1st time mom! 1week latching problems sick of nipple shield!

[@llli*mbethm]

I'm feeling so lost with this whole breast feeding thing. My son is a week old and had been eating well using a nipple shield but in doing research I've found there's a possibility the use and way he's latching on the nipple shield can cause my milk to not come in he's having issues latching on to me personally and when he does my nipple ends up looking like lipstick and it's sore. I've been trying everything I can think of and do NOT want to give up!! Please help is there anything else I can do?

[@llli*mommal]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new baby!

First of all, don't let the internet scare you too much about shields. They can cause problems, but they can also be useful tools.

The big problem with shields is that they can in some cases reduce stimulation to and milk removal from the breast. This can result in delayed milk production and in low supply. But it doesn't prevent your milk from "coming in"; once you are seeing whitish milk, mature milk production has begun and the only issue is ensuring adequate milk quantity.

Knowing whether or not you have enough milk is usually a matter of observing the baby's diaper output and weight gain. This is a handy reference on diaper output: http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supp...s/enough-milk/.

Now, if poor weight gain and inadequate diaper output suggest that your baby is unable to stimulate a good milk supply due to shield use, here's what you do:
1. See your pediatrician.
2. Feed the baby. Nurse frequently, supplement if necessary. We can help you through supplementing if it becomes necessary.
3. Call a lactation consultant, preferably an IBCLC, for hands-on help with your baby's latch. Your hospital, midwife, obstetrician, pediatrician, and/or local La Leche League are all good resources for finding lactation consultants in your area. Make sure the LC observes the baby nursing, does a weigh-feed-weigh test, checks the baby for tongue tie (your pediatrician can also do this, but may not be familiar with all the iterations of tongue and lip ties ) and also helps you with pumping, if necessary.
4. Pump, using a high-quality double electric pump with correctly sized shields. While you get the baby's latch figured out, pumping will help you maintain and increase supply, if necessary.

[@llli*maddieb]

i know its hard but try not to give up. i had to use shields with my oldest for the first several weeks and we got it turned around. I did, on the recommendation of my ibclc, pump 'extra' during that time to ensure good milk production. But my baby got all he needed at the breast even with the shield, so whether or not i had to pump is debatable. Some mothers do and some don't. I agree with mommal esp about getting in person help with an ibclc if that is possible, and/or an lll leader. If you like, we can also provide latch tips etc. but it would help to have more specific info about the latch issues you are seeing, weight gain, and output.

[@llli*mbethm]

Thank you so much for responding so quickly and for the great advice I feel much better about using the shield. My milk has most definitely come in. I am however worried about my supply. After pumping twice on each breast I only managed to collect 1 ounce.

The problems I'm having with latching seem to be baby having a small mouth and me having a small often flat nipple. I don't think he is getting a deep enough latch but I could be wrong after all I am just a beginner. He doesn't seem to get enough of the areola in his mouth and my nipple always comes out looking like lipstick.

His diaper count is good but I'm still worried about his feedings. He always falls asleep while feeding though he still sucks off and on for at least ten to fifteen minutes. It's usually just a light sleep and I'm able to wake him up by burping him or just moving him but I'm wondering if even though his eyes are closed is he still feeding??? I've been counting it as feeding so I hope I'm not wrong.

I feel like I know so little about all of this and I definitely don't want to and can't give up on breast feeding him I just want to do it right. Ask I want is a happy and healthy baby boy!

[@llli*maddieb]

hi i don't have time to post much but just fyi what you describe above all sounds normal, except maybe the latch, of course. But a latch need not look perfect to be fine, just fyi. But pump output, baby sleepy, baby nursing in sleep etc etc all sound normal. Count the poops. you want at least 3 a day that are big enough to scoop up in spoon. (no need to actually do that.) If that is not happening, tell us what is happening. Also let us know about weight loss/gain. Also, is baby nursing at least 10 times a day or more?

I feel like I know so little about all of this and I definitely don't want to and can't give up on breast feeding him I just want to do it right. Ask I want is a happy and healthy baby boy!

almost every mom feels like this at first. including lactation consultants & pediatricians who are first time moms! Even baby number 2. 3 , 4 etc. can be a challenge for experienced moms at first. It takes time for mom and baby to learn the ropes and learn each other. Again, normal.

Here are my favorite latch & early days links. take a look if you have time

Tips with pictures on latch and different positioning ideas (includes side lying) http://www.llli.org/faq/positioning.html

Laid back position http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...astfeeding.pdf

Laid back video http://www.biologicalnurturing.com/video/bn3clip.html

Here are two simple pictorials, you want the one on latch. Notice that the mother is in a “slightly” laid back position, looks like on a couch? This is a very “adjustable” position, play around to find how you and your baby are most comfortable. http://cwgenna.com/quickhelp.html

This video is not in English but it does not matter. Shows the versatility of laid back nursing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SZ3zb5OYMA

latch and 'Breast sandwich' article http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvfebmar04p3.html (probably only needed if baby cannot latch or latch is hurting mom)

What is normal in the early weeks with a breastfed baby http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing/

Feeding cues: http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...eding_cues.pdf

Diaper log (for tracking poops) http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...diaper_log.pdf

Waking a sleepy newborn: http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...py_newborn.pdf

[@llli*mbethm]

Baby's diaper count is awesome he's having anywhere from four to five poops daily (they're definitely messy but enough to fill up a spoon) and plenty of wet diapers. On Monday he weighed 7lbs 3oz and today was at 7lbs 6oz his birth weight was 7lbs 12oz so I'm optimistic about his weight gain he'll be two weeks old next Wednesday so that gives us plenty of time to make up those six ounces. He's eating about every two to three hours at least 9 to 10 times a day.

I really am feeling so much better about breast feeding and it's all because of the support I'm getting from this site. I've heard the first couple weeks are always the hardest so I'm very grateful to have help at this time of need. Thank you everyone for your help.

[@llli*maddieb]

It sounds like you & baby are doing well. I hope you hang around, soon you will have tips for other moms. That's how it works at LLL!