Anyone's bb refuse to latch on?

hi..my bub is 4 weeks old and is not very keen on latching on to my breast at all. so far, i may have managed to get him latch on 5 times, max. i currently express my milk and feed him via bottle.


anyone in the same shoe? if he latches on, he can latch on 45 min to 60 min! is that too long? should i stop him at 30 minutes? i notice if i breastfeed him, he can last only about 2 hours before next feed, whereas if i use bottle (on express breast milk) he can last 3 hours frequently. am in dilemma whether to insist on breastfeeding. anyone in share situation? keen to share your experience?

If you are happy to express and fed him by bottle then do not feel guilty about not bf him. I have heard of similar problems before and there are a number of reasons it may happen. Sometimes it can be as simple as just not getting the right position - or your stress when attempting bf can trigger a warning to your son that something is not right, putting him off bf. Anyway you look at it the main focus for small babies is that they are getting the nutrients - dont worry about bf if it causes you and your child stress

did u give him the bottle after finding out that he is not latching on..or were u giving him bottle from the beg...many a times if babies are given bottle earlier on they prefer the bottle to the breast since its easier to suck the bottle..


45 mins plus is perfectly ok at 4 weeks..coz they also feel the need to suck not necessarily feed..mine is almost 8 weeks now and she too earlier went on and on..if he is continuing to suck theres no need to stop him after 30 mins..u can try bf for some more time..


try to relax while bf..just u and bubs in one room and not too much noise around...mine immd stops when her 3 year older sis comes close to her making noises while feeding..

Try breast compression to help shorten feeding lengths. Do a search for Dr Jack Newman and breast compression and you can see how it is done.


it's quite a different action, sucking on a bottle and a breast...your baby may be having a bit of confusion...


Good luck!

I personally think that early introduction to bottle feeding will be the beginning of the end for bf.I think if you perserve you will be able to get him back to exlusive bf.Best to get a La Leche consultant to come in and give you a hand and they can offer you the best advice.Most babies that young are going to need at least 12 feeds in 24 hrs.Good Luck!

if you can, it'd be great for you to have a lactation consultant to come to your house - to help out. Breastfeeding does take a bit of time to sort out - having started the bottle already does put you at a bit of a difficulty as baby may have a preference for it.


I had a baby in NICU and was not allowed to breastfeed at all for the beginning of her life. When I brought her home, I seriously was worried that she wouldn't latch on - and was determined to get her on. I did - and although there was a bit of a curve for her to learn to get back on the breast, I found that with enough persistence on my part, she was fine. I think it probably helped that it was my second, I knew a bit of what to expect, and I was really committed to breastfeeding her as I had my first.


The breast milk comes out in phases - so if you can get your baby to get back on the breast, it's the best case scenario all the way around. So - try and get her on the breast - put her on often and get her used to it. After your baby gets the hang of really getting your milk out (all the way to the hindmilk, the creamy stuff at the end) you'll see the time between feeds go longer. Use your hand to massage while she is feeding if she is used to a faster flow than your breast - but soon, your breast and your baby will get in sync.


Good luck!

thanks for all of your advice. i've guess i am not as determine as i should be in bf. however, there is definitely progress in the last 3 days. my bub has latched on well at times, when he feels like it. indeed, i introduced bottle at week1, very early stage, because he was slightly premature and sucking rhythm was poor. i now get him to latch on twice a day (unfortunately, there are times he still prefer my nipple shield esp when he's tired and sleepy after latching on for 20 min). i will increase the latch on session as i feel more confident on direct latching. thanks for your advice and good luck to me! i think it boils down to determination and persistent which i m lacking at the moment!