I was doing so well with DS3 (piercing, toe-curling pain and bleeding nipples only 3-4 weeks with this one) but ever since a lazy night-time feed one night (weeks ago now), in which I suffered nipple damage and a blocked duct (from lying 'over' on one breast trying to feed with the other one) I've had problems with my left nipple.
There is a bump on it (I've checked and it's definitely not a milk blister, just a tiny bit of the nipple that is pushed up along the side of an old healed crack (I know! they're like the Somme battlefield!))
And DS constantly latches badly on this side, often starts OK but then slips off halfway through the feed or twists his head down while clamping on. He also twists his head quite a lot on this side (v strong now at 3 months).
I've noticed when doing a little bit of expressing that the milk spurts -from one duct? - in a very odd direction on this side and am wondering whether this is caused by old nipple damage and if this is bothering him.
But we're in a vicious circle now since the twisting champing thing makes it worse and I'm getting more damaged as he clamps down wrongly. When the latch goes really badly, I can see the damage as the end gets pinched white and even more 'bobbly' at the end. But he manages to do this within milliseconds of a good, nonpainful latch while still on my nipple. What am I doing wrong? You'd think I'd never fed two other babies with all the skill I have!
I know how to treat the damage but I want to stop it happening in the first place. And I know what a good latch is, I just can't work out why it isn't working on that side. Odd thing is, when the nipples were really bad at first, it was the other side that was most damaged this time round...
And I've now lost the ability to feed lying down for worrying about the latch and the blocked ducts (which still bubble up in the same place once a week or so -especially when the toddler has used my boos to elbow his way up for a cuddle) but I manage to nip them in the bud usually...)
And to add to all that, I was going to go to the local baby cafe this week to get some face to face help but the toddler was/is ill and every week seems to be the same. Oh yeah, and moving house next week and 8 year old about to break up from school also, so not much on my plate then.
We are having a month long cycle where the toddler gets ill at nursery, then the baby goes down with it, then the 8 year old then finally, just when we're exhausted, me and the DH get ill simultaneously. Just in time for the next bug to come home...
I really need a magic wand from someone today please. And a hug