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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

What am I doing wrong?

17 replies

Jasnem · 08/04/2006 10:42

I'm breast feeding my third child after no significant problems with the first two. He's six weeks old and feeding is still painful.
Normally I am getting painful let down which doesn't last too long, and was getting nipple pain, which was due to him not latching very well. I think I have sorted this now.

For the second time in 2 weeks now I have got a very painful engorged breast, (was right first, now left).I am feeding on the painful side as much as possible, but not getting any relief/"empty" feeling. I saw gp last week and she examined me and said not mastitis (no redness, heat , or other symptoms) just very engorged, and to keep feeding. Is there anything else I could/should be doing to help?

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JoolsToo · 08/04/2006 10:55

doesn't look like many of the knowledgeable ones are around this morning Jasnem and I haven't a clue what to advise but you might get some help from some of these web \link{http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=breastfeeding+painful+engorged+breast&meta=\pages}

spidermama · 08/04/2006 10:59

I don't recognise this either I'm afraid Jasnem. I only know about thrush inside the ducts. That hurts like mad and I had it for the first time with ds4 having fed my three others with no problems.
So I feel for you.
kellymom is a good site for breastfeeding.
So is \link{http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/\The Breastfeeding Network} and they'll put you in touch with a counsellor in your area you can talk to.

Also La Leche League would be able to help. These women know far more than any doctors I've come across.

Good luck with this.

morocco · 08/04/2006 11:01

I'm no expert at all I'm afraid. Does he seem to bf differently from your other two? You mentioned painful nips and painful let down - is there any possibility that you or he have thrush? When I had that, it hurt so much when ds latched on, then settled down during the feed but it was afterwards that my breasts really really hurt for ages. Does that sound at all familiar? It made me feed ds less often and I think I had less letdown as well because of the pain
Just a thought

Original poster

Jasnem · 08/04/2006 11:11

Thankyou for replying.

I've got phone nos for LLL and ABM, but I start crying every time I pick up the phone
Willtry later.

I'm working my way through the pages you've linked to but so far they all talk about it in the first week, not this far in...

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Original poster

Jasnem · 08/04/2006 11:12

I did ask about thrush - hv and gp both said no.

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morocco · 08/04/2006 11:16

hiya
bless! don't cry - the bf guys at LLL are really fab - phone up and they'll be great. It was them who spotted my thrush - both gp and hv had ignored it - in fact, gp had even diagnosed mastitis which even I knew it wasn't as symptoms didn't match at all.
It'll all get sorted so quickly - don't worry

mears · 08/04/2006 11:30

Jasnem - has he got a tongue-tie by any chance? Since he is feeding differently from your other two, it may be that he has this. When he cried, does his tongue look heart shaped with skin attached to the end ot it? Definately worth contacting a breastfeeding counsellor in your area. You need help from someone with expert knowledge close at hand. - it can be sorted.
In the mean time you could use cabbage leaves to help engorgement. You could also express milk off for comfort if it is that the breat is not being emptied properly. The converse is that it is being over stimulated and therefore you are over producing. That is why you need expert help to diagnose problem before it can be corrected. As you are sore, you will find that Bfufen (Ibuprofen) will help. The packet says not suitable for breastfeeding but it is. It is an anti-inflammatory which will definately help. It is recommended for use in mastitis.

Original poster

Jasnem · 08/04/2006 11:40

Tongue tie description doesn't really sound right. His tongue looks ok to me.

I've spoken to bf counsellor, who has also suggested ductal thrush (when I mentioned it to hv last time se'd never heard of it.) She's sending me info to take to dr with me, along with other info.

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tiktok · 08/04/2006 11:40

Jasnem, you do need to talk to someone who knows what's what - any of the four (yes!) telephone helplines will manage this, though bear in mind they are (wo)manned by volunteers and you may not get through to a real person straight away.

All the suggestions so far are worthwhile. I also wonder if you have a tendency to oversupply. Other signs of this would be a baby who gains weight like the clappers (say more than half a pound every week), and who sometimes seems overwhelmed by let down.

Post back with more details if you can.

morocco · 08/04/2006 11:44

that's great that the bf consellor is on the case!
can she come out to visit and see you bf in case it is a problem with tongue tie, position or anything like that?
I also took that leaflet to docs, he laughed at it and was pretty awful about self diagnosing patients (sorry, I just thought it might be wise to be prepared!) but gave me the meds to shut me up, as he admitted in so many words. anyway, it didn't matter because it worked and a week or so later, I could bf ds with no problems at all

Original poster

Jasnem · 08/04/2006 11:45

Baby is certainly piling on weight- didn't lose any after birth and went from 7.13 to 11.07 in 5 weeks. Both my dds were similar in weight gain though. Doesn't seem over whelmed by let down. I don't leak at all (few drops from other side when feeding only) and find it extremely difficult to express.

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spidermama · 08/04/2006 11:46

Thrush of the ducts is little known in the medical establishment and very hard to diagnose. It wouldn't make you engorged though, unless the baby wasn't feeding properly because he has a painful mouth.

I sobbed on the phone to a bf counseller and she was great. I expect they're used to it.

I'm very sad for you. It's so draining isn't it?
Sorry if I'm barking up the wrong tree but I'm sending you a good link on thrush just in case it is thrush. This recognises how hard it is to diagnose if it's inside the ducts.

\link{http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/search/index.php?search=thrush&mode=phrase\Here's the thrush page for the BF Network}.

tiktok · 08/04/2006 12:23

Jasnem, it really doesn't sound like thrush to me - not at all. But maybe the bfc you talked to has got more information from you.

That is a big weight gain - I think you are probably making a generous abundance of milk for your baby, and while he can cope with it just great, your breasts are having a hard time.

Stick with the bfc and ask her about this. It may be that going over to one-sided feeding (see archives) might help (bear in mind you may need to hand express on the unused side for comfort at first) will manage this a bit better. But see what the bfc says.

Original poster

Jasnem · 08/04/2006 12:37

tiktok - I may be being dense, but san't get aything in archives on one-sided feeding!
I have only ever fed from one side at each feed, and try to alternate at each feed. I usually feed him every 2-3 hours in the day , and the longest he's gone at night is 5 hours (twice). Is this what you meant?

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JoolsToo · 08/04/2006 12:40

archives are 'down' I believe

tiktok · 08/04/2006 12:51

One sided feeding is only using one side every 4-6 hours, so this might mean two, three or four or more feeds on the same breast.

More details in the archives, though, sorry can't help more as have to go out.

Original poster

Jasnem · 08/04/2006 20:27

Thanks everyone,
I had a hot bath and managed to express a little, then as the evening has gone on, it's feeling better. I'm thinking I'm just overproducing, so hopefully it will get easier. (Also helps that I got to go back to bed this afternoon and sleep)
bf counsellor has suggested more local support for me, so I'll follow it up and keep my fingers crossed.
Jasnem.

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