M.W.
A.,
I breastfed both of my sons for approx. 14 months each. I had a very hard time the first three months or so with sore nipples, poor latch, overactive letdown etc. My suggestions are to try different positions with her. Maybe try the football hold using just a regular bed pillow underneath her. I always used just a regular pillow and typically used the cradle position. I would say that when she is slurping and making noise break the suction with your finger and try to latch her on again. With my overactive letdown, I had to let them nurse until I felt the letdown and then I had to pull them off for a few seconds and spray my milk into a burp cloth and then put them back on when it was coming out slower. I had to figure this out on my own. Tne nurse practioners at my peds office had never heard of overactive letdown...so of course I researched it online. My boys would choke and swallow too much milk at once because my milk was coming out so fast. Plus, of course they were swallowing lots of air and miserable with gas. After about three months it was better. I did not have to pull them off once it worked itself out. This may sound like weird advice, but when I was pregnant, someone told me to drink a beer to get my milk to come in sooner, and it really did work. The night I came home from the hospital(which was about 24hours after delivery)I had one beer and my milk came in about one hour later. I would have the occasional beer throughout breastfeeding and it really does help with milk supply. I checked with my pediatrician of course and he said it was fine. My mom breastfed my brother back in the 80's and she said she had a glass of wine every night. He is now 25 and a lawyer...so I don't think it affected him in any negative way. Everyone is different when it comes to this subject...Some people pump if they drink even the smallest amount and then throw it out. I never exceeded a beer (or 2 sometimes). It probably does make them a little sleepy..so for me, that was not a bad thing either. Anyways good luck and I hope it gets better for you. Just one last thing, make sure you are relaxed and comfortable when you are nursing...don't worry about cleaning etc. just enjoy your experience with your little angel...the dishes can wait! When people ask if they can help, say yes please do my dishes and laundry(HAHA)!!!