is this pain normal or bad latch?

[sharita]

Hi, just a quick question on the BF pain I am having.  My baby is one week and two days old and I am exclusively BF'ing, no pumping yet.

Apparently, after BF'ing 4 other kids, I am still not a pro or its just been a while and I have forgotten.  I do remember the first few weeks being painful, especially the first minute or so the baby latches but the pain subsides then.  However, I had always had yeast or a baby with a lazy latch before.  I have checked and double checked and midwife checked and we are doing everything fine.  Baby SEEMS to be latching correctly but still always manages to have top lip curled under and I immediately have to pull it out. 

I don't remember the signs of thrush except for red nipples and I don't have that.  So what I am asking is, is this sign of bad latch or just normal for the early weeks of breastfeeding, or something else possibly?

[Buddhamom]

I don't have the answer but I am up agaist the same thing with one of my nipples.  It is so sore, cracked and bleeding and I start to actually cry when she latches on.  I am now pumping that side in hopes it heals and then I will try again.  I am basically ebf on one side right now.  I refuse to give up or use a bottle.

[sharita]

I hear ya.  I am hoping its just because we are still in the early weeks.  I cringe each time right before she latches because I know that pain is coming.  I hope it goes away soon.

[Llyra]

I'm going to move this out to the general forum, as per the forum guidelines, because the difficulty you're experiencing is fairly common, and I believe you'll get more responses out there. Best of luck to you! I had horrible pain with my first, even though everything was apparently just fine and normal. It didn't become apparent until she was nearly two, and having issues with speech and learning to eat solids, that she had an oral motor control issue. We wound up with an OT who pointed out that a good experienced lactation consultant might have been able to spare me a lot of pain-- if your pain continues for more than a few weeks, I'd really recommend going that route.