# my newborn loses her suction at the breast . . .



## LionTigerBear (Jan 13, 2006)

Quite frequently, like with almost every stroke of her tongue as she nurses. So it's like gulp, lose suction, regain and gulp, lose suction again, gulp again, etc . . . Her latch is good otherwise (lol), I mean I keep checking to make sure I am holding her to the breast right (she is 3 weeks old) and she is all the way on the breast, and I am holding it right for her (I try holding the breast several different ways, tried holding her several different ways, no difference!) This is my third baby and I nursed both boys successfully to age 2 years and 18 months, respectively, so I think I know what I'm doing! I never had _any_ issues nursing them as infants and I've _never_ experienced this constant losing-suction thing before!

It occurred to me it might be tongue-tie, except that occasionally she darts her tiny (adorable!) tongue out just past her little lips-- and I thought they couldn't do that if they had tongue-tie-- right? But in an article I found on Kellymom they described one of the signs of tongue-tie being: _Sound of sucking air. If your baby loses her seal or suction at the breast_-- and that's exactly what it is.

What else might cause this? Or could it be tongue-tie after all? Nursing her is not painful anymore, although in the first three or four days it was so excruciating it made me cry each time-- my nipples were cracked and bleeding my day two! (Not thrush.) Nursing was never so painful with my boys, nor did I ever have the cracking/bleeding. Luckily that pain went away relatively quickly (we were fine after the first week).

This all wouldn't be an issue anymore except that DD swallows SO much air and she is SO gassy and her gas is keeping us up a lot at night. Poor little lady. She is gaining weight just great, though.

Also, my let-down is really painful this time. I have to grab my breasts and massage them when I have a let-down-- I've never experienced that before with the boys. I don't know if that's related or not.


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## PatioGardener (Aug 11, 2007)

It could be a tongue-tie. Check out the sticky at the top of Brestfeeding Challenges and see if the picture fits. There are posterior tongue ties that look quite different, and sometimes allow baby to stick tongue out but not _up_ to reach the roof of the mouth - a movement also needed for sucking and swallowing.

Position (sometimes football) sometimes helps - but it sounds like you tried that already.

Also, if you are able to nurse without holding the breast for her that may help too - sounds counterintuitive, but positioning the breast for her may keep her from getting the best latch. It may be worth a try.








good luck!


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## LionTigerBear (Jan 13, 2006)

I am now wondering also if it might be related to my painful let-down, in that maybe my milk comes down too fast/too much and that is what is causing her to lose her suction? I've never had that issue before, but then, I never had such a strong, painful let-down before, either.

Thanks, I will check out the sticky!


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## PatioGardener (Aug 11, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LionTigerBear* 
I am now wondering also if it might be related to my painful let-down, in that maybe my milk comes down too fast/too much and that is what is causing her to lose her suction?

Good point - if you think that it is a rush of milk that causes her to pull off, there are a couple of things that could help:
1) unlatch her when you feel the let down and let the milk rush into a cloth or cup, then pop her back on.
2) nurse with baby in a vertical position - and you leaning back. This helps to slow the flow and for baby to cope!

Does she splutter when she pulls off?

I hope you can figure it out - but it is great to hear that she is growing well.


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## RoseDuperre (Oct 15, 2007)

I vote for investigating tongue tie as well!

Best of luck, mama.


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## MiamiMami (Feb 1, 2005)

Is her tongue heart shaped when she sticks it out?

Could definitely be overactive letdown. I had that problem with dd. If you think that's the problem then unlatch her when you letdown and catch the spray in a towel. Latch her back on when it slows down.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Well, I'm calling our bfing dr tomorrow about this. Olivia is tongue tied, we know this, but it's very mild and we were just going to watch it. She loses suction like that every once in a while and I'm thinking what I thought was thrush coming back, is actual latch issues. My breasts are SOOOOO sore in the am from bad latching in the middle of the night.


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## LionTigerBear (Jan 13, 2006)

I still haven't figured it out although I'm leaning toward the the letdown being too much for her-- but I don't know-- maybe I just want that to be the answer because it's easier. I'm so tired today and now she's pretty fussy (I'm bouncing her in a wrap on the medicine ball as we speak, lol) so I think I'll think about it more tomorrow.


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