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!

Bump - anyone?

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

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

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

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!

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.

I'll give that a try next feed! Thanks

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.

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!)

Hold your boob like you would a burger

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!)

Hi all _ I'm having this exact problem now. She slips off sometimes if my boobs are soft and cries with frustration. I end up giving her a bottle of breast milk sometimes just so it's easier as I can sense us both getting upset by it.

Just wondering whether the suggestions above helped / any other advice?

She's 6 weeks old and has started doing it since week 3 I'd say. It was suggested to me it could be part of cluster feeding and normal behaviour but it drives me a bit mad

Hi @gardenlady1 - when I wrote the original post my baby was 6 weeks and after reading replies I just trusted that he'd had the milk he needed so switched sides and tried to settle him another way if he was fussy. - it was fine! I let him cluster feed up to a point - I know you're supposed to do that x

I think what you're experiencing is pretty normal. At 6 weeks there's a growth spurt where they want to feed, feed and feed some more. It's perfectly normal but can be a bit overwhelming for you.

My best advice is to put your feet up and watch your favourite box set and make sure you drink and eat plenty.

If they are going to get frustrated you can try some Breast Compressions before they start to complain.

I'd also take the complaining as a sign that it's time to switch sides