Hi Barb, after 3 great weeks BF my bub has lost the ability to attach and create a seal. He is sucking in the nipple with his mouth and lips but nothing I do can encourage him to latch on with his bottom jaw and get a good suction. I first noticed milk coming out the sides of his mouth 2 days ago and things have gone downhill since. I've gone back to basics with BL feeding on my naked chest and he can root around and find the nipple but I can still easily pull the nipple from his mouth as there is no suction. I've tried football hold too. While he is still getting milk he is more distressed and needs to feed more often. It's very distressing for both of us and while I'm trying to relax when feeding him I'm pretty uptight about it. I rang the ABA hotline but they said I was trying everything they'd recommend. He's had a snuffly nose mostly from BM and I've been clearing it out regularly with Fess. I also did introduce a dummy early but he isn't that keen and I've stopped using it the last 2 days.
Im putting my nipple just under his mouth on his chin to encourage him to draw it in with his chin but he just sucks it in with his lips. I'm keeping him close with his whole body facing me and supporting his neck and shoulders but keeping his head free to move.
A midwife when I had him in hospital encouraged me to push his jaw/chin down with my finger to improve the attachment and now I'm worried I've damaged it or hurt him in doing so, but he hasn't complained when I did it.
I BF my 2.5yr old until 3 months ago. His nappies are regularly full and he has gained a stack of weight. I've noticed he is passing wind quite a bit more and yesterday his poo contained quite a bit of viscous clear mucus ( a lot like CM prior to ovulation).
Any ideas/advice? I'm going to try to get into the GP today and head to a MACH nurse led early feeding days clinic.