Close to giving up BF - please help!

[WW1]

Hi all. My LO is a week old. I've been exclusively BFing. I've been told LOs latch is fine but the pain I'm getting from feeding has now reached excruciating. Even with nobody near them, my nipples are throbbing and painful. As soon as LO latches I'm in agony. It's getting to the point where I'm dreading feeding time (which given it's practically all the time isn't good!)

I'm seeing the mw later so will speak again and there is a baby bistro on Monday I'll attend to get some help - if I haven't thrown in the towel by then. My friend has suggested nipple shields in the meantime (they worked for her). Does anyone have any other suggestions? I really want to BF but not when it means I'm dreading my LO latching on! Any advice gratefully received x

 

[BunnyN]

Are you able to see a lactation consultant? I saw one with DS and she was amazing. They tend to be much more experienced than MWs. Nipple shields are not perfect because can cause their own issues but I think its well worth a try if its a last hope. They work wonders for some. Maybe you could try expressing for some feeds too?

Is the skin on your nipples broken or do they just feel sore?

Sometimes my boys latch would look fine but my nipple was always white and missshapen after a feed so I knew something wasn't right.

I hope you can find a solution. It is an awful feeling to dread feeding time. I got that way when I was pregnant again and my nipples were sensitive. I was able to carry on by cutting downon feeds but that isnt really an option for you with a newborn. Hugs.

 

[noon_child]

Agree with above.

If you are in pain then something is wrong and don't let anyone tell you differently.

Shields aren't the best long term solution, but you could try them to tide you over till you see a proper LC. Try the mexican hat manoeuvre to position them as otherwise they'll fall off and/or not enough of your nipple will be inside them.

What country are you in? Do they have volunteers from organisations such as LLL and NCT who could come out to your house to observe feeds? I had bf counsellors from these organisations in every week to help me, and it was such a relief talking to people who believed me when I said something was wrong and knew what they were talking about.

 

[WW1]

Thank you for replying. I'm in the UK so there is help out there - it's just getting hold of it! The baby cafe on Monday has lactation consultants as part of it so I'm sure that will be a massive support. It's getting to Monday afternoon without losing the plot that I'm focusing on! The mw is popping in a bit later so I'll speak to her about support networks as well. If I can get this pain under control then I know we can succeed! And if it doesn't work for us, I want to know I've done everything possible. I think I'll try the shields as a short term support (it can't make it worse!) with a view to getting support with a proper solution on Monday. I'll also look at NCT and LLL to see what they have in the area.

Once again, thank you x

 

[coz]

I had very sore nipples with both my babies and even with my second i felt like i had done it all before and the latch seemed fine, they were still sore , for me i think i just had to ride it out, with both babies from being very sore to 1 week later was a huge difference , my nipples healed up within 2 weeks of giving birth and from then on it was completely painless and had no problems i could then just enjoy it. Maybe its the same for you. It is very hard at first but it will get easier! I did hear nipples sheilds are good but i never used them, this time i used the cream and tryed to air my boobs out a bit when i could so they wasnt all scrunched up in my bra sore LOL x Goodluck x

 

[BunnyN]

I contacted the LLL by email when I was having an issue with my 1st and found them quite helpful.

 

[laura11111]

Hang in there!!! It gets so much better!!! After we got the kinks sorted out, I loved breastfeeding and my bet is you will too.

First, get checked to rule out an infection.

If there is no infection, try pumping every other time. That helped me. Use nipple cream (Lanolin) after every feeding. My doctor suggested walking around topless to let your nipples get some air. Make sure you are changing your pads often so your nipples aren't soaking in old milk.

Lastly, don't accept a bad latch, and don't pull the baby off without first relieving the suction by sticking your finger in his or her mouth.

You can do it!

 

[WW1]

Saw the mw today and she thinks DS has a tongue tie. I'm seeing the lactation specialist on Monday. I've expressed after last feed so have that up my sleeve to give next time. Thank you all for your support - it's good to know I'm not alone and that others have come through it!

 

[BunnyN]

Tongue tie would be good news because its usually easily fixed. DS had his tongue and lip clipped. The Lactation consultant we saw wasnt convinced it would help because he was very boarderline and she wasnt sure that was the problem but I was really glad we did. I just wished I hadnt waited until he was 4 months to do it. It wasn't a total fix but that could be because we waited so long but it made a big difference.

He cried a bit at the time. Mostly because of being held down but it was over really quick. She didn't use anethetic or clamps or anything because they would have just caused more distress. She said if the toungue tie is more complete sometimes they need to. His mouth was a bit tender for a couple of days but it didnt seem to overly bother him, not as bad as teething.

 

[mamabee87]

Is this your first time BF? With boh my boys, it took some time for my nipples to toughen up and grow (for lack of a better term) a thick skin. Nipples aren't used to being sucked on and wet for hours a day. It takes a little bit for them to adjust. If the pain is caused by your nipples being chaffed from LO, express some milk after LO is done feeding and allow yourself to dry off before tucking your breasts back into your bra. This was a life saver for me. Good luck!

-BF both boys exclusively for 12 and 14 mnths.

 

[noon_child]

Tongue tie would be good news because its usually easily fixed. DS had his tongue and lip clipped. The Lactation consultant we saw wasnt convinced it would help because he was very boarderline and she wasnt sure that was the problem but I was really glad we did. I just wished I hadnt waited until he was 4 months to do it. It wasn't a total fix but that could be because we waited so long but it made a big difference.

He cried a bit at the time. Mostly because of being held down but it was over really quick. She didn't use anethetic or clamps or anything because they would have just caused more distress. She said if the toungue tie is more complete sometimes they need to. His mouth was a bit tender for a couple of days but it didnt seem to overly bother him, not as bad as teething.

I agree TT is actually a relief because it can be fixed. When TT was rules out on my LO I thought "what the **** do I do now?". Let us know what the specialist says.

 

[WW1]

Is this your first time BF? With boh my boys, it took some time for my nipples to toughen up and grow (for lack of a better term) a thick skin. Nipples aren't used to being sucked on and wet for hours a day. It takes a little bit for them to adjust. If the pain is caused by your nipples being chaffed from LO, express some milk after LO is done feeding and allow yourself to dry off before tucking your breasts back into your bra. This was a life saver for me. Good luck!

-BF both boys exclusively for 12 and 14 mnths.

Yes it is. DD never latched successfully (was in NICU and it never happened) so I expressed for 6 weeks then went to formula. Will try your advice. Thanks

 

[WW1]

Well I broke all the rules last night! I was in agony on the right (left also sore but bearable). DS wouldn't accept a cup or syringe, the nipple shield wasn't a success (although quite amusing!) and so I gave in and gave a bottle. I fed him on the left first, then gave bottle (which he took happily). I then expressed to keep supply up and for next feed if we have to the same again. The next feed he latched onto the left again no problem. I know it's not ideal but it made last night much more bearable. Hopefully the solution is just around the corner!

 

[noon_child]

Well I broke all the rules last night! I was in agony on the right (left also sore but bearable). DS wouldn't accept a cup or syringe, the nipple shield wasn't a success (although quite amusing!) and so I gave in and gave a bottle. I fed him on the left first, then gave bottle (which he took happily). I then expressed to keep supply up and for next feed if we have to the same again. The next feed he latched onto the left again no problem. I know it's not ideal but it made last night much more bearable. Hopefully the solution is just around the corner!

You didn't break the rules at all. The first rule is "feed the baby"...yes preferably via cup or syringe, and pref expressed milk, but if those things aren't working you move to the next best option.

 

[WW1]

Well I broke all the rules last night! I was in agony on the right (left also sore but bearable). DS wouldn't accept a cup or syringe, the nipple shield wasn't a success (although quite amusing!) and so I gave in and gave a bottle. I fed him on the left first, then gave bottle (which he took happily). I then expressed to keep supply up and for next feed if we have to the same again. The next feed he latched onto the left again no problem. I know it's not ideal but it made last night much more bearable. Hopefully the solution is just around the corner!

You didn't break the rules at all. The first rule is "feed the baby"...yes preferably via cup or syringe, and pref expressed milk, but if those things aren't working you move to the next best option.

That was my theory but I still felt bad for it. Ridiculous really as I'm feeding him but I knew it wasn't the ideal. I have managed to pump a reasonable amount so there's expressed ready to go next time 😀

Thank you for your support x

 

[yazzy]

Just to give you hope...I was in agony with cracked nipples when my lo was 2 weeks old and knew it wasn't right after bf my daughter for 17 months. TT was initially ruled out and I was expressing and bottle feeding plus letting my baby latch once per day. Any at 5 weeks a posterior tongue tie was diagnosed and it was snipped just over 1 week ago. We are now back breastfeeding...he is still learning to latch with new tongue movement but we made it! So if you can see the right people and get the TT sorted you should be fine.

 

[BunnyN]

Hopefully you can get the issue sorted soon. You just need to find a way to keep going until then. If that means using a bottle so be it.

 

[WW1]

Hi all. Thanks so much for your support. Just to say DS was diagnosed with a posterior tongue tie today so at least there's a reason for the pain! I've got an appt to see the lactation consultant again next week and we'll look at a referral to get it corrected. Although I'm still in pain, I somehow feel better for knowing it's not my imagination / poor technique that's causing it! Now just to grit my teeth for a few more weeks! Thanks again - your support has been so helpful x