Why can't we feed lying down?????

[dboo]

My little boy is 3 weeks old. I am REALLY struggling with breastfeeding but want to keep at it. He is an all-day sucker....seriously 24 hrs on the boob if I'd let him. I really want to be able to breastfeed him while I am lying down but it just isn't working for us. Sitting up all the time is killing me. I don't know why it isn't working for us but we both get frustrated and end up in tears (both!) whenever we try. I have tried with him lying directly on the mattress next to me, propped up on pillows of different heights, on my arm, lying directly on top of me...nothing works, he just can't seem to latch on/get in a good position. I do have very big boobs but they are not overly engorged with milk or anyything...any suggestions on what to do???/

[Mrs Nietzsche]

THis can be tricky but it will get easier with every week.

You need to line him up perfectly with your breast. What angle are you trying on? I would suggest lying right on your side, and him too, so you are stomach to stomach. Pull him down by the legs until his mouth perfectly lines up with your nipple. You will prob want a few pilllows around. Move him towards you until the nipple goes into his mouth.

If you do all that is there still a problem?

[mummyturtle]

im not really sure how to explain how we did it, but ill try.

i would lie her directly on the mattress a little bit away from me, then i would lie on my side but kind of on an angle downwards, like one knee out and one straight? then i would use my top arm to bring her into me and latch on. hope that makes some kind of sense.

i had to lean down a little bit over her... it sounds like i smothered her but i didnt. then when i knew she was attached properly we could both relax into it a bit more.

[NonnyMouse]

Feding sitting up gave me killer aching ribs on my back, so I started sitting sideways in an armchair with my back on a cushion against one "arm" and my legs draped over the other arm of the chair. That raised my knees enough to support him at the right height for my breasts, ans I got to be very comfy.

[JabberJaw]

I agree with above :yes:

At first it is a bit of trial and error, but dont get yourself stressed as it will make it harder to feed.

At first i could only feed bub from the breast closest to the matress but NOW i can feed from the top breast by angeling my self right!

Pillows behind bub will stop rolling. Some others tuck there arm under bubs head, but i could never do it that way.

http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/laydown.html

http://www.mother-2-mother.com/tut-layingdown.htm

http://www.the-essential-infant-resource-for-moms.com/Breastfeeding-Position.html#lay

[dboo]

Thanks...will try some different positions tonight......

[Mrs Nietzsche]

Don't give up. I think with my first I didn't feed lying down til she was about 6 weeks.

I guess try be in as natural and comfortable a position as you can, bring the baby to your breast, line up his mouth with your nipple and then shove him on. I think with DS I actually used to sort of shove his face into my boob until I felt the latch lol. I also used to have him sort of coming up from under my boob? Like a lying down football hold?

[veve]

its not a good habit to get into (feeding in parenting rooms lying down just doesn't work .. :laughing: ) .. but in all honesty .. I ALWAYS fed lying down on my left side (left breast) .. it was the only way that we could both tolerate it..

the football hold didn't help ... I tried EVERYTHING ..

on the right hand side .. we were issue free really ..

left hand side .. lying down was all that worked

:hugs: good luck with it all hon

[SpecialPatrolGroup]

I too have big b00bs and so I find that I still need to shape up my breast so that she can latch on. It can be very awkward with getting hands into the right place and what-not. I also need to make sure my breast is clear of her nose otherwise she pulls off. Make sure that bubs chin is up off his chest - its too hard for them to swallow like this. I just took a quick look on you tube and they have some demo videos on there - I used the search term breastfeeding lying down.

[Seacretsquirrel]

I too have big boobs and I actually found that the breast on the mattress side (the lowere one when lying on your side) didn't work for me until much later I found giving the top breast by laying DD down on her side then lying on my side and leaning over until the breast lined up it was a bit uncomfortable at first but as others have said once she was latched I could relax - oh and putting her on a bit of an angle away from me so her bottom was nice and snug against me but her chest and head were a bit further away helped with the "suffocation" factor.
DS on the other hand was quite happy to lay on top of me and feed that way but he was a lot stronger than DD was.
Oh and the shaping thing was a must too!

[futureherder]

I hope that you are able to do this, A and I struggled so much with this position but it was bliss when we finally both got it!!!

Get some help from a LC or your MHCN if you have to, it is will worth working it out...even if you have to be in a not so comfortable position with the MHCN or LC.

[dboo]

Well, we finally found a position where he can latch on lying down. Some other problems though. My boob covers his nose so I am afraid I will fall asleep...could be dangerous. Also, unfortunately I need some sleep. He was sucking all night and haven't slept for nearly 2 days because of bf'ing. It sounds like this is normal, but I don't know how you all do it.....:confused:

[kuddles]

My little guy had trouble with my breast blocking his breathing. I got very good at resting my finger on my breast to move it away from his airways.. I'm glad you found a position that helps. Good luck. :)

[SpecialPatrolGroup]

It is so hard when they just want to suck and suck and all you need is to sleep. I offered her a dummy, but she was too smart for that one. When I felt like she wasn't really swallowing just sucking I used to try and break the seal and cuddle and burp her, and then I would give her to her dad so she couldn't smell me and run away for a sleep:sleeping:. At about 3 weeks they have a growth spurt which may be what is happening at the moment.