Breast feeding blues

[Wills]

Hi, I wanted to start this thread because I know that I'm having a crap time feeding dd2 on the breast and I can see that there are others out there also struggling. I'm hoping that others will join me on this thread that are also having a tough time so that we can all comiserate and support each other.

Becca - Spoke to the bf counsellor. She was very sympathetic and gave me help over the phone. Basically though the bad news is that I have to try and clear the thrush!!!! Which will take a lot longer using nystatin than the other stuff, however she's happy for me to phone her regularly - case of grinning and bearing it. The nystatin is unlikely to take away the pain for another 7/10 days so here goes!!!

Recently my lhs has started to engorge however I think thats because the rhs is finally picking up. However if my breasts feel limp, dd2 still manages a good feed so I shouldn't worry about the sensation. I do know they don't have to feel like they've been filled with cement to provide a good feed.

Myersthecat, Just read your message and really sympathise with you. I also am in the same boat, DS is 3 weeks and I am starting to add in formula feeds as it was all getting too much. Nobody warns you how uncomfortable breastfeeding can be even when all is going well. The leaking is just awful. Never mind the constant demands. I also decided that I would prefer to stop bf before I started resenting doing it. However, when my husband gave him his first formula feed I suddenly realised that it made me jealous! I was suprised to realise that despite everything I amn't quite ready to give up altogether. But I definetly need the help of supplementing with formula or I think I would lose my mind!!!!

Bunnyrabbit I feel for you. I had mastitis with DS2. Postitioning will clear it quickly. can you not see a Bf supporter sooner? Have you tried Breastfeeding network 0870 900 8787. massage breast towards nipple during feed. express after feed to clear all ducts. massage and warm flannel will help to clear blocked ones. there are good self help measures here Good luck hope you feel better soon. also don't forget to freeze expressed milk as mastitis will not make it "bad" as some think. a friends GP told her to stop feeding on that side! worst thing she could do!!

LeeandRachel - why jealous? I love watching Rob feed our little girl. I grew up without a father and find watching the relationship absolutely fascinating and a total joy. Maybe that's my privilege!

Thanks Wills for your support. I do feel that many people push you too hard to remain breast feeding. I have suffered from depression in the past and felt myself heading down that route again which is the last thing I wanted. Since changing to formula little Sasha has been a different girl. I never saw her as a 'crying' baby - my friends say I have infinite patience - but since the formula she is so much more content. I wonder if my tension towards breast feeding was restricting her food - even though her weight gain was fine. Or maybe she sensed my mood!

I've even achieved my first soak in a bubble bath since I switched!! It's been the best way to relieve the switching off engorgement, which is now passing.

Only downside is the expense of the formula!! I'm not complaining though....otherwise I have no negatives for it!

Still have a red swollen breast (righty is now twice the size of lefty, and I was pretty damn large before I started!) so the HV has asked the DR to perscsribe a different antibiotic.

DS has lost weight since last Thursday, which upset me a great deal. So, am going to try and express some milk and top him up. If not will use the cartons. Any one have any advice on wether I should cup or bottle feed?

BR

BR - you poor thing.

As for cup or bottle why not try both. If you've been exclusively bfing then ds may not take kindly to either so its a matter of which ever works.

Good luck

Oh, sweetheart, how horrible. I insisted on cupfeeding as was so scared of compromising breastfeeding but found that bottlefeeding didn't stop me breastfeeding. I so strongly recommend you carry on breastfeeding as it is so great once it is storted. Gred good luck to you!

HV is back this morning so let's hope DS has not lost anymore weight or I don't know what I'll do... nipples excruciatingly painful. Gave one fomula feed last night which I hated but hand expressing is so slow, I managed 3/4 oz this morning before my hands stared to ache.

BFC from NTC coming over again soon. I'm going to hire an electric pump anyway so that I can store some breast milk and clear this mastitus. DS is not a good feeder so I'm sure he's not empitying my breast, just chewing my nipple!! Even if I express for the next couple of weeks, at least he'll have a breast milk start.

God my breasts hurt.... don't think I'll last out much longer...

BR

BR - clearly attachment doesn't sound good. Get the NCT lady back ASAP - please !

BR, I've mentioned this on other strings, but not sure if you were on them. My DS (now 13wks) has a tongue-tie and caused us endless problems with BF in the early days. He continued to lose weight for the first four weeks, meanwhile I continually had blocked ducts and a bout of mastitis. All of a sudden at four weeks he gained 2oz which was the breakthrough and has gained steadily since. Also, boobs started to heal from that point onwards.

The tongue-tie meant he couldn't latch on properly and subsequently didn't drain the breast fully. He still has problems latching, it's very loose on the suction side and he swallows alot of air (which is why he is still on Infacol at 3months!) but he is gaining steadily (10oz per week!!) and seems content. We're seeing a consultant about it at the end of October.

This occurs in something like 2% of babies and isn't usually spotted until a few weeks down the line. Have a look at this website and check your little one's mouth. You never know.

www.breastfeedingbasics.com/html/tonguetie.htm
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Tongue-tie?open

I also found expressing solidly for two days with an electric pump really good as it gave my nipples a rest of the "latch". DS received the EBM in a bottle. Was a lot of hassle but worth it to heal the nipples (atleast partially).

HTH. XX

How do you go about hiring a bf pump? I'm engorging regularly at the moment and it would be good to get some stuff off.

wills - try your local NCT or La Leche League. they often have pumps for hire.

Wills, I've tried a couple and for me this one was the most comfortable as you can control the sucking strength and if you want it fast or slow, also comes with dual bottles.

www.ameda.demon.co.uk/breastpumpsforhire.html

It's the white one on the right.

HTH

BR - this link might help with expressing
here

As your nipples are so painful you might find the electric pump sore therefore it might be a good idea to crack hand expressing.

Make sure you massage the breasts gently from the back down towards the nipple bfeore you start. Make sure you are in a nice warm room. Have an alcoholic drink even if it makes you relax. With your thumb on top and fingers cupped below the breast, walk your fingers down towards the nipple, feeling the breast on the way down. As you get to the arealo you will feel little pea shaped lumps. That is where the milk is stored. Sqeeze that area gently, thumb on top and fingers below. The milk should start to flow when it lets down. Switch from breast to breast as the lessens.
Often women are unsuccessful hand expressing because they have not located these milk resevoirs. The are not always located under the areola where the skin changed colour therefore they can be missed if you use the areol as a landmark.

Are you changing position for each feed - alternating usual hold with rugby hold? THat way it is not the same part of the nipple being continually traumatised.

Have you tried numbing the nipple with a bit of ice inside a freezer bag? By holding the ice (in bag to prevent ice burn) on for a minute or two before fixing the baby you can lessen that attachment pain till the nipples heal. Have you got purelan or lansinoh to put on your nipples?

Once you get the positioning and attachment sorted your nipples will get better. Hope you are getting good help from the counsellor.

Hope the link helps, mears

Great link Mears. Thank you. I will ty this tomorrow.

BFC from NCT is a marvel and my positioning is sorted. My nipples are so bad it's still hurting, but I'm hoping they'll start to heal now. I like the ice idea, but my nipples hurt when they contract as it is, the thought of ice is making my toes curl!!

DS has gained 2oz since monday so HV is happy and so am I. Problem is he hardly slept all day and kept putting his hand in his mouth and routing, so I kept feeding him, and then he'd throw up. He'd doze off for 10 mins after a feed and then wake suddenly, as if something's bothering him and start crying again. Could it be reflux?

He went to sleep half an hour ago on DHs chest. He must be so tired bless him, I know I am.

BR

Hi BR. Glad to hear the BFC was a help! Roll on the healing process! BTW, really admire your perseverance with bf - well done girl

How old is your DS now? When my DS started to throw up, not regularly, but once a day, usually the morning, my HV said it was most likely that he was so hungry he guzzled too much and the excess had to go somewhere - usually all over my shoulder! A suggestion might be to stick to feeding every 2hrs (or longer) as it takes that long for the first feed to be digested and more room to be made. If you are feeding more frequently it might be he constantly has a full tummy and over fills?

I don't know much about reflux but in previous threads I read some mums pointed out it would be quite obvious if your baby had it. HTH

Forgot to mention that my DS was the King of Routing during the time we had latch problems. Once the BF gets established he'll settle down.

Could be colic BR due to overfeeding. What you could try is feeding from one side at a time if you find he has constantly looking to be fed. By feeding him on one side then offering the same side again instead of swapping over he will get more fatty hindmilk and settle for longer between feeds. Sometimes when they feed frequently they are always takining lots of foremilk which causes frothy poos and colicky stomach. Just a thought. Glad the counsellor has been helpful. It all will get better

I do alternate breasts purely 'cos they're so sore I can't bear using the same one for consecutive feeds.

Do you think I should use Infacol for the colic? He's only 17 days old. If so, how often? He's not a bad baby. Did not do the formula feed last night. He fed at 1.30, 5.30 and 9.00. But then he did pig out yesterday....

Used your link this morning Mears and managed to express an ounce from one breast in 15 mins, which I didn't think was too bad for a first attempt. Have put it in the fridge for later today or tonight.

Both nipples are bleeding again. Maybe it's the change in position. Does that make sense? That it will get bad again for a while before it gets better?

Yours, still hanging in there day by day...

BR

Is your BF Counsellor coming today - you should NOT have bleeding nipples? What are you putting on then ?

Well done for avoiding formula last night - you're doing really well

Kamillasan at the moment but I'm gonig to get some of the other cream (is it Lansinoh) today, and some new gel pads.

I've left a message for the BFC, but she's already been round twice this week so I feel guilty asking her to come round again....

BR

Karen99 forgot to say thans for the toungue tie info.. will check this out.

Karen99 forgot to say thans for the toungue tie info.. will check this out.

Well done BR on getting an ounce. That is very good - glad the link helped.
Do not feel guilty at calling the counsellor - that is why they have chosen to be one - to help B/F mums. Your nipples should not bleed if the baby if fixed well. It is making sure you do not allow him to suck his way on. Make sure his mouth is wide open and bring him swiftly onto the breast. Do not lower the breast down to his mouth. Make sure his tummy in lying aginst your (tummy to mummy) or he is curled round your side with his head facing the breast directly (rugby hold). If you have to take him off, break his suction with your little finger. Because you nipples are sore it will hurt when he first fixes but if he is on properly, the pain should subside once you slowly count to ten. If it is increasing, take him off and reattach him.
Definately get the counsellor round again - it is much better to solve the problem earlier than persist for days making little progress.
I know that mothercare stocks Purelan if you can't find Lansihoh. It works well too. Well done for last night too

Just to add to all that good stuff from Mears - nipple needs to get into the upper half of the mouth, 'cos if it goes in too centrally, the tongue will be in the way, and will then start sucking like mad and compress nipple between tongue and roof of mouth (ow ow ow and that's what cracks the skin). Helping the baby do it so the nipple goes in the right way means the baby will get a larger mouthful of breast and have a more effective feed.

Obviously baby needs a wide open mouth for this to happen. Holding the baby skin to skin whenever possible and just cuddling him often allows him to come on by himself, as his instincts to do so are supported if he can smell, taste, hear, touch you

BR - just to say, you're doing brilliantly. I'm SO impressed.