Baby latches perfect one side- but not the other!

[GF91]

My daughter will be 3 weeks on Tuesday and is exclusively breastfed. We've not had any problems and she's gaining weight (she's already put on a pound) but in the last few days she's not been latching properly on the left side (perfect on the right) which has now resulted in me having excruciating pain in my left nipple to the point that I cry! I know that there's milk there as (TMI) everytime she cries I leak like a gooden... Any tips on how to get the left side perfect agIn? And to treat this pain? I'm using lanioh... But I'm at the point now I want to stop BF because it hurts... But I feel so guilty for feeling like that! Xxx

 

[tiggy85]

Hey hun. I personally would try and venture out to a breastfeeding support group and seek opinion of a breastfeeding councillor who will see you feed on that side. Have you noticed any thing different about that nipple or breast, (is it flatter or inverted for instance) also could be related to flow of the milk ie is it faster or slower than the other side?

It could be a case of trying a different position on that side, what positions have you tried?

But an experienced breastfeeding councillor should be able to see the cause and help direct you.

In the meantime I would just go back to basics on that side making sure they your bringing baby to Breast and ensuring baby has a good mouthful of the whole areole and nipple (nice deep latch) and that baby is straight along spine and can extend neck back etc. it sounds like a problem which should be easily sorted with some tweaks. Xxxx

 

[tiggy85]

Just picking up the point you said about you leaking and her crying, is this when she is trying to feed on that side or does she de latch during a feed on that side?

 

[GF91]

Hey hun. I personally would try and venture out to a breastfeeding support group and seek opinion of a breastfeeding councillor who will see you feed on that side. Have you noticed any thing different about that nipple or breast, (is it flatter or inverted for instance) also could be related to flow of the milk ie is it faster or slower than the other side?

It could be a case of trying a different position on that side, what positions have you tried?

But an experienced breastfeeding councillor should be able to see the cause and help direct you.

In the meantime I would just go back to basics on that side making sure they your bringing baby to Breast and ensuring baby has a good mouthful of the whole areole and nipple (nice deep latch) and that baby is straight along spine and can extend neck back etc. it sounds like a problem which should be easily sorted with some tweaks. Xxxx

Just picking up the point you said about you leaking and her crying, is this when she is trying to feed on that side or does she de latch during a feed on that side?

Thanks for replying, I haven't noticed any differences apart from my left is bigger than my right! Not massively but I can notice. I've got the health visitor end of the week so I will ask her, I'm hoping it's something easily corrected as I do want to continue BF! She's really colicky at the moments so she moves around a lot when feeding!
With regards to leaking, she doesn't have to be near me but just the minute she crys my boobs drip milk, like it literally pours out of both sides! My OH was holding her while I got changed yesterday & she was shrieking and my boobs where dripping everywhere! Xxx

 

[Nutsyputs]

I had similar with my son and had to feed him the rugby hold on my left. Have you tried different positions? Also totally agree with the ladies I found breastfeeding groups invaluable.

 

[tiggy85]

I really didn't find the health visitors and midwives that knowledgeable and can give poor and bad/wrong advise hun. I would try and Google local breastfeeding support groups and go there as soon as possible as its not nice being in pain. Otherwise breastfeeding support helpline were fab for interim support and they will be open from tommorow morning.

 

[mrsjohnson88]

I've had alot of pain since having my lg just over 4 weeks ago so don't really have any advice as ive not yet found the solution but can totally sympathise with you.

I went to my local bfing support group on wednesday and the counsellor there watched me feed and although latch looked ok from outside she said she could see my breast was being pulled and my nipple was misshaped after feeding so been referred to a bfing consultant (appointment on tuesday) xx

 

[Rose83]

My area has a breast feeding support centre linked to the midwives and they will send a helper to your house to watch you feed and look for problems so investigate if there is anything like that.

My little girl is 12 weeks and at first she was ok on the left boob but never liked it as much and eventually just refused it by the end of week 2 so I had to express that side. But she was getting enough milk from just the right boob so that allowed me to build up a freezer store. However she got fussier and fussier over the next couple of weeks and it turned out I had thrush which I am still struggling to shake and so in retrospect that is why she didn't want that side. I gradually got it in both sides and she refused all feeds so is how exclusively express fed which is less than ideal but at least she is still getting breast milk. I only mention this because you talk about pain, thrush is accompanied by deep shooting pains in your boobs. Although of course they can feel sore if you are too full.

Either way I think you should be thinking about expressing the side she isn't interested in to relieve your discomfort until you work out what the problem is x

 

[MrsS143]

Normally you'd hold her head to the left for left boob
Head to the right for right
Have you tried holding her head facing same way as the good boob but hold her same way for the other boob?

 

[GF91]

Hi ladies. In the middle of the night I remembered my OHs friends wife is a breast feeding support worker in the hospital so I text her & she came round this morning. It was just a case of bad latch which she's helped us correct. I've also started expressing so that my partner can give her a bottle while I cook dinner & have a shower xxx