Tongue tie fixed, latch fixed, still in agony

[supertabby]

Lo is 3 days old and had a tongue tie fixed at 1 day old. By then though my nipples were already cracked and bruised. Spent some time with the breastfeeding specialist in the hospital as well as a peer support worker before being discharged - both were happy the latch was correct after tongue tie sorted.

It still hurts even with the correct latch as I'm still very sore. I've been using cream as much as possible but with a newborn I'm naturally feeding all the time so not getting to rest my boobs. It's agony - I've literally just been screaming out in pain during a feed.

With my daughter we had loads of problems with soreness, thrush, reflux etc and as a result was mixing bf with expressed within a couple of weeks and some formula not long after. She quit herself at 3 months and I expressed what I could until it ran out at 4 months. All that time I was in agony and I thought I knee how to avoid those problems this time - but this time the pain is even worse!

I really don't want to quit but I don't want to go through the pain and frustration all over again.

Is it always going to feel like this?

 

[willowblossom]

Have u tried using nipple shields? I only needed to use mibe for a day but it was enough for them to heal abd make feeding less painful xx

 

[Rags]

I had a similar issuse with DS, by the time his tie was clipped I was already quite badly cut. I went between nipple shields,cream, expressing by hand and resting alternate breasts for up to 24hrs at a time (feed on one side exclusivly and hand express from the other once or twice to stop the ache, then swap to the other side). It didn't work overnight but it did give some respite. I kept promising myself that I'd try one more time and if it wasn't better I'd quit. We eventually stopped at 20 months when DS decided he didn't want it any more. I was also advised that I should gently rub a little breast milk into my nipple at the end of each feed as this aids the healing process. Good luck to you.

 

[Jaymelynn]

Are you on facebook? There is a great support group for moms of babies with lip and tongue ties. I can send you the link if you want.

 

[Jaymelynn]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tonguetiebabies/

 

[supertabby]

Thank you everyone

DD is now 9 days old and the pain is much better - it still pinches when he latches but is ok after that. I didn't get as far as nipple shields - was planning to but mixing up a bit with expressing for a break, and using as much nipple cream as possible, seems to have done the trick. Breastfeeding is actually becoming enjoyable, which is never was last time around - I was so determined to do it last time but it was difficult and painful for 3 months and I wanted to quit most days.

I'm still petrified of getting thrush again like last time so have been trying to take naps topless on a towel lol, and regularly changing breast pads or not wearing them at all after a good feed when I know I'm not about to let down.