Good grief. So I decided to try again this morning after my last post (I love that I am blogging about this, it keeps reminding me NOT to give up!)
Anyhoo, I was anxious as could be because I just didn't want to fight it. Before I latched him on, I watched a few videos about latching, and noticed something I had not previously noticed: these women were pulling their babies to the breast, open mouthed, and allowing the baby to latch on. Ok, DUH moment for most of reading this I am sure... but let me explain why this was so profound for me.
All the LC's and books and drawings I have visited/seen/read say to "cram" all the boob you can into the babies mouth when it opens. USE THE SANDWICH! STUFF THAT BOOB IN! DONT FORGET ABOUT THE AREOLA!!! So for 5 weeks I have been trying to jam his mouth full of boobie, only to have him spit it out, or lick it, or gag, or whatever. And if successful, he would back up off the latch quickly. Hence my neverending stress over it not working!!!
Huh. So this morning I though, well shit. If these tiny babies are just gently latching with little or no force then maybe he can too? AYUH. Like, instantly he just latched himself on with no troubles. Nice healthy comfortable latch that he ACTUALLY KEPT for over 10 minutes on each breast! I was able to let his head go for the first time, let him relax (and me as well) and let him suck away!!! Are you FUCKING kidding me? For 5 weeks I have fought this? HOW many women are getting this same awful advice I had been given? How many????
And as for the sucking, well it was awesome! 8 minutes of active, nutritive sucking! Well, on righty anyway. Lefty is just akward no matter what... and barely makes milk anyway. He's more of a practice boob LOL!
So, may this trend of easy latching and good sucking continue! And may the one step forward, two step back progression end. I want to see forward motion only from here on out!
WOOHO!!!
