# HELP!!!! When is it too late to retrain a poor latch?



## leahida (Jun 7, 2005)

My 4 week-old DS has a really shallow latch, and a weak suck to boot. He sort of chews on my nipple so it's flat coming out of his mouth. It has affected my milk supply, I suspect. While I'm pumping and taking herbs to increase my supply, I realize all the herbs in the world won't help fix a bad latch, which is the fundamental problem here.

Part of the problem is that my breasts/nipples are huge, and he is really little. Even when I get him latched on fairly well at the beginning of a feeding, he'll cry and push my breast back until he's back in his "comfort zone." He won't respond to the whole pressure on the chin thing. The LC and I tried to get him on better but no luck. I've taken him for cranial-sacral therapy once but no real noticeable change yet. One night I was a latch nazi and kept breaking the latch and relatching when it was not right. The poor little guy got so upset I was afraid he'd get breast aversion so I haven't been so strict about it since.

I have a couple of sores on the edges of my right nipple from him gumming the same place over and over, and I think they've been entry points for the bacterial mastitis I've had twice already. The RN at the clinic where I was seen for the mastitis suggested a nipple shield but I really would like to avoid it if possible. A friend suggested pumping only on that side until it heals. Is that a good idea?

Everyone assures me that this will get better when he grows, but he's growing so slowly I'm afraid I'll have no supply left by the time his latch improves. I'm so desperate. Any thoughts? TIA!


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## tippytoes26 (Mar 19, 2002)

no help. That's why I'm pumping for my 6 week old. She worked very hard at latching on for the first week. After that, she'd thrash at the breast. Yesterday, I tried to get her on the breast just to see since she's up to 8lbs now. She latched on beautifully for about 30 seconds and then started screaming and thrashing. She acts like she WANTS to be on the breast, but something just isn't right. Even when I latch her on after starting a letdown with the pump. After a half hour of trying, my nipples hurt SO badly. I don't have any advice for you. Just wanted to say that i think the "munching" thing is pretty common. We get the best latch with small/not opened all the way mouth and big nipple by doing the "climbing the mountain" thing where I point the nipple toward her nose, not mouth so she gets the under part of the nipple in her mouth and he tip of the nipple goes in last and she just has a little bit of the areola up to in. That helped a lot. Now it's just the pulling off, relatching that kills me.
Don't stop trying though I heard LOTS of sucess stories of babies 4weeks to 4 months getting back on the breast.

If you need a hand pump, I really like the harmony by medela that I have (I also have an electric pump). Do pump after each feeding or your supply will plumpet and make getting him to the breast that much harder. Also, get some gel soothies for you nipples.. you'll heal MUCH faster and they feel SO good. I wasn't even able to pump because of the pain until I wore these for a few hours. They are awsome.

Good luck mama! Good for you for working so hard at it.


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## MaryJaneLouise (Jul 26, 2005)

One small suggestion -- try co-bathing with her. Babes just kind of "relax" when you're both in the tub, let her float, lay on your tummy, then gradually introduce the breast, and maybe things will "click."


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## ambiguousinamber (Nov 9, 2005)

I'm not sure this advice is good or not but would smaller more frequent feedings be better? My little girl doesn't open her mouth real wide and occasionally she sucks in the nipple instead of opening her mouth. She is feeding every 2 hours for 10-15 min. She is very gassy though and seems to have a hard time latching on so that she doesn't take in air. I have posted another thread asking advice about this too as we haven't slept well in about 2 days now because of this.


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## LeosMama (Sep 6, 2005)

Speech Language Pathologist specializing in feeding disorders.
Occupational Therapist
Craniosacral Therapist

it is not too late for either of you to retrain your babies' sucks, but they need specialized therapy. My ds didn't get onto the breast until 5 months, about three weeks after his last round of suck training. You can do this, but you need to see the right specialist and do it as soon as possible.

Please, to either of you or any other mama reading this, feel free to contact me by PM or email or on this forum and I will do what I can to help you find such a specialist local to you.

Good luck!
-Lindsay


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## turtlewomyn (Jun 5, 2005)

My DD also used to make my nipples come out flat, or at best with white ridges running down the side. Hers was due to tongue tie, I finally got it clipped at one month of age, it then took at least another month for her latch to get to the point where my nipples wouldn't come out looking all mangled. My milk supply was affected, and I ended up using domperidone, prescribed by the doctor who snipped her frenulum. I also noticed that she would back off to her comfort zone when I did get her to latch correctly. My doctor did suggest an oral motor therapist, but it got better on its own, it just took time and lots of practice.
If you are concerned about him taking a long time to grow, could you pump milk in between feeding and then supplement with your EBM with an SNS? Although pumping is hard!


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## leahida (Jun 7, 2005)

Thanks so much for the advice and suggestions, all. tippytoes26 I feel your pain! i am pumping as often as i can (medela symphony) and i'm definitely going to get some gel soothies -- hadn't actually heard of them before.

ambiguousinamber i hope you get some useful advice for your problem!

i should clarify that i have no trouble getting him to the breast (he feeds for hours at a time) but 90% of the time with this very shallow latch and fluttery suck (i do hear swallows but they're intermittent). he only fusses when he's drained my breast or i try to get him to latch on better. in any case i don't think he's getting milk effectively or stimulating my breasts to make more milk effectively.

I have an appt. with my LC on Mon. and am going to ask about an SNS. She thought if he didn't gain well this week that the SNS would be the next step. He did gain five oz this week but I'd love to see him grow faster. I will also ask her for references for a speech language pathologist or occupational therapist. i've taken him once for cranio-sacral therapy but don't notice much of a difference.

this is so hard-- but i am determined to stick with it!


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## timneh_mom (Jun 13, 2005)

I second the suggestion of seeing a speech therapist who specializes in infant feeding. A friend of mine took her son to one and it helped a ton!! He had a weak suck too and was having problems. I am glad you are seeing the LC though, that is a good place to start. Hope it gets better! And, I do not think it is too late at all!


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