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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

How did you get through the first few days of breast feeding?

37 replies

RedPony · 11/07/2014 08:16

I have been ebf since baby was born on Tuesday night. The midwife said he has a beautiful latch and had no worries about his feeding when she sent us home yesterday but he sucks so hard my nipple are really sore with blisters on the end! I had to send DP out to get some formula last sight to feed him from a cup as I couldn't bear anything touching my nipple. Is there any way to avoid this? I have the community midwife coming out today but would really appreciate any hints or tips anyone has to make it bearable to feed. Thanks :)

OP posts:

MildDrPepperAddiction · 11/07/2014 23:40

Good luck op. Persevere, it does get easier. Dd2 is 16 days old and like you I was in agony at the start but after a few days it all just clicks and it's no longer (as) painful!

SingSongSlummy · 11/07/2014 23:46

Well done OP. It gets better after a couple of Wells, but do double check the latch. If the Lansinoh isn't doing it for you, I found Bio Femme cream and compresses were amazing. You can get them in Boots and you can wear the compresses in your bra all the time - they were brilliant. Good luck and I promise it gets better.

SingSongSlummy · 11/07/2014 23:46

'Weeks' not 'wells'

Robo2013 · 12/07/2014 00:04

I used lansinoh nipple cream too and like others said, after a while it got easier. I found expressing once a day gave me a good gap from feeding and was less painful. Occasional top up with formula also helped couple times a week. Good luck, I remember how hard it was and how stressed it made me :0)

Original poster

RedPony · 12/07/2014 00:12

Thanks sing I think I will definately try the compress too. He just finished a whole feed and it was only painfull when he first latched. I was dreading putting him onto my right side as I have two huge blisters but it was actually less painfull that side. Next feed is between 3 and 4 so hopefully I can manage that one too :)

OP posts:

westcountrywoman · 12/07/2014 06:36

It WILL get better, I promise. With both of mine it hurt like hell for about a week while my nipples toughened up. DD (my first) had tongue tie which no-one would snip, which didn't help, but DS was a perfect feeder and it still was sore in the early days.
Not wanting to scare you, but just so you're aware, both my DC started vomiting a bit of MY blood after about 4/5 days. I couldn't see my nipples bleeding (in spite of the big flapping blisters) so it was from "inside" but it was a bit of a fright when DD puked lumpy brown stuff (all over MILs cashmere sweater - ha ha)!
If EBF is your plan, try your hardest to BF for as many feeds as poss as if you miss feeds now, your milk production may be affected. Lansinoh is one of the few creams that are safe to leave on while baby is feeding so slap it on!

dobedobedo · 12/07/2014 07:28

I have no idea how I got through it really. It's a blur of milk, tears, blood and pain so bad I couldn't talk through it. There were even screams and plenty of swearing.

Ds2 is now 8 weeks old and ebf and it's a piece of cake!

When it was so difficult and agonising at the start I just kept telling myself that it was just about to get so easy and be worth all the torture effort. Ds2 had tongue tie which most of the midwives etc disagreed with me over, but I stuck to my guns and caused a fuss and lo and behold, the tt specialist at the hospital (was like trying to see the wizard of Oz!) identified it immediately and snipped it. Feeding got quicker and better immediately.

Be careful with supplementing too much in case it screws with your supply. If the pain only lasts for the start of a feed, that's a good sign.

Honestly, the great part of breastfeeding is just around the corner and it will be worth all of this. Not having to get out of bed or even be very awake to do night feeds is so much easier than the alternative.

It is hard though and I sympathise with you. Had I not bf ds1 (easily) there is no way on earth I would have carried on bfing ds2. The right support and the ability to swear your way through the initial early days pain is crucial!

SingSongSlummy · 12/07/2014 14:45

Sounds like you're doing brilliantly. If you can make it past the first minute or so, it usually stops hurting!

RedCountryRoads · 12/07/2014 17:40

My DD is 5 weeks old. I've had bleeding, scabs and two lots of mastitis so far. Its been hell.

How I've got through it is swearing at every latch, rubbing expressed milk on my nipples and letting them air dry as much as possible.
I also expressed once every few days as she takes from a bottle to give my nipples a break.
it still hurts sometimes when she latches but nowhere near as much as it did.
I still can't let the shower stream hit them though. Ouch!

pickledpumpkin · 12/07/2014 23:33

Agree with lansinoh, and loads of it. Breastfeeding at the beginning is hell and I had cracked and blistered nips for the first 6 weeks,despite various midwives and breastfeeding support people telling me the latch was fine. I got through it by feeding off the least painful side and expressing off the other and alternating feeds boob/bottle. No probs for us with nipple confusion as i was warned might happen and gradually the pain went.Hang on in there as it is so worth it!

Original poster

RedPony · 13/07/2014 05:40

Thanks for all the support :) since my milk has come in Ds has had trouble latching and staying on and my boobs have been really painfull. DP went out and bought a pump yesterday and I have pumped and bottle fed the last 4 feeds. He hasn't had any formula at all since Friday evening, we're just using my milk now it's in and I think DP is actually loving the fact that he can give Ds a feed too.
I think I might have mastitis though :( I have a huge painfull lump the size of a tennis ball in my armpit, I feel like crap and my boobs feel like they are on fire. The midwife is still coming out daily as I had pre eclampsia befor rhe birth so will get her to check when she comes out this morning.

OP posts:

JuniorMint · 13/07/2014 06:08

Loads and loads of lansinoh smothered on, cried and clenched teeth, warm baths and massaging boobs under the water, eating cake, chatting to other bf mums going through the same thing so I knew it was normal (most peplr had found that midwives/doctors/health visitors/NCT teacher had said "if it hurts then your latch is wrong", which got people worried they were doing it wrong- errr no, it just bloody hurts while you get used to it!!).

I read something that said in pre-historic societies when we evolved, people didn't wear clothes the way we do now- women's nipples would be out in the sun and rain all day long and would be tough. Nowadays your nipples go straight from the shower to a protective bra, and are very soft and sensitive!

It gets better!! I wondered what people were on about when they said bf was good for bonding as I was too busy screwing my face up in pain to gaze at my newborn with love, but DD is 10 weeks now, and I don't even use lansinoh any more, and love the closeness not to mention the ease of whacking a boob out whenever and wherever needed.

Good luck!

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