Red nipples, sore nipples, sloped nipples...

[Oeisha]

OK, so 21 days PP and have just got Snufflix latching.
Was expressing and combi FF but was finding that all too much. Suspected PND means I am finding it exceedingly difficult not to just plain hate Snufflix 24-7 and meant I could not let go of BF (mentally I wanted to do it for bonding), so thanks to mastitis and having to up my expressing, and thus my volume upping again, we gave BF a go.
Saw BF counsellor on Sunday and she got us going, pain-free.
Nipples were slightly red then...the sepcialist mentioned it, but they felt fine Sunday.
Yesterday and today, it hurts. A fair amount. Combined with little sleep and the PND (and borderline PTSD - crying on the bus, mild freak outs when I see ambulances etc), I'm finding it all (being a Mummy) frankly a nightmare, especially at night...where I have less tollerance for the pain/latching her 50 times before I let her feed...I plain hated her lastnight and was obviously losing patience.
I am using shields for a bit of protection, but that hurts too.
Especially as Snufflix is latching...and for a few minutes in. There's a slight sting permanently -feeding or not (but I can ignore it).
I'm assuming there's something wrong with the latch. I can't see very much, but she seems to be getting volume. She doesn't want to feed for more than about 10-15mins at a go, small break, then another 5-10 and can then be fine for 2-3h.
No bleeding, or cracks, just redness and pain.
When she's finished, the nipple is kinda wedge-shaped...is this an indication of a poor latch? Is the redness something I should be concerned about/exploring more?
Going to ring BF specialist tomorrow...but she lives a good hour away and I can't just nip there (don't drive, no public transport).

Oeisha sounds like you are having a really tough time - I remember the pain from those early days of BF, there really is nothing like it.

I am no expert (hopefully one will be along soon) but does sound like a latch problem with the pain and the nipple coming out wedge shaped. IIRC I had redness and pain for a few days before the cracks & bleeding started, which was down to an incorrect latch. So do try and get this resolved if you can to prevent it from getting worse. I found it easy to 'allow' an incorrect latch just to get DS feeding, but really this was not a good idea in the long run.

I hope you get some good advice from your BF specialist tomorrow.

Woohooo! Getting there with the latch. Last few times, no slope! Seems sticking my thumb in is helping her pull the bottom in along with the top...

Still a bit sore, but certainly less so, and a lot less red. Wondering if I was having a reaction to antibiotics...

Glad it's getting better for you. I hope you are getting support for your PND as well?

Yes, we're on top of it...well, we're not, but I've had depression before and know plenty of tactics to keep me going. Going back to doctors next week for a review.

Was doing really well, but now, I don't know if I'm tired, or my nipples have had enough for the day, or maybe it's something like thrush, but it's still sore. Latch is better though. Plus, someone wants to snack constantly tonight...we will get there. But all the crying is really making my boobs hurt.

I don't know if you've seen this before but it has some fab info on antidepressants and bf: www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/Antidepressants_and_Breastfeeding_March_2009.pdf

All mute. Mastitis AGAIN - had it last week, in other boob. Can't do this any more. I really can't...the whole bloody thing.
Anyone want a baby?

Sounds tough Oeisha.

TBH the poor latch is probably a cause of the mastitis so until you sort it out you may keep getting mastitis. Do you have any antibiotics? Usually it's a 10-14 day course that knocks it on the head (some GPs only give 7days and this isn't usually enough).

I see you've been to see a bf specialist but it's tricky to get there. Is there anyone that can get to your home? Are you still under mw care, or what about the HV- does she know anything about breastfeeding?

Hope you feel better today- don't forget to rest when you can.

Well, that was bloody horrific. Thankfully it wasn't/isn't cyst-driven mastitis, so I didn't need surgery, but my breast swelled significantly.
Ended up with a very, very high temp causing rigors (violent enough to move the bed) for about 14h and at one point had 3 doctors 2 nurses a err, HCA and my MIL (mopping my head), all of them regularly saying "you're going to be ok" (which, combined with the readings I could see and the look on MIL's face, meant "holy-shiiiiit this shouldn't be happening"), whilst they held me down to take bloods and whack me on a CTG as my heartrate plummited...so, yes, it's been great.

I ws on 3 different IV antibiotics, so whatever it was, they hit it HARD and that seems to have worked well. Am now only on Augmentin orally.

Off to the breast clinic next Monday for a review, but they've told me to wear decent underwired bras, as the mastitis isn't being caused by blocked ducts etc and being a K cup, the weight of the breasts is making it all worse so a decent bra is needed.

Needless to say, any spirit for fighting to BF I had, has been destroyed (partly because they said this would probably happen again, maybe not so badly) and thanks to DH looking after Snufflix at home, she's going to be exclusively FF (I might save some of the expressed and freezer it for a 1 a day feed), so I can cut back the expressing.

I really bloody hope the poor sod in the admissions bed after me wasn't as bad...she had mastitis too but had been BF exclusively, so had no pump and the doctors were wondering where the hell they could steal one from.

Sounds terrible Oeisha- hope you get better soon.

Gosh you are having a hard time. Just wanted to say you are doing so well and stick at it. BF can be hard, I'm having latch issues myself ( thanks for saying about using thumb, I'll try that) but PND on top sounds horrific. It will get better. Accept and ask for any help you can get from friends, fame and doctors.

All the best.