Help please - is expresssing normally like sticking hot needles in your nipple??

[JeMeSouviens]

I have DS2, 3 days old, who like his older brother is having trouble latching. I've been hand expressing for him so far, but have to ramp it up a lot soon.

Last time round with DS1 I expressed for him as I could never get him to feed himself. I have an Avent pump, and used that. It was excruciating and I would sit in tears while expressing. I gave up after 6 weeks, and don't want to go down the same road with DS2. I tried the Avent pump again today to see how I would go, and the pain came flooding back.

I have some breastfeeding help coming tomorrow and on the weekend, but if it comes to it and I need to express, can anyone

a) reassure me it ISN'T supposed to be agonising, and

b) recommend a good pump

The nurse that visited us today recommended the Medela Harmony which advertises itself as quick and PAINLESS . Can this really be true? I would happily express for the next year if it was pain free and we don't manage to get him latched on.

Any help or advise is greatly appreciated.

I had huge anounts of pain (felt like someone sawing across the nipple) when feeding or expressing, due to nipple vasospasm. I have also had thrush, which I would describe as a more 'needle' like pain, going into the breast (along with very pink, shiny nipples)

The Avent pump was painful, is it the hand one? I expressed using one this time round (3rd dc), and had to make sure I never fully squeezed the lever IYSWIM, just very gently squeezed a bit, until the milk came, then stop as it spurts out, then gently squeeze again. I always used heat pads on my breasts before expressing, and took painkillers to help with the pain.

My hv recommended hand expressing, but for me this was even more painful.

Ds was in SCBU and I used a large Medela breastpump, it was amazing, very gentle and easy to use, the nurse there said that the Medela Swing was a good electric one to buy for home use. I wish I had bought one, as I would probably have carried on expressing for a lot longer if I had.

I am currently sat here pumping with Tommy Tippee electric pump and doesn't hurt at all if kept on the lowest setting and this despite me having a sore nipple at the moment. So no it doesn't have to hurt.
x

Thanks for the responses. I will google vasospasm. I have the Isis pump so either manual or electric. I will try another one to see if I get the same pain.

jemesouviens- it's great that you're getting some bf support soon to sort the latch out.

Once you get him to latch on, you won't need the pump surely?

Don't forget it's early days.

Good luck with it all.

Thanks crikey, that is the goal, his mouth is small and he doesn't open wide enough, he's pushing his tongue forward and the nurse said he had a slight tongue tie, but she can't be sure that is the main problem. I keep trying to latch him on, feels like I need 3 sets of hands!

Know what you mean- it's so hard in the early days isn't it.

Have you tried biological nurturing?

Have a look here and see if that helps.