breastfeeding does it get easier?

[Ladypug]

Starting to struggle with breastfeeding. I was managing it really well but now (5 weeks in) nipples are cracked and sore due to constant feeding (not latch, I had it checked). DD is now feeding every hour and has been for days. Health visitor says its a growth spurt but it's been going on for days on end. Basically I'm sleep deprived, sore boobs and constantly on call for feeding - I mean constantly, like hourly! I will continue and don't want to formula feed but when will it get easier? Will I ever get a nice chunk of sleep eg 5 hours in one go (that's the dream). Will she settle into a feeding routine? How long do people breastfeed for? I thought initially it was 6 months solely bf then 6 months of solids and bfeeding stopping at 12 months but today someone told me they bf until 3 years of age - is this right? Help!

I never managed it. The pain for me was unbearable and the whole thing ended up giving me PND. So if you need to stop you can, or you can mix feed, which enabled me to go a bit longer. Good luck with it all but don't make yourself I'll over it.

The expert is wrong. You shouldn't be in pain even with all the feeding. Been there, done that. Have a look at www.biologicalnurturing.com/ or look at biological nurturing videos on YouTube. The pump station on YouTube is also very useful and I think they have a video on the Flipple which will get you a deeper latch. Also kellymom website has some great resources so have a look at that too.

Pain = problem. Don't put up with it. Good luck!

Some good advice from everyone. Not sure this has been suggested but you could try co sleeping? That'll help you to get more sleep. Read up on safe co sleeping guidelines

You're doing brilliantly!! Well done you! I found the first 7 weeks hardest, it goes get easier and it's such a wonderful thing for you and baby

Oh and nipple shields! I used them for 12hrs so baby didn't get too used to them. Just 12hrs made a huge difference

Thanks quo but I really should wait the 6 weeks I think as I have oversupply which is causing a few issues so if I express before milk has settled down it will encourage body to make more and trust me, I don't need anymore right now! Thank you though :-)

Thanks chumbler, the pain is a new thing and is just due to constant feeding - she's not latched onto nipple or anything and prior to this no pain at all but she's now feeding every hour

It got easier all of a sudden at about 6 weeks for me - a combination of my nipples hardening and the baby's mouth being bigger. You might want to try a different position if getting lots of cracking. I found the rugby hold where baby lies on pillow beside you and you have them face on was the best hold. The laniosh cream was the nuts too. Lying down and feeding is good too but be careful - you will likely drift off so watch where your baby is. I had one of those next to me cots so I could slide him back over, but he started to find the mattress hard compared to the bed so would complain and it all got a bit silly until we popped him in his cot

I tried expressing earlier than the six weeks. I had an oversupply too and my health visitor told me to hand express before feeding anyway, but I also gave the pump ago. I tried using that pump for about 2 hours and got barely any milk. I gave it a go a few times over the following month or two, and tried with a different machine but had no luck. My dd would never drink from a bottle anyway, I just wanted to give myself the option. In the end gave up as it was just so frustrating sitting there for hours producing dribbles of milk!

Should mention, it didn't affect my supply and the oversupply soon sorted out. Nowadays I never get that full feeling in my breasts but as soon as dd wants a feed, it's there! It's strange to imagine that one day I will know longer have this super power!

You are allowed to take paracetamol for the pain BTW op if you want to. It doesn't harm the baby.

I say it to every new mum I meet - I found the first two weeks pretty easy apart from getting feeding established (newborn just slept, fed, pooped), but from week two it got progressively harder. BUT week seven was the top of the hill, feeding started to settle, baby was less grumpy in the evenings, I started to get some longer stretches of sleep. So keep going, you are so nearly through the hardest part!

Something doesn't add up here. You have oversupply but your baby is feeding hourly?

I had oversupply/very fast flow and the "drowning" problem, the one silver lining was it meant dd only fed every 3 hours (roughly) from day 1. Lots of milk should mean you don't need to feed too often... assuming it's getting into your baby ok.

So if you have oversupply and yet baby is still feeding hourly, and you are getting engorged, clearly the milk is not transferring properly to your baby. Which means either 1) she is filling up with air because she can't cope with the flow, so never gets a full feed or 2) there is a latch/tongue tie issue. Or quite possibly a mix of both.

My suggestions: 1) Do try feeding in side lying position, this was absolutely the best for DD when I had oversupply/fast flow. 2) Wind very frequently during the feed, especially straight after the initial let down. Wind after 3 min then feed again, wind then feed again, etc. 3) Try to feed DD when she is not tired as she will be able to cope with the flow better. 4) One boob only per feed 5) Get the latch and tongue checked by someone else...

So much easier. I was beside myself with it at 6 weeks. She was a milk monster and nothing but boob could shut her up 24/7. It made it hard for my OH to help because she screamed for milk after about half an hour. The bliss of sinking into sleep... And the horrible torment. Of being yanked out of it like a bad tooth minutes later... It's not fun so well done to you for sticking with it. You're doing a brilliant job.

At 8 weeks a switch flipped and DD started sleeping in 5-7 hour stretches at night so I didn't feel dead and now at 12 weeks feeding is easy!

One more thought that might help you: I found a lump whilst feeding at about seven weeks. I do firmly believe that all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should be told more to check their boobs by health visitors as I certainly was guilty of not doing it! Anyway I got it checked pronto and thank goodness all is well, but the main thing I was worried about during the process was having to wean my baby so suddenly if something were to be wrong. I was hating breastfeeding at the time, but I realised that I would be devastated if I couldn't do it any more. And that realisation kept me going until it got better!

Hi ladypug, sorry you are finding it hard

I think there is evidence that there are benefits to breastfeeding for at least two years, but the older the baby is the less of a difference it makes. You can feed for as long as you and your baby want to. When I had dd I thought, like you, that you could only bf for six months. When she got to six months I decided to carry on till she was one, then when she was one I changed my mind and decided to carry on till she was two, then at 16 months dd weaned herself!

I can't remember when it gets easier but by six months it was definitely easier to carry on than to stop.

I second learning to feed lying down, it has saved my sanity being able to doze off while feeding, especially second time around when I have to be up chasing a toddler the next day!

Hi mini, to combat oversupply they've advised me to block feed - two feeds per breast so she gets back milk as previously was only getting the fore milk. It works as she is now getting back milk and resting/sleeping better, feeding every 3-4 hours but she started feeding hourly a few days ago. Health visitor said its a growth spurt and will calm down which seems to be right as last 24 hours feedings have reduced again so hopefully that's all it was and the painful nipples and sleep deprivation will get better! For now though - still hugging cabbage leaves!!!

Thanks scared - how horrid finding a lump, that must have been scary. Ashamed to say have never checked my breasts so I will be doing so now!!

Hi snozz, thank you - out of interest, if you feed past 6 months does the feeding reduce or do you still feed 8+ times a day like now? If you carry on to one year or more does it reduce or does it stay at this level? Also, everyone who has mentioned feeding lying down, what do you do about winding?

Feeds drop gradually with weaning from 6 months. By a year I think we were doing 4 or 5 feeds and none overnight. Then it reduced down again to basically morning and evening, then evening only then by 16 months my DS had self weaned and stopped altogether.

I never bothered with winding much tbh after the early few weeks. I used to feed my DS to sleep, no way would I wake him up again to wind him!

Iirc dd stretched her feeds out a little bit before six months - maybe every 4 hours, but more importantly feeds became a lot quicker so it didn't feel like I was always pinned to a chair. Once she started properly on solids she gradually began to drop feeds and when I went back to work when she was one she usually only fed morning and evening.

Also from about 8 months she could drink milk from a cup so I could leave her with someone else (she had been a bottle refuser so this was a nice change).

Funnily enough ds doesn't seem to need winding at night, if I feed lying down. In the day he definitely does.
Maybe the milk comes out more slowly?

I've been told to always wind including mid feed due to fast letdown :-(

I have a 6 weeker and oversupply too - so I am recognising the position you are in. I'm on my 3rd DC though so feel like I know what's going on.

No helpful advice as you've had good advice already so I am just offering a fistbump of solidarity

Hey poocatcher, fist bump backatcha!

I didn't bf so can't really help as such with that but usually around 6-8 weeks babies tend to settle in a sort of routine going longer between feeds. Have you tried a dummy? She may be using you as a dummy and not nessessarily taking much milk. Do whatever you need to do to get a break for yourself either expressing so your dh can feed from bottle or even some mix feeding. Don't feel guilty for using some formula now and again if she'll take it. The main thing is that she's fed and most Importantly you get a much needed rest. I know it doesn't feel like it now but it really doesn't last forever x

Lady glad to hear the hourly feeds seem to have been a temporary thing. Also glad to hear block feeding is helping, I did that for a while and it helped me too (murder on the boobs though!)

When I fed lying down I would sometimes wind mid feed, sometimes not, it depended on whether I thought DD had taken in loads of air or not (it got pretty easy to tell). It was a pain to have to sit up to wind mid feed, but the side lying position did seem to reduce air going in, so it was worth it.

The fast let down and oversupply issues got much better around 10 weeks because DD got much better and quicker at burping and better able to deal with the flow. Then from about 14 weeks feeding was a breeze.

Regarding frequency of feeds: by about 12 weeks DD was on 4 feeds in the day (ie every 4 hours) and 2 in the night. Then that dropped to 4 in the day, 1 in the night. DD is now 9 months, well established on solids and has 3 feeds in the day and 1 or 2 in the night (she has been ill a lot, if she wasn't I think she would be sleeping through by now). And yes the feeds get a lot lot quicker, especially if you have fast let down!

Thank you ffff she is absolutely comfort feeding so I have another mumsnet thread asking about dummies as thinking of using one

On the dummy issue I used one for a few days last week but have come to my senses as I was basically holding it in his mouth. The others both sucked thumbs so I didn't have to worry about this.

I have decided that I will ditch it before he gets to like it and I didn't spend an hour with my finger in his mouth last night oh no babies love to suck!!!