First - congratulations on your new LO!!!
1 - Get in touch with your local LLL leader and ask if they'll come out and check your latch.
2 - positoning, positioning, positioning - butt back up against the chair so you're sitting up straight, use pillows AND your boppy (or whatever) to make sure baby is at nipple level, make sure baby's ear-shoulder-hip-knee-ankles are all in a straight line, your shoulders should be relaxed, remember to breathe, support your breast using a C or U hold depending on what nursing position you're in.
3 - timing - if it takes "forever" to get him to latch, try getting him on before he's ravenous. Make sure you're relaxed and calm (shoulders down, relaxing breathing).
4 - how was the birth? many babies benefit from a chiropractic adjustment and then go on nursing just fine. Birth can be difficult on babies necks and that makes it difficult for them to lay in a proper position and latch right.
5 - What does the suck look like? Do you see only little 'biting' type jaw movements or do you see great big jaw movements? Do you hear or see swallowing?
6 - Have you tried a "nipple sandwich?" This can help if you've got a baby with a small mouth and a mamma with larger nipples.
7 -
www.drjacknewman.com has great latch on videos and excellent information
Good Luck!!
