Miserable breastfeeding

[Trinaj]

My ds2 now 7 weeks has been mostly bf from birth, with normally only one ff before bed.
And although I'm happy we've got this far, I'm getting really stressed with it all.
I've found it very uncomfortable since the start and had lots of help at the beginning, but nothing since.
I've found it increasingly painful and struggling with the fact that he sometimes still feeds every 2 hours.
I have 2 other dc to entertain and am getting nothing done.
But more importantly, today my nipples started bleeding. I'm at my wits end. I've tried all the tricks I was shown about latching and cannot work out why it's still not right at 7 weeks.
I desperately want to continue, as I never made it past 6 weeks with the others, but I cannot carry on with the pain anymore.
Sorry for long 'rant' just need to get it off my chest and hope there's someone out there with some advice/sympathy?

[Orinoco]

Message withdrawn

[moondog]

Hello ypu poor thing.

Right.practicalities first.

Have yuo tried Lansinoh cream?
Also,how about Silverette breastpads?
Neither were about even a couple of years ago for me but lots of MNers rave about them.

I'll link.

If you have never b/fed past this stage you have never come out of the other end of the tunnel when it becomes a doddle.Baby can go a bit longer without a feed,you can express and most importantly,you can whizz off anywhere at the drop of a hat.I'd stuff a nappy in my pocket and zoom off wherever I fancied (admittedly harder with two other kids!)

Would you like a reminder of how beneficial it is?
Shall I link that for you too?

I honestly can't see that faffing with bottles is any easier than whipping a boob out.

Well done for getting this far.

[moondog]

Silverette

[moondog]

101 reasons to breastfeed your child

[CastsSpellsWitchySpells]

Please go to a breastfeeding support group, or ring a breastfeeding counsellor. It shouldn't still be hurting if the latch is right, so you do need help with perfecting this.

It is a wonderful experience if you can get past this difficult bit.

[moondog]

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers v helpful if you want some friendly advice.

08444 122 949

[fishie]

do you need more help with latching and have you somebody to give it?

i had awful trouble with bleeding nipples etc, for me it was just ds mouth too small and he not opening properly. being very careful with latch and moving position helped a lot.

two hourly thing is probably growth spurt, demand = increased supply. agree with moondog, after a little while it becomes so easy and is very rewarding to see that.

[coleyboy]

Big hug Trinaj.

As your nipples are bleeding, I would suggest your ds needs a bit of help with the latch on. Do you have anyone who can help you? A mw or a friend who has bf'd?

In the meantime, to treat your nips I would say Lansinoh is the best cream. It is expensive (£9) but I defy anyone to get through a whole tube. You can leave it on to feed, and reapply after every feed. Also don't let you nips dry out, keep them moist with the cream, and they will heal.

Feeding every two hours sounds normal to me, so don't doubt your milk supply. This is about the time for a growth spurt, so he will be feeding more.

I hope you sort this out and it sounds like it is something you really want to do.

Hopefuly someone else will come along with some tips.

[fihi]

can you hunt out la leche bf peer-counsellors in your area? i'm one (in merseyside) and did my training via sure start, and they have some support for bf mums too.
Your stage has got to be one of the hardest, at 7wks they are still newborn, but no midwife etc to show / support you.
I know it sounds practically impossible (i have 3DC too) but really try to relax, bath, fave music, anything, then bf with the success of getting this far in your mind, rather than those waves of panic OMG it will hurt / take too long etc. babies pick everything up, as you know from your 2 bigger ones, and he will relax with you.

good luck you are doing a fab job

[spookthief]

My top tip is get face to face help. Bf support group is a great idea as there will be others going through the same thing to moan/cry/celebrate with.

[Trinaj]

Thanks all you're all so helpfull, if only by providing sympathy and support.
I have heard of silverette, moondog, but they are so expensive.
Shall ask hv about lansinoh tomorrow.
The only bf clinic nearby runs on a morning I cannot attend, but shall ask hv if there's anyone else nearby.
I know I need help but am struggling to find it.
Thanks again for your kind words of advice - so much so, it's bringing me to tears.

[Jenkeywoo]

You've done amazingly to get this far - I think we are often told that the first few weeks are the hardest when for some (including me) it can be tough tough tough for longer - I think it was about 12 weeks when it 'clicked'. If there is any way you are able to, going to a breastfeeding group could be really helpful in a practical way for info but also to be able to get a little look into the future and see that if you can get past this it will be blissful. I am so sorry your nipples are bleeding, the pain must be excruciating. Ditto all the stuff moondog has said, I have heard incredible things about the silverette things. Hugs.

[Smithy]

Every sympathy - I had a horrific time with ds1 (toe-curlingly painful when he initially latched on). But.....I had some help from a counsellor from the Breastfeeding Network who were fabulous and very, very supportive. I also got in touch with the NCT breastfeeding line as well. www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/
www.nct.org.uk.

I went on to b/feed him for 3 years and also tandem fed his brother for 3 years too.

You are doing a marvellous job, and there has been some excellent advice from fellow mumsnetters. Hang in there, carry on if you can, but please don't beat yourself up if you find that b/feeding isn't working. I also echo the comments about Lansinoh - lifesaver!

[moondog]

Ring the helplines.

Silverette are chaper than formula!
Someone was offering some for nowt here the other day.

[Jenkeywoo]

It's a pain that the silverettes are expensive but they are on offer at £20 at the moment and if you can stretch to it and they work it could be the deciding factor and it could mean you save money later on by not having to buy formula.. (is that too controversial? not trying to upset anyone tonight, clare verity does that well enough)

[Jenkeywoo]

moondog - same thoughts!

[CastsSpellsWitchySpells]

0870 444 8708 - that's the NCT breastfeeding number - give them a call and see if they have a counsellor in your area who can help.

[fihi]

may sound nuts but i hand-expressed when baby made me sore, don't know if that would work for anyone else? baby could then have bottle off DH, double bonus.

[Trinaj]

I have been expressing a bottle a day - just bought tommee tippee pump -excellent, but that's a whole 'nother thread!
Which give me a bit of a break without losing supply.

[swag]

I just wanted to say I think it's normal for most mums to have a feeling of 'OMG I can't possibly keep doing this' even if they are having an easy time with breastfeeding. So add bleeding nipples and it's no wonder you are feeling miserable.

And everything Moondog has already said so well

[moondog]

God yes!
I had a helluva time to begin with.
Cried daily until at least 8 weeks then it all came together and I carried on for years.


Prouder of this than almost anything else in my life.

[swag]

Tis great once it all calms down isn't it?

The first few months of each of mine tends to be a blur of one huge feed!

And it's hard going when you have other DC to look after/entertain/feed!! so I hope you realise what a fantastic job you are doing Trinaj

Do you have anyone who can help out with house stuff/DC at all?

[determination]

Trin,

Definately go for the Silverette They wont just soothe you but will actually heal you completely right before your eyes in no time at all. They are at the top of my must haves for bfing and definately saved my bfing relationship.

Hang in there it does get easier and is so much less work. You have done brilliantly to get this far..

[katybird]

poor you trinaj, you have every sympathy from me. ds is 4 1/2 weeks and i'm feeling exactly the same, well done for getting so far!

I found lansinoh really helped when my nipples were really cracked and bleeding, and using shileds for a couple of days (but it's hard to stop using them!). I'm just recovering from mastitis, so I've been expressing on one side for a week and a half, and it was really hard to get him latched on again and swear through the pain! Think his mouth is too small for the full areola at the moment, but we're getting there.

Stick with it, try the silverette pads too they sound marvellous! ANd do go to a face to face breastfeeding group, much better than advice over the phone from someone who can't see your technique.

Good luck, sending you hugs, and don't beat yourself up if you really want to switch to formula. Your other 2 only got 6 weeks and I'm sure they're wonderful regardless!

xx

[Elsbells]

Hiya Trinaj - have you looked into seeing if ds2 is tongue tied? After 8 painful weeks of BF DD I found out that she was tongue tied and it was causing painful BF. Unfortuntaly I stopped BF at 15 weeks and am gutted I didn't get her checked out sooner. I had to use shields in the end to stop her butchering me (she still can't lift her tongue high enough!) and it of course interfered with supply.

I have a DS too (2 yrs old) so understand how hard it is to feed constantly and entertain/feed other DC.

Just try and keep at it. I really wish I could have kept at it longer BUT am sooo glad I did as much as I could.