the latch.

last night around 6pm, all seven Moss were hungry.
the youngest making her opinions known with chin quivering cries.
and, i just couldn't feed her.
i couldn't do it.
my whole chest was on fire- arm pit to arm pit- and i had electric shocks running down my breasts.

i had a slight fever.

i admitted defeat.
i called my doctor, told him i was pretty certain i had mastitis. 
he called me in an antibiotic.
and then i cried.
my baby was hungry and i couldn't feed her.

the professor warmed up leftovers from the Thanksgiving feast a friend had brought us Sunday night.
and i debated-- i had called the lactation consultants at the hospital earlier in the day.
they encouraged me to come in when the baby was hungry.
in a split second decision, i packed sweet eve into her car seat and headed back to the hospital... gratefully she stopped screaming and was content in the car.
when i reached the breastfeeding consultants i just sobbed unsure that they would be able to help at all.
eve just laid there patiently in her car seat while i worked up the courage to nurse one more time.

sitting on the couch with pillows stuffed around me and a sweet lady with rubber gloves standing by, i began nursing-- on my worst bloody, engorged side.
it was excruciating.
for a second.
and the sweet lady stuck her finger under eve's chin and pulled down.
MAGIC.
MAGIC.
Just by repositioning her little lips (pulling down on her chin and up on her top lips) my pain was completely gone.
She nursed for 30 minutes on that one side.
every now and then she'd move and the pain would come back...
i'd just slip my fingers under her chin and instant relief.
When she was finished my chest was SO relieved and her eyes were rolling back in her head like she was drunk with milk.
Milk actually dripped from her mouth and she was sound asleep, content.
we changed her diaper and i nursed on the other side-- same thing, pain, chin adjustment, and no pain.

DUH!!!!

many, many people had asked me if she was latching on correctly.

i always assured them that she was, because she was definitely drinking.

and a good sucker.

in the hospital, i was a bit prideful whenever the lactation consultants came in to offer their help.

I had nursed 6 babies-- i knew what i was doing and my pain was "normal"... i thought.

last night, i was humbled... and VERY grateful.

who knew that a little chin adjustment could make such a HUGE difference.

eve has a tendency to purse her lips closed... like this

that is what she was doing when she nursed.
a little chin adjustment has changed my life-- i nursed all night long without pain, even though my breasts are still healing.
a complete miracle.

the miracle of the latch.

today i am SO GRATEFUL.

and my baby is full.

i can honestly say that i'm excited to nurse again in a few hours.

isn't it funny how we often wait till we're dead before we ask for help?

i have learned my lesson this time, and next time i think i'll get help MUCH sooner.