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#1
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
Hi, The subject is a bit misleading - I am after help for my SIL. Her baby
was born 3 weeks ago, full term but only 4 lb 10oz. The baby was little, mum's breasts were big, and the baby just couldn't latch. Baby is now 6 lb 1oz (on expressed milk - she's getting the good stuff all right, but by bottle), and the mum and dad are putting babe to the breast, but it is their first child, and I don't think they have any idea of what to do. They say they aren't getting a lot of support from their midwife- visits are too quick etc., as the baby is doing so well on what she is getting! DH, DD and I are going to visit them next week, and I will have plenty of time to sit and help - if I can. Does any one have any suggestions as to how I could help. As DD is 9 months, and I no longer have to shape the breast or anything like that, I don't think that watching me will make a lot of difference. Can anyone give me any advice that I can pass one? All I can think of is 1) be patient! and 2) shape the breast. Oops, and 3) try and get the baby to latch before she is screamingly hungry. I would really like to try and help if I can. They have tried the baby with a cup, which ended up with milk running everywhere except in to the baby. I suspect some advice will be drop the bottle and get a SNS etc - I'm not sure those are available here (New Zealand), but I will look in to it before I visit. TIA, Cathy |
#2
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
"Cathy" wrote in message ...
Hi, The subject is a bit misleading - I am after help for my SIL. Her baby was born 3 weeks ago, full term but only 4 lb 10oz. The baby was little, mum's breasts were big, and the baby just couldn't latch. Baby is now 6 lb 1oz (on expressed milk - she's getting the good stuff all right, but by bottle), and the mum and dad are putting babe to the breast, but it is their first child, and I don't think they have any idea of what to do. They say they aren't getting a lot of support from their midwife- visits are too quick etc., as the baby is doing so well on what she is getting! DH, DD and I are going to visit them next week, and I will have plenty of time to sit and help - if I can. Does any one have any suggestions as to how I could help. As DD is 9 months, and I no longer have to shape the breast or anything like that, I don't think that watching me will make a lot of difference. Can anyone give me any advice that I can pass one? All I can think of is 1) be patient! and 2) shape the breast. Oops, and 3) try and get the baby to latch before she is screamingly hungry. I would really like to try and help if I can. They have tried the baby with a cup, which ended up with milk running everywhere except in to the baby. I suspect some advice will be drop the bottle and get a SNS etc - I'm not sure those are available here (New Zealand), but I will look in to it before I visit. I have just a quick moment, but as the baby grows, her mouth will grow and she will be able to latch. But, has she been checked for tongue-tie, cleft, or any physical issues? has she tried to feed the baby while the baby is sleepy? if she responds as soon as teh baby cues to feed., the baby might be willing to latch. can she find an IBCLC, LLLLeader or Nursing mothers Association-type assistance? ===== Kate, http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~kolina/a...f-formula.html Mom to Ursula (8.5), Sage (6), Benno (2.7) My parents were wonderful people, but unfortunately they were unable to give me the private income I so richly deserved. ~ Poet & Head of the NEA Dana Goiai, explaining why he has an MBA http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EvidenceBased/ |
#3
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
Cathy wrote: Hi, The subject is a bit misleading - I am after help for my SIL. Her baby was born 3 weeks ago, full term but only 4 lb 10oz. The baby was little, mum's breasts were big, and the baby just couldn't latch. Baby is now 6 lb 1oz (on expressed milk - she's getting the good stuff all right, but by bottle), and the mum and dad are putting babe to the breast, but it is their first child, and I don't think they have any idea of what to do. They say they aren't getting a lot of support from their midwife- visits are too quick etc., as the baby is doing so well on what she is getting! DH, DD and I are going to visit them next week, and I will have plenty of time to sit and help - if I can. Does any one have any suggestions as to how I could help. As DD is 9 months, and I no longer have to shape the breast or anything like that, I don't think that watching me will make a lot of difference. Can anyone give me any advice that I can pass one? All I can think of is 1) be patient! and 2) shape the breast. Oops, and 3) try and get the baby to latch before she is screamingly hungry. I would really like to try and help if I can. They have tried the baby with a cup, which ended up with milk running everywhere except in to the baby. I suspect some advice will be drop the bottle and get a SNS etc - I'm not sure those are available here (New Zealand), but I will look in to it before I visit. TIA, Cathy One thing I would try is to use the football hold. It's awkward, but I found it to be by far the best way to help a baby onto a good latch. (My son wouldn't nurse any other way until he was 3 months old). Clisby |
#4
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
Kate wrote in message om... "Cathy" wrote in message ... Hi, The subject is a bit misleading - I am after help for my SIL. Her baby was born 3 weeks ago, full term but only 4 lb 10oz. The baby was little, mum's breasts were big, and the baby just couldn't latch. Baby is now 6 lb 1oz (on expressed milk - she's getting the good stuff all right, but by bottle), and the mum and dad are putting babe to the breast, but it is their first child, and I don't think they have any idea of what to do. They say they aren't getting a lot of support from their midwife- visits are too quick etc., as the baby is doing so well on what she is getting! DH, DD and I are going to visit them next week, and I will have plenty of time to sit and help - if I can. Does any one have any suggestions as to how I could help. As DD is 9 months, and I no longer have to shape the breast or anything like that, I don't think that watching me will make a lot of difference. Can anyone give me any advice that I can pass one? All I can think of is 1) be patient! and 2) shape the breast. Oops, and 3) try and get the baby to latch before she is screamingly hungry. I would really like to try and help if I can. They have tried the baby with a cup, which ended up with milk running everywhere except in to the baby. I suspect some advice will be drop the bottle and get a SNS etc - I'm not sure those are available here (New Zealand), but I will look in to it before I visit. I have just a quick moment, but as the baby grows, her mouth will grow and she will be able to latch. But, has she been checked for tongue-tie, cleft, or any physical issues? has she tried to feed the baby while the baby is sleepy? if she responds as soon as teh baby cues to feed., the baby might be willing to latch. I'm not sure about the physical issues - will check on that. I suspect it is just a size of mouth vs. size of breast thing! And I doubt that the mum has tried to nurse when the baby is sleepy - I'll ask them if they'll give that a go. can she find an IBCLC, LLLLeader or Nursing mothers Association-type assistance? I'll suggest they find an LC - I'm trying not to get too involved, but want to help if I can. The mum was unsure as to whether she would be able to BF. Seeing as the baby has done so well on EBM till now (I couldn't express till my DD was about 4 months, so I think they are doing amazingly!), and the mum has allergy issues, I really would like to see them carry on BF, and preferably on the breast, rather than expressing. Cathy |
#5
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
Clisby wrote in message ... Cathy wrote: Hi, The subject is a bit misleading - I am after help for my SIL. Her baby was born 3 weeks ago, full term but only 4 lb 10oz. The baby was little, mum's breasts were big, and the baby just couldn't latch. Baby is now 6 lb 1oz (on expressed milk - she's getting the good stuff all right, but by bottle), and the mum and dad are putting babe to the breast, but it is their first child, and I don't think they have any idea of what to do. They say they aren't getting a lot of support from their midwife- visits are too quick etc., as the baby is doing so well on what she is getting! DH, DD and I are going to visit them next week, and I will have plenty of time to sit and help - if I can. Does any one have any suggestions as to how I could help. As DD is 9 months, and I no longer have to shape the breast or anything like that, I don't think that watching me will make a lot of difference. Can anyone give me any advice that I can pass one? All I can think of is 1) be patient! and 2) shape the breast. Oops, and 3) try and get the baby to latch before she is screamingly hungry. I would really like to try and help if I can. They have tried the baby with a cup, which ended up with milk running everywhere except in to the baby. I suspect some advice will be drop the bottle and get a SNS etc - I'm not sure those are available here (New Zealand), but I will look in to it before I visit. TIA, Cathy One thing I would try is to use the football hold. It's awkward, but I found it to be by far the best way to help a baby onto a good latch. (My son wouldn't nurse any other way until he was 3 months old). Clisby Thanks - I'll see if they can try that too. I suspect that they have had no assistance with getting the baby on to the breast, except in the first few days, when she was way too little. The parents said they have seen a few videos of how it should be done, but I know I had seen a few videos and thought I knew it all! It took me 5 days to be able to get DD to latch without help from a nurse, and about another 2-3 weeks till it was good and pain free. I"m just a little concerned that they'll take the 'easy way out' (I'm not saying that expressing is easy - just that getting the baby on to the breast will take patience and time, which can be in short supply with a 3 week old), and keep baby on the bottle until it is too late. I'm there is 4 days, so I'm hoping I can be of some assistance. Cathy |
#6
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
In article ,
"Cathy" wrote: Get your sister in touch with this mob: http://www.lalecheleague.org/LLLNZ/ Looks like there are quite a lot of groups -- hope one is near her. I am only sorry that the midwife didn't put her in touch with them. -- Chookie -- Sydney, Australia (Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply) "Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one* grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc |
#7
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
Chookie wrote:
In article , "Cathy" wrote: Get your sister in touch with this mob: http://www.lalecheleague.org/LLLNZ/ Looks like there are quite a lot of groups -- hope one is near her. I am only sorry that the midwife didn't put her in touch with them. I may not have quite the full story re the midwife, but yeah, I'll find the local LLL. It does depend on how keen SIL is to get the baby on the breast. Cathy |
#8
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
"Cathy" wrote in message ... Hi, The subject is a bit misleading - I am after help for my SIL. Her baby was born 3 weeks ago, full term but only 4 lb 10oz. The baby was little, mum's breasts were big, and the baby just couldn't latch. Baby is now 6 lb 1oz (on expressed milk - she's getting the good stuff all right, but by bottle), and the mum and dad are putting babe to the breast, but it is their first child, and I don't think they have any idea of what to do. They say they aren't getting a lot of support from their midwife- visits are too quick etc., as the baby is doing so well on what she is getting! I had the same problem. Tiny baby, huge breast. The only thing that worked was a nipple shield - piece of flimsy silicone similar to a bottle teat, you put it over the nipple. (It is often used for cracked nipples or other nipple issues.) The baby puts its little mouth around the silicone teat and sucks the nipple into the shaped silicone. I think I used it for a couple of weeks, then took a few days, maybe 5, to wean him off it. It was fairly hard work weaning him onto the bare breast, but worth it! You can't keep using the shield long term because it does not allow the breast enough stimulation to keep milk supply up. But when DS was newborn it was the *only* way I could BF. Nicola |
#9
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3 week old baby unable to latch - help!
Nicola B wrote:
"Cathy" wrote in message ... Hi, The subject is a bit misleading - I am after help for my SIL. Her baby was born 3 weeks ago, full term but only 4 lb 10oz. The baby was little, mum's breasts were big, and the baby just couldn't latch. Baby is now 6 lb 1oz (on expressed milk - she's getting the good stuff all right, but by bottle), and the mum and dad are putting babe to the breast, but it is their first child, and I don't think they have any idea of what to do. They say they aren't getting a lot of support from their midwife- visits are too quick etc., as the baby is doing so well on what she is getting! I had the same problem. Tiny baby, huge breast. The only thing that worked was a nipple shield - piece of flimsy silicone similar to a bottle teat, you put it over the nipple. (It is often used for cracked nipples or other nipple issues.) The baby puts its little mouth around the silicone teat and sucks the nipple into the shaped silicone. I think I used it for a couple of weeks, then took a few days, maybe 5, to wean him off it. It was fairly hard work weaning him onto the bare breast, but worth it! You can't keep using the shield long term because it does not allow the breast enough stimulation to keep milk supply up. But when DS was newborn it was the *only* way I could BF. Oh, I hadn't thought of nipple shields, mainly because I was so paranoid about using them myself. Another suggestion to add to the list. Thank you. Cathy |
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