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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Ow ow ow! I've forgotten, is this normal?

15 replies

Misty9 · 20/04/2014 10:53

I had my bundle of loveliness on Friday and she's already loving the boob - but it is toe curlingly painful to feed. It's getting worse and my nips feel like they're on fire in between feeds too. Using lansinoh and air drying, but is this just par for the course? My milk hasn't come in yet.

I ask because with ds we had awful traumas with bf until he was 11wo or so and I couldn't do that again. He was tt though and dd definitely isn't and has already figured out the boob a lot quicker than her brother did. Her latch looks good too.

Trying to delay the next feed! Shock

OP posts:
rachyconks · 20/04/2014 11:01

Normal ime. With my DD my nipples were basically hanging off by day three, but better by day 5/6. With DS born last Friday it has been the same, but has taken longer to heal and there is still a bit of tenderness when he first latches. Plenty of lansinoh and air drying. Also vitamin e capsules broken open and the oil rubbed on - leave on between feeds but rub off before feeding. You can buy them in Holland & Barrett.

crikeybadger · 20/04/2014 12:51

If it's not getting any better and you feel like you're boobs are on fire between feeds then I'd suggest you seek more help as something might need adjusting.

Are you confident in the person that checked for tongue tie?

Perhaps you could check with your midwife, you shouldn't have to put up with pain like this.

PurplePidjin · 20/04/2014 13:04

Count to 60 at the start of each feed. If it hasn't gone but then, get checked for thrush and/or a tongue tie (you might have to keep asking about tt they can be hard to spot)

You can take paracetomol too, might be worth a go at the start of the evening cluster feed? You're allowed Ibuprofen too but I think it might cause slight supply issues so probably worth looking into before you try

Congratulations Thanks

www.kellymom.com

Lucked · 20/04/2014 13:08

For me normal but it didn't get as bad or last as long second time as with DC1 but he had tongue tie and wrecked my nipples.

Deep breathing during the first minute or so for me.

Littlef00t · 20/04/2014 15:56

Yep, was convinced I had incorrect latch as so painful for entirety of feed. Gradually reduced how long sore for, from whole feed to first minute til latching only and now not at all. Took about a month but hardly sore from about 2 weeks.

LittleMachine · 21/04/2014 14:11

I was expecting it to be pretty much painless second time round! I was wrong, the first week was hard going. Day 4 was my worst, I was hugely engorged, my nipples were so painful, especially when he latched. I could see the latch was fine, but I was shaking and sweating with every feed, almost vomited during some feeds, and gave in to nipple shields in the evening.
The next day things were a little better and now at 3 weeks everything is absolutely fine, not even any pain on let down or latch and I rarely get engorged.
It will get better really soon.

Original poster
Misty9 · 21/04/2014 16:43

Thanks for the replies, I've got the midwife coming round later to give me some advice/support as last night was awful :( my milk came in and dd fed from 2-5am on and off. I think my left nipple is cracked now - it's also slightly flat which complicates things further. It's encouraging to hear others have experienced extreme pain and gone on to feed pain free relatively quickly. I had such trauma with ds that I always swore I wouldn't go through the same thing again and thus was (am?) close to chucking in the towel this time round.

We're also questioning whether she might have a tt after all - my nipples are coming out lipstick shaped and she has possibly got a heart shaped tongue when sticking it out. Hopefully the midwife will check it out later.

Gritting my teeth and continuing for now...

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PurplePidjin · 21/04/2014 18:39

Misty this is the really hard part and you're doing fabulously well, no matter what choices you make later/tomorrow.

Feeding between 2 and 5 is normal, it's when the hormones regulating milk production are at a peak, and will actually help her learn to distinguish day from night faster. It will also help you have a good supply in general. www.kellymom.com has some brilliant stuff if you fancy a read and some reassurance. Ds is down for the night if you want me to google helpline numbers for you.

IMO breastfeeding is nature's way of getting Mums to sit down and heal after birth. Not easy with an older one to run round after too, but a few weeks of beans on toast on a hastily washed plate won't hurt Thanks

thank God for CBeebies

Original poster
Misty9 · 21/04/2014 20:05

Aww, thank you purple yes, the 2-5am feeding is par for the course I know - it was more the pain getting me down.

So the midwife was quite supportive; dd possibly has a slight posterior tt, but having watched me feed she's confident that the pain I'm experiencing is normal and nothing sinister. Combination of milk coming in and sore nipples. Which did actually help as I will now just grit my teeth through this phase and hope it passes quickly!

One interesting comment she made was that my nips are quite, um, large Blush so that might explain why they're getting compressed a bit and why I question whether dd is opening her mouth enough (she is).

It still hurts like razor blades, but here's hoping that fades.

OP posts:
Original poster
Misty9 · 21/04/2014 20:09

Oh, and thank god for peppa pig Grin

OP posts:
PurplePidjin · 21/04/2014 20:34

She'll grow fast - ds was a weeny 6lb3 at birth (dropped to 5lb15 then regained) and had a tiny mouth. As his mouth got bigger the latch naturally improved, although hour long feeds were pretty normal for us until he was about 4 months and got stronger.

How did breastfeeding Mums cope before TV and WiFi? I'd have given up through sheer boredom without a tablet computer on the long night feeds, or simply dropped ds when I fell asleep Blush

crikeybadger · 21/04/2014 21:00

Misty, you're being too stoic about the pain....if you had a stone in your shoe you would get rid of it wouldn't you? If your nipple is coming out lipstick shaped then something is not quite right with the latch. That could be down to the tt....it doesn't matter how slight it so deemed to be, if it's affecting feeding then it should be looked in to further.

Sorry to rant a bit but
I don't like to see mums fobbed off when they are in pain.Thanks

PurplePidjin · 22/04/2014 12:22

How are things today Misty?

Original poster
Misty9 · 22/04/2014 22:03

Hi purple, a lot better thanks. The pain is the same but psychologically I feel more positive and that seems to make a big difference. Had day 4 visit and a different midwife has said latch etc looks great. She's also only lost 2% so is definitely getting enough!

Good job I feel better as this one is a cluster feeder, unlike her brother. Up most night and every 1-2hrs during day too! Feeding lying down is my saviour :)
Right, she's finished for now so I better get some sleep.

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PurplePidjin · 22/04/2014 22:07

Milk comes in on about day 4 so your hormones may well be a bit haywire things should look brighter in general from now on :) (if they don't, or at least for more than the occasional patch, talk to a HCP you can trust)

The more you feed now, the more glands (?) will develop so your supply later will be bigger. IIRC Confused

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