing well at breastfeeding and he latches very well, after quite a bit of work on the attachment, at the beginning of feeds. However after ten mins or so once the fullness of milk has been drained my boobs feel soft and he struggles to relatch and we end up with a painful shallow latch. Just can't seem to get much boob in his mouth when it's kind of gone floppy ... I have a clinic nearby and will seek bf advice but does anyone else have this issue? I do not have particularly large boobs. This is an issue while cluster feeding in particular but he does fall asleep sometimes and then wants to relatch ... if he falls asleep he sometimes slips off too, into a shallow latch.

Thanks!

[oliveroses]

Bump - anyone?

[nurseshiv]

Well not sure this is much help but I also have not very large breasts and agree the latch is easier when full. I try to cup my boob (with hand in a c shape) and will hold it until DS has latched properly. This mostly works but sometimes it doesn't and then I also get that same painful latch. At this stage I just swap sides, even if it shouldn't be empty yet. Seems to do the trick for us, hopefully works for you too

[beckyCarlos]

Even when my boobs are full 9/10 times I'll made the c shape, it just seems to work for us and was recommended by our infant feeding team when i was struggling to get baby to latch at all x x

[Swirls346]

Have you tried switching sides? Hes probably drained the breast. 10 minutes is a good feed x

[oliveroses]

Thanks so much - I will use the c shape technique going forwards and switch sides more often. I've been used to forty minute feeds on one side - in the really early days! - and had forgotten that doesn't last forever. Will expect to have shorter feeds using both sides now. Thank you!

[CocoPlum]

@nurseshiv

Well not sure this is much help but I also have not very large breasts and agree the latch is easier when full. I try to cup my boob (with hand in a c shape) and will hold it until DS has latched properly. This mostly works but sometimes it doesn't and then I also get that same painful latch. At this stage I just swap sides, even if it shouldn't be empty yet. Seems to do the trick for us, hopefully works for you too

Can I suggest you hold your breast with hand in U shape, not a C? So your thumb is parallel with baby's top lip.

Holding in the C is more comfortable and keeps boob stable, but if you keep your hand back a bit so it's not in the way, the U shape will compress your breast in line with baby's mouth so they can keep a deeper latch longer. Keep that hold throughout.

Google "exaggerated latch" for images if you need!

@oliveroses recommend this for you too.

[nurseshiv]

I'll give that a try next feed! Thanks

[Swirls346]

@oliveroses

Thanks so much - I will use the c shape technique going forwards and switch sides more often. I've been used to forty minute feeds on one side - in the really early days! - and had forgotten that doesn't last forever. Will expect to have shorter feeds using both sides now. Thank you!

They get much much more efficient as they get older.
Mine used to drain my boob in about 5 minutes 😂 and only feed every 4 hours!!
This was a 98th centile chunk as well and I was always baffled how he was so chubby because he "hardly fed" but he was just efficient.
Part of the feed can be a comfort feed as well and you will learn to recognise how the sucking is different. It's more shallow sucks and not so long drawing sucks with gulps like when they are drinking.
You can either unlatch him once he's drained the boob or let him comfort suck. But that's when it's probably becoming shallow.

[beckyCarlos]

@CocoPlum

Can I suggest you hold your breast with hand in U shape, not a C? So your thumb is parallel with baby's top lip.

Holding in the C is more comfortable and keeps boob stable, but if you keep your hand back a bit so it's not in the way, the U shape will compress your breast in line with baby's mouth so they can keep a deeper latch longer. Keep that hold throughout.

Google "exaggerated latch" for images if you need!

@oliveroses recommend this for you too.

Edited

You know what, I think I do U and not C thinking about it properly, looking from above 🙈 U in cradle/cross and C on the odd occasion I use rugby ball

Also, good to hear 10 mins is a good feed! I always worry my baby girl isnt getting enough, shes only 5 weeks but appears to be hella efficient because she's still gaining weight well! (But I cant help but worry when friends talk about how long their babies feed!)

[Oopsupsideyourheadache]

Hold your boob like you would a burger

[CocoPlum]

@beckyCarlos

You know what, I think I do U and not C thinking about it properly, looking from above 🙈 U in cradle/cross and C on the odd occasion I use rugby ball

Also, good to hear 10 mins is a good feed! I always worry my baby girl isnt getting enough, shes only 5 weeks but appears to be hella efficient because she's still gaining weight well! (But I cant help but worry when friends talk about how long their babies feed!)

I would always recommend going to a BF support group to get your latch checked, just because changing it at 5 weeks is way easier than at 12 weeks (when a not great latch suddenly becomes more of an issue, even if it's been fine till then!), but it sounds like you're doing great, C in rugby makes perfect sense to me - also try offering both boobs at each feed if you're not already (she might take both, she might not, but your own hunger isn't the same at every mealtime is it!).

(Fyi am a breastfeeding supporter with over 11 years experience!)