Omg the pain! Please help :(

[Emamay]

Hi ladies

I really hope someone can help me.

I got my gorgeous son on Friday (yay!!!) and was keen to start BF.
He just wasn't hungry for ages, and wouldn't feed at all. MW said skin-to-skin, so we did that, and in a matter of minutes, he'd swung himself around and latched on.

Long story short: we've formula-fed to top up, we've gone back on the breast after...
I had to give a bottle one point last night, he was struggling to latch again, and I think it's because I was instinctively wincing away as he tried.
I feel awful because I'm really struggling to feed my son

The pain in the base of the nipples is just immense. In that hard, lumpy, tissuey bit just behind the nipple... I feel like it's seriously bruised or something.
I had several (5 or 6?) MW, paediatric doctor, and a BF specialist all checking his feeding at the hospital, they all said he's latching on really well, so it's not that...

Obviously, I've now gotta spend large amounts of time with something pinching my nipples and sucking on them, I expected it to be uncomfortable, and to hurt at least the first few times... I just wasn't prepared for this ongoing crazy pain.
According to MW, it's normal, but surely not? Does everyone have this pain every time they BF?

Thanks for reading, if you've made it through my ramblings xx

 

[Froslass]

Hey lovely, don't beat yourself up, you're doing a great job!

One thing I'd suggest is cold cabbage leaves before and after a feed. They work wonders!

I was sore for the first few weeks, but soon it didn't hurt at all

Try if you can not to top with formula, as at this point in time your wee one will be trying to establish a supply xx and ff won't help

Lansinoh nipple cream is great for sore nipples and might help too xx

 

[knopk@]

Lots of landinoh after every feed at make sure latch really is correct. I had to grin and bear for some time but it was a doddle once i got used to it . In the first weeks i couldnt take a shower without a bra on. It does depend on sensitivity but yes it can hurt in the beginning

Tapatalking so cant see signatures

 

[Pudds86]

Omg yes. The pain was unbearable for me too. I gave up because of it and i regret it soooo much! As the girls say topping up won't help because your supply will go down. You need to get baby feeding from you as often as he needs to keep supply there Xx

Sent from my shit hot phone! Fo shizzle home girls.

 

[willowwisp]

Yes I found it agonising to start, it does settle. The best tip I was given was to only feed from one breast each feed to start with. That way your nipples get a bit of a break as they can go longer between feeds.

 

[Emamay]

Wow, that's a lot of quick replies, thank you so much


I have lansinoh stuff, I used it a few times in pregnancy when my nipples leaked and felt dry, and it was brilliant, worked like, instantly.
I didn't know if it would help with this as its more the tissue in the breast behind the nipple, rather than the nipple itself...
I'll grab it next time bubba lets me move an see if it helps.

I've been doing one side at a time. So like, feed at 12 from right, 3 from left, 6 from right again, and so on, so I'm only using each breast every 6-8 hours, so I get a bit of a rest.

I did a formula top-up cause he was hungry, and I just couldn't feed him. I'd rather he's fed on formula than nothing at all. I've been hand expressing from the unused side to keep things moving, and I'm gonna try the hand-pump in a bit, see if that's any kinder than baby-mouth...?

Cabbage leaves?
I'll be posting OH to the shop later then... Willing to try anything.


I was all prepared for the cracked/sore nipple skin... I just never heard anything about this bruised feeling, so it's nice to hear that others know how I feel.

I'm definitely gonna keep trying, I know the benefits are more important than the pain.
I should have MW today, tomorrow for sure, so I'll get her to have another look at his latch. He does seem to have it right though... Whole nipple and dark skin into the mouth, head tilted back slightly, chin against breast, nose away... When he sucks, his lips roll slightly with the tissue movement, he's not spit up at all after feeding so there's no air getting in, he feeds for between 30-45 minutes, and comes off completely on his own...


Thank you ladies x

 

[Pudds86]

Yeah i think your latch is right. I think its simply the force of the suckle that makes it hurt so bad.

Sent from my shit hot phone! Fo shizzle home girls.

 

[Emamay]

Thanks Pudds.

MW just been, she said his latch looks spot on.
It didn't seem to hurt anywhere near as much just now, after the first few sucks.

Although, for the first time he's decided he wants the left as well, having just come off the right, and that is still hurting...

Oh I don't know.
Just wait an see what the next coupla days brings, I guess xx

 

[Pudds86]

Did you get the cabbage leaves? I've heard good things about them x

Sent from my shit hot phone! Fo shizzle home girls.

 

[Emamay]

I think I've bailed out

OH got me the cabbage leaves, and I have to say, it was beautifully cooling for after... I put the leaves on until my body heat had warmed them up again, then put the lanolin balm on, and it feels really good - soothing.

However... Come the next feed, he got on and got fed, but I was literally in tears for half an hour while he fed.
Then the next time he wanted feeding, I did the best I could, but, he only got on for about 10 mins, and it hurt so so bad... And I was exhausted and he just wouldn't settle.

OH ended up taking him back downstairs so I could get some sleep, and FF in the night so I've had like, 7.5 hours sleep, which feels great, but when I tried to put him on again just now, same pain again
So, I've used the last of the formula for his breakfast, then expressed with the pump ready for the next feed.

The formula was just for emergency use, and I'm glad we had it to hand, but I want him to have breast milk so I'm just gonna have to express and feed him that way.

I might try just giving him one BF a day, but if it hurts still, I guess I just don't see the point... As long as he's gettin the goodness from the milk... I suppose it doesn't matter which teat it comes from...

 

[Froslass]

Don't worry lovely, there are lots of ladies who express and feed.

Are there any bf support groups you can go to? X

 

[Pudds86]

Don't feel bad hun that's exactly what i did. He's still getting breast milk no matter how! Xx

Sent from my shit hot phone! Fo shizzle home girls.

 

[Emamay]

Thanks ladies

I guess I just feel a bit let down because like, "breast feeding is THE way to go"...

At least he's still gettin the milk, that's the main thing. Xx

 

[knopk@]

Hun I know its not recommended but maybe give shields a go, maybe they will help with the pain?

 

[Squeakz]

remember as well that its the breast milk thats the best not the manner of delivery ok hun!! uv done great

 

[Froslass]

remember as well that its the breast milk thats the best not the manner of delivery ok hun!! uv done great

Exactly xx

And even if you can't express, you still tried! X

 

[Squeakz]

remember as well that its the breast milk thats the best not the manner of delivery ok hun!! uv done great

Exactly xx

And even if you can't express, you still tried! X

exactly!! xx

 

[Emamay]

You ladies are great thank you so much.

Never thought of nipple shields... I'll get OH to grab some of those and see if they make things any better xx