I really want to breastfeed for longer

[Dolallytats]

I am currently 9+2 weeks pregnant with baby No3 and am already thinking about hw much I really want to breastfeed this one. Don't get me wrong, I did breastfeed my other two, but only lasted a few weeks each time because my nipples were so painful. Stopping when I did has been a decision that I have always felt a bit sad about.
I really, really want to breastfeed for longer (I don't have a timeframe in mind, just for months rather than weeks!!) and could really do with some advice.

The reason I stopped the other two times was because my nipples were so sore that I would cry just at the thought of my babies going anywhere near them and I had to go around topless most of the time as I couldn't bear anything near them.

Is there anything I can do to prepare my breasts or anything I can do to ease/stop this.

This is our last baby and I really want to do this. Thanks for any replies!!

My nipples were sore for a COUPLE of weeks both times, but then totally fine till teeth came in, but we got over that too.

It might be a good idea to get a proper breastfeeding counsellor to check the latch, rather than just a midwife, who were lovely but too busy to help when I my two were born in hospital. It was the BF counsellors who sorted me out first time round so well that I didn't need any help second time. You have to make sure the whole nipple is in the baby's mouth and not just the end of it.

Do everything you can to get the latch right (join local LLL if you have time, get phone numbers for bf counsellors, read & reaserch etc) and keep taking baby off and re-latching as many times as it takes. And, yes, that means at 3am when he/she is screaming and waking his/her siblings!

Invest in a set of breast shells and sports-bra type top to avoid going topless all day.

Check for tongue tie (and keep hassling for a second opinion if you suspect it) and if you have flat or less than perky nipples consider using a manual pump for 30 or do seconds before each feed to bring them out a bit (you'll only have to do this whilst baby is tiny, I needed to do this for the first 3 weeks)

I failed to feed my first but managed to feed my next and I can't describe how good it felt to get through the early weeks and to a stage where it was easy and enjoyable.

Sending you lots of luck (and don't beat yourself up too much if it doesn't work, although I know how hard that can be)

Yep, getting latch checked is number 1 priority, and baby checked for tongue tie. Also if you have an initial soreness phase (and you won't necessarily ave even that if everything's set up right) lots of lansinoh after each feed!

One more thing that worked for me, although I don't believe it's the recommended advice: I offered my second baby the breast every 2-2.5 hours during the daytime. Even when that meant waking her. This seemed to prevent her getting over hungry and help her to be a little more patient whilst I struggled to get the latch right.

YY to checking your latch when baby is here. You could also look into different positions as that can help. As to doing anything now there isn't anything. It is the poor latch which makes the nipple rub against the roof of baby's mouth which makes you sore. Get in touch with some breastfeeding peer supporters before birth so you can talk through positioning and attachment. Make sure you can get their help after birth as well

Thank you all so much for the advice. It really is good to get as much info as possible before the baby comes along!! I shall have a look at LLL and see what breastfeeding support there is in my area. I really hope I can get the hang of it this time, I always feel a little pang of jealousy when I see people breastfeeding with apparent ease-although I realise it may not have been easy for them!!

Thank you again.

Check out local BF groups and peer supporters in your area - if possible get in touch with one before the baby is here so they can come and advise on latch/positions etc. Invest in Lansinoh cream - heaven! I also had breast shells I wore at night under my bra to let air get to the nipples without waiving them around - letting them air does help the healing/toughening up process. Good luck and hope all goes well for you.

I was petrified of the hospital midwives and pretended I'd cracked breastfeeding so they would leave me alone and let me go home with my baby so I could figure it out for myself.

My nipples were like serrano ham for the first few days and I was in agony from the pain. Lansinoh saved me. That and remembering the mantra: "nose to nipple, tummy to mummy" - thanks to it I finally got the latch right and it was pretty plain sailing from then on.

Good luck with it and hope you have a great pregnancy.

Definitely have the latch checked. The difference is amazing once the latch is right. Lansinoh after every feed. Beforehand as well if needed. You'll hopefully build up a tolerance and go a whole day without... just apply before bed. I also found that breast pads made nipples incredibly painful so I only let the skin have contact with the material of the bra (not a great deal of leakage luckily).

Oh yeah - Lansinoh does make the material of the bra a bit mucky. Applying dishwashing liquid and handwashing a little before chucking them in the machine works miracles.

i used Lansinoh + breast pads to save my bras/clothes! i didn't ever leak so at least i had a use for them.

nothing else useful to add, but you seem to have had lots of good advice.
:)

Thank you all so much. I shall make sure I stock up on Lansinoh and see what breastfeeding support is in my area. I know it's early days yet, but I am really lookng forward to getting it right this time!!