BFing lying down and shoulder pain

[hotfuzzra]

Looking for advice, I breastfeed and have experienced various problems and pains. Now the tongue tie is sorted and latch is improving I need to work on my positioning!
When lying down I have very painful shoulder ache on the side I'm lying/feeding on. I have tried arm stretched up, right angle upwards and right angle downwards (cuddling baby iyswim), a friend recommended the arm tucked back on itself under the pillow (hand under head) which didn't really improve. I haven't tried arm straight down as I imagine it'll block baby, or change the level of the breast.
Does anyone have advice/tips?

I get shoulder pain too. I put a pillow between my shoulder and my head and have my arm out free above baby's head. I can lean back a little bit then so the pressure isn't going right through the shoulder joint.

Only works with bigger breasts though I expect.

I sometimes wish arms were detachable. They really are a bother sometimes when breastfeeding in bed!

I find it more comfy with a pillow behind me. So, if feeding from left boob, lie in left side with left arm up and hand under my head, under a pillow. Then another pillow behind my back so that I can sort of lie back on it a little bit. If OH is in bed, then I get him to lie right up behind me and 'wedge' me. In fact he gets fed up of me whispering 'wedge me, wedge me!!'

I have the arm under his head, like a pillow.

I had this, I was propping myself up slightly without realising and making my muscles tired. I had to shift my shoulder back slightly so it was directly beneath my body and relax.

what tinker said.

also suffered with TT, had frozen shoulder before pregnancy and generally v achey.

It turned out I was tensing my muscles. In the early days I ended up with a pillow castle around me to wedge me right. I used to have bottom arm either straight up, under baby head (perhaps with baby on a pillow?) or just skimming top of baby head. The other arm I used to sort of drape over baby...! The older he got the easier I found it to lie back a bit more to take the pressure off.

(Sid LOL btw re "wedge me wedge me"!!)

Keep trying and try to sense your whole body to see if you can feel any tension.

Is the shoulder sore at any other times? if it is then suggest seeing GP/Physio as it might be something else, rather than just bf related.

best of luck

Thanks everyone, sorry for delay in responding but I've tried a few different things to see if there was an improvement. Last night I popped her blanket under my side and with the bit that came out boob side, I sort of folded it back on itself to raise my boob up a bit. I don't know if it was the boob level or a bit of blanket under me but it helped and I was very comfortable!
Happy feeding everyone!