I second trying in the football hold for the side she doesn't like. I would 'trick' DD by doing this and then switching to the cradle hold once she thought she'd had enough. Since she persisted a bit more in the football hold and let down had happened she was often happier to stay on the slower side.
Have you considered taking her to a paed chiro? She may not like turning her head that way or staying in that position for a reason.
Jennifer - that's a good suggestion.... a lady from the ABA morning tea I went to last week also mentioned seeing a Paed Chiro as they are great for correcting things that could have been 'changed' during the birth process as it's quite traumatic on their little bodies (not to mention ours!!!!).... I do have a number she gave me here. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to make a phone call..... at least then we've ruled that out.
Will talk to DH tonight about it.
As for football hold, how do i get her into that position? Can you explain it to me or is it a bit too hard to explain on here? I haven't tried that position, only once in hospital but I can't remember how to manouvre her into that position. Scared of damaging my nipples again too as they just healed!!
Tuck the baby under your arm as though she were a 'football' - head/neck on your hand, body over your arm and legs around your waist. Bring her mouth towards your nipple and attach her the same way as you have been shown by the LC. She should still be cuddled against you, just with her legs in the other direction.
Ren, you're doing so well!!
I'm having problems on the left side too, don't know what the problem is with that side!! But she musn't attach properly b/c it hurts and it doesn't hurt on the other side and the left is cracked
I saw an LC today who showed me how to do the football hold and it seemed to work a lot better and didn't hurt (as much). I was scared of trying it at home first too bc I thought I'd just hurt my nipple more in a different place or something but it turned out to be really simple, just hold her under ur arm and do exactly the same thing you normally would, dig her chin in and then just put her on iykwim. Hope it works for you too!!
WOW!! I'm so impressed with my right boob!!! I expressed from it and got 70ml in just 8mins!!! I think the Fenugreek is helping!!
I just went to GP and got my script for Motillium which i start today too. I asked for that one instead of the Maxalon. Hope it works the same for me!!!
Another week and I should be off it and my supply established
Sara - thank you! so are you! I'm going to try footy hold today wish me luck! Kmn - thank you for that link! that's so great, i printed the article out!! Jennifer - thanku for the description of how to do it, it makes sense. I'll try it today.
My R nipple is still sore when she attaches but not half as bad.... when will the pain go completely???? It's healed well.... just still sore and tender but not EXCRUCIATING anymore.
I tried to send you a PM yesterday recommending paediatric chiropractors, but when I went to send it I got the database error . I saved my message and was going to try again today, but it looks like I don't need to! I highly recommend giving it a go, her neck may be out which is causing the feeding problems from one side.
Feeling frustrated.....
Ava won't stay on my Left nipple for long!! It's really frustrating me... it's my flat nipple side. Now and then she feeds 'ok' off it but other times she fusses and pulls on and off and screams and gets upset with me. This is in the cradle position, so yesterday I tried the football hold and it didn't work well for me, so then i lay her down and fed her lying down on L side and she seemed to not pull on and off as much lying down and fed a bit longer on L side.... no idea what is wrong? There is definitely plenty of milk there and I always hand express a little bit out first to get her interested and to encourage the let down..... could the let down be happening too fast or too slow? I never feel my let downs.
She feeds great off the R side but my L side has always been difficult. I've booked her in to see a Paed Chiro next week so hoping that may help? I'm finding this VERY frustrating because if she won't feed properly I then need to keep offering top ups of EBM and the whole idea of this is getting very tiring to me.... I want to stop doing this soon and exclusively BF.
Someone please tell me I will be able to exclusively BF one of these days..... grrrr!! I've been trying so very hard..... why isn't it easier??? I need a break!
I'm so terribly envious of people who don't have trouble BF'ing their babies.
Also, my R nipple is starting to hurt again and I'm attaching "beautifully" says the LC.
She also thinks my L nipple is all in my head and that DD seems to feed well off it, but when I get home i have these problems. She says my nipple being flat shouldnt affect the way she feeds but I definitely think it does....
If she is able to feed off that side in another position I would suspect it's not your nipple but a positioning issue... you could try taking her to an osteo or chiro to see if an adjustment helps her attach on that side.
Ren - it's quite nasty that she says it is all in your head. Trust yourself, I think you know your body and how it is going and how feeding is going better than her. I hope you are exclusively BF'ing soon. If laying down on the LHS works, can you do that for a while and see if Ava gets better with the left? Hang in there hun .
Ren, I really feel for you, I know just how hard things are for you ATM, it really sucks. I too was jealous, for a long time, of mothers who could breastfeed easily. Hell, I was jealous of those who could just breastfeed exclusively, easily or not! I can say with ease now that I am only happy for those who breastfeed their babies without dramas, there is no jealousy involved. It took me sometime to get here, but I did, and you will too. One day, when your own troubles are far behind you (and they will be!).
It is such a hard road for some. You are definitely having a difficult time, much more so than most. But try to remember......even mums (and bubs) who don't have too many troubles can take 6 weeks or so to get into the swing of BFing. Ava is not quite yet 6 weeks old, and yes, it's going to take you guys a bit longer than most. But it really is still early days, although it probably doesn't feel like it to you. One day she will be running around, and the first two or three months of her life will feel like a blip on the radar. I know I put in such long and hard hours in feeding my DS, breast, bottle, expressing, sterlising etc etc etc. It was such hard work and it felt never ending. You know, I finally sent the pump back at 5 months, and we never got rid of the bottles. That's a whole lot of hard work! But it feels like nothing now, I can hardly remember it, and I am sooooooooooooo glad I did it. It was all worthwhile. I'm not telling you this to depress you. I know 5 months of pumping and always using bottles sounds ridiculous to most, but I consider myself to be a success story And it is what YOU think that really counts.
You CAN do this Ren. You are a tough, determined mother, who wants to give her little girl the best in life. This is a massive hurdle for you, but you can get over it, and you will be better for it. Our BFing troubles have lead me into a whole new rewarding life, that would never have opened up to me had I had an easy BFing journey. I still wish I'd been able to do better for my DS, but that's not what life threw at me, I dealt with what I had to the best I could, and I am now seeing the benefits for both of us
I know that none of that is helpful to your left nipple but as well as practical advice and suggestions, you need to know that people have been where you are before, and they survived And I want you to know that I'm cheering you and Ava on, I really believe you can get through this.
Trust yourself, and your instincts. You are the only one who knows what it feels like when Ava is feeding. Tell your LC that things have changed with your R nipple, that it's not feeling right. Insist that you know what you're feeling. Lie down for as many feeds as you can. Babies love lying down to feed! And it's restful for you also. My DS would ONLY feed lying down for two months, from 3-5 months of age. It was a PITA, but it got us through, and one day he decided it was cool for mum to sit up again. And, I know it sounds silly, but try feeding standing up. At least while she's attaching, it really could be easier! Has your local ABA group got anymore meetings coming up? If so, head along. And TALK about your problems, don't put on a brave face. You might be surprised at how many mums will be able to help and support you.
I'd better go, sorry to ramble, but I really want you to know you're not alone. hang in there.
Last edited by Janie; March 13th, 2009 at 09:46 AM.
Ren. That's all I have No advice coz I have NFI either and am feeling the same today. My left nipple is not getting better and it hurts, I could cry. I have no idea what's different about that side and 3 LC's have told me attachment is perfect too
Firstly there probably nothing wrong with her physically as to why she doesn't like the left side as much- you can usually tell if there is an issue, for example she would not be able to turn her head to one side, or might be developing a flat spot on one side of the head. So don't worry about it too much - ask your MHCN if she can detect any reason to refer you to a paediatric physio consult or chiro before you book in, because if she can you will be able to use the public system which is free, and if she doesn't see a need then there wouldn't be anything wrong.
Secondly, your LC is right in saying the flat nipple shouldn't bother her - I have fairly flattish nipples and baby can attach as they suck it back in their throats whether flat or pointy, but she might simply prefer your other nipple as is easier and she's used to it - babies are creatures of habit like the rest of us.
Thirdly, I don't know if it would be a good idea to just express off the left one instead of feeding because wouldn't offering her a top up if she's being fussy on that side maybe reinforce the aversion and then stop her being as hungry, so then no motivation to be interested in the left boob? (Could be totally wrong, just typing as I think, check with your LC or someone more experienced of course)
Lastly, you have done such a fantastic job thus far, I'm sure you'll be back to solely breastfeeding soon. My DD's left side aversion dulled down a lot after a week or two and now even though she still prefers the right, she will feed off the left too beautifully now, and I'm sure it will be the same for you, she's just got to get used to it. I also find if Elly starts to pull off and whinge and fuss a bit, (which she does most feeds as I don't have much milk but need to encourage her to keep sucking) I get up with her and walk her around while breastfeeding and keeps her interested enough to keep sucking without complaining (though my arm's feel like lead from holding her up). So I don't know if you could try that, (think of it as Bicep Curls )
Ok! I fed more often today and offered the L and R sides 20mins each side per feed. For two feeds today, she had 20mins each side and then didn't ask for any top up!! So that means she got enough!! omg i can't believe it.... either that, or she's too tired to bother asking for more I definitely have the milk supply back (thanks to Maxalon/Motillium, Fenugreek, Activite drink & expressing constantly....)..... and lying down seems to work best at the moment so we are going to do every feed at home lying down... i get more of a rest and therefore am more relaxed and less tense and therefore DD is more relaxed I think too and even though she still pulls on and off at times on L side she is better at it lying down than cradle position.
I might try walking her around in cradle position tonight see if that helps. I don't mind doing that and LC showed me how couple of wks ago.
Pain is about a 3 out of 10 when she attaches R side but then it goes away so maybe that side just needs more time to toughen up.... the cracks are definitely still healing.
My LC is great... i believe her and trust her so maybe my L nipple is all in my head LOL and in Ava's head
I've started freezing my EBM too.... and already have 400ml frozen in the fridge.... expressed heaps early this morning.
I gave less formula feeds today
Janie - you are so inspirational and it's people like you that keep me going THANK YOU.....I know I can do this I just have to keep believing it.....for if i was to give up, i think i would regret it. It would sadden me. Means so much to me, I love BF'ing and giving my DD my own milk. Nothing beats it.
Heaven & Oscar - thanks girls you are so supportive. Sara, I'll PM you. Sorry to hear you still having troubles too.
Ren - thanks hun, i've booked her in for next Friday to see a Paed chiro it may help or may not be the problem but worth a go.
I'm just going to focus on day by day and not worry about what i'll be doing in a week or two week's time or a month's time..... it's too much to deal with.
Ren - that's great! oh the ups and downs and not yet 6 weeks!!! Taking it one day at a time (hell, one feed at a time) is the best way to go. You WILL get there, like Janie said.
Heaven, I don't know if you've tried this but I had a similar problem with my R side - 'perfect' technique according to 3 LCs but it still hurt like you-know-what - and ended up using a nipple shield for about 7 weeks (a loooong time I know). It came good once he got bigger. Still don't really know what the problem was - but the important point is that it did get better and we're still bfing.
Wow, you are doing SO fanatastically Ren! You should feel so proud of yourself for perservering the way you have been .
That's great you have booked her into the paediatric chiro, I really hope they are able to help you. I had miraculous results with both my boys after taking them and lots of my friends have too.
Reply With QuoteI haven't tried that position, only once in hospital but I can't remember how to manouvre her into that position. Scared of damaging my nipples again too as they just healed!!
I think the Fenugreek is helping!!
so are you! I'm going to try footy hold today wish me luck!
. I saved my message and was going to try again today, but it looks like I don't need to! I highly recommend giving it a go, her neck may be out which is causing the feeding problems from one side.
Feeling frustrated.....
I've been trying so very hard..... why isn't it easier??? I need a break!
.
And it is what YOU think that really counts. 
but as well as practical advice and suggestions, you need to know that people have been where you are before, and they survived 
And I want you to know that I'm cheering you and Ava on, I really believe you can get through this. 
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