ok, i'm a first time poster here so you might have to bear with me, but i need help! here's some background (this might be a little long):
DS has been a pretty good nurser from the get-go...just a few latch issues off and on, but always resolved itself within a few days. i've never used bottles partly because of the sporadic latch issues, but mostly just because i haven't had the desire or necessity to (i'm a SAHM). introduced pacifier at 4 weeks because of a short phase where he clearly just wanted to suck...but he thankfully has not really "taken" to the pacifier.
anyhoo, about a week and a half ago, my right breast started getting engorged, which i attributed to DS sleeping for longer stretches at night (around 4 hrs) but still nursing at least every 2 hrs during the day. i felt like i was starting to get a plugged duct, so i nursed as much as i possibly could on the affected side, applied heat and rested...got better within a day or two. however, around the same time all this was going on, it almost seemed as if DS forgot how to latch/suck on that side...more of a chew than a suck...doesn't stick out his tongue past his gums and it's a struggle to get him to open his mouth wide. he's been chewing on his fists a lot during this time as well...in fact, i have a hard time getting his hands away from his mouth so i can try to latch him properly...when DH is home in the evenings he helps by keeping DS's hands away from my breast until he's latched on. also, i have a blister on the underside of my nipple which is making all of this extremely painful. not sure if the blister came before or after the engorgement/chewing/latch problem, but it is definitely making it harder to remedy the situation.
has anyone else had anything similar happen or have any advice? this is the longest i've ever had a problem nursing DS in his 11 weeks of life! i refuse to formula feed, so i'm trudging through this, but i must admit i've dissolved into tears several times out of pain and frustration...help!
:
DS has been a pretty good nurser from the get-go...just a few latch issues off and on, but always resolved itself within a few days. i've never used bottles partly because of the sporadic latch issues, but mostly just because i haven't had the desire or necessity to (i'm a SAHM). introduced pacifier at 4 weeks because of a short phase where he clearly just wanted to suck...but he thankfully has not really "taken" to the pacifier.
anyhoo, about a week and a half ago, my right breast started getting engorged, which i attributed to DS sleeping for longer stretches at night (around 4 hrs) but still nursing at least every 2 hrs during the day. i felt like i was starting to get a plugged duct, so i nursed as much as i possibly could on the affected side, applied heat and rested...got better within a day or two. however, around the same time all this was going on, it almost seemed as if DS forgot how to latch/suck on that side...more of a chew than a suck...doesn't stick out his tongue past his gums and it's a struggle to get him to open his mouth wide. he's been chewing on his fists a lot during this time as well...in fact, i have a hard time getting his hands away from his mouth so i can try to latch him properly...when DH is home in the evenings he helps by keeping DS's hands away from my breast until he's latched on. also, i have a blister on the underside of my nipple which is making all of this extremely painful. not sure if the blister came before or after the engorgement/chewing/latch problem, but it is definitely making it harder to remedy the situation.
has anyone else had anything similar happen or have any advice? this is the longest i've ever had a problem nursing DS in his 11 weeks of life! i refuse to formula feed, so i'm trudging through this, but i must admit i've dissolved into tears several times out of pain and frustration...help!
:
