? for new baby mommies about latch

[meowee]

Would you do me a favor and rate your pain at latch-on with your new little one? I have nursed babies before but I can't remember if it is supposed to hurt this much. I know it's supposed to hurt a bit. I'm having SERIOUS pain at latch-on. No thrush or infection. I think the baby has a weird latch, my nipple looks flattened once she gets off, which I never noticed with the others.

I'm posting here as I figure I'm more likely to catch some mamas which babies the same age.

[wendy1221]

I had that w/ both of mine, but they were both tongue-tied. So I guess I'm not much help.

[Goldiemom]

I had that with Harley, and she was tongue tied also. But I have that a bit this time around too, and Allissa is not tongue tied. She just has an aggressive latch and first 15- 20 seconds. I certainly hope it gets better soon. But I make sure to put lanolin on after almost, if not every feeding. It seems to help make it not hurt as bad.

[kalirush]

I get just a little uncomfortableness, unless my nipple's already slightly sore (she tends to get lazy and want to slip half off and keep sucking).

Since your nipple is flattened, I'd guess it really is a latch trouble. Mine is always way long stretched out when Ari pulls off, which I've been told means she's latching well.

Julia

[Full Heart]

When I had #4 pain on latch on was sever. I don't know what caused it. I also ended up with over active let down after a few weeks. Everything ended up resolving itself, can't remember how long it took. #5 I had no pain at all and normal let down. Sometime I think its hormones honestly.

Michelle

[The Milk Bag]

Have the latch evaluated by an IBCLC - a flattened nipple is not normal. The LC can also check for tongue-tie and palate abnormalities that may be causing your pain.

It is common to have some pain in the beginning, but it's really not normal to have a lot of pain.

And so have a bit more credibility - I'm not an IBCLC, but I am a CLC (certified lactation counselor).

[Melaniee]

If your nipple looks flat then baby is not on enough.

We're at day 7 now and it still hurts when she latches on (my nipples are healing from some early latch trauma my LC thinks...) but it lessens to almost nothing or to nothing as nursing goes on. My LC said if it continues the entire time there is somethign wrong (latch, thrush, etc.).

Definitely, though, your nipple should not be flattened. Ds & I had awful nursing problems and I remember it would be with him before we got help. It sounds like your baby needs to get on further.

[meowee]

thanks ladies:

what is "tongue tied" in a nursing baby?

I suspect this is a latch or palate issue. I have to position her very carefully to lessen the pain. I'm also concerned b/c my milk is in but she isn't peeing, even though I can hear her swallowing the milk and it sloshing around in her stomach.

[Melaniee]

"Tongue Tied"

If the frenulum (sp? The little piece of skin connecting the bottom of the tongue to the mouth) is tight and the baby cannot physically extend it's tonge out over it's gums. If you've seen her stick her tongue out, then you know that is not the case.

[NoraB]

DS wasn't peeing regularly for a couple of days at least. It was almost a whole day after birth before he peed the first time, then he had a lot of uric acid crystals in the urine which I first thought was blood (freeeaky!). His pees were rather infrequent and often had the uric crystals. For the last couple of days though, he's being peeing very well (he's 6 days old now).

[The Milk Bag]

A good way to check for tongue-tie is to watch her tongue while the baby is crying. If it makes a heart shape at the end then it is most likely tongue-tie.

It can cause you a lot of pain, because the baby can only extend their tongue so far and end up rubbing the nipple rather than the areola.

[MamaFern]

i had this as well and my son was tongue tied.. id chck it out asap. they can clip it really easily and then it wont be a problem. elwynn didnt even cry and the msomnt after the DR clipped his tongue he latched for the first time, with no pain! this time, when baby is born its one of the first things im going to make sure of.. nursing was so hard at first with my son and i dont want it to be like that again..

[Music-mommy]

My daughter was tongue tied too, my first dd that is. I opted not to clip her tongue, but I had to make sure the latch was very good. I always hurt a little bit but the first 3 weeks were extremely painful, my nipples were cracked and bleeding.

If your nipple is flattened your latch is not good, you have to make sure babe opens really wide, and then stick him on very fast so that he can really get your whole areola in his mouth.


My newborn doesn't seem to have a tongue tie, but she sucks so hard that I do have pain for about 5-10 seconds until my milk lets down.

[ZeldasMom]

www.kellymom.com/newman/a-when_latching.html
www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/FAQSubject.html

HTH!

[hemo-mommy]

Go, go go! Rule of thumb is: if it hurts, then get a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). Your nipple should not be flattened, should be pulled out by the baby's suction. There's a vicious urban myth that latch should hurt, and while some initial discomfort can happen, further discomfort and especially pain should be checked out quickly by a professional.

I tend to be a bit aggressive about this for a few reasons, first, because my DS was unable to create suction (a question of technique, not anatomy) for a couple of weeks. It meant weeks with a breast pump, supplementing with formula, Reglan to increase my milk supply, etc etc etc. But I've seen the effects of a trained lactation consultant in action, not just for me but for others: if called upon fairly quickly, they can work wonders. Some people also find a local La Leche League leader helpful, but I personally tend to start with the IBCLCs, if only for their clinical training. My bias, admittedly, was shaped by my mother, who is a long time member of LLL and LLL leader, and is also an IBCLC.

Best of luck to you, and I hope the resolution that you come to works for you and your baby.

-Ziva, wife to Ezra : , SAHM to Elisha , mama in waiting to a new baby bean, ODD 9/13.

[Music-mommy]

Originally Posted by hemo-mommy

There's a vicious urban myth that latch should hurt, and while some initial discomfort can happen, further discomfort and especially pain should be checked out quickly by a professional.


-Ziva, wife to Ezra : , SAHM to Elisha , mama in waiting to a new baby bean, ODD 9/13.

I have to disagree, with my first, I was so frustrated, I had about 5 people show me how to get the right latch and it still hurt like a bugger, then the lactation consultant told me she was tongue tied. It doesn't matter one whit how good the latch is if the tongue is tied it will hurt at least for a few months until the tongue grows long enough to get over the gums.

This is my second, and she is not tongue tied, and I still have pain when she first latches on. Only till my milk lets down. So I think the urban myth is rather that one of "if it hurts you're doing it wrong".

I found it so frustrating with my first how people would say "you're doing it wrong" all the time, I thought to myself " I can't be this much of an idiot", so it was a bit of a relief when I finally saw the lactation consultant and she told me why I had the pain.

I do agree that though LLL is great, a lactation consultant is the way to go.