How to get baby to latch?

Need advice from breastfeeding Mama’s.

I’m having a hard time getting my newborn to latch properly. I did not nurse my first. She is 4 days old.

My nipples hurt so bad. Im partially engorged because she isn’t draining them all the way with such a shallow latch.

She does have a lip tie and shorter tongue…but lactation specialist at hospital said she was doing fine. But it’s like since we came home she has not been.

I need some one on one help until Monday when I can call around for help locally through lactation specialists.

My right breast I’m not having the biggest issue with although it could be better. The left is excruciatingly painful the entire time I’m feeding. Toe curling pain.

I don’t want to use a nipple shield as I don’t want to possible nipple confusion and to have to rely on it if I don’t have to.

Please help a tired, struggling mama out :sob:

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Unfortunately pediatricians and lcs are not trained in ties. I would reach out to a pediatric dentist. Ties hinder bfing greatly.

And nipple confusion is actually pertaining to flow preferences with bottles when not properly pacefed :blush:

The first two weeks of breastfeeding are awful… I was sleep deprived, and everything hurt. And my little guy was cluster feeding and had reflux, so he would throw up after nursing, I was so scared he wasn’t going to get enough. It all worked out after those 2 weeks, but I remember crying A LOT. Hang in there and reach out to a La Leche league if you have one close by!

I used a nipple shield with my last two babies because it use so bad for them to latch and we did great with it!

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I had the same problem and had to use a nipple shield. You can get one at Walmart for a few dollars. It helped me so much and I breastfed until he was a year old

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My son had a tongue tie (short tongue) and was having trouble latching so his dr snipped his frenulum. Huge difference! Latched on great after that.

Switch holds often, go from cross hold, to football hold, to laying down with her so her mouth is rotating on the nipple. Use nipple cream like lansinoh lanolin or something similar. It hurts for the first 2 weeks until your nips are used to it, they will get chapped and sore, that’s very very normal. Massage your breasts while shes eating to promote easier flow and emptying.
Edit to add: I understand the toe curling pain. The first week with both of my babies I was in tears cause it hurt. I dreaded the latch, but once I got through those first two weeks it was much easier. The first I nursed for 18 months, the second is 3.5 months and still going.

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Make sure her mouth is as wide as it can be when latching, help her out by opening her mouth by using your thumb to gently bring her chin down more

Nipple shields were a God send for us. A LC gave us one, and we used it for a few weeks until he got the hang of it, then I slowly took it away after he became a pro. You might want to reconsider. :heart:

Have you tried pumping to help with engorgement? The first week is the hardest! I wanted to give up so bad because my LO wasn’t wanting to latch due to my breast being engorged but I pushed through started pumping to help a little, and breastfeeding often! Hang in there!

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There are private lactation consultants that will come on the weekend! Just google in your area. Most are covered 100% by insurance!

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Squeeze your breast right at the areola like you would a sandwich and when baby opens, try gently putting into mouth if possible to do so

Get a hold of your lactation consultant again.
Also remember to point your nipple towards the roof of your babes mouth and then when she sucks it’ll get pulled back to the correct spot.
After the 2nd week it won’t hurt anymore!
Also use nipple cream

Have you tried the flipple technique? It’s on YouTube and was a lifesaver for me! I don’t know if her issues will prevent her from being able to latch well, but at least try it. I felt no pain and an increase in suction immediately once I tried it. Also, follow “The Milk Meg” here on Facebook. She’s a lactation consultant and great support for breastfeeding. She actually offers online consultations as well, but her posts and articles are awesome.

I had the same problem! LC told me she was doing great. The next day when im at home i couldn’t even BF because my nips were sore and cracked. Take it from me, it gets better! But if you need to give your girls a bit of a break, you can pump and it doesnt hurt as much. Also lanolin helps a lot! It’s edible so you dont have to worry about it effecting the little one.

Squeeze your nipple, as much as you can, most of your areola needs to go in her mouth, make sure your nipple is pointed up towards the roof of her mouth. The pain unfortunately is something that’s just there. I would cry😂 it’s pretty bad pain for 2 weeks but then you’re good.
You’re engorged bc your milk has come it, it will regulate based off what she’s demanding in a few days.

Nipple shields! They worked wonders for me.

And rub some of your milk on your nipples and air them out if u can help if their cracked.

Use the nipple shield and as baby grows switch in between using it every other feeding and then baby won’t know the difference and just be in a tshirt and baby in a diaper pump to relieve the pain even if it hurts try and use a heating pad good luck

You need to take as warm a shower as you can and massage your Brest while the water runs over them then you need to hand express your milk rap a towel around you and let your baby feed directly out of the shower each time your baby needs to feed you do the same thing there are creams that are safe for baby to rub on your nipped this works I’ve done this if you are sore use a pump till your nipples become conditioned to the feedings alternating pump then feeding in between using a bottle it’s good to get your baby used to both your nipples will soon feel better and you can feed more freaquently🙏🏻 God Bless

Try expressing some milk a little bit before having her latch on. Also it could be the position your trying she may not like… I did football hold with both my kids. They wouldn’t latch on any other way.
Also lanolin is amazing they also have these gel pads at walmart that if u put in the fridge to get cold and then they stick to ur nipple. Those were my lifesavers within the first 2 months of feeding.
Also try having a warm shower let the warm water get on your front and Express some milk while in the shower. Helps with the pressure u may be feeling from encouragement or any clogged ducts that may be forming also.
Nipple shields, I know u say u domt want to use them but for me they worked great I wouldn’t use it all the time only when she wasnt latching right or my nipple felt sore. Plus it helps get them to latch. Sometimes when little their mouths are pretty small and it’s difficult to get the perfect latch. Dont give up itll happen.
Also if you dont have a pump, walmart carries some for cheap. Hand pumps and electric ones. And that can help with encouragement it can also help keep your supply up too.
Also sounds weird. If u Express some of ur milk out and rub it over your nipples that helps too if their cracked and your out of lanolin or something.
Good luck momma u got this!

I know Tongue Ties are difficult for getting that proper Latch. Pumping is still Breastfeeding just make sure a bottle is ready before u latch baby to suckle on Your breast. You definitely want baby and nipple to have contact so it can create antibodies to your babies needs. Fed baby is a happy baby. So pump pump and alternate breast.
If nipple is Chapped use Lanolin up until u don’t need it anymore.

Are they going to clip the tongue tie? They clipped my grandsons and by the second day it was fine for him.

Nipple butter, a pump to help empty after if they’re still fill not long just to feel empty.

My boy cut my nipple so hungry.Vitamin E works wonders for crack, cuts