What does breastfeeding feel like when there ISN'T a problem?

[islandbaby]

Just curious, as even on the very rare occasion where I haven't found BFing my 3 week DS painful, it has still been uncomfortable. I can feel his gums repeatedly compressing my nipple, or I can feel a sort of deep pulling in my actual breast which is, although not exactly painful, is uncomfortable.

Would you normally expect to feel NOTHING at all?

I can feel a weird pulling sensation, but nothing else. Perhaps a slight tingling when first latching on.

I should have said, particularly if you have found bf ok and then have begun to have pain. Hope it resolves for you.

Been checked for thrush at the docs, he saw no sign apparently and gave me antibiotics for mastitis as he thought it looked like I had infection.
I don't officially have Raynauds but my nan did and I do have really cold hands and feet (nicknamed feet of death by DH!) so think I may be prone to poor circulation. My nipples do look a bit squished when they come out and like the OP I get pain on the edge of my areola after feeding, where his bottom lip/jaw has been :( not sure what to do - my nipples look a bit flattened on both sides but it only hurts on one.
Strange question, but what do your nipples look like after feeding?!

Getting my latch checked again tomorrow by BF counsellor. My nipple comes out a bit flattened on the other side but it doesn't hurt, why would this be? Also I feel the pain mainly on the edge of my areola, not so much in my nipple :/

It has never hurt for me just feels like if you suck your thumb.

Should you be able to feel them moving their tongue a lot, especially at the end of the feed there are lots of little flickers?

My DD2 does that; it's horrid!! She does it just before she falls off. I think it's just before suction is lost, iyswim. DD1 did it too, iirc.

Exactly what ethalina said

A most lovely relaxing feeling, almost tickly with little fingers grappling for arms, boob or just a bit of bare skin to touch.

My ds is 16 weeks on Friday and I don't ever want the BFing to stop right now!

BF counsellor checked my latch and she says it looks fine and I'm doing everything I can to position him correctly. However, he still must be compressing my nipple because a couple of seconds/minutes after feed I start to get the vasospasms. She has ruled out thrush because my nipples don't stay white. She doesn't think it's Raynaud's because apparently the blanching would happen straight away after the feed. The spasms can go on for ages after unless I put wheat bags in my bra/hot water bottle on.
Feeding is not excruciatingly painful but can be a but uncomfortable.
BF counsellor keeps talking about tongue tie - he doesn't have an obvious one but she seems to think he could have a disguised one. However he seems to move his tongue about freely and although he hasn't got a particularly regular suck pattern, he is obviously getting plenty because he is putting on masses of weight and went seven hours between feeds last night! I don't want to do something to him that is unnecessary.
Any suggestions for what I can do to improve my latch? Even the BF counsellor can't seem to give me any suggestions!

I had the same! Search for "nipple flick" which is a technique for latching on that gets more boob into mouth. DS had me in tears for 2-3 months, horrendous latch, disorganised suck etc. He's now 15mo and its hard to remember the early days when I had to think about lining up noses and nipples. In my case, once he had head control and we mastered feeding when lying down it got easier. It doesn't matter if people say the latch looks ok. If its painful, somethings wrong. A lipstick-shaped nipple after feeding says its a bad latch. If you want to stick with bf then I hope you get the help you need. The best help I got was here plus Kellymom etc. IRL the local HV etc were shockingly badly informed about bf.

It does get better. It really does. I'm not going to lie though - it might take a while.

DS is now 16 months and my problems are more feet kicking my face, being tickled, or Ds trying to giggle or have a conversation with me mid feed.

If people ask about me still BFing I sometimes say "why on earth would we stop seeing as it's so easy and fun now?"

And we went through the BF bingo of issues when DS was younger.

Cloc, I got vasospasms like you describe and it is raynauds in my case. Undiagnosed but my dad has been diagnosed with raynauds so genetically very likely.

Oh I got vasospasms just like that Cloco, it was agony. Felt like my nipples were being burnt off, sometimes I'd get the shakes all over. I'd actually forgotten - dd is 11 months now and it stopped but I'm afraid I really can't remember when/why. Around the 3 month mark I think (sounds ages away I know but it goes sooooo fast). I didnt really do anything, it just sort of clicked at about 12 weeks and we're still bfing v happily now. I realise that's supremely unhelpful!
I did putting a warm flannel on my boob as soon as she came off helpful when I remembered. Hope you get some good support.

i have vasospasms too, but strangely mine go away when bfing. i guess babies must keep me warm!

it's agony when i do get them, i used to huddle in front of a heater or radiator!

I've not been diagnosed either (doctor was when i tried to explain), but my dad also has Raynaud's.

I think my baby might not be covering his lower gum with his tongue properly and is therefore gumming my breast. During his feed when I took him off to relatch him I tried putting my finger in his mouth to push down on his tongue but it stayed quite far back in his mouth. He then but down on me hard with his gums! Not sure if that was a reaction to having a finger rather than a nipple in his mouth!
Any ideas for getting him to put his tongue down properly?

It feels like getting your nipple tweaked when the latch is right.

It did hurt in the early days because the let down reflex caused a burning sensation, but that goes away.

I hope you can stick with it. It does get better and it is so wonderful. DS (21 weeks) was overtired this morning. He was crying, I got the boob out, and he stopped and is having a lovely relaxed sleep right now. He is so funny because at first he starts grumbling into my boob as he feeds, like he just needs to vent his frustrations to my boob before allowing it to help him relax.