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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Only on day 3 of BFing and it hurts like hell. Please tell me this gets better

24 replies

Electroswing · 21/05/2015 05:10

I'm BFing my first baby. She isn't a cluster feeder - once every 4 hours or so - and she's getting milk just fine, so I know I should be thankful, but it just hurts so much! My nipples are so sore. Last night one of them started bleeding. I'm feeling panicky at the thought of feeds I spend the first 5 minutes of every feed swearing through gritted teeth.

I think her latch is ok as they kept us in at the hospital specially to check her feeding

I just can't see how they can get better when I have to do it all again every four hours

Please tell me they'll toughen up at some point and I'll be like my friends with older babies, who I see just pop them on and off without batting an eyelid

OP posts:

TheOriginalWinkly · 21/05/2015 05:19

Congratulations on your baby

BFing can be sore in the early days, but it shouldn't be that sore. Some thoughts: is she fully opening her mouth? (Google the 'flipple'). Has she been checked properly for tongue ties, by someone who knows what they're looking for? Are your nips getting to air dry then have Lansinoh applied? That's by far the fastest way to heal them.

(Also you probably don't want to hear this but you do need to be giving her at least 8 feeds a day, so feeding every 3 hours. Could you express from the less damaged side and tube/cup/spoon feed to give your boobs a break?)

CaramellaDeVille · 21/05/2015 05:23

Leaving aside the bleeding, I found breastfeeding extremely psinfuo to begin with first time around. It did get better very quickly though. Lansinoh helped a lot.

Do think you should get the latch looked at again if you're bleeding though. Good luck.

Mrscog · 21/05/2015 12:40

Firstly, it gets better. :)

Secondly, I think you need to get your latch checked again, the early days of breastfeeding may have some discomfort (I found my areola's felt a bit 'bruised' during feeds) but damage is a sign of a latch which could be improved.

Take as much ibuprofen/paracetamol (within the dose) as you can, use lansinoh and get in contact with your nearest bf support group.

Do you think your DD getting enough of your breast in her mouth? It's important for her to get lots in so that your nipple isn't compressed on her hard pallet (your nipple needs to be quite far back in their mouth).

PotteringAlong · 21/05/2015 12:44

Is there a breastfeeding group local to you you can get along to?

mrsmugoo · 21/05/2015 12:48

Has your milk come in yet? Because every 4 hours doesn't really sound frequent enough for a 3 day old? Your supply will be stimulated by feeding and you should be aiming for 8-12 feeds in 24 hours.

It definitely does get easier, but it may well get worse before it gets better as the cluster feeding will almost certainly start and go in until 3ish months.

Worth it though - hang on in there!

NewMumSept2014 · 21/05/2015 18:38

As others had said, BF was v painful at the start. I think I found it toe curlingly painful for about 2 or 3 weeks but after that it got much better. Your nipples have to harden up a bit. But absolutely get your latch checked again, I think a lot of my pain was caused by trauma from a bad latch the first few days, I don't remember having new bleeding after I got latch sorted.

Original poster

Electroswing · 22/05/2015 13:29

Thanks everyone, that's all really reassuring. Sorry not to have responded earlier, it's bloody busy here

I spoke to my MW about the feeding issues and she's checked baby's latch - it's fine. I think baby's just a fierce little sucker - she was weighed today and has only lost 3% of her weight 3 days after birth, guessing because she's feeding pretty well. My milk has now come in and the feeds have increased to one every 2 hours or so.

The MW recommended nipple shields as a temporary relief and they've worked really well. So feeling a lot less panicky about the situation getting unbearable. I'm also on the ibuprofen and lansinoh.

I can't wait for it to get less sore, and for my breasts to stop being so massive and hard!

OP posts:

rcast79 · 23/05/2015 21:29

Sounds like its going well. I found it very sore in the first two weeks but the nipples do toughen up so just keep doing what your doing, its worth it.

beth1987 · 23/05/2015 22:00

Hi,
Founnd it toe curling sore to start with, particularly one! At three weeks all about good. Keep on slapping cream on (you won't have to forever though!)

thehaggardmum · 27/05/2015 00:03

I have never experienced pain like the agony of breastfeeding in those early days... it was like being stabbed in the nipple repeatedly with broken glass. I used to panic after a feed was over, like there was a clock ticking above dd's head and every second was a second closer to the next bout of agonising pain.... I never would have believed that it could ever get better, but I had a major breakthrough around week 3... and by week 5 it was completely painless and has been ever since!

I think a strong suck could be the culprit (the midwife on the labour ward told me dd could "suck a tennis ball through a racket") but it definitely gets better and is totally worth it now for the hassle factor - no messing about sterilising or making up bottles in the night!

Hang on in there and good luck!

P.S. Lansinoh is your friend

imwithspud · 29/05/2015 07:01

Totally feel your pain, I'm on day 2 with dc2 and it friggin' hurts. Pain is normal to begin with(to an extent although it's always worth getting the latch checked), as your nipples need to toughen up a bit. I had the same with my first but it was worse as I had no idea how it was supposed to feel, she was also a strong sucker and it seems like this one is the same. I actually forgot how bad the pain can get, they don't really tell you about that part during pregnancy.

It does get better though! Give it a couple more weeks. For now air drying and lansinoh cream is the best thing for it.

TheEggityOddity · 29/05/2015 07:08

Oh god it is horrific at first, so bad. But if you can keep at it, scream when needed and cry and make it through with lasinoh it is totally painless. I had a hole on my nipple. Mine had tongue tie. Try football hold for a bit of relief.

Dansak · 29/05/2015 07:15

Yes no one tells you how much it can hurt at first, but totally normal.

Within 2 weeks the pain should go completely. I found counting to 30 really quickly when he first latched on, helped take my mind off the toe curling bit, by 30 the pain had stopped.

It will soon be a doddle and you won't give it a second thought. Congratulations on your baby

HoisinCrispyOwl · 29/05/2015 07:20

It gets better our latch was fine but latching on was very painful (sharp agonising) for a few days

5YearsTime · 29/05/2015 07:22

It's horrific. It's the hardest and most painful thing because it's spread out so you never get a break to recover. I'm on week nine now and one side is still a little sore but nothing in comparison to what it was like at the beginning were I had to breathe through it like a contraction and kick furniture. I quite like feeding now, especially on my good side.

If you are struggling keep asking for help, again and again. I'm going to go to a breastfeeding cafe next week to get someone to help me with my bad side and I'm much further down the line than you.

One thing that helped was looking after my boobs- decent nipple cream, breast pads, really comfy nursing bras (hot milk) and remembering that breastfeeding is a relationship and you both need to be happy with it.

SweepTheHalls · 29/05/2015 07:23

I found counting down from 10 helped. If it still hurt at 0 then I know we the latch wasn't right and would pop him off and reattach. It bloody hurts IMO to start with then all of a sudden I noticed that it hadn't been sore for a while. Good luck and congratulations

westcountrywoman · 29/05/2015 07:26

Congratulations! I found breastfeeding was like this for both my DCs for a week or two, I'm afraid. Do you have Lansinoh lanolin cream? It's the only one that is safe to leave on for feeds and was a godsend. Your nipples do toughen up and heal surprisingly well, even with a baby sucking on them every few hours. Mine bled; don't be alarmed if you have a sicky baby that suddenly starts vomiting blood - it looks a lot worse than it is and doesn't do them any harm.

It DOES get better. I fed both children for 14 months and in the beginning was fully expecting not to last a week!

Wishful80smontage · 29/05/2015 07:30

Promise you it gets easier all of a sudden - its doesn't take long then you won't feel anything.
Good luck you're doing really well :)

Justnapping · 29/05/2015 07:35

I used Lansinoh after every feed and found it really helped

nailsathome · 29/05/2015 07:42

I am bf'ing my 3 week old and I too gave the same problem with crazy sore nipples. It was the same with my first DC too.

Everyone I see says latch is good so basically just get on with it! It did get better last time (and is already easier - I'm not bleeding anymore - this time). I think after about 6 weeks they had toughened up.

I recommend using lansinoh to stop them cracking and scabbing.

MrsO501 · 01/06/2015 15:59

This post and my own experience of trying to breastfeed my DS really make me realise that pregnant women should be given much more information about the realities of breastfeeding. During my pregnancy I don't think anyone told me how awful and painful breastfeeding would be. I understand that most people find it pretty straightforward and don't have any pain but not everyone is so lucky and no one will speak publicly about how hard it can be. There is also hardly any information given about how to correctly feed newborns formula because all the focus is on breast feeding. I understand that breastfeeding is best for the baby and if it is straightforward there is no reason you would do anything else but I just think there should be more information about the pain and problems it can cause and the alternatives.

Original poster

Electroswing · 02/06/2015 08:38

Hi all, just a quick update: baby's 2 weeks old today and feeding is MUCH better. The pain has almost completely dropped away, though the initial 10-20 seconds can still be sore. I am using nipple shields still, but going to start weaning myself off them and going back to au naturel now I seem to have healed and toughened up a bit. The rugby ball hold does help a lot, if only to vary the position so the pressure points are different.

I have Lansinoh and have been applying it after every feed, it's awesome.

The first few days really felt like somebody was holding a hot iron to my nipples, it was horrendous. I agree that women aren't told just how painful it is - my NCT class described it as 'uncomfortable', but man, it's torture to start with! I have spoken to quite a few friends with kids and everyone's been through the same thing. Perhaps people don't want to scare pregnant women with the reality of what it's going to feel like, but it's important to know that it's normal!

Thanks for all the advice and sympathy

OP posts:

5YearsTime · 02/06/2015 10:36

Glad to hear it's getting better. Well done you!

MrsO501 · 02/06/2015 19:54

So glad it is improving for you :-)

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