Hi ladies
I am2 weeks in breastfeeding my son. His attachment is poor grabs nipple and minimal areola. how can I get him to take more? I've tried once baby led attachment but he still takes minimal, I've taken him
off and attempted to get him to reattach so many times he gets upset so I let him
go. My poor nipples though are a mess. Help!
Have health nurse today hoping she's pro breAst feeding
Amy

I had similar problems, and ended up with a horrific fissure on one nipple. My only advice is to keep asking for help until it gets sorted. Does your hospital have a lactation consulatant? Be really pushy when you ring them and make sure that they can fit you in . The health nurse might not be trained as an LC. Give the ABA a call and maybe go along to a meeting to the counsellors can have a look at your attachment and might be able to help.
As for treating the damage, lots of shirt and bra free time, rub some expressed milk onto the nipple and let it air dry and try to get some UV on them (I used to sit topless on my back lawn for 10 minutes after a feed). The hydrogel discs are great too, and don't use the fabric breast pads (they used to just stick to my scabs, and then it was so painful to pull them off). Grab a big box of diposable ones and use them for a while, they don't stick as much.

Goodluck with it all, it does get better I promise!!!

I had the same issue with my DS not opening his mouth to take my nipple and there was a great tip that the lactation nurse showed me.

(I'll do my best here and I hope I make sense). She said to encourage the baby to open their mouth to latch on properly you need to point the nipple away from their mouth so they really need to open up wide to take it in. To do this I used to use my finger and push the side of my breast in so that the nipple angled away from the baby (towards my underarm).

I hope that makes sense ! If not let me know and I will try and explain again.

Good luck!!

Settling? If he's only 2 weeks old, just go with the cuddles and swaddling. Keep him secure and comfortable.

FWIW, Tizzie Hall's "Save Our Sleep" also saved my sanity when DD was a baby. I didn't get a hold of it until she was nearly 20weeks old but when we started it, it worked a treat and even now, with her being over 5 and a half, the eating and sleeping times are important for her :D More so the sleeping than the eating but still...