When does bf become easy?

[KnockedUpMell]

Ds is 3weeks old now and I found bf really difficult to begin with. I had a nasty crack on one side which has taken well over 2 weeks to heal even with a corrected latch and lots of tlc. My nipples feel so sensitive and raw that I found having a shower and having the towel or my clothes touch them painful (this is less now but certainly hasn't disappeared). The initial toe curling pain of him latching on has gone but although I don't find the suckling painful, it's a sensation I don't enjoy. He has been nursing constanty the past 2 days and my nipples feel overused and bruised (I suspect it's the 3week growth spurt). It still takes him a couple of minutes to get his mouth wide open enough for a good latch. I am getting tired of being stuck at home but dont feel comfortable enough feeding in public especially since it can take him a while to latch on. When does Breastfeeding become easy- and I mean painfree for me, and for him to latch on correctly within seconds?

i think it really just depends. with ds1 i didn´t get there til about 10-12 weeks because of various issues (tongue tie, thrush etc) but with ds2 it was easier right from the off and painfree after a week.

Have you got lansinoh for your nipples? I had that pain when showering etc with ds1 and nipple blanching etc, this was from bad latch and all improved after his tt was cut and his mouth just got that bit bigger. Good luck, hang in there if you can.

It was at 6 weeks for me with DS1 and I had similar problems to those you have described, but it gradually got better from around 3-4 weeks. A number of my friends had a variety of issues with bf and 6 weeks seemed to be the 'magic' time that it became easy for us all, and many of us then continued to feed for months afterwards. I ended up using nipple shields for a few weeks which helped with healing. I have since realised that my nipples were quite flat before having children which was possible the cause of some of the problems I had.

If it helps, feeding DS2 was easy from day one so you hopefully have that to look forward to.

About 7 weeks for me. So easy now though, so really glad we got there in the end. I reckon you need to allow 8 weeks to (hopefully) not give up right before it gets easier.

Can't imagine doing anything else now. Night feeds are a breeze because they're breast feeds not bottle, and don't needing planning to get out.

To make things easier while you're super sensitive, I'd use lansinoh at every feed (even if not sore), and use breast shells to keep clothes off nipples. I think that's what helped mine recover.

Hope you find some releif soon!

It does varry, DD was around 8week's but mainly as she was such a constant feeder and took a while to get more efficent so I wasn't stuck on the sofa all the time. I didn't have pain though and you shouldn't either I'd get your latch checked again.

DS was around 6-7week's I think (can bairly remeber and he's only 5months old) but he was small and tougue tie, and I have big nipple's so I felt it was a while before in grew enough to get a big open mouth. Oddly enough his TT isn't that bad and hasn't couse use any problems.

If your wanting to get out and about how about your local BF cafe you could get some help and advice and meet some other mum's in your sistuation to, maybe give you a bit more confidances in feeding out as well.

I never made it that far. Combination of horrendous pain (all the things you describe plus more), enourgement and my babies being unable to latch properly. I think you are doing really well!

engorgement!

If you've had damage then it takes a while to heal even if they look better on the outside, the inside get stretched down to the babies throat when they feed so you may still have pain for 10-20 secs as they latch on. Then I found they were super sensitive for a while and then suddenly they just seem like different nipples that can put up with baby turning their head while still latched on.

I remember being desperate to know exactly when it would get easier and now I've forgotten when it happened! But honestly if you can get to 6 weeks (I know that seems ages) you've done all the hard work and its so convenient and painfree for us now. I honestly could not believe that it would ever be easy but it really does get to be a piece of p!

You are doing really well, give it another couple of weeks using cream and softest breast pads. Rubbing breast milk in will help them from drying out, don't use any sort of soap on them.

As the baby gets bigger they can open their mouth wider and support their neck a bit more, so that gets easier too. And they feed for much shorter periods.

Did you meet any mums at antenatal classes? If not go somewhere like childrens centre / baby cafe where their will be others breastfeeding to build up your confidence. La Leche meetings are very good too, you don't have to have a problem to go along. Can you go to a friend's house to get a change of scene?

KnockedupMell, just wanted to say that I could have written your post word for word. It's been a really tough first three weeks and just have to say that i think we are doing well so far......i take it one feed at a time. I'm still suffering toe curling pain when my DD latches on but it passes after a minute or so. I find it all so frustrating, if I'm still in a bit of pain then I suspect my latch must be wrong but have had that checked four times now and everyone says it's fine. Considering getting a lactation specialist to spend a few hours with me.

Have you always suffered sensitive nipples? Are you still in pain when breastfeeding? I'm going to try and see if its thrush as i do get pain in both breasts for an hour or so after - have you considered this?

Completely agree about the public feeding, I find I get stressed if we have to go out just in case she will want a feed and we are too far from home. My poor DH wants to go out to lunch etc but i constantly postpone it

Hi Mell I also could have written your post word for word! We are now at five 1/2 weeks and it IS getting easier gradually.. things got a bit worse last week when my DD had a bout of cluster feeding which I presumed was a growth spurt. Keep going - dig deep and persevere! I am hoping that by next week my soreness will be over...

In the shower I have to cover both breasts , and don't even talk to me about using the towel! The pain if it accidentally brushes / touches my nipples is crazy!

Definately buy some breast shells (boots sell them) you can wear them all day (I have been despite what it says) and your nipples get air to them and nothing can touch them inbetween feeds.. it gives them a chance to heal. You can also collect the milk and use it in a bottle (if you want)..

Good luck with everything x

I think about 6 weeks for us, after initial major feeding issues, lots of blocked ducts, etc. I did then get thrush, but that cleared with proper treatment.

Feeding in public gets easier with practice. A simple bfing top can help IMO - I love the Boob tops with the simple double layer over the breasts and think they're the most discrete. The vest and double layer top idea does work really well too. At first I took a wide lightweight scarf with me and draped this over me and DD while I got her latched on. It gave me confidence and was easier to take out and about and far less obvious than a nursing wrap or muslin. TBH if you don't get out and do it, that side of things won't get easier. Meeting NCT friends or going to NCT meetings or bfing meetings (most children's centres have these) can be helpful at first - my NCT group got confidence feeding when out together even if we were in a public coffee shop.

The issues you describe will 99% of the time sort themselves by 6-8 weeks, even if that seems impossible, they will :) It can take longer if you have more serious issues but from the sound of the initial latching pain you describe it sounds as though things are going down the right track. Public feeding should be easier by then as well as you will be more confident. In the meantime you could perhaps go to places which have feeding rooms, then you might feel less exposed?

This is breastfeeding boot camp! If you can get through these early, tough weeks, the rest will be easy. And yes after that I had no pain whatsoever, even when DS got teeth

Do you have any breastfeeding groups or cafes near you? They can be good for moral support and again a good place to feed if you're feeling self conscious.

Agree with everyone, it does get easier around 5-6 weeks and then again around 12 weeks. At the beginning my nipples were excruciating in the shower, when I went outside, everything. Now at 5 months it's a dream, 5 min feeds with no prep and my nipples are tough as old boots (lovely image). Seriously though, ds twists his head and chomps and I barely notice. The first few weeks are really hard, though. You're doing fabulously.

Love the idea of bf'ing boot camp. That's exactly what it is!

6 weeks, then at 4 mths I realised it was really lovely.

10mths in now and it is the best thing ever.
Ds1 was ffed and it is such a carry on.
Keep up the good work - you are doing a fantastic thing.

DS is 9 weeks today and I realised yesterday that it's gradually got much easier, but markedly this past week. We seem to have acquired a new range of bf positions, I don't care about the clock/timings any more, towels don't hurt my nipples any more and if I don't use Lanisoh after every feed, well it's not the end of the world any more!
We had all the problems described by others on this thread, and I'm so happy that I persevered with it. As ds's head control improves my back hurts less too!

Thank you for posting!! I was beginning to think it was just me with these issues! I've been in tears for most of this week swearing that this was it and I was going to bottle feed. I've got engorgement and mastitis and it's been really tough. I went to see a Lactation Consultant on Thursday and she was great. James is now 3 weeks but I'm in a constant state of panic that he's starving due to me being a bad feeder.

I'm using nipple shields, which has helped and will look into nipple shells. I've also found that expressing before feeding helps with the pressure in the breast.

Thank you all. It's very helpful to know what I'm not alone. It's sheer bloody mindedness that's gotten me through the past 3 weeks and there have been many a time when I considered switching to formula so my nips get a break and I get more sleep... But bf is something that i really wanted to do and I know I'd regret giving up. Guess if 6weeks is the magic point when it becomes easy, I'm half way there!!

It took about 6 weeks to get reasonably bearable, certainly able to BF out and about. At about 8 weeks it became completely pain free, and at about 10 weeks actually enjoyable. I genuinely never thought I would get to 7 months down the line and be happily still BFing after spending the first 3 weeks in tears, but it genuinely does become worth it if you can just stick with it.

I do really feel for you though, it is an absolute bloody nightmare at first, awful, awful, awful. It seems like only yesterday I had to grab DH's head just to stop myself screaming through a feed. Good luck, you are doing brilliantly and I promise it will be worth it, hard as that may be to believe right now.

Oh gosh, I feel your pain. I had a similar start to you, I even went to Asda and bought some cartons of formula to use. I didn't in the end, but it was basically me saying each and every feed 'just one more feed, just one more feed'. I also asked and asked and asked so many questions of people. I think for me, it was about five weeks when I started getting pain free feeds. I do think that sometimes you just need time for your nipples to toughen up.

I think we forget it is a new skill that both you and baby are learning, you know what I think at this point you could express some milk for a bit of a break.

I do feel for you though, but it does get better. My DS is nearly six months old and we're still going strong. I'm glad I stuck with it though, it's so so easy when he needs feeding. I just flick the clips on the feeding bra and off we go.