Hi
I've been hanging on grimly waiting for the pain to ease and bf to feel comfortable or at least not painful for the last while, but it just doesn't show any signs of letting up!
The first cluster feeding stage was agony but I thought once I'd got through that, the rest would be manageable. Now I'm six weeks in and although I seem to have lots of milk, I'm regularly topping up with one or two formula feeds in the evening because my boobs are too sore to feed from and I can't express fast enough to fill him (I probably could express more but I'd also like to shower/sleep/feed myself, and I don't usually know yet if he's going to sleep for a few hours or demand to be fed in one hour).
Please help! I'd like to keep going and eventually drop the formula altogether. The problems: Although there's brief pain while latching on, it's not usually uncomfortable while feeding, unless he starts messing about - changing his grip mid-feed and letting go of the breast and clamping down on my nipple. But he does tend to clamp on the nipple and twist his head away at the end of a feed, which bloody hurts. I've tried pulling his face into my breast to make him release the nipple to breathe, but I think he's still too young to understand the connection between nose and mouth and breathing!
It doesn't help that he feeds like a madman, very enthusiastically. After feeding, my nipples go white within a few minutes, and then sting. And I get sharp pains shooting through my breasts after he has fed, through the next three hours or so til he wants to feed again. If I express on one side but feed on the other, only the fed side will hurt. I've tried expressing only on days when there's been too much nipple trauma, but although I can pump almost 20 ozs, I'm just not fast enough to keep up with demand! My skin is very pale and sensitive, and I'm finding it very tough going.
I want to continue, I do love looking down at him and seeing how contented he is, but I'm so fed up of constant soreness. I'd heard that by six weeks it should have significantly changed for the better, but it hasn't and I don't want to resent the time spent on painful feeds when I could be enjoying him. I don't want to groan and dread it every time he's hungry sooner than expected, or beg DH to take him and occupy him so I can express while he cries because I can't bear to inflict him on my nipples again, though the guilt kills me and DH looks reproachfully at me.
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Infant feeding
DS is 6 weeks and the pain isn't stopping
FlatFacedArmy · 15/11/2012 09:46
Thank you all!
Went to the bf cafe this morning with a lactation consultant, a MW and a Trainee MW.
They agreed it was either thrush or vasospasm. He latched on perfectly while I was there, nursed beautifully and fell asleep all milk-drunk and happy. They said positioning was great, latch fine, I demonstrated a few holds (no problem feeding rugby hold, cross body or lying down, though I usually prefer the last two). Everything perfect until a few minutes after bf, then the burning feeling and nipple blanching started.
The MW wrote out a comprehensive thrush treatment to ask the GP for (mother and baby), and I'm going to give that a shot. I've passed my six weeks target, next one is 8 weeks, so plenty of time to try it out and hope it improves....
...and if it doesn't, it's vasospasm. The only thing you can do is "keep warm", (there are some medications but they're not approved for BFing) but winter is coming and I've a draughty flat - life's too short, so I can move on knowing I've done as much as can be expected of me.
I feel so much happier having a plan! Thank you so much for all your support and suggestions; I've really appreciated all your comments. 
if you've got to "keep warm", then there are a few options.
I wear a big cardy and a long-sleeved teeshirt for easy access for feeding.
many MNers have extra vests that they go one up, one down to keep the belly covered.
there are ways where you can feed making only the boob exposed 
at all other times, you can keep warm by wearing layers, rather than thick clothes - it works better because the "holes" in the weave/knit overlap, so it is more insulating.
so wear winter tights under trousers, wear two pairs of socks (and yes, wear socks with the tights) and slippers, and vest-for-downwards, vest for upwards, long sleeved teeshirt (or blouse if you prefer to open it because it makes less bulk under the armpit), cardy, two cardies if you want to. fingerless gloves are useful.
if your flat is draughty, then make a huddle round where you normally sit - blankets and cushions around your settee, so that you don't get draughts around you.
plug any draughts in doors and windows by either rolling up old towels, or make draught excluders by stuffing old tights with newspaper and putting them over the gap.
(windowsills etc)
keep curtains closed in rooms you're not using. (unless it's a really sunny day)
keep as many doors closed as you can.
when you've used the cooker, leave the door open as it's cooling down.
there are loads of people on here who suffer from Raynauds, so shout for advice :)
I'm not having any luck... 
Due to see the GP tomorrow morning and was at a wedding away this weekend, where I have been EBF (less hassle than sterilising everything in a venue you're not sure about!) but may not have packed enough breast pads to change them after EVERY feed, and tried to eke them out a bit. Big mistake...
... Got home tonight and noticed on the last leg of the journey that my left breast felt sore in a different way - sort of lumpy and uncomfortable as well as the usual burning - and idly wondered if it might be a blocked milk duct or something...
Unpeeled my bra for the last feed of the night just now and saw the telltale red rash on the upper quadrant. Mastitis. On top of everything else.
Not really asking for help, just needed to whinge to someone. Feel like crying and looking for hugs but it's not something you can just announce and look for sympathy for in RL, is it?
UPDATE
Went to the GP on Monday... Mastitis now cleared thankfully (was early stages but came from the inside rather than an external infection so turned out to be blockage rather than anything i did with breastpads!) and it went away by itself after some massaging and expressing, quite quickly.
I had/have vasospasm. The GP prescribed a drug called nifedipine and the difference is amazing! The first day there was such a dramatic improvement I half wondered if I was imagining my original symptoms, until the drug wore off and they returned. The sensitivity is almost completely gone, and the sense of freedom is wonderful. It has given me such confidence about breastfeeding, I have no anxieties about whipping out a boob whenever baby needs it and we are both so much happier for it.
There are downsides, like the vicious headache that is a known side effect, and that the once-a-day slow release capsule doesn't last exactly 24 hours, so the last feed is painful again! The headache makes me grumpy and tired but overall I'm so much happier on it.
So Polly and bringonthetrumpets you were right, and nickelrocket your specific advice and experience was very helpful, particularly your list of suggestions - much more inspiring than the generic "keep warm" advice. HelloBear yes I do have a fast let down which makes DS clamp down, it takes a few tries to latch him sometime because its too much for him and he lets go (and gets sprayed in the face!) it didn't help when combined with very sensitive breasts from the vasospasm!
Thank you ALL once again for your support, I genuinely am very grateful to you for your comments. Feel the love!
Very un-MNetty xoxoxoxox to you all!
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