I am bf DS2 and all is going ok which i am very thankful for after a horrendous experience with DS1. I am having a few issues with attachment however which i want to get sorted ASAP. Since my milk has come in im finding it hard to get him attached properly, he was great at attaching before and would open his mouth nice and wide but since my milk has come in he wont open his mouth wide enough to get good attachment and he is dragging on my nipple. Any tips on how to combat this? Iv tried to stroke my nipple from his nose to his mouth to get that mouth open but im not having too much success. TIA
I'm sure you will find others posting who are more knowledgable than me but are you bb's rock hard when he is trying to attach? I've heard Barb say that it can be like attaching to a basketball! If so, maybe try expressing a bit off so they aren't quite so full at the start. I also found that I was holding DS in a possie when his chin was slightly tucked in and an LC had a look and I made a tiny adjustment of moving his whole body slightly - maybe by 1cm, and it meant his chin came up a bit and he HAD to open wider or he wouldn't be able to latch on. NOt sure if that makes sense, will have a think and reword if you want me to!!
Have you tried different positions, like football hold just to see if it makes a difference?? With Iz I also used a rolled up tea towel under my bb to hold it up a bit as they were so big and full and it meant I didn't have to hold her and my bb in place.
IT can be a bit tricky if you're engorged. Can you get hold of an LC or get to an ABA meeting for in-person assistance. Often that's the best way to fix these things quickly.
When my milk come in I had extreme engorgement and bub couldn't attach at all. We had to massage my boobs for 5mins before a feed as well as ice packs.
I agree with Tanstar - a slight adjustment in bub's position could make a world of difference, and if your boobs are quite large you may need to hold them up... I still have to 4months on!
Hope you work it out soon... but good work and thumbs up for asking for help!
Yeah, it make it easier if you express some off first, a quick hand express is easiest (you can even youtube to see how its done), then wait for a letdown and catch the flow. The aim is to make it soft enough that you can push your fingers down in the areola around your nipple and its all soft, then bub can get a good mouthful.
What they said about engorgement, and I do the thing someone else described as 'cigarette fingers' where you pinch your aerola between your first two fingers like a cigarette, which makes it really easy to shove a good mouthful in there even if they don't have their mouth open very far. That particular grip keeps your fingers out of the way.
Turns out I've been doing this the whole time with DS (who is a lazy attacher) and DD#2 has been watching so now she's developed this habit of coming up, grabbing my nipple in that hold and shoving the baby's head down when he's just happily there staring at me and smiling. Argh!
Hun, it sounds like you are doing really well. There are a few things which could be making attachment difficult. It could be engorgement as the others have said, or perhaps you have a fast flow and he is struggling with it. Or it could just be that he is not close enough. When you attach him, make sure his mouth is at nipple height, and that his legs are tucked in nice and close to you. This will mean that his chin is close your breast which is where you want it. His head should be tilted back at a similar angle to the one your head would be on if you were drinking a half-full glass of water. It is best to support his neck not his head.
Another option is baby led attachment - there is more information here: Australian Breastfeeding Association - Baby-led attachment. This works for many mums. In short, sit comfortably in a reclined position. When DS is calm, put him on your chest, vertically, and support him between your breasts. Continue to gently support him as he moves to one side, seeks your nipple and attaches to it. He might need some assistance or he might attach completely on his own.
If these ideas don't work, I'd give the ABA 24 hour helpline a call on 1800 mum 2 mum (1800 686 2 686, drop the last 6 for VOIP). This is a toll-free call and they will be able to ask you more questions and help you to figure out what is going on.
All the best hun. I am sure you will get through this.
Attachment, tips please
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