Boobs still v painful at 10 weeks - feel like giving up

[ChrissyJ]

Both my boobs have hurt for the entire time I have been bfing but the right one is much much worse. It's not just the nip (although that is v sore), my whole boob burns for up to an hour afterwards, even in my armpit and shoulderblade and I have to take painkillers.
I have been to a bf drop in to check my latch and that seems to be ok. HV has checked ds for signs of thrush several times and he doesn't have any.
I feel as tho my nip is permanently bruised (it goes white and purple when he feeds) and I just can't give it time to recover because he needs to feed all the time.
Also I am worried about my milk production. He seems hungry all the time, especially in the evenings and at that time he pulls off the breast, pulls my nipples, writhes and cries like he's not getting enough. Several times now I have ended up giving him a formula feed in the evening because I can't bear to see him hungry.
I had been waiting for it all to magically go right at 6-8 weeks and it obviously didn't. I am at my wit's end and feel like giving up bfing.

Your ds may not have visible signs of thrush. When we had it, ds had nothing in his mouth, but he did have persistent nappy rash (didn't realise was a symptom at the time) which only went when we were both treated for thrush.

Some good info here

Thanks Tatties so what were your symptoms - did you have the boob pain?

Oh Chrissy, I realy feel for you! I had this type of problem for about three weeks and I so wanted to give up but I'm glad I didn't. I took ibuprofen and used some hot/cold gel packs to ease it. The warm packs helped a lot and I have some that are boob shaped and can slot into your bra - although they do add an extra cup size so I only used them in the house! Got these from a shop called ....dam! I can't remember! I will find out and post back!

The best cream I used for my nips was called Natural Nipple Butter by Earth Mama Angel Baby (i think they have a website but I got mine as a gift from above shop)- it was magic but a tiny pot was a tenner! The main ingredient is olive oil so that may help.

As for the wriggling and crying in the evening - mine does this most evenings and I have posted up here about it before. The advice I got was that I should just put it down to dd being overtired from the day, trying to fill up for the nightime and being at the age when they start to get grumpy and frustrated rather than falling asleep as soon as tired like when they are newborn. I don't think you need to worry about your milk supply - but I'm no expert I'm afraid

I had very sore nipples all the time, and I would get stabbing pains in my breasts.

here is where I got the gel packs and nipple cream

Thanks I will try the cream. Lansinoh doesn't seem to soothe them.

I'm sure you will like it and you only need to use a tiny amount. My boobs are fine now but I still use the cream on my lips and have even put on dd's dry bits - I didn't like lansinoh at all, it is so sticky it was too sore to even apply!

does this ring any bells with you?

I only mention it because you said your nipple goes white. It's one of the many things I looked at when I was having loads of problems.

I was told that my latch was fine as well but it really didn't get better until about 12 weeks and now at 19 weeks is totally fine. I think ds getting bigger and his mouth therefore getting bigger as well helped somehow.

what shona linked too...was the first thing that popped into my head then...vasospasm....
a cyberfriend of mine had that Renauds syndrome thing

Blimey it does! I get like a white circle on the end of the nip which looks like the tissue has had all the blood drained out of it. And I find myself craving hot baths and showers all the time. Thanks for that