flat nipple and mixed feeding suggestion please

[anothertiredmum]

My baby is 3 weeks old and breast feeding has not been plain sailing. My breast are sore most of the time (during and between feeds). One of my nipple is flat and my baby find it hard to latch on which caused it to bleed etc (I have the latch on doodah which is a bit helpful,not very). I had a week off from that boob and expressed from it and returned to it yesterday. The first feed worked and was painless, but the ones after that have been painful and this morning she could not latch on at all.

I am at the end of my tether and I find that BF is starting to affect my relationship with my baby. I feel that all I do is feed, from one breast and then worry she is not getting enough (she is putting on weight), it is just a constant struggle and I am missing out on lovely time with my baby because I am feeling rather unhappy. At night, when she wakes up, I BF her but she only goes back to sleep for 30 min and she is hungry again, presumably because she is not getting enough.

Although I do not want to give up BF completely, I feel that for my sanity I need to introduce some bottles of formula so I know she is getting enough. I would like to keep some BF so my options are still open and also I feel she needs it for comfort sometimes.

Sorry about the long thread... I was wondering if anyone had some advice?

PS: she was TT and was sorted - I have seen many many people and asked for help already but I think I need to think about my sanity as a mum, I owe it to my baby to be happier.

[Panzee]

Lansinoh Latch Assist? My saviour from flat nips. :)

[anothertiredmum]

yep I have it, bit this morning by the time I took the boob to her mouth it was back to flat...

[monkeypuzzeltree]

I know exactly how you feel, was like this with my first. Try breast shells, they gently keep your nipple out, wear them all the time and it makes it much easier - only discovered these with my second dc. My nipples are totally inverted (although now one is out thanks to second dc!)I was in the same place when I had first dc and gave up about 3 weeks, pumped until 12 weeks which was blinking hard work.

With my DS I've managed to get past that stage and still feeding at 4 months - never imagined that would be possible and honestly it's a lot less work that bottles. However, you are quite right about you needing to be happy, it's hard to see past tomorrow, I was miserable with dd in the early days and it was the right decision for me to call time.
So would honestly give shells a go, I used to even wear at night in a crop top vest. Google the flipple technique, even with flats I found this good to get deeper latch. But if you've done what you can, seen bf counsellors and you want to switch, do it, move on and enjoy your gorgeous baby! I can honestly say I feel no less attachment to first dc!

[anothertiredmum]

Thanks Monkey. I had some shells but they were pressing on my breast too much and I was leaking like mad... I could try again I guess. I am feeling pretty low today about the whole thing and I really don't know what to do... my head wants one thing and my heart another.

[monkeypuzzeltree]

I used the Medela ones, they seemed softer than the boots ones. As for leaking, yes but that does stop after a few weeks i used to put a couple of cotton wool balls in the bottom if the shell, change them as you need to - do not cut a breast pad up! Fluff everywhere! I know how you feel and it's easy to drive yourself mad going round your head. Only thing I would say is you have to make your mind up not keep changing it or you mess up supply and that's even more work to fix. hmm you can see I have been there!!!

Have you been to a bf group?

[monkeypuzzeltree]

Ooh, you say sore between feeds? Any chance it could be thrush? Flat nips means you can't just give them air since they're hiding inside and for me meant recurrent thrush. Burning feeling and white coating on DS tongue.

[neontetra]

I have one inverted nipple, so just feed from the other side. Baby gains weight no problem - mums with twins do it, after all! And women who've had surgery on one breast, etc. I ebf for four months, started to mix feed then due to returning to work, still going at seven months. Good luck.

[anothertiredmum]

Hi Neontetra... I was thinking of BF from one breast. So that worked for you? Did you have lop sided breast?