u/Famous_Talk5866

My baby was born 5/4/26. Monday, she will be 6 weeks old. I knew I wanted to breastfeed and so that’s what we did ever since she was born. The LC in the hospital came by a couple times but I didn’t have any concerns or questions at the time so I just kept on doing what I was doing. Sure, there was some pain but I knew breastfeeding can be painful/uncomfortable at first until your nipples gets adjusted essentially.

Fast forward to now, breastfeeding stopped hurting like a couple weeks in. At times it’s uncomfortable but I can readjust the baby or make her re-latch and I’m fine. I also have a pretty high pain tolerance, so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with me not experiencing a lot of discomfort. For whatever reason, I started to realize that my baby was essentially just latching to my nipple and a little bit of the areola. I think it was gas issues that made me look at her latch a little closer. Sometimes she essentially fights my breast like she doesn’t want to latch. I do have a really fast letdown so I thought it was that but also I feel like it’s the latch as well. From what I have seen, the baby is supposed to take in a good amount of the areola. My nipples also is lip stick shaped a lot of times when she is done and I know that’s an indicator of a shallow latch. I told the pediatrician about our concerns with gas and her shallow latch, and the doctor essentially said that she does not have a tongue or lip tie, but she does have a really small mouth and to essentially do mouth massages with my fingers to help her muscles relax. I’ve tried that a few times, but I’m not sure how much this is really going to help in the long run??

My main question is, if I’m not having a lot of pain and the baby is gaining weight what other concern would this cause?? I mean yes she does have gas but I feel like with some burping. She usually does pretty fine. She is generally a happy baby. She was born at 8lb 12oz and after a month of EBF (with a few bottles to try them) she is up to 11lb 3oz at one month old. Is this issue work consulting a lactation consultant? also is a lactation consultant normally something you have to pay out-of-pocket for or how do you see them outside of the hospital setting? I do have insurance but I was curious about that. I have tried sandwiching my breast and using her reflex to try to get her mouth to open wide. It’s like she will start out “wide-ish” and once she’s latched she releases it some or something and doesn’t stay wide. She also doesn’t really flare her lips out. How much of this is just anatomy related?? Idk. I’m not in pain and she’s gaining so idk what to do.