hurts so much i feel like giving up...

[tinytoes]

ouuuuuuuuuuch. i'm in so much pain i'm not sure how baby will get fed during this night....i feel so bad....

any tips? i alreadys have lanolin

 

[Samantha675]

Let them air dry with a bit of milk on them. Chech his latch to make sure it is right.

 

[sam's mum]

Does it hurt all the way through a feed? Even with cracked nipples the pain should get better once he's latched on (I was in so much pain at first too...felt like crying every time Sam needed fed, but was never given any sort of guidance in the hospital, and playing aroundwith his latch really helped - just kept taking him off and putting him back on again). Read everything you can on positioning...there are some videos on youtube as well that are quite useful. It would really be worth going to a clinic or lactation consultant when you can too - if his latch is the problem it should improve straight away

Is the pain still just because of the cracking? If you're sure his latch is ok, you might want to go to your doctor in case it's thrush or something.

I know exactly how you feel ...hopefully it'll get better for you soon. Take a couple of paracetamol half an hour before you feed too x x

 

[sam's mum]

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/visualguide/#question2

https://www.ameda.com/breastfeeding/started/latch_on.aspx

 

[Margerle]

I recommend the air drying too...

These are also good videos for all kinds of lactation troubles

https://www.drjacknewman.com/video-clips.asp

 

[tinytoes]

thanks for these. I think he's not always latching on right - it can hurt throughout.....we'll keep trying but I'm not sure if it'll hurt anyway now as i'm so sore from all the previously wrong times?? Even him getting it wrong once is enough to make me cry.

I see the video said the baby knows what to do...well how come mine likes to suckle just on the round end bit?...oooh it'll be a long night I fear...

I can see a lactation person next week....but I already saw them when I was in hospital when I had him and I thought I was doing it right...ooh it's all so distressing and disapointing, feel like a failure...

 

[tinytoes]

ok thanks again, i'm off to bed now and am going to try my hardest to get it right during the night feed.....but i'm taking my trusty pump just in case!!!!

night all...lets hope I sort this latch on business out...but oh the stinging!! sweet dreams all xx

 

[Samantha675]

TT you are not a failure, this is something we ALL have to learn how to do correctly, both us and our babies! It is not the easiest thing in the world when you have never seen anyone nurse or been exposed to it. I have faith that youand your little man will get the hang of it!

 

[sam's mum]

Hope it's ok for you tonight. You are not a failure at all!! It only takes a couple of bad latches at the start to damage your nipples for ages - mine were bad for weeks (but here we are at nearly 5 months still going, so it does get better) x x

 

[tinytoes]

well its morning and it wasnt a greatly succesful night. I ended up pumping at 4am as I was in too much pain to feed him.

On top of the nipple pain I now get an achey burning sensation after attempting to breast feed or pumping. I read up and it suggested that it was an over abundance of milk being left in there? Could be possible I suppose as on the side that hurts I used to pump a couple of feeds ata time.

Anyway, i'm thinking of pumping for a couple more days to give the nips a bit of a break (I've been in tears too much in the last 12 hours) and then seeing a lactation speacialist on Monday if they have a free appointment.. I have seen one already and thought we were on the right track but apparently not.

before tuesday i was 75% pumping and all seemed to be going well. Happier at least. wish I'd not changed my routine!!!

thanks for your support ladies.

 

[sam's mum]

Sorry it wasn't a good night

If you're getting a burning after feeding or pumping, you might want to get checked out just to make sure it's not thrush, as it's easier to treat the earlier you start. Did you have antibiotics during labour or since then?

From https://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/problemsandsolutions/thrush/

Thrush is a fungal infection in the baby's mouth that can spread to your breasts, causing your nipples to feel sore and itchy. It is also referred to as a yeast infection. Other common signs of thrush are:

In the mother:

• cracked nipples

• deep, shooting breast pain during or after feeds

• itchy, red, or burning nipples

• vaginal thrush

In the baby:

• white patches in mouth that are not easily washed off

• nappy rash

But you could still have it and not have all those symptoms, and babies often don't show symptoms of oral thrush.

It may not be, but it's definitely worth ruling out if you're in so much pain x

 

[tinytoes]

thanks sams mum, i'll get it checked i think xx

not sure about antibiotics though.. dont think so. had a c section.

 

[sam's mum]

I only asked because being given antibiotics makes it more likely that you'll develop thrush (as they kill off all the normal bacteria that would usually control thrush and stop an infection from developing)

Hope everything gets better for you soon x