MrsPod
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Sorry this is so long, Im desperate,
I had my son via c section on Tuesday after going into labour 4 days before my scheduled section. I have always wanted to bf, with some expressed bottles for night feeds for hubby to do or for days out (Im just not a public bf person myself, though I wish I was in some ways.)
In hospital, initially we struggled with latch, but had that sorted by the Wednesday evening. We came home on the Thursday, with him feeding about every 2 hours, for 20 40 mins at a time, a cluster feed of about 2 hours from 3-5am usually, and no problems other than the fact that he just cant sleep on anything except me or hubby so we decided to work shifts at nights, at least until he went back to work. At hospital Id managed 1½ hours sleep each night when a mw cuddled him for me, but that was it. I got 2 hours Thursday night and another 2 Friday night, plus a 1 hour daytime nap. Having had ME in the past, I felt yesterday that I was starting to struggle with that. I had also not been using lanisoh properly (couldnt find the leaflet), so my nipples were in a fairly rough state.
Friday evening my milk came in and LO chucked in an hour long feed before I realised he was feasting on milk rather than colostrum. Since then its all gone wrong and I dont know what to do.
First Id been making the mistake of feeding from one side only per feed. So after the one hour session (on the left), he had a normal feed on the right side. At the next feed, he wouldnt settle to the left, so I let him go back on the right fir another normal feed.
Then came cluster feeding time. Again I put him on the left and he just got angrier and angrier, pushing my sore boob away, scratching and pulling at my nipples, so I put him on the right while I tried to express a little onto the nipple to entice him. Nothing. Not a drop, just a sore, full, hard boob.
I called the mw who came over and discussed blocked ducts. She advised heat, massage in the shower, some expressing. I wasnt worried by the end as I was feeding him ok on just the right.
Then, at the next feed, 5 mins in, on the right, and no more milk. My supply had run out because it couldnt keep up. Tried the left, I could get the odd tiny bead of milk, then nothing again. He would have to wait. It broke my heart and I cried and cried.
We ended up giving 2 FFs, then he went back on the right, and I successfully and I expressed for 20 mins with manual pump (hand expressing just doesnt work well for me). Hubby gave him 2 more FFs so I could get some sleep tonight. I managed 2 hours before waking up with sore, engorged boobs.
I expressed each side for 5 mins only, to try to ease it (right side producing at least 6 times as much as left) and ¾ hour later, LO was hungry, I tried him on the left, but again, nothing, so LO fed on right again for 20 mins. An hour later he wanted more and there wasnt enough left in right, left is a bowling ball hanging painfully and uselessly off my chest, so had to top up.
I just dont know what to do. That top up was the first ff I gave him myself and he was so relaxed about it, none of his normal stress and agitation, that I already feel like hes not enjoying bf. My left boob is so sore and huge and hard and nothing I do to try to relieve things works. I get perhaps 1 tsp milk over 5 mins hefty pumping, after heat and massage, and while massaging at the same time, and my son just cant feed from that side. Normally, theres nothing that comes out at all.
Im beyond exhaustion, very emotional about the whole situation, and my boob doesnt work. Help?
I had my son via c section on Tuesday after going into labour 4 days before my scheduled section. I have always wanted to bf, with some expressed bottles for night feeds for hubby to do or for days out (Im just not a public bf person myself, though I wish I was in some ways.)
In hospital, initially we struggled with latch, but had that sorted by the Wednesday evening. We came home on the Thursday, with him feeding about every 2 hours, for 20 40 mins at a time, a cluster feed of about 2 hours from 3-5am usually, and no problems other than the fact that he just cant sleep on anything except me or hubby so we decided to work shifts at nights, at least until he went back to work. At hospital Id managed 1½ hours sleep each night when a mw cuddled him for me, but that was it. I got 2 hours Thursday night and another 2 Friday night, plus a 1 hour daytime nap. Having had ME in the past, I felt yesterday that I was starting to struggle with that. I had also not been using lanisoh properly (couldnt find the leaflet), so my nipples were in a fairly rough state.
Friday evening my milk came in and LO chucked in an hour long feed before I realised he was feasting on milk rather than colostrum. Since then its all gone wrong and I dont know what to do.
First Id been making the mistake of feeding from one side only per feed. So after the one hour session (on the left), he had a normal feed on the right side. At the next feed, he wouldnt settle to the left, so I let him go back on the right fir another normal feed.
Then came cluster feeding time. Again I put him on the left and he just got angrier and angrier, pushing my sore boob away, scratching and pulling at my nipples, so I put him on the right while I tried to express a little onto the nipple to entice him. Nothing. Not a drop, just a sore, full, hard boob.
I called the mw who came over and discussed blocked ducts. She advised heat, massage in the shower, some expressing. I wasnt worried by the end as I was feeding him ok on just the right.
Then, at the next feed, 5 mins in, on the right, and no more milk. My supply had run out because it couldnt keep up. Tried the left, I could get the odd tiny bead of milk, then nothing again. He would have to wait. It broke my heart and I cried and cried.
We ended up giving 2 FFs, then he went back on the right, and I successfully and I expressed for 20 mins with manual pump (hand expressing just doesnt work well for me). Hubby gave him 2 more FFs so I could get some sleep tonight. I managed 2 hours before waking up with sore, engorged boobs.
I expressed each side for 5 mins only, to try to ease it (right side producing at least 6 times as much as left) and ¾ hour later, LO was hungry, I tried him on the left, but again, nothing, so LO fed on right again for 20 mins. An hour later he wanted more and there wasnt enough left in right, left is a bowling ball hanging painfully and uselessly off my chest, so had to top up.
I just dont know what to do. That top up was the first ff I gave him myself and he was so relaxed about it, none of his normal stress and agitation, that I already feel like hes not enjoying bf. My left boob is so sore and huge and hard and nothing I do to try to relieve things works. I get perhaps 1 tsp milk over 5 mins hefty pumping, after heat and massage, and while massaging at the same time, and my son just cant feed from that side. Normally, theres nothing that comes out at all.
Im beyond exhaustion, very emotional about the whole situation, and my boob doesnt work. Help?
