Please help at end of my tether with breastfeeding

[Raeesa101]

Dear ladies

I've never posted on here before but I could really really use some advice.

My dd is 7 weeks today and I have been trying to breastfeed her. I have two major issues:

1. Pain - I have an excruciating deep pain which starts 10 mins after I've fed not during feeding at all. My nipples are no longer sore but this pain is more in the breasts and is an achy pain. I don't have lumps and I don't have any redness and its all over rather than a certain spot. So I reckon it's not mastitis or a blocked duct. I have also been treated for thrush with fluconozole and creams / gel which have made no difference. I think it's let down reflex pain because it's worse in the morning when im more full, and when she cries I literally double over with pain. Neurofen and paracetamol don't even take the edge off and I really can't cope. Is this normal? What can I do? will this get better?

1. Lazy baby- about a week ago I had to take a 48 hour break on one side because u had a cut on my nipple which was excruciating. I could not pump enough and had to top up a little bit with formula after feeds. Since then I'm struggling to get my little daughter off the formula. During the day I don't top up at all but evenings and nights are so hard. She falls asleep on my breast and then wakes up every 10 mins for another feed but she gets angry when I offer her the breast. She will cry and cry and take a few gulps before knocking out again. Yesterday for eg this went from 11pm till I gave up at 5am and gave her 3oz formula top up which she guzzled down and slept well after having it. It's further complicated by the fact that she's a v small baby under 6lb when she was born and is not putting on weight. I feel so disheartened and worried that im starving her. I Defo have enough and I am leaking at night when she cries but she's so tired and exhausted by the 10 min naps she won't feed on the breast.

I guess my question is how do I deal with this? I could really use some tips.

Could really do with some encouragement as breastfeeding has really not come naturally to me and I just cannot see light At the end of the tunnel anymore :(

I am no expert at all but if your daughter is keen on the bottle and you have a good supply have you thought of expressing and bottle feeding?

It IS hard work to start with. I hopecsomeone more helpful/knowledgeable comes along.

Hi, could the pain be thrush? The best thing I ever did was go to a lactation consultant, is this something you can do?

Sorry just saw you said it's not

Do you give a dummy?

I'm sure there will be lots of people along to give you some super advice if you really want to carry on breastfeeding, and there's groups and consultants and all sorts to help you. The kelly mom website is also an excellent resource, and has quite a detailed guide to reducing formula top-ups.

So I'm just quietly going to whisper that it's ok to stop breastfeeding if you want to. Your baby will be fine on formula, if that's what you want.

Have you been refitted for a bra since having her and milk coming in? My breasts hurt all over until I went and got the right size bra which I wear day and night. Admittedly not to point of pain relief needed but was similar to how you describe. All over and no signs of mastitis/ thrush.

Sometimes thrush can be persistent. I would advise asking for swabs to be taken to check. I would also advise consulting an IBCLC. Try phoning a bf helpline this evening. I can highly recommend the LLL one.

Can you stay in bed with your LO for 48 hours or so on a baby moon? Lots of skin to skin and unrestricted access to the breast. That will boost your supply and allow you to drop formula top ups.

I can honestly say, having relactated, that I would not in any way recommend expressing and bottle feeding bm. It's the hardest option there is.

You need real life help to get feeding back on track. Any baby cafes locally? A local LLL group? Have you spoken to the Infant Feeding Specialist in the hospital you gave birth in?

You could ask your GP for Diclofenic for the pain too, until you can resolve it.

I am sorry it is hard. DD2 is seven weeks and it is going better this time, but with DD1 it was a nightmare for weeks. I did get through it and at age two she is still feeding so you can do it and one day you will realise you are feeding without pain- this took until about three months I think with DD1 as like you, there was more than one issue. Firstly, you need support so well done on posting here. Keep coming back as there are people on here with loads of experience. Can you get support in real life? Call your health visitor and. Ask about breastfeeding support clinics in your area or cal the le lache league helpline.

Secondly, sounds to me like you still have thrush. Sometimes if it is bad you can need longer treatment and sometime you need an alternative treatment as the first one doesn't always work so go back to your gp, treat you and little one for thrush again.

Finally, it sounds like your little one does not have a good latch maybe? Last time (and actually I think I need to work on this for DD2 as well) even tough my latch looked ok, it wasn't deep enough so I had sucessf with the flipple technique which I watched again and again on your tube- there are loads of videos there about improving your latch so find one which helps.

To me though, I think (and I am not an expert, but am on my third round of thrush) it sounds like thatnisntje problem which is causing the pain and if you can knock that in the head it would help.

Oh and well done in persevering. It is SOOO hard, but it can improve. I hope for you it does. Be kind to yourself and remember that whilst it is all consuming right now, bf is just one of many living things you can do for your child. It is not the end of the world if it doesn't work out (I could not see this at the time and nearly lost my marbles obsessing about it). Have some cake and be proud you have already fed your child through the challenging first six weeks.

Raeesa- congrats on yr baby!

I am another one who had thrush and what you describe sounds like the pain I had. It took weeks and many attempts with GP to get it diagnosed.

It sounds like the thrush has got inside rather than just on the skin, and your doctor or breastfeeding advisor will be able to advise you on treatment. When I had thrush it was like you describe, a pain that's not due to feeding but just after and it feels like it's coming from inside the breast.

It sounds like you know what you're talking about and how to get back to just breast milk if you choose to do so. The formula trap is hard to escape, if you give her formula to help her sleep then try and pump at the same time, to tell your body you still need milk producing at that time. I suggest the same as above, spend a few days just feeding her constantly and doing nothing else if possible. Grandmothers have managed to relactate for their grandchildren 30 years after they last fed their own children. Our bodies are amazing and yours can do this.

Possibly ductal thrush which I believe is treated differently?

Please please find a breast feeding consultant. I had huge problems with breast feeding which improved dramatically after a 1hr session with a consultant. And if it doesn't work out don't feel guilty about bottle feeding. Life is too short to miss out enjoying your baby over this.

I am not an expert but could some of these issues be caused by oversupply. It is a complicated problem, Kelly mom as always has some good advice
kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

Please get checked for Mastisis - you don't necessarily need a blocked duct or redness it could be past that stage . I've had Mastisis 4 times and one led to a huge abcess so don't ignore it