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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Please help before I give up

47 replies

whoopwhoopbib · 07/04/2012 13:28

My DD is 2.5 weeks old and I have been trying to continue with bf but the pain is becoming unbearable but I really really don't want to stop.

While we were in hospital I asked every available midwife for help with latching on which they did so I went home thinking I was doing it correctly until my nipples cracked and became so sore I was crying before and during every feed.

I have been to support groups and phoned the helplines and they have helped with the latch but she won't take from the right breast. She has had about 6 feeds from this side in the last week and a half even though I keep offering it to her at various times but all she does is scream as soon as she gets near. I am expressing but not getting alot out and she won't then take it from a bottle.

The pain in the left breast is terrible as it is being used so often and I am worried that she isn't getting enough just from one breast.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do about the pain and also how to get her to use the right breast again please?

OP posts:

HappyCamel · 08/04/2012 15:27

Really? Dammit, my pharmacist told me it wasn't and paracetamol doesn't work for me so I really suffered. Good news for OP though.

Original poster

whoopwhoopbib · 08/04/2012 20:34

Well still no luck on the right hand side but have tried laying down with her and football hold with pillows and I thought I was getting somewhere with this but she still pulled away but after a few more sucks than usual.

I have tried the laid back position and although she is able to find the nipple herself she still won't latch on.

I feel that I have plenty of milk again that side as it was leaking earlier whilst I was trying to get her on so I don't even think it is a case of too much hard work either.

I will try ibuprofen and paracetamol before the next feed which is coming up soon.

Thanks again for all the ideas and support it is good to know i'm not alone and other people have been through the same thing.

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/04/2012 20:43

whoop how are you getting on today? Think that someone mentioned videos on youtube, sorry but I can't remember who. Have you seen the Jack Newman ones? There is a great one and there should be more if you search for Jack Newman.

If she is feediing for 4 hours at a time, have you tried There is some information on Kellymom on latch and positioning that you may also find helpful here.

Keep posting and let us know how you are getting on .

Original poster

whoopwhoopbib · 11/04/2012 18:00

Update: DD is now for some reason taking from both sides which is brilliant. I started using a nipple shield on that side and she was more than happy with it and I have managed to stop using the shield and she will have half a feed from the right before getting grumpy with it!

I have however developed a new pain on both breasts on the areola where her bottom gum goes, but reading on another thread this could possibly be a sign of tongue tie so I am having this checked tomorrow hopefully. I guess my latch has now improved so I am only now noticing this pain whereas before she was just latching onto my nipples.

I am so pleased that I posted on here before I gave up and fed her with a bottle so thanks again.

OP posts:

Pitmountainpony · 11/04/2012 19:19

And no one would have judged you if you had given up....well those that know and care for you!
I am pro bf but recognize that for some it just does not work out and makes them deeply unhappy and uncomfortable.
So glad it has improved.....bf is so easy long term once cracked and you always have a comforter no matter where you are.
I got so much help from posters on here two years ago when I had similar pain to you......people really do want to help, which is very encouraging!!
Good luck with appointment. Thrush, mastitis, blocked duct.....bad latch....so many reasons the pain could be there....and even when all is right the latch on is in comfortable for many the first few months especially if you are fair, as in the lighter the nipple the more sensitive to pain you are apparently.

Pitmountainpony · 11/04/2012 19:20

First few week not months I meant!!

mamij · 11/04/2012 19:29

I was in agony with DD1 too. Cracked nipples, bleeding, painful to feed, painful to touch, painful to shower. I just got on with it, with lots of lanolin ointment, walking around the house with no bra on to air it out(!), paracetamol and gritted teeth! It did get better after a week or do as I got a better understanding in how to bf and DD1 got better at latching on. I've had no problems with DD2 (now 5 months).

JiltedJohnsJulie · 12/04/2012 08:38

as in the lighter the nipple the more sensitive to pain you are apparently, thought that one was an old wives' tale Pit?

Whoop glad you've found the information and support you needed, that's good news .

Pitmountainpony · 12/04/2012 14:21

Jilted...I think so yes.....some research just came out saying red heads are particularly more sensitive to pain than the rest of us....but you can never compare your pain at the end of the day. A fair friend told me her midwife told her....she abandoned bf as too painful to establish.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 12/04/2012 15:26

Can't believe that MW come out with such crap sometimes!

Original poster

whoopwhoopbib · 12/04/2012 16:44

Not so good today asked to have DD checked for tongur tie today but was told the pain I was experiencing from her lower jaw on my areola was a positioning problem and I was told again how to latch on but I just cannot do it on my own.

I have watched the videos on you tube and I know how I'm supposed to do it but I just can't put it into practice for some reason, does anyone have any suggestions please?

OP posts:

MigGril · 12/04/2012 18:23

Well you can throw that old wifes tale out I'm red head and completly white (no arerola colour at all) and suffered no nipple pain feeding either of my two.

Seconed baby had a TT to but it wasn't very bad and as his feed's where short the only time I had some discomfort was when he cluster fed. I'd also had my helper training by then so new how to get a good latch which I think helped a lot.

whooping what exactly are you struggling with? have you tried different possitions at all to see if you find one easier to latch on?

Original poster

whoopwhoopbib · 12/04/2012 20:14

I am struggling with getting dd to latch on without it hurting but I don't seem to be able to even though I know how it is supposed to look/work.

I have tried various positions but the latch is always a problem, I think that because I have been in so much pain due to a massive crack on my left nipple I am scared to try different positions again incase it hurts!!

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 13/04/2012 11:01

Can totallly see where you are coming from with that whoop. Is it any better today? Are you healing yet?

Pitmountainpony · 13/04/2012 12:53

Well it was reported in the papers recently so unless the researchers just put old wives tales out there without actually backing them up....just google redheads more sensitive to pain.....plenty comes up.will put link next time I am not on iPad.
I agree me and everyone else do indeed at times come out with a lot of crap but it seems there may be some backing for this particular little claim...and if one redhead does not find that...good for her but it hardly invalidates their research. Clear
Y some people are more sensitive to pain than others.
Sorry the bf is still proving hard......have given all the tips I can so hopefully someone with different tips will come along to try to help you soon. Best with it.

MigGril · 13/04/2012 13:51

Whoopwhoop - maybe try biological nurtiraing possition (have a google for vidoes) this way baby can self latch and you may get a more comftable latch.

Are you healing at all? I think maybe TT needs to be rechecked for it you aren't, Baby's with TT can sometimes get a good latch then slip of the nipple. They aren't always ovouse either.

goldene · 13/04/2012 13:58

I had terrible agonising pain with my girl (now 4) -- so my sympathies to you. I faithfully used 100% lanolin after every feed which helped tremedously. In terms of positioning, I used the cradle hold and what worked best for me was to bring the baby's head to the centre of my body, between my breasts. That way she had to open her mouth WIDE to get the milk. This was much much better for me, my instict was to move her head towards my armpit, which meant she munched rather than drank.

goldene · 13/04/2012 13:58

PS once I overcame the first few weeks, I had no trouble breastfeeding in terms of pain. Anxiety was a different issue but no pain.

MigGril · 13/04/2012 13:59

A very quik google revials several studies on red heads and pain. Some saying they are more sensative to certain types of pain (thermal pain) and some saying they are less sentative to other type's of pain (electrically induced pain) and they actualy responed better to cetain type's of pain killer.

So deffantly not a clear cut thing at all. Don't know how thermal pain would relate to nipple pain anyway. I certaily do have very sensative skin but ovously never cause a problem with feeding.

cleanandclothed · 13/04/2012 14:07

Well done you - sounds like you are doing really well. Is your dd calm when she is feeding or does she still scream/fuss? Because sometimes my DS would have massive problems latching on so that when he finally did I was too scared to reposition him even if it hurt because I thought he would never latch on again - anyway what calmed him down was white noise (music may work similarly) so sometimes I used to feed him with the hair dryer on!! so that he was more amenable to being moved to different positions.

Original poster

whoopwhoopbib · 14/04/2012 22:03

Left nipple is not healing at all but am going to look into Jelonet after reading about it on here.

Had a visit from a midwife today but dd had only just fed so she wasn't able to watch me latch her on but did say they have a bf expert midwife on the team and she would ask her to visit - why has no one mentioned her before when I have been saying all along I am having problems??!!!

I am also going to ask her to check for tt as this is also her area because the more I read about it the more I think dd may have it.

Although I know she is very controversial I have been trying out Clare Byam-Cook's technique today and it hasn't been too bad and it is so simple that I can actually do it.

I will have been bf for 4 weeks soon so don't want to give up as I have suffered for this long and it must be due to get easier soon!!!

OP posts:

lovebunny · 14/04/2012 22:13

you're nearly there. the pain disappears between three and four weeks.

ice on the nipples before latching on to deaden the pain.
keep clothes off as much as possible, expose breasts/nipples to light and air. if you can manage to find a bit of sunlight (only a minute or two, not enough to burn) that helps.
lots of cushions or pillows on your lap and under your arms to make sure your baby is high up to the nipple and only has to turn the head to feed, not pull.
sit with your back straight, don't lean over.
feed from the 'worst' nipple first. check the nipple before it goes in and when it comes out - you'll be surprised how much better it looks after.

the football position, or any other variant, is a good suggestion.
you will know if baby is latched on properly because her ears will wiggle when she sucks -honest! she might also glug a bit!

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