Expert: Sageda El-Abbasy - 10/4/2009

Question
I am currently breast feeding my one week old and am having a few problems. First, it is still hurting when she latches on, her lips are are formed around my breast like the lactation consultant says it should be but it still feels like she is biting me at times. I try to reposition her but have little success....
Second, I want to continue to breast feed but i want to pump as well so that my husband can have bonding time with her but I've found that if i pump before a feeding she seems hungry after she eats and if i pump after, it is not enough to satisfy her when my husband feeds...
Last but not least do i need to feed her off of both breasts or is only one per session ok for now? Sometimes she eats for 10min and others she eats for 30 on one..... is this ok or what are your recommendations?

Thank you

Answer
First of all congratulations on your newborn.
About the latching issue, be positive that if it hurts as she feeds then there is something wrong.  You need to take her off and latch again.  Have your lactation consultant witness the latching and help you correct your position.  Your baby should seem to have a mouthful of breast and you should not be hearing any clicking or feeling any pain.
I've found that it was best to pump milk when there is no feed due anytime soon.  I used to wake up at 5 am to pump.  Try to have fixed times for feeds. If you feed your baby every 2 hours in the mornings, your baby can stay for 5 or 6 hours straight through the night without feeds.  In that case you can wake up in the middle of those 5 or 6 hours and pump some milk.  Also this could help with the duration of feeds.  Fixing a schedule for feeding times and having a daily routine will totally help you and your baby.
There are two schools in the subject of feeding from both or one breast per feed.  One school suggests that you should feed from one for the baby to get all forms of the milk (the watery then the fatty milk) and the other suggests that you should feed from both to avoid having engorged breasts and emptying them constantly.  I fed from one breast per feed all until I weaned my daughter off my breast and it worked fine by me.
I wish you the best of luck.