Struggling with breastfeeding - painful.

[Skiptonlass]

I'm struggling with bf ing. Basically, it hurts. Apparently the latch is perfect, there's no tongue tie, he sucks and swallows well.

For the first few days my nipples were very tender - they are not, and never have been cracked or bleeding, but they hurt. Lots. The whole breast hurts, the skin is very sensitive and the internal tissue feels bruised. No sign of infection or mastitis. The letdown hurts like hell, although this has gone from the first thirty seconds to about ten.

I'm at a loss. Why does it hurt so much? I really want to keep breastfeeding, I don't want to faff around with bottles, but it's really sore and it's making me feel really down. There have been several days where I've felt just desperate to get him off me :(

Ds is four weeks old and born two weeks early by cs...he's gaining weight nicely - Nappies being filled regularly and he's chubbing up a bit (he was a skinny wee thing at birth!)

Any ideas?

Another 4:30 am feed and I'm in agony. I absolutely HATE breastfeeding :(

I am a terrible mum :(

Another one here for whom it's normal to get quite a lot of discomfort in the early days. I have big nipples and small babies - both 6lb something at 38 weeks. Ds2 is now 9 weeks and no pain, but I was screaming at dh to shove a bottle at him not so long ago despite getting to natural term at 16m with ds1! Mine was a sharp pain when latching plus an awful heavy achy feeling all the time; decently fitted bras are the only answer for that, with the soft ones only for nighttime.

We've all been where you are, and it's vile. But it's also worth it in the end. I'd ditch the expressing, IMO it adds stress. There's nothing wrong with a bit of formula if someone wants to give you a break, get the ready made cartons so you're not wasting a whole tub for the sake of a couple of feeds.

I'm auburn too and when I had DD who is now 14, a midwife said to me that "red-headed women find it very hard". I was but there is a grain of truth in it.

I agree with nanny about the expressing. It's just an added strain on your nipples.

Have you tried Multi-Mam nipple compresses? They're quite soothing on sore nipples IME.

How has today been SkiptonLass? How are you feeling?

A little better today (and thanks for asking!)

He hasn't had the cluster feeding today, so I'm going into the night with a bit more energy.

I also had my first real smile today, so I'll forgive him anything!

Print out the NICE guidelines (google NICE breastfeeding pain) and show your doctor the reynauds section otherwise they won't have a clue. Also a good idea to go in after seeing a breastfeeding adviser and you can say to the gp they've checked latch etc and advised you etc. Its pretty miserable the pain from blanched nipples, get your central heating on in the night. And I repeat my advice to take painkillers, fine for baby and the only way I coped. Hope it's not been a bad day.

Thank you!

Yesterday was a bit better - he was unsettled in the day but better in the evening and night, which are the times I find I'm at a lower ebb and less able to cope.

I tried massaging the breast a little, keeping it warm, and being obsessive with good latch. All helped a tiny bit.

Tinkerbell, did you find any intervention that actually helped the primary issue? I'm loathe to give up caffeine entirely (I will die without regular cups of tea) but I don't drink or smoke and the house is warm (yay for Swedish triple glazing!)
I will obviously need to be careful going outdoors this winter. Maybe I'll knit myself some possum fur nipple warmers :)

Hi, no I think mine was caused by poor latch and thrush so the treatments for those then meant the vasospasm reduced. I didn't get treatment for reynauds, they checked my normal circulation in the finger with a little infrared thing (or something that's what it looked like) and it was fine so they thought it was unlikely. I did try the vitamin B but it didn't have any effect (i don't have caffeine in any case).

Keeping warm and covered helped a little bit just to reduce the pain so putting my hands straight over the boob whenever DS latched off then covering up when finished rather than 'airing' them helped.

Just to update after a visit to the doc..

Definitely not thrush. Not his latch, which is apparently fine. She seems to think the issue is some sort of production/let down pain. I've got an oxytocin nasal spray - hard to say if it's working really, he's been going longer between feeds (six hours last night hallelujah !!) and I'm not sure whether a reduction in the constant sucking or the spray is to blame or both, but there is an improvement.

Glad to hear it OP... 6 hours? I bet you felt mint when you woke up

I did! Little guy woke halfway a few times (and rather adorably punched me in the throat) but settled himself back without really waking.

He's had a fussy evening and my poor nipples are not happy. Just had a very hot shower and I can clearly see them change from purple to red in patches. Docs again on Tuesday so will ask specifically about vasospasm.

Perhaps I need to persuade dh to move from Sweden to the tropics so I'm never cold ;)

Always good when they go longer between feeds

U need a coconut oil (smear it on the nipples) and a good comfy maternity bra. It's much comfortable and it easy to provide breastfeeding. To find the proper measurements, start by wearing a non-padded, well-fitting bra.

i suffered the same pain with my first breastfeeding ... the best thing i have found out there is called : a nipple shield ... check it out on target i used it with both my kids its transparent silicone that goes over the nipple and helps with the breastfeeding A LOT ... i used it while my breast felt better when things where painful ... please look it up ... and don't worry once you feel better baby latches on again normally to you no struggle or fear of baby getting used to it ... cold pads as much as you can help a lot to sooth the discomfort all the best