My week & 1/2 old son has difficulty latching onto my breast, any advice???.?

Question

My son is a week &1/2 old and he has trouble latching onto my breast. Sometimes I spend up to 20 mins trying to latch him on properly. We use the "football hold", I have tried the lap hold, that only works once in a while. Once he latches on he feeds just fine, but then he falls asleep, and I don't want to wake him to swich breasts because I spent so much time trying to get him on the first one. I do end up waking him and swiching him, but I feel like I am doing something wrong that he won't latch on nicely, it fustrates both of us and I don't want feeding time to be stressful. Will it ever get better/easier?

Answer 1

When you attempt to get him to latch on, are you holding your breast with your hands in the c-formation? Its kind of hard to explain without you being able to see exactly what I would need to show you lol. I tried really hard with my daughter to breastfeed and once we got home from the hospital she refused to latch on and I got frustrated and gave up. I wish that I had stuck with it and I urge you to continue. Eventually he will get it right. You can of course supplement with formula till she gets it right but find a bottle that simulates the breast so that he doesnt get too used to the way the bottle nipple feels in his mouth and causes him to reject yours.

try this video.....i know it takes awhile for him to get it right and your gonna have to just keep trying. http://www.nursingmother.com/aaavideo/morton1.mov


also go to nursingmother.com for more help

Answer 2

First of, congratulations! Second, take a deep breath. It will be ok. There are so many different things that you may be able to do. It is great to hear that you are taking the time to keep trying, and that you haven't given up. Breast feeding is so very important, so way to go. Don't get discouraged. I had so many problems getting my son to latch on at first as well. You could be engourged still, and this could make it difficult to get him to latch.

If you are engourged, try taking a warm shower before a feeding and/or massaging your breast. This can help your let down reflex. You may also need to massage the nipple to "bring it out" if you have flat nipples.

Now, once you are trying to latch on, you may want to try to roll up a wash cloth and place it under the breast that you are going to feed on. This can help with placement. Another thing you can do is grab just the skin next to your areola and pull it slightly so that it makes the same shape his mouth does. (This is easier to just show than to explian how to do).

Since you said that you are trying the football hold, try placing to bed pillows under you baby to support them with a rolled up baby blanket behind them so they don't roll. You want to make sure that no matter hold you are using, that his ear, shoulder & hip are all in a straight line. This too could be affecting how well he can latch on.

And just remember to stay calm. Play classical music or any music that will relax you. If you are relaxed, it will help to relax your baby, as you will release endorphines.

Answer 3

It sounds like you're doing it fine. I think that your baby just needs to get used to it and become more proficient.

My wife experienced the same thing with our fist son. He wouldn't latch on at all (maybe for about 30 seconds and then let go). She tried for a couple of days and we got worried that he wasn't getting nutrition so we used a bottle. But my wife would try breast feeding every day, then one day when he was just shy of 1 month old, he suddenly became a pro and latched on as if he had never had a problem.

Both of you will get used to it. Keep doing what you're doing.

All the best.

Answer 4

Well, I breastfed my son for about 14 weeks....he latched on pretty good in the beginning, but would often fall asleep as he nursed. I used every method of positioning, and found the football hold easiest for latch-on, but hard to use if I wanted to stimulate him without "unlatching" him to wake him up. It does get better, and he will latch on a lot quicker. Breastfeeding is not easy, and lots of my friends quit nursing after about 2 weeks because of the whole latch issue. I would just encourage you two to keep trying!! It's absolutely the best thing for you and your baby, and it's good that you're asking for advice rather than giving up.

Just a little tip....when you go to position your nipple to his mouth, make sure that his mouth opens wide enough for the whole nipple and most of the areola to be in his mouth. This will ensure a good latch (almost) every time. Don't be discouraged about "not getting it" in the beginning....I know I felt totally helpless in the beginning, but after the first 2 weeks (just over), everything seemed to be falling into place! Good luck to you and your baby! Happy nursing!

Answer 5

All I can tell you is to keep trying. Try not to bottle feed him until he learns to latch on to your breast. I had such a hard time with my son, but after about a week or two he became a pro. At first, it hurts a lot but then it does get much better. Your nipples are probably really sore, but there are a lot of products at drugstores that help with that. Try not to give up.

Answer 6

It gets easier, keep at it! Try the sandwich with your breast, it makes it easier for small mouths. Especially when you have engorged mamms. It might hurt a bit pressure wise, but it totally made life easier for me and my boy. Usually I lay on my side all farm animal style to breastfeed. It's most comfortable and makes all the latch work easier on the neck and arms. My second wouldn't really latch in any other position for the first month or so.

Answer 7

my daughter took 3 PAINFULLY long months to catch on to how to breast feed. I completely recommend calling the number the nurses gave you at the hospital and getting in contact with a visiting nurse, or go to the hospital and see a lactation consultant.. They are incredibly helpful, and its not always what you are doing, sometimes the tounge on the child naturally goes up and they need to learn how to keep their tounge down. Or it could be the fact that the tounge cant go out far enough... i really really recommend calling a lactation specialist. The baby nurses at the hosptial can set you up an appt. and it will make a world of diifeence. they really stay and work with you for hours if neccesary. They know breast feeding is best and do not want you to give up. Im here for you, i spent many many many long long nights dealing with this, and i was an expert when i had my second... but good luck, and hang in there, i know its sucks, but it to shall pass.

Answer 8

I had the same problem. I went to pumping and using a bottle. In the end it did not take as long. When my husband was home, he would feed the baby while I pumped. It sounds like a lot of work, but you are putting in a lot of work now trying to get him to latch on.

Answer 9

Is he gaining weight? If he is gaining weight then you are feeding him fine, no matter how stressed out you are. If he dozes off then he can't be too stressed. He's very young and will learn to latch on in time - good luck when he starts gumming hard and gets his first teeth.

If he is not gaining weight then it is a problem. You are going to have to either express your milk and feed him or consider formula. If you have to go this route then be ready for the breast feeding Nazis who are really nasty.

Answer 10

yes, it will get easier. make sure the nipple is all the way in his mouth. none of those holds ever worked for me and i ended up holding the way they said not to. that's what worked for us. so, when i went to our second born, i just nursed our way.

call la leche league - you can find them online. they are very non-judgemental and very knowledgeable.