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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

problematic breast

17 replies

jomummy2 · 30/12/2009 05:04

my daughter is 7 weeks old and i have bee bf from the start. I love the experience but my right breast is spoiling my enjoyment and i'm on the verge of packing it in.

I got mastitis in it on week 3, i never seem to produce enough milk to satisfy her when she feeds from this breast. Then tonight i fed herfrom this breast, went to bed and woke up at 1am in absolute agony (stabbing pains and what feels like engorgement), she woke at 1:30am so i fed her from this breast and it felt slightly better (emptier but still very tender). It took me an eternity to get comfy and get back to sleep and then i woke again at 4:30 is the same agony and the same kind of engorement. My daughter is still alseep (wish i was).

Please please can someone help my because this breast is ruining my experience of BF and i'm on the verge of packing it in.

OP posts:

JacksmamaInAPearTree · 30/12/2009 05:15

My right breast gave me difficulty too. The nipple cracked very badly in the first few weeks, and I got mastitis. My MW advised me to try pumping from that breast only, and feeding DS from the other, to allow it to recover a little. I ended up using my pump on the right breast at the same time as DS was nursing from the left (the noise from the electric pump didn't seem to bother him). Eventually nursing from the right became much easier and I had no more problems. (Got mastitis twice more on the left, though .)

Good luck! I hope you don't have to stop . Have you tried hot packs on that breast to help with pain? One of those microwavable bean bags would be good. If you're engorged and using a hot pack it might start your milk flowing so put a towel down to catch drips and just let it flow.

Original poster

jomummy2 · 30/12/2009 05:25

thanks jacksmama...i'm sat here in tears. I don't want to stop BF. When i do i want it to be because i want to not because i'm forced.

what do you mean eventually...how long did you have problems. not sure how long i can take it for anymore

OP posts:

JacksmamaInAPearTree · 30/12/2009 06:02

Oh honey!! ((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))) Breast problems are crap especially if you love nursing. My right breast gave me trouble for about 3 weeks. Then the crack healed and it started to behave itself.

Really, do try a hot pack for pain and engorgement. I found it worked really well. Plus paracetamol for pain.

Do you have a breast pump? If not, can you borrow one? I have a single Aveda mini-electric I would be glad to pass on to you - only I'm not in the U.K. so postage might be expensive.

Also, there is a poster called tiktok on MN who is an absolute encyclopaedia of information about breastfeeding. If you need any advice, start a thread shouting for her in capitals.

JacksmamaInAPearTree · 30/12/2009 06:12

Oh, and a homeopathic remedy that really helped me, if you can get it, was Phytolacca, 30 C concentration. 3 pellets, 3 times day while having problems.

NotQuiteCockney · 30/12/2009 07:08

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter, and well done on decising to breastfeed, and sticking to it, despite these problems.

Ok. First of all, if you're getting engorgement and mastitis in that breast, then you're deffo making lots of milk in your 'problem' breast. These problems are symptoms of lots of milk, that isn't getting out.

The problem is the not-getting-out - your daughter is not latching on properly on your right side. You need to go see a breastfeeding supporter of some sort to get the latch sorted. (this help will be free) If you're happy to say what town you live in, I can have a dig for baby cafes or similar. Or you can try calling the helplines, and see if anyone is willing to come see you.

Fixing the latch is likely to involve getting to adjust how you feed your daughter (how you hold her, and how she approaches the breast), showing you what 'good latch' looks like, and getting you to remove her when she's not on properly, so that she feeds properly.

If worse came to worse, many mothers manage to successfully breastfeed on only one side, so you could feed only on the left. I don't think that's going to be necessary here, as long as you get some good in-person help.

NotQuiteCockney · 30/12/2009 07:10

Oh, should have said - getting the latch fixed may take a few days, or less, depending on what the problem is. Once the latch is right, your daughter will get more milk out of that side, and be happier, and you will stop having engorgement.

In the interim, if you have a lump, please try to either massage the lump while she feeds, or (better) feed with her chin at the lump. (this may involve lying her down on the bed, while you dangle your boob into her mout) Chin to the lump really really helps.

Original poster

jomummy2 · 30/12/2009 10:18

thanks people i'm still really engorged on the right breast and in sooooo much pain. Will take the advice tho and see what happens.

Just one more thing. Whenever i express milk (i have a medula single electric pump - thanks jacksmama) i get lots from the left but hardly any from the right which is why i thought i might not be producing enough.

if it doesnt get better how would i go about just feeding from one side and how long would it take for me to stop producing milk in the right breast. i hate the right breast so much - sounds silly i know but its caused me so many problems from the onset.

OP posts:

squashimodo · 30/12/2009 12:07

HI, it sounds like a blocked duct. The thing that helps me when I get this is to apply heat and then use a breast pump straight away.

squashimodo · 30/12/2009 12:08

Sorry, that would be heat, massage and pump/feed.

alana39 · 30/12/2009 13:47

I had problems with my right breast for the first month - DS3 is now 7 weeks old and it's only been a couple of weeks since I stopped dreaded having to feed on that side.

I didn't get as far as having full blown mastitis but felt on the verge of it several times, and although there wasn't a specific hard lump there were areas that got a bit red and felt harder than the rest of the breast. I used a heated wheatbag to hold over the uncomfortable bits when I was feeding on the other side, and would have used it more often but for 2 older boys who keep me running around between feeds. That and paracetamol did the trick every time.

Original poster

jomummy2 · 30/12/2009 15:22

alana...did you just stop feeding off the problematic breast. Was it painful stopping? how long did it take to stop producing milk from it. Sat here in tears. Think its now developed into mastitis again. Feel so low, can't stop crying!

OP posts:

JacksmamaInAPearTree · 30/12/2009 17:01

Don't know what else to tell you - sending you lots of ((((((((HUGS))))))))) though. Perhaps try pumping while applying heat?

Minshu · 30/12/2009 17:34

Well done for perservering!!! I can empathise - my right is causing me problems, too.

I now rugby ball DD on that side a couple of times a day and am taking lecithin to try to prevent recurring blockages.

I have also had the excrutating nipple pain, but that did only last 24 hours each time, and I reckon was associated with a milk blister.

Speak to GP and HV. In the mean time, keep going - it will get better

JacksmamaInAPearTree · 31/12/2009 04:37

How's it going? Any better?

alana39 · 02/01/2010 13:58

jomummy sorry haven't been back but I didn't stop feeding, just reread my post and realised it should have said "since I stopped dreading feeding on that side" not since I stopped feeding. Sorry for crap typing, in middle of growth spurt with very little sleep.

The pain did go but was back on and off for a couple of weeks. Have now been free of it for about 3 weeks - it was horrible but I think feeding through it is the only solution if you want to carry on bf. I know a couple of weeks seems like an eternity when you're in the middle of it but after it all seems to have gone so quickly.

Original poster

jomummy2 · 12/01/2010 11:36

Thanks everyone for your advice and help. I fed through it and got antibiaotics for mastitis and i seem to have turned a cornr this last week. The pain when she latches on is gone after the initial couple of sucks and she is beginning on the right breast and finishing on the left at every feed.

Feeling tons happier and hoping my breast feeding problems are behind me.

Thanks again from a happy jomummy x

OP posts:

Minshu · 12/01/2010 22:33

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