Breastfeeding dilemma...

morocha

cte1111 wrote: »

I had that level of pain with breast feeding my DD. I persevered and sorry to say it did not get better. I feel like it affected my initial bond with her as I associated her with pain. I think it does depend on the baby rather than your 'technique' sometimes. Whatever choice you make, please don't feel guilty. I'm not sure pumping will help, but hope you have a more positive experience than me.

i felt exactly the same. My midwife said i was doing it well but my baby wanted to be feed all the time and i was in tears, it was agony. i bought a pump to express milk but could not do it, i then just kept putting lanolin cream on and slowly it got better, but as my baby was still hungry around 2 months i think i gave her a milk bottle at night..
Do whatever feels right for you.x

fsdss

apologies that i have not read all the advice given.
it sounds like a latching on problem causing the soreness. like treatment for a sore nappy, can you just let the air get to them as much as possible today? letting your own breastmilk on them too can naturally heal.
where about's in east midlands are you? if in leicestershire i can try and pm you a number for some support today (thats free and through health / sure start).

tiamai_d

neneromanova wrote: »

Congrats on bubs

I know exactly how you feel. After I game birth to DD i went for a shower with my hospital tag still on my arm, washed a little quick and sliced my nipple with it which was great fun feeding and i too dreaded it. I was in agony so i mentioned this to the MW and she mentioned changing position on that nipple. So I started to feed her holding her like a rugby ball where her body goes out behind you. All i can say is I wanted to hug the MW the next time I saw her the pain had eased that much. So I would say try doing a different position which is comfy for you.

ooooowwwwwch! Chuffin heck! :eek:

skintchick

I've been through this toom and for me it was thrush so do get that checked and if you haven;t already, please go to a baby cafe and see a BF counsellor for help. I did find that at 10 weeks things suddenly got soo much better. I was on the verge of giving formula but am so glad I didn't - I exclusively breastfed for 6 months in eh end and still BF now at 14 months, and am so pleased i soldiered on.

Do get checked over and some help on positioning etc., but in answer to the question ye sI've been there, and I decided to just put up with it till it got better.

Jo_R_2

Thank you all.

I have persevered through it so far, regular paracetemol isn't touching the pain sadly but my right side is slightly less sore than the left as I can manage different positions on that side - on the left I find it very difficult to vary positions.

Still using Lansinoh hoping that will help a bit.

I bought some nipple shields and tried using them but they didn't make any difference unfortunately:(

In a bit am going to express some milk, OH has always wanted to help with feeding and used to give DS expressed milk when needed and he really wants to help but there's not been anything he could really do til now. Am hoping easing off a little so I can heal might really help.

Feel a bit thrown tbh by this as have successfully bf three children - seems crazy that it's my fourth that's given me the problems!

sleepystar1975

Hi Jo

First off, congrats on little one.

When I BF'd my DD, I didn't rate Lansinoh, I got on better with Kamilosan. Felt horrid and goopy, but made my sore nipples better quicker. But everyone has their own preference.
If you are expressing successfully, is it worth giving Bubs a few minutes on the expressed to stave off the initial hunger, then trying boob, so that he is less "desperate".
Call your midwife in the morning and get some advice from her. She may pop round to offer positional help, and see that bubs is latching on properly, check bubs mouth for tongue tie, thrush etc.
Do you have a local NCT or Surestart team you can turn to for help and advice too? May be worth investigating.

If you end up going to formula, whether it's all formula, top ups or one feed a day, don't beat yourself up over it. Although obviously "Breast is best", happy Mummy and Baby is even better. If Breastfeeding is an ordeal for you in terms of pain, you may not bond with baby as well as you would hope.

snugglepet20

Sorry that this is happening to you. My third baby was a nightmare to feed, my nipples were cracked with chunks missing and I had terrible cramping pains as well. Cream made no difference. I dreaded feeding her and wanted to cry every time she was hungry. So I switched to formula and I am a lot happier and can just enjoy her without the pain! Good luck with keeping going but if it is all too much there is no shame in giving a bottle, a lot of people don't even attempt to breastfeed at all.

jacqhale

Hi,
I had awful pain with my first, weeks of agony and not even being able to hold him it was so sore. I cried through every feed :-( as soon as he was diagnosed with oral thrush and started treatment it cleared up almost immediately. The second time round I diagnosed it myself and got straight round to the emergency doctor!!

They both also had tongue-tie which was snipped at a few weeks old.

I was just told that breastfeeding hurts and that's just how it is but don't accept it because there will be a reason, you just need to find it!!

Don't feel guilty about formula either - happy mum is happy baby and there is nothing wrong with it, my 11 week old is having both and she is happy, content and healthy and I defy anyone to say opposite!!

Good luck and enjoy!!!!!! xxx

bylromarha

Didn't want to read and run.

Congrats on the baby!

Loads of good advice on here I think. Shame to hear the nipple shields didn't help. I agree with taking each day as it comes.

La Leche were great when I rang them 0845 120 2918 (no alternative on saynoto0870)

And NCT line here
Breastfeeding Line - 0300 330 0771

8am–10pm, seven days a week.


Also, just wanted to say if you do end up using formula - fantastic decision. It means you're happy and not in severe pain dreading a feed, and baby is fed and has a happy mum. That can never be a bad thing

missworks2jobs

I am not a mother but one of my best friends is. After no problems feeding and weaning her little boy, DD arrived and she had a nighmare from start to finish. The baby wanted to feed ALL the time, nothing seemed to fill her up. She tried evey position, hint, tip & remedy going. She even tried expressing milk inbetween feeds to try and increase her milk but it just left her even more literally "drained". Feeding practically constantly while having another toddler to look after was exhausting her. The baby was screaming night after night because she was so hungy, the midwife helped with loads of different positions and tips but nothing seemed to work. She even suggested starting to introduce solids a bit early to try to fill the baby up during the day so the night feeds weren't so demanding.

She was determined to breast feed for as long as possible and really didn't want to give up and was working herself up into such a state. Then I gave her an outsiders perspective.

What's best for baby isn't alwasy what's best for mum - she was heading for nervous breakdown which was not good for anyone. Yes its lovely to have a non-hungry happy baby who's being fed every 3 or 4 hours, and I understood that it was important for her to bond and the lovely feeling of breastfeeding and how it was good for the baby's health but surely not at the expense of a miserable exhausted mum (and helpless but shattered dad and toddler brother who also were getting their sleep disturbed by a screaming baby and being stuck on the end of grumpy & tired mum's sleep deprived moods).

Would it really be so bad to supplement with night-time formula feeds if it meant baby went to sleep happy content and full, and mum & rest of the family weren't exhausted and on the point of breakdown?

My point is all mum's want to do what's best for baby, but every baby and every mum and every situation is different. You have to do what works best for you - and try not to beat yourself up about any decisions you do make. If it hurts to persist with the breastfeeding but you're determined to do it - go for it, and if its agony and you want to have a moan about how much of a nightmare it is....then you have every right to have a grumble. If you decide to formula feed, then you're obviously considering all aspects and are trying whats best for you and baby. You could always try again later or try to continue to do a mix of both. Do what's best for you & the little one.

I was bottle fed and turned out ok (if I do say so myself) and I love my mum - no matter how she fed me I dont care, she brought me into this world, fed and nurtured me, that's enough for me. I think I would like to try to breastfeed when I come to have my own children because of all the benefits........but at the same time if its not working for me & baby then no-one is going to make me feel bad about changing my mind.