# Newborn who latched fine suddenly won't latch



## ethan&elishappymom (Sep 22, 2006)

I think we are having some nursing problems and I was wondering if I could get some input. Dd seemed to be nursing fine and everything was going well (plenty of poops and pees). On Saturday she pooped about 6 times which didn't concern me too much. On Sunday, I went out and bought a digital kitchen scale and weighed her and she was 7lb 14oz (3oz above birth weight at 2 weeks 1 day old). Then she only pooped 2 times yesterday (plenty of wets) nursing about every 2-3 hours. Yesterday evening before bed she really would not latch on. It probably took about 1 1/2 hours to get her to latch and then she only nursed for about 5 minutes. She woke after about 3 hours and it took another hour to get her to latch and then nurse (not very heartily or for very long). I woke her about 2 hours later taking another hour to get her latched and nursed about 5 min. She had pooped sometime during the night also. It seems like initially she is going to latch fine then sucks once and on the second suck she lets go and just does the nipple. What do you all think?


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Is she showing any signs of thrush? My first thought was that for some reason it is uncomfy for her to latch on. Does her poop look normal?


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## ethan&elishappymom (Sep 22, 2006)

She has one pencil tip size white dot on her gum but it has been there since birth. I have never seen thrush so I am not exactly sure what I am looking for. Her poop definitely doesn't look like her two older brothers (theirs was textbook yellow and seedy). Hers is just yellow, no seeds and it was runny, the last one was creamy.


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

Has she gotten any pacifiers or bottles?


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## ethan&elishappymom (Sep 22, 2006)

36 hours after she was born (at home) I was admitted to the ICU with heart palpatations. They kept me for 4 days while dd was at home with daddy. We tried having a friend nurse her because I didn't want any latching problems but that friend ended up getting sick. So she did get bottles during that time (no paci). She has been nursing from me for the past 10 days and she has done fairly well, we were really working through the problems that the bottle created. Before she started this new latch problem, I had that we had past the hump and were pretty much smooth sailing. So, short answer to your question, yes, she has had bottles.


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

Latch issues are so tough! You'll probably want to get it checked out by someone in person--an IBCLC or an experienced LLL Leader.


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## stacyann21 (Oct 21, 2006)

First of all, I wouldn't be too concerned with the pooping. My son has never pooped more than a few times a week. If he went as much as the charts say he should I would take him to the ER because it would be so unusual for him, lol! Secondly, we had the same problem. DS latched on like a champ immediately after birth and nursed ravenously for almost half an hour. Once we got home...nothing. He refused to latch, I tried everything. I even went back to the birth center when I didn't have an appt. in an effort to get help. The midwife tried everything, he just refused to latch. He would scream and scream for food. I ended up pumping and giving him a bottle, which for whatever reason he had no problem drinking from. Later we realized he had tongue-tie and my flat nipples didn't help either. His frenulum loosened significantly over the next few weeks and we have nursed exclusively (no bottles) for several months now. So that is my story, lol! I would have your dd checked for tongue-tie and if you absolutely cannot get her to latch, a bottle may work, although obviously that's not the ideal situation. Sometimes you have to do what you need to in order to keep your breastfeeding relationship going though. It may be difficult for others to understand who didn't have latch troubles, especially the problem of complete refusal to latch.


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stacyann21* 
if you absolutely cannot get her to latch, a bottle may work, although obviously that's not the ideal situation. Sometimes you have to do what you need to in order to keep your breastfeeding relationship going though. It may be difficult for others to understand who didn't have latch troubles, especially the problem of complete refusal to latch.

Since it is usually possible to resolve latch issues, and bottles can make it worse, I would leave bottles as a very last resort.


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## RootSnort (Nov 22, 2006)

I would call the LC where you gave birth. At my hospital, you are still their patient, even after you go home. They should help you for free, or refer you to someone who can help for a fee.

As far as weight gain goes, here is my new favorite article which I found over in Breastfeeding Challenges:
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/bf/scales.asp

Make sure the baby is doing well - is not dehydrated and is not lethargic. Make sure the mouth and eyes are wet and the fontanelle is not sunken.

Keep us posted!


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## ethan&elishappymom (Sep 22, 2006)

Well, maybe I jumped the gun with worry and concern. Yesterday went so much better and just kept getting better as the day went on. She seems to be nursing totally fine now. My midwife who is also a lactation consultant said that she may just have had an off day. I didn't realize they could have off days with nursing. With my two ds, they never had a problem and chowed all the time. Maybe it is just a girl thing







Anyway, thanks for all your help and support. It was very nice to know that I could come here and get some assistance. It was definitely comforting because I was very scared and sad.

Thanks again!
Martha


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

I am glad to hear it was just an off day. That happens! Each baby is so different.


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