NOTHING WORKS!!!

[Mombojombo]

Hello all, I'm a long-time lurker, first time poster.

DS is nearly 8 weeks old and from the start BF has been difficult on the right side as early latch issues resulted in an horrendous crack that just hasn't ever healed. Left boob (or 'good boob') has been blissful, so I spent half the time looking forward to a feed, half the time dreading it!

Brilliantly, in the past 2 days a new crack has appeared on the left boob so now it's full time dread! I just don't know what to do. DS is an exceedingly determined nipple feeder. Just WILL NOT open his mouth. I feel I've done everything right - brief list as follows:

• As much help from midwives, HV as is useful (so not much!)
• BF support group at Children's Centre - partially useful as learned about bio-nurturing, had latch checked weekly etc
• Liberal smotherings of Lansinoh
• Liberal application of breastmilk
• Keeping nipples wet
• Keeping nipples dry
• Tongue Tie snipped at 5 weeks (and recommended tongue exercises afterwards)
• 2 sessions with Lactation Consultant (DS on best behaviour, gigantic wide-mouth while there, beautiful pain-free feeding, then got home and Mr Clam chomps down again!)
• Silverettes (massive waste of money for me, though I know they've been wonderful for others)
• Just started using Jelonet last night so no evidence of healing as yet...

I've tried teasing him with the nipple, exaggerated latch, different positions, prising open his bottom jaw while feeding - I haven't got 4 hands so this is hard. I've got stupid giant boobs (32HH) which mean I always have to have one hand supporting them while feeding, and very flat nipples so I'm amazed we've got this far. He's gaining weight amazingly (started on 9th percentile, then 25th, currently gaining along 50th) so he's obviously getting enough milk - I'm just in agony!

Oh you wise MNers, what shall I try next??? I'm NOT (not not not) going to give up BF but am so demoralised by tears and fighting at 3am!

Goodness! poor you :( but well done, you have fantastic determination.

I was about to recommend the Silverettes, but see you've tried them. Can I ask how long you've used them for? as it sounds like you have substantial cracks that may take more time than it took for mine to heal (for instance).

I really do hope you can get help that works for you though.

I gave them a good 2 or 3 weeks, and still use them at night to stop my nips adhering to my breast pads! They're useful for that at least! DS has mostly settled into a nice 5-hour sleep between 10pm and 3am so I consider this prime healing time...

:( I'm so sorry nothing has helped.

Would you consider keeping them in all the time other than feeding times? I have no idea what else can help you. Maybe you can find Tiktok on the bf threads and PM her. She's the best on here for advice.

I really hope you can get it sorted as you want to. Good luck.

I am 5months into breastfeeding my DS, I bottlefed my 3yr old DD so had no prior experience. I found approx the first 10-12 wks absolutely horrible, mostly in just one 'problem' boob, like you, having a 'good' boob. Quite often, I would feed from just the 'good' boob as the pain in the other was excruciating.

The 'problem' boob give me horrendous mastitis twice, (I even went to A+E the first time because I didn't know what else to do, was desperate). I had a terrible cracked nipple, its still scarred now. Because of two courses of strong antibiotics, I believe I then had thrush which the GP wouldn't help with. Needless to say, it was a thoroughly rubbish time!

But... getting to about 10/11/12 wks, everything just got better on its own, without me doing or trying anything. I now feed fine on both sides, no 'good' boob/'bad' boob!

Not much advice here other than give it more time? Is that rubbish? I know alot of people say your breasts prepare for BF during pregnancy, but I think for 1st timers, your breasts have to go through a huge transition into being constant feeding machines during the first few months postpartum. I think your nipples have to toughen up in a way!

I also tried everything - nipple shields, lasinoh, kamillosan, different positions, improving the latch. I'm not saying don't do these things but hopefully for you, like me, it will all sort itself out in a few weeks. I found my nipple healed well if it airdried with breastmilk on it. I found kamillosan better than lasinoh. Wearing a loose bra or no bra.

This is just my personal experience but hope it helps a little. If your babe is putting on loads of weight, you must be doing something right so plod on, your milk is liquid gold!

OP, Tiktok is on a bf thread called 'please help me with pain' so perhaps you could message her for advice?

And actually, I should add that I have in excess of 12 bouts of ductal thrush, cracked nipples, 2x mastitis or more with my Dd and she had her last breast feed on October 26th aged 4yrs and 10 months. What I'm trying to say is that you can (often) get through it (I'm bloody minded), so please don't give up if you really don't want to :)

Well done for still trying. I got really sore too and resorted to expressing for some feeds to give nipples a chance to recover. This helped although it still really hurt when I bf but it has definatley eased off though he has a strong bite. The expressing really helped and sometimes he fell asleep before eating so was able to build up small supply and go out for evening. Putting breastmilk on nipples does seem to help and some 'nice' pads that don't catch on tips of nipples. I really hope it eases off soon for you and gets better