She did it! (and questions)

runnerkim · #1 (**permalink**) 08-07-2006, 06:00 AM

I finally got a good latch out of Julia last night. I've been exclusively pumping up until now. I was putting Jada to bed and I'd given 2 oz of EBM to Julia in a bottle. When she was done she was still hungry so I tried the boob. It took her two tries but she finally got a great latch. I could feel her sucking (and hear her swallowing) but there wasn't any pain...it actually felt good, but not in a weird way. So anyway, here's my questions...

1) She fed for about 25 mins before she lost the latch. Is this a normal amount of time? It seems to me if she hadn't fallen off she would have been there all night.

2) when she did fall off she was still hungry. Is this normal? Even after 2 oz of EBM and 25 mins of nursing? I tried to offer the 2nd breast but she couldn't get a latch and became enraged.

Thanks!

Jescafa · #2 (**permalink**) 08-07-2006, 06:44 AM

Is that Julia's coming-home outfit? I had the exact same one for my daughter!

There's a wide range in terms of how long a baby will nurse on each breast. Younger infants tend to nurse longer, older ones more briefly. I'd say 25 min. is well within normal range. My daughter, BTW, was the type who'd stay on there all night if I didn't break the latch.

I'm guessing she wasn't really hungry after 2 oz and 25 min, more that she was grooving on nursing for the first time and she was getting a lot of comfort out of it, and that's why she was upset. It's too bad she couldn't latch onto the other boob, but it sounds like maybe that is in your future! Have you heard about the "nipple sandwich" thing? It helped me get a good latch after some early trouble. Also drizzling some EBM on your nipple may help, if you're not doing that already.

Good luck, and hope things continue to go well!

amallicoat · #3 (**permalink**) 08-07-2006, 03:22 PM

WTG Julia!!! Keep working at it Kimmy, since she latched on great once i know she can continue doing it. Have you tried nursing her when she is relaxed and chilling out? Sometimes when they are hungry they can be so impatient with us

. Eli didn't want to open his mouth up very big when he first started nursing so dh had to help "tug" on his chin and I would say "Big Mouth" to teach him he had to open wide. That really helped him get the correct latch.