Ouch

[blondiep14]

After nearly 6 weeks breast feeding my son I am now experiencing sore nipples & uncomfy boobs !

They're aren't cracked or anything, feel more bruised i suppose, is this just unavoidable because he has a suck that i could rent out to dynorod?!

Also, when he feeds i think it's the letdown that is quite painful? It also hurts in the other one briefly, this also is quite new.

I end up holding the boob he's feeding from while he feeds as it feels less uncomfortable but would like a better solution if there is one?

He does sometimes get lazy & try to just suck nipple but when this happens i take him off then he generally gets the message and goes on again well so i don't think it's the latch, tho obviously i am no expert.

He's a big boy (over 11lbs) and HV said he should be going quite a while between feeds but if he is awake he just about goes 2 hours, am i feeding him too often?

Sorry, didn't plan on this being an essay!!

PS. often at night he only has one boob before falling asleep (generally takes both in the day tho) - is this normal??

Just because he's big doesn't mean he'll go longer . have you been checked for thriush . Would be worth seeing a bfc just to check latch position and learn how to vary the hold so the pressure isn't on the same spot each time. iiwy I'd try to stir him again in the night to take both sides to see if it makes any difference.

Are you using a v pillow? This might help you support baby better?

I do use a V pillow to support him, but i'm not keen on waking him up any more than he wakes up himself really...!

How would i check for thrush, do you think me or DS has it, and why?

I wouldn't be inclined to wake him for a feed either. If he's hungry, he'll wake up for a feed on his own IMO.

could also be a blocked duct - do you feel any thickened or lumpy areas in your breast that are new? might be like a hard lump or a finger-shaped lump?

if so, let us know and we can advise on ways to shift it...

no lumps, but boobs are tender to the touch, esp one that he's going to feed from next.

Pretty much like when milk 1st came in...

wasnlt suggetsign you wake him to feed, just that you stir him(change nappy, tickle ) again if he's only taken the one side during a nightfeed.

Pillows can interfere with a comfortable attachment, and my first suggestion would be to ditch the pillow.

Feeding from one breast is normal - baby's choice, and if all is well with supply (and clearly it is) there's no need to do anything.

HV clearly knows very little about normal breastfeeding - 2 hourly is perfectly normal. Size of baby has zero to do with feeding freqency.

Hope things get better soon.

Things seem to be less painful now, not sure why or where but hey, i'm not arguing!!

Charlie back to going 2 boobs ocassionally now, but with one or two he seems fine and full, which is the main thing - isn't it?

My (nurse) friend suggested my milk was changing, hence the change in me. Not sure if this is a possibility but thought i would report the improvement to all kind enough to advise anyway!

That's good news! Things do change over a period of time, you just adapt to whatever happens along if you can. It's definitely worth persevering though.