Breastfeeding / flat nipple nightmares - any advice pls?

[Pamplemousse]

Hi, my baby is only 10 days old, so we haven't been at the breastfeeding long but so far it has been a nightmare!
I have flat nipples so latching her on is really hard, she ends up screaming and shaking her head in frustration, which upsets me and makes me all tearful. I have tried using a breast pump to pull them out a bit, but it only works for a little while and with all the screaming and trying they warm up and pop back to being flat again! Its soooooooo frustrating and really getting me down.
Also DH feeds her in the middle of the night with EBM as I have been so tired and recovering from c section and trying not to cry every 10 minutes! Is this affecting my supply so you think? I wake up bloomin dripping milk everywhere and wonder if its because of that?
I have resorted to nipple sheilds which work, but I don't want to use them forever and am now worried I have made things 10 times worse by giving in and using them, as she latches on immediately when I use them.
Pleeeeeeease help! I don't want to give up yet, but feel I am close as I am not enjoying it, and baby certainly isn't either.

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I had flat nipples but after a couple of weeks latching stopped being a problem. I was shown by the breast feeding clinic to gently pull the aerola (sp?) at 12 oclock and 6 oclock simultaneously and then at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock simultaneously. Do this several times until your nipple sticks out a bit. If you have a local breast feeding support clinic I would highly recommend going along to them.

 

[Beth&Archer]

Mine were flat but after nearly 8 weeks of boobyfeeding they now stick out all the time.

I don't know what you've been told to do but my midwife just told me to squash my nipple bewteen my thumb and finger and 'feed' it into baby's mouth, then he can latch on. Worth a try if you haven't already.

I also had an emergency c-section and found the first couple of weeks really tough, but stick with it hon, it gets so much better, honest.

As for the middle of the night feed, I heard its important to do a feed or at least express in the middle of the night to keep your supply up but I'm no expert.

 

[Pamplemousse]

Thanks to both above - very grateful for your replies.
I will go ( I reeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to, I'm crap at being social, specially with new baby in tow and no DH to help-eeek) to the BF support group on Wednesday - can anyone give me an idea of what happens there? I am scared of it being a room full of women with boobs in one hand and a cuppa in the other, all knowing what their doing. I don't even have a top that I can discreetly get my boobs out with, I end up half naked in my living room!
Will try to express/feed in the middle of the night as well then I reckon, it makes sense

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I have been to 2 - 1 at Royal Berkshire Hospital. This was a first come first server affair. They come and talk to you individually when it is your turn about what you have been doing and what your problems are. They will then look at your latch etc and offer advice, they may suggest different feeding positions - in my case I was having trouble because I strained my arms during labour and had stitches so I was in pain trying to hold her to feed so they showed me how to feed her lying down. The other one (in Finchampstead) I was the only person there and I chatted with them about my issues then and they offered suggestions.

 

[*saulino*]

Hi

When my milk came in my left nipple had gone flat after a few days i was crying so i phoned my health nurse who gave me nipple shield which you know work, i only had to use it for a few weeks then it sorted itself out.
Good luck and hold in there it will get better
Katrina

 

[Hypnorm]

The breast feeding group i went to was great, i thought the same as you it would all be people making tea and walking around breastfeeding, but it wasn't it was people having the same problems and worries and it was great to talk to people and tell them your stories etc.

I used the nipple shields and found them a god send, the midwives really had a go at me for using them saying i would never wean him off them. but i ignored them, the important thing for me was that he was getting my milk , i had problems as i have one flat nipple and i was very engorged amking it impossible for him to latch, the shield helped him latch. so i would use the shield at the start of the feed so that he would calm down, then i would remove it and see if he would latch on, if he got upset i would put the shield back on and eventually after a week he no longer needed the shields.

Do what YOU feel is right for YOU and BABY!

 

[cassi]

i Also have inverted nipples and Jakob can get very frustrated when he loses latch but it does get easier, i hated feeding for the first 2 weeks and actually ended up giving up for a week untill i kicked myself and realised it would get easier so i relactated and started again which was another massive effort..now its getting easier..slowly but surely

 

[budge]

Hi, my baby is only 10 days old, so we haven't been at the breastfeeding long but so far it has been a nightmare!
I have flat nipples so latching her on is really hard, she ends up screaming and shaking her head in frustration, which upsets me and makes me all tearful. I have tried using a breast pump to pull them out a bit, but it only works for a little while and with all the screaming and trying they warm up and pop back to being flat again! Its soooooooo frustrating and really getting me down.
Also DH feeds her in the middle of the night with EBM as I have been so tired and recovering from c section and trying not to cry every 10 minutes! Is this affecting my supply so you think? I wake up bloomin dripping milk everywhere and wonder if its because of that?
I have resorted to nipple sheilds which work, but I don't want to use them forever and am now worried I have made things 10 times worse by giving in and using them, as she latches on immediately when I use them.
Pleeeeeeease help! I don't want to give up yet, but feel I am close as I am not enjoying it, and baby certainly isn't either.

my sister had an inverted nipple and used a nipple shield to pull the nipple out at the beginning of a feed.
If your nipples are flat but not inverted try using a cold flannel over your oobs before putting baby to the breast . this will make the nipple stand out for bbay to latch on.

Hope this has helped

 

[Pamplemousse]

Thank you everybody for your replies, they have cheered me up lots
I am trying to start with the sheild and then remove it, it worked briefly last night which is a start. I still get all upset when she can't latch on to just me as she gets so wound up and her hands get in the way and her head shakes like mad, its horrible Swaddling helps but she isn't keen as she likes to get her hands in her mouth all the time and usually manages to wriggle out of the blanket!
She is a very cuddly baby, she will sleep on you happily but put her down in her bed and she yells, she also loves to suck and this calms her down. Do you think I'm giving in holding her all the time? I feel like she may never learn to go to bed at this rate, on the other hand I'd rather she slept for a bit so I can too!
Thanks for reassurance about the support group, I'll bite the bullet and go and see what happens.
Hypnorm - thank you, I am ignoring the midwives too who tell me the sheilds are awful, I too just want her to get my milk in a non-battle like way! I am going to try and wean her off them, but not beat myself up about it.
Cassi its good to hear you hated bf to start with too (you know what I mean, that sounds bad I know) I really don't enjoy it but want to persevere until it hopefully becomes easier. Well done to you for restarting, that must have been a big desision
Thanks again all, feeling more sane and normal now

 

[Hypnorm]

you are doing so well, i totally understand how you feel as when ewan wanted feed he wanted it there then now if not sooner and he got so frustrated not getting latched on, that i used to get stressed too!
his head would shake around and he would scream and his hands were the same, i used the shields because as he yelled my left down reflex would start and he would get flooded! poor guy, the shield helped him latch on, gave him a slower flow of milk as my breasts emptied in to that then he would suck what he wanted, each feed i would try without them and if he screamed i just popped the shield back on and calm was restored!! As long as he got a feed in some way or form i didnt care, and i proved the MV and HV wrong as they said he will never learn to feed properly with a shield but he did!! and the MV and HV made me feel bad coz i was using them and i have vowed to my self since that I will do what I feel is right, and they can get stuffed, as long as it is not harming my baby.
The first few weeks of breast feeding is hard and believe me i wanted to give up numerous times but i didn;t i was determined. and i fed him for 9 months. you are doing so well, and don't beat your self up about picking her up she is only 12 days old and is still adjusting to the world!

Good luck!

 

[Pamplemousse]

Thanks Hypnorm exactly what I needed to hear, very much appreciated advice

 

[Nicky_Jones]

Good luck at the breastfeeding clinic today. I have found the people running them to be very supportive and helpful. I was worried they would make me feel like I am wasting their time but they didn't at all.

 

[cassi]

Cara sounds exactly like Jakob!!! hissy fits, he even sqeals too! lol...and he will happily fall asleep on me but as soon as i put him down he screams blue murder again! Does Cara have a dummy? Jakob is a very sucky baby and they have been my lifesaver!

 

[Pamplemousse]

They do sound very similar cassi! Yep I got a dummy and it is a life saver at times, although when she is very dozy she drops it and starts bleating again! I find myself lying in a daze almost asleep poking the dummy back in for about an hour before she finally sleeps properly. Knackering stuff! She is getting much better at feeding now, one side we nearly have sussed, the other I can't make work for some reason! The main problem now is her little fighty fists, she tries to shove them in her mouth continually when I am trying to poke the nipple in the right place, a couple of times she has grabbed my nips too, oh my god did that hurt! Still things are getting better.
The BF support group was soooo helpful, I arrived early and the NCT counsellor lady came and spent about an hour talking and listening and helping us, it was really really helpful, I am going to be brave and go again for a few times and try and meet other new mums. And get help with feeding on the difficult side!
So thanks for encouraging me to go along