If feeding was painful for you how long did it last?

[Stefka]

He will be seven weeks tomorrow and it still hurts. I can see healing on my nipples, in fact sometimes on the right side it doesn't hurt at all then the next time it will. I can see no difference in what I am doing though.

I am starting to wonder if I am just officially crap at breast feeding and that I am just going to have to grit my teeth for six months.

STEFKA i used hydrogel dressings mucho medical info here because it did take a while for the cracks to heal. they are a thin semisolid gel, shaped almost like breast pad but with a silky fabric backing. as it says they don't soak up much so if you are at all leaky of milk prob not for you.

you can use them out of the house, just peel off and stick back on again afterwards, no hassle like jelonet. and also keep in fridge of course.

i've still got a few left, cat me if you'd like. i got them on prescription but not available in my local (crap) pharmacy, had to order from boots, so you could order yourself if you like. circular 3" is what you are after.

i had trouble getting alatch first time round and remember the first good latch as pure unadulterated bliss, on day 7. sill had some trouble for a while after that... but details are hazy.

havnt read thread (pls forgive me) but have you called upon all the organisations with bf counsellors? if you just keep trying counsellor after counsellor, somebody must have the magic words/touch which work for you, no??

turned out tounge tie was the issue with ds3, and i beleive in retrospect, ds1 too.

btw, youre not 'crap at it'. some people find it really easy, some babies find it really easy (ds2 was no prob at all)... but its not always that simple. the answer tho, ime, is usually easily implemented, once you figure out whats wrong that is!

Hi Stefka,

Sorry pehaps not clear. Expressing did help my supply and gave me EBM for the occasonal feed but am sure part of it was the long periods of suckling (with poor latch) and pumping combination didnt help. I was expressing after every feed to try and encourage what seemed to me like a poor supply. Of course was latch not supply- corrected by home visit NCT counsellor and time.

I was paranoid about DS weight and about not having enough milk so expressed like a maniac for ages after each feed.

I was so near giving up BF just so I could just enjoy giving DS a hug/burp over shoulder without being in agony when he was pressed against my chest.

I know what you mean about the pain of burping. It is horrible to feel that you can't pick up and hold your baby because it hurts too much

I have done seven weeks of this now though so I can't give up yet!

i am 6 months on and it still hurts sometimes but not anything like those first few weeks. i think rubbish that it doesnt hurt if latch is right- takes breasts some time (diff length for all) to get used to it. after all it is happening quite a lot in the first few weeks. it will get better! so hang in there if you possibly can. but well done well done well done for persisting so far with it!

Hi Stefka,

Remember those first few days/weeks when you couldn't go on? You gave it one more day and you were THIS close from giving formula? And in all that time how much weight has your baby put on? How pink are your son's cheeks from all that magic juice you're making? How much is he starting to respond to your voice, catching your eyes now, maybe even smiling? Soon he'll be full on smiling and laughing if he isn't already and very soon after that he'll start flirting with you and playing... Please don't worry about the BF experience and all it's struggles interfering with bonding. I know EXACTLY what you mean - I hope you know by know that I've been through it and have never even managed to have a magic 6 week shift with all 3 of mine - it's always taken 10-11 weeks to feel really comfortable. And you have had just about everything go against your feeding experience with those bad cracks, thrush etc at the same time...
...You yourself say it's so much better now. Double the time, and it will be so much better again, I promise you.

I would suggest, now you're much more healed, get your confidence up with latching by changing positions, moving your boy ever so slightly yourself rather than waiting for a perfect consultation from a counsellor. This is, in the end, what worked for me since no-one else can really know what it feels like. My baby is still always too far over armpitwards when he's latched on badly but I often forget since when he's in the right place(because he's big and long) it just feels like he's gonna slip off my lap...

Try moving him sideways a fraction, and if the nipple doesn't feel right take him off and try him again. A centimetre at a time. Try holding him up further (more towards your chin) if that doesn't work, try dropping him down (towards your waist). Again a centimeter at a time. It might work. It might not.

But you will, no you ARE getting to a point where you'll be feeding comfortably and pleasurably and think of the bonding thing like this: all this effort and pain you've been through is BECAUSE you love your son so much and there's plenty of time for you to brim over with passion at the smell of his milky breath...