This Baby Is Huge, Nursing Issue

Updated on June 11, 2012
J.K. asks from Kalamazoo, MI
6 answers

My baby is 5 months and weighs around 19 lbs, hes a big boy. When I nurse him I have a problem with my arms and hands going numb. I sit in an arm chair and use a boppy to help.support him but it still happens. Anyone know a different type of pillow I can get or a different way to hold him? Hes at that active age where I have to have a good hold on him or he will be on the floor, lol. I never had this problem with my dd but she wasnt as big. TIA

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Mine was even bigger... But I'm big, too.

I sat cross legged, boppy on top and had FREE arms. One went around him Along his back, and the other held a book. (2 hr nursing and burping sessions. Hour to nurse, 30-60 to burp). Without a book I'd have died of boredom or fallen asleep.

My legs and the angle of them/ the pillow kep him in, the arm was just extra.

LOL... My FOOT would often fall asleep, but when I put him on my shoulder for marathon burping I'd stretch out my legs. I'd sometimes just cross leg ONE leg up and rock with the other, then switch when he switched sides. But that was when he was older/ even bigger.

1 mom found this helpful
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V.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

My Baby was 10lbs 5 oz at birth. By 2 week check up he was 16lbs! I had bruises on my forearms from his head laying there while nursing.

Try using the football hold. It worked wonders for me. Much easier on the arms. I stuck a pillow under his bottom and held his head in my hand. I did lay down at night to feed sometimes too. But that was when he was older.
Good luck,
V.

1 mom found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

My daughter was almost 11lbs at birth. I nursed her lying down. I actually nursed all my children lying down.
L.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.G.

answers from Champaign on

Mine were not that big at that age. I'm sure you'll get better answers from moms who have been there, but I did have one thought. Could you lie down with him? I really liked nursing while lying down. In fact, it was kind of a lifesaver for me in the middle of the night, as I could fall right back to sleep. If you have a big, fluffy couch and/or an ottoman you could do it in the living room. You could also try your bed or the living room floor. I could fall back to sleep or just read a book or watch tv. It took a couple of times to find the right position, but once I did it was nice!

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D.C.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My favorite were football hold-ish - when my son was long enough, I could basically sit him on a small pillow beside me (but facing me of course). Then just lean him a little back and to towards me to nurse on the side closest to him. That way I was only really supporting his head and not his entire weight.

Another way that I did this was to have him sit facing me, straddling my thigh. Again, he was sitting supporting his own weight and I was just holding him in place. Good luck!

Added: Oh, and Momto1andahalf' post - I agree. If you get the boppy supported right, you shouldn't have your arm under the baby. He should be lying directly on the boppy, and both your hands on top keeping him in place. Put an extra small throw pillow under the end of the boppy where his head it, if you need to get the angle right.

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

I'd also say lying down. I honestly couldn't figure out how to hold my first baby to nurse and could only nurse that way for the first month or so. Soon he will be sitting up on his own, then maybe he can sit on your lap to nurse.

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