Feeling so confused and frustrated with breast feeding problems

[Hotmad]

Just wondering what u lot mite think, I'm currently trying to breast feed my almost 3 week old baby. For last week it more it's become increasingly difficult to feed her, we did ok to start with, not perfectly but ok I thought.
Anyways, now when we feed it takes hours continuously as she fusses on breast and pulls off and cries and looks ravenous with hunger but can't seem to latch on my breasts. Now I think I have not normal nipples so it's harder for her. She's not windy or anything I almost sure. Breast feeding lady came today and said it was my latch and explained science an all that but I couldn't seem to do what she was saying, I feel like my boobs are misshaped and my tummy is too fat to hold her closely. She does poop and wee ok but feeding her is so stressful now which prob doesn't help, we do loads of skin to skin too. Breast feeding lady just said keep trying and that was that..... Felt like a lost cause.
I don't mind formula feeding but I have enjoyed the closeness of Breast feeding and also I want her to have good immunity.
I'm coping ok with new baby and sleep thing and all that but feeding times really upset me now. Sorry for rant there!

Also my main point is, I don't really want to stop but I feel like I been trying and I just can't do it

Hotmad, you are doing it! You're doing absolutely fine and nothing sounds to me to be particularly unusual (with the usual caveats that I'm not a hcp and don't know you personally!).

If she's pooing and weeing ok then she is getting enough bm. If the lactation consultant is happy to say keep going as well having observed then she must be happy that your baby is getting milk. Latch can improve over time as your baby grows and becomes a little larger and stronger. My best piece of advice that I found when struggling with bfeeding in the early days was to break the latch if it felt wrong and start again.

Have you found the Kellymom website yet - loads of evidence backed advice (very practical suggestions) about breastfeeding. There's stuff on there about the fussiness and the feeling of not having "enough" milk.

Did the breastfeeding woman check the baby for tongue tie? this can make it hard for the baby to latch properly, but it's easily fixed if your baby does have it,

A tip, you could look up the "hamburger" technique which is basically where you squish your boob to make it easier for baby to get a big mouthful of boob.

If it is because of your breast and nipple shape, it will get easier for your baby as she grows, because her mouth will get bigger and she'll learn to deal with it. so if you can hang on in there for a couple more weeks you might find a big difference.

Another thing is, babies have regular growth spurts and during those they often act as if they can't get enough and feed for hours - it's normal and it's the way they tell your boobs to produce more. if it's a growth spurt then this may pass in a week or so.

2-3 weeks old is classic growth spurt age where baby is trying to build your supply. If you felt it was going ok it probably is going ok, but I know myself it is so hard when you don't get enough sleep. Have a read of kellymom which i find is a wonderful resource (though quite badly laid out and i often have to use google to find info on it. Http:kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth-spurts/ here is some info on growth spurts, they always happen just when you think you are getting the hang of it ( look up wonder weeks too). It will get better but don't beat your self up if you want to give up, happy mum is better for baby - but it does sound like you are doing great and things should get better in a day or two.

I struggled with 'tummy in the way - not physically possible to hold the baby in the 'proper' position.'
I was then told by a lactation consultant that I trust all I need to do is position in between his eyes to the nipple and make him crane his head back to take the nipple in. It doesn't matter where his body is or from which angle he approaches. Pillow to support or not, either arm, lying down, in a sling, whatever works for each feed.
IME it got easier as his mouth got bigger. Hth