Swollen and painful but don't want to give up bf, please help.

[FifiFerusha]

Hi,

Calling any experts here. My first child was early and I really struggled with bf but after determination I managed it for 8 months. My ds was full term and is now 2.5 weeks so presumed things would be easier. . . Not so.

From the start all MW and the HV said the latch was great, he only lost 2 percent of his birth weight in the first week and recently put on a lot of weight after regaining birth weight quickly . However I kept working at the latch as my nipples seemed to com out lipstick shaped and was experiencing a lot of pain. I just can't get him to take the nipple far back in his mouth. He is also a day time cluster feeder and as we are going through this early stAge I am demand feeding. Sometimes, particularly in afternoons he will feed for five hours stretches much to DC1's dismay. I have had cracked nipples from the start and now the pain is excruciating. My right nipple is the issue as it seems quite small and just a small bump when my breast is very full so I think I am struggling with latching correctly. It is now in a state, a large crack that opens easily(expressed milk is sometimes pink). When I try hard to push it right in his mouth the suction he has on my areola is very strong and when he comes off I can see a red indentation where his mouth has been. It is now all getting worse. The areola looks swollen, especially after I couldn't face feeding from it last night and had to express. This made my normally pale nipples/areola go purple. In the past few days i have done everything to try and allow my nipples to heal saline, lanisoh, round the clock painkillers, hAnd expressing, giving them air . I even wore a shield when feeding over a day. This did not effect latch as got him back on in fear it would effect supply. Last night was awful thoug, I did not want to use the shield(which now hurts anyway) but could not feed him properly and DH gave DS some formula as I was in pieces. I expressed instead but in tears as I hadn't given formula until now. I fear that I can't solve the sore nipple issue , even my left nipple has a crack now and it would break my heart if I had to give up bf. . . After all that effort and hours of cluster feeds too. Any advice most welcome. . And apologies for long message, just wanted to get it all down. Thanks.

Well, seeked face to face advice and apparently it was issues with positioning and had to focus on the nose, nipple connection. So focused on this and things seemed a little better, just simply that the line of the nipple compression was just off the scar so didn't rub on it. However after feeding like this for a week , further other trauma has occurred and further blisters occurring. I even have a red lump on my areola. Seeked face to face advice again and it was suggested that in fact the nipple was positioned too above the nose. The lump,didn't seem to concern her although it stings at times. To aid healing she has suggested I regulate feeding to every two to three hours and only do 15 mins on each side. Some kind of time restriction to aid healing. It isn" t really working not sure I should be regulating feeds,a,though I must admit that feeds are almost something I dread :( however, I now have to console a screaming baby desperate to comfort feed and am sure my supply seems low. Following this DS has gone from 20 mins each side feed to 5 to 15 mins each side. He doesn't come off but changes how he sucks if that makes so sense. . .. What on earth am I doing wrong . . I am trying quite genuinely hard.

Please get properly checked out for tongue tie (if there's nothing immediately obvious then it'll just be posterior which is often missed). The lipstick nipples, difficult latch, unsettled baby cluster feeding sounds like tt to me. Having switch nursed for hours with my tied babies this sounds similar.

Have a look at this link www.mommypotamus.com/a-step-by-step-guide-to-diagnosing-tonguelip-ties/ - you can check symptoms and how to assess tie yourself. Your local bf group should be able to help getting it sorted if it is a tie. Also recommend osteo treatment to release tension and improve gape/latch.

Let me know if you're London based and want a private recommendation - this is by far the quickest way to sort things.

And you're not doing anything wrong...sounds like you're doing incredibly well in the face of real difficulty and pain. Assuming it is a tt then in my experience, it must be sorted, as things won't improve by themselves or with some coaching on latch technique.

You could also try a lactation consultant - lcgb.org but again this is a private option.

Hi,
I think you are doing amazing. I've had trouble feeding too, my milk was slow coming in, had trouble getting lo latched, she lost too much weight so decided to mix feed.
My advice is to keep a sense of perspective with the mixed feeding ( I need to do this too!). There is nothing wrong with mixed feeding, you are still giving as much as you can. I've been mixed feeding since my lo had massive weight drop at the start. It's hard work, as I'm using nipple shields, expressing, and topping up with exp if I have it in the fridge or formula.
I'm so proud that I didn't quit, but I'm getting to the stage now where if my milk supply goes down I know I've done as much as I can and will have no regrets.
My advice is, if you know you've done as much as you can and won't have regrets, find an easier way. It sounds like you're in a lot of pain, and that's no good for anyone. Take care xxx

Hi there,

Thank you for all your replies, much needed as I have good days and bad days. Today was a bad day. I am so red and raw, this is the issue now not the cracks and scars. I have also tried everything to get rid of the red lump, which I presume is a blocked duct and nothing has worked. Also DS arches his back and is quite stressed when attempting latch now. I feel so sad for him as it is likely he senses my stress. I need to make a GP appointment really, to check tt or even thrush. DS mouth is white during a feed but not any other times so am thinking it isn't thrush, just want an explanation that isn't my inability to teach DS how to latch and feed comfortably. I have had five weeks of pain and not sure what to do now.

Have discussed partial feeding with DH and think it might be a good compromise as I will be broken hearted to give up bf. DH pointed out that I and DS are really suffering and in fact DD1 and himself are kind of suffering too and he thinks mixed feeding will take the pressure off. I know he wants to help with feeding and is trying to be really supportive. It is a tricky one but hence the reason why I really appreciated your message musicmum. How did you introduce mixed feeding without messing up the supply etc. . I have a pump but rarely able to express more than half an ounce. Is is possible to cut out specific feeds one by one over time until you are feeding just one bf in the morning, one lunchtime and one evening, if that makes sense. Will still ebf for now but any advice on how to establish mixed feeding much appreciated x

Hope someone is awake now with help as can't find a 24 hour helpline. My sore breast has stopped working. It usually leaks but the swelling has become incredibly bad , three big lumps that are red raw and a cracked nipple. Usually I express but it is too painful to express and regardless when tried not a drop is coming. I have tried to nurse too in Tears of oain, but DS is struggling to do this. I am in immense pain. The doctor saw the state of it when it was slightly better than this and have been on antibiotics for 24 hours but was not convinced that infection was the issue, I think that she trew antibiotics at me in ignorance as she googled it or looked on her database search. Have had to give formula to make up for the lack of production as no other choice. Feel so sorry for DS when he tries to latch on to a bottle expecting the breast. I am at the end of my tether. Also Dc 1 has started to resent feeds as I know she senses my pain. Started to have a bed time routine that involved me readin a story whilst feeding DS as DH is too busy with work ito put the kids to bed. Now he is also frustrated. I am trying so hard but cannot please anyone. My breast is in such a severe condition I fear I may have to visit the hospital tomorrow. How did this happen?

Hi FifiFerusha, I'm sorry I don't have any advice to give as I'm only a novice breastfeeder myself but I really feel for you and wondered how you are going on and is your breast in a better state now? Hope there is an improvement for you and the doctor/hospital could help you.

Well, yesterday was about to go to the GP when I noticed yellow milk coming out of one of the lumps, literally spilling out so popped some pads in. The gpnended up squeezing loads of puss out of it, very disgusting. I had developed an abscess from mastitus. . . I have probably had mastitus for a while and it had got to this later stage. . . So have just come back from a night in hospital where they assessed the effectiveness of my antibiotics. It is healing but want me to come in for an ultrasound to rule out further spreading. Feel a bit bad about ruling out infection, how stupid. Anyway I got to stay with DS on the maternity ward and get bonus advice on feeding. Thing is, I have tried and researched so much I know all the rules but just can't get it right. They did comment on the fact that he doesn't open his mouth wide but ruled out anything anatomical. I was told not to feed of the sore side and hand express. . Which was tricky. I am now feeding off it again and am curious about its supply. Nipple still cracked though, feel like it just always will be.Also it is wierd as where the abscess was, milk flows out even when I am not feeding. They said this will heal. Really not sure whether this is all getting a bit much for me. They said I have high milk production but an inefficient latch so will be prone to blocked ducts and mastitus, god, really don't want to go through that again. However, because of this if I wanted to stop bf I would have to do it very carefully and gradually. So, I will try and carry on but offer a bottle in the evening to take the pressure off the rest of my family and see where that takes us. Breastfeeding can really be a challenge can't it. Can see why they had wet nurses in the past.

DS is now feeding off it, not me, ha

Thanks for updating us and sorry you are going through all this. Hope you heal and quickly. Sounds like you've been through so much pain and upset x

You really havebeen amazing to continue breast feeding with all the challenges you've had. Just wanted to remind you that you need to balance bfeeding with the needs of the rest of the family and that includes you! I need to take my own advice here but formula isnt poison! Really hope you heal quickly. But well done for making it to this point

I was thinking that too, Haribo. You are not obliged to carry on regardless of how poorly it makes you. Formula is definitely not poison.