need advice really bad!!

[rabzz]

Hello.. My baby is 4 weeks old now and she is a happy healthy baby being breastfed. But my breasts have been sore for more than 3 weeks now and feeding is agony. I have consulted the gp and midwives and everyone says that she is latching on beautifully. I am also applying breast milk and lanolin cream but nothing seems to help. the situation is getting only worse. please please tell me what i can do to improve the situation as i really want to breastfeed but it is really painful!!

you need to see a properly qualified breastfeeding counsellor. lovely as many gps and midwives are they don't really have a lot of breastfeeding training and aren't best placed to help you.

where (roughly) in the country are you? do you have a local LLL group you could visit?

I assume your nipples are the sorest bits? I had this in the first few weeks, well I'm only about 4 weeks in too and still tender now - getting help with the latch as the pp said is key I think and really helped me. Also, sadly, I think the old nipples just need time to 'toughen up', they just haven't been used in this way before! I had real nail biting pain though and sounds like you do to - this was definitely latch related. I have a local breastfeeding peer support line I can call and weekday clinics (nhs funded) - could you ask you hv/midwife about whether there is the same in your area?

Sorry to hear that! You are doing great!

Nipples sometimes take time to wear in. Mine did! I guess though it's not thrush? I had that and it was agony! Canisten 2% Cream really helped but I had to have oral tablets to get rid of it.

Are your nipples cracked, raw and bleeding? If so its probably latch related. If the nipples and internal (sort of) nipple are is 'burning' after a feed it may be thrush. I have it now with my four week dd. Take a look at your dc's mouth, if its covered in a thick-ish white material it could be oral thrush in your baby. Try rubbing a bit off and see if the tongue is red/raw underneath. Again sign of thrush. Other signs are pulling off the nipple during feed (as its uncomfortable). If it is thrush you and baby need treatment. My bubba is given an oral suspension and I am using cream.

If not thrush you should continue to work on your latch, it should not be painful when baby is on but let-down of milk can be painful and the sucking can be quite powerful but should not cause pain as such.

Hope you get it sorted soon, in the mean time hang in there!

thank you everyone for your advice. @bundaberg i am in london, newmalden. i will definitely ask around for some professional help.. @Snuppeline there is a burning after feeding and my baby is uncomfortable when on breast but the doc said i dont have thrush. i should get checked again i think.
i guess its a wait and see situation..

have a look on here am sure there are plenty in London :)

Thanks Bundaberg :)