Am I the only one who can't BF one-handed? (plus a rant)

[melissel]

I feel like the only mama in the world who can't nurse one-handed, or in a sling, or even properly. It was so hard for me to nurse Bella out and about when she was little because it was always this big production involving pillows and just the right kind of seating arrangement and both my hands, and still my latch was always crummy. I was just looking at pictures of babes BFing in slings on one of the sling sites and it started to make me a little frightened because it all came rushing back to me how difficult that always was. I was sore for months in the beginning with Bella, even nursing at home, with what I thought was a good latch. It wasn't until she was 4 months old that it started to feel better. And I saw LCs and went to LLL meetings and talked to my ped and everyone said the same thing, "Hm, your latch looks good to me, it's not supposed to hurt..."

And then I developed this problem where I was getting these horrible sores on my nipple that would cause mastitis over and over, which I dealt with for two years until one of the many experts I saw finally pointed out that I had scar tissue on that nipple caused by a prolonged bad latch!!! And this is LONG after I thought we'd gotten it all down pat.

I don't know, it just feels like it's supposed to be easier than it was for us. I did all it for Bella and I will gladly do it again for this babe, but man, I guess I'm more scared of what could happen again this time than I realized. I just wish we could be like most moms I see BFing, just hanging out, doing whatever with one hand while their babe nurses peacefully in their arms, instead of juggling my boobs, and trying to position my arm properly so it doesn't fall off or go numb, and having to carry a Boppy everywhere I go for 6 months etc. I mean, I know part of the problem is that my breasts are large (DD) and "pendulous" as the first LC I saw put it, ever so politely, but suddenly all those old frustrations are coming back to me I guess it's kind of funny to even be asking this, considering that I survived all of it to still be nursing a 2 1/2 year old. You'd think I had it all figured out, but judging by my very recent scar tissue diagnosis, I sincerely doubt I ever had ANY of it figured out, ever!

(Sigh) Sorry, this got long and turned into a different kind of post than I initially intended. But really, am I really the only one who had such prolonged problems?

TIA!

[bamamom]

Nope you're not the only one.

[Trishas Tribe]

You aren't the only one. I am large chested and flat nippeled I have to use one hand to hold my breast back and the other to help with latch. It's quite a production. I have never been able to nurse in a sling. My baby might smother

[Music-mommy]

I could never nurse one handed either. I am large breasted and they droop something horrible!, and when dd was a newborn, she coudln't breathe if I didn't hold my breast away from her nose. The LLL leader kept telling me that I shouldn't hold my breast but if I didn't, she'd have to come up for air every few seconds, then she'd break her latch.

I had really sore nipples, cracking etc... and was told I had a bad latch, and it wasn't until about 3 weeks when I went to a lactation consultant that she told me dd had a tongue tie. i chose not to get it clipped and so it was painful for quite a while.

So there's no way I could nurse in a sling or anything,.... I feel your pain. I hope the next baby won't have a tongue tie.

[marieangela]

I'm the only person that I've met that basically had no problems : I guess that's one of the benefits of small perky breasts(32-34 and barely B). I never could use the boppy for nursing. I still just prop one leg up on the chair with ds in the crook of my arm and my arm leaning on the leg. Ds didn't nurse much in the sling, but that was mostly because he hated the cradle postion. I actually did manage to nurse him while slinging him in the snuggle/upright position a few times. I REALLY hope that it's as easy with this next babe as it was with ds. My main problems when he was little were that he would always fall asleep without nursing much and I couldn't figure out why he had so much gas. I hope everyone here has as easy a time breastfeeding their new babies as I did/do with ds!

[thismama]

I kwym about not being able to nurse onehanded mama! I STILL have to hold my boob for the babe, or else she holds it now that she is big enough. My breasts are size 46E/F. I had great success nursing in the Babytrekker as it sort of props up my boob for me, and on/off success using a modified football hold in the sling. But not until my babe was at least 5-6 mos old. No worries with latch tho, and I wouldn't automatically assign this to breast size. The babe has lots to do with the latch, and some babes have a harder time with it than others.

Wanted to list some benefits of big pedulous breasts:

- I can nurse lying down, even lying on my back if I latch her first and roll slowly. This measn I don't have the problems with lying cramped on one side for hours that smaller breasted women complain of

- When she was smaller she could lie on my lap while I sat cross legged on the floor to nurse, and my breast reached her without me having to prop her up in my arms (she still could do this I suppose but rarely nurses lying down anymore)

- If I sit on a low stool or on the couch she can nurse standing on the floor, which she loves because it doesn't interrupt her exploring so much

- Big boobs are super nice and cozy to snuggle into

[Thmom]

It can be done! I have D's-G's (depending on how much they inflate with milk) and I've never had to many problems.... With my first nursing was a big production. I found that with my "pendolous" LOL (grapefruits in socks is more like it!) boobs that I have to hold baby lower, so if I'm using the sling the baby is lower (like waist level) and I need to use one hand to under his head to keep us balanced. When I'm sitting and nursing I usually sit cross-legged so he can rest on my thigh while he nurses (I can actually remove my arm and he can just lay his head on my leg LOL) I think it takes practice and time. It's always difficult in the first couple weeks while the baby learns head control and how to nurse and I figure out what position works best for that baby. But it can be done! The latch issue maybe due to trying to hold up your boob while she nurses, causing part of the breast to be higher than the other?? I'm sorry.. without seeing you nurse I'm not much help.

[catballou24]

Count me in to the big breast club. I am normally a double D and didn't grow much with my DD until my milk came in! My DH of course made many comments about how big they got, etc.. I was never able to nurse 1 handed with her while she was little, but now that she is older she kind of holds it herself. Having my bbs grow with this next one is the one thing I am NOT looking forward to being pregnant.. I'm only 5'4" and wear a size 10 - 12, so am not a big girl. These things kill my back!!! But the advantage is I can nurse lying down and on my back.. Not so sure how good that is for my bbs, but is sure saves my back!!! I'm actually thinking about having a reduction once we are sure there will be no more babies..


I never had mastitis, but I feel for all you who have. My sister had it and she was in so much pain. Nursing isn't as easy for everyone as they say it should be. With my DS I had a miserable time of it. It never stopped hurting and I'd tear up every time he latched on. I finally gave up at about 8 months. My DD is still nursing part-time. I really don't know what I did different this time, but I was terrified during my pregnancy, and very happy after the first week of nursing her and it didn't hurt anymore.

Good luck!!!!