Painful Latch On

Call la leche league; you should be able to find their contact info online. They tend to be pretty good. If that doesn't help, pump the milk and give her the breast milk in a bottle. Good luck!

Ouch, breatfeeding isn't always pleasent. I had the same problem and it looked like I feel on the sidewalk topless. Then someone said use a nipple like from a bottle or they sell breast guards it was the best thing I could of did.

I used to have to pinch my areola a bit with my first son and kinda shove it in his mouth. Then he would latch on correctly. Hope this helps. M.

Shame on those lactation consultants! There's always a few bad apples in the bunch :)
I'm nursing my 2nd baby(now 6 months old). I have the support of my mom (nursed 2 babies) AND her best friend, who is an awesome lactation consultant, and I STILL had the same problem you're having. It could be as simple as one nipple being a different shape than the other, making latch-on easier on one side, or a difference in flow rate.
A good reminder my mom always gave me is that babies are LAZY! They do whatever is easiest for them...so if that's latching onto the tip of your nipple, that's what she'll do. Just keep correcting her, as futile as it may seem... if you take her off enough, she'll eventually get the point. DO NOT let her stay latched on incorrectly, even for a minute. If she latches on the wrong way, correct her immediately.
If the right side hurts too much, give it a little rest and nurse more on the left.
Both my girls eventually figured it out, and after a couple months we had no problems. My oldest always preferred one side over the other. The youngest could care less now...food is food :)
Just hang in there!!! It WILL get better.
I love the LLL website for things like this.

You've been given so much good advice already, but I just wanted to add, that the first couple of weeks are probably the hardest. My son nursed until 15 mos. (child-led weaning), he's 25 mos. now and I remember vividly those first couple of weeks. Make sure that you're relaxed and not anxious about the anticipation of the painful latch-on. She'll sense your anxiety and will only be more apt to latch incorrectly in the eagerness to get to the milk. Hold your breast from underneath and the side and guide it to her open mouth while you also guide her head to it. Do it firmly and quickly. And, like one of the other posters said, make sure that she is tummy-to-tummy with you. You might need to make sure that you are both bare-bellied while nursing for a bit so that you can both feel each other's bellies (and you'll know for sure that she's in the right position.--Don't worry about hurting the cord...she'll be fine, it has no nerve endings in it.)

The LC shouldn't have talked down to you, and I'm sorry that was your experience. But, do consider that while you're one new mama with a question, she might have had 10 new mamas with questions in varying degrees of severity and you might have caught her at a stressful/bad time.

Good luck with it and don't give up on the nursing!

Isn't breast feeding WAY harder than you imagined? It was for me at least! I also had a baby who had a hard time latching and the only thing that seemed to work was a nipple shield. I would assume that the lactation consultant would have offered this option up but if she hasn't talk to the hospital or your peditrician and they should give you one. I asked for two, in case I lost one and they gave them to me. Do not buy the ones from Babies R Us, they are not the same as the hospital ones and I found them useless. This helped me a ton because it pulled the nipple out but there was a thin shield of plastic to protect the nipple so maybe it could heal a little...Good Luck, My daughter is 4 months now and I too well remember those first couple weeks, they are hard and draining and scary BUT it gets better and easier!!

You have been given alot of advice so I just wanted to encourage you! The first 3 to 6 weeks are the hardest. It will get easier. You are giving your baby the very best nutrition!!!
Good Luck

My original due date was the leap day! But, I had my son three days before;)
Keep trying with her latching on. I know that it is sometimes the most frustrating thing in the world...but it will get better. If she doesn't get a good latch, break the latch by "fish hooking" her cheek and try again.
It is hard, but wait until she has her mouth wide open...or as wide as she will do and shove your breast, as much as you can, in her mouth. Hold it like that until she figures it out.
Don't let her stay latched on when she doesn't have a good amount, because she will get used to that...and yes, very painful!
If the lactation consultants make you feel like an idiot...try not to let that discourage you. Breastfeeding is natural...but it doesn't always come easy to the baby. My first child, I had a really tough time with. I ended up having to use a breast shield for a while to get her to eat. You could try using one of those, but they aren't recommended for long term use. But, it did help me with the frustration for a while.
Sometimes it helps to get your breast "started" manually too before trying to get her to latch on.
But, take your time, relax and you and your daughter will get it eventually. Good luck!

sounds like she is just not opening her mouth wide enough. don't give up! you can do this! i'm sorry the lactation consultants haven't been more helpful. you could try dragging your in a vertical position just below her lip straight down her chin. This may help her open her mouth more and then you almost want to "shove" her on. It's hard to explain in e-mail! If you want, you can give me a call. I have a 2 1/2 yr. old that i nursed and I'm currently nursing a 7 mth. old. You'll get the hang of it. call me if you want to. i'd be more than happy to help! ###-###-####

My third child had trouble latching on, very painful for me. Neither my midwives or lactation consultants had any suggestions other than usual tips. I had already successfully nursed two children and I knew that both my son and I were doing what we were supposed to, but nothing was working. After seeing some white under his tongue one day, I took him to the pediatrician thinking he had yeast in his mouth. It turned out that he was tongue-tied. The tissue had ripped just a tiny bit and was healing, causing the white. Then, after having the underneath of his tongue clipped just a bit, it fixed the problem with the nursing. This may not be the case for you, but worth thinking about, since consulting with the midwives and lactation consultants hadn't discovered the problem.

Hi A.
Good job asking for help other places, since you got shot down the first time. That say your doing a great job all ready. I think it's partly because she's so little, and will grow out of it. In the mean time you can try a nipple shield, I got mine at babysrus, but I think most drug stores would have them. Feel the breast, if it's hard and soo full of milk it's harder for baby to latch on well. Hold an almost hot wash cloth over it, or rub until your not so firm. It will make you leak. Or you could start with pumping, milk freezes well and lasts like 3 months.
Milk tips my Doc gave me! If baby gets a runny nose, or yucky eyes use your milk to wash them out. It has all the natural antibodies, and is the right ph, all on tap. Mother Nature knew her thing.
Also I wish I had know about homeopathic like Arnica Gel for bumps and bruises is so great. Teething tablets by hylands. Take lots of pictures, I share them with my family all over the us w/ snapfish.com.
Happy napping, A.

I would HIGHLY suggest getting a nipple shield, I use them and they are highly useful. It helps a ton with latching and even more with any pain you might have. I'm a big fan as my baby had a super hard time latching as well.

My son always had a more difficult time on one side then he did on the other. I ended up using a nipple shield and it worked like magic. You can find them at Babies R Us.

The only thing I can think of that nobody has said is to make sure that the baby is tummy to tummy toward you - this would put the baby on her side with her shoulder and hip toward the ceiling. Don't have her on her back turning her head to latch on. And then use R.A.M. - Rapid Arm Movement and quickly shove her one - much like the gal who responded and said she was a Lactation Consultant.

Nursing my babies was one of the best things I did for them-and me!

Hi A.,
when my daughter was born I had the same problem only on the other side. I was told to try a nipple shield you can get one at target they are made by medela it worked wonders it is just a thin piece of silicone with a hard nipple that helps the baby to latch on better and saves you from some unneeded pain after using this for a few weeks she was able to latch on without it. I copied this from the medela website they are 7.50 and come in three sizes (Nipple shields are for latch on difficulties. They are made of thin silicone, and worn only when breastfeeding the baby. They must not be worn between feedings. Only use nipple shields when recommended to you by a professional (lactation consultant, or physician).
Now available in three sizes Newborn Regular, Newborn Small, and Newborn Extra Small. The Newborn Regular, 24mm diameter shield, is unchanged. A new size 20mm shield has been added. It will now be known as the Newborn Small size. The old Newborn Small size, 16mm diameter shield, will now be called the Newborn Extra Small. The mm measurement refers to the size opening at the base of the nipple shield. It is not a measurement of the nipple) I hope this is helpful and i wish you the best of luck. The first couple months are the hardest but soon you both will be pros!!

I feel your pain! I had the same problem, only on the opposite side! I tried and tried to get my son to latch on. It was very tiring and time consuming. I would never tell you to give up at this point, because I continued to try and try for I don't know how long! But, if all else fails, I just wanted to let you know that it is totally possible to nurse on just one side. I fed my son on one side only, for 2 yrs. There was plenty enough milk coming in on the one side (think of people with twins!). Yes, I have been lopsided for a while, but it has been well worth it! I was able to continue to nurse him without just giving up totally. Good luck! I will be thinking of you!

Being a bigger and better person i will apologize to you because you didn't know. Lactation consultants don't know everything. I had your problem with my last baby she din't want to latch on to either one of my breasts correctly. The pain, oh the pain. My mother taught me to toughen my nipples, which means while they are sleep, sit down and form the nipple with your fingers and the baby should be able to latch on better. The thought sounds crazy but once you do it you should see and feel the difference.

A mom of three

call beaumont lactation consultants and get an appt to come in. They need to see what the baby is doing so they can help you. There will be a charge for the visit.. but it is cheaper than a weeks formula.

My daughter also had a painful latch. I went to beaumont when she was 4 weeks old. they helped me and we continued to nurse for 10 months.

Nursing is not easy.. but it does get better. Dont give up - you can do it..

Lisa

contact you local la leche league leader, or contact one in my area (traverse City, michigan). they are so sweet and helpful!
http://www.llli.org/

with my daughter, it was so painful at first and she could really only get the nipple in her mouth. everything else seemed fine and i tried different positions, guiding her, boppy pillows, etc..... after 3 weeks it no longer hurt. i think my nipples just had to become accustomed to it, even though everything i read and people i talked with said that it shouldn't hurt if she was on correctly. have you read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding? that's another great resource. i don't want to give you bad advice, but for me it was just that getting used to each other time period. relax as much as you can. that helped me, too. the more relaxed i became, the less intense her pull on the nipple was. she's a pro nurser now.

Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I have ever done. I have a 7 week old baby girl and we are still breastfeeding. One breast is used more and develops more milk because of the babies preference - no matter how hard I try to make it even.

Stick with it - I think at 4 weeks breastfeeding bacame a little easier for me. I don't have suggestions, just know your not alone.

DDear A.

If you are a right handed person I think this happens. Try your best. Did you try lying doen in bed. I also found left side to be easier. I also felt bad when the consultants talk like that. You are a mom and you always want the best. Keep trying. Atleast she is getting milk from the left.Best of luck for your breast feeding effort.

love C.

I don't have any advice - but I can lend support :)
I had the exact problem with my baby girl. She would latch on to the nipple and not the areola. It hurt SO So SO bad. I had the lactation consultant help, but she wasn't that great. I ended up giving up and switched to formula because I didn't have the support that I needed.
My advice to you is to get more support from maybe another mom that breastfed. I totally regret not breastfeeding my baby. It hurt so bad and being a new mom I just didn't know what to do other than quit. So, hang in there and don't think about the pain, think about all the great nutrients that you're giving your baby girl.

Good luck and I hope everything works out :)
J.

I feel for you! I just had my first baby 2 1/2 months ago. Breastfeeding is challenging, but very rewarding once the baby and you learn. I would suggest relatching her constantly if she is not on right. Do you have lanolin cream? That helped my soreness. Try taking a look at this website: http://www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html#Video%20Clips. There are articles and videos to watch. I found it extremely helpful! Good luck. By the way... you are not an idiot! You are a very competent woman who just had a baby!

I went through similar pain while breastfeeding. Changing the hold helped me. HOWEVER, it took me a long time to figure it out, and AFTER the problem was resolved, I learned about a WONDERFUL service. The company is called Baby Beloved. It is run by 2 lactation consultants. They will come to your home and help you, AND you can turn it in to your insurance! A very good friend of mine had them help her, and it was very successful. Give them a call! The store is located at the corner of Burton and Breton, and they carry all things breastfeeding, including pillows, nursing tanks, slings, wraps, etc... Here's their number: ###-###-####. Good luck!! I know I will be calling them with any future babies and breastfeeding related issues!

Has anyone checked to see if she is tongue-tied? My second son was tongue-tied and no one noticed until he was 10 weeks old. Nursing was very panful, and he needed to eat every hour. Tongue-tied is when the little piece of skin under the tongue is attatched to close to the tip, making it difficult to suck. If you look it up on the internet it is scary... but there are pictures. It is not really as bad as it sounds- my son's tongue was clipped at his pediatricians office.

A., I am a 39 year old mother of 4. I nursed my 3 younger children from my second marraige. First I should tell you that I think it is a very painful experience. When I nursed for the first time I was told that if I could make it through the first 2 to 4 weeks it would get better. I does get better. My next baby (my son) had trouble latching on and to make things worse he sucked very hard. It brought tears to my eyes. I stuck with it. He sucked so hard and so often that my nipples began bleeding and then he would vomit the blood back up after feeding. The nurses assured me that this was okay. Once my breasts toughened up all was good. I nursed him the longest, 1 1/2 years. I believe you are doing the right thing by breaking suction and having her latch on again. Keep trying. I hope it turns out to be a rewarding experience for you. A.

Hello,

I have had some problems with my newborn. There is a great lactation consultant in Commerce Twp. The name of the place is Edgewood pediatrics center. She is there on Wed and Thurs between 1 and I think 7pm. She is great! Her name is Michele.

A., Do you know what it is when a baby is tongue-tied? It's when their tongue is still connected to the bottom of thier mouth and they can't lift it up or stick it out.It makes it difficult for them to latch on. You may want to make sure this isnt the problem. 2 of my 5 children were tongue tied the 1st and the 5th. With my first baby I didn't know what it was and it made nursing almost impossible, but just by my awareness of it I successfully nursed my 5th baby because I knew what going on with him. Don't let them make you feel dumb or incapable. Nursing is a learned skill. The longer you do it you get better at it. Hang in there it WILL get easier!

Hi A.-
Congratulations, I have a 2 month old!!!! My first one also... I had a problem with her latching on my left nipple and what I found worked was when I layed her downon her side and put her really close to me. Also if your nipples are really sore(I cried for the first 3 weeks with feedings) there is an antibiotic that your obgyn can perscribe you that helped huge and its safe for the baby.
Hope you figure it out

hang in there! it will get better! left side was always harder for me because i'm right handed. try putting pillow or boppy under your arm or elbow. i like a lazy boy chair so you can lean on arm rest. you can always pump in the interim to help out too.

What I used to do is squeeze my baby's cheeks (put index finger on one side and thumb on the other) to keep her from closing her mouth all the way until she was positioned better. It worked most of the time! You could also try sticking a finger in her mouth together with your breast and don't remove the finger until she has enough in her mouth. Don't give up now, pretty soon it will get easier. I always had the worst time for the first 2 weeks.

Just keep at it. I know it sounds like the hardest thing to do right now but I chickened out with my son and I wish I hadn't . When I had my daughter, it took her 10-15 tries on each side every time but I just kept going with it, they have to learn to feed just like you have to learn how to feed them. I promise she'll get it after awhile and then it'll be like she is a pro. My daughter is 6 months now and latches on like she's been doing it forever!! (well I guess she has technically!!)

keep the faith. Put your finger inside her mouth to break suction prior to pulling her off or you'll kill your nipples. Call or find online the Le Leche League www.lalecheleague.org/ I called them a few times. They are REAL nursing moms. They won't talk down to you at all. They ahve good advice. If your daughter truly can't latch on one side, don't worry, there are a lot of us om's out there that do it with one. I have an inverted nipple on my left side, so I nursed BOTH my kids with one breast only, for up to 7 months with the first and we are going on 7 months with the second. I think my daughter will nurse longer, because I'm more confident with the one sided thing.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Hi,
This might be a stupid question, but have you tried holding your whole aerola and nipple and guiding the whole area into your babies' mouth?

Hi A., I was very sorry to see that you write that the LC's that you have spoken to are 'speaking down to you, and treating you like an idiot'. That is very sad to hear. May I ask where did you deliver your baby? My name is J. and I am an LC, and I would be happy to help you. Sometimes it's hard to help if not in person, although I will try. Where do you live? In case I would actually need to see you, to help you best. The whole point is, is that you don't want the baby to just grab the nipple. This sets up for an improper latch, from the get go. When she opens her mouth, and hopefully she is opening wide, is one quick motion, you want her very close, and get a good majority of the areola into her mouth all at the same time, when she goes to latch. If she is only getting the nipple in, then 'slurping' the areola in, or, in other words, gradually drawing it in, as she suckles, then this will defiinitly set you up to get nipple trauma. Not only that, but, in addition, she will not be emptying the breast well, which can affect her weight gain, and your milk production, So, see what you can do with this, if not, contact me, and we'll see how we can get this problem corrected. J. C. RN, Lactation Consultant. ____@____.com

First, I would contact your local le Leche League leader. If you're not familiar with this group...they are a group of breastfeeding moms who share their experiences...difficulties and successes. They are a wonderful help to the sometimes challenging breastfeeding experience, mom to mom. Some lactation consultants have never even nursed a baby...they just have a degree.
I had a similar problem and found out that I had a bit of a "flat" nipple (on the right side also). The Le Leche League leader recommended a breast shield, she also recommended using the nesty cups. The breast shield helped in that it helped pull the nipple out so baby could latch on effectively. It eventually stayed out. I wouldn't recommend the nesty cups. They tend to keep too much moisture in and caused me to become very sore. It isn't uncommon to be uncomfortable the first few weeks at the latch-on time, especially if baby isn't "grabbing" the whole thing. The position of baby is important too. She should have her face upright not tilted and you should be belly-botton to belly- button. LLL's book "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" is full of helpful information for all aspects of the breastfeeding couple from birth to weaning. You are doing the BEST thing for you and your baby. Keep up the good work. If you have any other questions, please feel free to send me a message through Mamasource!

It could be that the baby isn't up far enough to the breast, you might try lifting her a little with pillows and things. Also, you could try nursing her first on the left side for a few minutes and then switching to the other side so that she is partially content and might be a little bit more patient trying to get latched. Don't get discouraged, it honestly does get a lot easier. While I was nursing a friend of mine who was actually a lactation consultant came over and showed me that you actually want just the baby's top lip to cover the top of your nipple and only the bottom half of the areola actually goes into the baby's mouth. It just takes practice and patience for both you and the baby, hang in there!

I would put my thumb on my daughters chin and pull down to get her mouth to open wide and then guide her in to me.

The first thing is DO NOT give up. It can take several weeks to get the breastfeeding established. The baby's mouth may not be quite mature or developed. You have to keep putting your breast into her mouth the way it should be. Do you have the book "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding"? Are you connected with LaLeche League? I think it is wonderful that there are such people as "lactation consultants" but nothing beats a friendly mom who will walk with you. Have you tried lying down, cradling her in your arm? Have you tried putting a pillow or one of those horseshoe shaped pillows under her? I know how painful it can be, but the overall benefits both to her and to you are worth all the pain, difficulty, and trial and error of establishing it.
About me: I'm a grandmother now, but I nursed each of my four children 2 years. My second child had a very difficult time because, as i learned painfully, he was not using his whole mouth.

What worked for me was a boppie and a little patience. When my daughter would open her mouth to latch on I would almost fold my breast so that I was putting most of my areola into her mouth. The football hold was most effective, if I can help in anyway please let me know!

L.

I can totally sympathize with you. All 3 of my boys had a hard time latching on and it was very painful. If it had not been for my husband's patience I would have given up. My first son's mouth was so tiny he couldn't latch on for almost a month, but no one would tell us that was the problem until I went to the lactation consultant at St. Joseph's West in Macomb (now Henry Ford Macomb). She was incredibly nice and worked with us for a long time. She gave me a shield thingy that basically went over my nipple and made it easier for my child to nurse. I won't lie, it hurt too, but it beat cutting the end of a bottle nipple which is what the lactation consultant at Children's Hospital in Detroit suggested. (note, my son had to be at Children's for the first week due to meconium aspiration & he was full term)
With my second son, I don't know what the issue was, it just hurt like hell for a few weeks then suddenly it didn't.
With my third son, again very hard to get him to latch on, he had a bad case of jaundice and was too lethargic after a week that I had to do 48 hours of formula and pump & dump. With all three of them I remember that no matter how hard I tried I ended up almost "scissoring" my nipple just to get a good latch. It was the only way for the first month with boys 2 & 3 and almost 2 months with my first.

All I can say is, if you are determined to do it, stay calm, patient and keep at it. I actually had to allow my husband to get my boys latched on for me for awhile because I really don't have patience; especially when I'm in pain and tired.

Good luck! It is so worth it in the end.

K. G

A., I feel your pain-literally. I had/have the exact same problem with my second daughter. My first daughter had a hard time latching on in the beginning, but after a few weeks of pain & bleeding we both finally figured it out and I nursed her for 13 months. My second daughter was 4 weeks early and also took a few weeks before getting good at nursing. She never did get good on the right side. It was always painful, and still is (she's almost a year & starting to wean). I'm lopsided because I have a tendency to avoid the right side knowing it will hurt. Keep in mind, once they get a little bigger (a month or so), babies get stronger and more efficient. The first few sucks might hurt, but the slow rhythmic draw will be more comfortable. ASK YOUR LACTAION CONSULTANT for a nipple shield that can be used while the baby is sucking. It's a soft flexible plastic that helps if your nipples don't protrude enough. I used them for both of my girls. It was still painful, but it stopped the bleeding & helped them to get to that steady rhythmic draw quicker while nursing.
You're not alone. Good luck & don't worry. It will all work out in the end.

I had the very same problem with my left side. What worked best for me was to pump on that side for just a min or so right before putting her on that side. not sure why it worked but it did. eventually i didn't have to when she got older. hope this helps. i love breastfeeding and was so happy when it stopped being painful.

Hi, A., I've felt your pain. I am the mother of 3 children 17, 14, and 11. When I had my third, I wanted to nurse full time because I did not have to go back to work. Things did not go as planned. He only grabbed my nipple, which ended being no only very painful for me, but was the cause of my getting mastitis on two ocassions during the first 6 weeks. We had lactation consultants come to the house twice. It was a trying time.

It wasn't until he was 8 and started with his orthodontic care that the problem was revealed. Our son was "tongue-tied". Because of this, he had never been able to stick his tongue out more than a 1/4 inch past his lips. I'm not sure why the pediatritian or dentist never caught this, but no one did.

Maybe this is what's going on for you?

Hi A.,
I had the same problem with my daughter. My best advice is the shove the breast in as far as you can. Anytime they latch onto the tip, it's going to hurt. I ended up with a blister on my right nipple and it took 6 weeks to heal. It was torture. I would also experiment with positioning. For some reason, if we are right handed, the right side is harder just because we hold them differently. I think maybe they get more of a side angle than a front one. I know it's hard but don't give up. It is so rewarding. I nursed my older daughter for 1 year and my younger for almost 2 years. My oldest, I pumped and bottle fed. The second time around was a breeze. Email me back if you need anything.
Good Luck!!
p.s. I just read some of the other responses and wanted to add that my third child was tongue tied as well and she latched on just fine. Every case is different.

A Little About Me:
I am a 44 year old SAHM of 3. (9,7,3)

put a pillow or a boppy around you, lay her on it beside you. have he latch on exactly as she would on the left side, it could just be the angle. and don't worry, they treat everyone like idiots, if it comes down to it, just pump. at least you are breastfeeding, that's what baby needs and all that really matters.

Is it possible you feel the lactation consultant is speaking down to you because you feel insecure? I know they can be very matter of fact about things which may not be the "bedside manner" you need. Perhaps you can try to meet with a different lactation consultant to see if she is someone you'll have better rapport with. Or try La Leche League - they have countless women who want to help you be able to nurse successfully (that is, to nurse as long as you want to and for your nursing experience to be good for you and your baby). My first child preferred one side to the other and one of my twins found it easier to latch on to one side than the other - I never understood why. I can say that I truly believe this will work itself out as she gets a bit older. In the mean time, I know it isn't fun to experience pain while nursing. You are on the right track, though, in recognizing that there is an issue that needs to be addressed because nursing should not be painful. You really need to surround yourself with people who will be supportive and give you suggestions to help you deal with this and get through it.