Feel like a failure

[RemoteRamona]

I'm having a horrid day.

Baby is 4 weeks old and has breast preference. Only feeds from left boob. Right boob has really slowed down on milk production. Midwife told me it's not the end of the world to feed from one boob. I didn't express much from the other boob, I'm just so tired. I should've done it.

I now have a huge blister on the boob he feeds from. It's agony and I cannot feed or express from that boob. It's so, so painful it takes my breath away.

I now don't have enough milk in my right boob and can't feed from my left one.

What do I do?

I'm stuck, he's asleep and will be hungry soon. I don't want my milk to dry up, I don't really want to use formula. I need help..

I'm so sorry I don't have any helpful practical advice but just want to send sympathy and 💐 as I found breastfeeding really bloody difficult & I'm sorry you're having a tough time

At 4 weeks there is still time to stimulate the other side. Maybe offer that first, experiment with different holds, or pump to release a let down so he gets a reward quickly for less effort. You could try a nipple shield on the sore one.

Do you have any nipple guards? Worth a go. Sorry it's painful and tough. I empathise and sending you strength and best wishes. Your baby will be lovely and happy and healthy whatever you do.

P.S the last thing you are is a failure! You're an awesome mama! Breastfeeding sucks if it doesn't come easy (and often even if it does)

Could you ask someone to bring you some nipple shields and lanisoh.
You're doing really well. If you're not adverse to formula then a bottle every now and then is fine to give your nipple a break.

Big huge hugs OP. You're not a failure, it's hard work!

Have you thought about calling La Leche League & speaking to one of their breastfeeding counsellors - 0345 120 2918? I'm sure they've heard this type of scenario before, and can advise both on the sore boob (I'm so sorry, can you take anything for the pain?) and increasing flow from R breast & encouraging more equal feeding.

Can anyone lend you a breast pump, for the R boob at least? If you usually use the cross-cradle hold, holding baby in the similar position but on the R boob - so he's facing the same way, but more of his body is to your R rather than across you? I might not have explained that at all well! Or rugby position. If he's hungry hopefully his boob preference will go out the window!

Oh no, so sorry to hear this OP, you poor love. I had something similar early on - I used the left boob 80% of the time as the baby struggled to latch to the right. Then one day I got a milk blister/bleb on the left, milk couldn't come out and the boob ballooned and it was so, so painful.

I did online research and in the end used a combination of poking the blister with a sterilised needle and just offering it to the baby to suck out the blockage. After a really unbearable couple of hours the blister went away, but I was just in tears. I'm not sure if your blister is a similar thing, but have a google and see what you think.

I second the recommendation to call La Leche League or maybe NHS Direct. For some reassurance that it will be ok and you're doing great, if nothing else.

Hope you're ok. You're doing great and breastfeeding will get a lot easier as time passes!

You are not a failure. Keep putting him on right boob, it will catch up again quickly if you can get him to feed off it. Try nipple shields on left boob until it heals.

My DC2 rejected my left boob completely at around 4 months and has fed from the right exclusively since then. I was always worried about what we would do if the right became to painful to feed from for any reason but luckily it hasn't happened.

Bless you. How are you doing today?
My youngest had boob preference. Was fortunate that midwife was also infant feeding specialist and she thought it was maybe something to do with her having neck/issues from crap birth. We were referred to a cranial osteopath who worked wonders, noticed a difference after the first session so could be worth a shot. In the meantime try some alternative positions to see if you can get the babe more comfy on non-preferred boob.
Alternatively one of my closest friends had a baby with boob preference and she successfully fed from one boob for over 12 months.

You have my sympathy. My left nipple is dimpled/inverted and my son didn't latch, he only fed from the right. I expressed from both sides and had to top up with formula, kept getting mastitis ... after 3 months I gave up. 3 years later I'm preggo again and worried. Just do your best that's all you can do x

You are not a failure! Try some nipple shields (I liked the mam ones as they are thick and good for blisters) it's agony you have my sympathies, and as Pp suggests at four weeks you could still stimulate a supply from the other breast, have you got a local LLL group you could access for further advise? Xx

Failing all else, if none of the above suggestions work it won't be the end of the world to feed him on formula- you will have done your best and given him a valuable 4 weeks of breast milk.

Absolutely second joystir! It's a perfectly valid plan B, and a lifeline for plenty of mamas!