I'm in agony

[GirlWithTheMouseyHair]

DD is 8months and we live abroad, just spent a month back in UK which has buggered up a reasonable feeding/sleeping schedule somewhat. She now feeds to sleep for every nap and bedtime, wakes before I even manage to organise a dreamfeed (which we used to give as formula but she's started refusing bottles) and will wake at least once more in the night, normally twice. Pretty sure she's not hungry as she'll feed for 5-10mins but effectively be asleep within minutes.

The flight on Saturday was 11hours long and I think I fed her about 5times due to take off, landing, getting her to sleep, dehydration etc. My nipples are raw and I'm in so much pain. DH successfully got her to tak a bottle at bedtime but it didn't send her to sleep, neither did rocking, singing etc. Eventualy I caved and fed her - but my boobs need a break!

I just need to sort out this mess. Jetlag seems to be practically over now. I've no idea when she actually wants BF because she feeds to sleep, sometimes for only 2mins. I'm in a bit of a scheduling mess which wouldn't bother me if it weren't for being in so much pain and desperately needing more sleep than she's giving me.

Any ideas?! Apart from putting on a 10inch layer of lansinoh...

It sounds like the 8 month sleep regression - both mine had it, in fact DD2 is still getting back to normal hence 4am post.

It's horrible but I found it helped me to have an explanation for why everything had gone pear-shaped.

I don't think there is anything in particular you can do but I found that with all sleep regressions they go back to normal at some stage - after days or weeks, it depends.

Get the Lansinoh on, nap when you can and hope it doesn't take too long - you have my sympathies.

Thanks for the response, am on west coast America so used to not hearing anything for a whole, thanks for responding.

Ugh just hurts so much, I ended up giving up breast feeding DS and am not ready to give up with DD for the same reasons

If you've got painful nipples then getting some one to check the latch, will probably help. even most problems in older babies are often down to latch. Do you have a local LLL group? They are a lot around in the US.

I'm sure I remember reading (prob on here) that this can be common around this age - I think poss due to teething and/or baby's mouth shape/size changing? Haven't had it myself but think it's not uncommon so agree maybe slight change in latch would help and LLL would advise.

Hope you get it sorted soon and also hope sleep sorts itself out, I really sympathise.

Argh now my nipples are bleeding. This is exactly what happened with DS. There's a lactation "shop" not far away, will head there tomorrow when DS is in school

Oh you poor thing.

Make sure you take some painkillers every 4 hours (paracetamol and ibruprofen) it'll take the edge off the pain.

Can you express milk for a feed or two to give nipple a break? If dd is now back to taking a bottle?

I agree with other poster re: sleep regression. 8 months I recall being difficult. So fussy, on/off breasts, nap times all over the place when previously ok. And with travelling/jet lag, it's probably just thrown her.

Could you increase solid food eg snacks to ease milk feeds temporarily? I know milk is main source of nutrition but it might help if she's full off solids and offered water (in the mean time express milk at times you'd normally feed)

I'm sure you are doing the best you can. Just take one day at a time and try not think of the next feed until you need to do it (& count to 20 whilst your feet hit the ceiling!)

Hope some of this help

Really helpful, thank you - hasn't even thought of taking painkillers!! Idiot...

Because I feed her to sleep I have that issue though, so 2 naps + bedtime + night wakings mean I'm having to feed her. But will get DH to keep trying bottle at bedtime in the hope she'll then take it from me in the day (she point blank refuses at the moment), lots of "issues" to deal with once jetlag is def over, just need some help getting through it in the meantime. Can't be a relaxing feed for her when I'm tense and wincing and sometimes crying out.

Off to take some paracetamol, we happen to have a paedetrician check up tomorrow so will ask her advice too

I don't know if you can get it where you are but I found Vaseline with aloe Vera amazingly soothing.