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Hwnaq
10-09-2008, 06:12 PM
My son is 21 days old and I am continuing to have trouble with him opening his mouth wide enough when feeding. One of my nipples is cracked badly and both nipples tend to come out like the end of a tube of lipstick when he is finished. I had a lc come out on monday to help me with feeding and everything went well that day, but I have not been able to do it by myself well. I have tried all sorts of ways to get him to open wide but he will not do it- but he can yawn wide! Also, when I wake him to feed he goes from too sleepy to completing starving in seconds which doesn't help the situation with opening wide. Appreciate any suggestions.
Marsha_Bearden
10-09-2008, 06:28 PM
It can be as simple as how your baby is positioned when the breast is offered that can allow him to take more of your breast. When your LC came to visit, did she demonstrate the asymmetrical latch?

You may want to have her visit again and allow you to do everything as she fine tunes the latch. At three weeks, I would think you should not be having pain with feeding.

View some of the videos from Dr. Jack Newman's website that shows the asymmetrical latch. You will need to scroll down on this page to see them.
http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/newman.shtml

Are you using anything on your nipples to help them heal?
Hwnaq
10-09-2008, 06:54 PM
I have been using lanolin, breast milk and my cracked nipple is pretty much exposed day and night. I'm probably going to have to have the lc come out again, just the cost has made me hesitant.
newmom092308
10-09-2008, 07:08 PM
i WAS HAVING THE SAME PROMBLEM WITH MY DAUGHTER. wHAT i DID WAS TAKE MY NIPPLE AND TAP IT ON HER CHIN OR HER BOTTOM LIP, FOR SOME REASON THIS MADE HER OPEN HER MOUTH WIDER. eVEN AFTER DOIN THIS, SOMETIMES SHE SLIDE DOWN AND MY NIPPLE STARTS TO HURT. I JUST UNLATCH AND RELATCH! tHIS IS ALL A LEARNING EXPERIENCE! I TAUGHT MYSELF THIS THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR. iM A FIRST TIME PARENT TO A 2 WEEK OLD, AND i WAS LUCKY ENOUGH, THAT SHE CAME OUT AND LATCHED IMMEDIATELY! PATIENCE IS THE KEY!!!
Marsha_Bearden
10-09-2008, 07:30 PM
If your nipple is cracked badly, then lanolin may not be enough. There are many treatments for sore nipples. Check out this webpage:
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/03b-treatments_sore_nipples_breasts.html
You may want to request a prescription from your MD for the APNO.

Avoid using breastmilk on your nipples. Your mature milk may have healing properties of the antiviral and antibacterial components, but it also has a lot of sugar and yeast loves to thrive in that environment.