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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

6 week old and still finding BF very, very difficult

17 replies

Summerhols · 04/08/2010 10:55

Not really looking for answers as I have started many threads about the saga that is my attempt to breastfeed. This involves mastitus (x 3 bouts), possible thrush, open gashes on nipples and now my DD has a cold which makes feeding harder because her nose is blocked up.

I am really feeling very, very down. I so want to continue but finding that every minute of my day & night is consumed with me trying to manage the pain and the stress involved with BF. I am setting myself targets - so I say I will continue to Friday and then see how I am doing. But these are getting shorter, so now it is I'll see how the next feed goes.

What makes me even more depressed is that sometimes we have good days - so the feeds are not painful and I do not experience any pain afterwards then the next day it is really bad again. After 6 weeks I really have not seen any improvement.

I have seen a BF counsellour 3 times and am going to go again tomorrow (I think she is starting to think I am mad) but to be honest I am not really getting any answers from her.

Sorry I just find it helps writing it down as I think my poor DH and family are totally fed up with me going on and on about BF.

I guess my only question - is there anyone out there who still is finding BF difficult this far on or found it difficult so far on and managed to carry on. Or am I doomed to have to go to formular.

OP posts:

Chooks · 04/08/2010 10:58

It will get better. It will. Have you tried La Leche League?

You doing fantastically well, and I think taking it one feed at a time is the best thing to do!

Chooks · 04/08/2010 11:00

Also, for the blocked nose, we used this and it worked really well.

pinata · 04/08/2010 13:28

I have an 11 week DS and really really struggled to get BF going

Constant mastitis and blocked ducts for the first 4 weeks at least, plus nipples that were beyond cracked

What really helped was sorting out nipple problems, which took me from dreading every feed to it being ok, to now it being completely painless every time

I did moist wound healing (using jelonet and lansinoh, plus papaya cream) and could literally watch skin healing over on them. It took a couple of weeks, but I would say by 6-7 weeks it was getting bearable and I started to feel good about it

I really sympathise with how you feel and how you hit a wall with it, but if you can keep going, it is well worth it.

I think it's very early days still, and even a few weeks on, we're having other issues with green poos and DS being unsettled. I have a thread on here about wanting to keep going with it, because I still constantly doubt myself. But in terms of pain and feeds being bearable, it really really does get easier

the main thing is getting your nipple healed. After that, mine somehow simultaneously developed some sort of elephant skin, and they now no longer crack or even hurt, despite DS pulling on them really quite hard

I think your boobs just have to get used to their new job

angfirsttimer · 04/08/2010 20:41

I think you are about to turn a corner, around the six week mark was when it all began to get better for me (thrush, open cracks on nipples, huge oversupply and choking in first six weeks)

I agree with pinata, nipples toughen up suprisingly well after a while.

Keep going you are doing a fantastic job, when it all clicks into place it is lovely, and you will get there I am sure.

thisisyesterday · 04/08/2010 20:47

summerhols, has your baby been checked for tongue tie?

where in the country are you?

DilysPrice · 04/08/2010 20:55

It only took about five weeks for me to turn the corner with bf, but it was truly horrible, and absolutely agonising, so I do feel for you, and I really respect your persistence.

DD's cold will go soon, and lansinoh or expressing or something will eventually allow your nipples to heal - get as much rest as you possibly can, and lots of healthy food and drink and best of luck.

ProcessYellowC · 04/08/2010 21:33

Empathy here for you.

It took me till 11 weeks (DS had tongue tie snipped at 8 weeks) till every feed was pain free. Now he's 2.5 years and have just given him his bedtime breastfeed.

I remember those days, taking it one feed at a time, just seeing if I could get to the weekend.

Honestly, don't worry about the bf counsellor thinking you are mad. She is there to help you! You are in pain - there is something wrong. Do not let anyone tell you that the pain is something you should put up with.

Good luck.

GokWannabe · 04/08/2010 21:36

I second using Jelonet, if you aren't already, it really is very good stuff. Hope it gets better soon.

clarabellarocks · 04/08/2010 21:45

As someone who had a nightmare with DD1 and like you, saw BF councillor 4 times, midwives every other day, tried cup feeding, syringe feeding, had mastitis, thrush and in end daughter just refused breast and started to lose weight.

I couldn't have tried any harder (I began to lose my sanity, cried constantly and was on a mental knife edge and my baby was so unhappy).

This time I am equally determined to try my hardest to breastfeed. I realise I may have similar problems and have read many books. One which I found really helpful is a book I know many hate (IT's like the Gina Ford of breastfeeding!) and it's by Clare Byam Cook called How to Breastfeed and what to do if you can't. I know if I'd read it before DD1 it might not have stopped the problems but I would have been less precious about things like using nipple shields till my nipples healed.

If you are struggling it's worth a read. You don't have to follow her advice but for me I have found it really useful.

clarabellarocks · 04/08/2010 21:47

You could also check this out:

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article388671.ece

gaelicsheep · 04/08/2010 21:54

I had a complete nightmare breastfeeding DS so I feel your pain. We only lasted a week of exclusive b/f before having to go to mixed feeding.

With DD, although it appeared easier to begin with, it went downhill really fast and I was on the verge of giving up after 2 weeks. It was agonising for me as she would fight me and refused latch properly, then she went on complete nursing strike for a couple of days, this led to mastitis, etc. etc.

This will be controversial but what saved me was nipple shields. They are not the work of the devil. DD is now 6 wks + 4 and I am still using the shields. They have not made it more difficult for her to feed - in fact they've helped her improve her latch - and they have categorically not affected my supply. In fact I have gone from 2, even 3, bottles of formula a day at our low point to exclusive breastfeeding again having ridden out the latest growth spurt.

So if you haven't tried nipple shields I would urge you do to so. They don't make feeding pain free but it's a hell of a lot better and it takes away the fear factor. Then once your nipples have managed to heal you can either elect to wean your DC off the shields or continue to use them. The one caveat is that after 4 weeks DD has become lazy with the initial latching on and would struggle with the bare breast, but as there are no other problems I'm not that bothered. It's a thousand times better than the alternative, which for me was giving up. HTH.

gaelicsheep · 04/08/2010 21:56

Oh, to prove there are no supply issues, DD gained 9 oz in the last week and is following her growth curve perfectly. [proud mummy emotion]

Original poster

Summerhols · 05/08/2010 12:27

Wow, thanks for the words of encoragment. We are still BF, which when I started this thread I did not think I would be.

I'm seeing my HV tomorrow, she is also a BFC, so going to get her to check my latch and my DD for toung tie. I have also made an apt with my GP as i am not convinced my thrush has cleared up.

So setting myself another target to keep on going. Oh and using jelonet.

OP posts:

clarabellarocks · 05/08/2010 17:51

Good for you! Good luck.

Original poster

Summerhols · 07/08/2010 06:47

A quick update - I saw HV, who was brilliant, really encouraging and sympathetic, we spent ages talking over the problems. She then realised that the medication the Dr had prescribed me for thrush was not correct, she had given me oral gel for my breasts, which wont penetrate the skin so it needs to be cream. I have been religiously applying the bloody stuff and to now find out it has not been working...Anyway so even though I had oral medication it is unlikely to have worked as it would not have got rid of it on the breasts.

So went back to Dr's who has prescribed me the correct cream and a higher dosage of fluconazole. So one last ditch attempt to get rid of the thrush.

The good news is that the jelonet seems to be working as one of my big cracks seems to be getting smaller. Also LO putting on weight fine, so she's not effected!

OP posts:

monkeybumsmum · 07/08/2010 08:41

Hi Summerhols, sorry to hear you're having such a tough time. I haven't read the other posters advice, but just wanted to say hang in there if you can. I really, really struggled bf'ing, through mastitis and blockages, raw and bleeding nipples and my gosh it hurt so much. I used to sit there curling my toes in agony when ds was feeding. It did get better though, we got to the 12 week mark and then it didn't hurt any longer. DS was bf until 15 months, and I was so pleased that I persevered as it is so worth it.
I don't have any experience with the thrush I'm afraid, but one of my close friends had it, and managed to get rid of it and she continued bf'ing until 23 months!
There is hope, and I really have my fingers crossed for you that your cracks continue to heal and that it gets better for you. Good luck!

GormlessHeart · 07/08/2010 09:30

Haven't got time to read whole thread but for what it's worth it took me such a long time before bf was pain free. I had latch issues and then thrush really took hold, I had this deep crack that wouldn't heal and I sobbed constantly. Like you my whole life felt consumed by bf and pain. If I wasn't in pain i was thinking about how soon I would be again.

I was so looking forward to it in pregnancy and was gutted. I also knew it might be tough at first so wasn't unduly worried but as the weeks crept by I stated almost to panic. Everyone else, no matter how horrendous their first week or two, was sorted by 6 weeks, 8 weeks... 12 weeks... and I felt worse and worse. If it helps in a 'always someone worse off than you' kind of way, it took me 6 months before the thrush went and the pain went too. If that makes your heart sink, then rest assured that it is pretty damn unusual!

DS is now 21 months, and I feed him morning and before bed. After about 6 months it just got better and better and has been one of the best things I'd ever done. I love it now.

If you can, hang in there, get as much real life and internet support as you can. Chuck everything at the thrush. If you can't, you have given so much of yourself, literally and figuratively. You should be proud. Your dd is lucky to have a mummy like you.

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