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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Nipple and breast pain and a very hungry baby - desperate for advice please

26 replies

StrangewaysHereICome · 04/04/2011 09:37

My ds is 3.5 weeks old, he was born at home and weighed 8lb 10oz. The first week of bfing was hell with horrendous nipple pain on latching and bleeding cracked nipples. I went back to step one and concentrated on getting the latch rignt and it all got better quite quickly. Now I am struggling again.

I have a painful let down and get shooting pains in my left breast both before and after feeds. My nipples are sore again. The initial latch is toe curling, then the pain eases when the milk flows. Towards the end of a feed the pain returns and my nipple feels very sore after feeding too. DS is very hungry and feeds frequently often coming on and off the breast a number of times for each feed. The evenings are the worst and by nighttime I am in a lot of pain and getting quite weepy.

Does anyone know why I am getting pain after feeding? I was worrying that I am not producing enough milk but ds's weight gain is good - over 1 lb last week!! Is it just because he feeds so often and it will settle? Thrush crossed my mind but there is no sign in his mouth. I have started to think he might need a top up of formula at night but this will affect my supply. I feel like I am not meeting his needs atm Sad. I have two other children and sucessfully bf them for a year each but this time seems so much harder.

OP posts:
nethunsreject · 04/04/2011 09:41

CAn you get to a bf cafe? SOunds like there are still latch issues? Has he been checked for tongue tie?

nethunsreject · 04/04/2011 09:42

And try the helplines - bfn and nct.

someone who knows their stuff.

Original poster
StrangewaysHereICome · 04/04/2011 10:02

Thanks nethunsreject I have seen a bfing counsellor who says the latch is okay, but that was before his current feeding frenzy. I won't get to see her again before Friday but will call her. Would I be able to check for tongue tie - what am I looking for?

OP posts:
crikeybadger · 04/04/2011 10:03

It does have some of the symptoms of thrush. You can't always see the white spots in the mouth I think.

There is a good page all about diagnosing nipple pain here.

Hope you sort it out- that's a fab weight gain so it would be a shame if you can't get back to pain free bfing.

RitaMorgan · 04/04/2011 10:08

You can have thrush without both of you having obvious symptoms.

If your ds is gaining 1lb a week then you must be meeting his needs!

nethunsreject · 04/04/2011 10:09

Give away for tongue tie is heart shaped tongue when they stick their tongue out.

Also, do advanced search on here. Lots about it.

Try Bfn helpline. Or NCT.

Maybe thrush worth thinking of again too?

Maybe fast let down if he is coming on and off?

Please know that you ARE enough for him. You are, on every level, all he needs.

Put a shout out for Tiktok, the fab bf lady here, in an hour or so. She is usually on most days and is very, very knowledgable.

Well done for persevering. It is miserable, but it will be fixable by someone who knows their stuff.

nethunsreject · 04/04/2011 10:09

Ah, there you go, sounds like thrush is a real possibility then?

Original poster
StrangewaysHereICome · 04/04/2011 10:55

Thanks again all. I have looked at his tongue and it is heart shaped. I have just read another thread about TT and he can't reach the roof of his mouth when he cries. I'll make an appt to see the dr to see if that is the answer and what can be done. MN is fabulous from despair to hope in a couple of hours Smile.

Thanks too nethuns (love the name!) for your kind words, I am feeling more positive already.

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 04/04/2011 11:12

If it's tongue tie insist on getting it snipped - some doctors don't like to do it if it's "mild" but even one that looks mild can do loads of damage! It's such a little procedure too - my ds had his snipped at 3 weeks and barely complained, literally one drop of blood and that was it.

bitingfairy · 04/04/2011 12:35

And don't let them tell you it can't be because he's gaining so well. I'm waiting for an appointment for TT snip and my DS is gaining nearly 1lb/week too. (8lb5 at birth, 13lb14 at 7 weeks).

Original poster
StrangewaysHereICome · 04/04/2011 13:05

Hi biting i have just posted on your thread. I hope you get your appt soon. The more I have read about TT babies the more it all makes sense. I am waiting for the HV to call to try and get it sorted.

OP posts:
nethunsreject · 04/04/2011 19:21

Hope you get it sorted soon. Smile

Original poster
StrangewaysHereICome · 05/04/2011 12:13

Went to the dr's this morning as the HV wasn't available and he said it's not tongue tie or thrush. His answer was give him bottles despite me saying how desperate I am to keep bfing. Deflated again now. I will try and speak to a BF counsellor instead.

OP posts:
MummyBerryJuice · 05/04/2011 12:34
Sad

I'm so sorry you haven't had any luck at the doctor's. As I'm sure you know, GPs aren't specifically trained in bf and will not necessarily know how to recognise tongue-tie.

From what you've said about your DS's heart-shaped tongue it definitely sounds like TT and seeing a bf cousellor is a great idea. Some can even do the snipping themselves!

Please don't feel deflated. Your DS is obviously getting enough milk and is therefore not in any danger, but it is important for your bfing relatiojnship that you get this sorted.

Hope the bf counsellor can help you.

crikeybadger · 05/04/2011 12:49

Aaaaaaaarggghhhh! Why is it that most doctors response to breastfeeding problems is to offer a bottle? Angry. Is that the best they can come up with?

Good idea to speak to a bfc or even a lactation consultant if you can afford it. Some of them can even snip the TT if it is that.

Keep at it- you've got this far after all, it's just one more hurdle to get over. Smile

nethunsreject · 05/04/2011 13:04

Ffs! Angry Sad

Useless. No wonder bf rates are so low in this country.

I hope the bf counsellor will be more useful.

MummyBerryJuice · 05/04/2011 13:22

In defence of doctors, they are idiots! Grin When it comes to breastfeeding most of them haven't a clue and don't even know that they can/should refer to a more knowledgable person. From their pov (which is horribly wrong btw) they have 10 minutes to come up with a solution and as they don't know that there are other resources to call on, they suggest formula.

Sorry Sad but it's true.

We are working very hard to try and educate our local doctors (and HVs and MWs) that we (peer-support group) exist and that we are actually trained in helping mums with problems. Sometimes it feels futile as the hcps seem to think that they are the fount of all knowledge Grin

And I'm speaking as a trained doctor myself

bitingfairy · 05/04/2011 16:26

Gah! I had at least 5 different hcps tell me there was no TT. Now it's written in nice clear letters in my red book - such a relief! Is there anyone near you here www.lcgb.org/consultants_local.html - the ones marked N (NHS) or V (voluntary) are free.

bitingfairy · 05/04/2011 16:30

Oh, and my HV wouldn't have been any help either - apparently there have been no babies with TT in North Sheffield in all the years she's been working! Hmm

HipHopopotomus · 06/04/2011 05:14

I too had similar pain for 2 months. Latch was fine as was growth. Hv no help, all mw said latch was fine etc. Then I travelled to nz and my step mum who is me immediately said dd was mild tounge tied. About that time pain stopped so I didn't do anything about it.

Sorry you've had no luck with docs. Very frustrating. If it's any encouragement I did end up feeding dd exclusively for 5.5 months and bf her until 14 months. Only in pain for 2nd those. If I have same pain with this next baby I'll be down to docs. Asap!

HipHopopotomus · 06/04/2011 05:15

Step mum is midwife of 40 ish years - not me :)

HipHopopotomus · 06/04/2011 05:21

Op as this is your third bf baby I suggest you know loads more about bf than the docs. Best of luck with the bf network in getting to bottom of this. Sounds like tt is the culprit. Gosh over 3 years on I can still feel the pain - you have my every sympathy.

leaky · 06/04/2011 06:14

Sounds like thrush to me. I had it last time with DD & it was just as you described. Not once did my DD have it in her mouth. I had at least 3 courses of antibiotics but couldn't shift it. I had it following mastitus when DD was 3 wks old & eventually gave up BF 11 wks later as pain was unbearable. Good luck.

MummyBerryJuice · 06/04/2011 07:56

Please let us know how you get on OP

Original poster
StrangewaysHereICome · 06/04/2011 13:54

Thanks again for the advice everyone. Hiphop that is very interesting.

I feel that DS is mildly TT'd. Everything seems to fit, his latch is fine (as hiphop says I think I have enough experience to know this Wink) but his tongue clicks and he loses the suction frequently. The pain gets worse the harder he has to work for the milk after the initial let down. His tongue is very square with a notch in the middle and my nipple appears squashed even though he gets a good mouthful of breast. He also takes in a lot of air and needs frequent burping. But because he is getting milk, putting on weight and the fact the dr couldn't diagnose anything makes me think it is mild, but enough to make me sore as he tries hard to overcome it. The pain varies and gets worse at night when he feeds more frequently and needs to work harder. So today I have got some bottles and have expressed (nearly 4oz woohoo!) so I can give my nipples a rest at night. I have also got some nipple shields just to help in the evenings too.

My HV is now off sick so she can't look at him. I spoke to my BF supporter but she thinks it's a latch problem (because of the nipple squashing) but she hasn't seen us either and is busy for the next couple of days. I will go to our local Baby cafe on Friday and see the BF counsellor there and see what she thinks.

biting thank you for the link the nearest LC is just over 30 miles away, so if I can't get any answers locally I will contact her.

Thanks again everyone, I am feeling determined to get through this!

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